Harry Potter and the Great Hall
September 1st, Sorting Ceremony.
They stepped through the doors to the Great Hall, and Harry felt a strong sense of Déjà vu. And so he should, since he would be replaying his first 5 years at Hogwarts. He went with Charlie and Tonks to the front where they saw the Sorting Hat, frayed and dirty, on the stool.
After its sorting song, which made Harry realise, it just repeats them in a cycle… since this was the one he heard in his original first year, Professor McGonagall spoke up.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted."
She then looked at a roll of parchment she held, and began calling out names.
There were about 50 children in this year, so it was awhile that he had to wait.
As it came to the last 10, Harry's cover name was called out.
"Snape, Harry." Harry glanced at Charlie, who was looking amusedly at everyone else's reactions.
As Harry went to put the hat on, before he did, he had enough of the muttering so loudly said, "No Relation." That shut them up. He put the Hat on.
It was a few seconds before the Hat spoke.
"Ah, Mr Potter, a little time travelling are we hmm?" The hat said, although Harry noted that he couldn't have said that aloud if the Hat saw every memory… At that thought the hat added, "Only you hear me Mr Potter. Now you wish to not be in Gryffindor this time? You're a hard worker, loyal to your friends so Perhaps Hufflepuff?" Harry thought 'no.' "Well, you will do well in lessons so perhaps Ravenclaw?" 'maybe, but this time, why don't we,' "Then Slytherin, were everything is not what it seems?" 'What do you mean?' "well, to everyone else, you are not what you seem, and you will seem to them, to be a gifted child… Shall I?" 'Yes.' "SLYTHERIN!" The hat shouted.
The staff clapped, and the Slytherin table had the more applause. Harry shot a 'sorry' look to Charlie, who just shrugged. After another person was sorted, into Hufflepuff, Nymphadora was called up, and she cringed when her name was read out. She put the hat on and sat down. It took her several minutes before the hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" and everyone applauded.
The Slytherins seemed to not be as overjoyed at her joining then the rest of the first years.
'Probably knows she's half-blood. Racist-.' Harry thought, using a rather crude term.
The rest were put into Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, and Dumbledore announced everything, "A Most Painful death." He finished when talking about the forbidden forrest. Thankfully, there was nothing strange this year so without further ado, the feast began.
Tonks had sat next to Harry, and looked at their house-mates out the corner of her eyes. Harry smiled and struck up conversation with a 2nd year.
"-and then, Richard Flint only goes and pushes the cauldron off, spilling the potion all over Professor Snape." the 2nd year said. Harry smiled.
"Richard Flint?" Harry asked. He knew ofcourse, who Marcus Flint was, but not Richard.
"A git in 5th year. Doesn't hold his temper all that well. Your Harry Snape then?" the boy asks, and holds his hand out. "Circulus Nott."
Harry shakes it, and says, "Harry, Harry Snape."
"Doesn't sound fluid that name." Circulus comments.
"Not used to announcing my last name. I lived with my Aunt and uncle, see, till last month." Harry told him.
The boy frowned, and asked, "Who?"
"You wouldn't know them, they were muggles."
The boy scowled. "Muggle-born are you?"
Harry frowned at the boy. "Just because I lived with a Muggle aunt and uncle, doesn't mean I am Muggleborn. If you must know, I'm what you would class a half-blood. 'pure blood' dad. To me, all this blood status that I've heard about since my stay at St Mungo's ward for Spell Damage is utter nonsense. Healer Marifold, the one who was the reason I'm not there right now, had 2 muggle-born parents. I don't know wether you'd class her as muggle-born herself or half-blood, but all this blood stuff can get shoved up all the prejudiced'-" Harry's word got a gasp from everyone in ear-shot, "- for all I care."
With his opinion firmly entrenched, he was sure he and Tonks by proxy would be targets for the upper years.
Sure enough, as they all went to their dorms after the feast, Harry stayed behind long enough to identify who were getting ready to beat him up. Once the common room was mostly empty, his acting skills kicking in, he got into a defensive stance he once saw on a muggle film. It didn't occur to him that he had only glimpsed that scene of the film for only a few seconds. Seems the time travel sharpened his memories abit.
"Looky what we have here lads, wittle twerp thinks he can survive in this house." One of them said. He looked a lot like Marcus Flint, so Harry guessed him to be Richard.
"When a git like Richard Flint is involved, I KNOW I can survive in this house." Harry says, aware that in a 4 on 1 fight, he wouldn't be able to beat them without a little magic, atleast, with his body as it was at the moment. Concentrating, he grew a few muscles, something he wasn't aware that metamorphs SHOULDN'T be able to do, but he could.
"We know more magic then you do boy, I can beat you asleep."
"from the size of you, thatd be if you were lying on top of me and to be honest, I'm not gay. Besides, your not my type." That'd get them furious. "So, since your have an oh so unfair advantage over me, and Slytherin prefer underhand tactics and this well, isnt one, what say we not use magic. Afterall, no proof of magic, no detention to swindle your way out of." Got them.
Harry watched as the first came at him, fist in the air ready to punch. Harry just punched that guys hand. Contact.
"Aaah!" the Slytherin 5th year screamed, bringing in several students from the dorms to watch as a 1st year blocked every punch at him.
Harry knew Richard was furious. "So you know how to block physical attacks, you little mudblood. Lets see how you block this- Stupe-"
Richard didn't get far into casting the spell before Harry retaliated with, "Expelliarmus!" which was said so quickly, but with little magical power, it was barely noticeable to have happened until Richard completed his incantation, to find his wand out of hand.
"You Little-" unknown to Richard, the rucus had brought Snape in, who saw the exchange since the second blocked punch.
Richard became aware however, when Snape casted the cannon-blast charm, momentarily deafening everyone in the room.
As Harry's ears' cleared, he heard what snape was saying to the 5th year. Which was a fair few nice words. Well, to him when its about Richard, anyway. Obviously by the look on the 2nd year and ups' faces, they didn't know Professor Snape was so, fluent with curses that didn't result in a magical effect, although the effect it had on Richard could only be described such. After several minutes of this, proving to everyone just how many insults there could be without mentioning any blood-status related ones, Snape sent everyone except Harry to the dorms. Then, turning to Harry, he said, "My office, Now."
Uh-oh, that look doesn't look good.
In Snapes Office, Harry did what he was used to by now, tuning him out and only responding when expected to. Apparently, it was enough since he didn't have any points retracted nor a detention. And before he left, he was shocked out of his acting when…
"And 10 points for restraining yourself so well, and another 10 for excellent disarming spell to prevent yourself from being stunned by a upper classman."
Harry nodded a thank you and went to his dorm room numb.
That morning, as he sat down with Tonks for breakfast, he looked over to Charlie, and saw him chatting with Bill, his older brother. He poked Tonks and said, "wanna sit there? Its obvious this table is too.. pure for us." He snorted in derision at that and looked at everyone, who was giving him glares.
"Tell the truth, you just wanna go chat to Charlie." she said.
Harry shrugged, and they both got up and went to the gryffindor table, and sat either side of Charlie and Bill. Bill looked at them and obviously was about to comment, when Tonks derailed him with a very gryffindor-ish remark about everyone else in slytherin.
Harry looked to charlie, and chuckled about the comment, and looking at everyone else, said, "Oh, you think i'd be offended that she called everyone in my house, that... nope. They are, that. Nice word Tonks. Your mother will be ashamed to learn that you know that word and your dad will laugh his head off, After he grounds you ofcourse."
"But ofcourse Harry."
"Biggest bunch of prejudices-" think of a word that starts with 'pr' "that I've ever met. To be honest, thats saying something."
the gryffindors laughed it off, and only the very younger years looked okay from then on. The older ones held off, until they had either proof Harry was slytherin idiot or a Gryffindor in disguise (which he is.)
Professor Snape came and gave Harry and Tonks their schedules, and he looked it over, and had to comment, "Why does the 2nd september always seem to be a monday." Thankfully, no one heard that comment.
When Professor McGonagall got to them, having gone down the years, she sent a disapproving glare to Harry and Tonks, as she handed Bill and Charlie their schedules.
"Mr Snape, Miss Tonks, please return to your own house table."
Harry looked upto Professor McGonagall at that moment, shocking her into think, 'Potter'.
Harry regarded the professor for a moment, before saying, "Scenario. 2 first years, who are both half-bloods, are put into slytherin. They're very anti-blood status, which immediately gets most if not all of slytherin to hate them. Would you let them sit at your house table with someone in your house who was already their friend?"
Professor McGonagall looked on, then just moved on without another word. From the look on her face, Harry guessed she was going to have a word with Snape.
Charlie was staring in shock at Harry, who got irritated after awhile. "What?"
"You... You just made Stone-face McGonagall speechless."
Bill commented, "Wish we had you at home. stop the rows right there it would."
Harry looked at bill for a second, silently agreeing, before saying, "I had practise. Ofcourse, this time I don't need to escape the moment the person realises what was said ofcourse..."
Bill picked up the hidden meaning far too quickly then Harry thought he would. "Harry, is it?" Harry nodded. "Harry, did you just say you get bullied?"
Harry weighed his options. "Ask tonks what happened last night in the Slytherin Common Room." he turned to his breakfast and ate it in silence.
Tonks quickly shared the story with all on the gryffindor table, getting Harry quite a few pats on the back.
Harry walked along, Tonks following him, as he headed for his first lesson, Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. this would be his first test, to see if he can hold back enough to make it seem like he's new at this.
It, unfortunately, was not to be. His water goblet was done first try, getting quite the reaction from the gryffindors and Head of Gryffindor house. the Slytherins looked at him with hatred, which he was usedto anyway.
"Well done Mr Snape. -"
"No relation" harry muttered, glaring at someone who didn't know his name already.
"I would give you 5 points for that performance, but since you just interrupted me..."
Harry nodded in aquiesce.
"Now, everyone, try again."
Transfiguration was easy for him, almost too easy. it was only in the knowledge part where it was easy to act dumb, it still made him as clueless about it as it did in his original first year. Tonks commented on this, ofcourse being careful with the wording, but still. Harry just said, "I've always been better at practical application then academics." as he walked into the Charms Classroom.
"Greetings class. Everyone, pair up. yes yes there we go. Now, today, we will be learning the wonderful art of Levitation, or, for those who don't know what the word means," Flitwick looked at those who were dumbfounded. Mainly slytherins. "The ability, to make things float. Now, take your wand, and do this movement. it is a swish... like so, and flick. now, you try. Nice Miss Tonks. Mr Chadwick, make it a more smooth movement, yes there you go. Now, put your wands down, dont want any accidental charms here. say these words. 'Wingardium Leviosa.' now, you say."
"Wingardium levosa" Tonks said. Harry looked at her, shook his head and smirked in mild amusement, earning himself a playful tap on the arm.
Harry just looked around the class, noting that most didn't get it right. He was sure another 'seamus' was somewhere, ready to explode his feather.
"Now, pick up your wands, do the wand movement, and say the words. Swish as you say Wingardium, Flick when you say Leviosa. One at a time though, er... Miss Tonks."
Tonks went bright red, but did it anyway. It worked on her second try.
"And, Mr Snape, I did not see you say the words." Flitwick admonished him. Harry looked up directly into the dwarf's eyes, and smiled slightly. "I think I read that words are meaningless, when it's intent. But we're taught the spells in latin so that our, wands and magic gets used to using latin so we dont accidentally kill or injure someone. Aslong as I intend to float the feather, then if I'm right, messing the words up shouldn't matter..."
Harry blushed weasley red when he realised what he just said, but picked up his wand, did the movement, and to emphasise his point, said, "float, you feathery thing."
to his shock however, it did float. and ending the spell didnt stop it from staying near the ceiling.
Later after that lesson, Tonks pulled him aside and said, "Nice goin' Harry. Nice way to hide that fact you've already been through merlin knows how many years here."
Harry shook himself and said, "sorry to show everyone up. I didn't realise I had said that until, I did."
"It's ok. but remember, you still got put in slytherin so you should be able to hide things. Its what we do."
Harry looked at her. "Even my friends, when i was a gryffie, doesn't know things. I just haven't been in this sort of situation where I have to actively guard my behavior." Harry sagged against the door he was already leaned against. Only then did he notice Tonks pulled him into a cleaning broom closet. "Um, Tonks. I know I like you and you like me , but I didn't know it was in that way."
"What?"
"we're in a broom closet."
"Oh,... OH." As final realisation kicked into the metamorph, she blushed red, again.
"Hm, your skin likes red."
"What?"
"Most of today, you've been blushing madly."
"hm? Oh, er.. yeh."
Harry decided to switch tracks, and the 2 left for dinner. They sat at Gryffindor table with Charlie, ofcourse.
and Ofcourse, his first question was, "Whats got you so... well..."
"What?"
"Your bright red. and I dont mean your skin."
Bill sat across from Harry, next to Tonks, and commented, "So. I didn't know Charlie had a twin sister."
A/N
Sorrysorrysorrysorrysorry. Totally forgot about this, then got a link from someone to read this story. Lo and Behold, I go to review and says I cant review my own story! meh, i was laughing too much to realise it was mine. (Egotrip, much?)
Anyway Review Responses:
Legal Alien: as i put here, he's not used to having to actively change his behavior.
Naruto6something: Not soon enough gah... but I'm back!
Anna: Thanks! something like that maybe, since she knows he'll be helpful. Shes not completely in on the secret, she knows enough but not who he is, and is better at holding her curiousity to not work out who.
Shaggy: Remember that What Happens When oneshot? there ya go. ;)
TG: Occlumency.. hmm, I'll just put that Snape is curious but not enough to mindrape a child. As far as he knows, Harry is 11, and there could be side-effects to using legilimency on an unwilling participant, and escpecially so when that participant is a child. Like the memory charms could braindamage children, I guess.
Lilith: Yeh, I ran out of steam then, got alittle to do only about 1/4 of this, before i ran out again, JUST got back to it.
Regress: Itll slow down abit now, longest? 2-3 chapters a day, biggest jump will be a month. Now i just need a story enticing enough to write 7 years of hogwarts...
Stygius: more then a week now. sniffle I'm a prat, idiot and well, no lets lay off the swearwords. Sorry. Yes the new trio, green and red and pink. Guess which of them I refer to. :D
Luna: 8 days after you give that review, is when. :P
bah, Sorry all. anyway all review responses at the bottom now. ;) and this is kinda long already so I'll stop now. Hope you enjoyed it!. Didn't proofread again, sorry but i do these things when i need to rush... gah.