Scorpius

The Sorting always seemed to take forever, but this year it was particularly dreadful. First year after first year after first year climbed onto the stool. I knew I especially should have been watching because of my new responsibility, but I found myself drifting into thought only to be pulled out of it every time my house started clapping. Slytherin. Of course.

As far back as we could trace, the Malfoys were in Slytherin and it would probably be that way until we died out.

My thoughts were interrupted by the Great Hall doors opening. A girl slipped in quietly so that only a few people noticed. I caught a glimpse of her fiery red hair and scowled. It was Weasley.

Sure, there were about 300 of them, they were like rats, but this one was the worst.

I watched as she tiptoed to the Gryffindor table and slid onto a bench in between a blonde girl and her cousin, Albus Potter. Something shiny caught my eye. It was pinned to her- wait. Was that? It was.

It definitely was the Head Girl badge sitting right on her arrogant self. I looked down at my own badge. I thought Phoebe what's-her-face was supposed to be Head Girl. I groaned. This was going to be a long year if I was stuck patrolling halls with her every night and sharing a common room. No doubt her only slightly less annoying cousins would be invading my privacy.

I realized I had been staring at her when she turned to see who it was. Her calm expression quickly turned violent and I sent her a smirk. If I could keep my cocky attitude, maybe it would give me the upper hand in this. I motioned toward my badge and her face changed from violent to murderous as she registered what it was.

She mouthed something, but I couldn't read lips to save my life, so I didn't understand what she was saying.

I motioned this to her but she just shook her head. This time I understood when she mouthed, "What?"

"I can't read your lips, moron," I mouthed back, rolling my eyes.

She responded by giving me a very rude hand gesture.

How dare she? I have to admit it was kind of funny because Professor McGonagall happened to look in our direction right at that moment. Her fault for picking the worst pair of Head Boy and Head Girl possible.

The Sorting finished and McGonagall started to give her usual welcoming speech. I had heard it for the past six years in a row, so I didn't pay much attention. I could probably recite it from memory.

"That is all!" she finished. She waved her hand over the tables and our feast appeared.

We started eating and a few of my friends tried including me in their conversations, but I was distracted.

"What's up with you, Scor?" Patricia whined. She was twirling her course black hair in her fingers. It was possible she annoyed me more than Weasley.

"I thought I told you not to call me that."

"Whatever. You're so moody."

"You are acting kind of strange," my best mate, Vincent Goyle, said with his mouth full of food. I always made fun of his name. It was too fancy for such a thick bloke. He wasn't bothered by the teasing, though, because he claimed he was named after his father's best friend who died in the war. I think he was just making that up, but it didn't matter anyway. Most of us just called him Vince.

"I'm fine, okay?" I snapped.

Patricia started trying to rub my arm, so I got up and moved away from her to a different bench. Sadly, she followed.

"Geez, take a hint," said a voice from behind me.

I almost laughed until I noticed who it was.

Patricia lost her confident smile. "What are you doing over here?"

"It isn't illegal for a Gryffindor to stand at the Slytherin table, Patricia. I would tell you to look it up in the rule book, but I'm not sure if you can read." Rose Weasley had a fiery look in her eyes as she stood over me, which I did not like. I could tell she did though, because she smiled down at me proudly. "If you would excuse us, I need to talk to Malfoy here for a moment about our current predicament." Predicament? Who used words like that. Arrogant little bookworm.

"What is she talking about, Scor?" Patricia whined. I just wanted to lock her in a closet somewhere and leave her there. I could tell the same thoughts were crossing through Weasley's mind. At least we had one thing in common.

"Don't call me that," I reminded her for the hundredth time today. "And in case you didn't notice," I pointed to Weasley's Head Girl badge, "I'm going to be stuck working with her for the next year."

The look on Patricia's face almost made it worth it. She probably thought Weasley was going to steal me away from her or something. Most definitely not.

"Yes," I gloated, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "And we're going to have lots of wild parties and snogging sessions without you there."

She actually pouted. Weasley had the slightest trace of a blush on her freckled cheeks. Good. She should be intimidated by me.

"There's nothing to talk about, Weasley. Just go to McGonagall and return your badge. I'm sure she's regretting her decision to give it to you anyway."

She crossed her arms. "Excuse me? I am not giving this up for you. Not ever. You return your badge."

Who did she think she was? "Just keep dreaming. I was Head Boy first."

Someone cleared their throat, and I realized we had been shouting. Everyone was staring at the Slytherin table with mild interest, especially the first years.

"Miss Weasley. Mr. Malfoy. Please come see me in the hall for a moment," Professor McGonagall said pleasantly. She waved her arm at the rest of the room. "Quit gawking and continue eating, students."

Like two preschoolers getting caught doing something bad, we sulked after her.

She stopped walking when she was far enough away from the Great Hall that we were out of hearing distance. "That was unacceptable behavior from our Head Boy and Girl. You two are role models, for heaven's sake!"

I ran my hand through my blond hair and looked over at Weasley who was nodding furiously. "Absolutely, Professor. It won't happen again." Teacher's pet.

"I expect not! And from you, Mr. Malfoy?"

I smiled with the charm that came so easily to me. "Of course, Professor. That was foolish of us."

She returned my smile. "I'm glad the two of you recognize your wrongdoing, however, there do need to be a few punishments. Perhaps it will teach you to get along."

Uh-oh.

"25 points taken from Gryffindor and from Slytherin."

How was that even possible? We didn't have a single point yet. This would not help our popularity.

"And," she continued, "detention in Professor Longbottom's room as well as double night patrol for the rest of the week."

I doubt she even punished Harry Potter this much when he was off chasing Voldemort. I shuddered at the name. Both names.

"Yes, Professor," Weasley and I echoed.

She walked back to the Hall.

"Nice going, Malfoy," Weasley griped. She glared at me before turning on her heels and following McGonagall.

I rolled my eyes. "You're the one who approached me," I called after her.

Then I followed her into the Great Hall.

I don't know what it was that made me hate her so much. Maybe it was that my father had always disliked the Weasleys and the Potters. Her father had married a muggleborn, which, in his eyes, was the equivalent of commiting a sin. His blood prejudice infuriated me. I may be a huge jerk sometimes, but I would never do the awful things that he had done in his Hogwarts years.

I watched Weasley as she strode confidently over to the Gryffindor table, all eyes on her. She sat down next to her blonde friend and started talking animatedly. They kept shooting pointed looks at me as they spoke.

Her whole family was famous now. She was famous, and, as much as I hated to admit, she wasn't bad looking. She had long ginger hair that fell down her back and had just a hint of curl in it. Her eyes were a warm brown color, and she had a spray of freckles across her nose. Also, her laugh was-

Somebody yanked me towards the Slytherin table and out of my thoughts.

It was Patricia. Of course. "What was that for?" I practically yelled at her.

She looked at me with puppy dog eyes, a fake smile plastered to her evil face. "You're not spending enough time with me, Scorpy." She sat down and patted the spot on the bench next to her. "I haven't seen you in three months!"

"I know," I said with fake enthusiasm. "Those were the most peaceful months of my life."

She glared daggers at me as I walked away from her and out of the Great Hall.

Rose could walk the bloody first years herself.