Last Time: harry has left Privet Drive, hopefully for good. He has spoken with his Account Manager at Gringotts and felt a piece of dark Death Magic within the halls of the goblin bank. He has also retrieved his wand from Olivander's.

Book One: Death

Chapter 2

It was finally the day that Harry had been waiting for. September the first, the day he was going to Hogwarts. He woke early and checked his trunk, double checking that he had everything stowed away as well as his robes on top for ease of access.

He had read his books over and over in the weeks since he had started staying at the Leaky Cauldron. In the mirror he looked himself over a bit before he pushed his hair back away from his face, using a bit of a glamour to cause the tips to turn to blood red much like the tips of Dust's feathers.

His ball cap went over his head then, pulled down low enough to cover his scar. He tucked the black dress Muggle style dress shirt into the black slacks. Everything was crisp, clean and neat. He double checked the silver dagger strapped to his forearm before he drew the sleeve down, noting with satisfaction that it was well hidden.

Harry was paranoid, he couldn't help it. And outside the Leaky Cauldron and the Alley, he wasn't allowed to use his wand. Not until the train was on its way

He made his way over to the table and opened the window just past it. He then unlocked the cage and held his arm out. A large European eagle owl with some greyed feathers hopped out onto his arm. It had a wing span of seventy inches and weighed about seven and a half pounds. Dust, from Harry's opposite shoulder cawed at it ruffling his feathers and sticking his wings out. The Eagle owl responded in kind, throwing those massive wings out and giving a bark in return.

"Oi! None of that! Either of you!" Harry barked at both birds. "Ashes, fly to Hogwarts. We'll meet you there." Harry told the eagle owl before letting it out the window and watching it fly off. "And you," Harry looked to his familiar. "Behave."

Dust and Ashes hated one another with a passion, and Harry knew that the only reason they didn't fight was because of him. Ashes was a smart bird, and Dust was his familiar.

Harry shook his head as he picked up his trunk and took it with him down the stairs. He paused at Tom and passed over three Galleons, two for the meal, one for a tip. He ate quickly and calmly, head bowed and looking around him. "Hey Tom, any advice for getting onto the platform?" he asked.

"Touch the pillars until your hand passes through one, that's the one ya want to walk through Mr. Doe." Tom said as he whipped a glass. The man always seemed to be working and Harry wasn't sure how he managed.

"Right, thanks." He said as he finished his food. "And Tom," Harry dropped his tone. "It's not John Doe like I told you, it's Harry Potter." He whispered, holding a finger up to his lips. He then pushed the bill of the cap up a bit so Tom could see his scar. Harry then made his way out of the Inn.

Harry then headed out to the waiting taxi. He had made reservations ahead of time to get one to take him over to King's cross. "Dust, meet me there." He told his crow before letting it fly off. He helped the gentleman put the trunk into the back of the cab.

It was a short twenty minute drive through early morning traffic before Harry got to King's Cross. Dust indeed met him there and settled on his left shoulder. Harry then made his way along each of the pillars, slowly touching each and every one of them. He paused when he felt his fingers pass through what should have been brick.

Harry glanced around at all the non-magical people before he stepped through the Pillar. People were already milling about and the station was filling up. Parents and guardians desperately said their goodbyes. Harry had none of those, so he boarded the train and quickly made his way down the compartments until he came across an empty on.

He took some parchment from his trunk and dipped his finger in an ink well. In big bold letters he wrote 'Knock First.' He did not want to be disturbed, no matter how much tradition it was to sit and mingle with possible future housemates.

Harry blew the ink dry carefully before he stuck it over the window and used a simple sticking spell to keep it in place. He pulled the blinds down and recapped his ink well. The trunk then went in the overhead rack after he pulled a book from it.

He sat down in one of the comfortable seats and opened his book, crossing a leg over the other. If only he could pass the entire train ride in the comfort of silence. It wasn't that he was anti-social, he just wanted to find the other three first than worry about friendship. The other three would be like brothers and/or sisters to him for all of their lives. It was hard to match that.

It wasn't saying that no one else would be like a brother or sister to him for their life, but… He wasn't an optimist really.

About ten minutes after they had started to leave the station there was a timid knock on the door. Harry glanced up from the thick spell book he was reading and marked his page with a bit of scrap parchment before snapping it shut. Manners always left a good first impression.

Standing, he went and unlocked the door before sliding it open. He was faced with a boy his age that wore clothes a bit too big and too ragged to have originally been his. The hair was surprisingly bright red, and the boy's brown eyes showed that he hadn't faced many hardships yet. "Yes?" Harry asked, the one word being used succinctly to convey he wasn't just letting the boy in.

"Everywhere else is full…" the redhead stated. "Do you mind if I sit in with you?"

Harry was tempted to call him out on a bold faced lie. It was a magically enhanced train, surely it accommodated the needs of the students. But after some consideration, he didn't know enough about the enchantments on the train. He wasn't sure if it could expand to accommodate more students or if there was a fixed number of compartments. "Certainly." Harry said and moved out of the way of the door. He even helped the redhead lift his trunk up to the rack.

"I'm Ron Weasley by the way." The redhead said sitting down across from Harry.

"John Doe." Harry said, giving the false name. Like Tom the barkeep before, Ron didn't recognize the obviously fake non-magical name. He would very likely wear that name out as much as possible. "And this is Dust." He gently touched the crow's head. Harry picked up his book and started to read once more.

"What house do you reckon you'll get mate?" Ron asked.

"Don't know, don't particularly care." Harry said

"Better hope not Slytherin." Ron said. "Every Dark Wizard has come from Slytherin."

"Merlin was a Slytherin, and without Salazar, Hogwarts would not have been founded. Or if it was, it would just be a different house that had these 'Dark Wizards'" Harry said already bored of the conversation.

Apparently, Ron was able to pick up on it because he quieted down and simply sat in silence. At least for a little while. Ron seemed much used to talking with someone about anything. "What team do you support for Quidditch?" he asked, almost bouncing in his seat. "I like the Chudley Cannons, I know their seasons haven't been great, but I'm certain it's only a matter of time before they get some talent."

Harry was tempted, very tempted, to throw Ron out of the compartment. But he wasn't going to do that because a boy wanted to talk with someone his own age. But for Harry, his time at the Dursley family home caused him to grow up much faster than he wanted to. He preferred the escape of a good book, he preferred to work and study in absolute silence and he tended not to talk any more than was absolutely necessary for his needs.

It had either been grow up faster, or continue to act like a child with the Dursley's. Once Dust came to him, Harry had chosen the first option with gusto.

Thus, he glanced up with piercing green eyes and stared into Ron's brown eyes. "I don't support any Quidditch team. I don't even know what the sport is. I don't care to know what the sport is. I much prefer mental challenges like chess to team sports. I even exercise by myself, with only Dust at my side."

Harry had hoped to quiet the redhead with his casual dismissal of a sport the redhead was very clearly a fan of. That did not happen however and even more surprising was the next question out of Ron's mouth. "Have you ever played Wizard's Chess?"

Harry glanced up from his book. "Well color me intrigued Mr. Weasley. No, I have never played Wizard's chess."

"I have a board in my trunk, would you like to?" Ron asked, bouncing in his seat again.

Harry stood up and took the redhead's battered trunk down and set it between them. "Dazzle me Mr. Weasley."

The board and pieces were well worn, obviously played quite a lot but Ron set up the board just like regular chess. Except, he called out for his pieces to move. Wanting to simply see what happened, Harry found himself sacrificing a pawn. He heard the pieces calling out for him to do something else, but Harry reaffirmed the move. Ron took it, and his pawn was smashed to rubble before being brushed from the board. "Oh my." Harry said. It added a bit of urgency to the game.

"That's a Wizard's chess." Ron said a little smugly.

And smug the redhead should be. Harry was no chess master. He was quite good, and could take an opponent down quite quickly. He even listened to the advice of his pieces, sometimes using it and sometimes disregarding it. If there was one thing he would change, he would make would be so that the other side couldn't hear what a player was saying. But despite all of his skill and the advice of his pieces, Harry found himself solidly in checkmate.

That was when a knock on the door sounded. Harry stood up and opened it to find a lunch lady with a trolley. "Anything from the trolley dears?" she asked.

"No thank you, I'm all set." Ron looked a bit put off as he held up the hash sandwiches.

Harry tossed two Galleons over at Ron, watching the redhead pluck them out of the air somewhat awkwardly. He flushed a bit and mumbled a thanks as he got some of the offered sweets. Harry fished out two more Galleons and bought a pot of tea.

Harry brought his trunk down to balance the tray of tea with the cups and condiments on without interrupting their chess game. Harry found it fascinating to watch as the pieces pulled themselves back together and stayed that way.

"Why did you give me the Galleons?" Ron asked as he munched on what looked like a wand made of licorice. Unimaginatively, it was called a licorice wand.

"You beat me, fair and square." Harry said as he set up the board once more, this time taking the other side. "I always thought it would be best to have some sort of prizes in games like these, and you Mr. Weasley are an excellent tactician on the board. You could go professional if you'd like."

Ron flushed, his ears burning red as the game started up once more. Ron was quite good at the game in Harry's opinion. It was difficult to tell what he favored. Harry knew he favored his Knights and his Rooks. He absolutely loathed his Bishops, and he tended to save his Queen until he knew she could do as much damage as possible

Ron on the other hand was a complete enigma, and could switch on the fly. Harry thought he was winning until Ron baited him and absolutely crushed him the second half of the game. It was actually rather demoralizing with how badly Ron stomped on him. Harry passed over another two Galleons to the redhead for his victory.

A second knock sounded and Harry glanced up. "Why is this compartment so popular today?" he mused to himself. It wasn't like anyone knew exactly who he was. He opened the door to a rather plain looking girl already in her school robes. She had brown bushy hair and seemed to glance around the compartment a moment. "Yes?" Harry asked.

"Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost his." She said.

Harry shook his head. "Dust, find it." It didn't mean he wasn't willing to help. He sat down as the crow took off out of the compartment. Harry closed his eyes.

"Oh! You're reading some of the course material already as well?" The girl asked, sitting down near Ron as she saw Harry's book. "Oh, I'm Hermione Granger by the way."

"Charmed." Harry said drolly. "Yes, I am reading the course material already. It is the fourth time I've read that particular book, wanting to make sure I understand the theoretical long before I begin to prepare on the practical. My name is John Doe."

"You're an unknown man?" Hermione asked, sounding amused. "Or your name is embarrassing. I doubt anyone but a Muggle Born would get the joke."

Harry kept his eyes close. "No, my name really is John Doe." He said flatly and bluntly. "My adoptive family had the last name of Doe and named me John as a joke because the orphanage didn't have a birth certificate for me." It was a lie of course.

"And you are?" Hermione's voice changed slightly, indicating to Harry that she turned to look at Ron.

"Ron Weasley." Ron offered.

"One car back, fourth compartment on the left." Harry said suddenly, his eyes opening. It wasn't long before Dust came back and settled on Harry's shoulder.

"How did you know that?" Hermione asked, standing up quickly to go get the toad.

Harry smirked a bit. "Magic Ms. Granger." He offered. He'd keep the fact that Dust was his familiar to himself as long as he possibly could. Due to their bond, Harry could literally see with Dust's eyes. All Harry had to do was close his eyes.

Hermione gave a huff before heading out. It was obvious she didn't like that catch all statement.

"Round three, double or nothing?" Harry asked Ron once the door was closed once more.

Ron nodded enthusiastically as the board was once again set up. "What did you mean by wanting to understand the theory behind the Magic?" he asked.

"I despise subpar work and slacking off Mr. Weasley." Harry said rather bluntly. "I have a goal and I know the first step to that goal. Working towards that goal will not leave me a lot of time on my hands, so I will have to do as much work as quickly as possible while keeping my quality to my standards or better. Since I have gotten to book, I have read it as much as possible while also taking notes on what I have read, jotting down things to ask our Professors about."

Ron nodded slowly. "So what is your goal John?" he asked.

Harry smirked. "That's a secret Mr. Weasley, one I plan to keep for as long as possible."

Ron left it alone and they started play their third game. Harry watched Ron more than the game, looking for any possible tells or bluffs. Ron hid it all behind a mask of smugness at his ability to play Chess. Harry was quite soundly beaten a third time and passed over the four Galleons. He had lost the rough equivalent of forty pounds already.

Harry leaned back, studying the board. He had not derived a method to win against Ron in all three of their games. "You, Mr. Weasley, have a talent. I would talk to a few born of Non-magical parents to make friends. They might be able to get you books on chess strategy and books on Bobby Fischer, a prodigious Chess Player of the Non-magical world."

Ron flushed a bit, his ears turning red once more at the praise. But then he noticed something he had to ask about. "Why do you call Muggles Non-magicals?"

Harry shrugged. "It is accurate enough, and seems less disrespectful than calling them Muggles. They are still human, and as such deserve to be treated with the respect you would give another human."

Harry's attention snapped to the door being forcefully opened with a pompous looking blonde strolling in with two that were obviously the dumb muscle of the Triumvirate. "I am looking for Harry Potter, word is he's on this train."

Harry rose to his feet. "He's not in here. Just Mr. Weasley and myself."

The blonde looked to Ron with cool blue eyes before looking back to Harry. "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." Malfoy then stuck his hand out.

Harry heard Ron snort. "Manners Mr. Weasley." He said. "Doe, John Doe." Harry accepted the hand shake for what it was.

"Doe?" Malfoy asked. "Are you some sort of Muggle-born?" he asked with obvious contempt.

"Couldn't tell you." Harry lied smoothly, shrugging his shoulders. "My adoptive guardians are Non-magical, yes. But I don't particularly know about my lineage, I'm sure Gringotts will help me but I didn't have the time to go through a lengthy ritual to find my bloodline over this past summer."

Malfoy regarded Harry with reigned contempt. He obviously didn't want to insult a possible pureblood who could be a valuable ally. But at the same time, he was utterly disgusted by Harry's Non-magical upbringing. "You'll find some Wizarding families are better than others, Doe." Malfoy said, glancing to Ron for a moment before back to Harry's eyes. "I can help you there."

Harry regarded the outstretched hand again. "I will need time to consider your offer Mr. Malfoy. Now, you were interrupting a chess game. I can see obvious animosity between you and Mr. Weasley and seeing as he was here first, it is only polite that you are asked to leave."

Malfoy raked a sneer at Ron before he had a smiling façade towards Harry. "Of course, it is only polite. I am also looking for someone, so I best be off anyways." Malfoy then moved out of the compartment with his dumb muscle. Harry closed the door behind him.

Harry sat down across from Ron and set up a fourth game between them. It looked like Ron was quite angry. "What was that about? Telling me about manners?" Ron demanded.

Harry glanced up at Ron. "Manners, Mr. Weasley. These are what separate a civilized individual from an uncivilized individual. Manners and respect, as much as it galls you to give them, must always be shown to those of social equals or superiors. Manners and respect offer a much better impression of an individual. You knocked, seeing a sign, and as such you were admitted and we've had a civilized conversation about chess while playing these wonderful games for four hours now. Mr. Malfoy just barged in without knocking. This gives a bad impression of him and I would not have him staying in here any longer than was absolutely necessary."

Ron was playing a far more aggressive game because of his anger and making a few mistakes that Harry was able to capitalize on. "But it's Malfoy!"

"Yes, and this makes Manners and respect all the more important." Harry said as he took Ron's Queen. "Think of it this way, Mr. Malfoy has a name in the Wizarding World, you can see it in the way he holds himself. He has money and breeding. Imagine you're both at the same position in a company or part of Government, both ready for a promotion. You have a friend that has breeding, money, and a name in the Wizarding World. You're not necessarily great friends, but he puts a word in with your supervisor and Mr. Malfoy's father has put a word in as well.

"This is where Respect and Manners come in Mr. Weasley. Your supervisor sees you calling Mr. Malfoy precisely that in a bland, uninterested tone, where Mr. Malfoy calls you Weasley in his usual condescending tone. The promotion will put you on par with your supervisor. Will your Supervisor promote someone that is condescending to his equal, or respectful to his equal?" Harry asked.

Ron stewed for a while, clearly angry but thinking about what was being said. It was clear though while he had anger troubles, Ron was able to learn from his anger, and Harry's words. Finally, Ron started to play like he had the entire trip and quite soundly beat Harry one last time. Harry passed over another four Galleons.

Harry shifted the empty tea tray around from his trunk. He then got his robes and made quick work of changing throwing them on over his body. He wasn't going to change into the school uniform when his current outfit was inoffensive. Granted, he would wear his uniform every day he was there, but it did not make sense for him to change just yet.

Harry then politely stepped out with Dust when Ron said he was changing into his uniform.

Harry breathed slowly and deeply, in and out in though. While Ron's anger might have made him a candidate for the Rider of the Red Horse, there was no lust for battle. And that was exactly what was needed. There needed to be battle lust, even if just barely restrained.

So Harry checked him off a mental list.

Hermione and Malfoy were checked off the same mental list. They were not candidates for the Horsemen. There would be certain… attributes that the other three would show. It was fine though, he had plenty of time to look for them. Dust had told him that all four would be at Hogwarts this year.

But that was Harry's only hint, which really thinking about it wasn't much of a hint. Would it be only first years? Would it include everyone? Would any of them be a member of the staff?

His thoughts were interrupted when Ron came out. "We're supposed to leave our trunks here. They get taken up to the castle for us." He said.

Harry nodded and adjusted his cap again, noting how out of place it was. He swapped it out for the hood of his robes that he had custom put on there. He took a moment to put the cap in his trunk. He then headed out, keeping his hood down.

"Firs' years, over here! Firs' years, over here!" Harry heard called out, but his attention was drawn elsewhere. Ron was too occupied with the large man to watch Harry slip away.

Harry found himself encountering quite possibly the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. He ran his hand along its skeletal appearance, feeling the soft flesh of its body. It was obviously a horse of some sort, with beautiful wings. He felt a kinship and familiarity with the creature. Harry found himself getting up onto the pale horse like creature and rubbing the sides of its neck.

He was quite glad for his hood as some of the older students began to point and whisper, with words making their way around. It turned out most people couldn't actually see what he was sitting on unless they had seen Death. And it was a Thestral. Well, Harry liked it. He was riding it up to the castle.

A prefect finally broke things up and told Harry to get down. But seeing as the carriage behind Harry was full, he gently nudged his heels into the Thestral. It began to gallop up the hill, bouncing Harry up and down a bit while his legs stayed tucked in behind the wings.

Harry could honestly care less that the people in the carriage were whispering about what he was doing. He felt alive while he rode the Thestral, like it was right.

When the Thestral came to a stop, Harry slid off of it and petted it gently on the head. "Thank you." He told it softly before moving away. He saw where the boats were coming to a stop and made his way over to them.

"John!" Ron said as Harry made his way closer. "Where did you go? How did you get up here?" he asked.

"A Thestral Mr. Weasley, I rode with the upper years perched on one of Hogwarts' beautiful Thestrals." Harry said, his voice conveying his absolute enjoyment of riding the creature.

"Yeh can see 'em then?" The Giant of a man asked, coming up behind Harry.

"I can." Harry said, having to look up a bit to see the man, but that was okay. His hood was still low enough to cover the scar, and the red tips of his hair were bound to throw anyone off, even if it was the color that his mother had for her hair.

"Would yeh like ter help me feed 'em sometime?"

"I might very well take you up on that offer Mr…"

"Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper o' Keys and Grounds here at Hogwarts." Hagrid held his hand out.

Harry felt his hand get engulfed by the man's large mitt. "John Doe, I think I would like to help you feed the Thestrals sometime Mr. Hagrid." Harry then stepped aside to let the man pass and continue to lead them inside.

"Here they are Professor McGonagall." Hagrid said to a stern looking woman once they came inside.

And Harry lost interest. With no disrespect to the Professor intended, his mind was still on the Thestrals. It was a hard act to follow really. She would have had to shifted from a cat or something into the stern woman before them for Harry to focus fully on her.

So he only listened with only a half interested ear as McGonagall spoke about the Houses and what they were. How they'd be like family, something about House Points and a cup at the end of the year. It went into what Harry deemed as useless information. McGonagall then left to go see if 'they' were ready for them with a mention to smarten up.

Harry didn't lower his hood.

Some people asked about for Harry Potter, wondering where he was. Some speculated that he was only coming as a formality, that he had somehow been trained by Merlin himself. Some speculated he was coming in style by flying in on an Egyptian Blackscale, never minding that that particular species of Dragon was extinct.

Eventually McGonagall came back and led them in amongst the other students. Harry glanced around, hearing Hermione mention that the ceiling was enchanted to show the outside sky. He ignored it. It wasn't something to do with Thestrals. He felt Dust bat the back of his head with its wings.

Before them sat a stool with a hat placed on top of it. The hat looked quite ragged and mundane to Harry until a seam split open and it started to sing. Harry's back stiffened at its opening verse. "So the Four come once more to Hogwarts." But the rest of the verses after that spoke of the Founders and the Houses, so Harry wondered if it might have been a Fluke. Or were the Founders' Heirs there?

"When I call your name, come up and place the Sorting Hat on your head to be sorted into your House. Abbot, Hannah!" McGonagall said loudly and a young blonde went forward, obviously worried.

"Hufflepuff!" the hat roared out after a brief moment on her head. The table two to his right erupted with applause for Hannah and Harry noted they had black and yellow colors.

And thus the sorting commenced, with Ron mentioning about how he'd kill his brothers for saying they had to wrestle a troll to be sorted. Harry was slightly amused at that. When his fake name was supposed to be called there was some questions from Ron about it, but Harry gently nudged him with his elbow. The redhead would see why soon enough.

Sally-Anne Perks was sorted into Hufflepuff. "Potter, Harry!" McGonagall called out.

Harry lowered his hood and made his way forward. Whispers and silence followed him as he headed to the stool. He stared at it impassively before he sat down and Dust flitted down to his knee.

"Mr. Potter, only Owls, toads, rats, or cats are allowed as Pets here at Hogwarts." McGonagall said.

"Professor McGonagall, Dust is not a pet. Dust is my familiar and you're holding up this ceremony." Harry said in a tight whisper. Unfortunately because everyone was waiting with bated breath, people heard his whisper and began to pass the message that he had a familiar along.

Harry grit his teeth quite audibly as the hat was placed on his head. "Let's see here… Oh my… Occlumency shields, I haven't seen these in quite some time." Harry heard the statement and locked down his mind, letting his conscious and memories go to Dust.

Harry was inside his mind as a specter. He couldn't be seen, he couldn't be heard, and he couldn't even be felt. He watched the hat fall to the damp cobblestone of the Labyrinth that he had set up as his defense. "Right then… here we go…" The hat then formed itself a body made of the same tattered leather, with the hat acting as the head. Harry could see the body was just a shell, with emptiness being the core.

The hat then took off running at a wall and simply passed through it. Harry chased after it, quickly over taking the hat. He was using words he had only heard Vernon and Marge use, generally when talking about him. Harry was throwing up defense after defense before the hat, but it just passed right through them.

Harry felt his spectral form yanked back as the Hat made it to the central core of his defense, where he and Dust had merged their conscious temporarily.

It was a dark room with Ivory colored furniture and bookshelves filled to the brim with books. It was impossible to determine which book belonged to Harry and which belonged to Dust. They both sat in a chair before a fire place.

The hat scooped its hat off its body and bowed before placing the hat back on. "Greetings Pale Rider." The hat said.

"How did you get in here?" Harry asked, standing up slowly. He was prepared to fight. He had never had his defenses tested like this before.

"Peace Mr. Potter." The hat held up both hands. "When I was created, I was enchanted with enough enchantments to pass unharmed through even an Occlumency Master's barriers. Occlumency won't ever hinder me. However, given that is prying into someone's personal life, the Founders also enchanted me to keep every secret to only the one with the secret. So you being the Horsemen of Death will only remain between you and me unless you tell someone else. Excellent shields by the way, while they would not withstand a direct blast from a Legillims Master, they will hold the passive scans at bay."

Harry did not like it, but he slowly sat down again. He wasn't going to separate his and Dust's minds though, but he watched the bookshelves morph into two separate ones. One filled with books, the other filled with scrolls.

"Every defense Pale Rider." The hat said knowingly as he went to the books and began to rifle through them, not even reading, just flipping the pages. "I must sort you properly after all. Quite a bit in here, excellent mind. No shortage of bravery either. Fair cunning, and loyalty to those you deem worth it. To be fair Mr. Potter, you could fit in well with any House of Hogwarts."

"Except the people." Harry said rather bluntly.

"Yes, except the people. You bow to no one, why should you? You are Death after all. And there are elements within Slytherin that would expect you to bow. You also cannot tolerate rudeness, a fine trait if I say so myself. No, Slytherin is not the house for you. You would likely have a blood bath within a few weeks.

"So we come to Gryffindor. Home of the Brave and Courageous. Plenty of Bravery here. Climbing to the top of your primary school with no gear, quite an accomplishment Mr. Potter. But it was not to do anything more than to prove you could do it. Given your silent demeanor and search for the other Riders, I do not think Gryffindor would best suit you.

"Hufflepuff, there is not much need for me to talk about. You are loyal and unafraid of hard work. You even take it to a whole other level. And for someone you care for you would storm the Gates of Hell itself without hesitation. But you won't open up to just anyone. You like your solitude. No, the house of Badgers is not for you.

"Which leaves me only one choice, and from what I have seen… Better be RAVENCLAW!"

Harry was yanked out of his mind to see the house of blue and bronze erupting in cheer. A small professor towards the head of the table stood up on his seat with both fists pumped into the air. "Yes!"

"One last thing Mr. Potter, the other three have already been Sorted and they are students."

Harry went to the table, pondering that statement. The hat was helping him find the other Three horsemen in the only way it was allowed to. They were students that had already been sorted.

Harry glanced over the assembled students. That didn't necessarily mean they weren't first year students though.

Harry promptly fell into though, ignoring the questions around him as he sat towards the head of the table. He was going to think more on this matter.

Chapter End

A/N: So Harry has been sorted into Ravenclaw. This is… well it's quite frankly based on the fact that I have one Rider per house.

This won't be a Golden Trio type story. Harry will interact with Hermione and Ron, but he's not going to be 'best mates' with them.

As you can also see, I'm trying very hard not to bash anyone on purpose.

I don't think I need to explain why Harry can see Thestrals.