The last whistle blew as the train readied to leave Platform nine-and-three-quarters. Albus squeezed through the crowds of hurried students getting on board, trying to get away from the claustrophobic mass of bodies. Finally, after peeking into many full compartments, he found his cousin, Rose, sitting alone in one of them. She greeted him cheerfully.

“Hi! Come on in, sit down.� She gestured to the seat across from her. He sighed, relieved, and sat down as she instructed, staring out into the massive sea of people on the station. He finally found his family: Lily atop of Uncle Ron’s shoulders and his father and mother waving excitedly. Rose grinned as she saw what he was doing and opened the window.

“Bye, Hugo!� she called, grinning widely. “I’ll write, Mum!� Albus didn’t say anything; he didn’t have the courage. He was mostly excited, yes, but the pressure of the prospect of the Sorting was looming over his head. When the train started to move, he relaxed back into his seat, deep in thought. James hadn’t been nearly as nervous as this in his first year: Albus remembered his older brother’s confidence well. His harmless but taunting words telling him that he wouldn’t be going for another two years had stuck in his mind until this morning. And now, just when he was going to the place he had been wanting to go to for years, Albus didn’t feel ready. He glanced over at Rose, whose only worries, as usual, seemed to be reading. He smiled; he had always marveled at her ability to not get bored at even the most terrible of books.

“Oh, look who it is!� A familiarly loud voice caused Albus to jump and he looked over into the doorway to find his brother.

“Hi, James. Did your friends kick you out? Because what I remember you saying is that you were planning on pretending I didn’t exist when we were at school.� Albus grinned at his own tease. He had learned some tricks over the years, but neither brother was ever really offended by the other’s comments because they were so used to them.

“Oh, I just thought because Mum and Dad aren’t here, they might need me - being the responsible, mature big brother that I am – to come check on you every so often.� James laughed. “But you know, if you do get into Slytherin, I won’t be able to do that much anymore.�

Albus glared at him. “Shut up.� Now his brother had gone a bit too far. He wasn’t going to get into Slytherin. It just wasn’t going to happen.

“Would you two stop bickering, please? I really would just like some time to study before we get there,� Rose cut in.

“Aw, Rosie. Getting prepared to be with the wise ones? Ah, lovely old Ravenclaw. I had a girlfriend from there in my first year, but we didn’t last long. She seemed to enjoy her studying more than she did spending time with me.� James sniggered.

Rose rolled her eyes. “Honestly, James, would you just go away? I think we can fend fine for ourselves without our parents here.� Albus nodded, glad that Rose had cut in. She was used to their frequent brotherly arguments, and knew how to handle them.

“Aw, but I like spending time with you two. It’s so much fun!� James protested jokingly. However, he was cut off by a large group of his friends running loudly to meet him.

“Come on, James! We’ve just heard, someone’s lost a baby Acromantula, and we think we might know where it is!� one of James’ friends shouted excitedly. James’ eyes widened eagerly, and he ran off after them, seeming to forget about his brother and cousin. Albus laid back, shaking his head. Rose almost immediately went back to her studies, and Albus knew that he now had no one to talk to. He knew that concentrated look on Rose’s face well; it meant that she was deep in thought and wouldn’t be bothered by any noise. But once again, not long after then, her studies were disturbed.

“Gary, get a move on, come on, let’s go!� a loud voice growled. “Ugh, could you get any slower - wait. Stop.� A boy peeked inside of the compartment door and recognition seemed to dawn on the pale face quickly. The door opened fully, and a blond, tall boy walked in, beckoning his friends to do the same behind him. Albus recognized the boy as the person his uncle had pointed out on the platform.

“I found them!� he said to his friends and dragged them into the compartment, which was now seeming a bit cramped. “Told you they were here.�

Rose groaned and looked up from her books. “Merlin, will anyone leave me alone?� When she recognized the face, however, her expression turned from exasperation to hatred. “Malfoy.�

“And you must be Rose Weasley, am I correct? And Potter…� His eyes moved on to Albus. Albus nodded warily, not knowing what else to do.

“As Rose so very wisely pointed out, I am Scorpius Malfoy.� He grinned. “I’m sure you recognize the name.�

Albus nodded. “Actually, I do. Weren’t your parents imprisoned in Azkaban for years for fighting with Voldemort?�

Scorpius glared at him. “We’re doing very well off now, I’ll assure you. And in case you two weren’t bright enough to notice,� he grinned maliciously at Rose, knowing that the comment would offend her the most, “our family name is still very highly respected.�

“You really call that old shack you’re living in ‘well off’?� Rose was angry now, and she couldn’t be stopped. Albus wanted to slow her down, to calm her, but he knew her so well that he knew it wouldn’t be probable.

Scorpius pulled his wand out. “My father’s taught me many spells, ones you wouldn’t even be able to read about in your books,� he said nastily. “Now you’ve given me the perfect opportunity to try them out.� Scorpius grinned maliciously. Albus took out his own wand, though he didn’t know very many useful spells at all, and had had hardly any practice. Rose took out her wand as well, looking infuriated.

“Anything from the troll- What is going on here?� A voice from behind Scorpius surprised them all. It was the woman who brought around the sweets on the trolley. “Wands away, please,� she said politely but sternly, and they all followed direction. “Now, would any of you like anything off of the trolley?� Scorpius and his friends shook their heads and squeezed outside, probably going back to their own compartment. Albus smiled at the woman and asked for a bit of everything, as his father had recommended. Rose did the same, and they piled the sweets together onto one of the empty seats. Albus grabbed a pumpkin pasty, and Rose took a chocolate frog.

“Who’d you get?� asked Albus curiously as he watched Rose take out the card. He collected chocolate frog cards, and whenever Rose got any, she gave them to him. He hoped that it was one of the few from his collection that he was missing.

Rose turned the card over. “Laird Gastrell… I don’t think I’ve heard of him. But I bet Hagrid might have; he’s found lots of new breeds of dragons!� Rose grinned at Albus and handed him the card.

“Thanks, Rose, I don’t think I have him!� said Albus, not listening to her comment about Hagrid. They both stopped as they heard a strange noise coming from the outside of the compartment.

“I’ll go look,� said Rose, tilting her head in curiosity. Then she glanced at her watch. “You’d better change, I think we’ll be there soon!� her voice got a bit more high-pitched in excitement. Albus nodded, and as she closed the door of the compartment behind her, he slipped on his robes and stuffed some of the extra candy into his pockets. Soon, Rose came back, talking comfortingly to a girl that Albus recognized.

“Amaryah?� he asked. She nodded, the hint of a smile on her face hearing that Albus had remembered her name. She was Professor Longbottom’s daughter, and they had met before, as their parents were friends.

“The people who she was sitting with were teasing her,� Rose whispered to Albus.

Albus nodded and smiled at Amaryah. “Come on in, sit down.� He cleared off the seat next to him. Amaryah did so gratefully, her smile widening. Albus handed her a leftover sweet, and she ate it in silence. Only a few minutes later, the train began to slow and crept to a stop. Rose gasped and ran to the window.

“We’re here!� she squealed, which Albus found rather unnerving since he couldn’t remember the last time he had heard his cousin make such a high-pitched noise. “We’re really here!� She opened the door of the compartment and Albus followed, seeing the mass of people running out of their own compartments to get onto the platform. Then one call raised itself high over the students’ voices.

“Firs’ years, come to me! All firs’ years to me!�