Disclaimer- I do not own this wonderful book series that goes by the name of harry potter nor do I won the major characters. The houses mentioned in his story are not mine as well. I do however own the plot for this story and the amazing OC characters.

Warning for this chapter- Slight Dumbledore bashing (very slight), Confused McGonagall, hat playing with names on the sorting list, hat knows all, Conan knows them?, Brunette likes brunette, sweet redhead, finally harry knows, and instant Slytherin.

A/N-Sorry for taking so long…I had finals to study for and test to do.

LIONS AND SNAKES

Chapter 9: All sorts of things

Sorting Hat pov

I've been here for many centuries. Each year I would see the youngest of Hogwarts walk through the large doors of the hall and take a seat on my stool. I would be placed upon their head and in those few moments I see exactly how their life would go depending on where I put them. I choose where they might make a difference…and in the end….no matter how tragic or terrible my choice seems to have made life (for that of the student or those around them)…it always turns out right in the end.

Yes…even my placement of Tom Riddle was intentional. If I were to have placed him in Ravenclaw (another place I had thought of placing him) his teachers would have prompted him to study more then he already had. He would have had a vaster knowledge of ways to kill others. Tom also had no place in Hufflepuff. He was far to powerful to be let into a house that got people whom had no place nor was he loyal enough to anyone to truly fit in there.

And finally as I get to Gryffindor I do recall that if he had been placed there he would have been broken….yes…he would have just been a bitter and broken child. The other student would have found out about his heritage eventually and he would have been an outcast. He would have ended his life a week before his sixteenth year and the only one to remember him would have been an old man whom would have forgotten it not long after and a sixth year brown-haired girl….a girl named Minerva….whom sat next to him in several of his classes. She would die in a blizzard that winter. Whether she left the safety of the castle on purpose or by accident no one would have ever known. I no excluding me of course.

Would that really have been better? Perhaps the last one….but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't watch a child die because of poor placement and with that placement I would have watched two die because of it.

I know what all of you must be thinking. What is two lives compared to thousands….but if you loose track of the few then how can you truly say you care for the many. I do not believe in the greater good like Dumbledore does. The ends never justify the means. It's simply unethical.

When I set the man in Slytherin I knew exactly how it would play out. Harry Potter would kill him as an infant and later he would rise once again….but I also knew that in the end that everything would turn out okay. I knew that one day this path would lead to a friendship between one of the enemy and Harry's sister, I knew that one day the future would clash with the past, I knew that one day the dead would mingle with the living….but I suppose you readers wouldn't know about the last one, would you? No? I didn't think you would.

As the first years stood waiting to be called but I started to play my song for everyone to hear. This year however….would have a warning….a warning to the children here that there might be dangerous times ahead but even with those times there will always be hope that the light will defeat the darkness.

And so I started to sing, "In times of old, when I was new,And Hogwarts barely started,

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted.

United by a common goal,

They had the selfsame yearning

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

"Together we will build and teach

"The four good friends never did they dream that they

Might some day be were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffindor?

Unless it was the second pair

Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw,

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such friendships fail?

Why, I was there, so I can tell

The whole sad, sorry tale.

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just thoseWhose ancestry's purest."

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whoseIntelligence is surest."

Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all thoseWith brave deeds to their name."

Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lotAnd treat them just the same."

These differences caused little strife

When first they came to each of the four founders had

A house in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so,

For instance, Slytherin

Took only pure-blood wizards

Of great cunning

just like only those of sharpest mind

Were taught by Ravenclaw

While the bravest and the boldest

Went to daring Gryffindor.

Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest

and taught them all she knew,

Thus, the houses and their founders

Maintained friendships firm and Hogwarts worked in harmony

for several happy years,but then discord crept among us

feeding on our faults and fears.

The Houses that, like pillars four

had once held up our school

now turned upon each other and

divided, sought to for a while it seemed the school

must meet an early with dueling and with fighting

and the clash of friend on at last there came a morning

when old Slytherin departed

and though the fighting then died out

he left us quite never since the founders four

were whittled down to three

have the Houses been united

as they once were meant to now the Sorting Hat is here

and you all know the score:

I sort you into Houses

because that is what I'm for.

I stopped singing for just a moment and McGonagall almost started to say the names but I resumed a few moments later. The students stared as I did so.

"But this year I'll go further,

listen closely to my song:

though condemned I am to split you

still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfill my duty

and must quarter every year

still I wonder whether sorting

may not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

the warning history shows,

for our Hogwarts is in danger

from external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her

or we'll crumble from within

With every madam and sir

Broken by their sin.

I see a broken family of four

Only two left to stand

One of snakes and lore

Another of the lion clan

Then I see love to form

Of a lion and a snake

One so sweet and warm

They surely can not break

And I see a friendship

With two sister snakes to be

One that wont be ripped

Or so I seem to see

They shall hold a bond

That shall end a fight

With two crossed wands thought dark

They will bring the light

This year will surely be new

For we must break from sin

I have told you, I have warned you...

Now let the Sorting begin."

The first years were then sorted but others still stood there. I wasn't so surprised to hear that I was to sort a few more after the first years today. Two sixth years, three fifth years, and a fourth year. Two red-heads, two brunettes, a raven, and a blond. Three girls and three boys. Samantha, Ryuichi, Arianna, Conan, Serena, and Dudley. I watched them as the lined up after the first years one after the other. A familiar blond stood close to a small girl whom I knew to be miss Potter while the others spoke to one another. The two brunettes seemed rather cozy together. Conan and Ryuichi just stood there. Ryu seemed rather lethargic. His movements were slow and his eyes were drooping. The only thing they managed to focus on was Arianna. As they were called up I watched them carefully.

"Dursley, Dudley?" Minerva called out as she looked at the parchment listing all the names with slight surprised. Perhaps she was a bit confused. I had tampered with the paper to add three more. The brunette walk to my stool and sat just as I was placed upon his head.

He was startled as I began to speak, "Not the most loyal I see…you've changed sides so often that even your cousin would question your loyalty…am I correct?"

"I…I suppose so…." He looked ashamed as closed his eyes.

"Then certainly Hufflepuff is out of the question….you don't look like much of a finder anyway….hmmm….you aren't very ambitious….or very smart…"

Dudley, "HEY!"

The hat chuckled softly, "I only speak the truth child….even if you don't like it"

"I do see one place that could work….you're brave…even to the point of willingly taking a hit from your father to protect someone else…that why you will be sent to…GRYFFINDOR!"

The boy slowly walked over to the cheering table and sat down. He smiled as his cousin slapped him on the back in a brotherly way. A type of warmth spread through me as I saw this. Another name was called.

"Lopez, Serena?"

The dainty brunette approached and sat down on the stool carefully. Her eyes looked out at the ghost warily…seeing more then the others could. Not all spirits can be seen by the naked human eye….or at least not by all. I was placed upon her head and saw what she saw. Those long gone fussing over their children or grandchild…brothers or sisters…even someone watching their lover. All long gone and unseen by almost everyone….and yet this young girl saw them.

I sighed and delved deep into her mind, "You never wish to be sent to Slytherin I see….your aunt had been there and you feel that it would not turn out well for you…and you are right….Slytherin isn't for you….nor is Gryffindor…you have the possibility to be brave…you want to be brave…but you're scared….scared of what could happen if you are there….so I can not in good conscience place you there….Hufflepuff is all wrong….you may be loyal…but you are brilliant…you look for knowledge purely for the pleasure of it….that's why you shall be placed in….RAVENCLAW"

And off she went to her table though she stared at the newly placed fifth year Gryffindor. And again another name was called, "Montiko, Ryuichi?"

The boy was sluggish as he sat down but his eyes trained themselves to follow Miss Potters every move. He looked about ready to protect her at the first sign of trouble. I was placed carefully upon his head.

"A very stupid boy….no Ravenclaw for you I suppose…one should not tamper with time as you wish to," I was silent for a moment as I continued. "No Slytherin for you as well….and I see you do not wish to be in Hufflepuff…you are not the most loyal…for only two people have your loyalty…I must admit…you are brave for what you wish to accomplish in this time…therefore you shall be placed in…GRYFFINDOR!"

He sat down at that table more awake as he watched Arianna and his friend…the short black haired boy was called up, "O'Card, Conan."

He sat down on the chair sheepishly and stared at one of the two girls left that needed to be sorted. Once I was placed upon his head I knew exactly why. "I see…so you know them personally…very personally…"

He slowly nodded, "Yeah."

I paused for a moment and forced myself to get back on track…he didn't really mind that, "Loyal only to two….one long gone while the other stands in this room with us…so Hufflepuff is not where you are needed….you are brave….very brave….but unwilling to be in that house….you are brilliant…"

The boy opened his mouth to protest my statement, "No buts….you truly are brilliant as I have said you are….but really Ravenclaw is still not for you….there's only one house you can be truly happy in and that is…SLYTHERIN!"

Cheering came from the table and he sat down carefully near Draco and Braise…he seemed both nervous and yet entirely comfortable sitting there between them.

"Potter, Arianna?" Harry's head shot up and he stared at her as many others did the same. The young potter girl was finally called sat on my stool smiling innocently.

"Hello young one….I do hope you are enjoying yourself."

She smiled happily, "I am…its amazing here…."

My seams pulled up into somewhat of a smile as I started to think about where to place her, "No real thirst for knowledge…you wish to be brave but….you are not….do not fret child….I see great loyalty in you…and a kindness that I have not seen sense your mother…..so I think I'll place you in…HUFFLE…"

She stopped me, "But I don't want to be in Hufflepuff….I…I wanna be with my friend…I…she said she'd be in Slytherin so…"

I sighed and the seams pulled down into a slight frown…but I shouted out what she wanted, "SLYTHERIN!"

She walked off and sat next to Draco…she smiled at him and he just shrugged her off…the last of the group was called up, "Riddle, Samantha?"

The room went quiet and whispering began. It was low and quiet as she approached but the moment she made it to the stool it was loud. Teachers were staring with wide eyes….Dumbledore was nearly struck dumb and Snape usually calm and cold eyes stared at the girl with confusion…had he not heard her last name before?

Once she sat down and I was placed upon her head I smirked, "Welcome back Miss Riddle…"

"Glad to be back."

I only said a single word after that, "SLYTHERIN!"

A/N- Oh my….is Samantha really related to Voldemort? How does Conan know Samantha and Arianna? What will harry do in the next chapter now that he knows he has a sister? Why was Ryu staring at Arianna? Keep reading to find out….