A/N This was written for Round Five of the Diversity Challenge. I was to focus on Next Gen when they were children.

Disclaimer: I own none of this and am making no money from it.

A special thanks to my Beta chelseyb1010.

Sorting

Albus and Rose said goodbye to their parents and climbed the stairs to the scarlet train. The common seating area was a madhouse; kids of all ages were running up and down the aisles while reuniting with their friends. Albus looked at Rose who seemed on the verge of panic.

"Come on Rose," he said, grabbing her arm. "Let's go get a compartment."

Rose nodded and allowed herself to be guided down the hall. Albus knew Rose. He knew she was about to lose it. She hated chaos and disorder almost to a compulsion.

The cousins made their way down the hallway looking for a compartment.

"Man, all the compartments are full," Albus complained. Albus opened the door to the last compartment. It was empty except for a small, pale, blond boy. He was sitting up against the window looking at the landscape. "Do you mind if we sit here?" Albus asked the boy.

The blond boy shrugged. Albus and Rose entered the compartment and sat on the bench across from the boy.

Rose pulled Albus back outside the room, and whispered to him, "That's the boy my dad told me to avoid."

"Since when do you do what your dad tells you?" Albus whispered back, walking into the compartment.

Rose glanced around and realized there was nowhere else to go so she followed him.

"Hi, I'm Al Potter and this is my cousin Rose Weasley," Albus said, extending his hand.

The pale blond boy put down his magazine and grasped Albus' hand. "I'm Scorpius Malfoy," he said. Rose giggled but tried to cover it up as a cough. "I know it's a horrid name," Scorpius said, looking at Rose. "My grandfather made my dad name me that. Some rubbish about tradition and what not."

"Well, it could be worse," Rose said trying to soothe over her blunder. "You could have a horrible middle name like Albus here."

Albus winced at Rose using his full first name. Scorpius looked more downtrodden.

"What?" Rose said, looking at Scorpius. "It can't be as bad as his."

Scorpius looked and Rose and Albus. "Hyperion," was all he said.

Albus cocked his thumb toward his chest and said, "Severus."

Scorpius, Rose, and Albus looked at each other for a few seconds and broke into laughter.

"We should start a club," Albus said.

"Yeah, the Crappy Name Club," Scorpius said, still giggling.

"So what house do you want to be in?" Rose asked after calming down.

"I have to be in Slytherin," Scorpius said. The subject made him turn serious.

"What do you mean, have to?" Albus asked.

"Well, my mum and dad don't care, but my grandfather made it painfully clear that I was to be sorted into Slytherin or there would be consequences."

The way Scorpius said painfully made Albus and Rose uncomfortable and concerned for their new friend.

"Well, my mum and dad are both Gryffindors," Albus said. "I'm not sure what house I will be in."

"My mum and dad are both Gryffindors also," Rose explained to Scorpius. "But I think Ravenclaw looks interesting."

The door to the compartment slid open and an elderly lady pushing a cart poked her head in. "Anything from the trolley, dears?"

The three children fell on the trolley like a pack of lions on the plains of Africa. They returned to their seats with their arms full of candies and treats. The three of them were full from their purchases and lazily trading Chocolate Frog cards when the door to their compartment slid open again. A tall, skinny boy with greasy brown hair and a pinched rat face came into the room accompanied by two other rather large boys.

"Well, well, well, lookie here guys. You know who this is?" the rat-faced boy asked his sniggering friends while looking at Scorpius.

"This is Scorpius Malfoy. My grandfather told me all about his dad and how pathetic he is," the boy said smirking. "My grandfather says things would be a lot different if it weren't for his idiot father," the boy continued to goad Scorpius. "My grandfather says that his dad is to blame for all this filth and vermin," he said, pointing to Albus and Rose, "still being allowed to carry wands."

Scorpius stood up and in one fluid motion pulled his wand, stepped forward, and pressed it against the boy's cheek. "What were you saying about my father and friends?" Scorpius asked, his voice cold as ice.

The boy let out a squeak akin to a mouse being caught and backed away. Scorpius saw the other two back away as well. He had not seen Rose and Albus stand and withdraw their wands at the same time he had.

"You won't always be ready," the boy spat. "You know what? I hope you get into Slytherin." He laughed cruelly. "It will give us some quality alone time." The three boys backed out of the room.

Rose closed the sliding door and let out a breath. "Who were they?" she asked, tucking her wand behind her ear and sitting back down.

"Those were members of my family's fan club," Scorpius said, trying to sound nonchalant but failing.

"What are they so mad about?" Albus asked.

"My dad has never really told me. What I can gather is he failed to do something that some really bad dark wizard wanted him to do," Scorpius explained. "Because of that the dark wizard's former followers are mad at him and me too it seems."

"Well, I think it's stupid," Rose said, picking up her book where she had dropped it. "I mean you're not your dad, are you? Not anymore than I am my mom or Albus is his dad."

"So what are you gonna do about those guys when you're in Slytherin?" Albus asked, concerned for his new friend.

"I dunno, probably run and hide a lot," Scorpius said, his body language betraying his concern. "You know truth be told," he said lowering his voice, "I only know a few spells. My dad taught me the basics: shield spell, stunner and cleaning spell. That's about it."

Albus began to laugh, and Rose looked embarrassed.

"What?" Scorpius asked.

"We both got in trouble for casting spells out of school. I can do a stunner really well, and when my dad wasn't looking, my mum taught me the Bat-Bogey Hex," Albus explained.

"I can do a few," Rose said.

"Oh come off it, Rosie," Albus said, using the nickname she hated. "You know good and well you can do all the spells from the book, and even a few from your mum's old school books." He turned to Scorpius. "She's been reading her mum's old books for three years."

"There's nothing wrong with being prepared," Rose sniffed. "And don't call me Rosie."

"We need to get ready," she said, grabbing a small clutch purse and heading off to the changing rooms.

Scorpius and Albus finished changing in the compartment just in time for Rose to return in her robes.

The trio left the train and were called over to the boats by a huge man. "Firs 'ears over here," the large man called out.

"Hi, Hagrid," both Albus and Rose said.

"'Ello, you two," Hagrid said. "In ter a boat ya go."

Albus, Rose and Scorpius got into a boat with a small mousey-haired girl who looked dumbstruck. The boat ride was uneventful and quiet as all the occupants of the boat were speechless at the splendor of the castle. They were met at the boathouse by a slender blonde lady in blue and gold robes and led up a set of stairs and into a small room.

"Listen up, please. I am Deputy Headmistress Clearwater. Behind these doors you will sorted into your house," she said, looking at each of the young students. "During your time at Hogwarts, your house will be your family. You will eat, take classes with, and spend your free time with your house." She paused, listening for a signal.

The first years were paraded to the front of the great hall and told to sit in selected chairs, awaiting the sorting hat's song. Albus and Scorpius were too distracted by the splendor of the Great Hall to pay attention. Their distraction was brought to an end when Professor Clearwater unraveled a long scroll and began calling out names.

After what seemed an eternity Professor Clearwater called out, "Malfoy, Scorpius." Scorpius got up slowly, walked to the stool, and sat down immediately placing the worn and scorched hat on his head.

Albus watched what appeared to be an argument between Scorpius and the hat. Finally he could hear the hat say, 'Well, if you're sure then ... SLYTHERIN!'

Scorpius walked past Albus to the Slytherin table. Albus noticed there was considerably less cheering from him than the other new Slytherins. He saw the boys from the train looking at Scorpius as he sat at the table alone. Albus felt for his new friend.

"Potter, Albus," Professor Clearwater announced.

Albus walked to the stool and sat down. He looked out at the assembled students a moment before placing the hat on his head. He saw Scorpius sitting a few feet from his housemates looking alone and unsure. Albus, knowing what he must do, jammed the hat down on his head.

'Hmmm... So another Potter is it?' Albus heard the hat talking in his head.

"Please Mr. Hat, my dad said you would listen to my choice," Albus said. He swallowed hard and steeled himself for what he was going to say. "I want you to put me in Slytherin."

'Slytherin? Well, you are cunning and you do have a certain rebellious streak, but I don't feel Slytherin is quite right.'

"Please. I have to," Albus almost cried. "Scorpius'll be all alone and won't have anyone to watch his back. I have to go help him."

'That kind of loyalty demands Hufflepuff,' the hat whispered.

"No!" Albus all but screamed. "It's got to be Slytherin, please."

'Quite curious,' the hat commented, as if to itself. 'Today I have had two requests for that house. One made out of fear and a sense of duty; the other out of compassion and loyalty. Seems the lines between houses is finally blurring. Well, there's nothing for it I guess... SLYTHERIN!'

When Albus removed the hat, the first thing he saw was most of Slytherin House standing and clapping. He sought out Scorpius and found him standing with the rest of the House. His face had broken into the first genuine smile Albus had seen. Albus got back to the table and was greeted not only by Scorpius, but by several other housemates. Albus took his seat beside Scorpius and watched the rest of the sorting. Rose was predictably sorted into Ravenclaw and seemed happy as she went to sit at her table.

Scorpius looked at Albus as he watched his cousin. "It's a good thing I convinced the hat to put me in Slytherin and not Hufflepuff," he said, lowering his voice so none but Albus could hear.

"Yeah," Albus answered. "Just lucky I guess."