Here we are, back at Hogwarts. Last chapter was a little intense, so we're going to take a little break from that, at least for now. So now, we're back at Hogwarts with Al and his friends. This is a much longer chapter, but I'm happy with it.

I'm broke. Therefore, I'm not JK Rowling.

Chapter Four: Trust me, I'm the Sorting Hat

As the sun was beginning to set, Albus stirred from his nap, which he started shortly after Craig bought them sweets. He woke up to see that Holly and Cleo were still asleep while Rose was reading and Craig was looking through an old photo album. He looked around, realizing that Tanith was no longer there. He looked up at Craig, asking, "Craig, do you know what happened to Tanith?"

Craig set the album on his lap for the moment. "I don't know, shortly after you fell asleep, she told me that she was going to look for someone. She hasn't come back since."

Albus scrunched his face, perplexed. "Well, I think the train will stop soon. Do you think that maybe we should try to find her?"

"I'm sure she'll be back soon," said Craig nonchalantly. "But maybe we should go retrieve our pets first, don't you think?"

Rose set down her book, turning to the boys. "They're not pets. They're magical familiars in the Wizarding World. Pet is such a muggle term."

Craig nodded sheepishly, mumbling his apologies. Albus, however, was not impressed with Rose's behavior. "Do you really have to be such a know-it-all? Craig wasn't raised in the Wizarding World. How was he supposed to know?"

"I was just correcting him," said Rose.

"You don't have to be so rude about it," Al muttered. He looked back at Craig and decided it would be best to ignore his cousin. "Should we wake Cleo and Holly up?"

"Sure thing," said Craig, tapping Holly's shoulder. "Holly, we're almost there."

She opened her groggy blue eyes slowly, trying to register where she was. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw some of the wands on the seat. She calmed down in a moment once she remembered where she was. "Sorry, I'm still trying to get used to being magic."

"I can understand that," said Craig. "I still think it's strange that I'm a wizard."

Al had just as interesting of a time waking Cleo up. When he tapped her arm, she swatted at him with her hand. "Go away, mum," she grumbled. "I'm sleeping."

"It's me, Albus," said Al. "Albus Potter."

"Potter?" she whispered. Her eyes snapped open. "Oh Al, sorry about that, I thought you were my mum."

"You too are very heavy sleepers for being on a train," Rose observed.

"I'm just exhausted," said Holly. "That was the first time I've slept in a couple of days. I've been too excited."

They were all in agreement for their excitement at the upcoming year. At that moment, they decided to go into the Compartment of Magical Familiars, where their animals were waiting. Albus found his familiar first, a large barn owl named Hermes, hooting at him happily. Other students were filing in and out, grabbing their own familiars. Since neither Holly nor Cleo brought a pet, they gathered around Rose and her cat, a black, hairy beast with large snowshoe paws and white whiskers. The creature's green eyes glowed. Even though Al didn't particularly care for Rose's familiar, he acknowledged that it was a fairly intelligent animal. The three girls cooed at the creature.

"What a beautiful cat," said Cleo, petting its cheeks, which it seemed to enjoy. "What's his name?"

"Her name is Lethe," said Rose. "My Aunt Ginny bought her for my tenth birthday. She's part kneazle and I love her. Isn't she lovely?"

"She's alright," said Craig, holding a leash in his hand. "But wait until you see my girl."

At that moment, they noticed a large, slender collie with a long, thick coat and sable markings. Al started petting the dog, noticing a black mole near her brown eyes. The dog barked happily. Al couldn't help but be slightly jealous that Craig had a dog. If his sister weren't so afraid of dogs, maybe he would try to convince his parents to let him have one.

"You're not allowed to bring dogs to Hogwarts," Rose stated.

Craig looked at her, confused. "But Professor McGonagall said I could bring her. She said Caireen was my familiar. Did I do something wrong?"

"No, not at all," said Al. "Don't listen to Rose. Despite what she thinks, she doesn't know everything." Rose gritted her teeth at the jab. Al ignored her. "Professor McGonagall is Headmistress, if she said you can bring her, then you can bring her. Don't worry about it."

This seemed to assure Craig, who gave his dog a piece of ham as a treat. At that moment, Tanith and Scorpius came into the compartment to retrieve their familiars. Albus waved to Tanith, who reluctantly nodded at him.

"Hi Tanith," said Al. "I was wondering where you went off to." He looked over to Scorpius, who was throwing daggers at them. "Who's your friend?"

"Scorpius Malfoy," said Scorpius tensely. He held out his hand. Rose and the others, with the exception of Al, looked at the blonde-haired boy cautiously. Al shook his hand firmly.

"It's nice to meet you Scorpius, I'm," said Al.

"Albus Potter, right?" said Scorpius. "You don't need an introduction. Anyone who reads the Daily Prophet knows who you and your family are. You're the son of Saint Potter."

Rose's ears turned pink. "How dare you talk to Al like that!"

Scorpius grinned smugly at her. "And you're Rose Weasley, right? Surprised I know that? Don't be, you're nearly as famous as the Potters themselves." He looked over at the rest of them curiously. "So, you must be Tanith's new friends."

"Scorpius, stop," Tanith whispered. "Let's just get our familiars."

"Give me a second," said Scorpius. "Let's see, Craig McDonald, Holly Hill, and . . . Cleo Thomas, yes?" They nodded their heads uncertainly. "You're very smart, aligning yourselves with them. There aren't real royals in the wizarding world, but the Potters and Weasleys are as close as you can get. They run this world, you know."

Rose started charging at him before Al held her back. "How dare you judge us based on our families! You don't know us!"

Scorpius shrugged. "Well, now you have a taste of what Tanith and I go through every day. People have judged us based on our families our entire lives." Steam was coming through her ears. "And if you're going to give me a lecture on how unfair that is, spare me."

Tanith, who apparently ducked into the compartment during the exchange, emerged with a caged ferret and a large glass tank, containing a four-foot ball python. Scorpius grabbed his ferret, never taking his intense gray eyes from Rose the entire time. At that moment, the train came to a complete halt.

"Later," said Scorpius icily. He turned to his friend, signaling her. The two exited, leaving the other five children, particularly Al, confused.

What did he mean when he said that he and Tanith were judged every day?

Al, however, had little time to linger on that thought. For one thing, other students were running into him, trying to grab their animals from the compartment. Also, his new friends were leaving without him.

"Come on, Al," said Rose. "We need to get to the boats."

"Right," he muttered, grabbing his owl's cage.

He followed his cousin and his friends out the train. They did not worry about their trunks, for the Hogwarts staff would send them to their dormitories, apparently. At least that's what Hagrid told them when they all met for lunch in Diagon Alley the day before. At that moment, Al's mind wandered back to the Sorting. Looking at his own friends, he wondered what houses they would be sorted into. Would they all be sorted into the same house, or would they be separated? The latter option seemed the most likely to Al. It seemed impossible that all five of them would end up in the same house-or six if he wanted to count Tanith. Did Tanith still count? Did she still want to be friends with them? Her friend Scorpius certainly decided he wanted nothing to do with them. Would she follow him instead? It was very likely Scorpius would end up in Slytherin. He was a Malfoy, after all. Where else would he go? But then Al realized that that was an unfair assumption to make. After all, people expected that he would, without a doubt, be sorted into Gryffindor. And before the train ride, he agreed with that assumption. But then he ate that blasted chocolate frog with the Snape card. Ever since, he toyed with the idea of Sytherin. But then again, he was the one who figured out how to get Craig's pocket watch back. He was capable of problem solving, even without magic. This was rare in the Wizarding World. Maybe the hat would think he belonged in Ravenclaw? Of course, he couldn't dismiss Hufflepuff either. It didn't exactly have the greatest reputation, but Teddy was sorted into Hufflepuff and he said it was the best house at Hogwarts. The common room was cozy and centrally located near the kitchens. Al, like his Uncle Ron, absolutely loved food and could eat seven helpings, if his mum let him. Being near the kitchens wouldn't be so bad either.

"Alby," said a perky, effervescent voice throwing him from his thoughts.

Before he could reply, Al's cousin Roxanne Weasley threw him into a rib-crushing dragon hug. Roxy, as she was better known as, was a very cheery eleven-year old girl with the brightest smile Al had ever seen. Like her mother, she had a flawless tawny complexion and bright brown eyes. She was stocky like Uncle Fred, but she had very little fat on her body. Her straight black hair was in a fun, playful pony tail and her nails were painted hot pink. Even though she was already wearing her school uniform, Al could see colorful bracelets on her wrist. She beamed.

"How was the train ride? Wasn't it so much fun meeting other students?" she asked him happily. She gripped his shoulders. "Rose was kind enough to introduce me to some of your new mates. Now, let me introduce you to some of mine."

Normally, Al was able to keep up with her never-faltering energy just fine. In fact, whenever there was a family gathering, Al, Rose and Roxy formed their own special trio. But with so much on his mind, he was struggling to manage.

"Al, this is Regina Vane-McLaggan and Harmony Kingston. Regina, Harmony, these are my cousins Albus Potter and Rose Weasley," said Roxy. "Sorry I didn't find you and Rose sooner, but when we met on the train, we just kept talking and we lost track of time."

Al waved awkwardly at the two girls. Normally Al wasn't too shy around girls, but the way both of them were looking at him, he felt a little self-conscious. Regina, a dark-haired girl with medium skin and a tall frame, seemed to have an impish gleam in her dark green eyes when she looked at him. Harmony, a small, auburn-haired girl, giggled.

"Hi Albus," said Regina, inching closer to him. "Excited to be at Hogwarts? I know I am."

Al stepped back slightly, heavily blushing. This girl was incredibly pushy and it was making him really uncomfortable. Rose, noticing this, subtly stepped in between them.

"Yes, we're all very excited to be here," said Rose. "What house do you hope to be sorted into?"

Regina seemed unfazed by the brush off. "Oh, Gryffindor, of course. Both of my parents were in it and they said none of the other houses are worth my time. I mean, no other house in Hogwarts has the most Quidditch championships or has so many admirable heroes. If Gryffindor was good enough for The Harry Potter, then it's certainly good enough for me."

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Scorpius and Tanith walking by, both of whom scoffed at Regina's words. Al shifted his feet, almost wanting to laugh along with them. Even he found this self-centered girl ridiculous.

"So what about you, Albus? What house do you want to be sorted into?" she asked him indicatively. "Oh wait, why would I ask you such a silly question? Of course you and your cousins will be in Gryffindor along with us. Potters and Weasleys have always been in Gryffindor. It's like a Wizarding Law for them to be there!"

Roxy and Harmony seemed to be the only ones amused by Regina's incessant rambling. The others seemed incredibly bored with her already. Albus looked over Regina's thick black hair, onto the lake, where Hagrid, Hogwart's loveable, oafish half-giant, was already gathering first years into the boats. He noticed Scorpius and Tanith getting into the first boat, with two spots available. Hagrid seemed to not be making eye contact with either of them as he shouted out, "Two more firs' ye'rs in the boat, please! Two more!"

Al started going down to the boat, only to be stopped by Regina.

"Hold on, Al," said Regina. "We can wait for the next boat together." He looked over at the boat as if it were filled with nasty insects. "Besides, we don't want to be riding in a boat with—them."

"W-why not?" asked Holly uncertainly. "What's wrong with them?"

Regina looked at her condescendingly. "Oh, you must be a muggle. Right. Well, do you see those two over there?"

"You mean Scorpius and Tanith?" asked Craig.

Regina's eyes bulged. "You know their names? Oh, sweetie, you really need to make smarter friend choices." She shook her head. "Anyway, those two lowlifes are what we in the Wizarding World call death spawn. You know, children of death eaters. And you know what death eaters are, right? They worked for You-Know-Who. They were killers who did He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's dirty work."

"Oh honestly, his name is Lord Voldemort!" said Rose, her patience wearing thin. "It's okay to say his name now, he's dead!"

Regina gave Rose a hand gesture. "Whatever. Anyway, they're dirty, soulless people and so are those who are related to them. Do you want some friendly advice? Stay away from them."

Holly seemed genuinely perplexed. "But, they didn't seem so bad to me. Why?"

"Just don't talk to them," said Regina harshly. "It's for your own good. You can't trust a filthy death spawn, not a single one. They're all evil."

"But didn't He-Who, I mean Lord Voldemort die before we were born? How could that make Scorpius and Tanith evil?" asked Holly.

"They just are," said Regina swiftly. "They were born evil."

Albus looked around to find that their boat still needed two more people in it. Al felt pity for them. Meanwhile, Holly's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Being born into the wrong family doesn't make you evil, you stupid cow! It's having a small mind and a black heart, along with making poor choices, that makes someone 'evil'. And punishing the next generation for what the previous generation did wrong is incredibly foolish. Don't you know anything about Nazi Germany in the 1940's?"

"Umm, what?" asked Regina. "Are you trying to throw muggle history at me?"

Holly seemed proud of this. "Doesn't matter. History is history. And those who are too stupid to learn from it will repeat the same mistakes over and over again. Clearly, I've seen what kind of person you are, Regina. Now, I'm going to catch that boat over there. Anyone care to join me?"

"Last call f'er pass'ngers!" said Hagrid with a booming voice.

Al smiled, realizing that Holly was one of the coolest girls he ever met. "I will."

Holly grinned at Al, then stuck her tongue out at the now livid Regina. She gripped her blood-red nails into Al's arm as he grabbed his owl. "If you get on that boat, then you're committing social suicide! It doesn't matter who your father is!"

"Isn't that the point?" asked Al, as he ripped Regina's hand away from him.

Al and Holly strolled happily away at Regina, who kept barking at both of them to turn around and come back. She then said nasty things about Holly and Al's reputations when this did not work. The two ignored every word she said.

"We'll see you at the castle!" Rose shouted more cheerfully.

Al chuckled. Rose probably would have joined them, if only to get away from Regina. Much to everyone's surprise, Al and Holly hopped onto the boat, with Hermes in tow. Hagrid, however, was the first to speak.

"Welcom' aboard Al," he said jovially. "Who's your friend there?"

"This is Holly Hill," said Al. "She's muggle-born."

"Pleasure teh hav' ye'h here, Holly," said Hagrid. "I'm Hagrid, Hogwart's Care for Magical Creatures an' Gamekeeper. Welcom' ter Hogwarts."

"Thanks, Hagrid," said Holly, still trying to get used to Hagrid's immense size. Scorpius stared at them suspiciously as they took off from shore.

"What are you two doing here?" asked Scorpius. "Don't you have other friends you could be riding with?"

Al shrugged. "We didn't want to ride with them."

"Roxy's friend Regina was a mean, stupid cow," said Holly. "We wanted to get away from her."

"You mean the girl who was talking your ears off?" said Tanith. For the first time since Al met her, she seemed to be smiling, even if it was somewhat wickedly.

"Yeah," said Holly. "And she had the nerve to say that no other house was worth her time. What does she even mean by that? A house is just a house, right?"

Scorpius raised his brow at her. "Umm, what exactly do you know about Hogwarts?"

"Well, not much, just that it's magic and that muggles can't find it," said Holly. "What else matters?"

"Nothin', if yeh wanna have a peak at it," said Hagrid. "There it is, kids."

No matter how many times his parents told him stories of Hogwarts, nothing could have prepared Al for the magnificent castle towering over them from the other side of the large, sparkling lake. Al could see hundreds of lights coming from various floors on the castle, waiting to greet them upon arrival. And millions of stars glittering above them in the night sky, he had never seen anything so beautiful in his life. Scorpius, Tanith and Holly seemed to be just as impressed with the statuesque castle.

The sound of Craig's dog barking broke the hypnosis Al was under. He looked over to see that Craig, Cleo, Rose and Roxy managed to make their way into another boat. Regina and Harmony were another boat with two boys Al didn't recognize.

"This is almost like being on top of York Minster," said Holly, in awe. "I can't believe I'm going to be learning magic here!"

"Pretty neat, huh," said Scorpius, softening up a bit. Holly nodded her head feverishly. Scorpius turned his attention back to Al. "Umm, sorry for how I acted earlier. That was, well, uncalled for."

"That's alright," said Al earnestly. "So, do you still think I'm stuck-up?"

"Not after what we saw over there," said Tanith. Al and Holly looked back at her. "Yes, we saw you."

"The verdict is still out on your cousin," said Scorpius.

Al couldn't help but chuckle. "Which one? I have nine."

"Nine cousins!" Holly exclaimed. "And I thought my family was too large. I have five older brothers and two step brothers. We practically have a rugby team."

"Is rugby a muggle sport?" asked Tanith. Holly nodded her head.

"You like sports?" asked Scorpius inquisitively.

"Of course," said Holly. "Do wizards have sports?"

Al and Scorpius both beamed. Even though they came from vastly different backgrounds, they both clearly had one thing in common.

"Well, there's Quidditch, which is the greatest sport ever invented," said Al.

"What's Quidditch?" asked Holly.

As Al and Scorpius were taking turns explaining the rules of Quidditch to the highly enthusiastic muggle-born girl, Tanith couldn't help but hide their amusement. Hagrid, who initially seemed uncomfortable with Scorpius and Tanith in his boat, relaxed much more. He was actually sad that the ride came to an end.

"We're here, kids," said the half-giant. "Time to bring yeh to Professor Longbottom."

As they hopped off the boat, they prepared to grab their animals. Hagrid, however, stopped them. "Oh no, leave 'em here. New policy, I'll be takin' them to y'er dorms after the Sortin'."

The kids seemed to accept this readily. Hagrid, after all, was the Hogwarts' resident animal expert. At this time, all of the first years got off the boat. Craig, Rose, and Cleo reunited with them. They all seemed to be on Cloud Nine.

"Oh Al, can you believe how gorgeous the castle looks?" said Rose euphorically. "I mean, Mum said it was amazing, but the stories don't do it justice. Seeing it in person is something else entirely!"

Al couldn't agree more. Nearly everyone was carrying on about Hogwarts or the boat ride. The two blonde children, however, continued to discuss Quidditch.

"So there's really a ball that attacks you?" asked Holly.

"Yep, there are two of them called Bludgers," said Scorpius. "And it's the job of the two Beaters to hit them at the opposing team."

"They're all y'ers, Professor Longbottom," said Hagrid.

A fairly tall man with light brown hair and dark red robes stood before them. Al, recognizing him right away as Neville Longbottom, smiled warmly at the familiar man.

"Thank you, Hagrid," said Neville. "Now, first years, come with me, please."

All of the first years obediently followed, as they stared at all the portraits and suits of armour in the hallway. Al grinned, "Hi Uncle Nev—I mean, Professor Longbottom."

"Oh, hello Albus, did you enjoy your summer?" asked Neville cordially.

"Of course," said Al. "But I'm even more excited for school. I can't wait for Herbology. Rose and I have been reading your book for the past couple of days."

"Why, thank you, Albus," said Neville. "Tell your folks and Lily I said hi."

"I will, oh, and if James forgets, my mum sends her love," said Al.

Neville seemed to appreciate that, but he stopped the first years just off the grand hallway. "Welcome to Hogwarts, everyone. Now, before we begin our feast in the Great Hall, we will first sort every first year student into their houses. Now there are four different houses at Hogwarts: Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house is named after each of the school's founders and each house has history. The sorting not only determines where you will live for the next seven years, but the other students in your house will be ones you'll get to know very well. Some of them will even become family for you. However, this is not to say you cannot be friends with other students from other houses. In fact, it is highly encouraged that you make friends in all houses, regardless of background."

Al wondered if this was meant to be aimed at those who were "death spawn", as Regina cruelly put it, or at prejudiced individuals like her. Perhaps both? Regardless, Professor Longbottom continued.

"Now, each of you will be sorted in front of the entire school. Don't be nervous, it'll be over sooner than you think. And above else, we welcome you here. Now, let's get into the Great Hall before the"

"Come back here, you filthy scoundrel!" snarled an angry, floating white man with a silvery substance on his ghostly jacket.

Two white floating figures came into the hallway. The first one was laughing hysterically, chanting, "Whittle Bwoody Bawwon all grouchy for the wittle first years! He he he he . . ."

The two ghosts disappeared as quickly as they emerged, leaving the students confused. Professor Longbottom sighed heavily. "Don't mind them. That's Peeves the Poltergeist and the Bloody Baron. You'll see them a lot around the castle. The Bloody Baron is Slytherin's ghost and Peeves is a pain in the arse."

Some of the students seemed to giggle while others merely shrugged. Holly and Craig, although not the only muggle-born wizards, seemed curious.

"So, this place is haunted?" asked Holly, chuckling. "Feels like I never left home."

"My mum and dad both said that Peeves was a pain in the arse, as well," said Cleo. "One time, he stole my mum's hair brush during her second year."

"I don't care if he's already dead, if he steals something of mine, I'll kill him," said Tanith.

Professor Longbottom, at this time, decided to open the doors to the Great Hall, where the other students were already seated at four large wooden tables. The students looked up to the ceiling in awe, where they saw thousands of floating candles and an endless, celestial ceiling that seemed one with the night sky. Al's dad told him that this was all destroyed at the Battle of Hogwarts. It took them years to fix everything, but it was finally restored to its former glory four years ago. Al would have never known this wasn't the original, it was so stunning. The students slowly made their way to the tables, which had ornate goblets and plates made of solid gold. The professors were all seated at their own table, facing the students. At the head was an old, stern-faced woman with spectacles and dark green robes. The woman stood up and clapped her hands, quieting the chatting students.

"Attention, everyone. Attention. Thank you," said the woman. "Now, my name is Professor McGonagall, Head Mistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For those students who are new, welcome to Hogwarts. For those of you who are returning, welcome back. Now, before we begin the feast, it is tradition that we sort the first year students into their houses." She turned to Neville, who was carrying an old, tattered witch's hat. "Now, when we call your name, you will come up to the front, sit on this stool, and place the hat on your head. Once that is complete, you will be sorted into your house and you will sit at your new table." She pointed at an ordinary wooden stool, which seemed to have its own magical spotlight on it. Neville placed the hat onto the stool, when the hat, opening its mouth, began to sing.

Everybody, gather round

Gather all, young and old

To the most wondrous tale

About to be told

Back in darker times

When muggles feared spells and magic

Times were very hard

Magic life was most tragic

Four gifted sorcerers came together

Away from fearful muggle eyes

To build an enchanted castle

Set as ruins in disguise

Students came from all around

Some were brave, some were clever

No matter their background

Once they received their letter

Courageous Gryffindor,

From his namesake Hollow

Took those with valour and nerve

With chivalry to follow

Charming Hufflepuff,

From the land of Wales

Valued hard work and fair play

And let those qualities prevail

Radiant Ravenclaw,

From the lands of high

Treasured creativity and wit

Letting strong minds freely fly

Stern Slytherin,

Hailing from the eastern fen

Desired cunning and blood so pure

With students who strived success to no end

Together they taught

With passion and fire

Every possible skill

A good witch or wizard required

While they fell apart

Hogwarts stills stands tall

And the magic still remains

In these wondrous, enchanted halls

Another year once more

At this school to be had

Now sit down and close your eyes

Trust me now, cause I'm the Sorting Hat

The students clapped wildly at the song, still amazed that the hat could talk, let alone sing. Professor picked up the hand after the applause died down. "Now, let us begin the sorting." She pulled out a long scroll which, no doubt, contained all their names.

"Applebee, Benjamin."

A pudgy boy with tight, curly brown hair came to the stool first. He seemed startled when they put the hat on him. The hat at once gave a curt answer.

"Hufflepuff!"

The Hufflepuff table applauded him once he came over there. He seemed to still be in shock, but he got over that quickly, once some older students were clapping him on the shoulder.

"Berrymore, Nigel."

The hat seemed to take nearly a minute on him before deciding.

"Ravenclaw!"

Ravenclaw gave a similarly feverish applause for their newest member, who seemed quite proud of the hat's decision. Al looked over to his older brother during the time Professor McGonagall was calling other names to the front. Once Al caught James' eye, he mouthed, "Gryffindor", then winked at his younger brother. Al nodded weakly.

"Flint, Merrill."

"Slytherin!"

Before he knew it, it was Holly's turn. She strolled up to the front, confident. The tattered hat flew onto her honey-blonde head. She grinned.

Hmm, I wonder if she'll be in Gryffindor.

"Hufflepuff!"

Despite its reputation for being mediocre, Holly seemed incredibly happy that Hufflepuff was where she was ultimately going. She rushed over to her table, where the other girls at the table seemed ecstatic to have her. Al looked at her, wishing he had even half of her confidence. He still wasn't exactly sure which house he wanted to be sorted in.

"Kingston, Harmony."

Immediately the hat shouted, "Gryffindor!"

Al was only vaguely listening to the names, but he heard Harmony's, if for any reason other than whether or not she and Regina belonged in Gryffindor or not. Apparently she did. The Gryffindor table, particularly his cousins, clapped intensely for her. Al's innards were twisted as it was getting further and further down the scroll. With each name called, he had less time to make up his mind and he was no closer to making a decision.

"Malfoy, Scorpius."

As Scorpius got up from the table, the room filled with thundering "boos" and hisses coming from nearly every direction, except from the Slytherin table and the Professors' table.

"Go home, death spawn!" shouted an older Hufflepuff boy.

"We don't want you here!" shouted a good-looking Gryffindor boy sitting next to his cousin Dominique.

Scorpius, despite the hostility, proudly strolled over to the stool with his head held high. McGonagall, however, was not so tolerant. She swiftly stood up and barked at the students, "All right, that is enough!" The students immediately hushed, looking at her like they would a Howler. "You will all show respect for every student being sorted! That is not a request!" Once a loll was cast over the room, they continued. Scorpius had his hat on for a minute. The blonde boy, Al noticed, seemed to be concerned for a moment, until the hat finally made a decision.

"Slytherin!"

Cheers erupted at the Slytherin table, while everyone seemed to glare at Scorpius as he walked past them. Scorpius seemed to ignore this to go join an older boy with shoulder-length black hair, who clapped him on the back. Al wasn't sure how Scorpius didn't let their treatment bother them. To some degree, it had to.

But then again, he seemed used to it.

"McDonald, Craig."

Craig, while excited, didn't seem nearly as confident as Holly or Scorpius when he went up there. He nearly tripped over his robes on the way up, which seemed slightly too long for him. He placed the hat onto his head. The hat also seemed to take a while with him, which Al found rather odd. Was Craig really so difficult to sort?

"Hufflepuff!"

"Yes!" Holly shouted, jumping up from the table.

The Hufflepuffs, naturally, seemed to show their enthusiasm as well. Why they had such a reputation, Al couldn't understand. They all seemed very nice, to him. Some of the people in the other houses, however, didn't seem so warm and inviting. This was something Al had to consider.

"Nott, Tanith."

The entire room, including Al, went silent at the moment. It didn't take long for Al to realize that Tanith, like Scorpius, was related to a death eater. If he remembered correctly, Tharius Nott was her grandfather, and Theodore Nott, a Slytherin in his father's year, was Tanith's father. It suddenly made sense why she was so aloof. She was afraid of being judged. It didn't matter to him, but Al seemed to be in the minority, as he heard some students whisper nasty things, calling her "death spawn" and "she-demon." Tanith seemed very self-conscious, not that Al blamed her. She finally made her way to the hat. In less than a second, it declared, "Slytherin!"

Responses were fairly similar for Tanith as they were for Scorpius. She sat down next to Scorpius quietly. He seemed to say something to her, but Al couldn't hear them. He looked over at Rose, who was sitting between Cleo and Roxy. She waved at him feverishly.

"Excited?" she asked him.

He nodded at her. He didn't need to ask her, he could see it in her face. He sighed.

Merlin's beard, what am I going to do?

Two more names were called, and before Al knew it, he heard his name called. "Potter, Albus."

Al stood up. His name seemed to garner a far different reaction from the crowd, one of curiosity and suspense. Where would Harry Potter's second son be sorted? With each step Al took, he thought he was closer to vomiting up slugs than he was to figuring out what exactly he wanted. Oh, why did this have to be so difficult?

Al paused in front of the stool, which boasted the old, shabby hat. It was at that moment that it finally hit him—he really was thinking way too much about this! What did it matter what house he was in? It wasn't as if his parents would disown him or that he would be doomed to never spend time with his new friends again. That's not how it had to be!

"Trust me, I'm the Sorting Hat"

Al smiled to himself. Of course he could trust the Sorting Hat, it had been doing this for over one thousand years and it was rarely ever wrong.

But nonetheless, Al realized that no matter what house he ended up, he would be just fine. He sat onto the stool contently as he placed the hat onto his head.

"Hmm, it looks like we have another Potter here with us. Oh, and you appear to have Weasley blood running through your veins as well. Well now, seem to be a very well-rounded lad, now don't you? Even in the last few hours, you have exhibited traits strongly affiliated with all of our different houses. You were able to help that McDonald boy get his watch back with clever problem solving rather than magic. This is an admirable trait, one that would make you suited for Ravenclaw. You are very brave, young Potter. There's no doubt about that. You showed great chivalry toward Ms. Tanith Nott and Mr. Malfoy, defending their honor. That's very courageous indeed.

"But then again, you have shown exceptional loyalty not only to your new friends, but to your family as well. You are fair and exhibit sound judgment, excellent for Hufflepuff. Very excellent for Hufflepuff, indeed. And then of course, there's Slytherin. You show many more of their qualities than you may initially realize, young Potter. A true Slytherin is cunning, ambitious, and has a strong desire to succeed. All of these things apply to you as well.

Albus shifted in his stool. He could hear the students whispering. Perhaps they were wondering what was taking so long. Al tried to tune it out.

"Ignore them for a moment, Albus. Their opinions do not matter. They do not share the same complexity you do. Now, where was I? Oh yes, now I remember. Now, Albus, do you want to know what the most important quality you have is? You have the courage to do what is right, rather than what is easy."

"What house is associated with that quality?" asked Albus inwardly.

"Slytherin, but it is a quality that is vital in all wizards. In that regard, the house does not matter. Now, do you see my plight? Do you now understand why I couldn't be done with you the very moment I touched your head? You are exceptional, Albus. You can be in any house you desire."

Al cringed. "That's what I'm afraid of, Sorting Hat. What if I make the wrong choice?"

"Did I not just tell you, Mr. Potter, that there was no wrong choice for you? Did I also not tell you that you will do what is right, rather than what is easy Now, do you have a preference? Would you like to go where your relatives have gone in the past, into Gryffindor? Or, would you like to pave your own path? You are more than capable of doing so, despite your father's fame."

Albus blinked. Everything was both easier and more difficult, knowing that he could go anywhere. He really did have a choice, he realized. And no matter where he went, he would never truly be wrong. He looked up at the ratty hat.

"Place me where you think I belong. I can be happy anywhere."

"Are you sure, Mr. Potter?"

Albus nodded his head feverishly. This sparked the other students' interest. What house would Albus Potter be sorted into?

"All right then, it better be," said the Sorting Hat. "Slytherin!"