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September 2012
September 1st. Hermione had been dreading this day ever since she found out she was pregnant. Her firstborn is going off to Hogwarts, and while technically she’ll be around and still get to see him as she was Headmistress of Hogwarts—the thought that her child, her children actually, since the twins have already shown instances of accidental magic—are growing up just kills her. Which is why she was so glad for Draco’s distraction in the shower that morning. Merlin, did she need that today of all days.
The platform was crowded as usual on September 1st, but at least those on the platform were parents and children she knew. She recalled her first experience with the Hogwarts Express all those years ago and thanked Merlin, Scorpius will be surrounded by friends and family aboard the red engine.
She glanced around and saw Teddy Lupin, now a handsome young man, being embarrassed by his mother’s kisses and his father’s hair ruffling. She hid her laugh behind her hand. She saw James Potter looking as doe-eyed as ever, with Harry and Ginny. Then there was little Georgette Weasley, Fred Weasley and Angelina Johnson’s daughter talking animatedly with Freda Weasley, the daughter of George Weasley and Alicia Spinnet. And the rest of the next generation of Weasley children, Victoire, Bill and Fleur’s daughter, now a beautiful young woman being hounded by her younger siblings eager to see their sister off. Further down were Draco’s friends, Theo and Daphne, with their son, Theodore “Trey” Nott III, and of course Blaise and Pansy’s daughter, Nichelle Zabini. The incoming class will be large and larger still once the younger ones start as well.
Hermione looked at her own son as Scorpius was being given last-second advice by Draco. She wondered what her husband was telling their son? A tug of her sleeve pulled Hermione out of her musings. She looked down at Lyra, looking on the verge of tears.
“What’s wrong sweetheart?”
“I wanna go too!”
“Me too!” cried Carina.
Her heart ached for them, she bent down eye-level with her daughters, “Oh, my darlings if only I could take you.”
“But we have magic!” implored Lyra.
“No one is doubting that love, but you both need to be 11 to go to Hogwarts.”
“We’re gonna miss, Scorp,” the twins began to cry.
“My sweet little girls," she hugged them close, "come now dry your eyes, you’ll see your brother soon enough. And if you’re good he might even bring you treats from Honeydukes,” Hermione bribed. Her daughters had inherited Draco’s sweet tooth. She remembered when even before they were dating that Draco would receive weekly owls of sweets and cakes. Luckily, that did the trick and the girls wiped their eyes and sniffled as Scorpius and Draco walked over.
“Hey, why all the crying?” Scorpius asked his sisters bent down on a knee.
“We’re gonna miss you!” They said at the same time and each launched themselves at him in a twin hug knocking him over.
Draco and Hermione chuckled as Hermione was also discreetly wiping away her own stray tears.
“Come on, you two, let’s get Scorp back on his feet,” Draco said as he picked up his daughters, while Hermione offered Scorpius a hand, which he accepted.
“Now, no funny business on the train, Scorp. I’ll see you for the Sorting but I have Professor Longbottom overseeing the train, so if you so much as cast a Lumos before you reach Scotland I’ll see to give you a week’s detention.”
Scorpius gaped at his mother’s warning. “Surely, you don’t mean that, if I recall correctly you cast a Reparo on Uncle Harry’s glasses on the train when you first met.”
Hermione blushed, she forgot that Harry liked to tell stories of their early years and his first meeting with Hermione was his favourite to tell. “Be that as it may. You are a Malfoy, and the son of the Headmistress, you are expected to be above showing off.”
“But, Mum—“
“No buts, Scorp. Promise me, no magic until you reach Scotland.”
Scorpius let out a huff, “Fine, I promise.”
Hermione smiled and hugged her son, “There’s a good boy. Come on, girls say good-bye to Scorpius, he needs to get on the train.”
“Bye-bye Scorp,” and each gave him a kiss on either cheek as he laughed.
"Bye, Lyra, Carina."
“Have a good trip son, and remember what I told you,” Draco said as he gave his son a hug of his own.
“I will, Father. I’ll see you at the Sorting, Mum,” Scorpius said as he boarded the train.
As the train pulled away, the Malfoys, Potters, Weasleys, Lupins, Notts, and Zabini families watched as their children left for another year at Hogwarts.
“Seems like yesterday that they were all babies, huh?” Harry addressed no one in particular as he walked up to Hermione.
“Yeah, but they’ll have each other to lean on,” Hermione replied as the Hogwarts Express became a speck on the horizon.
“Don’t worry, Hermione, Teddy and Victoire will look after the little tykes too,” said Tonks as she put an arm around the younger witch.
Once on the train, Scorpius found a compartment with Georgette, Freda, James, Trey and Nichelle. He was glad they all pre-arranged to sit together.
“Hey, guys.”
“Scorp,“ they replied with smiles.
“Excited?”
They all nodded as Scorpius took his seat next to Trey.
“Anyone up for Exploding Snap, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin?” Trey asked after they all bought some treats from the trolley lady.
“Sure, but how do you know it’ll be Gryffindor vs. Slytherin?” Georgette asked as she opened her Chocolate Frog card, "Hey, I finally got Uncle Draco!"
“Genetics,” Nichelle shrugged.
“Oh please, the only thing we got from our parents is our looks, our personalities are our own,” James scoffed.
“I take it back, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin and one Hufflepuff,” Scorpius smirked as the compartment burst into laughter. James scowled.
“So are we playing or not?” Freda quickly changed the subject before James got into a mood, which happened quite often with him and Scorpius.
They all agreed and after a few rounds they all got out books to read.
About three hours in Scorp excused himself to go to the restroom. On the way back, he saw the one kid he didn’t want to, Brutus Goyle. His father and Brutus’ father, Gregory, used to be friends but after the War, Mr Goyle never forgave his father for allowing Mr Goyle’s best friend Vincent to die in the Room of Requirement and would often go out of his way to antagonise his father whenever the two met. Scorpius hoped Mr Goyle didn’t pass that onto his own son, as he tried to sneak by the larger child but to no avail.
“Oi Malfoy, cute family you got, even your sisters kissed you good-bye. That’s so sweet,” Brutus mocked.
Scorpius sighed, he knew it was too good to be true, but kept walking.
“Oi look at me, when I’m talking to you, squirt!”
Scorpius didn’t turn around, he began to walk faster.
“Fine, ignore me just like your father did mine because of his stupid mudblood!”
Scorpius froze, he knew he promised his mother but his father’s words rang in his ears the second he heard that disgusting word. ‘Protect your mother at all costs if you tell the truth no one will blame you’. Scorpius draw his wand, turned and shouted, “Petrificus Totalus!” Then he ran back to the now frozen body of Brutus Goyle and began punching the boy mercilessly.
Neville Longbottom happened on the scene and quickly pulled Scorpius off the immobilised boy.
“Scorpius what on Earth is going on?” Neville knew that Scorpius was normally a very kind child much like Hermione in that respect, so to see the boy he had known since birth, punching a body-binded child while cursing his name was like seeing Draco Malfoy at 11-years-old again.
“The wanker deserved it. He called my Mum a ‘mudblood’!”
“Language! Now you hurry back to your compartment, unfortunately I will have to report this to the Headmistress.”
“Please Professor, I promise not to do it again. I’ll get in trouble if you tell her.”
“I’m sorry Scorpius but I have to, physical and magical attacks on another student are forbidden you know that. Whether she will punish you, however, is her prerogative.”
“All right Professor. For what it is worth, I really am sorry.”
“Okay Scorp, back to your compartment, now.”