It was the last week before Christmas when the alert appeared in the common room.

Attention All Students.

In light of the new Headmistress Delores Umbridge. All students will be resorted individually with their year in their current house starting with all 7th years. They will be called out during classes as all teachers have been informed and will be receiving their new self picked robes during the second week of Christmas break. Due to the new changes Christmas break will now be lasting 3 weeks instead of the standard 2.

Delores Umbridge, High Inquisitor and Headmistress

Ron, Harry and Hermione looked at each other in disbelief and anger.

"What is that old bat doing!" Ron fumed, "First she find a way of getting rid of Dumbledore, and now she resorting all students!" Hermione on the other hand looked horrified.

"What if during resorting we're put into different houses than each other? What if just one of us is sorted into a different house? What if we're sorted into houses that have a rivalry against each other?" Harry looked somberly at his feet. The last one sounded just like what could happen between them. No doubt Hermione and Ron in Gryffindor and Harry in Slytherin.

"It's okay 'Mione. We'll all still be friends no matter what houses we're sorted into right? Even if we make friends in the other houses. We'll stay friends with each other." Harry smiled. That seemed to have calmed down both Ron and Hermione. All three talked about what resorting could mean to their friendship and decided between Ron and Harry that even if they were put in different houses and different quidditch teams they'd still be friends no matter the outcome of the games. Once in the great hall Harry could see many students that looked terrified no doubt because of the new announcement. Him, Ron and Hermione sat down and started talking about their potions homework instead, the homework which Ron had forgotten about and was begging Hermione to let him copy hers. Harry listened smiling and decided to forget about what might happen when the Sorting Hat was put on him.

-Time Pass-

Wednesday during Charms McGonagall came and called out the Gryffindors to lead them to resorting. Every student following her stayed in a horrified silence as to where they would be put. When they came to the Gargoyle statue McGonagall said,

"Figgie pudding" and lead the students to chairs that waited outside the Headmistress' office and entered after all the students had seated themselves. It was deadly silent as the students waited for their names.

"Brown." Lavender got up and went in the room. A minute or two later she came out smiling and thumbs-uped to Parvati, who smiled back.

"Dunbar." She got up, went in, and also came back out smiling.

"Finnigan." Seamus went in and came back out mouthing 'Hufflepuff' dejectedly to everyone.

" Granger." She went in, Ron and Harry watched the door with bated breath. She came out excitedly and thumbs-uped them like Lavender had, mouthing 'Gryffindor'. They both smiled.

"Longbottom." Neville went in shaking and came back out looking just as pale but mouthed to Dean, Ron and Harry 'Gryffindor'.

"Midgen." She went in smiling and came back out her head held high, Parvati did the same thing.

"Potter." Harry got up and smiled weakly at Dean and Ron. Once he was in McGonagall motioned for him to sit on the stool in the middle of the room. Umbridge gave him a sickly smile form her desk. He sat and felt the hat on his head.

"Alright, Let me guess you would like Gryffindor again?" The hat said in his ear.

"Either you think would be good for me." Harry said quietly under his breath.

"Oh? Either? Well Harry Potter if you're completely fine with either might as well not let this resorting go to waste." Harry knew what was coming next when the hat shouted "Slytherin!" His eyes widen after it had left the hat's mouth. McGonagall took the hat off his head.

"Well Mister Potter what are you waiting for." She said with an even voice. Harry got up and left. As he exited the hall he didn't look Ron or Dean in the eye as he heard 'Thomas' from the door. Once out in the hall Hermione smiled, she had decided to wait for Harry and Ron to be resorted.

"So?" She said expectantly once Harry was facing her.

"Well, I'm not Gryffindor I'll tell you that." His head was swimming with everyone might say once they found out. Sirius would probably hate him. Mrs. Weasley might not care about him anymore. Ron and Hermione probably wouldn't want to be his friend. Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw was one thing, but Slytherin? He wasn't sure what their reaction would be to him.

"Which house? Ravenclaw? Hufflepuff?" Hermione tried guessing.

"I'll tell you and Ron later." Harry avoided eye contact and Dean came by them his head down.

"I wonder where he was put." Hermione said watching him go, a few minutes later Ron came out very excited. While they walked back to class Ron and Hermione talked about how both of them where narrowly put into Gryffindor. That is when they noticed Harry was walking behind them quietly

"Where were you put Harry?" Ron asked.

"I'll tell you when we get to Grimmauld place." Harry quickly dodged rubbing the back of his neck absently. He quickly managed to steer their conversation to what Hermione would be doing over Christmas break.

"Well, I was going to go skiing with my parents but now I'm tempted to ask them to stay with you and Ron over Christmas. The curiosity of what house you were put in Harry might kill me if I don't" Harry blushed and was about to say something when he realized they had gotten back to Charms class. They went back to their seats and Harry sighed in relief when the subject of his new house was dropped even if he knew the subject would quickly resurface.