A/N: Bit of a boring chapter, sorry about that. So, is anyone playing Wizards Unite? I'm enjoying it.
Harry felt almost numb as he followed Regulus to the Slytherin common room. Throughout the entire feast, he stole glances across the Great Hall toward the Marauders. After the initial meeting of eyes, the four boys had bent their heads together and begun to speak hurriedly toward each other, James making big gestures with his hands, Sirius shaking his head on multiple occasions, and Remus pinching the bridge of his nose. It was clear they were debating something, probably him, and Harry has no idea what the outcome of that debate was.
He had a strange feeling that it wasn't exactly good, considering not one of them looked his way again. Not even after the feast was finished.
Harry couldn't say he was exactly surprised. He had almost been placed in Slytherin in his own time and he couldn't exactly say the…traits of that house were no longer existent. But he was also a Gryffindor. Maybe the hat just wanted him to get a bit of both houses? Like it was trying to make sure he cultivated both sides of himself?
Yeah, he didn't really believe it either.
"Alright?" Regulus asked quietly as he led Harry to stand against the far wall of the common room. His gray eyes flickered around the room as he spoke.
"Fine," Harry replied quickly. He decided to take a page out of Regulus's book and study the events of the common room. It was…completely different than the first night back in Gryffindor. In Gryffindor, there was always loud talking, joking, games… but here, everyone was in groups. Well, groups and then subgroups. It looked like everyone was standing with others in their year, then maybe by their friends? Or maybe there was something Harry was missing. The new first years were in the very middle of the common room, all looking around in a type of awe – awe that they were trying to conceal. Apparently, their Slytherin masks weren't in place yet.
The second years were on the left of the new first years, furthest away from the portrait opening. A blond boy was standing in the middle of that group, a smirk on his face as the others seemed to lean toward him. The third years were beside them, a girl with cool eyes and dark hair standing center. Another girl was standing right behind her left shoulder, a boy behind her right. The rest of the third years were close enough that Harry could tell they were year mates, but they were standing behind the three. The fourth years had two distinct groups. A girl and a boy stood in the middle of each, both of the shooting occasional glares at the other. Harry guessed there was some sort of power struggle going on with them. The fifth years were all watching the fourth-year group in amusement, particularly the dark-haired boy that the other fifth years were swarming.
And then there were the sixth years. Harry didn't notice it until that moment, but he and Regulus were standing against the wall with three other boys. There was one boy standing on the other side of Regulus, a boy Harry now noticed was glaring at him, and the other two were just slightly off to the side. Glancing to his other side, Harry noticed two girls watching him from the corner of their eyes. As soon as Harry looked in their direction, the two turned to face forward.
Harry shoved the observation into the back of his head as the portrait hole opened and a middle aged, balding man with a pot belly walked into the room. Harry vaguely remembered seeing the man sitting at the head table during the feast. "Welcome to Slytherin!" the man said, a bright smile on his lined face. "I am Professor Slughorn, the head of Slytherin House and your potions professor…" Harry tuned out as the man began to speak of Slytherin house having a united front. This man was different than he expected. He was extremely…cheery. In an almost creepy way. He wondered how much the greeting of Slytherin house had changed over the years. He couldn't imagine Snape talking about the things Slughorn was saying…
Snape.
Harry's eyes snapped over to the one section of the room he had yet to study. The seventh years were all staring at Slughorn, their faces carefully expressionless. Severus Snape was standing slightly apart from the rest of the group. He had always thought of Snape as the perfect Slytherin…yet he seemed to be distant from the rest. He thought back to what he had seen in the pensive all those months ago. Did his father and his friends have something to do with that? Had their bullying made Snape look weak to his house?
"I'll show you to the dormitory," Regulus said, startling Harry out of his thoughts. He blinked, only then realizing that, at some point, Snape had glanced in his direction and was holding his gaze steadily, a sneer clear on his face. Harry fought back a blush at being caught and quickly turned toward Regulus. The boy in question raised an eyebrow when Harry's attention was on him. "Unless you would like to continuing ogling-"
"I wasn't!" Harry yelped, no longer able to fight the blush when multiple pairs of eyes turned on him. "I mean, I was just…"
"And here I thought I was special," Regulus quipped, his eyes shining as Harry ducked his head to hide his burning face. Of course, he had to bring that up. "Now, if you can pull yourself away from staring at Severus Snape, I will show you where you'll be sleeping for the next nine months."
Harry sputtered out a response as he followed a lightly chuckling Regulus up a flight of stairs. Harry's shoulders tensed with the boys that had been standing with them fell in to walk behind him. He wanted to look over his shoulder, to check and make sure all they were doing was following him…but he was sure that wouldn't be looked at well. So, he lightly let his right hand linger on his wand as he concentrated on what he could hear. If they made any sort of fast motion or if he heard a whispered spell, Harry would be ready.
Regulus pushed open one of the last doors down a long hallway. His gray eyes scanned the area quickly before he nodded decisively. "Herbert Burke," Regulus motioned toward one of the boys with dark hair and eyes, "Evan Rosier," sandy blond hair, green eyes, "and Damocles Rowle." The boy that had been glaring at Harry. "Harry, you can have the bed beside my own."
Harry saw Damoncles's jaw tighten but the other boy didn't say anything as Regulus led Harry over toward the far wall. He motioned toward the second bed as Regulus bent to open the trunk at the first bed. Harry, who saw a trunk that was decidedly not his at the foot of the bed Regulus had motioned to, turned his head. His belongings were placed at the bed furthest away from Regulus, the one by the door. He took a step back toward the other bed and Regulus stood up sharply. "Rowle," he said sharply.
Damoncles scowled but strode forward, grabbing the trunk and dragging it over toward where Harry's trunk sat. One of the other boys, Rosier, flicked his wand and Harry's trunk floated to sit neatly at the end of his new bed. "That is taken care of," Regulus stated mildly. The black school robe slid off of his shoulders and Harry, for reasons he will never understand, sharply turned on his heel. He immediately cursed himself for the idiotic action. The boy had taken of his robes. He still had the uniform on.
Which, judging by the rustling of clothing, he was taking off.
Deciding that he needed to distract himself, he quickly bent down to pull his trunk open. He grabbed a quill and parchment, then slid to sit on his bed. He bit his lip. He didn't think they would mind, well, he knew Dorea wouldn't. He doubted that Charlus or Caelum would care. But Fleamont and Euphemia? They had both been in Gryffindor. James was in Gryffindor. And they knew the truth, that Harry was actually their grandson. He was sure they had expected him to be in Gryffindor as well.
Better that he wrote them now, before they heard it from someone else.
Dear Charlus and Dorea,
I arrived at Hogwarts! The train ride was long, longer than I remember, and I Dumbledore had me wait until the first years were done being sorted until he brought me into the hall. I was sorted into Slytherin. James and Sirius didn't really say anything to me. They were probably shocked. At least I have Regulus here.
Harry
Harry sighed as he reread the letter. It was…awkward but the best he could do at the moment.
And that was supposed to be the easy on.
Dear Fleamont and Euphemia,
I was sorted into Slytherin. It was a bit of a surprise, since I was expecting Gryffindor, but the hat mentioned I would do well here. You know, before. I guess it changed it's mind this time. Anyway, I hope everything is well with you.
Harry