This was written for a challenge, where the prompt was 'Slytherin' and the quote in the summary by Henry Brooks Adam.
Albus Dumbledore took the tiny bundle from Hagrid's enormous arms. The baby within slept on soundly, unaware that anything was changing. As he approached the door of number four, Privet Drive, Albus wondered, not for the first time, if the Sorting Hat had got it wrong.
It is always the good men who do the most harm in the world.
Little Harry Potter hugged his knees up to his chin. He allowed the darkness of his cupboard to wash over him as the tears wound their way down his face. He raised a hand to his cheek and felt the sore spot where Aunt Petunia had hit him for dropping the milk bottles on the kitchen floor. After making him clean up the mess, she had thrown him into his cupboard. Sometimes, little Harry Potter wished he was far away from here.
It is always the good men who do the most harm in the world.
'You must take him to Alecto, Severus. She has a...session...starting soon.'
Standing beside the Headmaster, little Jonny Masket shivered at the sound of Professor Carrow's voice. He knew what going with him would mean, and his lip trembled. He was scared. He had heard rumours of what they did to the students in the dungeons. He had only got lost on the way back from the library, and far as he was aware, he had broken curfew by only five minutes. But Professor Snape and Professor Carrow had caught him.
He pleaded with both Professors all the way down to the dungeon. What would his mother say if she knew he had angered them? He was scared. Professor Carrow opened the door to the dungeon and beckoned him forwards. Jonny had no choice but to obey.
It is always the good men who do the most harm in the world.
As Severus Snape shut the door to the dungeons, he remembered a conversation he'd once had with Albus. The old headmaster had told him that perhaps they Sorted students too soon. His implication had been clear, but as he walked away from the dungeon, Severus knew that the Sorting Hat had been right.
It is always the good men who do the most harm in the world.