Title: Strings of Fate

Author: Knife Hand

Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated

Spoilers: Nothing Specific, general for first few books.

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione, or Luna, or Ginny, or Cho, or... I would buy them all but I am broke.

Summary: Being raised only by his Aunt, Harry comes to Hogwarts not only knowing about the Wizarding World, but with a kind of training no one at the school is expecting.


"So, the rumours are true. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." Draco sneered.

"Really." Harry replied, faking surprise. "And here I thought this was the auditions for 'The Sound of Music'."

Harry started humming 'The Hills Are Alive', joined a second later by Hermione and then six others who were familiar with the song. Several of the First Year students laughed at this, but most of them stared at Harry blankly.

"It's a joke. God, grow a sense of humour." Harry added.

Draco was about to respond when Professor McGonagall re-entered the waiting room and escorted them into the Great Hall. They all walked down the central isle and stood in front of a stool with a mangy old hat on it. The hat sang a song purporting the virtues of each house. Harry only paid attention to the names of those he knew. Hannah and Susan both went into Hufflepuff. Hermione, after a long pause, was sorted into Ravenclaw. Neville was quickly sorted into Gryffindor while the obnoxious Blond, Draco Malfoy, was sorted into Slytherin almost before the Sorting Hat was placed on his head. After a pair of Indian twins, one who was sorted into Gryffindor and the other into Ravenclaw, it was Harry's turn.

'Ah. Interesting.' The Hat's voice sounded in Harry's head. 'You are a most unusual young man. Loyal, brave, intelligent, cunning. Oh how the purebloods would be jealous of the training you have had. You would do well in any house, but you are the perfect candidate for Slytherin.'

'Which is why Slytherin is the one house I can not be in.' Harry thought back.

'Interesting notion. Please explain.' The Hat said.

'Very simple.' Harry replied. 'For the truly cunning and ambitious, the last place you want to be is Slytherin as that is how they are viewed. The very cunning and moderately ambitious would want to go into Gryffindor because they are considered brave but un-subtle. If ambition outstrips cunning then Ravenclaw is the best because their ambition will be viewed as simple Ravenclaw over-achievement. The truly cunning and ambitious belong in Hufflepuff, as the badgers are seen as loyal but not very bright or cunning.'

The hat was silent for a few seconds.

'Well… that's a second.' The Hat said at last. 'Only one other person has ever presented a logical argument that has made me change my mind. Many beg, or ask not to be put in a house, but not logical arguments. Miss Granger had several but did not use them, thanks to you I understand.'

'Hey, I just told her to give you a chance.' Harry responded.

'It wasn't that, but thanks anyway. It was when you told her about the biographies.'

Harry simply nodded slowly.

'I think we both know where I am going to Sort you. Don't we?' The Hat asked.

'Yes, but I have a question first. Who was the other person?'

'Who used logic? I believe you know her. Her name was Lily Evans.' The Hat replied.

"Hufflepuff." The Hat announced to the entire hall, causing shocked silence.

Harry calmly stood, removed The Hat, placed it on the stool and walked over to the Hufflepuff table and sat opposite to Susan and Hannah and next to a boy named Terry. Everyone in the entire hall had expected Harry to be sorted into Gryffindor.


"Welcome to the Hufflepuff common room." The fifth year prefect said. "In this house we promote friendship, loyalty and co-operation, even across year levels. To that end, there are no year level dorms. Down the corridors to your left and right you will find apartments, which have four bedrooms and a bathroom around a central living room. All first year students must have at least one older student in their apartment to help acclimatise you to the workings of the house."

After the prefect's speech, Harry looked around and saw that most of the older students had stayed in the common room. Noticing a shock of neon pink hair, Harry made his way over to the small cluster of chairs.

"Excuse me, Nymphadora Tonks?" Harry said.

Silence descended and the pink hair turned red.

"Don't call me Nymphadora!" she hissed as she rose and turned.

"Sorry. My name is…"

"Harry Potter. I'm sorry. Please just call me Tonks." The seventh year girl said.

"Isn't that a bit formal for Cousins?" Harry said with a smirk.

"Cousins?" Tonks asked, confused.

"Yeah. Well, I think it is second cousins once removed. My paternal Grandmother was a Black." Harry said.

"Well, cousin, I hate my given name so…" she began, and her friends rolled their eyes at her insistence.

"Ok. I could call you 'Morph'… or better, 'Indy'." Harry said

"Indy?" she said confused.

"Well, when you yelled I did get this image of you wearing a Fedora and holding a bullwhip." Harry admitted.

"Was I wearing anything else?" Tonks said, sternly.

"Umm… yeah." Harry said,

"Pity." She replied, wiggling her eyebrows and getting a chuckle from her friends.

"Umm… I need to go now." Harry said, his face flushed.

Her friends laughed as he walked away and down one of the corridors to an apartment. The apartments, down both sides of the corridor, had four stones above the door which turned from white to red to indicate how many bedrooms were occupied. The first half dozen apartments had two or three stones red, so Harry bypassed them and went into the first unoccupied apartment, on the left of the corridor. The living room had two couches, a coffee table and two study desks. The rear door led to the bathroom and Harry went into the bedroom at the back on the right, closing the door. The room was painted in tasteful pastels, with a big four poster bed with pale yellow drapes and pale wood wardrobe. Harry's trunk appeared at the foot of his bed and he began to unpack. After putting his uniforms in the wardrobe, which also contained bath robes in Hufflepuff colours, Harry heard a noise out in the living room.

He opened his door to see Susan and Hannah sitting on one of the couches.

"Harry!" Hannah said when she saw him.

"Sorry, we saw only one light and we did not think…" Susan began.

"It's fine." A voice said from the doorway to the corridor. "There are no gender restrictions on the apartments, which is why everyone has their own bedroom."

"Hey Indy." Harry said as he dropped down into the other couch. "You going to join us or what? We need an older student."

"Sure, why not." Tonks said, sauntering in and popping down. "I'm taking room four."

A slight popping sound was heard in the room in front of Harry's. Susan and Hannah had claimed the two rooms on the left side of living room.

"Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, may I introduce my cousin, 'Don't call me by my first name' Tonks. Indy, this is Susan and Hannah." Harry said, cheekily.

"Why does he call you Indy?" Hannah asked.

"Because he's an idiot." Tonks growled.

"Love you too, Indy." Harry replied, sticking his tongue out.

"Ok, we need to go through a few rules." Tonks said. "Within the apartment, an open door means an open invitation into the bedroom, but if Harry is in any of our rooms or we are in his, then the door must remain open. If a bedroom door is closed, knock and wait for an answer. You can invite others into the apartment, or visit other apartments if invited, but in another apartment entry to bedrooms is by invitation only. Robes must be worn between your bedrooms and the bathroom. A yellow light above the bathroom door means it is occupied. If you need privacy, there is a rune by the door in you bedrooms, it will activate a silencing charm around the room and a blue light will appear above the outside of the door. Any questions?"

"Yeah." Susan said. "Why is your hair pink?"

Tonks and Harry both laughed.

TBC…