Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1

"Need some help with that?" a voice from behind him asked.

Albus Potter whirled around and then froze when he saw who it was. Scorpius Malfoy smiled nervously and looked down at the large trunk that Albus had been trying-unsuccessfully-to lift on to the shelf above their heads.

He didn't have chance to say yes because Scorpius quickly ducked his head, muttering something about having to get back to his compartment anyway. When he looked up he seemed ruefull. It was then that Albus realised that he actually looked nothing like his father. His pale blonde hair was sticking up messily in an effortlessly cool look, his chin was less pointed and he had dimples that were visible even though he wasn't smiling. But most different were his clothes. He was not wearing wizards robes like his dad but instead wore muggle clothes: a purple hoodie, black trainers and black skinny jeans.

He turned to leave but just before his hand reached the handle of the compartment door Albus said; "Wait. Do you want to sit here? My cousin Rose is coming but she won't mind."

He crossed his fingers behind his back because although he knew Rose wouldn't mind he wasn't so sure about James. Even though he'd said that he wasn't going to sit with them Albus was 99.9% sure that his brother would check on them at some point in the journey to make sure that they weren't sitting with someone he didn't like the look of.

"uh-yeah, okay." Scorpius replied.

Albus smiled. His uncle had been lecturing him and Rose about not becoming friends with Scorpius but his aunt had told them she wouldn't mind. Anyway he seemed nice enough. Well, nice enough to help out a stranger whose brother had been giving him death glares for the past ten minutes. Plus he should probably make some friends before lessons the next day started started (he was one of those people who always had to ask their friend what to do because he never listened).

"My name's Albus Potter." he said.

"I know."

"How?"

"Oh. Um-y'know. I mean your dad..." he trailed off looking embarrassed.

Then it made sense. He should of guessed that people would know who his dad was. After all he was a killed-a-dark-wizard-when-I-was-one-then-killed-hi m-again-a-couple-of-times type person.

Scorpius smiled again still looking embarrassed and said; "I'm Scorpius."

then almost reluctantly he said; "Scorpius Malfoy."

Scorpius blinked. The thick lashes that framed his eyes brushed against his pale skin and then suddenly he seemed to remember something. His eyes flitted to the large trunk and he stepped towards it.

"On three?" he said taking one end.

"Okay. One. Two. Three."

They lifted the trunk and heaved it onto the shelf.

"Hey Al." Rose walked in to the compartment.

"Hi Rose. This is Scorpius." He said even though she already knew who he was. "I said he could sit with us... You don't mind do you?"

"'Course not." she turned to Scorpius and smiled but when she turned to push her trunk to the side of the compartment, not bothering to put it on the rack, she gave Albus a confused look.

"I think the trains leaving." said Scorpius, looking out of the window.

Albus rushed to the window to say goodbye to his parents. He had to search the platform for them as it was full of crowds of parents waving goodbye to their children, but eventually he found them. At about the same time his dad saw him and waved to him mouthing something that looked like 'remember; its your choice.'

Albus waved until the train turned a corner and they disappeared along with the rest of platform nine and three quarters.


	2. Chapter 2

"Anything off the trolley, dears?" asked a plump woman from behind a large trolley laden with brightly coloured wizard sweets, drinks and food.

Albus dug around in his pocket to find that he only had a sickle and a few knuts left. He got up and asked for a chocolate frog then handed her the money.

"Here." she said holding out the change.

"Keep it." he replied brightly.

Albus sat down just as Rose and Scorpius got up to buy something.

They had been on the train for about an hour and had already played over twenty games of wizards chess (Rose kept winning every game practically before it started) and a game of exploding snap.

It seemed Scorpius was nothing like his father. His appearance was one, small difference but it was his personality and constant grin that made him such a surprise. From all his father had told him about the Malfoy's Albus had expected their son to be just like them. Malicious and captious. Or as James put it 'evil' (he didn't exactly have an amazing range of vocabulary). However despite his family Scorpius seemed like a genuinely nice person.

"Three liquorice wands please." said Rose passing her money to the woman.

Scorpius bit his lip then said "Do you have Snickers?"

The woman furrowed her brow, confused.

"Isn't that a muggle sweet?" she said.

"Yeah..."

"Oh, well we don't have any muggle sweets. Sorry."

"Okay." Scorpius said sitting back down as the woman closed the door to the compartment.

"So you like muggle sweets?" said Rose.

"Yeah. I guess I'm kinda obsessed with muggles at the moment." He chuckled.

Rose shared out the liquorice wands then unwrapped her own.

"So have you got any brothers or sisters?" Albus asked Scorpius as he bit into his liquorice wand.

Scorpius shook his head. Then he reached into his bag and started looking for something. After a moment he found whatever it was. He took out a black, shiny square, that was just smaller than his hand, with some sort of screen.

"What's that?" Rose asked just as Albus realised the answer.

In answer to her question he lightly tapped a small button on the side of it then held it up for her to see. The screen lit up and on it was a picture of someone.

"I just wanted to check if there was any signal." he peered at the screen then grimaced. "I guess not."

"Is that a... um... one of those muggle device-thingies?" said Rose.

"You could call it that." Scorpius grinned.

"I guess you are obsessed..."

"Anyway what houses do you two want to be in?" Scorpius asked.

"Hmm. Well Gryffindor would be great. Ravenclaw maybe. I don't really know."

"What about Slytherin?" Said Albus.

"Ha! No way. Like I'd get put in Slytherin. I swear everyone in that house is either stupid, arrogant or both."

Before either of them could say anything more the train started to slow down. After a while it screeched to a halt.

They stepped out of their compartment to be jostled and pushed by the crowd. Suddenly an arm shot out from the compartment they were passing and grabbed Albus around his wrist. Albus gasped and his heart missed a beat. Then he saw whose arm it was.

"What the hell?!"

"What are you doing? Why are you with _him?" _James growled.

"Why? Am I not_ aloud_?"

"He's a _Malfoy_; he's evil. He's _dangerous_."

There was a pause.

"It's none of your business. I don't remember the last time you helped me so why are you pretending to care all of a sudden?"

"It's just-i mean him just-of _all_ people." he stuttered.

"I already told you: It's none of you business."

"Of course it is! I'm your brother."

"Albus?" a voice asked tentatively.

Scorpius and Rose came in to the compartment.

"Go away!" James spat venomously at Scorpius.

"Come on." Rose said tugging on Albus's arm.

Albus followed them out of the compartment but just before he was out of earshot James said; "Watch out, OK? I'm just looking out for you."

Surprised, Albus looked back but James was already gone.

About a minute later they were finally off the train and could hear a familiar voice calling over the heads of the students.

"Firs'-years! firs'-years over here!"

Albus and Rose already knew Hagrid because he regularly came over to their houses.

Hagrid was about as tall as two fully grown men and five times as wide. His hands were as large as dustbin lids and his feet were like baby dolphins. He had wild and tangled looking hair and a beard, both were greying slightly. His beetle black eyes were glinting in the darkness. He would have looked very frightening if not for the kind smile that he wore.

"All right there Rose, Albus." he called to them.

They followed the other first years and Hagrid down a steep, slippery path.

"Mind yer step now!" he called to them.

Albus looked around at the other first years. He caught several of them looking at him. Most of them turned their heads away again when they realised he was looking at them. All except a girl with white-blonde hair and wide sapphire blue eyes.

When he looked back at Hagrid he saw that he had stopped.

"Yeh'll see Hogwarts in a sec, jus' round this bend."

As they turned the corner Albus got his first glimpse of Hogwarts.

In front of them was a great black lake and on the other side of that was a magnificent castle sitting on top of a tall mountain. It's many turrets and towers were lit up along with the rest of the castle by the hundreds of windows that glowed gold against the dark sky.

Hagrid directed them towards a fleet of small wooden boats saying; "No more'n four to a boat."

Albus, Rose and Scorpius quickly found a boat and whilst they were sitting down someone else stepped into their boat. Albus looked up and saw that it was the girl with the blue eyes.

"Can I sit here?" she asked in a bell-like voice that sounded like singing.

"Yeah." he said.

Suddenly Hagrid shouted; "FORWARD!" and the little group of boats began to move towards the castle.

The boats moved swiftly and they were quickly at the edge of the black water next to the castle.

They clambered out onto the rocks and pebbles and waited for Hagrid. When he reached the top of the stone steps he raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.


	3. Chapter 3

The first years moved into a large hall decorated with a few paintings. As with all wizard paintings the people in them were moving around the portraits and some disappeared completely from their pictures.

Albus noticed that the girl who had shared their boat had now fixed her bright eyes on Scorpius. He elbowed Scorpius lightly in the ribs and looked back at her.

"Ow! That hurt!" Scorpius muttered under his breath.

Suddenly a man stepped out from the doors at the end of the hall.

"Look Al!" Rose whispered. "Its Neville."

Albus saw that she was right.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!" he told them brightly. "I am professor Longbottom. I'm deputy headmaster, herbology teacher and head of Griffindor house. Behind those doors is the rest of the school waiting to watch your sorting."

Albus felt as though his stomach had dropped out of his body. He'd forgotten about the sorting. He stopped listening to what Neville-er professor Longbottom was saying and concentrated instead on keeping his breathing paced evenly. He was going to be put in Slytherin. He just knew it.

He managed to calm himself enough to look anxiously around at the other students. Some looked worried but others seemed completely at ease.

He caught sight of Scorpius. He looked almost as bad as Albus felt. He had gone paler than usual if that was possible and his eyes were wide. Out of nowhere Albus realised that his eyes were not a cold grey colour like his dad's but a captivating turquoise-green. It reminded Albus of the sea on tropical islands...

"I will be back in a moment when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." Professor Longbottom finished.

He turned around and left the hall.

For about two seconds all was silent, then the first years broke into chatter that echoed off the stone walls.

"So, do you two know what house you want to be in?" Rose inquired.

Neither of them answered as they were both still too agitated to speak so she responded to herself.

"I'm hoping for Griffindor."

finally Scorpius spoke.

"If I'm not in Slytherin... My granddad said..." he shuddered delicately then showed his dimples as he smiled mischievously. "Well, who cares what he thinks?"

Albus tried to smile but from the looks on Scorpius and Rose's faces it was more like a grimace.

"What's wrong Al?" Scorpius asked.

Albus raised his eyebrows at the word 'Al'.

"Oh, sorry. I picked it up from Rose."

Albus nodded then turned at the sound of footsteps. Professor Longbottom was back.

"Please form a line."

There was a scuffle as people tried to get near their friends but after a moment everything was silent again. Albus was between Rose and Scorpius.

They walked through the doors that Professor Longbottom had just entered from. In front of them were four long tables that seated hundreds of students and on a raised platform was a horizontal table behind which- Albus guessed- were the teachers. Albus wanted to concentrate on something other than the stares of the people on the tables so he looked up at the ceiling where he expected to see a roof. However to Albus's amazement there was no roof. He could see the cloudless night sky and the stars. He gasped in shock but then he realised that since inside the building it was warm it must be an enchantment.

They continued until they were standing on the raised platform in front of the teachers table in a line facing the rest of the school. Professor Longbottom was standing in front of them holding a long scroll and next to him was a pointed wizard's hat sitting on a wooden stool. The hat looked very old and very dirty.

Suddenly a rip in the brim of the hat opened up like a mouth and it began to sing.

_'Every student we have is sorted into a house,_

_so now it will be you who will give their espouse._

_If you're a Gryffindor it's known that you'll be chivalrous and brave,_

_because a good adventure is what you crave._

_If you're a Hufflepuff it's known that you'll be truthful and loyal,_

_because you have no trouble at all with toil._

_If you're a Slytherin it's known that you'll be curious and make good friends,_

_because both will help you to achieve your ends._

_If you're a Ravenclaw it's known that you'll be bright and have a great wit,_

_because between intelligence and humour your mind is split._

_So now put me on and you will see,_

_with which house your mind agrees,_

_and which house shall obtain,_

_what your personality contains.'_

The whole school applauded loudly.

"When I call your name sit on the stool and put the hat on." Professor Longbottom said then he unrolled the scroll and read out a name.

"Adams, Alex!"

A tall, sandy haired boy took a nervous step forward. He paused and seemed to gather his courage then strode arrogantly towards the stool, picked up the hat and put it on his head before sitting down. The hat slipped past his eyes and it had barely touched his head when-

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted.

The table on the far left exploded with cheers as Alex Adams strutted confidently towards the table.

"Ahmed, Tiah!"

She walked towards the stool, put the hat on her head and waited. A long moment passed and then-

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

As more people were sorted Albus grew even more worried.

Benson, Alicia was sorted into Ravenclaw, Blaise, Jade into Slytherin and Boot, Liam into Hufflepuff.

Then Professor Longbottom called an unexpected name.

"Dursley, Jessica!"

The girl who had shared their boat moved towards the stool.

Albus had only seen her once before even though they were related. In fact he could hardly even remember that one time when his grandfather had dragged them all to see 'escalators' and they had seen Dudley, his wife, Anna, and his daughter, Jessica. It was years ago.

His dad didn't speak for long with them, probably because he already talked to Dudley sometimes and people were stating to stare at 'That man with red hair and a bright purple dress-thing' as one woman had called him. His granddad had started saying things like 'Wow! Look at that.' and 'Look at the things these muggles come up with. Absolutely ridiculous!'

However, Albus sometimes wondered if the real reason his dad and Dudley didn't talk much was because his dad had never fully forgiven Dudley for bullying him.

Albus pulled himself back to the present.

Jessica sat on the stool and put the hat on. She waited, holding her breath, and there was a long pause. Finally the hat shouted-

"GRYFFINDOR!"

She went to sit with her house.

The rest of the sorting went by in a blur until Scorpius was called. He advanced casually towards the stool but even having known him for just a few hours Albus could tell he was scared.

The hat hadn't even touched his head before it shouted out one word...


	4. Chapter 4

"RAVENCLAW!"

Albus looked around to see a mixture of confusion, cheers and disappointment. Obviously some people had been getting ready to say 'I knew it'. They'd thought that Scorpius was going to be in Slytherin. They were wrong. He felt a surge of happiness that immediately turned into fear when he remembered he was going to be sorted soon.

"Potter, Albus!"

Trying to ignore all the stares, he half-walked half-jogged to the stool so it could just be over and done with. hundreds of people were staring at him but one caught his eyes. James was wearing his usual smirk and mouthed 'Slytherin'. Albus' last thought before he was submerged in darkness was; _He got his confidence back quickly._

Albus waited.

"Hmm... Even more difficult than your father." said a small voice in his ear, making him jump.

"There's potential for you to do well in any house. Gryffindor _is_ the most obvious of course... but maybe it's not the best."

_Which would be the best then? _Albus thought.

"Well, you're ambitious and... Yes, just like your mother and father, a need to prove yourself. I see you don't want to stand in your fathers shadow. No? Well, _Slytherin_ could help you."

_What! No. Just put me in Gryffindor. Please? _Albus begged.

"Slytherin could help you to be everything you want and more." replied the hat "Popular. Clever. Head boy maybe? Against what? Being teased by your brother? It _is_ your choice though."

_Okay. _Albus thought, giving in.

There was silence for a moment.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Albus pulled off the hat and saw that the table closest to the entrance door was cheering loudly. He put the hat on the stool and walked to what was now his house table then sat down. He looked over to the Gryffindor table and saw James' sour look had been replaced by a thoughtful one (For once). Suddenly James stood up and started clapping. Loudly. In fact Albus would have been embarrassed if he hadn't been so surprised. James smiled at him proudly.

_Wait... What? Proudly? Proud that I'm in Slytherin? _Albus wondered. _Well, at least I know my brother doesn't hate me._

How wrong he was.


End file.

Harry Potter, Adventure, Fantasy