I DO NOT own Harry Potter because slavery is wrong. Don't even insinuate such a thing- Hermione would have my tonsils for such a thing! Tonsils, I tell you! And the Gryffindor Quidditch team isn't mine either. Sad- Fred and George are really interesting.
As soon as it turned eleven, Harry sat up from his four poster bed in the Gryffindor dorms. He looked around cautiously to make sure nobody was awake. Ron and Neville were creating a cacophony of snores, and Dean and Seamus were presumably asleep, seeing as their curtains were closed. Harry sighed in relief. He put on his trainers and sneaked out of the room.
As soon as the dorm door closed, he raced down the stairs and into the common room. The Quidditch team was already there: Oliver, Fred, George, Alicia, Angelina, and Katie. Curiously enough, Fred and George had a piece of parchment in their hands. However, the moment he came, they quickly hid it away.
Oliver signed to him to come. He led the team through the entrance.
"Sneaking out at night?" said the Fat Lady. "For shame!"
George- or was it Fred- winked. "It's tradition, my lady! To welcome the new addition to our family!"
The portrait's eyes turned to Harry then softened. "Ah, Harry Potter. Your father would be so proud- he was a part of the Quidditch team as well. Chaser, if I remember correctly."
Harry blushed. "Thank you," he said.
The three chasers were getting impatient. "Come on," hissed Katie while the others motioned with their hands for him to hurry along.
With a final wave to the Fat Lady, they headed up winding staircases and dodged ghosts, patrolling prefects, and the dreaded hell-cat known as Mrs. Norris. The twins led the way with such ease that Harry believed that they must have done this many times before- and, considering what Ron told him about them, they probably did.
Finally the Gryffindor Quidditch team came to a halt. Harry barely stopped himself from running into Oliver. When he finally got a look around, he recognized the location as the Astronomy Tower.
Oliver awkwardly cleared his throat. "So, Harry, we have a little tradition here in Gryffindor."
"Been here for ages!" said Fred.
"Since the time of the Founders, really," said George.
Harry nodded slowly in comprehension. Dudley had said that in Stonewall, kids were initiated by putting their heads in a toilet. Harry only hoped this wouldn't be something as humiliating as that.
"Bring out the Hat!" cried Oliver, his eyes mad with excitement.
Angelina passed him a Hat. More specifically, the Sorting Hat.
"Wha-?" Harry's words were shushed by Alicia, who covered his mouth with her hand. Harry vaguely wondered if he should lick it in retaliation. Then, seeing Alicia's unexpected muscles on her arms (but she was a Chaser, so he should have known), retracted his thoughts immediately.
Harry's eyes widened as he saw each member of the team taking out a piece of paper before giving it to the Hat, who (which?) promptly ate it through the rip. The Hat thought for a moment, remaining silent, before calling out, "SHAVE HIS HAIR!"
The team fell into shambles, giggling like schoolgirls. Well, three of them actually were, but that was no excuse for the rest of them!
Fred coughed out, "Who thought of that one?"
Katie shakily raised her hand, still giddy.
Harry, free from Alicia's hold, shook his head, unimpressed. "Is that all?" he asked.
The Gryffindor Quidditch team was surprised that he was taking the initiation so lightly.
"Not afraid to be humiliated, eh?" Oliver said.
"A man after our own hearts!" said George, eyes shining with mirth.
Katie murmured a spell to transfigure a pair of shears from a quill. The group quickly got to work. They took a step back to view the result, and burst in giggles yet again.
They all dispersed after that, taking different routes so they would not be caught outside.
Harry tiredly walked back to his dorm, kicked off his shoes, and fell asleep.
The Gryffindor Quidditch team collectively dropped their jaws as they stared at Harry, who blearily rubbed at his eyes while chatting with Ron.
"But how?" asked George.
"I don't know, brother mine," replied Fred.
"Special Boy-Who-Lived powers?" asked George.
"Possible," replied Fred.
Angelina slapped the back of their heads. "Shut up, you're giving me a migraine."
Harry felt stares on him, ones that were different from the ordinary gawking he was subjected to. He turned around and saw them, and gave a simple shrug.
"My hair is incurable," he mouthed.
Fin.
I wonder what they do in the Slytherin Quidditch team. Anyways, if you did not understand what just happened: In many schools and clubs, there's a little initiation ceremony. If it's humiliating, it's called Hazing. In this case, it failed because as mentioned in HPSS, Harry's hair keeps growing back no matter how many ridiculous haircuts Aunt Petunia gave. The Sorting Hat was used to find out what would be the best way to 'welcome' the new Quidditch player into the team, and each member had to write down a suggestion. In my opinion, Gryffindors would do that to prove their bravery and whatnot- it just seems to fit in character, right?
