A Change in History: The Philosopher's Stone

A HP Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I do not own HP.

Chapter Four: A Different Perspective

"Nott, Theodore!"

Theo grimaced. "I hate that name," he muttered as he stumped forward, grumbling quietly to himself. Blaise watched him go before turning back to the Ravenclaw table. Damien didn't look too happy, but then again, neither was Draco, or Hermione, for that matter. He felt his eyes narrow on the last one. She should have been in Ravenclaw, from what he could gather of her demeanor. She probably wished she was there right now, too, he'd bet.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Blaise snorted. That was to be expected. Theo traipsed off to sit beside Draco. The blonde reached up and yanked him viciously onto the bench next to him, leaning in and hissing in his ear. Blaise turned away in slight disgust. No need to wonder what was going on there; Draco was fuming.

"Parkinson, Pansy!" The pug-nosed girl was almost immediately proclaimed a Slytherin and Blaise watched in abject amusement as the girl shoved Theo out of his seat, attaching herself like glue to Draco's robes. The boy flinched and Blaise cackled quietly to himself. He would admit that the blonde deserved it. Theo stood and glared at Pansy's back angrily before stomping off to Hermione's end of the table. The bushy haired Muggleborn glanced up at his approach and visibly brightened. Now that was interesting. Lonesome, was she? Her fault.

Two girls, twins, obviously, were sorted next; "Patil, Padma" went to Ravenclaw and took a seat across from Damien, leaning forward to engage him in conservation while her sister, "Patil, Parvati" flounced off to Gryffindor like a stuffed up peacock. Blaise sneered at her back, peeking at the red and gold clad students in revulsion. Were they all like that?

"Perks, Sally-Anne" was proclaimed a Hufflepuff in the short time that Blaise had lost focus, and "Thomas, Dean" was also made a Gryffindor. "Turpin, Lisa" was the next Ravenclaw, and she positioned herself next to the Patil girl. Blaise noted that Damien's face was growing more annoyed by the second.

"Weasley, Ron" approached the stool now, and Blaise knew that he was next. He was the only one left standing, after all. The red haired boy was green by this point. Blaise sniggered. Weasley collapsed in relief when the hat finally shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" and Blaise stepped forward before his name was even called, giving the Professor holding the scroll a cold look as he seated himself and placed the hat on his head, not bothering to wait for her.

'Well well well, what have we here?' A hushed voice whispered in his ear. To his credit Blaise didn't even stiffen. 'Tough, aren't you? Intelligent, too. You would make a good Slytherin.'

Blaise hesitated, feeling as though he could see Damien sitting alone at the Ravenclaw table even though the heavy material of the hat was concealing his eyes.

'Loyal. A good trait, but the decision is up to you. Ravenclaw or Slytherin? You cannot be in both.'

Blaise considered. His mother wanted him in Slytherin, as she had been, but Damien was by himself in Ravenclaw, and Blaise sought to be with his best friend. Which to choose? He could already feel a headache forming. Distantly his ears picked up the faint murmurs of the room beyond his view, and he wondered how long he had been up here already, drowning in the deafening silence. Ravenclaw or Slytherin?

The Hat could easily sense his indecision and carefully sifted through his mind, looking for something. Blaise was about to ask the thing what it thought it was doing when

'His mother looked down at him, meeting his gaze in response to his unheard question. She seemed to tower over him, all dark skin and black hair and glittering eyes. A cold smile pulled at her full, painted lips as she regarded him.

"Slytherin, of course," she purred, giving him a dangerous look, her already narrow eyes becoming slits in her heart-shaped face.. "You'd be worthless to me otherwise."'

and

'Blaise was ten again. Faintly he could hear Harry's tortured screams, his fists beating the ground brutally, and Theo and Draco looked at him with wide, lost eyes.

"We stand by him," I told them silently, allowing my gaze to hold theirs for those few moments. They looked back, acceptance in their faces, and Draco stepped forward to help his family prepare for the trip back to their home with the distraught Heir. Blaise watched Harry for a moment, a sudden sadness pushing him to the brink of an endless chasm, before he turned away and forced himself to walk back to his mother and then-father.'

'Have you chosen?'

Oh, he had.

'Good. Then let it be—'

"RAVENCLAW!"

Blaise let out a sigh of relief as the applause washed over him, allowing the old woman to take the hat from his head. Draco stared at him in confusion, but Blaise caught Theo's eye and the scrawny boy inclined his head slightly, nodding towards Damien. His comrade looked up as he drew near.

The inquiry came immediately. "Why didn't you go to Slytherin?"

Blaise hesitated only slightly in sitting beside his friend, ignoring the handshakes and congratulations offered from those around him before patting Damien on the shoulder.

"I wasn't about to leave you alone here with a bunch of girls." The two females in question purpled and glared at him from across the table, but he disregarded them. Damien gave him a heartfelt smile of gratitude as the Headmaster stood to address them.

Albus Dumbledore surveyed the room with a grandfatherly smile, his eyes twinkling brightly at the new students. Blaise could distinctly feel a dangerous aura rise from the boy next to him, but he refused to look in Damien's direction. He had to get himself under control on his own.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

Blaise wasn't one to openly show emotions, but for this instant he allowed himself that privilege. He stared at the old man in puzzlement before a derisive snort tore him away. Damien glared at the Headmaster, an odd look in his eyes. For a fleeting moment Blaise wondered what his companion was thinking before he pushed it away, reluctantly clapping along with the rest of the students. Damien's hands didn't move from the tabletop.

The clinking of metal against metal brought his attention back to the present, and Blaise reached forward without the slightest hint of surprise to dish himself up some baked beans and roast beef, watching out of the corner of his eye as Damien did the same. Blaise picked up his fork and poked at the meat on the golden plate before him, wondering where to start. A cool draft wafted through the back of his robes, though, and he jumped, startled. A tinkling giggle floated to his ears, and he twisted around in his seat to look. The Grey Lady—for that was the universal name for the ghost of Ravenclaw—stood—as much as a spirit can, anyways—behind him, smiling at him softly in amusement. Blaise placed his fork back on the table, turning around to face her fully.

"So, you're the new students," she started as Blaise opened his mouth to introduce himself. He flushed slightly and clamped his jaws shut, feeling them work in irritation at being cut off. Patil and Turpin giggled and he grimaced. Instead of snapping at them, though, he forced a smile to his face and inclined his head in something of a bow.

"Blaise Zabini." He offered, not one to be impolite. And to be shown up by a ghost, no less! Unbelievable.

"I think you already know who I am, but for the sake of manners I shall introduce myself. I am the Grey Lady, the ghost of Ravenclaw House. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Blaise Zabini." Damien snorted next to him.

"Will you two stop flirting with each other? I'm trying to eat over here." Blaise turned to him, intent upon reprimanding the Dark Heir for his manners, before a soft laugh make him pause.

"Oh, I like you," The Grey Lady proclaimed, now beaming her smile upon Damien. "And you are?"

Damien didn't look up from his plate. "Damien Morgan." The Grey Lady nodded to him in acknowledgement before excusing herself, floating off to talk to a few of the older students. Blaise returned to his food, noting in disappointment that it had gone slightly cold in his distraction. He shrugged and picked up his fork again, shoving the first bite of beef into his mouth. Patil made a face at him and Damien laughed when Blaise began to choke.

Dinner went on, and dessert came and went before the Headmaster stood again, the plates wiped clean of all traces of food.

"Ahem—just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Damien sniggered as Dumbledore's eyes landed on the red-haired twins seated at the Gryffindor table. Blaise shot him a bemused look but he waved it away, silently telling him they'd talk about it later. "Quidditch tryouts will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Damien and Blaise both looked at each other and burst out laughing, much to the bewilderment of those around them. Dumbledore looked at them, his eyes twinkling.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" The other teacher's smiles faltered at that, and it seemed to take some effort on their part to keep them up. The Headmaster flicked his wand and a long gold ribbon appeared, twisting itself to form the lyrics.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune, and off we go!"

All around them students began to chant, some managing to stay in key, others screeching hideously. Damien and Blaise looked at each other incredulously, both sealing their lips and refusing to make a sound, let alone sing.

The Weasley twins (for what else could they be?) were the last to finish, a slow funeral march echoing around the hollowed chamber as they reached the last few lines. Dumbledore conducted them enthusiastically, wiping at his eyes when they finished.

"Ah, music; a magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The scraping of chairs filled the Hall as the students stood, older students with badges that Blaise took to be the Prefects gesturing for the first years to follow them. They filed after the young man, pacing down twisting corridors and up rotating staircases, past whispering portraits. Blaise grimaced as Turpin bumped into him. He hated closed spaces.

"Here we are," announced a voice some distance ahead of them, and the two pushed their way to the front, ignoring the cries of indignation that followed them in their wake. By the time they reached the front the Prefect had already given the password ("Merlin") and the portrait hole had swung open, allowing them entry.

Inside was a collage of bronze and blue. Dark indigo draperies shadowed the windows and burnished bookshelves lined the walls, the tomes carefully arranged within lovingly cared for. A fire roared in the hearth, casting dimness over the bronze and navy armchairs and couches placed around the chamber. The Prefect strode in, not giving his surroundings a glance, and motioned to the two staircases winding out of sight.

"Girls to your left, boys to your right." Damien looked at Blaise and shrugged, stepping forward first and leading the way up the flight of steps. At each landing was a door with a plaque announcing the years to which each room belonged. The seventh years came first, then the sixth, the fifth, the fourth—

Finally they reached the first year landing, at the very top of the tower, and Damien pushed the door open noiselessly. Seven beds fanned out in a semi circle around the edges of the room, navy drapes and bronze headrests looming out through the darkness. Damien stepped in and located his at the far reaches of the chamber; Blaise's just next to his. The two boys collapsed onto the soft feather mattresses as the other lads piled in, changing into their bedclothes as they conversed in hushed whispers. Damien turned onto his side and regarded Blaise through the half-darkness; somewhere between coming in and now someone had lit a lamp across the room.

"How'd your day turn out, Blaise?"

The dark skinned boy stared at Damien before sighing and standing, moving to change his clothes himself.

"It was…interesting."

A/N: Before you say anything, this chapter was meant to be short. This was mainly from a Blaise point of view, though I kept to the traditional third-person. I wasn't sure myself whether or not to put him in Slytherin, but I finally decided on Ravenclaw, if only because Damien shouldn't be alone. The other five Ravenclaw boys of their year are Michael Corner, Terry Boot, Stephen Cornfoot, Kevin Entwhistle and Anthony Goldstein. The Ravenclaw girls in their year are: Mandy Brocklehurst, Su Li, Morag McDougal, Padma Patil and Lisa Turpin.

ON another note, everyone in the Hall did hear the Hat almost proclaim him a Gryffindor, which is partly why Draco looked so betrayed. As many of you have guessed, Hermione wanted to be in Slytherin because Harry was thought to be going there; you saw how well that turned out.

For now, Damien will be Damien unless there is a flashback, like earlier when Blaise was remembering the day the Dark Lord fell from his point of view. Damien was still called Harry back then. I hope that doesn't confuse you. Hermione may or may not be dark in this story, though I'm tending more towards making her dark right now. The Sorting Hat kept Damien from Slytherin on purpose, though why won't be revealed yet, sorry. Is the Dark Lord disappointed in his son's House? No way to know…yet. :)

This year is going to be more fun to write than I had previously thought…