The view of Hogwarts didn't get any less spectacular up close. Albus stared wide-eyed at the venerable architecture at stone lain long before his great-grandparents were young, mixed with the newer, huge stone slabs used to repair the gigantic outer walls. Flags waved to and fro atop the towering spires, blown by the lake wind. Then the view was lost as the boats drifted into the underground cavern to the ancient boat dock. The students disembarked, gathered behind Hagrid's bulk, and followed him up the mossy stairs to a doorway built for someone larger than human. Albus wasn't the only one who started as Hagrid raised a ham-sized fist and banged three times on the massive, aged oaken door; the booming bass thrum echoing through the cavern.

The face that appeared as the door opened came as a shock to Albus. He knew his honorary "uncle" had risen to head of Gryffindor house, but the person that historically greeted first years was the Deputy Headmaster, which meant that Uncle Neville was moving up in the world.

"Here they are, Professor Longbottom. Safe and sound, as always," Hagrid announced to some gasps.

"Welcome to Hogwarts!" The serious, no-nonsense tone was one Albus had never heard his "uncle" Neville use. He was beginning to wonder if the jovial man who had been one of his favorite visitors in the past had changed to suit his new position

The other students seemed intimidated by a living legend, a hero of the great battle with almost as much notoriety as Harry Potter himself.

Professor Neville Longbottom kept up the looming impressiveness for another moment or two, then his face cracked and the jolly kind-hearted Neville, more in keeping with the man Albus was used to, peeked out.

"Sorry, can't keep that up. It's just not me. Well, come on, you lot!" he called with a chuckle, waving them inside. "You've got your letters, you're supposed to be here. Come on up, before you all catch your death. Up you get!"

He turned and entered cavernous doorway. The first-years filed passed a beaming Hagrid; the half-giant's grin was comforting to some, frightening to others. He gave Albus and Rose a wink as they passed.

The entrance hall they entered was massive. The ceiling was so high, Albus couldn't even see it, and all four floors of Twelve Grimmauld Place could have fit into the room. Stone walls were lit with magic torches, whose wicks were enchanted so that they would never be consumed. Albus tried to focus on following Professor Longbottom, but he couldn't help but examine his surroundings, his head on a swivel. The elaborate stonework was far beyond the descriptions he had been given by relatives, and he had never seen so many Wizard paintings in one place. Those paintings were not being subtle as they pointed and gossiped with each other, picking out features of former students.

"Is that him? Yes, I recognize the eyes. Scrawny little thing, just like his father and his father's father before him!"

"Oh look, Weasley hair and freckles. How many are there? That family gets bigger by the minute."

"Look at that boy; Leprechaun blood for sure. They can change sizes you know. It's a wonder they don't mix more often!"

Albus looked around and saw the smallest boy in the group. His hair was a coppery orange shade and he had more freckles than any Weasley. His bright hazel eyes glared a challenge at the paintings as he went by. One of the paintings suddenly fell off its hook, jolting all of the occupants before falling face down. Albus could have sworn the boy smiled as though it had been intentional.

The professor led them across the flagstone floor, past a pair of massive oak doors that made the doorway from the dock look small. A steady buzz of hundreds of conversations seeped out. He led them by the intimidating marble stairs that swirled to upper floors, and into a small chamber just off the hall.

When they packed into the chamber, Professor Longbottom started searching his robes. "Hold on a bit; I’ve got my notes here somewhere." He patted himself down and pulled out a small potted plant from one pocket, then put it back in as an actual toad hopped out of another.

"There you are, Trevor," he murmured to the sound of giggles.

Albus had known Uncle Neville his entire life. He wasn't this unorganised or incompetent, so this all had to be an act to to set the first-years at ease. It would be just like the Neville he knew, to play the fool, so the new students would feel less intimidated.

"There...my specs!" The professor settled some wire rims on his nose. "Oh well, I guess I need to use a little bit of magic. I must have left my notes on my desk."

With that, Professor Longbottom stretched his long arms out, tugging at the cuffs to show nothing up his sleeve. With a flick of the wrist, a set of note cards appeared in his hand.

Students applauded.

"Oh yes, here we go. To whom it may concern." He looked over his spectacles at the students. "I assume this means you."

Albus chuckled with the others, feeling in on the joke.

"The sorting is about to begin. In Hogwarts, we have four houses." He held up fingers as he counted them off. "Gryffindor: my house by the way, not being biased, just stating fact. Ravenclaw: a real smart lot over there! Hufflepuffs: my wife was one of those, and she turned out all right. Tell her I said that, will ya? And, oh yes, let's not forget old Slytherin: a good house indeed, in spite of any rumours you might have heard. Every student will belong to one of those four. All of them have produced some exceptional wizards. These houses will be your family in Hogwarts. You will eat and go to classes and hang out with your housemates. The connections you make will last a lifetime. I know from experience!"

Albus peered sideways to see if Rose noticed that their "uncle" was glancing over his spectacles directly at them. She had. They traded grins.

The professor continued, "So when they are ready for you, you will follow me to the front and I will put the Sorting Hat on your head. That’s it; no wrestling trolls, no spell tests or any such rubbish you may have heard. Oh, and the hat doesn't bite…much." He chuckled as several of the students gasped. "Just kidding, couldn't resist. Sorry."

He turned to the door. "I'll be back in a bit, as soon as they are ready. Don't kill each other. It's the start of term, much too early for all that extra paper work!" He smiled with a twinkle in his eye, and then was gone through the doors.

Albus took the opportunity to look around the room. Over to his left were two girls who obviously were already acquainted, chattering away in French. The blue-haired girl Albus had seen earlier was glaring scathingly at a beauty who was brushing her hair into a feathered golden cascade. There was a very large boy, almost as wide as he was tall, looming over the small boy who the painting thought to be part Leprechaun. There was an Asian girl and a tall, pretty, dark-haired girl with long, straight hair. They seemed to be in competition to see who could flip their bangs the most. Behind stood some unpleasant looking girls and boys who had that Slytherin scowl, and there was one small boy in the back, leaning against the wall with prematurely silver hair; his eyes glimmered like shiny Sickles. He looked up at Albus like he knew he was being watched, and a cold smile curled his lips. Albus quickly looked back to the front, vowing never to cross that boy if it could be helped.

Professor Longbottom returned. "I would tell you to smarten yourselves up a bit, but that’s our job, so come on!" He turned and swept through door, leading them into the Great Hall of Hogwarts.

The hall was just as huge as Albus had always been told, even bigger than he had always imagined. The spectacular room was lit with thousands of flickering candles with no visible means of support. The towering windows reached up several stories into the spelled ceiling, which was showing an obsidian night sky, clear and spotted with bright points of light and roving clouds under a yellow tinged moon.

The tables where full of students with empty gold plates, silverware, and goblets. The table to his left, with bright yellow table coverings trimmed in black, had a motley assortment of students who where smiling encouragingly. Across the aisle to the right was a large table decorated in midnight blue with bronze, full of intense pupils who where studiously focused on the stream of youngsters as they passed weighing their attributes, already. Beyond them was the deep green and silver table with a group of glaring students dissecting the first years with their eyes.

Albus saw a bunch of his cousins at the crimson and gold table beyond the Hufflepuffs. Fred held court with some students, likely giving them the run down of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products. Roxanne was glaring at her brother, probably preparing to tell on him after she sent the owl off about Albus and Rose’s new friend. She didn’t seem to realize that after his initial disapproving noises, Uncle George or Ron, who still helped out when he wasn't on Auror business, would owl Fred to send in those orders and collect the money. They had a regular underground trade going.

Percy’s twin girls were radiating colossal indifference, as usual, popping bright purple gum in tandem and glancing at some boys, who seemed to be assessing the twins’ slender figures from the corners of their eyes.

Across from Fred and Roxanne, with a group of second year cronies, was James.

"Worried I'll embarrass the family and get Sorted into the wrong house?" Albus thought as he returned James' glower.

They filed by to the front of the room, passing Dominique and Victoire who were sitting together at the head of the Gryffindor table. The younger sister's body language stated clearly that she was not a best mate to her tall, glamorous sibling.

Alternating in and out of the tables were the silvery-white shimmers of the Hogwarts ghosts. The cheerful Fat Friar was leaning down to greet returning Hufflepuffs and offer opinions about the students passing by. The infamous Nearly Headless Nick was chatting as loudly as he floated over the Gryffindors about how he was trying not to shock first years this year. "So do not even attempt to convince me otherwise!" the ghost cried as his head wobbled precariously on his lacy ruff. The elegant Grey Lady was sitting with the Ravenclaws, staring penetratingly at the new students, while the Bloody Baron glowered at her silently from his dark place just behind the Slytherin table, his silvery bloodstains making him grim and foreboding.

The teachers and heads of houses lined up across the front, at the staff table up on a dias. The students followed Neville to a lone stool between the students and staff. He picked up the scroll from his place at the table and patiently waited for everybody to line across the front so the Sorting Ceremony could commence.

On the end of the table was Arcturus Flint, the dark-goateed potions professor and the Head of Slytherin house. The man had a hulking, glaring, intimidating presence, and was bald as a billiard ball. Beside him was the lovely, gentle presence of Padma Patil; she was as sharp as a Hippogriff's beak, but as delicate as an East Indian lotus flower, and Head of Ravenclaw house. She was the challenging professor of Charms. The pleasant, smiling man to her left, making apologies for arriving a bit late, was Atticus Pharrel, someone who Albus had only heard about in passing. The stoutly built, balding, brown-haired man was Hufflepuff’s Head of House, and Hogwarts’ Defence against the Dark Arts Master for the last five years.

Albus knew a few more professors from home visits.

Victor Krum had been added two years previously, after stepping down as Durmstrang’s youngest headmaster in history. He now taught flying and oversaw the Hogwarts intramural Quidditch program. Rumour had it that the now retired, legendary Bulgarian seeker had fallen in love with Hogwarts as a Tri-Wizard tournament contestant, and had been looking for the chance to return ever since. His bushy hair, streaked with grey, was pulled back into a ponytail, and his hawk-like, hooked nose had a slight cant from the rogue Bludger that ended his international career. The dark eyes scanned the room from under his bushy eyebrows, narrowing and nodding when he recognized Albus and Rose.

Freya Bast, the former Auror, who taught the Transfiguration class, was catching a lot of stares, as usual. Her long, ash blond hair was the only thing normal about her. Peeking out from that mane were two ears more commonly found on a house cat.

With bright amber eyes that seemed to attract and reflect the light around her, whiskers on a furry feline face, dainty fangs when she smiled and long claws on her tawny furred hands when she waved greetings at students, Freya took some getting used to.

Freya had been one of Albus' dad's best Aurors, with a keen nose for trouble. Most often, he would send her when the situation needed to be scouted out. Her last mission had resulted in her current condition, which was a partial but ongoing transfiguration into a house cat.

She was investigating a pet shop in Knockturn Alley that was selling unusually intelligent pets . She confronted the wizened witch owner, asking for breeder paperwork, and then uncharacteristically turned her back. She was hit with a transfiguring curse, but before it was complete, Freya's reflexes kicked in and she managed to stun the witch. The elderly crone's heart gave out, and she died instantly. As it turned out, the woman was transforming Muggles into house pets for wizards, using an unknown dark spell that only she knew.

Through the years of trying to halt the spell and reverse the affects, Freya had acquired an amazing amount of transfiguring knowledge, learning from everyone she could, even Minerva McGonagall herself, but she had had to retire from public life because of her looks. Albus' dad, still feeling responsible for her condition, made a requested to appoint her to the Transfiguration post at Hogwarts when the interim teacher that took over after McGonagall retired. Now Freya found acceptance and fulfilment as one of the most demanding but popular professors.

And there, in the centre of them all, was the Hogwarts current headmaster: Kingsley Shacklebolt.

A few years older than when he held the post of Minister for a record fourteen-year run, he was as lordly a man as Albus had ever laid eyes on. His African descent was obvious in his dark blue robes decorated with stars and a dark blue, gold-trimmed kofia flat on his baldhead. A grey, tightly trimmed beard, covering a strong jaw, and his dark eyes radiated the strength of character and iron will that had rebuilt the wizarding world in the aftermath of the war against Voldemort. All he did was rise and, without a word, the Hall quieted.

Kingsley's voice resonated in the hall, unassisted by magic, but with a magic of its own. "I wish to welcome our newest students to Hogwarts. I will make the necessary announcements later, but as for now, let’s get these bright young wizards Sorted shall we?"

Neville nodded, and so it began.

Albus was surprised that now that the dreaded moment was here, he wasn’t as nervous as he felt he should have been. The old, tattered hat was brought out and the tear at the brim sang in its raspy, magically projected voice:

The song was met with wild applause.

Albus shifted nervously as Neville walked to the front and begin the roll call. The first name was familiar.

"Abbot, Olivia!"

A little pink-faced, dark-haired girl with blue eyes and pigtails came to the stool. She was the very image of Neville's wife, Hannah, except Hannah was blonde. Albus seemed to recall Neville mentioning that Hannah's first cousin had a daughter his age.

The decision of the hat, so large on her head it nearly touched her shoulders, was almost immediate.

"HUFFLEPUFF." it called to cheers from the yellow and black table.

Olivia handed the hat to Neville, who gave her a wink, and then sat down gratefully at her house table.

"Baldwin, Allen!"

A handsome, swaggering boy came forward, obviously used to attention.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat called as soon as he got settled with it on his head. The boy sat the hat down and strolled casually over to the loudly cheering bunch at the red and gold table.

Things proceeded quickly from there; a little round boy with the unfortunate name of Gaspar Boone was sorted into Hufflepuff, letting out a loud sneeze as the hat was taken off his head. An extremely slender boy with long blond hair and the unfitting name, Thor Boot, went to the riotous Gryffindor table next. The boy who seemed to be part Leprechaun turned out to be called Cormac Collins, and he joined the happily cheering Hufflepuffs, getting a pat on the back from a tall boy with careless finger-combed curls. He was broad shouldered, with intense grey eyes and a charming smile. There was a Head Boy badge pinned to his robes.

One of the French girls, Aimee Couture, who had her light blonde hair in a fashionable bob, smiled with a little gap in her front teeth as she became the first Ravenclaw.

A sullen boy, Richard Cresswell, with his black hair in a ponytail went to Hufflepuff next.

"Donovan, Liam!"

Slinking to the front was the silver haired boy that had chilled Albus earlier. When the hat concealed his sombre eyes, Albus felt better.

"Slytherin for sure!" Albus murmured to himself.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat called, and the spooky boy made his way passed Albus to the Ravenclaw table, which clapped politely as they got another member.

Margo Duval, the other girl from somewhere French speaking, turned out to be the next Ravenclaw.

Gorman, Azure!

The girl with the spelled-blue hair stepped up to get her "Ravenclaw" announcement. Albus thought, that Ravenclaw bunch is getting interesting!

Maya Goyle was a very large and unpleasant looking girl, and the very first Slytherin. Her glare once she reached the table fit right in.

"Grego, Rhys!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Ivy, Iris!"

HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Janski, Conner!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Jung, Joy"

GRYFFINDOR!"

"Kerry, Kian"

"SLYTHERIN!"

After the Asian girl from the Great Hall, Shi Lui, went to Ravenclaw, Albus's wandering attention snapped back on the proceedings when he heard,

"Malfoy, Scorpius."

The murmuring began at once, and Albus saw the Slytherins move down to make room. He watched as his new friend squared his shoulders, and pulled that cool arrogance about him as he walked up to the chair. The Hat was placed on his head, and after a few moments of intense discussion with the young man upon whom it rested, it announced,

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The gasp from around the room was very apparent as the confused young man pulled the Hat off, staring at the battered cloth. Neville took it from his hands and kindly pointed out the Hufflepuff table. Albus saw James smirk as he leaned over to talk to Fred. Scorpius sat down, looking dazed. He got a pat on the back from the tall Head Boy, but the rest of the table just stared at him as the ceremony continued. They weren't even clapping in their shock.

Neville tried to hide his amazement at that strange turn of events by calling the next name on the list immediately.

The Sorting continued, with the large boy Albus remembered from the previous room, who turned out to be Grant Nedved, going to Gryffindor.

Albus tried to catch his new friend's eye, but Scorpius was staring out one of the towering windows, not even paying attention, lost in what appeared to be morbid thoughts. Albus almost missed his own name. Neville had to call it twice.

"Potter, Albus!"

A steady buzz of murmured comments accompanied him to the stool, and the Hat. A large fist of nerves was clenched in his stomach. To his surprise, as soon as the Hat was down over his eyes, he found that the slight scent of must and burnt leather was actually comforting.

"Let me see, yet another Potter. You lot are always such fun to sort! I see ambition, a laxity with rules…Slytherin? No…not enough ruthlessness in this one. Boldness is definitely here, possibly Gryffindor, like your father and his father before him. Well, him and all of those Weasleys? That would be the obvious choice…what say you, young wizard?"

Surprised to be asked, Albus realized that this was the moment when he could seal his own fate. His father’s words came back to him: "It doesn’t matter where you are sorted, we will be proud of you." In the dark of the Hat, he looked over at where the Hufflepuff table must have been, and thought about his new friend sitting there, alone in a House he had never expected.

"Ah, I see," exclaimed the Hat. "You’ve got great loyalty, young Potter. You want a fair playing field for everybody, even for one that traditionally should be your enemy. Well, dear boy, there can be only one place to sort you!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The reaction was instantaneous. The whole Hall erupted with his relatives calling out for him to be re-Sorted. The entire staff table stared with open shock; all except Professor Pharrel, who was beaming ear to ear, as though he had just won the House Cup. Albus realized as he got out of the chair, giving the Hat to a suddenly pale Neville Longbottom, that he had a chance to be his own boy for the first time in his life, same as Scorpius. As the only Potter in Hufflepuff, the expectations would be so much less. He was a little sad, knowing that Rose and he would be separated, maybe for the first time in his life. The Hufflepuff table was cheering as he walked over and sat down, walking past all of the seats offered and planting himself beside Scorpius, who looked just as shocked as Neville.

"You didn’t tell the hat to sort you into Hufflepuff so we’d be together did you?" he said in a low voice, as though he feared that he would be blamed.

"No. But here we are, so cheer up, Mal-Boy! We just turned Hogwarts on its ear," he whispered back, as the Sorting ceremony continued.

It looked as though Neville was sleepwalking, almost terrified to place the hat on another student, but he relaxed when there were no more surprises for a while. The hair-tossing beauty, whose name was Rachael Vane, went into Ravenclaw, and then it was suddenly Rose’s turn.

Weasley, Rose!"

She strolled over, her back straight as the Gryffindors cheered, sure that the Sorting would be right this time.

Rose sat down and the Sorting began. She started talking almost immediately, and the Sorting Hat responded. She burst out into a big smile as the announcement was made.

"Got to be, HUFFLEPUFF!"

If there had been pandemonium over Albus, there was a near riot over Rose. The streak of Weasleys in Gryffindor, going back six generations, had just been broken. Professor Pharrel was beside himself clapping. The Hufflepuff table was celebrating as Rose handed the hat to Neville, who looked nearly faint, and she actually skipped over to the seat that Albus had nudged Scorpius over to make.

"What did you do?" Albus said to Rose, amused as the din calmed a bit.

She was smiling ear-to-ear. "I can't be at Hogwarts without you, Al! Besides, if we are going to win the House Cup for Hufflepuff, it’s going to take all three of us."

Scorpius grimaced. "If we survive the night, that is."

Albus decided truer words had never been spoken in the great halls of Hogwarts than those.