Harry Potter and the Heart of Power
Chapter 10
-Harry-
Groaning in irritation he rubbed his temples to ease hid headache as the small boat came to a stop at the Castle, Hermione Granger having been in a rather rude little Snit ever since he gave his speech. The second the boat stopped the bushy haired girl had pushed out of the boat, her nose in the air, as she sniffed disdainfully at him. "That's not true." Susan said in an impression of Hermione once the girl was gone, his red haired friend rather miffed at the other first year girl who had completely ignored his words.
"Ignore her Susan," he said as he wrapped an arm around her "some people are too set in their own beliefs to change. No matter the truth of a matter if she doesn't believe in it she will refuse to listen to anyone else or any evidence they give.".
"I know Harry," Susan sighed as she snuggled into his side "but her attitude was so annoying! You pointed out the pros and cons of each house logically! You weren't showing favoritism or bias, or even hero worship like she was!".
"She clearly prides herself on her 'intellect'," he said with a small smirk "but if that's the amount of logic she can muster up then it must not be as grand as she believes. Just keep that in mind, think it to herself, and leave her confused about why you're smirking.".
"That is a rather…odd view of how to deal with people." Neville said with a raised eyebrow.
"If you get mad at someone then they know what angers you so you risk giving them power over you if you don't control the situation so that the other person either fears you or is trapped by being outmaneuvered." He explained "If you get 'even' then you risk whatever you are attempting backfiring against you. Now don't get me wrong, it is alright to get angry so long as you can remain in control of yourself, it is alright to get even if you plan it out properly…but simply toying with the other person's mind is the best way to get back at them. Let their thoughts become their own worst enemy.".
"Harry," Neville asked him wide eyed "can you do me a favor?".
"Depends on the favor," he said with a shrug "but I promise to at least hear it out.".
"If I ever get on your bad side…let me know so I can lock myself up in Azkaban to stay safe." His pudgy friend said nervously.
"Will do my friend." He said cheerfully, "But I don't think you're in any danger right now.".
"Better safe than sorry." Neville said with a shrug as they laughed and walked up the steps into a waiting room before being sorted.
"So Neville," Susan said as they stood in the side room, pointedly ignoring the glares being sent at them from Hermione, Neville, and Ron "you still wanting to go to Gryffindor?".
"I…I don't know," Neville admitted "before I wanted to just make my parents proud of me but after listening to what you said earlier…I don't know. I think I'm just going to let the sorting hat decide for me.".
"Well I hope you get a house you enjoy." He said with a grin as Neville smiled at him gratefully.
"Students," the stern looking woman who had led them into the hall, he was pretty sure the big guy had said her name was Professor McGonagall, "we're ready for you now.".
"I don't think anyplace or anyone could ever be ready for Harry." Neville muttered under his breath as he smirked and offered his arm to Susan.
"Shall we milady?" he asked with a grin as she laughed happily and linked her arm with his.
"We shall good sir." She told him, beaming widely as she rested her head on his shoulder.
As they walked, Neville chuckling behind them, they studiously ignored the whispers coming from not only their fellow first years but the upper years when the doors opened and people immediately focused on him, staring at both his scar and the woman on his arm. His attention was drawn to the front of the Hall however when another Professor, this one a rather short little man, brought out a three legged stool and a frayed hat which were placed next to McGonagall.
At first McGonagall did nothing as she simply stood next to the stool and just when he was beginning to wonder when the sorting would begin he saw the frayed brim of the hat twitch before a large tear in it opened like a mouth and the hat began to sing. All throughout the song all he could do was gape at the singing piece of headgear as he saw Susan was having a similar reaction. When the song ended he clapped politely but was still trying to process the bizarre scene he had just witnessed and new that the others hadn't told him about the singing just so they could make him have this reaction to it.
Once the song ended McGonagall unfurled her scroll and called out, "When I call your name, step up here where I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will then be sorted into your houses. Hannah Abbot." As the woman spoke a rather nervous looking girl stepped forward and placed the hat on her head.
The duo, both hat and girl, remained silent for about a minute before the hat called out "Hufflepuff!" as the girl seemed to slump down in what looked like relief before returning the hat to McGonagall and walking over to the cheering Black and Yellow table.
"Susan Bones." McGonagall called out as he turned to his friend, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze and kissed her cheek.
"Good luck Su." He said with a smile as she blushed and walked up to get sorted, both of them ignoring the stares, whistles, and whispers from his actions.
When the hat was placed upon her head he saw the muscles in her face tense up as if she was arguing with someone over something as she sat under the hat for about a minute and a half before it called out "Hufflepuff!" as, once again, the house of the badgers cheered as did he as his friend got the house she wanted.
He only half paid attention to the other sortings, mainly focusing on the ones for the people he had met, and spent most of his time having a conversation of eyes and gestures with a giggling Susan. He did note however that Draco Malfoy was sorted into Slytherin, much to the idiot's obvious pleasure, Hermione Granger was sorted into Ravenclaw, much to the bushy haired girl's obvious displeasure, and Neville was sorted into Gryffindor and seemed genuinely shocked.
Finally thought his name was called up with a "Harry Potter." As he walked up to the hat, Susan blowing him a kiss as he did so.
The moment he sat down and the hat dropped to cover his eyes, also blocking out the stares from his classmates, "Well," a voice spoke up within his mind "this is very interesting. You're quite the sneaky one, aren't you Harry Potter, or should I say Hadrian Peverell?".
"So you can read my thoughts," he noted calmly, having figured that was likely the case after seeing several people under the stool looking like they were arguing with someone "since my friends never informed me about this they obviously weren't concerned. Perhaps a part of your enchantment that prevents you from sharing the secrets of others?".
"Oh drat," the hat muttered but he could tell that it was amused "spoiling my fun. I wanted to make you panic.".
"Sorry Hat," he said with a shrug "now, shall we get to the sorting?".
"Might as well." The Hat replied with a mental nod of acceptance "Now let's see. You're clearly cunning and ambitious enough to enter Slytherin, starting up your businesses and running them in the way that you do is certainly proof of that. You have the intellect of a Ravenclaw, figuring out a problem people have been puzzling over for centuries. You are certainly hardworking with how hard you trained during your 'time compression' and your loyalty is, from what I can see, quite strong. As for Gryffindor…you actually had the balls to try and say that Director Ragnok had pink braided hair…enough said. Is there any house in particular you would want to go to?".
"I'd honestly prefer to avoid Gryffindor or Slytherin," he answered back "I'm trying to enter Politics and those two are very bad choices for Politicians with either one making me seem to overly dark or overly light which would drive away any support from the opposite. Between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff though…I'd honestly prefer Hufflepuff. Both to give them a better image and to avoid…certain company.".
"Yes," the hat said with a snicker "Ms. Granger was rather…irritated with you and your words despite the truth in them. Her anger was also directed at me when I agreed with you. So Hufflepuff it is but one final question…does your choice have anything to do with the lovely Miss Bones?".
"No comment." He replied as he fought down a blush
"That's what I thought." The smug had told him before shouting to the hall "Hufflepuff!" as the house of the badgers cheered loud enough to shake the dust from the rafters while the other three houses, particularly Gryffindor, looked shocked.
Chuckling in amusement he stood up and walked over to his new table, ignoring the several offers from various housemates to sit with them, and dodging more than a few hands that tried to force him to sit by them, as he immediately walked over and sat himself beside Susan who snuggled up against him happily.
The rest of the sorting went normally, apart from the many shocked stares in Hufflepuff's direction, as he noted that the rather irritating red head from the train had become a Gryffindor. The feast that followed was delicious as he enjoyed himself immensely, talking and laughing with Susan and a couple other Hufflepuffs that seemed nervous around him and Susan, possibly feeling awkward around their already existing dynamic.
That night, after the feast and a rather strange announcement from the Headmaster about a forbidden corridor which would lead to possible death, something Susan promised him she would be informing her Aunt about immediately in the letter she planned to write, they were led down to the basement and to the Hufflepuff common room.
"Now," the prefect who was leading them explained as they passed a painting full of Fruit "this here is the kitchens, you open it by tickling the pear until it becomes a doorknob. The staff don't mind if you come out at night to grab a snack from here so long as you don't go past the portrait. Other than that our common room is at the end of the corridor. To enter you get to the stacks of barrels, find the one with the badger on it, and say the password which, currently, is 'loyalty above all'.".
At those words the barrels began to shake before they sank into the floor to reveal an entrance into a large and rather comfortable looking common room. "Now," the other prefect, this one a girl, said once they were all inside "in Hufflepuff our dormitories, along with those of Slytherin, are organized a little differently than those of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw due to us being given common rooms that are in the colder areas of the castle and farther away from the classrooms. A kind of compensation if you will. In our house you pick your roommate as a first year and that student whom you chose will be your roommate for your next seven years here. You can pick either a boy or girl so long as they also agree.".
At those words every single first year turned towards him with a rather creepy gleam in their eyes before he wrapped an arm around Susan, "Sorry all," he said as he pulled her close "I've already got someone I plan to room with. Assuming that's alright with you Su?".
"Of course it is Harry." Susan said happily as she kissed his cheek while the other first years pouted.
"That aside," the prefect girl said with a giggle "are there any other questions?".
"Um…miss," the nervous looking girl, Hannah Abbot, asked raising her hand "o-on the train that one boy, Ron Weasley, made fun of me for wanting to be in Hufflepuff. W-why do people make fun of us?".
"It's because most people who do so aren't intelligent enough to see past the end of their nose," he spoke up as all eyes turned towards him "they don't realize the value of loyalty and Hard work so, in their eyes, this House is just a place for 'leftovers' and 'duffers'. After today you might get picked on out of jealousy from major 'boy-who-lived' fan boys and fan girls form other houses. But no matter what I want you to just keep one little phrase in mind when the say something stupid like that.".
"What's that?" Hannah asked in confusion as he gave a wide grin.
"Honey Badger don't give a shit.".
