On Saturday morning, Harry got the front page of Thursday's edition of the Daily Prophet from Aunt Ria. It was devoted to an article about him, with the headline "Boy-Who-Lived Starts Hogwarts and Has Unexpected Sorting." He grimaced and glanced at the note that came with the newspaper, which simply said, "Dear Harry, I'm sorry about the article, but Sirius and I thought you should know instead of being taken unawares. Love, Aunt Ria."
"Look at this guys," he muttered to his friends, who gathered around him to read the article, which was by Rita Skeeter.
"As many of you know, Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived and defeater of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, turned eleven this year and therefore started Hogwarts. There has been much speculation as to which House he would be Sorted in, with the general consensus that he would likely be in Gryffindor, like his illustrious parents, James and Lily Evans Potter. He was seen purchasing his school supplies with the Longbottoms and Weasleys, who are staunch Gryffindor families, which further cemented the consensus that he would be a Gryffindor.
However, to the surprise of everyone, on the evening of the Sorting, Harry Potter was Sorted into Hufflepuff. While that house is known for hard-work, loyalty, and fairness, it is also seen as the weakest and least prestigious of all four houses. In addition, both the Longbottom boy and the youngest Weasley boy, whom Mr. Potter seems to have befriended, were Sorted into Hufflepuff with him. In fact, the Weasley boy refused an attempt to Sort him in Gryffindor, and was a Hatstall, which for those who don't know, is a term used to describe someone that takes more than five minutes to be Sorted. True Hatstalls are rare, with near ones being more common, and the last Hatstall to occur was reportedly during the 1970's.
In any case, Mr. Potter does not seem to be disappointed in his Sorting. In fact, from all reports, he apparently wished to be Sorted into Hufflepuff, stating that he didn't wish to become embroiled in the rivalry that Gryffindor and Slytherin have. Also, he has declared that he was 'proud to be a Badger'. In fact, when some other students commented on the fact that he was in Hufflepuff, it was reported that he declared that 'Hufflepuff is a great house!' and that he and his friends were Sorted there because they were 'loyal, dedicated, and fair, which are excellent qualities to have.' He also mentioned how real life badgers are known for being fierce when in defense of themselves and their young, and inspired a fellow first-year to tell the other students to leave or they'd 'find out how fierce badgers can be.' Another Hufflepuff also said that they would support Mr. Potter against further comments.
Certainly there is some significance with Mr. Potter being in Hufflepuff. He may not be a Gryffindor, showing courage and bravery, but he has apparently inspired loyalty, or at least some support, among his housemates. Perhaps it is his defense of his house, or perhaps he has a certain charm, that inspired it, but Mr. Potter bears watching for great things in the future. It is highly possible that he will bring either fame or infamy to his House, and change the reputation of Hufflepuff in the years to come."
"Huh, this actually is one of Rita Skeeter's better articles," said Ron in surprise, who didn't normally read the newspaper but had heard his parents complain about the reporter frequently. "It got the facts straight and didn't say anything outright bad about you, Harry, other than the fact that you could bring infamy to Hufflepuff, and implied our house reputation could be changed for better or worse."
"But how did she know exactly what you said, Harry?" Hermione asked. "She could have heard of the incident, since it spread all over school and I bet some of the students would have written their families about it, but only the ones present could have told her told what you said. None of us were interviewed by Rita Skeeter, and neither were Justin, Ernie, Hannah, or Lillian. As for the Slytherins, they would twisted what you said and bad-mouthed you."
Harry shrugged. "I'm sure there were students passing by that overheard me. Maybe one of them spoke with her. At least this article is accurate and she's not saying bad stuff about me like she does to most people in her articles." He folded up the article and stuck it in his pocket to dispose of later.
Normally Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs had flying class together, but for some odd reason this year, the announcement pinned on the notice board in the common room said that Hufflepuff would be having the class with the Slytherins, on Thursday. "Maybe they got tired of pairing Gryffindor and Slytherin together, since those two houses don't get along," Cedric Diggory speculated.
"But if that's the case, then why are they still together for Potions, instead of putting one of them with us and the other with Ravenclaw?" Heidi pointed out.
Since Cedric, nor anyone else in Hufflepuff, had a good reply to this, the matter was dropped. Instead, the first-years talked about the upcoming flying class and were quite excited about it. As Justin, being Muggleborn (and unlike Hermione, hadn't befriended any wizarding children before getting his Hogwarts letter), had never flown on a broom before, Harry lent him Quidditch Through the Ages and the book on flying tips and maneuvers so that he'd have some idea of what to do before class. Cedric was also nice enough to take out his broom and show Justin how to properly mount and grip it, which further lessened the younger boy's nervousness over flying.
At three-thirty on Wednesday afternoon, the Hufflepuff and Slytherin first years walked out to the Quidditch pitch. Twenty brooms were laid out on the grass, in two rows of ten. The instructor and usual referee in the school Quidditch matches, Madam Hooch, walked out. She had a stern gaze, rather reminiscent of a hawk, short gray hair, and sharp golden eyes.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."
Harry glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.
"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"
"Up!" everyone shouted. Harry's broom jumped into his hand at once, but it was one of the few that did. Justin's broom had simply rolled over on the ground, and he ended up having to pick up his broom when it stubbornly refused to rise.
Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Harry and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy that he'd been doing it wrong for years.
"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three - two -"
But Justin, who was already rather nervous about flying and apparently frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips. "Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Justin was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle - twelve feet - twenty feet.
Without even thinking about it, Harry promptly reacted by taking off on his broom, with Susan following him a second later. As Madam Hooch called them back, the two managed to reach Justin just as he glanced down at the ground and saw how high up he was, with him getting higher every second. As he gasped and started to slide off his broom, Susan and Harry grabbed his arms. Somehow, between the two of them, they managed to stop the broom's ascent, and got Justin to clamber behind Susan on the latter's broom. Justin, face pale, grabbed tightly to the back of Susan's robe, and the two slowly made their descent to the ground.
Meanwhile, Harry grabbed the single broom and started to descend, when he saw Susan's necklace break loose and the pendent come flying off. Since the pendent was breakable, he reacted by going after it, dropping the other broom to the ground as he went. About a foot off the ground, he caught the pendent, managing to pull his broom straight at the same time, and then toppled gently to the ground, the pendent clutched in his hand.
"Here, Susan," said Harry breathlessly, getting to his feet and handing the pendent to his friend, who was fishing out the chain, which luckily hadn't fallen off but only got tangled in her robes.
"Thanks, Harry," said Susan, putting the chain and pendent in her pocket. "Justin, are you all right?"
Justin nodded. "Just a bit scared, that's all. Thanks for rescuing me, guys. If you hadn't, I'd have fallen off and injured myself."
Madam Hooch strode over and gave him a once-over. "If you're sure you're all right, Mr. Finch-Fletchley, was it, then you can sit over there and just observe for the rest of the lesson. Mr. Potter and - Miss Bones, I believe, ten points to Hufflepuff for the each of you for your quick thinking and saving your classmate. That was well-done of you, though you, Mr. Potter, shouldn't have gone after Miss Bone's pendent like that. You could have crashed and done yourself injury, no matter how much prior experience with flying you have."
"I'm sorry, Madam Hooch, but Susan would have been upset if the pendent was broken," Harry said. "It was her mother's."
Madam Hooch shot Susan a sharp look, who confirmed what Harry had said. "Ah. In that case, I shall just let you off with the warning, Mr. Potter. And I will inform Professor Sprout of the rescue of your classmate and your flying skills, Miss Bones and Mr. Potter."
The rest of the lesson proceeded with no further incident, unless one counted the sour looks that Malfoy shot Harry. Later on, at dinner, Professor Sprout asked Harry and Susan if she could have a word with them in her office after the meal.
When the two showed up at their Head of House's office, Professor Sprout warmly greeted them. "Madam Hooch told me about what happened at your flying class. I am very pleased with how you rescued Justin and kept him from falling."
"We didn't really think about it, Professor Sprout," said Susan. "We just reacted, because Justin looked like he was in trouble."
"That was still a good thing to have done," said Professor Sprout. "Now, Rolanda, that is Madam Hooch, also told me how well the two of you flew, and that you in particular, Mr. Potter, have the skills of a Seeker. In fact, she said you were as good, or better, than Charlie Weasley. I suppose your friend Ron told you about his older brother and his skill as Seeker?" Harry nodded and she continued, "I had a word with Professor Dumbledore at dinner, and he agreed to bend the rules a bit and allow the two of you to try out for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. We need a new Seeker and Chaser."
Susan and Harry exchanged excited looks. First-years normally did not make the house teams, even as a reserve, and the last time anyone as young as them had been on a team, that had been about a century ago.
Professor Sprout smiled at the expressions on their faces. "Tryouts will be on Friday evening. If you have any brooms of your own, you may have your guardians send them to you to use for tryouts. However, if you don't make the team, they'll have to be returned, understood?"
"Yes, Professor Sprout," the two said at once.
"Very good then." Professor Sprout gave them some coconut ice from a tin she had, and then beamingly sent them off.
When Harry and Susan told their friends what had gone on during the meeting, they were quite impressed, especially Ron and Neville. "Wow, I hope you guys make it on the team," said Ron. "I think you'll definitely will, Harry, since you've beaten Charlie to the Snitch the last couple of times you played against each other."
Harry modestly shrugged, while Susan said, "I doubt I'm good enough to be made Chaser. I'm a good flyer, but I'm not that great at Quidditch. I'm just going to try out so that Harry won't be singled out as the only first year. Anyway, I'm going to write Auntie Amelia about what's going on and ask her to send me my Cleansweep. It's not as good as Harry's Nimbus, but at least it's better than the Shooting Stars that the school has. You'd better do the same, Harry."
On Friday morning, at mail time, Harry's and Susan's brooms were delivered. Since it wouldn't be wise to let the rest of the school (other than the Hufflepuffs, who knew about the two being allowed to attend tryouts) know that they had been allowed to have their brooms for the time being, neither opened the packages. They simply read the letters that their respective guardians had sent them, congratulating them on being able to try out and wishing them luck, and then put the brooms in their trunks right after breakfast.
Tryouts were after dinner, and in addition to Harry and Susan, twelve other people were trying out, one of them Cedric Diggory. Seven of them were weeded out quickly, leaving Harry, Susan, Cedric, two second year boys, another third year who was friends with Cedric, and a fourth-year girl. The Captain, who was Heidi McAvoy, had the remaining candidates go again. At the end, she announced, "Harry Potter, since you were the best, you are Hufflepuff's new Seeker. Cedric Diggory, since you are equally good as Chaser and Seeker, I have decided to make you Chaser, as well as the reserve Seeker. If anything should prevent Harry from playing in a match, you'll fill in for him. In that case, someone will have to fill in for you, Cedric, and so Alison Cooper, you will be the reserve Chaser. I'll have a schedule for our practices drawn up by Sunday. Alison, since you're a reserve, you won't have to attend all practices, but I would like you to attend at least one a week so you can practice and get a feel for working with the other Chasers. Dismissed."
As most of Hufflepuff house had turned out to watch the tryouts, they left the stands and converged on the pitch to congratulate the new members. Harry's friends hugged him and complimented him on his flying.
"I'd been hoping that some of the new Hufflepuffs were good Quidditch players," said Gabriel, who had mentioned it during his welcoming message. "It looks like my wish came true with you, Harry, and we'll do much better at the Quidditch tournament this year. And good for you, Cedric, for making Chaser and reserve Seeker. If something, Merlin forbid, should prevent Harry from playing in a match, we'll still have a Seeker to field."
Another older student nodded. "That's true. Oh, I'd heard that your father was really good at Quidditch, Harry, though he played Chaser. There's a Quidditch trophy with his name on it in the Trophy Room. It looks like you inherited his talent."
Several others clapped Harry, Cedric, and Alison on the back. "All right," said Maude Roper, the seventh-year female prefect, "let's go back to the Common Room and celebrate our new Quidditch players. And cheer up the ones that didn't make it on the team."
The Hufflepuffs trooped off the pitch and headed back to the castle.
Author's Note: Harry becoming a Seeker didn't change (though the circumstances of how he was made Seeker did), since he's still going to have inherited his father's talent no matter what. (Unless I wrote an AU that completely changed his talents.) I vaguely recall reading a fic once in which Harry was in Hufflepuff and got made a Beater due to saving Professor Sprout from a runaway Bludger during his flying class, but obviously I wasn't going to go that route. As I didn't want to remove Cedric from the team, and he is a good Seeker, I decided to make him Chaser and the reserve Seeker, like how Ginny was in Half-Blood Prince. (She filled in for Harry during the final match and Dean Thomas took over her spot as Chaser, since he'd filled in for Katie Bell previously.)
