Harry could see the High Table properly now, sitting at the Slytherin table in the great hall. At the end nearest him sat Hagrid, who oddly seemed to avoid Harry's gaze as Harry tried to wave. And there, in the centre of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized him at easily, and the old man was wearing the same scruffy-looking cloak he had been wearing when he had visited Harry at the Leaky Tavern. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts.
And now there were only three people left to be sorted.
Harry mostly stopped paying attention to the sorting ceremony now that his own sorting was over, but still overheard that "Weasley, Ron" was sorted into Gryffindor, like he had wanted.
The children around him were staring at him and whispering, but Harry chose to ignore them completely. In front of him was an empty, golden plate, and seeing the empty plate made him realize how hungry he was. Harry turned his head to see Draco sit down next to him, smiling, but before he could say anything the sound of a small fork tapping on crystal was heard. Somehow, the small, crisp sound was heard perfectly throughout the great hall, and all conversation fell quiet as the students turned their heads towards the head table where Headmaster Dumbledore had stood up.
The headmaster cleared his throat gently which, somehow, was also perfectly audible throughout the hall. "Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our feast, I would like to say a few words. And here they are! Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!". Looking perfectly pleased with himself, he sat back down as if the whole situation was completely normal and before Harry could begin to try and understand what had just happened, a feast unlike anything he had seen in his entire life magically appeared on the tables before them.
As Harry took in the excess of food, Draco put a hand on his shoulder and reached in, shaking his hand and grinning happily. "Congratulations, Potter! You got sorted into Slytherin!". Harry smiled timidly, unsure of what he was supposed to say. "Yea, it's, it's pretty great...". Everyone else at the Slytherin table looked at the two of them while pretending not to.
Draco laughed. "It is, Harry! Really, you'll see". He nodded reassuringly and began shovelling food unto his plate.
Harry nodded, not in agreement but just thinking to himself. He couldn't decide what food to get, so he got a little bit of everything. Some part of him felt guilty for having so much food, but he reassured himself that the food was for everyone and took a bigger serving. Around him, everybody started eating and Harry soon had a mouthful of food.
Just as Harry was quite incapable of answering, his mouth completely fulled, Draco began to bombard him with questions.
"So Harry, why did you decide to go for Slytherin? Was it your first choice? I'm glad you didn't listen to all those people saying bad things about our house, it really is the best one. Say, where WERE you on the train, anyway? I didn't see you anywhere, I mean, not that I looked so much".
Harry swallowed and looked at Draco, who seemed like he expected an answer. He was surprised that Draco was being so friendly - it somehow seemed a little unlike him. Harry took a drink and cleared his throat. "Well, uh, Draco... I didn't exactly PICK Slytherin, not exactly, anyway...". Draco looked confused as Harry continued explaining. "I mean, I heard a lot about each of the houses, but I hadn't really decided. It sounded like Hufflepuff was... well, the sort of thing you might get picked on for being part of, you know, so I really just said 'not Hufflepuff'. And somehow, that landed me in Slytherin... weird, isn't it?", Harry asked.
Draco nodded, digesting the information. "That does happen sometimes, Harry, but that's alright. Me, I always knew I'd be in Slytherin. I'm a Malfoy! We belong in Slytherin, everyone knows that". A few of the students in the general vicinity of Harry and Draco shot them. "We are one of the most ambitious noble families, Harry... You've done well to choose us for your allies!". More small, curious looks from Harry's new classmates.
Harry felt uncomfortable with something about the situation, and thought quickly. "Well, uh, Draco, no offence, but I don't think I'd exactly call us... allies. This isn't a war, anyway, and I mean, you're very nice and everything, but... I don't really know you".
Draco only allowed his facade to falter for a second, showing a hint of a sneer before he put his cheerful face back on. "That's alright Harry, we'll talk about it some other time. We're just all glad to have you in Slytherin house". As Draco said that, at least 10 different people within ear-shot turned to Harry and lifted their drinks, saluting him. Harry felt weird having people pay attention to him like that, shy and embarrassed. But it was, at least, better than being picked on and Harry smiled, timidly returning the gesture.
As Harry set down his cup, an older boy from across the table talked to him. "It really is a very pleasant surprise to see you here, Potter. Everyone expected you to wind up in Gryffindor, or Ravenclaw, or, well, anything but Slytherin". The brown-haired boy reached across the table and shook his hand, smiling. "I'm Miles Bletchley. I'm the current keeper for Slytherin!", he states proudly.
Harry wanted to just let it go, but knew he would be called on it sooner or later if he pretended to know what he was talking about. He tried to talk quietly to avoid too many people hearing his question, but failed as many people near him simply stopped talking as he asked. "Uhm, what's a keeper?".
It soon proved impossible to stop people talking about Quidditch and Harry resigned himself to just eating his meal and listening.
Harry finished his dessert while a butch-looking girl named Millicent Bulstrode argued with a boy named Blaise Zabini about which seeker was the best one England had ever had. Harry had long since tuned out the conversation and had by now resigned himself to watching the great hall and trying to memorize faces. There were so many people here. Harry had been sorted into Slytherin while Hermione had gone to Ravenclaw. Oh, and Ron had gone to Gryffindor. Harry would never admit it, but he still didn't fully understand what the point of the houses were. Merlin had been a Slytherin, though, and as far as Harry could tell Merlin was just about the most powerful wizard anyone remembered. Good enough for him.
At the same time Harry noticed the food had disappeared, he looked up at the head table where everyone else were looking. As he looked over the teachers sitting at the table he was unsettled to discover that one teacher, a man with greasy black hair, a hooked nose sallow skin was staring at him. Directly at him.
Harry dropped his gaze and, to his luck, Headmaster Dumbledore chose that moment to stand up, the sound of him clearing his throat once again perfectly audible throughout the entire great chamber. There was perfect silent as the ancient-looking wizard started to speak.
"Ahern - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First-years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. A few of our older students would do well to remember that as well".
Harry looked to where Dumbledore's gaze now rested and saw that the Headmaster was looking at Ron's elder twin brothers.
"I have been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams shot contact Madam Hooch".
"Finally, I would like to welcome a new member of our staff". Dumbledore turned to look at a small, mousy woman with bushy brown hair, somehow reminding him of Hermione.
Dumbledore's voice was remarkably solemn as he spoke. "This is Professor Shura, who will be teaching defence against the dark arts. She has decided to give up her work at the Muscowian Security Corps and ask for refuge in magical Britain". Students throughout the great hall got restless in their seats and begin to whispering at the news, before Dumbledore raised a hand to silence them. "I understand that there are many rumours about the Muscowian Security Corps. Some of them are true, but most of them are not. While she is here, you will give her the utmost respect".
Dumbledore smiled and gestured to another teacher, a nondescript-looking man who was prematurely bald for his age. "I am also pleased to announce that Professor Quirrel has returned from his sabbatical to teach muggle studies". No whispering was heard in response to that announcement.
Dumbledore smiled, on the edge of a full grin. "And now, before we all go off to bed, let us sing the school song!". After a few, awkward minutes the song was finished, none of the teachers except Dumbledore himself and Hagrid looking particularly pleased with the situation. "Ah, music!" Dumbledore said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!".
The Slytherin first-years followed a prefect named Mervin Wynch through the still-whispering crowds, out of the great hall and into the bowels of the school. The Slytherin common rooms, it seemed, were in the Hogwarts dungeons, below the water. Harry was exhausted but still tried to take in his surroundings, especially fascinated by the moving, talking paintings. The road to the common rooms felt like it should have been longer, but following a number of corridors and small staircases, the prefect stopped, facing a brick wall.
Harry was no longer surprised when, after the prefect had loudly spoken the password ("Ad Altiora Tendo", apparently) and made them all memorize it, the wall simply melted away and revealed the Slytherin common room. Harry was pleasantly surprised to find that it had a very relaxed atmosphere, with a number of nooks and crannies to study or talk in. The entire dungeon was somehow well-lit in spite of seeming dark, and a series of small windows apparently leading into the lake. Harry shuddered a little as he saw something move in the water but was soon distracted by the prefect leading him and the other boys towards their section of the dungeon, an older girl, presumably a prefect as well, leading the girls. A small, floating light led Harry to his bunk, which he noticed was in the same room as Draco's and a few other boys, including Zabini, the boy who had passionately talked Quidditch earlier. Some of the boys seemed like they wanted to talk, but Harry was too tired to deal with any more that day and climbed into his bed. He was asleep almost as soon as he hit the pillow.
All through the night he had strange, restless dreams about dark rooms and whispered voices.