Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling and therefore do not own the Harry Potter Universe.
Harry Potter and the Stagnant Waters – Chapter One
Summary: What if Harry, Hermione, and Draco were all sorted into Ravenclaw?
A boy walked broke from the crowd of eleven year olds standing in the great hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He nervously rubbed his sweaty palms on the sides of his overly large pants and righted his glasses which had been perched haphazardly on his nose. The hall fell silent as he approached a three-legged stool in front of the great table at the head of the hall. The boy took a deep breath and picked up the tattered old hat that had been dropped onto the stool by the last student who had been sorted, Elphias O'Brien.
He sat down on the stool, placing the hat on the dark mess that was his hair. To everyone else in the hall, the seconds seemed to drag on as he sat there, facial expression unreadable. Then, through a fold, the hat cried out "Ravenclaw" and fell limp, ready for the next student.
The boy climbed off the stool and headed toward the table draped in blue and bronze,the Ravenclaw table. He sat down next to a girl with bushy hair who had been looking for a toad on the train.
She turned toward him and stuck out her hand, proclaiming "Hi, I'm Herminone Granger. I'm absolutely thrilled to be here."
"I'm Harry," he said shaking her hand, and feeling a little stupid as did so. She had just heard his name called to be sorted.
"You're Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived. I've read all about you, of course. Hermione folded her hands on the table, and leant towards him.
"Yeah, well, you probably know more about me than I do. Can we pretend for now that I'm just another first year?" Harry looked away from her, suddenly interested in the worn stone floor on the other side of the table.
"Oh sure, sorry. Did you know that the ceilings are enchanted to look like the sky outside? I've been waiting to see them ever since I first read Hogwarts, a History. "Hermione rushed her words together in embarrassment.
"No I didn't, actually. Hogwarts, a History? I was only able to get the course books. Do you think there will be a copy in the library? I'd love to read it. "
"You can borrow my copy if you like. I've already read it twice. It is absolutely fascinating. It has loads of information on the founders as well as information about the building itself. Did you know that the stairs actually move? And there is supposed to be a special room called the Room of Requirement. I hope I find that. It would be brilliant to be able to study such a room. I wonder how it works. There wasn't very much detail on that and oops! "Hermione, who had been waving her hands about excitedly, knocked over the goblet of the blonde boy sitting on her other side. The scowl he had been wearing deepened as pumpkin juice flooded over his plate.
"Watch it, mudblood!" The blonde boy shouted, waving a half eaten roll in her face. The older students around him glared at him.
"Shut it, Malfoy. You'll find that no students in Ravenclaw will tolerate your prejudices. Why you weren't sorted into Slytherin is beyond me. But hear me, you are in for a very rude awakening if you don't get your act together," a Ravenclaw prefect glared at the boy, "Now why don't you apologize, or would you like detention your first week here?"
"My father will want to know about your family's new loyalties, Revont," Malfoy smirked at the prefect.
"And you suppose your father will be happy to listen to a son who was sorted into Ravenclaw? I suppose he'll look on the bright side. At least you weren't sorted into Hufflepuff or worse. You could have been sorted into Griffyndor." Revont glanced down at Malfoy with a knowing look.
"Sorry." Malfoy looked like he would have rather been run over by the Hogwarts Express, than be forced to apologize to Hermione.
"That's all right, then, isn't it?" The prefect Revont smirked and turned to Harry and Hermione. "Sorry about him. My name is Arlon Revont, by the way. It is Harry and Hermione, right? If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask. "
"Thanks Arlon," Hermione smiled at him.
"No problem. All right, I have to help line up the other first years so we can head to RavenclawTower," Arlon turned and walked down the end of the table, speaking to other students as he went.
Harry and Hermione stood up and brushed off their robes. They headed toward Arlon and the group that was slowly gathering around him.
"What is Malfoy's problem, anyway? And what was it that he called you, Hermione?" Harry asked, scratching his head.
"He called me a mudblood, Harry. It means dirty blood. It is a term for muggleborns used by people who think that the only people who should do magic are purebloods. A pureblood is someone with all magical ancestors. As a Malfoy, he comes from a long line of purebloods. From what I've read, they've all been in Slytherin until now. It's something they pride themselves on."
"I wonder why he was sorted in Ravenclaw, then. He certainly doesn't seem to be trying to make friends." Harry and Hermione were a couple of feet away from the group as it started to move toward the great oak doors at the entrance.
"Perhaps we'll find out," Hermione said as they sped up and joined the rest of the first years.