Chapter Text
What in the name of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, he thought. His mouth hung agape as did everyone else in the room. The echoes of the word “GRYFFINDOR!” echoed across the halls. His eyes wandered to the Slytherin table where some of his friends looked at him with shock and disbelief. He couldn’t believe it. He was a Gryffindor. He, Scorpius Malfoy, was sorted into the house of Gryffindor.
Professor Lovegood, a petite and pale young woman, smiled gently at him as she patted his shoulder. “Go on dear, they don’t bite.” She whispered in his ear, gently nudging Scorpius off the stool towards the Gryffindor table. Not a single applause.
He walked over to the table greeted by a young and lanky boy with dark jet-black hair and blue eyes who smiled and shook his hand. “Welcome to Gryffindor, Malfoy, didn’t expect to see you here but we’re glad to have you!” He said with a cheeky and bright smile with a perfect row of pearly white teeth. He mumbled a “thanks,” and shook the boy’s hand.
“I’m James, James Sirius Potter, your dad and my dad are friends.” He introduced himself which Scorpius was relieved to hear, and a smile ran across his face. His father, Draco Malfoy, had told Scorpius all about the Potter family. On the platform, Draco had told Scorpius to be kind to the Potters.
“Albus Potter.” Professor Lovegood announced. “That’s my brother.” James whispered as a young boy with hair similar to James’ stepped forward. They looked almost like twins, but one thing was different about Albus, he had striking green eyes, like emeralds.
Not long after the sorting hat stood on Albus’ head, it screamed “GRYFFINDOR!”
No one was shocked but James seemed to look relieved, sighing deeply before applauding loudly for his younger brother who ran to the table and sat next to James.
Albus smiled happily as he shook hands until he shook Scorpius’. “Hi, I’m Albus, but you can call me Al.” Albus said, finally shaking Scorpius’ hand. “I’m Scorpius.” He smiled back. A few names later and it finally arrived the W surnames.
“Rose Weasley?”
A young girl with fair ivory skin and long curly red hair stepped forward. When the girl faced forward, Scorpius couldn’t help but stare. Rose, her name was, looked so much like someone he knew, he couldn’t place who exactly though. Her slim, button nose, with hazel green eyes and plump pink lips. She looked like someone out of a painting, like an Irish princess.
The hat took longer than usual and Rose, who sat still, looked like she was arguing with it in her head. A few more seconds passed, and the hat finally shouted. “RAVENCLAW!”
Albus and James laughed, like sharing an inside joke as they clapped for their cousin. “Not like it was much of a shock anyways.” James said as Albus rolled her eyes. “I thought she’d be a Slytherin, that would be even less of a shock.” The younger Potter replied. This caught Scorpius’ attention. “If you don’t mind me asking, why is it not a shock?” Scorpius asked. “Well, she’s quite ambitious really, she wants to be the best at everything.”
Scorpius sighed and wondered. What was wrong with him that he couldn’t be a Slytherin?
Apparently, Rose had been the second to the last person to sort and all that was left was Michael Zabini, a friend of Scorpius, who undoubtedly landed in Slytherin.
The feast began and people enjoyed the delicious meals, mashed potatoes, roasted chickens, peas and carrots and a lot more delicacies that only made Scorpius’ mouth water.
Taking one of each meal near him, Scorpius dug in as he made conversations with Albus who had now moved away from his brother to claim the spot next to Scorpius and a young girl with blond hair and brown eyes with a round face that Albus seemed to like very much. Scorpius had later learned her names is Alice Lovegood-Longbottom, the daughter of Professor Lovegood and Professor Longbottom. The three enjoyed their dinner and ate a lot of dessert until they were completely full.
“Hey Alice, what do your parents teach?” Scorpius asked, taking a bite of the treacle tart.
“Dad teaches Herbology and Mum teaches Care of Magical Creatures.” Alice answered between bites of her pudding and Scorpius noticed she sounded a lot like her Mum, with the airy and soft voice.
Soon, the feast ended and the meals disappeared. Everyone stood up and followed the prefects who would lead them to the common rooms. “Al wait!” They heard a voice shout after them. Albus and Scorpius turned to see Rose, her red hair flowing behind her as she ran. “Hey Ro, congratulations on making Ravenclaw, your Mum would be thrilled.” Al said, putting his arm around Rose. Scorpius smiled at her and she smiled back.
“Thanks Al, well, I just came over to say hello, I should be following my classmates now, huh? I’ll see you tomorrow at breakfast, Al!” And she ran off, her bundle of red locks trailing after her like a cape.
“She’s…” Scorpius started, and Al laughed. “She’s super nice, huh?” Albus asked and Scorpius nodded. “She’s always like that, kind to the core, she takes after Grandma Molly, really.”
They continued to walk behind all the other first year Gryffindor and looked at the paintings around them. Historical people from all over the world who turned out to have magical connections.
Soon, they arrived at the portrait of what the prefect called “The Fat Lady”.
“Okay first years, I am Roxanne Weasley and this is Vincent McGallenstir. We are your prefects, and we are in charge of you. We will guide you and we will keep an eye out if you step a foot out of line. This is the Fat Lady’s Portrait; it is the entrance to our common room. To get in, say the password. Mind you, the passwords will be changed every week in order to avoid unwanted visitors. And if by chance any of you let in these unwanted visitors without asking for permission, 50 points will be deducted from our house, understood?” She asked, a stern face observing the crowd who nodded. “Good.” She turned and faced the painting. “Fandlefort.” She states and the portrait opened gaining wows.
Inside is a circular room with walls painted gold and red. Along the floors were scattered cozy and squishy couches and armchairs with a large fireplace. On the mantle stood a painting of a lion, proud and roaring loudly.
“It’s wonderful.” Alice muttered as she followed the rest of the girls.
“Girls follow Roxanne, boys follow me.” Vincent yells to gain attention as all the male first years, five of them, followed him. The prefect led them to their shared bedroom. Another circular room with five post beds formed in a circle. Each bed had a desk and cupboard to the left of it and their luggage at the foot of the bed.
Scorpius located his and found it with his pet owl hooting in the cage. He also found a new black cloak with Gryffindor’s colors on the inside, red, and had a logo on the right of the chest. There was also a vest with the hem and neckline being red and gold stripes and a red and gold tie.
Scorpius couldn’t help but have a sinking feeling, like he wanted the red and gold to be replaced with green and silver, but he took a massive deep breath.
He opened his luggage and started unpacking, putting his clothes in the drawers under his bed and in the cupboard. He then placed his large luggage inside the cupboard and decided that only his school things be at the foot of his bed.
He looked at the scrolls of parchment and his quills like they were eyeing him. “Hey, when’s curfew?” He asked Albus who was also unpacking. “It’s in one hour. They gave us time to unpack and to write to our families.” He replied then continued unpacking.
Scorpius grabbed a quill, ink and parchment and sat down on his desk. He began writing. He didn’t know what to say. He dreaded letting them know that he had landed in the opposite house. Sucking in a deep breath again and looking out into the dark night with the glowing moon. Dipping his quill in the ink.
Dear Dad,
Hey Dad, how are you and Mum? I am very glad to assure you both that I arrived safely at Hogwarts and had no problems on the train. But, I am rather scared to inform you that I have been placed in Gryffindor. I know it isn’t what you expected but the hat said it was the best and only option for me. I’m sorry if I had disappointed you and I wish I could make you prouder. Please tell me if mom’s getting better. I love you.
Your son, Scorpius.
He folds the letter and places it inside an envelope, sealing it with the wax seal of their family. Staring at the seal, Scorpius couldn’t help but feel dread. The snake stared back at him with large eyes. He knew his father wouldn’t mind too much and his mother would be thrilled but he didn’t know how his grandparents would react. The Greengrasses would be fine with it but he wasn’t too sure of the Malfoys. Even as a child they had always been more on the… difficult side.
Sending the letter away to his owl, Orion, Scorpius looked around to see that some of his classmates had gone to change into their pajamas and he did too.
Once he was done, he lay in his bed, exchanging stories with Albus whose bed was beside his. The three other boys, who also conversed among themselves were getting ready for bed too.
“How did your magic awaken?” Asked Albus. “Well, I kind of exploded my grandfather’s glass of wine when he said something unkind towards my mother, how about you?” Albus laughed at his story and shade his too, “James and I were goofing off and we went a little too far, soon enough his hair started turning green.” The two exchanged more interesting things they had done with magic when Scorpius asked. “How about your cousin in Ravenclaw? How did she awaken her magic?” Albus stopped laughing for a moment.
“When she was born, her skin turned red. That’s when they found out she’s a metamorphmagus.” This shocked Scorpius. He knew only one metamorphmagus, his aunt Nymphadora Lupin. “But she doesn’t look like one, really, she barely uses her abilities, only when we ask her to.”
Left curious, Scorpius turned on his back. “Well, we better sleep, we have to be early tomorrow.” Said Albus. As if on cue, someone knocked on the door. “Lights out.” The voice outside said and the lights turned off.
Scorpius had thought that he would be unable to sleep but as soon as he pulled his covers on top of him and closed his eyes, he dozed off, unaware of how tired he actually was.