So, a Slytherin Harry AU with a dash of Jily Lives AU because I needed them alive for this.
Story Title: The Green Lion
School: Hogwarts
Theme: Slytherin Harry AU
Prompt: Red [Colour] (MAIN)
"You know, I didn't see that one coming!" he/she gasped. [Speech]
Year: 2 (Part-time standing in)
Word Count: 1,817
Red. More specifically, red and gold. It was everywhere. Bedroom walls and bedspreads. A gold-painted dressing table and wardrobe. His mother's hair. Even the mobile hanging over the crib had gold lions in red jumpers. Red. Gryffindor Red.
That's all Harry had ever seen when he was growing up. There were pictures of him as a baby dressed in scarlet clothes, which were adorned with golden lions, their large manes flowing. His first birthday party was Gryffindor themed. If it wasn't for the large blue sofa in the living room, one would think that it was the Gryffindor Common Room.
His father had insisted that Harry would be just like him. He'd be boasting about his son, the future Gryffindor Quidditch star. He was James Potter's son, after all. He'd be following in his father's footsteps. He was put up on a pedestal by his father, the famous Hogwarts Quidditch player; the auror with a passion for red. His father had continued his Gryffindor pride with the team he supported: The Caerphilly Catapults. The red and green stripes of the team's jersey were worn by Harry as a child. Harry quite liked the jersey. He enjoyed the games with his father; their enthusiasm rivalling each other's.
But for Harry, it wasn't the red. It was the green. The colour of the alternative stripes. The colour of the trees outside his window in summer. The colour of his and his mother's eyes. The colour that his father glared at with disdain. He loved that colour. Of all the houses in Hogwarts, he wanted to be in Slytherin; the house with ambition and drive. The house that churned out the most successful students, competing only with the number of Death-Eaters that it spat out. He longed for the green and silver tie and the snake upon his robes. But he'd never tell his father. He would never disappoint THE James Potter, who was so lovingly devoted to Gryffindor.
Harry grew up in Hogwarts. Not many children get to say that, but when your mother teaches Ancient Runes and your father teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts part-time, sharing with Uncle Remus, Hogwarts becomes home. That was how Harry knew about the houses. He had seen the four large hourglasses. The bright green emeralds glinting as they fell, the scarlet rubies dripping like blood beside the cobalt river of sapphires, and the golden diamonds which sat still more often than not. His parents had also come to speaking terms with the Slytherin Head of House, Severus Snape, although his father still maintained a distance unless it was necessary. Snape enjoyed showing Harry the different potions that the older students would be making that particular week. There were many things that attracted Harry to the colour green and all that it entailed.
Then finally, it arrived. Harry had waited eleven years for this day. He had even spent the night before in Godric's Hollow just to get the chance to ride the Hogwarts Express. He hoped that Draco would be there as well. Draco Malfoy's parents had left him when they ended up in Azkaban ten years previously. Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, was the cousin of Draco's mother, and though he did not agree with his cousin's beliefs, he did not want the child to grow up alone, so he took him in. Harry and Draco had quickly become friends and had remained friends growing up.
As Harry bounded on to the platform beside his mother, he halted suddenly and gaped up at the enormous, gleaming train. Then he noticed it. Red. Crimson paint shone under the lights, and the trunks beside the train had ruby ribbons tied around them with the large scarlet letter "H" painted on the sides. There was no way of getting away from it. Through the crowds, he spotted Sirius's long, shaggy black hair contrasting against the shorter blonde hair of the person standing beside him. Harry glanced up at his mother.
"There's Draco. Come on, Mum." He grabbed her hand and bounded over to the pair, catching Draco in an excruciatingly tight hug. Draco gasped.
"Can't breathe," he panted. Harry immediately released him and gave him an unamused look.
"Drama Queen," He muttered. Draco put his hands on his hips and pinned Harry down with the trademark Malfoy glare. He then gestured to Sirius with one hand.
"Look at who I live with," he pointed out. "What were you expecting?"
Sirius looked down at him, affronted. "Would you like to be living alone?" he threatened, but everyone around knew it was an empty one. Draco just smiled at him and grabbed the trunk at his feet.
"Come on, Harry, or we'll miss the train," Sirius chuckled, ruffling Draco's hair. He then lifted the suitcase that Draco was struggling to move. Harry grabbed one end of his own suitcase and Lily grabbed the other. Together, they positioned it in the luggage carriage. Draco boarded the train and Harry scrambled onto the first step. Before he went any further, however, he turned towards his mother and gestured for her to come over to him. Lily walked over to with a questioning look.
"What's wrong, Harry?" she asked quietly.
"Mum," he whispered, "Will Dad be mad if I'm not in Gryffindor?" His eyes welled up at the thought of the disappointed look in his father's eyes. Lily's heart broke when she heard his question. She pulled him into a quick hug before straightening back up so she could look into his eyes. The glassy emeralds stared back at her. She lovingly pushed his hair to one side with the tips of her fingers.
"Harry, I can't honestly say that your father isn't hanging a "Welcome to Gryffindor" banner and Gryffindor flags everywhere in our apartment right now, because he probably is." She smiled at him. "But I can say, that no matter where you end up, your father will be proud of you. He was proud when you used the potty for the first time, so he'll be proud that you make your own mark on Hogwarts. Now, go catch up to Draco, and I'll see you later, okay?" Harry nodded in affirmation. She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and then nudged him towards the train door. Lily stepped back and returned to stand beside Sirius, a fond smile on her face. They stood in comfortable silence before the boys appeared at a window, both waving frantically. Sirius and Lily both laughed and waved back as the train began to move. They watched it leave the station and disappear from view, waiting until the train was just a black speck on the horizon before moving towards the exit.
"Have you told James that Harry is going to be in Slytherin yet?" Sirius questioned, breaking the silence.
Lily let out a short laugh. "No, that'll be a surprise for him later on." Sirius laughed too, although his laugh sounded more like a bark.
"You're a cruel woman, Mrs. Potter," he stated through his chuckles, throwing an arm over Lily's shoulders. Lily shrugged, a knowing grin on her face.
Later that evening, after an uneventful journey on the train, the first-year students all stood outside the large, wooden doors of the Great Hall. Harry was nervously rocking back and forth between Draco and a girl with bushy brown hair. The shining, bronze exterior of the oak doors seemed more daunting than normal, now that Harry knew what was about to happen on the other side. Finally, the doors swung open, and Professor McGonagall led them through.
They marched through the hall. Harry spotted his mother positioned between James and the Herbology teacher, Professor Sprout. On the other side of James was Remus Lupin; the other half of the DADA team. Down at the end, Harry spotted Snape sitting beside Professor Trelawney. Neither of them seemed particularly happy with that particular seating arrangement. Just to the left of Snape, a long curtain was waving slowly. Harry thought he glimpsed a large, shadowy dog-shape behind it, but it moved too quickly for him to be certain. He refocused his gaze on the people in front of him and caught his father's eye. James gave him a confident wink, but all Harry could offer back was a nervous grimace. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally reached the front of the hall.
Professor McGonagall unveiled the Sorting Hat and allowed it to sing its song while she studied the scroll of students' names. At the end of the song and a smattering of applause, she looked down at the scroll and read the first name.
"Hannah Abbot." The first student timidly climbed the stairs, and the Sorting Hat was placed on her head. It only touched her head before immediately placing her in Hufflepuff. This continued along with Ravenclaw gaining students as well until,
"Hermione Granger." The girl with the bushy hair ascended the steps, talking to herself. The Sorting Hat was put on her head, and she appeared to have a heated debate with it until she was finally placed in…
"GRYFFINDOR" The Gryffindor table broke into rapturous applause. The list continued on.
Then, "Draco Malfoy." The room fell silent as Draco went up to the hat. It deliberated for ages. The room held its breath as the hat ultimately came to its decision.
"GRYFFINDOR." Everybody sat in stunned silence. Draco gulped as he rose from the stool. The Gryffindor house clapped quietly when he went to take his place beside Hermione who gave him a small smile. Harry stood amongst those who were left and panicked.
If that's the reaction when Draco goes to Gryffindor, what will it be like if he doesn't? Harry pondered these thoughts and almost missed his own name. He stepped up for his fate to be sealed.
Up at the staff table, Lily adjusted her seat so she could get a good view of her husband's reaction. She placed her chin on her palm and smiled at his confused face. His features broke into a proud smile as he watched Harry get the hat placed on his head. He lifted his hands to clap when suddenly, the Sorting Hat said, "SLYTHERIN."
The entire room gasped. It became so silent that you could hear a pin drop. Or rather, you could hear James' hands thumping the table as his arms and jaw dropped simultaneously. He gaped at his son, his GRYFFINDOR son taking a seat at the SLYTHERIN table. He turned to Lily and pointed, speechless. Lily just smiled at him.
Finally, when James had regained the use of his voice, "You know, I didn't see that one coming," he gasped. Lily raised an eyebrow at him.
"Really, James, you should pay more attention to your son," she said, as she picked up her water goblet, drinking to hide the smirk on her face.
As always, read and review!