<AtKing\'sCrossstation>
ThePotterfamilywovetheirwaytowardthebarrierbetweenplatformsnineandten.
AlbusandJameshadresumedtheargumenttheyhadstartedinthecar.
"Iwon\'t!Iwon\'tbeinSlytherin!"saidAlbus,whoshookhisheadashesaid.
"Ionlysaidyoumightbe."saidJames,grinningathisyoungerbrother.
"There\'snothingwrongaboutthat.YoumightbeinSlyth—"
ButJamescaughthismother\'seyeandfellsilent.
Astheyreachedthebarrier,Albuswinced,butnocollisioncame.Instead,thefamilyemergedontoplatformnineandthree-quarters.
"Ithinkthat\'sthem."saidGinnysuddenly.
Agroupoffourpeopleemergedfromthemist.
"Hi."saidAlbus,soundingimmenselyrelieved.
Rose,whowasalreadywearingherbrand-newHogwartsrobes,beamedathim.
Backontheplatform,theyfoundLilyPotterandHugoWeasleyhavingadiscussionaboutwhichHousetheywouldbesortedintowhentheyfinallywenttoHogwarts.
Ron,catchingHarry\'seye,noddedcovertlytoapointsomefiftyyardsaway.Threepeoplestoodinsharpreliefagainsttheshiftingmist.
"Lookwhoitis."
DracoMalfoywasstandingtherewithhiswifeandson.ThenewboyresembledDracoasmuchasAlbusresembledHarry.
"Sothat\'slittlescorpius.Makesureyoubeathimineverytest,Rosie.Thankgodyouinheritedyourmom\'sbrains."saidRontohisdaughter.
"Don\'tgettoofriendlywithhim,granddadWeasleywouldneverforgiveyouifyoumarriedapureblood."
Roselookedattheboywithwhiteblondhair.Hegrinnedather,butshedidn\'tgrinnedback.
"WhatifI\'minSlytherin?"Albuswhisperedtohisfather.
"AlbusSeverus,youwerenamedfortwoheadmastersofHogwarts.OneofthemwasaSlytherinandhewasprobablythebravestmanIeverknew."
"Butjustsay—"
"—thenSlytherinwillhavegainedanexcellentstudent,won\'tit?Itdoesn\'tmattertous,Al."hestoppedforamoment.
"Butifitmatterstoyou,you\'llbeabletochooseGryffindoroverSlytherin.Thesortinghattakesyourchoiceintoaccount."
"Really?"askedAlbus.
"Itdidforme."saidHarry.
Hehadnevertoldanyofhischildrenaboutitbefore.HesawthewonderinAlbus\'sface.
AlbusjumpedontothecarriageandGinnyclosethedoorbehindhim.Thetrainstartedtomove.Hewavedathisparentsuntilhecouldn\'tseethemanymore.ThenhewentintothecompartmentwhichRosewasin.
"WhichHousedoyouthinkyouwillbein?"askedAlbus.
"IhopeI\'minGryffindor,butRavenclawisn\'tbad,too."saidRose.
Suddenly,shefeltsomeonestaringather.Shelookedout,ScorpiusMalfoywasoutsideneartheircompartment,andwasstaringatthem.
"Justignorehim."Albushadnoticedhim,too.
"Right,helooksasannoyingashisfather."saidRoseloudlysothatScorpiuscouldalsohearit.
Finally,Scorpiusturnedawaytohiscompartment.Therewasonlyhimselfsittinginthecompartment.
Justonemoment,Rosethoughtshesawlonelinessinhiseyes.