Chapter 1: Returning

Eighth year was finally starting. Harry noticed the rubble had been cleared away over the summer and the wooden bridge had even been repaired, fresh boards bright in the sun. He and his classmates crossed the stone entryway, taking note of the stones with names carved in them; tributes to students that lost their lives in the battle, no matter what side they were on. No one spoke as they walked through the large front door and took their seats in the Great Hall.

"Nice to see ya, Harry." A few people muttered as they passed him. He smiled back. It was nice to be back and see everyone, even though they all were a little tense from the memories. He saw a lot of empty spaces. There were quite a few students, and parents, that were hesitant to return so soon.

Slowly but surely everyone started to relax a little and began chatting, asking how someone's summer was, wondering how short the first years were going to be, who was going to be DADA professor this year. The usual conversations.

Harry looked around and somehow locked eyes with a pair of grey ones. Malfoy broke the contact first, looking down at the table. Blaise and Pansy were on either side of him, doing the same thing. A small handful of Slytherin students were quiet, hunched over, probably expected some negative reactions towards them.

Hermione noticed as well. "You guys," he said quietly, "this year, if there's first years who get sorted into Slytherin, we should cheer for them."

"Why?" Ron frowned. "They're all stuck-ups."

Hermione frowned in turn. "Slytherin doesn't necessarily mean they're pure-bloods or higher families. Some of them are more like Ravenclaws or even Gryffindors. The difference is that they value ambition more than knowledge or courage. A lot of times that comes across as being too proud or stuck-up." Ron grudgingly nodded. "There's been a lot of discrimination against their house and I think we can start changing that."

"Exactly, 'Mione." Harry added. The three of them quickly began talking to the students around them, telling them to pass on the word to the other two houses. Many of them easily agreed but a small handful had to be convinced like Ron had. By the time McGonagall stood at the podium it seemed the word had gotten around. Harry hoped the message hadn't changed around as it was passed.

"Thank you," McGonagall started as everyone went silent," and welcome back to another year at Hogwarts." The four tables began applauding. "Before we begin the sorting, a few announcements. Bill Weasley has accepted the position for Defense Against the Dark Arts. He has been skilled as a curse-breaker at Gringotts so I'm sure he'll do just fine." Applause came as he walked out of the teacher's area and sat at the head table with the other professors, giving a wave and a smile to the students. "Plus he was the only qualified one to accept the position, since others still feared it was cursed." There were a few chuckles from that. "Since Hagrid is a student here again, Charlie Weasley has taken a break from his current occupation and will be taking over as Care of Magical Creatures professor." More applause as he also came out and sat next to his older brother. A couple whistles from the trio. "I will continue teaching transfiguration. And we have someone new for the Potions position as well. He has spent quite some time in the Muggle world but I can assure you he is most qualified. His name is Gordon Ramsay." A blond man came out, waved without a smile, and sat in Snape's old chair.

There were excited whispers from many of the muggle-born students as he sat. "I wonder if he'll be nice or calling us assholes." Someone near the trio laughed.

"And now that the introductions are done, we can begin sorting. I'm sure you are all eager to get to the dinner part of the evening." She waved her hand and the doors opened, little eleven year olds shuffling forward with Hagrid's lumbering frame bringing up the rear. Harry noticed with sadness that it was quite a small group, probably as small as his was when he first came here. Apparently there were many parents that were hesitant for their children to start here.

Minerva set out the stool and hat, the hat did its usual introduction, she rolled out the scroll with the list of names and began calling them out. 'Rowan Ash' was the first one and he was sorted into Gryffindor. A few more students followed after. Then a 'Riley Elven' was called, a blond boy with a button nose and slightly pointy ears. The hat sat on his head for a moment, mumbling "Raven….Sssss….Rav….Sssll...Raven," before finally calling out "Slytherin!" The Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff tables burst into applause and the seated Slytherins had looks of surprise and astonishment at the behavior. There were no boos or hisses or negatory remarks. Riley smiled and went to the table that Minerva pointed him to.

"I have to admit," Ron said as McGonagall continued, "it is kind of nice to not see a kid scared when they go to Slytherin. Why the bloody hell were we booing eleven year olds?!" Hermione smiled at him and patted him on the head before they turned their attention back to the front.

"Rubeus Hagrid." She called. Everyone cheered as he walked up the steps. He stood, instead of sitting and breaking the tiny stool, and she levitated the hat up to his head. It had barely sat before shouting "Hufflepuff!" The hall cheered again as he smiled and walked over to their table. Harry continued smiling as he remembered their visit to Diagon Alley. Hagrid had brought him his first time so he figured he ought to pay him back. He went with him to Ollivanders (even if he was no longer the one running the store, rest his soul), and helped him pick out a creature (he ended up getting a tiny kitten that changed its fur color every time it sneezed, which was at least twice an hour), and Harry paid for his new robes, considering how much extra fabric was needed.

"I didn't know houses could change." Hermione whispered. She was right though. When Hagrid was first a student, he had been sorted into Gryffindor. He shrugged and they watched as the rest of the first years were sorted amongst the four houses. Harry couldn't help looking over at the Slytherin table each time they got a new student. Everyone still cheered and they seemed to be relaxing, smiling more. Ron was right; it was nice. His eyes caught Malfoy's again. This time they didn't drop away. Instead he raised his empty goblet. Harry decided to do the same. Perhaps the events of the war had changed Draco. Perhaps they could set aside the past events and, while they probably couldn't be friends, maybe they could at least not be enemies.

'He's grown really thin.' He thought to himself. 'I wonder if he's okay.'

Dinner suddenly appeared as McGonagall finished and Harry realized how hungry he was. The time flew by as everyone ate and talked and before they knew it dessert was coming out. They happily filled their bellies and soon the chatter grew quieter as everyone started getting sleepy on their full stomachs. The headmistress dismissed them to their dorms, with a final word of schedules being settled over the weekend.

Ron was quick to take off the robes, slip on a t-shirt and crash into bed. Harry wasn't quite tired enough so he spent a little while unpacking. He wondered how his new owl was faring in the owlery. It was a beautiful barn owl, with flecks of black in her feathers like Hedwig had had. He had named her Lady, thinking she acted very highly among the other owls at the store. She loved to preen herself and threw a fit anytime her cage wasn't cleaned. So yeah, she was Lady.

He left the rest of his casual clothes in the trunk and changed into his nightshirt. He slipped into sleep very quickly, his dreams full of goblets and grey eyes.