Hogwarts' Rivals

by ColtKit Productions

Ch2: Rebel Against the Establishment

Albus Severus Potter... didn't know how to react. Yeah he heard about people freaking out over their sorting but he never heard of anyone actually crying over it. Even so, it did seem like the stereotypical Puff thing to do. They were notorious cry babies. If she had been in any other house this would have haunted her for her entire school career but since she was a Puff everyone would probably forget about it by tomorrow. It was just expected of them.

Still she seemed really upset over her sorting... Albus shifted from foot to foot. He never liked it when people cried. It made him feel so awkward as he tried to figure out what to do. Crying was almost as bad as yelling... although it really depended on the day which he thought was worse.

Uncle Neville, because Albus was related to everyone in the world, gently patted the filly and helped her get her tears under control. When her sobs turned to sniffles he gingerly encouraged her to take her seat. Then all her fellow Puffs crowded her to make sure she was okay, and no doubt to ensure her that their house was great.

He couldn't blame them, although a Gryffindor probably would. If it made him uncomfortable to see people cry, it was downright heart breaking to see such a cute miniature horse brake out into uncontrollable sobs.

The Slytherins were snickering well the Gryffindors looked disgusted. Merlin, the Ravenclaw just rolled their eyes as if the only emotion they had was exacerbation. Then the Puffs were freaking cry babies... Albus seriously couldn't tell which of these houses was worse.

He sighed... he would probably end up in Slytherin... everyone in his family thought he would. They kept reassuring him they would still love him no matter what house he ended up in... because none of then believed he had the makings of a Gryffindor like the rest of his family.

He tended to be... well he wasn't proud of it but he was pretty materialistic and manipulative, like a Slytherin... even his dad thought he would be a Slytherin. The man often told Albus stories about how the hat had wanted to put him in Slytherin and apparently he often wondered what his life would have been like if he had allowed it... Dad kept encouraging the boy to trust the hat, as fighting who you are can cause a lot of pain.

"You choose who you want to be, and well it is important to try and improve yourself, you shouldn't condemn yourself for who you are," Dad had told him earlier this summer, "If I hadn't embraced all of me I never would have beaten Voldemort,"

Oh yeah, did Albus forget to mention, he was Harry Potter's youngest son... kinda hard to find someone who doesn't know that... it also was the biggest reason everyone thought he would be a Slytherin... it was kinda bloody obvious how much he resented his dad. He loved him but it was hard being in his shadow. His father was the greatest Sage since Dumbledore.

Everyone in the wizarding world hounded Albus and his entire family. Everytime Albus accomplished something people credited his father's blood, as if the fact the boy trained and studied hard had nothing to do with it. Every test he passed, every trophy he ever got, everyone acted like it was his father's accomplishment...

Although it scared him... he kinda hoped he would be put in Slytherin. At least that would prove to the media he was his own person and not a clone of his father.

"Scorpius Malfoy," Uncle Neville called some time later into the sorting.

A blonde, pale, boy nervously stepped forward, eying the crowd as if they were going to eat him, and with good reason. The entire school was sending him the same looks they gave Albus. Looks that said, "I know everything about you because of who your father is,"

Unlike Albus, who was hounded because his father was loved, this boy's family was despised. They were the only Death Eaters pardoned after the war. The only ones who got away with their crimes.

Albus knew why of course. Scorpius' grandmother had risked her life to save Harry. She lied to the Dark Lord himself to make him think Dad was dead, instead of just unconscious. Merlin even Draco, one of the most infamous Death Eaters, lied for Harry... even tried to stop his own friends from killing him... Draco's greatest crime, according to Dad, was that he was too scared to stand up to a tyrant. Not the Dark Lord, but rather his own father.

Draco was scared to turn his back against his upbringing, despite knowing it was wrong... but still, even Draco had burst of bravery where he risked everything to help Harry... they didn't even like each other during their own school days. Merlin, hearing Dad tell the story they hated each other more then Voldemort hated Muggle borns, but Draco still lied to save Harry's life... so did his mother. Deep down they were good people, trapped in an unsympathetic culture.

"Gryffindor!" well the entirety of the Great Hall froze in shock at the Hat's declaration, Albus smirked. Looks like he wasn't the only one who wanted out of his father's shadow.

That thought proved true as Malfoy jr took off the hat, and revealed a huge smile, before eagerly making his way to the Gryffindor table... although none clapped for him.

Albus couldn't help but glare at the Gryffindors. Couldn't they see how hard Scorpius was trying? What he was risking? That boy, son of Death Eaters, was probably the bravest Gryffindor there EVER was.

The house really had fallen, Gryffindors were just as closed minded as they claimed Slytherins to be.

A few more names where called, all kinds of bizarre names from all the different kinds of magical beings that were attending Hogwarts this year, until they got to Albus. When it was his turn he gave a mental scream of "SLYTHERIN!"

"Now now, no need to shout," answered the hat, "blimey, that's quite a strong will you got there. You hurt my ears, figuratively speaking of course,"

Albus flinched, "S-sorry but... I would like to be put in Slytherin please. My dad said you could choose your house,"

"Hummmm, seems he said I would 'take your choice into account', that's not exactly the same thing little one,"

"I belong in Slytherin, everyone thinks so!"

"They don't see what I do. Yes you are very ambitious, cunning even, but that isn't all there is to Slytherin. You are strong, even though you see yourself as weak... a strong sense of fair play... hard working, definitely not scared of getting your hands dirty but... Do you remember? A long time ago. That day when your brother was picking on you?"

Albus rolled his eyes, "Which time?"

"The day he pushed you off your broom,"

Albus flinched, "It was an accident,"

"You know it wasn't, true he was young and didn't think his prank through, but you were still stuck in the hospital for 3 weeks"

Albus shuddered at the memory. The healers had to vanish most of his bones and regrown them with Skele-Gro.

"You were quick to forgive him, even lied to your parents about what happened so he wouldn't get in trouble,"

Ablus got an image of a young James crying by his bed, begging forgiveness.

"You comforted him. Despite how much he wronged you... despite how much you hurt. You took the time to comfort the one who hurt you. So loyal to your family, so hard working and merciful.

"Yes, I will admit, Slytherin is a good choice. You would do well there but where you would truly thrive is-"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

###

"Afterlight Spike,"

Spike grinned as his name was finally called. He eagerly ran over to the stool. Hopping up, he sat there, bouncing, as the hat was placed on his head.

"Oh?" He heard a voice in his head that wasn't his own, "Now here is a tricky one. Brave and loyal, hard working and chivalrous. Yes, Hufflepuff or Gryffindor are the obvious choices... but there is something... deeper... A great respect... for knowledge. There is no need to be ashamed little one. Liking books doesn't make you an 'Egghead'. I see, you want to be like your sister. Definitely no resentments there, but... I sense a healthy desire for admiration... Not Slytherin though, no, you might want to be admired but it is not truly a goal. You are content with your role in life...

"Apprenticing as a Scribe under your sister I see... interesting... you wish to record the passage of time... your breed of dragon lives for 10s of thousands of years, such a very long time, so many friends to lose. You think of it often... you want to make sure they are not forgotten... that is why you want to be a Scribe. Oh?" The hat chuckled, "You didn't know. Always fun to educate children about themselves... let's see. Too content for Slytherin, too sly for Gryffindor, too much of a troublemaker for Hufflepuff" Spike started to worry he wouldn't fit in any of the houses, "Fear not, little one, for there is one place you are perfect for, you get it from you your father,"

"But... I'm adopted?" Spike puzzled.

"That doesn't mean you can't take after your parents. Nurture is just as important as Nature. Yes, Night Light and Twilight Velvet are just as much your parents as they are Twilight Sparkle's and Shining Armor's. They love you. I can feel it from your wand. That's why you treasure it so. You can feel their love radiating from it whenever you touch it.

"You have your mother's courage and need for adventure, yet your father's caution and cunning... Oh? So they were part of an adventuring team in their youth. They have regaled you and your siblings with many tales of hidden treasures and battles... You love those stories and dream of having adventures of your own... Gryffindor after all, Maybe? Let's explore that a bit.

"They worked for Celestia in an expert exploration team, charged with tracking down lost tomes and magical artifacts. I see that is how they know the Princesses, how they could get a young Alicorn to become the foalsitter to Commoners... Celestia thought it be a good way to teach young Cadence responsibility, patience, and compassion... an unorthodox ruler this Celestia... More importantly, all this, your parents passed to you. You came from a family of heroes that treasure knowledge above all else.

"But not Gryffindor, no definitely not. You dream of adventure but it is not what you truly value. It's not what you are most passionate about.

"You have your father's obsession with organizing and schedules. Oh? You thought you got it from your big sister? How cute. Where do you think she got it from? That Stallion taught you your respect for books. You want to make him proud. You can do just that in-"

"RAVENCLAW!"

Spike grinned as he took off the hat, but frowned seeing the dejected face of Applebloom... she had clearly been hoping that at least one of her friends would join her over at Hufflepuff. He let out his own, miserable, sigh. Then went to his table.

"Diamond Tiara," called the Deputy Headmaster, once Spike was seated.

The young drake glared at the evil filly. That was the foal that constantly bullied the Crusaders. The one that stooped so low as to make fun of Scootaloo for not being able to fly. The filly strutted, as if she owned the place. You think she would at least be upset her best friend had been sent to a different school.

Spike knew it went against his pony upbringing to say, but there really was nothing redeemable about that girl.

###

"Hmmmmm, yet another tricky one," The hat spoke inside her mind. Diamond did everything she could not to react. She projected an air of false boredom, "Such an impressive mask, but I can see through it... You miss your friend. Don't bother denying it, I can tell. Your loyalty is not easily earned but it is quite ferocious... you wish you treated her better. Then why don't you?

"I see, trying so hard to live up to your mother's expectations. Your friend is from a much less wealthy family, still rich but not to your level. They are employed by your father, a large shipping company he relies on for getting his goods across Equestria... Even your friendship with her is an expectation of your mother... yet you truly do care for this Silver Spoon. She isn't scared to stand up to you and you admire that... Hufflepuff maybe? You could do well there, but no, you might value her friendship but only hers. Making friends isn't a priority for you. They hold you back...

"The diamond standard?... I see, the unbreakable Diamond... You've been groomed from birth to lie, manipulate, and crush anyone that stands in your way... Applebloom does just that. Her family is the most respected in all of Ponyville, but what of yours? Your great grandfather built that town, back when working Stallions were looked down on. He belonged in the kitchen raising the foals, but he refused. You admire that.

"He built an Empire and demanded the world respect him. If it wasn't for him Stallions wouldn't enjoy their status as mares' equals in your world... yet he was forgotten, it was the Apples fault for overshadowing his accomplishments... Only your family remembers him... he died a few years ago, just before you got your Cutie Mark... I'm sorry little one, you were close.

"He left control of the family vault to your grandmother, Impossibly Rich, she is the new head of the family... but your father was trusted to look after the business side of things. That was a good choice. From what I can see in your head he is a compassionate businessman, yet intelligent enough not to be taken advantage of... he is a bit of a momma's boy though. Your grandmother is the only reason he stays with your mother... you wish he had the courage to tell them how miserable he is...

"You value courage? Gryffindor maybe?... No, you view yourself as a bigger coward then your father, at least he stands up to your mother occasionally... usually on your behalf, I see.

"You strive to be the best. The smartest in class, Applebloom stands in the way of that to... so you tear her down... So very very jealous of this Applebloom. She has everything you want. A loving family, trustworthy friends, a right know it all you doubt ever has to study for a test... well you stay up late, every night, and you still can't beat her. Worse she doesn't even care about her grades. She just shrugs off her accomplishment like it's no big deal... as if competing with you isn't a priority or even an afterthought. She keeps making you look bad in front of your mother and she doesn't even care... You want to crush her...

"Can your cutie mark help you with that? You're not sure what it is even for... Manipulation? Not very flattering, maybe your mother's right about you... Oh? What's this? You want her to be wrong. You want to prove her wrong. Ambitious, so very very, ambitious. You want to live beyond your mother's expectations. You want to be your own pony but aren't sure how... I know the perfect place to help you with that,"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Diamond gingerly took the hat off and held it in her hooves. She looked at it a moment, then up at the Deputy headmaster. The human was smiling at her as if he didn't realize just how traumatizing this all knowing hat was.

"What is this thing?" Diamond asked, "How's it work?" she ignored her housemates causally clapping for her, most impatiently waiting for her too get off the stool.

The Professor smiled, "It's actually a pretty simple enchantment. It just echoes all your thoughts and feelings back at you. Sure it guides you but effectively all it does is help you pick which house you think you belong in. A lot of students tend to argue with it but truthfully they are just yelling at their own subconscious. I'm guessing you had a lot to tell yourself based on how long it took. My own sorting took just as long, but rest assured what the hat declared is the house you, yourself, think you truly belong in. Even if it's only at a subconscious level,"

The Deputy headmaster gently took the hat back, "Now go on and mingle with your new housemates,"

Diamond hesitantly nodded and slowly walked over to the Slytherin table. She didn't really care what house she had ended up in but... everything that hat said... it was actually just her own subconscious... everything... it was what she thought about herself... maybe she should be nicer to Applebloom... and write to Silver Spoon so she knows how much she misses her... then tell her mother to buck off... maybe not that far...

###

Albus shifted uncomfortably at his place at the Hufflepuff table... his entire family was still looking at him like he was crazy... none of them expected this. Hufflepuff was the house of cry babies, they were barely above Squibs in magical power... He felt like crying himself.

He looked over at the Pony that sat across from him. There were quite a few ponies in this house actually, and Centaurs and even Goblins, actually there were lots of magical beings at all the tables. However this pony was the one who made a complete full of herself in front of everyone. She didn't exactly help the Puff image. She was still sniffing mopely.

"I mean," Albus shrugged at her, "I'm pretty disappointed to being a Puff to," getting a few glares for that comment, "but no point crying over it,"

The pony sniffed, "That's not it..." she trailed off.

"What then?" Albus couldn't help but ask. He wanted to help her, but he was coming off as a bit rude. He just sucked at this.

"All my friends are in different houses..." she muttered.

Oh... OOOOOOh, "That really sucks," Albus acknowledged.

"Rose Weasley," Albus quickly looked up at hearing the name, temporarily forgetting the pony.

There at the front of the hall, he spotted his favorite cousin having the hat lowered onto her head. It took only a few moments for her face to change from excitement... to the face he feared to see. She had that "I'm going to unleash the 9 gates of hell onto you" look she got whenever she was mad. She actually appeared to be threatening the hat! That was crazy even by her standards. She was probably demanding it put her with Albus instead of the Gryffindors.

"SLYTHERIN!!!" Before Albus could process what the hat just said she ripped it off her head and flung it at the floor. Next thing he knew she was stomping on it!

"That's enough!" Uncle Neville roared at her, grabbing her roughly by the arm and pulling her away from the hat, "Get to your table before I give you detention for the rest of the year!"

"You can't expect me to sit with those slimy SNAKES!" She screamed.

Wow Weasleys really did have some powerful lungs. Even the kids in the back could hear her. The Slytherins seemed equally adamant about her not joining them. Merlin, they were more tolerant of the magical beings then a Weasley.

"Go!" Uncle Neville glared at her, obviously very upset she dared hurt the hat. He pointed at the Slytherin table, unsympatheticly. However she defied him further. She spun around on her heels and marched as far away from Slytherin as she could get. It was very possible it was purely coincidence the table she sat at was Hufflepuff.

She glared at all the Puffs, dangerously, daring them to send her away. The Puffs stayed silent, they weren't exactly known for their bravery. Even the pony, Applebloom, scooted away from her a bit.

What Rose had just done seemed to inspire Anarchy. Suddenly the Gryffindor pony, Scootaloo, grabbed hold of Malfoy and tugged at him to follow. She ran over to the Hufflepuff table. Albus thought she was going to be a Gryffindor and chase Rose away from the "Helpless" Hufflepuffs. However she plopped herself right in between Rose and Applebloom, wearing this big smile on her face.

Scorpius walked around the table and Squeezed next to Albus, presumably so he could be across from his first Gryffindor friend, the Pegasus. She had been the only one willing to talk to him his own table, Albus had noticed... Okay so Albus inherited his father's nosiness.

The Malfoy didn't even seem to register Albus until he was seated. Then he nearly jumped out of his skin as he spotted the Potter he sat next to. Albus eased him with a smile. Strangely it actually worked and the blonde calmed down almost instantly, smiling back.

The Slytherin Unicorn then ran over to the Puffs, signaling the reptilian Ravenclaw as she passed. The lizard got a huge grin on his face and rushed after her. Before Albus knew it he was surrounded by different houses, but it didn't end there. All the magical beings left their tables to go sit with their family and friends, now in different houses.

IT WAS COMPLETE ANARCHY!!! None of the Magical beings seemed to understand that they were supposed to hate each other now. Unfortunately the magical beings only made up the first year population. They were still vastly outnumbered by the wizards, who were yelling at them to leave their table and return to their own house.

Headmistress McGonagall looked like she was about to have kittens. She stood up and roared over the crowd, with the help of a powerful charm, "All students will return to their seats immediately!" All the first years crumbled but did as they were told, except Rose, "Honestly, in all my years, have I ever seen such wanting disrespect for school rules! I-"

Uncle Neville whispered something in her ear. Her face went from outrage to shock... until a small smile touched her lips. As if she just realized what actually happened between the houses.

As Neville pulled away she regained her composure, "Since so many of our new students seem in favor of this, we will make accommodations for new seating arrangements, tomorrow. However, tonight, I must insist you stay with your proper houses. That way your prefects can guide you to your common room and give you the password," Then McGonagall's eyes turned to Rose, still at Hufflepuff, "Any student who refuses to return to their seat will be expelled, REGARDLESS of who their parents are,"

Rose crumbled. As much as she didn't want to disappoint her father, knowing he would stop loving her the moment he got news of a Slytherin in his family... her mom might actually disown her if she was expelled. She gave one last pleading look to Albus, but realizing there was nothing he could do, she got up and sat with the Slytherins.

Albus blinked after the chaos ended... still not sure just what happened...

One thing for sure, all the older students were pissed, glaring at the first years and scolding them relentlessly for abandoning their house... this was definitely going to be an interesting year.

Comments

[Featherfury]

Crusaders fight that house system!

[ColtKit Productions]

9118404
Dash is acting like a typical mother of a disabled child.

As one such child I can tell you there is nothing more terrifying then our mom's, even the good ones who refuse to let us use our disability as an excuse for poor behavior, they will still tear people apart who so much give their kid a funny look. At least that's my experience.

Dash might not have adopted Scoot in this fic but she does have those same, overprotective, instincts

[ColtKit Productions]

9120357
Fight the power!

[Greed and Giving]

I can't wait for the next chapter. Discord would be so proud of Rose.

[raven618]

The %&$( just happened?

[SamuelK28]

Hmm, despite some of the grammer being off this is really intriguing me so far.