Fic Exchange: for caretta
Title: Not This Sort of Thing
Rating/Warnings: G
Characters/Pairing: Albus Severus, Scorpius, Rose
Summary: Al doesn't like his sorting, but maybe it'll all work out. Epilogue-period trio
Word Count: 1481
Author's Notes: Oh my gosh, this is so late. D: Sorry! Also, there aren't romantic undertones because they're in first year, but... But you can imagine that they'll grow up and get ~feelings. I wrote it with AS/S in mind. Enjoy!
Registered purchases?: YES! ♥
Albus Severus Potter put one hand on the window glass, watching anxiously as his waving parents disappeared, the Hogwarts Express pulling slowly away from the station.
“Are you nervous, Al?”
He turned around and looked at his cousin Rose, bright-eyed and already enthusiastic to be going to school. He sighed miserably. “No,” he muttered, plopping down on the seat across from hers. “It’s… ‘m not nervous. Not really.”
“Miss your mum and dad?”
“I… No!” he said with a frown. “James has told me loads of great stuff about Hogwarts. I can’t wait to go.”
Rose seemed to accept this with a quick shrug. “I’m excited,” she said. “Really excited. Mum bought me the brand new edition of Hogwarts, a History and I’ve already read it through.” She tugged a thick, leather-bound volume out of her pack and thrust it towards Al. “Want to borrow?”
He eyed it warily. “Er… no. No, that’s okay.”
Rose shrugged again. “Suit yourself.” Her nose wrinkled a little as she frowned. “You’re not going to be like your brother, are you? He’s always making fun of me for reading so much.”
Albus laughed. “James makes fun of everyone. For everything.”
“Yes, well.” Rose stared at her cousin for a long moment. “Is it because of him you’re nervous?”
His brows furrowed and his mouth was pulled down in a deep frown. “I’m not nervous.” He was, of course, far more than he ever wanted to admit to Rose. She was so calm all the time, so composed. Their whole family was bold and colorful and fun - and he and Rose were different. He was quiet and shy, and Rose was the sedate bookworm. It wasn’t as if they didn’t fit in with their family; they did, and they all loved each other very much. But Albus had always felt a little on the outside. He wasn’t brash like his brother or his mother, and he wasn’t dedicated and fierce like his father. He was just… Albus. But he hadn’t quite figured out what that meant yet.
“You are so,” Rose retorted, giving him a look. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
“You’re lying, Al.”
“Look, I don’t want to talk about it.” He turned towards the window, defiantly looking away from her.
“You don’t have to sulk about it.”
That did nothing to make him feel better and he was about to protest that he most certainly was not sulking, when a round, blond head popped through the doorway.
“Oh, er… Sorry,” the boy it belonged to said slowly, his eyes wide. “I was looking for a compartment, but… I didn’t mean to disturb you, I’ll just - “
“Wait,” Rose said, “I know who you are. You’re Scorpius Malfoy.”
The boy nodded.
She looked at Al for a moment and, seeing no reaction, said, “We don’t mind; you can sit with us if you like.”
“Are you sure?” he said, though he looked relieved. Rose nodded and with a nervous smile Scorpius stepped inside and slid the door shut.
“Of course. We don’t mind; do we, Al?”
Albus minded a little. “Course not,” he said, budging over further to the window.
Scorpius sat down and gave them both a tentative smile. He was short with pale white-blond hair like most of the Malfoy family. His clothes were immaculate, his face that shiny pink of just-been-washed, and he was just shy of being a little plump.
“We’re supposed to hate you, you know,” Rose began. “I’m sure your dad warned you about us at some point or other. But while I may get higher marks than you - I’m very clever, you know - I don’t think that it will be a real competition.” She paused. “Unless you want it to be.”
Scorpius, who looked about as nervous as Al, shook his head. “I’m clever, too, you know,” he said, a shade defensively, “and mum wants me to get Head Boy. But, er… No, I don’t care about competing. Not really.” He shrugged.
Albus had smiled at him when Scorpius had walked in, but he wasn’t as interested in making friends as Rose seemed to be. His dad had never liked the Malfoys - his whole family didn’t like the Malfoys really, and with Scorpius’ grandfather being a death eater, that wasn’t all that surprising. Al had no problem with Scorpius - he didn’t know him. But he wasn’t exactly eager to get to know him, either.
“I’m Rose Weasley, by the way,” Rose continued, totally oblivious to Al’s discomfort. “And this is Albus Potter.” Al, reluctantly, nodded.
“Hullo,” Scorpius said again. His nervousness seemed to have abated completely, and he was talking to Rose like they were old friends. “So I suppose you two are going to be Gryffindors?”
“Yes,” Al answered immediately, while at the same time Rose said “No.”
Albus blanked, a little shocked by an admission that seemed to come out of nowhere. “No? But Rosie, we’ve always been Gryffindors. My mum and dad, your mum and dad, all four of our grandparents!”
“Yes,” she said placidly, “and don’t you think it’s time for a change?” She switched her gaze from Albus to Scorpius and said, “I want to be in Ravenclaw. I suppose you’ll be a Slytherin?”
’Of course,’ Al thought to himself, though it sounded somewhat vitriolic even in his own head.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Scorpius said. “I, er…” His cheeks reddened. “That’s what dad wants, but I, er, wouldn’t mind any house, really. I like Slytherin - at least from the good things dad’s told me, but…”
“Well I’m going to be in Gryffindor,” Al said stubbornly, crossing his arms.
Rose smiled at her cousin. “Of course you are.”
~~~
When the Sorting Hat finally said Slytherin, Al felt his stomach drop to his ankles. He felt humiliated. His whole family - all the Potters, all the Weasleys, and he, Albus Severus Potter, son of the man - the Gryffindor - who’d defeated Voldemort, had been sorted into Slytherin. He walked, wide-eyed and unable to speak, towards the Slytherin table. Everyone there greeted him, and they all seemed friendly, but he didn’t hear anything they said. James was waving at him, mouthing his name, but Al didn’t look over. Shame-faced, he sat down.
The sorting didn’t last much longer after that - expect for Rose’s turn, Al didn’t give it much attention. She was sorted into Ravenclaw, just like she’d hoped; Al couldn’t help feeling jealous. Even if it hadn’t been Gryffindor, at least she’d gotten what she wanted.
As soon as dinner was over, they followed the prefects toward the dungeons. Al didn’t speak to anyone on the way there - everyone else seemed happy, and that only served to make him more miserable. He got to the dormitory and immediately flopped down on his bed.
Maybe the sorting hat had been wrong. Maybe he could get his dad to write to the headmistress. There had to be some sort of mistake.
There was a sudden weight at the end of his bed. “You all right?”
“Leave me alone, Malfoy,” Albus said, rolling over and pressing his face into the pillow.
“So you’re in Slytherin, so what,” Scorpius said. “It’s okay. I, er…” He coughed awkwardly. “I caught up with your cousin after the feast. She said to tell you that she’s sorry.”
Albus just grunted. “Well she got the house she wanted; what’s she got to be sorry about?”
“You know why I wanted to be in another house?”
Albus hoped that his silence let Scorpius know that he really didn’t care.
“You know all people say about my family. My grandfather was a death eater. My dad hated yours, and he was the wizarding world’s savior.” At the bitterness in his voice, Al sat up. “And now everyone’s going to think I’m just the same. They’re going to assume I’m just like them.”
“You don’t seem like a death eater to me,” Al offered.
Scorpius rolled his eyes. “Thanks.”
Albus pulled his legs up and frowned, putting his chin on his knees. “I don’t even know why I was sorted into Slytherin.”
“Oh right. You’re not evil, so you can’t be Slytherin.”
Al glared. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Think about what the Sorting Hat says. You’re probably really good at strategy and things like that - or maybe you’re ambitious.”
“Maybe,” he relented.
They sat there silently for a long moment. Finally, Scorpius said “Your cousin invited both of us to spend time with her tomorrow. I’m going to go - I want to see the giant squid. You should come, too.” He grinned. “She still likes you even if you’re not a Gryffindor. And if you’ll stop sulking, I think I will, too.”
Al didn’t answer.
Scorpius stood up. “Well I’m going to read and go to bed. Night, Potter.”
Albus weighed his options. Then he smiled a little and said, “Yeah, see you tomorrow. Night.”
~~~
1481/50=30+10= 40 points
Hannah//Ravenclaw
Rating/Warnings: G
Characters/Pairing: Albus Severus, Scorpius, Rose
Summary: Al doesn't like his sorting, but maybe it'll all work out. Epilogue-period trio
Word Count: 1481
Author's Notes: Oh my gosh, this is so late. D: Sorry! Also, there aren't romantic undertones because they're in first year, but... But you can imagine that they'll grow up and get ~feelings. I wrote it with AS/S in mind. Enjoy!
Registered purchases?: YES! ♥
Albus Severus Potter put one hand on the window glass, watching anxiously as his waving parents disappeared, the Hogwarts Express pulling slowly away from the station.
“Are you nervous, Al?”
He turned around and looked at his cousin Rose, bright-eyed and already enthusiastic to be going to school. He sighed miserably. “No,” he muttered, plopping down on the seat across from hers. “It’s… ‘m not nervous. Not really.”
“Miss your mum and dad?”
“I… No!” he said with a frown. “James has told me loads of great stuff about Hogwarts. I can’t wait to go.”
Rose seemed to accept this with a quick shrug. “I’m excited,” she said. “Really excited. Mum bought me the brand new edition of Hogwarts, a History and I’ve already read it through.” She tugged a thick, leather-bound volume out of her pack and thrust it towards Al. “Want to borrow?”
He eyed it warily. “Er… no. No, that’s okay.”
Rose shrugged again. “Suit yourself.” Her nose wrinkled a little as she frowned. “You’re not going to be like your brother, are you? He’s always making fun of me for reading so much.”
Albus laughed. “James makes fun of everyone. For everything.”
“Yes, well.” Rose stared at her cousin for a long moment. “Is it because of him you’re nervous?”
His brows furrowed and his mouth was pulled down in a deep frown. “I’m not nervous.” He was, of course, far more than he ever wanted to admit to Rose. She was so calm all the time, so composed. Their whole family was bold and colorful and fun - and he and Rose were different. He was quiet and shy, and Rose was the sedate bookworm. It wasn’t as if they didn’t fit in with their family; they did, and they all loved each other very much. But Albus had always felt a little on the outside. He wasn’t brash like his brother or his mother, and he wasn’t dedicated and fierce like his father. He was just… Albus. But he hadn’t quite figured out what that meant yet.
“You are so,” Rose retorted, giving him a look. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
“You’re lying, Al.”
“Look, I don’t want to talk about it.” He turned towards the window, defiantly looking away from her.
“You don’t have to sulk about it.”
That did nothing to make him feel better and he was about to protest that he most certainly was not sulking, when a round, blond head popped through the doorway.
“Oh, er… Sorry,” the boy it belonged to said slowly, his eyes wide. “I was looking for a compartment, but… I didn’t mean to disturb you, I’ll just - “
“Wait,” Rose said, “I know who you are. You’re Scorpius Malfoy.”
The boy nodded.
She looked at Al for a moment and, seeing no reaction, said, “We don’t mind; you can sit with us if you like.”
“Are you sure?” he said, though he looked relieved. Rose nodded and with a nervous smile Scorpius stepped inside and slid the door shut.
“Of course. We don’t mind; do we, Al?”
Albus minded a little. “Course not,” he said, budging over further to the window.
Scorpius sat down and gave them both a tentative smile. He was short with pale white-blond hair like most of the Malfoy family. His clothes were immaculate, his face that shiny pink of just-been-washed, and he was just shy of being a little plump.
“We’re supposed to hate you, you know,” Rose began. “I’m sure your dad warned you about us at some point or other. But while I may get higher marks than you - I’m very clever, you know - I don’t think that it will be a real competition.” She paused. “Unless you want it to be.”
Scorpius, who looked about as nervous as Al, shook his head. “I’m clever, too, you know,” he said, a shade defensively, “and mum wants me to get Head Boy. But, er… No, I don’t care about competing. Not really.” He shrugged.
Albus had smiled at him when Scorpius had walked in, but he wasn’t as interested in making friends as Rose seemed to be. His dad had never liked the Malfoys - his whole family didn’t like the Malfoys really, and with Scorpius’ grandfather being a death eater, that wasn’t all that surprising. Al had no problem with Scorpius - he didn’t know him. But he wasn’t exactly eager to get to know him, either.
“I’m Rose Weasley, by the way,” Rose continued, totally oblivious to Al’s discomfort. “And this is Albus Potter.” Al, reluctantly, nodded.
“Hullo,” Scorpius said again. His nervousness seemed to have abated completely, and he was talking to Rose like they were old friends. “So I suppose you two are going to be Gryffindors?”
“Yes,” Al answered immediately, while at the same time Rose said “No.”
Albus blanked, a little shocked by an admission that seemed to come out of nowhere. “No? But Rosie, we’ve always been Gryffindors. My mum and dad, your mum and dad, all four of our grandparents!”
“Yes,” she said placidly, “and don’t you think it’s time for a change?” She switched her gaze from Albus to Scorpius and said, “I want to be in Ravenclaw. I suppose you’ll be a Slytherin?”
’Of course,’ Al thought to himself, though it sounded somewhat vitriolic even in his own head.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Scorpius said. “I, er…” His cheeks reddened. “That’s what dad wants, but I, er, wouldn’t mind any house, really. I like Slytherin - at least from the good things dad’s told me, but…”
“Well I’m going to be in Gryffindor,” Al said stubbornly, crossing his arms.
Rose smiled at her cousin. “Of course you are.”
~~~
When the Sorting Hat finally said Slytherin, Al felt his stomach drop to his ankles. He felt humiliated. His whole family - all the Potters, all the Weasleys, and he, Albus Severus Potter, son of the man - the Gryffindor - who’d defeated Voldemort, had been sorted into Slytherin. He walked, wide-eyed and unable to speak, towards the Slytherin table. Everyone there greeted him, and they all seemed friendly, but he didn’t hear anything they said. James was waving at him, mouthing his name, but Al didn’t look over. Shame-faced, he sat down.
The sorting didn’t last much longer after that - expect for Rose’s turn, Al didn’t give it much attention. She was sorted into Ravenclaw, just like she’d hoped; Al couldn’t help feeling jealous. Even if it hadn’t been Gryffindor, at least she’d gotten what she wanted.
As soon as dinner was over, they followed the prefects toward the dungeons. Al didn’t speak to anyone on the way there - everyone else seemed happy, and that only served to make him more miserable. He got to the dormitory and immediately flopped down on his bed.
Maybe the sorting hat had been wrong. Maybe he could get his dad to write to the headmistress. There had to be some sort of mistake.
There was a sudden weight at the end of his bed. “You all right?”
“Leave me alone, Malfoy,” Albus said, rolling over and pressing his face into the pillow.
“So you’re in Slytherin, so what,” Scorpius said. “It’s okay. I, er…” He coughed awkwardly. “I caught up with your cousin after the feast. She said to tell you that she’s sorry.”
Albus just grunted. “Well she got the house she wanted; what’s she got to be sorry about?”
“You know why I wanted to be in another house?”
Albus hoped that his silence let Scorpius know that he really didn’t care.
“You know all people say about my family. My grandfather was a death eater. My dad hated yours, and he was the wizarding world’s savior.” At the bitterness in his voice, Al sat up. “And now everyone’s going to think I’m just the same. They’re going to assume I’m just like them.”
“You don’t seem like a death eater to me,” Al offered.
Scorpius rolled his eyes. “Thanks.”
Albus pulled his legs up and frowned, putting his chin on his knees. “I don’t even know why I was sorted into Slytherin.”
“Oh right. You’re not evil, so you can’t be Slytherin.”
Al glared. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Think about what the Sorting Hat says. You’re probably really good at strategy and things like that - or maybe you’re ambitious.”
“Maybe,” he relented.
They sat there silently for a long moment. Finally, Scorpius said “Your cousin invited both of us to spend time with her tomorrow. I’m going to go - I want to see the giant squid. You should come, too.” He grinned. “She still likes you even if you’re not a Gryffindor. And if you’ll stop sulking, I think I will, too.”
Al didn’t answer.
Scorpius stood up. “Well I’m going to read and go to bed. Night, Potter.”
Albus weighed his options. Then he smiled a little and said, “Yeah, see you tomorrow. Night.”
~~~
1481/50=30+10= 40 points
Hannah//Ravenclaw