Rose Weasley looked around the busy station with an almost calculated interest. Vaguely listening to her father's warning about being in Gryffindor, she tucked a strand of frizzy ginger hair behind her ears, despairing at the hairband that was supposed to be doing it for her. She peered over at her cousins who were arguing again. They had the subtlety of charging hippogriffs – could they be any louder?

In many ways she wished she wouldn't be in Gryffindor, all the noise and the holier than thou attitudes. She knew that she was certainly smart enough for Ravenclaw, and though she seldom admitted it, cunning enough for Slytherin. But her family would practically disown her for ending up in there. And she was a Weasley. Weasleys by definition were Gryffindor.

She was brought out of her reverie by a female voice saying "Rose – you need to get over the other end of the platform. Your mother is just popping to the loo with Hugo. She'll be back to wave you off"

"Okay Aunt Ginny" she replied, looking around. She felt incredibly guilty for blanking her mother – it had taken a lot of work for her to get the time off today in order to come. She was suddenly bumped by someone passing by.

"Sorry" came a slick voice, well bred from the sounds of thing. She turned her gaze fully onto her 'attacker', dropping her trunk onto the floor, and looked into the stormy grey eyes of a platinum blond boy. His eyebrows rose as he spotted the wand she had automatically flicked out of its holster on her arm. She blushed.

"That's fine – Scorpius isn't it?" She asked, trying to casually put her wand away. She had heard of him and his father. Their parents had been enemies, even more so now as Scorpius's grandfather, Lucius Malfoy was trying for Minister of Magic. The man's policy's seemed sound she supposed but if what her mother said was correct (she didn't trust her dad's opinions very often when it came to discerning people's personalities), the Malfoys were a bunch to be avoided. And to top it all off, Lucius Malfoy and his son were the founders of the Knights of Walpurgis.

The KoW was something Rose didn't believe in at all, yet surprisingly almost 50% of the wizarding population did. They were a group that believed that muggleborns were a danger to the community, taking pureblood jobs, ruining the economy and being unable to do complex occupations safely due to a lack of growing up in a magical environment. That was absolute rubbish considering her mother was a muggleborn and was the best researcher that St Mungo's had!

Scorpius looked down at her and she bristled. "Yes, it is" he said eventually, as though evaluating every word, analysing every possible reaction yet all without displaying a single emotion himself. "And you, you're Rose Weasley aren't you? The daughter of Ron and Hermione Weasley, nee Granger?"

He said her parents' names as though experiencing a particularly bad smell. She'd heard from her father that his grandmother often sported a similar expression and it made her look, in her father's words 'ridiculous like'. But for some reason, on this young boy in front of her, it looked almost natural. It betrayed his noble and rich heritage.

"Yes" she slowly replied "But you knew that anyway. Your Grandfather has been attempting to lose my mother her job ever since his campaign started. Old grudge perhaps?"

"Merely an expressed worry over how your mother's heritage will affect her work. Substandard work in her vocation could mean catastrophe for the wizarding world, especially the vulnerable"

"However, I'm sure that your grandfather is also aware that my mother's products undergo rigorous testing before becoming available to the public"

"What my grandfather is anxious to know, is why such rigorous testing is required if not because even your mother knows that she is prone to mistakes, perhaps due to the fact she has not been a part of the wizarding medical system her whole life?"

Rose was about to answer when she heard her little brother run towards her "Rose – Lily's being mean to me"

"I'm very sorry but I have to go now. Perhaps I will see you at school" Rose said through gritted teeth, unsure whether her annoyance was more due to the arrogant boy in front of her, or because of her brother interrupting at the most awkward moment.

Scorpius inclined his head at her "Pleasure"

She felt his eyes on her back all the way to the small family scene she was being dragged to by Hugo. She held her brother close. Their parents had been arguing more and more recently, and their arguments had been fantastic before. It was because of mother's job

"What do you mean that you don't know where Crook is" her mother was all but screaming at her father

"Well you know how little he likes being in a cage. He is technically a wild animal you know" her father tried to defend himself, cringing away as Hermione sent him a sharp glare

"Of course I know – I was the one who told you that. Idiot man!"

"Well – I can't remember you telling me that! In fact I can't even remember you being at home at all. Have you left work at all recently?"

Crook was Rose's cat, and as the name suggested, the descendant of the infamous Crookshanks of Hermione's childhood. He disappeared into the woods behind the Weasley house one day and somehow reappeared a few panicked months later with six kits, as obviously it was the father who reared the children after their first 3 months. They had sold most of the ¾ kneazle cubs but Crook refused to be parted from the eldest daughter of his father's mistress.

"He's here mum" Rose called, trying to defuse the situation as quickly as she could, feeling the warm fur wind around her legs. She bent down and picking him up with one hand, put him on her shoulder. Crook was the runt of the litter and was very small, especially by kneazle standards. He was ginger with the large, house elf like ears that favoured his maternal species. He had also inherited his father's 'run into a brick wall' face but Rose adored him.

She watched passively as her mother ran to Hugo who had begun crying about them 'getting a divorce' They'd had this discussion multiple time, though worryingly over the years the conversation had morphed from a 'the situation would never occur' talk, to a 'if it did happen' talk.

The whistle rang again, indicating the train's imminent departure from the station and Rose was pushed and pulled with the crowd towards the train. She leaned out of the window as soon as was humanely possible so she could wave to her mother and father. The train began to move. She could vaguely hear her mother calling to her "Goodbye sweetheart – have a good time. We'll write to you. Say hello to Neville for us" or words to that effect.

She stayed by the window until the station was just a pinprick in the distance. It was only then, in the silence of the corridor did Rose feel a lump in her throat. "Bye mum, dad" she whispered to herself, before shaking her head. This was no time to feel apprehensive. She dragged her trunk behind her so she could get to the 'Weasley compartment', refusing the canary cream that George and Angelina's son, Fred, immediately offered her. Thinking about that, she still had to get Fred back for that little stunt he pulled on her over the holidays. She'd do that soon, she thought as she sank onto the seat, the inane chatter she had missed barely seconds ago, making her long for the corridor again.

Scorpius sat in the compartment, careful to show none of the relief he was feeling inside. He had stumbled over Miss Weasley's trunk quite by accident, though he thought that the situation went quite well. He had kept polite, made logical arguments. She sounded as intelligent or perhaps more so than her mother at that age. She was a half blood so he supposed she had at least a partway education. Then again, according to father, she had gone to a muggle school, on her mudblood mother's insistence. So where did she fit on Grandfather Lucius' scheme?

It didn't matter. He wasn't going to get friendly with her – the fallout from his father's rage was enough to tell him that. It was only his perfect self control that seemed to stop Malfoy Sr. from exploding on the platform. Even then, as he spoke to his son in soft, disapproving tones, his eyes raged with a burn worse than the Cruciatus curse itself. Scorpius shuddered.

"What's the matter oh dear brother of mine?" came a sweet feminine voice from across the compartment, at the door.

"Oh go away Jasmine" he said wearily, really not in the mood to have a conversation with her.

"Aww – poor thing. Is daddy mad with you?" she mocked, ignoring what he had just said. She walked in and sat on the empty seat, leaving the door open. He knew that the compartment wouldn't be empty for long – the rest of the old pureblood families still looked up to the noble Malfoy line. He was a prince amongst them, that he had always been taught.

He sat up straight and made his face blank "Must you sit there?" he asked derisively, a perfect imitation of his father.

"Oh don't go all 'I am the son and heir of Draco Malfoy' on me Scorpius. It doesn't work"

"You're giving me a headache" he said, still emotionless

"You get that from you mother you know – such a delicate creature she was"

She smirked as Scorpius jumped up and slammed the door closed "Shut up Jasmine – someone will hear" His voice was calm but his eyes betrayed the panic he was truly feeling. Delicate was the opposite of Astoria Malfoy.

"Of course my lovely twin brother. I'm going to write a letter to mother" She walked out of the compartment before turning around, as though as an afterthought "Perhaps you should write to your own lovely mother" Her face hardened "Oh – I forgot, you can't"

The door closed before the spell hit, a black scorch mark smoking in the wood. He ran out after her, his magic crackling almost out of control. Standing in the corridor, the familiar hum of talk from the other compartments soothed him. Reluctantly he turned back into his compartment, to compose himself ready for his to-be-Slytherin followers. He sank back on the seat, the silence of the compartment making him long for the corridor again.

Jasmine walked silently up the corridor, directing a group of her friends to her 'brother's' compartment. She felt the beginning of anger at the thought of her 'sibling'. She was just as good as him and more pure, more deserving, of the Malfoy name and fortune. Not that stupid half-blood that father spent so much money to protect.

She took a breath and calmed down. Perfect Malfoy control - that was what she'd been taught from her first conscious thought. Don't let anyone see your true emotions – they could only be used against you. She was female Slytherin, manipulative and cunning. Again, she had been taught to use this to her best advantage. No male, not even her father, had any idea of what went on behind closed door with her lessons with Grandmother Narcissa. She had no specific mission at the moment, no target, just to be liked by all, to be popular, sweet and helpful, the epitome of pureblood breeding. As well as being the chairperson of the junior KoW club. Be a role model. Follow the cause. Be a Malfoy.

She smiled brightly and popped her head into a random compartment, empty bar one first year girl, silent and brooding, peering at something in the distant view of the window. "Hey – can I sit with you? I've pretty much been kicked out of my own compartment" she said. Her mission had begun.

Beatrice was daydreaming, bored as could be on the train ride. She had managed to intimidate herself a private compartment, using her mother's glare. But it was due to the aforementioned boredom that made her look up to see the pale skinned, blue eyed girl looking expectantly at her.

She didn't smile. She curled a length of dark wavy hair around a long finger, ignoring the girl's unnaturally bright expression as she said "Mmm hmm"

Her hand fell to the pocket of her robes, concealing her wand. She sighed as her lips twitched into a wide smile that didn't reach her eyes. The girl looked partially interested in her. Obviously she had been taught to read expressions.

Her eyes widened, making her resemblance to her mother more pronounced "Of course I don't mind" Her stare was intense, enough to cause many to make excuses and walk away. This girl wasn't one of them. Interesting, she should probably make a relatively good impression. "Beatrice Black"

The girl ran down the corridor, lilac ringlets bouncing on her shoulders and her newly donned robes flying out behind her.

"Aha!" she cried triumphantly as she scooped up the creature scampering ahead of her. The moniter lizard curled up instantly against her warm breast and went to sleep much to her exasperation. "Stupid animal – making me run after you" The reptile turned navy blue as though in reply.

Still watching her annoying familiar, she didn't see the girl in front of her until she had already crashed into her. "I'm so sorry" Her eyes turned a pale yellow with embarrassment as she looked at her poor victim.

Jasmine looked up, suppressing the annoyance that flashed in her green eyes as she was almost knocked over. She placed a forgiving smile on her face, looking into the yellow orbs of her attacker "That's OK. As I was saying – I'm Jasmine Malfoy. And you are?"

She mentally chided herself for letting the emotions appear for even a second on her face. Yes, it was too quick for the unpractised eye to pick up, but she was a Malfoy. She had standards. She turned her concentration back towards the girl who appeared to be replying.

"I'm Indigo Kastel and this here is Oana. I'm related to Nymphadora Tonks, hence the eyes and hair. She was a cousin of mine, well a couple of times removed. Pleased to meet you" Her eyes went to a dark brown as she calmed "Umm" she suddenly looked awkward "Can I sit with you please. I can't really find a seat anywhere else"

Beatrice rolled her eyes and leant her head against the window. What had happened to her private compartment? She adjusted the white and gold rose in her intricately tied up hair. It was getting too noisy in here.

Jasmine, upon getting no affirmative from the original occupant of the compartment turned to Indigo and said "I've just joined this compartment myself, hence the standing outside where people could run into me whilst chasing a lizard!" She smiled to show she was joking before going to sit in the compartment. Indigo followed. "Nymphadora Tonks was a very brave woman and such an important element of the war effort. You must be proud to be related to her. I know I am, however distantly" She bowed her head as though in respect, working out how useful it would be to have a metamorphmagus as a friend.

Indigo beamed but didn't reply as she stroked the sleeping lizard on her knee. It was Beatrice who looked up and said in a bored voice "The train will be arriving soon"

Jasmine ignored her completely, only vaguely nodding in response to the statement, preferring to go onto a different topic altogether. "You said your name was Black right?" Beatrice nodded warily, wondering where this sudden energy had come from "That means we're all related! How exciting!" It wasn't particularly thrilling news, especially to Jasmine who spent the better part of her life memorising old pureblood family trees. Almost all purebloods were related – like a very hostile extended family.

There was a knock on the door and everyone turned around. Scorpius walked in, every part the big brother "I'm sorry to disturb you ladies but I wanted to make sure my sister had her robes. I expect we'll be arriving soon"

Feeling slightly sick, Jasmine ran up to him and jumped up and down, using his arms as supports, acting like a young child. "Guess what Scorp" Her voice was filled with excitement "Those two are related to us. Isn't that exciting?"

Her voice was childlike and she had to refrain from hitting him as a patient, long suffering smile came to his face "That's really cool Jaz – I'll find you later when we reach school. We can go on the boat together" he smiled properly at her, aiming so only she could see the smug look in his eyes "Have fun"

She wanted to hit something. This was the brilliant plan her father had thought up. Act childish to make Scorpius look mature and a natural leader. Make herself look vulnerable so he looked caring and protective. Get bad grades so he could help her and look intelligent. Make herself small in order for him to take the lead. That was all she was good for now. She was to be married off, have children, and be dependant, like a good little pureblood girl.

It made her so angry. It was her inheritance. She had been trained to receive it as soon as they figured Astoria had become infertile. She had been promised to be the Queen of Slytherin, but now she had been demoted to 'relative of'. Now she was a girl again. Great!

Scorpius wandered down the corridor, his new robes on. He hadn't even bothered to worry about what house he would be in. His green Slytherin robes were packed in his trunk and ready to go. He stood silently in the corridor until he saw a flash of ginger hair. A Weasley?

"It's you again" came a familiar voice and Scorpius had to suppress a smile at the amount of outrage that only three words could contain. He smoothed his face

"Yes, I do believe it is" he said, so arrogantly, the Weasley girl literally had to count to three before she could reply.

"So, you back to antagonise me yet again? Following me perhaps?" Her voice was still hard, but had relaxed some since her last sentence.

"Well I can assure that I am not following you" he replied

"You could have – who knows how many dark tracking spells you know? You are a Malfoy after all!"

"And people say that Slytherin is the prejudiced house"

"I bear no ill will with Slytherins – just one who thinks blood line should affect the giving out and subsequent keeping of jobs, namely my mothers"

"So you admit that you cannot be an unbiased person in this debate?" he said, a small triumphant smirk appearing on his features.

"Can you?" she replied, matching his expression

"Touché"

"Quite- now if you'll excuse me, my cousins are waiting" She walked quickly past him down the corridor.

"Make up a new excuse next time you leave me" he called down after her, for a moment forgetting his Malfoy decorum. Her laugh rang down the corridor, unintentionally making him smile.

"What next time?" she asked, over her shoulder, leaving him no time to reply as she slipped into her compartment and out of the quiet of the corridor.

Rose Weasley had no patience with her family. She decided this, a scant five minutes after she had returned to her compartment with them complaining. "Gods – I'd be better off with Scorpius" she murmured under her breath, wondering when she had started calling him by his first name. Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one who picked up on the usage.

"Scorpius? As in Draco Malfoy's son? You were talking to him on the platform" Fred's voice was accusing. Roxanne looked up at her brother and put her hand on his arm to placate his obnoxiously quick temper.

"Yes – so?" Rose relied, seeing the issue immediately despite playing dumb.

"He's a Slytherin" James said, confirming Rose's assessment of the problem. Roxanne sighed and sent a sympathetic look towards her cousin.

"Not yet he isn't" Rose argued, even to her ears a weak argument "And what does it matter what house he is. They are just a School pointing system"

"No it isn't" Albus said, picking up the conversation "It says what you are. Everyone knows that Slytherin is where all the bad ones go. And he is a Malfoy. He's certain to be in Slytherin"

"He's like a Death Eater in training" Molly, continued, looking an awful lot like her father as she gazed down her nose disapprovingly at Rose.

"The war is over you lot. You only got that phrase from Uncle Harry and you know your mother doesn't like you using it" Rose was getting exasperated as a second year Lucy copied her sister's judging look.

"But the point still stands" Domanique took over the lecture, her normally pale blue eyes dark "The battle may be over but the war isn't. You shouldn't associate with him Rose. It's dangerous, not to mention a betrayal to our side. Have you forgotten what his father has done? What his grandfather is doing?"

"So the sins of the father are the sins of the son?" she asked hotly, wondering for a moment why she was defending him, apart from the fact he was the only intelligent conversation that she'd ever really had from someone her own age "I thought we were beyond such prejudices"

"Be careful of what you say – your heads are surrounded by Wrakspurts" Lorcan said, his eyes peering over his copy of The Quibbler. Lysander looked up at his twin brother's words and nodded. They were both ignored.

"He's dangerous Rosie. A dark wizard in training. Stay away from him" Victoire said, taking authority as the eldest in the compartment.

"I'll stay away from who I like" Rose hissed and went to leave the compartment, her dramatic exit hindered slightly by the cat she had to put onto her shoulder to stop him from swiping her cousins in his mistress' defence. She reduced her trunk so she could put it into her pocket and stood in the corridor. Now where was she going to go?

She looked absent mindedly at a page of magazine that had been ripped out and left on the floor. How ironic that it was an advertisement of the KoW.

Save pureblood jobs and make the world a fairer place

How did scorning and laying off hard working people just for their unfortunate bloodline count as fair?

"You defended me vehemently in there" He said, sounding slightly surprised. She didn't even look up at his silent entry. Of course he had been there, listening. "You went against your whole family for me? Why?"

She sighed and regarded him, looking far older than her years. She had seen hell due to her mother's bloodline and both of her parent's statuses. The first time she could remember them being attacked was when she was 5 years old and a letter had managed to get through the censorship, releasing a gaseous potion. Voldemort's unnamed supporters. It had taken 6 months for the house had been habitable again, not that either Ron or Hermione Weasley went back to live there. They had Auror guards, they moved house constantly. Rose received special permission to have a wand on her before the customary 11 years so she could try and defend herself if necessary. And that was without her mother's lineage.

She couldn't remember the last time her mother had truly smiled, really had a day off. She couldn't recall the last time that they had managed to spend proper time together as a family. Just mother, father, Hugo and herself, like any other family would and could.

She knew Hermione Weasley wanted more children but couldn't. She worked late into the nights and started early in the mornings. She had constant dark circles under her eyes, frequently missed meals, struggled to justify any time off so she could see school plays, concerts, parents' evenings and Rose knew that it killed her.

And it was all because of what she was. In the end it didn't matter about her contribution to the war effort, it didn't matter about degrees, NEWTs, OWLs, experience or anything else they could name, because being the 'brightest witch of her age' meant nothing in comparison to the one thing that mattered in the end – blood.

She watched the bullying replay in her head, the spitting, teasing, pushing and shoving that had her taken out of Wizarding schools and placed into a muggle school along with her brother. They were halfbloods, the son and daughter of one of the oldest pureblood families around, yet they still paid the price of their single, 'mudblood' parent.

She looked back up at Scorpius who was waiting patiently for an answer. "No-one deserves to be judged on blood alone. The wizarding world and your grandfather taught me that"

He stood there for a second before looking her in the eye and nodding seriously. He watched her walk away from him, to find another compartment.

He doubted that she ever heard his softly spoken thank you.

The compartment had fallen into silence after all three of the girls had gotten changed. As they stood in their plain black robes, Jasmine asked "What house are you after then?"

"I really don't mind" Indigo replied "Although being in Hufflepuff would be a bit of a blow. I'd quite like to be in Gryffindor like most of my family"

Jasmine almost groaned when she heard Indigo's ambitions. Keeping up relations when in opposing houses would be very tricky, especially when only being 'friends' for an hour on the train. She nodded at Beatrice who smiled widely.

"Slytherin" she breathed, knowing that only the best could get into that house "My mother would like me to"

"I'm apparently a dead cert for Slytherin as well" Jasmine picked up the conversation quickly, refusing to allow another awkward silence to reign over them "But the other houses wouldn't be that bad I suppose. I really, really, really, really hope that I'm not in Hufflepuff. Nothing against the house at all but wouldn't it be embarrassing – the first Malfoy with a badger mascot!"

Beatrice laughed again, though this time it was dark, sarcastic and full of disdain. "The Malfoy name fell from grace before you and I were even born… they are naught now what they were then. I shouldn't be surprised if we soon see a Malfoy badger"

Jasmine's eyes narrowed "You know not of which you speak" she said, falling back into the clipped, articulate voice she was taught at the age of five "The Malfoy line is as great as it once was. Everyone knows that Grandfather Lucius was under the imperious curse, as was my father, and both were so sorry for what they had done, they donated copious amounts of money to help rebuild the Ministry, Hogwarts, Diagon Alley and St Mungo's. My father now runs Azkaban, and Grandfather Lucius is by far the favourite to be elected as Minister of Magic.

She spoke the well worn argument that she had repeated so many times, it was only her impeccable acting skills that kept it alive. She agreed with Beatrice. The Malfoys had fallen from grace and she was going to be the one to change that. She was going to be the first true heiress of Malfoy, to prove that Malfoys could change. But Scorpius had to ruin that.

Beatrice merely looked amused at the argument, but narrowed her eyes in an imitation of the girl "You know as well as I what happened in those times. Don't pretend that you alone know… cousin"

"What happened in the war is before our time and not something that we need to revisit. Such feuds are over. The good won" Again it was a lie, spoken between her teeth, but public appearances were more important than her true beliefs.

"If you say so" Beatrice said in a voice that clearly stated that she did not believe Jasmine in the slightest. Indigo just looked between the two, her hair switching from lilac to black in anxiety. She opened her mouth to say something just as Beatrice said "I wouldn't press the subject – it's a bit delicate"

Indigo stopped, wondering whether that was said for her benefit or for Jasmine's. Beatrice continued "I suggest you don't discuss it with my brother. He may not be as lenient as I"

"And what brother might this be? I was unaware of this part of the family line in any case – it would be so much fun to learn more" Jasmine's voice was filled with such sweetness and her smile so genuine, Indigo found it hard to comprehend the mood swing.

"Oh – he's starting this year too. He's my twin but we look absolutely nothing alike" Beatrice smiled "I warn you though – he has a very quick temper"

"Interesting – I hope I'll meet him soon. Do you think he's with my brother?"

"Perhaps he is. He prefers intelligent company" Beatrice gracefully crossed her legs.

Jasmine's eyes narrowed slightly "Was that an insult or a compliment towards Scorpius?" Personally she hoped for an insult. They were more fun, even if she wasn't permitted to be appreciative out loud.

"You make up your own mind about that" Beatrice smirked "Although I highly doubt that it is in your favour"