How Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter's sons ended up together

Chapter 2: the train ride

Fast forward to start of year six...

=SHM=

The weather was miserable outside as the Hogwarts Express chugged along to its intended destination. The rain splattered against the windows and roof in a soothing back-beat and the dark clouds blotted out the light enough to make it seem much later in the day then it was. All in all, it was making Scorpius feel lethargic and pensive. This suited him just fine as Marcus, unsurprisingly, had his nose stuck in a book and Albus had disappeared some time ago and had yet to reappear.

The first ride to Hogwarts would always bring back memories of their very first ride to Hogwarts. All nerves and excitement as they sat across from each other wondering what was going to happen and where they would end up. Scorpius felt very happy where he was now and he knew that his best friends felt the same.

Marcus Goyle was among the top of the year, constantly challenging Rose Weasley for top marks and to get his hand in the air faster than her. He was a very good friend to have indeed and made sure that Scorpius and Albus were always up-to-date on their homework if quidditch practice ran over. He'd saved their hides on more than one occasion with some last minute notes. His notes were never anything short of meticulous. Scorpius knew he did it to help the two of them, but he couldn't help thinking it had more to do with Marcus wanting Slytherin to win the house cup. They'd only just lost to Gryffindor last year by a mere twenty points! They were determined to make it happen this year. And they would, if the three of them had anything to say about it.

Albus seemed to have settled into Slytherin as well, despite his initial nervousness from the sorting hat's decision. His family took a few months to adjust to the idea, James a little bit longer than that, but eventually they saw that he seemed content to be where he was and they just got used to the idea. Except maybe Uncle Ron after a few glasses of fire whisky at family Christmas, the way Albus tells it. His uncle still had a few prejudices towards Slytherin house. Albus did well in Slytherin though; his grades were excellent, he was a prefect and he was seeker on the quidditch team. He was practically the Slytherin poster boy.

Scorpius stretched his long legs outwards and was satisfied with a few pops as he settled back into his seat, letting his thoughts return to the more recent. He'd grown another inch at least over the summer. His mother had shaken her head over the fact that he'd needed new robes. Again. He'd never be taller than Marcus, who was really more a small giant at six foot six, but he was convinced he would be taller than Albusnow. He wasn't entirely sure because he'd not seen him since the beginning of the summer. They'd spent a week together at his brother Teddy's cottage in early July. Marcus had visited for a few days as well. It was nice and relaxing and not at all like the rest of his summer. After that week with his friends, he'd been shipped off to France to spend time with his mother's family and had hated every minute of it. They were uptight, boring and Scorpius could care less for the lot of them.

Happier thoughts, happier thoughts... he chided himself, unable to suppress a bit of a sigh.

Just then the door to the compartment slid open and their quiet bubble was momentarily interrupted by the raucous laughing of several students a few compartments down as Albus, Frank Longbottom, Lily Potter and two other girls that Scorpius didn't recognize or care about, slid in and promptly sat down.

"Hey Scorpius. Marcus. Summer good?" Frankie asked them with a broad grin, sitting beside Lily on Marcus's side of the compartment.

"Excellent. Thank you. Mother took us to Australia for the summer..." Marcus replied brightly, pausing momentarily from his reading.

"The only good part for me was the start," Scorpius mumbled, looking sideways at Albus. The shaggy haired boy had plopped himself down on the same bench as Scorpius and was happily sandwiched between the two girls, who he currently had his arms around.