Professor McGonagall takes her place in between the first-years and the four-legged stool. "When I call your name, you will come forward, put on the hat, and sit on the stool to be sorted," she says before calling out: "Abbot, Hannah!"

A girl with blonde pigtails hesitantly walks out of the line. She slowly lifts up the frayed pointed hat to make way for her to sit, nervously puts on the hat, and waits. A moment's pause-

"HUFFLEPUFF!" cries the Sorting Hat. Instantaneously, the first-years hear a loud roaring of cheer and applause coming from the table on the right, making Hannah looks much happier now than then as she goes to sit with fellow Hufflepuffs.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Professor McGonagall continues calling out the first-year students name one by one, while the Sorting Hat tells (or shouting most of the time, Harry thinks) which house do they belong one after another. The process continues on for quite a while until she calls out, "Malfoy, Draco!"

Harry gives a pat on Draco's shoulder. "Good luck mate! May I see you in Slytherin," says Harry as Draco struts his way towards the stool. The hat barely touches his head when it shouts, "SLYTHERIN!" The last table on the left breaks into an applause and cheer, and Draco smugly grins at Harry just as he struts to join his new family.

"Git," says Harry while letting out a soft chuckle.

Harry awaits a little while longer as a few more names being called before his.

"Potter, Harry!"

The whole Hall falls into dead silence, and the cheers and applauses of Ravenclaw celebrating their latest addition of a first-year shortly before is now replaced by hisses and whispers from all four tables.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Potter?"

Amidst the confusing sensation stirring in the Great Hall, Harry takes a deep breath and steps out of the line, he takes a sit on the stool and calmly puts on the hat. The hat drops over his eyes and all he can see is the black inside of the hat. He waits patiently.

"Hmm," Harry hears a voice, almost whispering in his ear, "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either, but cunning nonetheless. There's talent – and a nice thirst to prove yourself. Interesting… So where shall I put you?"

Harry glances upward within the Hat, as if he is looking directly at the Sorting Hat. "Perhaps Slytherin?" suggests Harry.

The Hat howls with laughter. "Cunning as I've expected. Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? You have a fiery fighting spirit, you know, and Gryffindor will help you harness the spirit to greatness, no doubt about that – no? Well, if you're sure – better be… SLYTHERIN!"

It was definitely a sight to for Harry to see as for the very first time since the Sorting Ceremony began, the mentioned house jeers and boos at their new housemate; the Slytherins, who Harry believes might have heard about his father, James Potter's reputation, are not only holding their applause but some of them are now on their feet hollering at him. However, to much of Harry's surprise, the other three houses are actually cheering and applauding for him, with positive chants such as, "You go, Potter!" and "Way to go, Potter!" The teachers and staffs on High Table also join in in the cheering carousal.

What have that old man did to this school to cause such ruckus?

Harry laughs under his breath. He bows down before the four houses and proceeds to take a seat next to Draco, who is staring at him with a teasing grin.

"I've told you your father is a bad news to our community," mocks Draco, a small chuckle escapes from his lips.

Harry scoffs. "Yes, mate. I heard ya the first 10th times," he replies, sticking out his tongue at the pale blond boy, who continues to snigger. "But I didn't know it was this bad – and awkward." Harry glances down the table; all the Slytherins unitedly give him deadly glares while some continue to hiss at him.

"Perhaps I get what's going on here at this table," he says, "but I don't understand why the rest of the houses cheered for me. Were they taking pities on me? 'Cause I don't really need pity from them for now." Harry looks over his shoulder and sees a few Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors waving at him, which he timidly waves back.

Draco follows Harry's glance and snorts. "Perhaps they are taking pity on you," he answers, and automatically Harry's back hand slaps across Draco's chest. "Rude," says Harry before he starts to chuckle.

"Weasley, Ginevra!"

Without knowing who it is, Harry turns his head around, only to find a girl with the long red-hair is now taking a seat on the stool. Ginevra? Harry continues to gawk at his long red-haired mysterious girl. Ginevra…