Chapter Seven
The castle was just how he remembered it. It looked as if it hadn't changed, the fact was proven when in flew the house ghosts.
"Now, we can't turn a blind eye to what Peeves has done in the past" Drawled one of them.
"Yes...But" Another started.
"Goodness, Young Harry!" a female ghost whispered, "I haven't seen you since...Just after you were one on September the first."
Harry blushed and nodded his head.
"Here at the right time" Drawled the first ghost.
"Yes, sir" Harry mumbled.
"And with no snakes…" teased the female ghost.
Harry blushed again and looked away.
"Off you go, the sorting is about to begin" Professor McGonagall said returning, her lips slightly up turned.
Harry sighed and crossed his arms, he had a feeling that the story would somehow spread through the school; he could only hope that he was wrong.
"What were they talking about?" Draco asked softly.
"Never you mind" Harry muttered.
"Please tell me" Draco pleaded softly.
"Fine, fine" Harry groaned.
Flashback
A fifteen month old Harry Potter sat in the corner of a large stone room clutching, in his right fist, five brightly colored lolly snakes. He was, by no means, alone it the large room…it was filled with boys and girls who were, of course, quite a bit taller than him. Harry watched the children, none of them knowing that there was a small boy in the room.
"'Ill!" Harry cried as he spotted Bill Weasley, Ron Weasley's older brother, the younger, he had played with a few times, but didn't really like.
The children spun around and faced Harry; Bill walked forward and knelt in front on Harry.
"Hey kiddo, what are you doing here?" Bill asked.
"No know" Harry answered.
"Suppose we should go see Professor McGonagall" Bill sighed, looking at Harry.
"Yay, Grandma Minnie" Harry cried.
"What was that, Mr. Weasley?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Harry, Professor." Bill replied, scooping Harry into his arms and turning to face McGonagall.
"Harry...What on earth?" Professor McGonagall gasped, hurrying forward "Thank you, Mr. Weasley!"
"Snake, 'Ill" Harry chirped happily, holding a snake out to Bill, "'Ill eat!"
"Thank you, Harry" Bill muttered taking the snake.
End Flashback
"Draco Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall called.
"Good luck" Harry whispered.
"You, too" Draco replied, moving towards the hat.
"Slytherin!" the hat yelled.
Harry smiled and clapped with everyone else, well except Ron, who Harry now remembered to be the red-haired kid in the store a month or so ago.
Harry watched as Hermione Granger got sorted into Gryffindor, along with Neville Longbottom, Theodore Nott got sorted into Slytherin.
"Another death eater's son" Ron grumbled.
"Nott's family was neutral" Harry snapped softly.
"Whatever" Ron hissed.
"Harry Potter!" Professor McGonagall called, breaking through the conversation.
Harry walked up to the hat, ignoring the comments about his height and other 'boy who lived' comments.
"Well, Well," the hat said, "Haven't you changed!"
"I had no choice." Harry replied.
"So I see...But, where to put you…" the hat murmured, "you are hard-working but not loyal, you are ambitious, cunning, sneaky, and hate getting caught. You hold research and memory over what you are told by adults and teachers. You much prefer to read a good book than to go pranking or do sports. You're brave but you're not reckless... I see much potential in...Yes... I suppose it will have to be...Slytherin!"
There was a stunned silence in the hall, nobody had expected the boy-who-lived to be in Slytherin...That was the house for people who were "evil", but as Harry started to move towards the table, the Slytherin started to clap loudly for their new housemate, earning glares from most of the other houses.
Dumbledore frowned, why the stupid hat couldn't do one simple thing and put the boy in Gryffindor was beyond him, but he'd have a talk with the boy. He couldn't allow Harry to be in a house where he was bound to go dark; after all he needed a savior… not another dark lord.
Harry's head snapped up, feeling more than a little annoyed at himself for not listening to the headmaster's speech and only just caught the bit about the forbidden corridor and the painful death. Harry suddenly wondered if this would be a yearly occurrence, but from the reactions of the others students, it hadn't happened before… so, what on earth was Dumbledore up to?
Harry frowned at Draco, who just shrugged and glanced at the old headmaster.
"Father did say he was a loony" Draco muttered.
"Food" cried two boys from the Gryffindor table, making him lose his train of thought.
The table was filled with all sorts of food, but the only thing Harry felt like eating was chicken and mashed potatoes, which he filled his plate to the brim with. He skipped the dessert, causing Theodore Nott and Blaize Zabini to ask if he was ok and Draco to eye him carefully. Which he most certainly was, he just didn't feel like indulging in that sort of food tonight.
"Now we are feed and watered, off to bed you trot" Dumbledore announced.
"What are we, horses?" Harry said while rolling his eyes.
"He seems to think so." a boy muttered next to him. The boy had black hair and bags around his eyes; he was small in structure and thin. "I'm Alex Black"
"Harry Potter" Harry greeted, "Sorry to ask, but are you related to Sirius Black?"
"Umm yeah, my uncle, hope that doesn't make you hate me" Alex whispered.
Harry looked towards Alex in confusion, why would he hate the other boy for being related to his godfather, it didn't make much sense. But before he could voice this, the prefects were calling for them to line up. Harry decided to leave it until he knew Alex better, that way he could concentrate on where he had to go.
Twenty minutes later, Harry found himself sitting on the floor of the common room. He found himself rather fond of the room; in fact, it was nearly the same colors he had decorated his house. They were waiting for their head of house. They didn't have to wait much longer before Professor Snape walked into the room.
Harry looked straight into the eyes of Professor Snape and was surprised to see a flash of hatred go through them.
"Right, first years, there are a few rules to go over. Some you might be able to guess," Professor Snape started, "Others will be filled in what you cannot guess, Mr. Potter shall start."
Harry blinked, then frowned, he was thinking of the best way to word the first rule. It had to be something about how the other house reacted every time someone was sorted into Slytherin.
"Stick together, as the other houses don't seem to like us" Harry suggested.
"Practically, Mr. Potter," Professor Snape said "The rule is in fact stated like this, Slytherins defend their own. We are too few and too mistrusted by others to afford internal battles"
"Anyone else?" Snape prompted, the first years shook their heads. "Older years"
"When someone suspects you of rule breaking, deny it and always blame someone else" a fifth year spoke up.
"If you mistrust a member, talk to Professor Snape."
"Channel anger and annoyance with fellow Slytherins into taunting and fighting with the other houses"
"Don't take insults lightly"
"You are not a coward, if you run from a fight beyond your abilities, you're intelligent"
"Never trust luck, it is like a Basilisk, it should only be your last resort"
"Never bring up a fellow Slytherin's blood or money, all we need for success is ambition"
"Never underestimate anyone, even if they seem weak, they could be acting"
"Pride and arrogance are two totally different things"
"Never let your guard down, anything can be lurking around the corner"
"Don't put all of your trust in wards, as they can be faulty or destroyed"
Harry gave a small shudder as the cold, cruel laugh and screams that sounded in his head.
"You alright?" Draco whispered.
"Mr. Malfoy, is there something you would like to share?" Professor Snape drawled.
"No" Draco started, but at the raise of an eyebrow, shot Harry a look that said sorry.
"I just asked Harry if he was ok" Draco mumbled.
"Really, and why would Mr. Malfoy think you were not, Mr. Potter?" Professor Snape asked.
"Draco knows about my eidetic memory" Harry answered, as he looked straight into their teacher's eyes.
"Next rule" Professor Snape said softly, he had gotten the subtle meaning.
"If ever in doubt or cornered, smile… it will confuse them and give you the upper hand."
"Nothing is ever for free—there is always a price!"
"Be Paranoid, it's the only way to survive as a Slytherin."
"Treat others the same way they treat you."
"Study, Knowledge is a power form all its own"
"Only regret an action when you are punished for it"
"Your best friends are sarcasm and irony"
"Rumors… listen to the ones that matter, work out if they are right or wrong, and ignore the ones made up by bored school girls"
"Being Normal doesn't matter"
"When there is a possibility of things going wrong, it will"
"There will never be enough of anything, keep fighting for more"
"Those are the rules, and I suggested that you follow them, you would not like the consequences, if you don't." Professor Snape drawled, "Now for the last thing tonight, first years are to come for a medical history."
"What?" a few of the girls asked.
"Shouldn't parents be asked?" Alex inquired.
"Of course not, Mr. Black," Professor Snape answered "The whole point is for them not to know."
Harry shifted uncomfortably; he knew what would be on his medical history and it was, by far, something that he didn't want to explain. However, that was when Professor Dumbledore entered the common room.
Harry noticed the Slytherins around him tense and glare at the old headmaster.
"Harry" Professor Dumbledore beamed.
"Headmaster," Harry drawled, "I believe that in my reply, I asked you to call me by my surname."
A few of older Slytherins chuckled at Dumbledore's face.
"Very well, Mr. Potter" Dumbledore said softly, "I wish to talk with you in my office."
"Headmaster, Potter was about to get his cheek up, can it not wait?" Professor Snape purred.
Harry glanced towards his head of house, there was no emotion, but Harry got the feeling that the Professor was mad because of the headmaster interrupting.
"I'm afraid not, Severus" Dumbledore answered "Come along, Harry."
Harry sighed softly, what was it with this man and forgetting to use his last name. With a last glance at Draco, Harry followed the headmaster out of the common room.
"Your parents were great students." Dumbledore said, suddenly filling in the silence of the castle.
"Ok" Harry muttered, unsure where this was going.
"Gryffindors" Dumbledore pointed out.
Harry frowned at the grown man before it clicked and he was brought to a sudden stop.
"You have a problem with my sorting." Harry muttered, pretending to be sad when inside he was furious.
"Well, Harry, I knew you when you were little" Dumbledore started, "As a baby, you were wonderful, such a good little boy, never cried, always well-mannered"
Harry sighed and perched on a window sill.
"Really?" Harry asked, bored. He already knew this, after all. If he thought about it the first and last time he had cried was when his mother and father had been murdered.
"Oh yes," Dumbledore continued, not noticing Harry's tone or the fact he had moved away. "I must admit, Harry, that I am a little disappointed that you're not in Gryffindor, as would your parents be. Neither were very fond of Slytherins; they all join Voldemort, in the end"
Harry nearly laughed as Dumbledore looked around trying to spot him. In the end, Harry settled with clearing his throat. Dumbledore's head snapped to where Harry was sitting.
"You were saying?" Harry prompted.
"Harry, as I've known you since birth...I know that the sorting hat made a huge mistake/" Dumbledore concluded.
"People change, Headmaster." Harry muttered sadly, "I have known many things that Baby me didn't, things that have changed me from who you knew and who sits before you today. As for my parents disapproving of my house, I can't say I believe that the two people, who gave up their lives for me to live, would want me to be anyone but me. And, as it being a mistake, I disagree…the hat is never wrong. Sure, if I had stayed the way I was, when I gate crashed that sorting, I would be in either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, but I have changed and I expect people around me accept this."
"I believe you should re-sort." Dumbledore muttered, the words of Harry's speech still sinking in.
"Albus, Mr. Potter is right." Professor McGonagall's voice came from a few feet away.
Dumbledore spun around and Harry looked down the hall to see who had managed to creep up on them.
Twin boys, Fred and George, were standing next to Professor McGonagall, but when the two professors started to talk, they moved over to stand next to Harry.
"When did you gatecrash a sorting?" Fred asked.
"Ask your brother Bill, it was his after all." Harry muttered.
"You would have only been one." George pointed out.
Harry looked the two up and down, they were pranksters, even at four they had been, but more so now...Harry wondered if they knew who the Marauders were and decided, if they didn't, the two would look up the old pranksters.
"You doubt the word of a son, godson and honorary nephew of the marauders" Harry said raising an eyebrow.
The shock on the twins' faces was priceless and totally worth the boring talk he had just had with Dumbledore.
"They are our idols" Fred murmured.
"Tell us the names" George demanded.
"Prongs – my father, Padfoot – Godfather, Moony is my honorary uncle and" Harry stopped and took a deep breath before he continued "And the good for nothing traitor Wormtail"
Fred and George blinked, those were the names, but they hadn't known that the marauders had been betrayed by one of their own. Before they could ask what had happened, McGonagall spoke.
"Mr. Potter, are you able to find your way back to your common room?" McGonagall, while still facing the headmaster, asked.
"Yes, Professor," Harry said politely "Goodnight!"
Harry walked away, but before he turned a corner, he flicked his finger and made sure that Fred and George saw. Behind the twins, a large painting appeared. Harry laughed softly the painting would be blamed on the Weasley twins. The painting was a green meadow with people eating lunch in it. When McGonagall did turn, he heard, "Misters Weasleys!"
Harry laughed softly, unaware that he had just started a rather long prank war.
Harry moved easily into the common room, the other first years had yet to come back, and Harry played with the idea of joining them, but then decided that it was all too much for one night.
Just as Harry slipped into his bed, the door opened and Draco, Alex, Crab, Goyle, Blaize, and Theodore came into the room.
"What did Dumbledore want?" Draco asked, jumping easily onto Harry's bed.
"He wanted me to re-sort" Harry muttered while pushing Draco off his leg.
"He can't do that" Draco, Blaize, and Alex said.
"He's headmaster, he can do what he wants." Theodore pointed out.
Harry glared at the bed sheets, only Draco and his parents knew of his birth rights.
"I own Hogwarts" Harry muttered to Draco, "Doesn't that mean I can fire him?"
"We should ask Dad" Draco muttered.
"Night" Harry sighed, lying down.