Chapter 1: The truth came out

It is a beautiful, sunny Tuesday, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione are sitting outside by the Quidditch pitch, during their free period, just enjoying the sun. . Ron and Harry have been discussing Quidditch for the last thirty minutes and it is starting to get on Hermione's nerves.

"Will you guys stop talking about Quidditch for five minutes and just enjoy the day? I mean really, all you ever do is talk about Quidditch, surely, your lives are not so boring that all you have to talk about is some dumb game," Hermione says as she lies down to look at the sky. "Have you guys ever played that game where you have to guess what the clouds look like?"

Harry and Ron just stare at her; first, she's yelling at them than asks if they wanted to play a game. They both think at the same time, What a strange girl.

"No. Why?" Ron says.

"I was just wondering because," she points to the sky, "that one looks like an elephant smoking."

She starts giggling, and her laughter is contagious because Ron and Harry start laughing as well. Barely able to breathe, Hermione looks at her watch and gaspsbecause they only have fifteen minutes to get to Potions class.

"What's wrong?" Harry asks.

"We're going to be late for Potions. Let's go," Hermione says.

"We're comin' 'Mione," Ron says

They run into Potions class and take their seats minutes before Snape storms into the room.

"Today, you will be brewing the Durus Voluntas Potion. Does anyone, besides Miss Granger, know what this potion is used for?" Snape sneers "No, what a surprise. Well, it will cause you to have a stronger will to want to do something, which means Mr. Potter, that you will regretfully not be taking this potion yourself."

The Slytherins snicker at this, but get to work on their potions because Snape has started to glare at them. After all the students have their ingredients, the class quiets down a lot but little snippets of conversations can still be heard.

Hermione is trying to help Pansy so that she does not add the wrong thing, but all Pansy does is glare and say, "If you're so smart why don't you do the whole thing by yourself?"

Hermione looks at her with disdain. "Fine, I will. But you will stir or I will make you do the potion by yourself."

Most of the other partners are getting along, except for Ron, working with Millicent Bulstrode, who is as dumb as a post. As he adds the lacewings, the potion turns orange when it is supposed to turn light red, almost pink.

"What did we do wrong; did you add lacewings instead of bat wings?" Millicent inquires.

Ron starts to turn red. "Why didn't you tell me that I had picked up the wrong ingredient?"

"Because you told me not to talk to you, just to sit here, and cut up the ingredients in the right proportions." Millicent sneers.

Harry is having his own problems with his potion: it has turned the right color but his partner is starting to get on his nerves.

"Aren't you done skinning that, yet?" Draco Malfoy asks.

"Does it look like I am?" Harry says sarcastically.

"Well, we need to add it in about two minutes, if that's not too much trouble for the Boy Who Should Have Died."

Harry slides the skins over to Malfoy, who puts them in the cauldron. Now all they haveto do is wait five minutes while it simmers.

When the five minutes are just about up, Snape starts walking around to inspect them. As he is looking over the people in the front row, Draco signals to Crabbe and Goyle, who are working with Neville and Seamus respectively, and they drop a yellow substance into their own cauldrons. Harry sees the whole exchange and is getting ready to yell at Malfoy when the cauldrons explode all over Harry who is sitting close enough to have the potion completely cover him.

Harry is so mad that he starts to scream at Malfoy. "Now I'm glad that I chose to go into Gryffindor house instead of Slytherin because you guys are all a bunch of assholes!"

Snape storms over to Harry "You will explain that statement right now, Mr. Potter"

"You want to know, fine," Harry says callously

FLASHBACK

At the Sorting ceremony, McGonagall called "Potter, Harry." Whispers went through the Great Hall as Harry walkeduptothe stool nervously glancing around at everyone else. Professor McGonagall put the Sorting Hat on his head and it started to talk to him.

You are meant for such greatness and have such power in you. However, I cannot choose where to put you. You are equally suited for two of our fine houses: you have the bravery for Gryffindor but you also have the cleverness of Slytherin. You would do well in either house but I leave the decision up to you. The choice is yours, Young Harry, Gryffindor, or Slytherin.

Harry had never been able to pick where he went before. He usually just went wherever the Dursleys told him to go. He figured this was a big decision so he thought a while about where he wanted to go. After remembering everything he had learned today about Slytherin from Ron and Hagrid he really didn't want to go there, but he knew next to nothing about Gryffindor.

Harry listen to your heart, do not go by what people tell you; go by the way others have acted toward you.

"I want Gryffindor."

If you are sure, GRYFFINDOR!

Harry looked at Headmaster Dumbledore when he got to Gryffindor table and Dumbledore smiled. Harry knew he had made the right decision.

END FLASHBACK

"So, my house wasn't good enough for the Great Harry Potter" Snape sneers

"No, it was not good enough for me," Harry says arrogantly.

Everyone in the class, Gryffindors and Slytherins alike, stare at Harry as if he has grown a second head. Whispers run throughout the class; everyone is trying to figure out what punishment Harry is going to get.

"Potter, you are lucky my curiosity has gotten the better of me or you would be living in detention. Now, tell me the real reason that you decided Slytherin was not good enough for you. And you will tell me, right now," Snape says sternly.

Harry points at Malfoy, "If want to know, ask Malfoy. He's the reason that I chose Gryffindor over Slytherin."

Draco's mouth falls open in shock and he starts opening and closing it like he wants to say something but just cannot decide what.

The bell signaling the end of class rings before Draco can do anything. Harry grabs his bag, which has all his stuff in it already except for his potions book, but he just picks that up and carries it with him as he runs from the classroom and all the questions everyone is sure to have for him.

Draco screams, "POTTER!"

end chapter one