Still grinning, Harry glanced at Hermione as they waited to be sorted. Everything was going as planned.

While many would say that Lily Potter's blood ran strong in her kind and giving son, Harry was also Prongs' son and the nephew of Moony and Padfoot; if they thought he was not going to raise hell, they were sorely mistaken. Especially after the Blacks found out it was Dumbledore who had left Harry on his aunt's doorstep all those years ago without permission from the Ministry.

Hermione slipped her hand from Harry's as she went to sit on the stool, throwing him a wink before the Sorting Hat fell down over her eyes.

Hermione sat calmly, legs crossed, as the Hat shifted on her head, looking quite smug until it seemed to meet resistance and began squirming on her head with a mulish expression. After five minutes and much fidgeting from the students the Hat sighed exasperatedly and yelled, "Alright! HUFFLEPUFF!"

Hermione hopped off the stool with a smirk and handed the Sorting Hat back to a bemused Professor McGonagall as she made her way to the cheering table of yellow and ebony.

A few minutes later "Potter-Black, Harry" was called and up he went, the Sorting Hat shading his eyes as the hall buzzed with anticipation; Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs all hoping to be the house to get the 'Great Harry Potter', but once again the Sorting Hat seemed upset and took its time. If it could have, the Hat would have been red in the face as it yelled in frustration, "What is it with you kids and fighting with me?! Can you never make things easy for me?!"

The startled students and teachers missed the quiet, amused, "No" before the Sorting Hat deflated and sighed, "Fine then, HUFFLEPUFF!"

The hall went silent for a moment before Hermione started clapping as Harry came to sit beside her, the rest of their house joining in quickly. The rest of the Sorting went without incident, and soon the Feast began. While the older Hufflepuffs seemed excited to have Harry among them, they restrained themselves and tried to treat him like the other first years, keeping the conversation to backgrounds and helpful tips, heading younger students off when their questions became too invasive.

Harry gave Hermione's hand a squeeze as they neared the end of dessert, their eyes meeting briefly before the entire head table was coated in sticky, pink bubble gum with a loud pop. Above the dumbfounded teachers hung a message that had every student who had heard the stories gasping and murmuring among themselves.

Written in crackling purple and gold sparks were the words, "Beware, the Marauders' Heirs have come!"

'Yes,' Harry thought to himself with a smirk as all hell broke loose and Hermione gripped his hand tighter as she tried to hold in her giggles, 'this is going to be a very interesting year."