Hogwarts: Generation Z.

As the Hogwarts Express departed Platform 9 and 3/4 from Kings Cross, James breathed a sigh of relief. Finally he could get away from Al's incessant whining about whether he might or might not become a Slytherin and go chill with Nicky and Wayne. Or so he thought.

"Jaaaaames! Let me come sit with you guys."

"**** off, Al, I have to talk Quidditch with Nicky and Wayne. The only time I'd invite you to talk Quidditch is if we were going to throw a game."
Mum tried to teach Albus to fly two years ago. It took him an hour just to mount his broom. And once he got going...let's just say the Muggles next door never figured out why their satellite dish collapsed through their roof. Even Lily did fine on her first time.

"Please James, I've got nowhere else to go."

"Go sit with Rose. She's probably lonely as well."

"I can't. Victoire's taken her under her wing and she's letting her sit with her mates."

"Well, go find some other new kids, hell go sit with Scorpius Malfoy for all I care."

"I'll tell Mum in my next owl you were being an arse."

James sighed. "Alright, fine. But you're paying for lunch for all four of us."

"Thanks James." Albus immediately smiled.

After a short walk, James and Albus found the compartment that housed James' two best mates, Nicky and Wayne. They greeted in typical schoolboy fashion.

"Sorry I had to bring Al. He threatened to tell our mum on me just cause he hasn't got any friends."

"That's OK. Looking forward to Sorting?" Nicky asked Al.

"Sort of." Albus was smart enough not to bring up his fear of becoming a Slytherin. If he did, it would be a long train journey.

"Hey Wayne, what's that thing you got there?" Wayne was playing with a laptop computer.

"I was visitng my Muggle cousins over summer and they showed me this thing. It's called a computer."

"What does it do?"

"Loads of stuff. You can play games on it, talk to your friends...it's really cool."

"How does it work here? Dad's told us about Muggle stuff before. It all needs something called electricity, which doesn't work around magic."

"New Ministry thingy. It allows Muggle devices to work around magic. This is actually a Ministry prototype that I borrowed from my Dad." Wayne's dad, Dean, had inherited Mr Weasley's old position as Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, due to his own life growing up in the Muggle world. As such, he lacked Mr Weasley's fascination with all Muggle objects.

"OK, cool."

"Can you show us what it does?" Al was also keen to find out.

"Sure." Wayne opened up a Facebook page. "This thing here is called Facebook. It allows you to see what your mates are doing, or at least all my Muggle mates."

"Is that your cousin?" Nicky was instantly drawn to one of Wayne's friends.

"Yeah, she is."

"She's hot."

"Well, good luck there mate. She thinks magic is stupid. Mostly because I accidentally gave her elephant ears when we were six. They were shrunk, but you can still see the remnants."

"Ouch."

"Hey, want to see a game on this thing?" Wayne was about to open up Halo when James saw a face outside their compartment.

"Excuse me a second, boys?" He opened the door to see exactly who he thought he saw. Malfoy. Young Scorpius Malfoy, at 11 the living image of his dad at that age. Harry had warned James that while he and Draco had reconciled, Scorpius would undoubtedly have heard the tales of the Battle of Hogwarts from his father and might be looking for revenge against Al and Rose.

"Potter."

"Malfoy."

"Malfoy?" Nicky and Wayne looked at each other and pulled out their wands. Albus, not quite knowing what to do, pulled his out also.

"Don't even try anything, Malfoy. There's four of us and only one of you."

"Plus, we've all got two extra years of schooling," Nicky threw in hopefully.

"And Rose is with the sixth year girls so don't even try there either."

"I don't want to fight." Despite their resemblance, Scorpius' voice was nothing like that of Draco. His voice was slower and hoarser, as if it had already broken, and lacked the poshness of Draco's upper-class accent.

"Then what do you want?"

"Friendship."

"Huh?" Nicky and Wayne put their wands away, as did Albus. James kept his out though.

"Look. My father told me that his greatest mistake was becoming Harry Potter's enemy. I don't wanna make that mistake. So I'd like us to be cool."

"Well...OK." Rather hesitantly, James dropped his wand.

"Can I come in?"

"I guess so...Expelliarmus!" Out of surprise, Scorpius' wand flew to James, however his main intention - to see if he had anything else in his posession - proved fruitless.

"Can I?"

"Alright." Scorpius entered and took a seat.

"Hey, what's that thing you got there?"

"It's a Muggle computer. Wanna try it?" Scorpius moved next to Wayne and he started to explain the functions of the computer to him. Eventually, Wayne started a game of Counterstrike and they all started playing, however James never took his eye off Scorpius. His offer and words may have been genuine, however he couldn't help but think there may be something behind his words.


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Please post feedback at this link. Be honest - I'm a HP fanfic rookie but I have a creative (some might say disturbed and perverted) mind so I think I can come up with good ideas. I'll try to do a chapter a day, or at least a few a week.

Chapter 2: I'm On A Boat.

James, Albus, Nicky, Wayne and Scorpius got off the train together when they heard Hagrid's voice. "Firs' years! Firs' years! C'm'ere!"

"I guess that's us." Scorpius and Albus started running towards Hagrid.

"Albus!" Al turned around towards his big brother's voice.

"Good luck."

Boosted by the positive message from his big brother, Albus ran to join the first years.

"Well, well, well, what do we 'ave 'ere? Little Albus Potter!"

Al smiled. He had known Hagrid since he was a baby. Hagrid was not only one of his dad's best friends, but his godfather.

"C'mon in Al, you don't want to get wet now!"

The lake was exceptionally wild that night. It was raining heavily, and massive waves surged. Albus had no idea how they would make it across alive in the tiny boats.

"Albus!"

He turned around to see Rose standing in the boat with Scorpius Malfoy.

"Hi Rose." Al smiled at the sight of a familiar face.

"Al, this is Scorpius."

"I know. We've met."

"I went to meet Albus and his brother."

Before anyone could say anything else, the boats started moving.

"Hang on tight now! We don't want anyone to get hurt!"

Albus, Rose and Scorpius all grabbed onto the edge. For five minutes, they experienced one of the bumpiest boat rides any of them had ever been on before finally making it to the castle.

"Whoa," exhaled Rose. She had seen many pictures of Hogwarts castle but never the actual thing. Al and Scorpius both had visited at various times, but even they couldn’t help but be taken aback by the grandeur of the spectacle. However, there was little time until they were met by another familiar face.

"Hi Neville." Rose said shyly. Neville, however, ignored her greeting as he addressed the students. A closer look by Albus saw that Neville wore a necklace with a Galleon around his neck that he hadn't seen before.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor Longbottom, the Herbology teacher and Head of Gryffindor House. From here, you will be entering the Great Hall where you will be sorted into your respective houses based on your personalities and abilities. After that, we shall engage in the Sorting Feast and you lot will go to bed. Are there any questions?"

A small boy between Rose and Albus raised his hand.

"Yes?"

"Please, sir, how exactly are we sorted?"

"You will find that out in due course. Any other questions?"

No one volunteered any.

"Alright, good luck." Neville opened the doors of the castle and entered the Great Hall, with the students following behind him. As they entered the Great Hall, they saw the four house banners, under which each house's members sat and ate. Some were observing the first years entering the Hall, but by and large they were pre-occupied with their food and friends. As Albus looked around, he felt a tap on his shoulder And turned around. It was the boy who had asked Neville about the Sorting earlier.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry for asking, but...do you know what we have to do? I was told by the guys in my compartment on the train that we would have to perform magic. But I've never done magic in my life. My parents are accountants. No one I know is magical."

Al smiled. "It's cool mate. We just have to wear that hat over there. The hat decides which house we go into."

"But...it's just a hat."

"Oh, that thing is no ordinary hat."

As if on cue, the Sorting Hat burst into song.

"Don't judge me based on how I look,
Hear what I have to say
You may not like what I know
But I'll say it anyway

Young ones, your next seven years
Depend on what I see
Your hopes, your dreams, your friends, your lives,
All are belong to me

If you are a chivalrous
Bold and brave type
Then it's off to Gryffindor
For you tonight

But if you are a sharp mind
And one who seeks knowledge
It's off to Ravenclaw for you
You lucky wizard or witch

But if you are bright and brave
But with great ambition
Go under the green banner
For you're a Slytherin

Hufflepuff may be last
But certainly not least
You'll make the most loyal friends
Over tonight's feast

Do not fear if your choice
Is not what you did dream
For those who have an open mind
Will most enjoy the scene!"

The Hall erupted in applause. From the Head's seat, Professor McGonagall arose.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor McGonagall, your Headmistress. I will be calling you each up in alphabetical order. Once I call your name, please come up to the seat and wear the hat until you are sorted."

She unravelled a roll of parchment. "Oh dear. It seems that the names have been jumbled up this year. Who could have done this?" At that point, Peeves flew into the hall, dropping waterbombs on the first years.

"Ha haaaaa! Ickle Firsties!"

"PEEVES!" roared Professor McGonagall. By that time, however, Peeves had flown out of the hall.

"Bloody Baron, if you please?"

"Certainly, Headmistress." The Bloody Baron flew out in the same direction that Peeves had gone.

"Anyway, we shall have to make do with this order...although I highly doubt that there are any students with the name Fatty McBalls." Professor McGonagall pulled out her wand and tapped the parchment. The names re-arranged themselves as some vanished and Peeves' scribbles (largely obscene) vanished.

"Anderson, Malcolm!" The boy who had been asking Albus for advice stepped forward and placed the hat on his head. The hat took a while to decide before bellowing "HUFFLEPUFF!" Malcolm eagerly took the hat off his head and ran to the Hufflepuff table on the far left, where he was met by cheers.

The hat continued its business and Albus' attention wandered until he heard another name that piqued his attention.
"Malfoy, Scorpius!" Scorpius also ran up to the hat and put it on with a sense of eagerness and fear.
"Ah, what do we have here? Another Malfoy! I know just what to do with you."
"No, please! I don't want to be a Slytherin."
"You don't? Well, that's surprising. You're an interesting one, lad. Very bright, no question. Eager, but also a little scared. You lack the Malfoy sense of entitlement and snobbery, no question. I'm tempted to put you in Gryffindor, however you lack any true bravery. I suppose you're going to have to be a RAVENCLAW!"
Scorpius took the hat off and ran to the Ravenclaw table, second from the right.

Soon enough, it was Albus' turn and he climbed onto the seat.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the son of Harry Potter."
"Please, not Slytherin. Not Slytherin."
"Your father said those exact words to me. I granted his wish, and I will grant yours. You're a-"

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Which house did Albus go into? And Rose? Read the next chapter to find out.
Please place feedback at the link from the previous chapter - I'd appreciate it if you didn't hate me for leaving you hanging. And you're free to guess where Al and Rose might wind up.