Though Harry hardly spoke during the journey to Hogwarts, Ron made sure to speak enough for the both of them, especially after the small boy bought a considerable amount of sweets off the trolley to share. Consequently, the two stuck closely together as they made their way off the train and began following a giant of a man ('Hagrid', if Ron remembered his brothers' tales right) down to the lake.

Ron didn't fail to notice that when they came into full sight of Hogwarts, Harry's only reaction was to look increasingly nervous.

Harry was rigid and silent across the lake, careful not to make any unnecessary movements and wincing imperceptibly whenever Ron or the two in the back of the boat - Neville and Hermione - shifted in their seat. They had had very brief interactions with the other two during the trip on the train, but not enough so that Ron was willing to break the silence and talk to them. At least they weren't in the same boat as Malfoy, who had somehow felt the need to enter their compartment and ogle at Harry for just long enough to express disgust on his pointed face before he'd marched off again. Noticing Harry's discomfort as they sailed silently across the water, Ron did feel the need to reach out to the boy he was beginning to consider a friend.

"Isn't it awesome?" he whispered quietly, leaning towards Harry.

"What?"

"Isn't Hogwarts awesome?"

"Oh. Yeah. I don't like water much."

And Harry returned to his position, looking for all the world like a statue.

Harry barely flinched when the ghosts made their appearance, though Ron had to pretend that he hadn't nearly jumped on top of Harry in fright. His brothers had told him about the ghosts, of course, but they were considerably more scary when they were in close proximity. Professor McGonagall, on the other hand, was exactly what he had been expecting from what he'd heard, so he focussed on forcing down his nausea instead of listening to her spiel about the houses.

And then suddenly they were standing at the front of the Great Hall and the magnificence of the ceiling paled in comparison to the small, dirty hat on the stool that, for whatever reason, appeared to be singing a song. When the applause died down, McGonagall pulled out a scroll and, despite his relief that all they had to do was wear a hat because "Merlin, Harry, Fred had been saying we'd have to fight a troll," he felt his nerves begin to mount again as he realised that this was it. The next seven years of his life, to be determined right here.

"Abbot, Hannah."

McGonagall's voice was crisp, and Hannah stumbled up to the stool and pulled the hat down over her eyes. Ron more or less tuned out the rest, allowing himself the leave to scowl when that annoying know-it-all, Granger, was sorted into Gryffindor. And then Harry was called up, and the hall fell completely silent. In Ron's eyes, Harry looked tiny, but Harry's eyes blazed with a fierceness that surprised Ron. He realised with a start that he had no idea where his new friend was going to be sorted.

Gryffindor, maybe, but he didn't have the brashness of Ron's brothers even though he was the saviour of the wizarding world, which must count for something. If the book Harry had been engrossed in was anything to go by, then he might be in Ravenclaw. That or Hufflepuff would be alright, Ron decided. Hufflepuff was certainly better than-

"Slytherin!"

Slytherin.

The Boy-Who-Lived (and, more importantly as far as Ron was concerned, his friend) was in Slytherin.

AN:

Thanks for the positive response to the first chapter guys. This story is really a bit of experiment at the moment and while I have an idea where I want to take it I am always welcome to input, so please review! Any ideas, thoughts, criticisms - let me know.