A/N-Sorry it's been so long-this chapter really didn't want to be written and I didn't have much time to write it in as my GCSEs begin in three weeks so I have to spend most of my time revising. As such there may not be any more for a little while.

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As the first years went to bed, the professors met in Dumbledore's office, the sorting hat being returned to it's shelf for another year. The headmaster smiled at them, eyes twinkling. "So what do you think of our new batch of first years?"

McGonagall commented. "Not the most equal of sortings. 10 each for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, 8 for Slytherin and only 6 for Gryffindor."

Flitwick interjected. "Maybe this year will be calmer than most with less of the two rival houses."

Snape sneered. "I doubt it. Not with a Weasley and a Malfoy. Not to mention Potter."

Dumbledore coughed slightly, stopping Snape as he gently chided him. "Now Severus, Harry is not his father."

"Obviously. Potter will be rolling in his grave to know that his son isn't a little lion."

The Headmaster shook his head before turning to the sorting hat. "Anything to tell us?"

The hat spoke dryly. "Many things, but few you'll be interested in. The Granger girl is very clever and has the potential to be great. The Malfoy boy needs watching as he's been completely indoctrinated by his father but at the minute he's all talk. The little Perks girl doesn't really want to be here; she wants to be a dancer…"

"And what of young Harry?"

Snape stood brusquely. "If we're just going to talk about James Potter's clone then I'm leaving." With that he swept from the room.

The hat then replied. "Well, as I'm sure Severus would be horrified to know, the lad could be in any house. Don't worry though Albus, there's not a bad bone in his body. You'll never need to worry about that one going dark. He's as cunning and intelligent as he is brave but he's loyal above all that. Helga would be proud."

At the hat's words, Professor Sprout's beaming smile grew wider.

x---x---x---x---x

The next morning the first years were woken up early and herded down into the common room, where the prefects were all waiting. When they all had sat down the 7th year male prefect began to speak. "Right everyone, welcome to Hogwarts and Hufflepuff House. As Professor McGonagall will have told your house is like your Hogwarts family. This may not be true for the other houses but it is for ours because we're Hufflepuffs and Hufflepuffs stick together. If you ever need help or someone to talk to then one of us will be willing to help. I'm not saying that you should all be best friends because that isn't going to happen. But if you have a squabble with someone it stays in here. Outside this room we put on a united front. Got it?" He stopped and looked at them all.

His female counterpart continued. "Now whatever anyone tells you we are not the leftovers that couldn't get into any of the other houses. We are loyal and true. It doesn't mean that we aren't clever, cunning or courageous."

A fifth year cheekily butted in. "Or not capable of alliteration."

Everyone laughed as she glared at him. "We are all of those things but our loyalty tops them. In the words of Aristotle" (At this name most people looked blank) "'Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.' And well, if your friends aren't loyal to you than they aren't very good friends. Now, come on, we'll show you to the Great Hall for breakfast."

Everyone began to scramble out of the portrait hole. Harry linked arms with Hermione and fell into step with Susan, Hannah and Cedric. "Sleep well?" His question was met with a round of happy nods. They walked in comfortable silence to the Great Hall. As they reached the doors Hannah turned to Cedric. "Hey Ced, You've been here two years already, is the food any good?"

He grinned. "I certainly wouldn't say that it's bad cousin. Well, except when the Weasley twins put pranks in it."

A second after he spoke, identical redheads popped up on either side of him. "Talking about-"

"-us Cedric?"

"Hi Fred, hi George. Meet my cousin Hannah and our friends Susan, Hermione and Harry."

"Guys, this is the pranksters Gred and Forge, more commonly known as Fred and George Weasley. Don't ask me which is which because I don't know."

Twin one (Harry had no idea which was which) replied. "Aw, don't feel bad Cedric; even Mum gets it wrong some of the time."

Twin two then added. "Nice to meet you all but we must go. People to see, places to go, mayhem to cause and all that." The two disappeared off to the Gryffindor table as quickly as they had come. The five Hufflepuffs walked to their own table and sat down to eat. Heads instantly turned towards them (or to Harry to be more exact) and whispers stated. An uncomfortable Harry tried to ignore them. His friends all gave him looks of sympathy.

Harry tried to distract himself from the attention by looking down the Hufflepuff table, from where (thankfully) little attention was coming. As he still didn't know names of the older students he concentrated on seeing the already developed groups within his year. Leanne, Megan and Wayne were sat together, talking Quidditch from what Harry could hear. Leanne looked to him less interested in the conversation than the other two. Ernie and Justin were further down, Zacharias by himself with an older student at the end of the table.

Harry was distracted by noise from overhead. Practically all of the first years looked up and gaped as hundreds of owls flew into the hall, a mass of hooting feathers. A newspaper dropped down in front of Hermione and another in front of Harry. A snowy white owl swooped down to perch in front of them.

Harry reached out and stroked its feathers. "Hello there. What have you got for us?" The owl hooted and offered its leg so Harry removed the letter that was tied there and opened it. Hermione looked over his shoulder as he read.

Dear Harry and Hermione

Hope you're having fun and have made some friends. Write and tell us what house you're in and what the castle's like! The owl's name is Hedwig; we bought her so we can get letters to you without you writing first.

Lots of Love

Mum and Dad (All four of us!)

They looked up again and Hedwig hooted and flew off. Both picked up their papers and flicked through them. Hermione was quickly engrossed in her Daily Prophet while Harry threw his copy of The Times back on the table in annoyance after a few minutes. "What's wrong Harry?"

He made a disgusted face. "We lost to the bloody Mackems."

Hermione sighed and shook her head. "You and your football."

Cedric leaned across the table, interested. "What team do you support?"

"Oxford Utd. They're our local team. What about you?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Pureblood. I don't know anything really about it."

The two boys instantly became involved in a fervent conversation on sports. As one, the three girls looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Susan then leaned over to quietly whisper to Hermione. "Hermione. Has Harry really never seen a picture of his parents?"

Hermione whispered back, equally quiet. "No. Aunt Lizzie met them once at a reunion thingy so we have a vague description but that's it."

Hannah gasped, still quiet to avoid attracting attention from the two boys. "That's awful!"

Hermione shrugged. "There's nothing we can do. Aunt Lizzie has very little family left." She then let her curiosity get the better of her and inquired. "Why did you want to know?"

"My mum was in the same year as Harry's parents and my dad was a year above. I thought that maybe they might have had some pictures somewhere so I thought I'd write to my Auntie."

Hannah interjected excitedly, pigtails bouncing. "I thought we could ask the teachers as well, and if we get enough photos we could make Harry an album for Christmas."

Hermione grinned. "He'd love that."

Whispered conversation over, the three turned their attention back to the boys who were still discussing sport. They then saw Professor Sprout get up and hand out their schedules.

Upon seeing his Cedric groaned. "Great. Potions first thing."

Hannah impishly stuck out her tongue at him. "Herbology with the Gryffindors."

He glared. "Lucky."

Meanwhile, Hermione grabbed Harry's schedule and pulled out a pen. "Hey!" He exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

"I'm working out when we'll have time to work on our muggle stuff."

"Oh. At least let me see what lessons we actually have." She moved an arm so Harry could see. "So we get Herbology and Charms with the Gryffindors, Transfiguration and History with the Slytherins and Defence and Potions with the Ravenclaws." He then took note of the additions she was making. "Try and leave us some time to relax Mione!"

"Harry it's just a guide of what to work on when. I'm not saying that we have to always spend the entire periods on them."

"Oh okay. I'm holding you to that mind. In fact I think I want it in writing."

Cedric stood. "C'mon you four. We need to go back and get our stuff or we'll be late to class."

The five headed back to the common room, grabbed their stuff from their dorms and headed off to their lessons. The Hufflepuffs all arrived to the area behind the greenhouses early, Gryffindors rushing in a few minutes later just before the bell went.

Professor Sprout beamed at all of them. "Gather round class, gather round. Welcome to Herbology everyone. In this class you will learn about the properties of magical plants and how to care for them. Now, I know that not everyone has green fingers so all I ask is that you work hard and try your best. Right then, it's your first class of the year so how about we all get to know each other." She sat down on the grass, prompting the class to do the same which they did. "I'm Professor Sprout, I teach Herbology and am Head of Hufflepuff House."

Harry leaned over to whisper quietly in Hermione's ear. "Apparently we're all good at alliteration."

"Something you'd like to share Mr Potter?"

"No Professor, sorry Professor."

They then went round the class, each giving their names. Harry quickly became uncomfortable with the stares he was receiving from most of the Gryffindors. Thankfully, Professor Sprout spoke, claiming their attention. "You will be working in groups for my lessons. They may change later but for now group 1 is Macmillan, Finch-Fletchley and Smith, group 2 is Weasley, Finnegan and Thomas, group three is Jones, Hopkins and Knowles, group 4 is Potter, Granger and Longbottom and group 5 is Bones, Abbot, Brown and Patil.

As the lesson progressed Harry and Hermione got to know Neville Longbottom. They discovered a shy boy with an obvious talent for Herbology but very little self-esteem. From what they could see he was a bit of an outcast in his House. Both knowing such feelings all too well, they resolved to try and make friends with him. However, it looked like it was going to take a while because the boy obviously wasn't used to interacting with those his own age and spoke little.

Also, the three girls were advised not to talk to Professor Snape (although not why) on their quest for pictures and instead to speak to Professors McGonagall and Flitwick. The former was very helpful after transfiguration (which Hermione proved to have a talent for) and provided them with some names of people to owl and promised to dig out and make copies of what she herself had. Harry remained oblivious to their scheme.

x---x---x---x---x

The next day brought their first lessons of Charms (Professor Flitwick was as helpful as McGonagall had been the day before) and Potions. After the first lesson Potions quickly became the fours' least favourite class.

Snape, started the class by taking the roll call, and paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new — celebrity." He sneered at Harry before carrying on.

Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death— if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Silence followed his speech.

"'Potter!' said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"Powdered root of what to an infusion of what? Harry glanced at Hermione, stumped. His confidence wasn't particularly helped by the fact that she was obviously restraining herself from letting her hand shoot into the air. 'Damn it I should know this!'

"I'm sorry sir; I don't know." said Harry.

Snape's lips curled again into a sneer. "Tut, tut — fame clearly isn't everything. Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

This one Harry knew. "I'd check the ingredients cupboard to be honest sir. But I think they're found in the stomach of a goat."

Snape scowled. "1 point from Hufflepuff for your cheek. Andwhat is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Harry frowned. "Aren't they the same thing sir?"

Snape's reply was bitter and laced with what Harry thought was hatred and a little hidden mockery. This he dismissed though. 'A teacher wouldn't mock me like that. Would they?' "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are indeed the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite and amazingly proving that Potter actually has a couple of brain cells. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment as everyone scrambled to follow his command.

Things didn't improve as the lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing everyone. The other students did; however, seem to be relatively safe when compared with Harry, who was the main recipient of the man's ire. All in all, Harry was glad to escape the lesson having lost only one point.

As one, the four all collapsed into chairs in the common room. An amused Cedric sat down beside them. Harry moaned. "Thank God that's over."

Cedric snickered. "Bad Potions lesson?"

"You have no idea mate. He hates me."

"Snape's like that with everyone but the Slytherins Harry. The Gryffs have it worse than us."

Susan shook her head. "I can't believe that. He really hates Harry."

Hermione added hotly. "But he's a teacher! He's supposed to be professional and not act anything like that!"

Harry sighed. "Hermione, you do remember Miss Morley right?"

She looked down embarrassed. "Sorry Harry, I slipped."

"Do I have to make you start chanting again? I thought we'd got past this."

The girl instantly chanted. "Respect is earned not freely given. Respect is earned not freely given. Respect is earned not freely given."

Harry patted her head mockingly. "Good girl." He then turned serious. "How on earth are we going to actually learn potions properly with such a rubbish teacher? And did anyone else get the feeling he was laughing at me?"

The three girls nodded and Cedric answered the first question. "I don't know what the other houses do but the older years run study groups for all subjects and they'll help you out if you're struggling. Strangely the Potions one is always the best attended."

Harry sighed with relief. "Thank God. Otherwise Hermione would go crazy with a big pile of books."

"But Harry, I'm going to do that anyway." She smiled mischievously.

In an instant his expression mirrored hers, his eyes sparkling. "What're you planning?"

"Just thinking that we neglected to buy any books that would help us follow Uncle David's instructions." She turned attention from Harry to the other three. "He told us to give 'em hell. I think Snape deserves it. Don't you?"