Has anyone ever told you guys you are frickin' amazing, because all of you definitely are! I still can't stop smiling from your comments! Sorry it has been a little while since I last posted, was trying to transfer schools. I'm not completely done with the process, but I should be within the next few days hopefully. J I'm really nervous about this chapter because I want to do this story justice. Thank you to everyone that commented, followed, favorite, etc., etc., J At the end of this chapter I will try to actually respond to all the comments, even just to thank you. Also, since this story has been posted to both ao3 and Fanfiction I've decided to add all comments together so if someone asks something, everyone who might have wonder about the answer will receive an answer. If this is bad for you, then I can try something else if I can. All responses are at the end. Again thank you so much! You have truly made my lifetime. Keep bringing the smiles! Sorry again for the additions at the end. The chapter is about the same length as usual without the additions.

Same chapter, took off the comments

I do not own Harry Potter

I own a new phone though and it makes me very happy and more able to read fanfiction.

xxxx

Chapter 3

There was a stunned silence while Professor McGonagall took the sorting hat off of his head. The professor herself looked a little startled, but recovered quickly.

"Off you go, Mr. Potter," she said.

Harry stood up and finally heard clapping. Looking over at the Gryffindor table, Harry could see Fred, George, and Lee all standing and clapping. Hearing and seeing this, Harry smiled and started towards the Slytherin table. The Slytherins finally began to clap, the noise, soon deafening.

Harry smiled at his new house mates. And watched the last few students get sorted. After the sorting ended, a person in the middle of the High Table, as a student to his left called it, stood up.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," began an older man with a long white beard and twinkling eyes. He seemed to be wearing very odd colored robes. "I have a few notices. I would like to remind all students that the Forbidden Forest is completely off limits to all students. Also, the third floor corridor on the right-hand side, I have been reminded, is out of bounds for all students who do not wish to die a most painful death." Painful death? Thought Harry. What kind of school is this?

"And lastly, a few parting words. Lemon drops and festive socks. Let the festivities begin," ended the man with a flourish of his hands. Food appeared in huge amounts on every inch of the table. Harry began to eat in earnest. Ghosts started to appear throughout the room, startling first years and older students alike, and one in particular, the Bloody Baron, came over to where Harry was sitting.

"Hello, young student, I am the Blood Baron!"

"Oh hello sir, how do you do," replied Harry, putting his utensils down.

"I have been well. Do enjoy Slytherin house," the ghost said, floating away.

Well that was slightly odd. Thought Harry as he resumed his meal. People from all over the Great Hall kept glancing at him, the Slytherins seemingly surprised at the Bloody Baron speaking to him, but no one attempted to speak to him until the meal was over. Prefects everywhere started to shout for the first years of their house to follow them. A little paper bird flew over and landed on Harry's shoulder. Opening it up, he read the letter.

Harry,

Congrats on getting sorted into Slytherin, sorry we can't talk right now, but you need to go find your common room. We will see you tomorrow at breakfast. Oh and to wake up on time use the spell Usque in Tempus while creating a figure eight in the air with your wand then say the time of when you wish to get up, curfew ends at 6 and breakfast starts at 7. Me and George were late our first day. No one remembered to wake us up. Good luck in the Snake's Pit. We'll see you tomorrow.

Lee says Hi!

-Fred

PS: You can sit with us tomorrow if you want in the morning. You only have to sit with your house during feasts and the like. Good Luck

-George

I wish I knew how to send a response! Harry thought with a small smile. He continued to follow his fellow year-mates out of the Great Hall. The Prefect for Slytherin house turned down a corridor once we left the Great Hall and took us deeper and deeper into the castle, explaining little things to the first years when he thought of them.

"Welcome to Slytherin House," said the Prefect. "My name is Terance Higgs and I am the 6th year Slytherin Prefect. If you need anything or have any questions ask our Head of House, Professor Snape, another Slytherin with a Prefect badge, or me. While at Hogwarts, the Slytherin Dungeons are your home," he paused as we came up to a wall. "This is the entrance to our common room. The password for the next two weeks is Noctem Aurora," he spoke the last two words and the wall split open. "Follow me into the Common Room."

"Our First years are roomed two to a room here in Slytherin house. The boy's corridor is down the right-hand stairs, to the first floor for you guys until you leave Hogwarts. The girl's is the same, but to the left. Go choose your rooms and set out your uniform for tomorrow. Our Head of House will call for a first year meeting in thirty minutes. Be swift."

Then, Higgs walked off to another corridor. The first years began to follow their instructions. Harry followed after and waited until it seemed everyone had chosen a room. Looking towards the room that remained un-opened so far, Harry entered and found his trunk at the foot of a four poster, full sized bed. The bed was draped with green curtains and sheets, with a silver comforter over the top. Harry unpacked his books from his trunk into a small side table next to his bed and his clothes into a small wardrobe next to the wall. Harry looked over to the other side of the room and saw it was empty.

That's odd. I thought I heard another boy enter. Harry thought.

After he shook himself from his musings, he looked at his the old watch in his pocket. It was too big for him to wear, but he had become used to carrying it in his pocket. The watch said fifteen minutes had passed from the allotted thirty, but he was already done. Deciding he should get there early Harry grabbed his potion's book for studying and entered the deserted corridor and climbed the stairs to the common room. The common room seemed empty when the young boy looked around, so he went a lightly sat on one of the sofas near the fire for extra light. Immersed in his textbook, Harry didn't notice when the Head of Slytherin entered the common room from an inconspicuous door. The man stopped and stared at the young first year, hardly believing his eyes.

He's reading before school starts? A Potter? And a potions text no less? Professor Snape thought. This has to be a joke of some kind. Deciding to try and change the scene that was clearly a nightmare, the professor cleared his throat.

The boy startled.

"Oh! I'm sorry professor, I didn't notice you there," exclaimed the, at once, nervous boy.

"Yes, that is obvious," replied the man with clear disdain. Harry blushed.

At that moment, other students started to fill the common room and the professor turned away from the still blushing boy.

"Attention first years," the man drawled. "Welcome to Slytherin house. As I'm sure our Deputy Headmistress, Professor McGonagall, explained to you, your Hogwarts house is your family. Slytherin house upholds certain expectations for our occupants. They are as follows: No foolish wand waving or spell casting at any time; Appropriate attire is to be worn at all times; All school assignments are to be turned in on time and completed to the best of your ability; Use common sense before your actions, remember in many ways we are better than the other houses. Protect your fellow housemates. Hogwarts is filled with extreme prejudice amongst the students and a few of the teachers. A lot of this prejudice is geared towards anyone affiliated to the Slytherin house. If any rule breaking should result in house points taken or a reprimand from a faculty member, there will be harsh consequences doled out by none other than me, in addition. If there are any questions, ask me or one of the prefects within Slytherin. If a student of Slytherin is in need of an adult to talk to or listen, my office is always open. Please remember to knock on the wall next to any portraits that guard an entrance to a room instead of the portrait itself. I have been told repeatedly," at this the man sighed, "It is rude. That is all," and with those parting words, the professor swept from the room.

Once the man left, some students branched out into small groups throughout the room. Harry deciding he would rather return to his dorm room for the first night, picked his book up from its seat beside him and slipped unnoticed out of the common room. He made his way towards his room door. He didn't notice how it only appeared when he was with a few feet away from it because it was dark in the corridor. He also didn't notice the small engraving of a snake within the wall next to the door that flashed almost imperceptibly. Entering his still otherwise empty room, Harry grabbed his clothes and went through a door he noticed was in the wall on the other side of the room from his bed. Inside the door, like he had guessed, was a bathroom. A very nice bathroom. Harry thought to himself. Do I really get this room to myself? Harry wondered in awe. Harry continued into the bathroom and ran a bath in the large pond shaped bathtub. It was just large enough that he would be able to lay flat and float in the water comfortably. I guess being a Hogwarts student has its perks. After he finished his bath, Harry dried off and put his sleeping clothes on. Old threadbare flannel pants, too big socks, and a large old clean, but permanently stained, shirt. Harry walked the short distance to the sink and mirror and began to brush his teeth and later hair. Finishing up, Harry briefly finished his nightly routine and stepped out of the bathroom into the slightly dark room.

Climbing into bed, Harry took off his old broken glasses and placed them on the table next to his bed. He picked up his wand from the table and remembered to cast the spell the twins told him about, asking to be woken at 6 o'clock in the morning. Scooting down to get comfortable, Harry briefly wished the dungeon rooms had windows of some kind so he could see something of the Hogwarts grounds if it was even possible in the Dungeons. Harry then slipped off into sleep.

While Harry slept, he did not notice a small light emanating from the middle of the empty wall across from the door. He also did not notice how the light became briefly brighter and seemed to swallow the whole wall. And because he did not wake up to notice these things, he also failed to notice how the light dimmed and in the place of a wall was a huge window showing the insides of the Black Lake. No, Harry didn't notice any of these things, because for the first time in his life that he could remember, he slept completely peacefully.

I just changed it! Sorry for the inconvenience.