A L B U S
Albus made his way cautiously down the corridor of the train; a couple of older boys had rammed their shoulder into Albus’ as they went past but so far Hogwarts was amazing!
Although he had only been on the train for about 5 minutes, he was already fully immersed in the atmosphere and loving every minute of it. He continued down the narrow corridors, looking for an empty compartment or at least one that didn’t have a bunch of 5th years in it.
As he came to what felt like the seventh compartment he had checked, he stopped and curiously peeked in. Inside, sitting on the velvet chairs was a boy of about 11 with short platinum blond hair reading a large book.
He chapped on the clear glass door once then when the boy didn’t look up, he pushed it open. “Excuse me?” He interjected as the boy, startled, looked up from his book with wide cerulean eyes.
Albus recognised him at once from stories his dad had told him. He was Scorpius Malfoy, the son of Draco Malfoy who in turn was the son of ex-death-eater Lucius Malfoy. Well, it was too late to back out now, he had spoken.
“Um, may I sit in here? All the other places are full.” Albus spoke, his voice seeming too loud in the compartment full of silence.
The boy’s eyes lessened in width and his face broke into a small grin. “Sure, take a seat.” He said in a friendly tone that reminded Albus of Teddy.
Albus accepted this with a timid smile and sat opposite him, pushing his glasses up. “I’m Albus Potter by the way.” He said as he extended a hand.
Scorpius shook his hand, “So I’ve heard. I’m Scorpius Malfoy.”
Albus tipped his head towards him, “Likewise.”
A few minutes of silence passed as Albus fiddled with putting away his trunk and Scorpius returned to his book. “So what are you reading?’ He asked as an attempt to initiate conversation.
The blond boy opposite him held the book up to show Albus. The front read, ‘Hogwarts: A History.”
“Is that the original or the revised one?”
“Revised one. I read the original one in summer. This one is by your aunt, isn’t it?”
"Yeah, my dad always told me how much she loved that book!”
***
The students filed into the Great Hall. The boat journey here across the lake had been quite idyllic aside from the excited chatter and it hadn’t occurred to him really then, that the next hour of his life would play a major role in the next 7 years of his life. It was really quite daunting to think of.
But now it was time. The moment of truth.
Albus rubbed his palms together nervously as the first years stood at the bottom of the stairs in anticipation of their sorting.
He gazed blankly ahead as students got sorted in front of him; he was busy imagining what his own sorting would be like. His dad had told him that the hat takes the wearer’s choice into consideration but what if Albus objected to the hat’s choice and then he ended up being unhappy in his house because he didn’t listen?
“Potter, Albus.” The name rang clear around the hall and interrupted Albus from his worries and fantasies alike.
He made his way up the few steps, hoping he wouldn’t trip. Albus took a seat, placing the old hat on his head.
The brim of the hat slid over his eyes and he found his sight blinded by dark material.
The hat spoke in a small voice in his ear, “Another Potter, I see?”
“I’m half Weasley too!”
“Indeed you are. You have courage from both sides of your family although there’s more to you than meets the eye. You’re cunning and you know how to play people, yes, you’re good at getting what you want even if you don’t realise it. Your ambitions are vast and you strive to be the best. Hmm, what house shall it be?” The hat thought for a moment, “Slytherin or Gryffindor?”
“Whatever suits me. I don’t care about tradition or assumptions.”
“Self-assured too? My, my, you are breaking out of the mould. Though not the first, no, not the first by far. That settles it then.”
The hat lifted from its place in front of Albus’s eyes and yelled out,
“SLYTHERIN!”
