Disclaimer: Err, I guess I don't own the adorable little munchkin but then again J.K brought him to us at 11…he's four now…#rubs chin thinking before grabbing him# MINE! MINE! MINE! Muahahahahahha!
Rejected Runespoor
Chapter 24
Harry waited patiently outside the door to the next room and waited, leaning into it slightly to hear his cue. He'd decided he'd just hide in the shadows from the other children and surprise them when the Sorting was going on with their great Harry Potter.
He smirked as McGonagall started to speak, at a level that was a bit above her usual, as if she was trying to talk over mumbling, as if the scared little first years would be talking now! It was for him, and Harry pushed open the door as he heard his cue.
"…to Hogwarts." Professor McGongall paused slightly, but in the slight gloom of the back of the room she couldn't see if Potter had come in. He'd better have, she wouldn't be repeating. The start of term banquet is about to take place in the Great Hall but before you take your seats you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is very important…"
Harry rolled his eyes and moved into the crowd of children grouped in front of McGonagall. He pulled his robes around his body and huddled slightly, he had a little height on most of the rest of them, instantly another inconspicuous kid. He looked around himself furtively and sneered internally at a chattering bushy-haired girl near the front. She had teacher's pet all over her.
"I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." Harry blinked, looking up just in time to see McGonagall go.
A sandy-haired boy spoke quietly to the redhead next to him. "I wonder what they're going to do to sort us…"
Harry snorted silently. They could just ask the chattering girl in front of them or bothered to read a book before they came. He was about to wander away from the back of the huddled group of kids, in boredom, when the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He pulled his wand swiftly and whirled around. He let out an irritated groan as several people screamed, especially the screeching blonde close to him. It was just the ghosts. He'd seen them on one of his ventures out.
He put his wand away ignoring them and started to tap his foot.
"The Sorting is about to begin." The Professor had returned and shooed the ghosts away through the wall towards the Hall. "Line up and follow me."
Harry lagged behind the rest of the line and at the back suddenly stood straight, fixing his shirt and robes around himself, glad they hadn't wrinkled. The piece of his hair he'd turned into a string had his hair in a short ponytail but he probably give himself a cut tonight. Then putting on a small, open smile and the wide-eyed look of wonder all first years had, he started moving in with the line.
He desisted from looking around in wonder like the other firsts as he'd seen the Hall before and instead looked around at the people. They were all watching the first years interestedly, well except one table where he seemed the students were reading. Ravenclaw, he rolled his eyes mentally as the line stopped. He looked to the front as McGonagall put down a three legged stool and put a battered old hat on top of it. Ah, the Sorting hat. He cocked his head interestedly as it twitched, wondering what sorts of spells you'd have to put on it to make it animated.
By the time it was done singing he'd decided it was a sentient spell. One he'd have to look up. It was quite nifty for amusement purposes and you never know when you might need your quill to write and tell you about it's day. He clapped slightly though along with the others as the song finished.
Then the professor stepped forward with a roll of parchment.
"When I call your name you will sit on the stool to be sorted. Abbott, Hannah."
Harry decided to start guessing as a pig-tailed girl headed towards the stool. Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. She didn't look Ravenclaw and if she got sorted into Slytherin…she'd be gone in a night.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Yeah. He still had it. Harry put the small friendly smile he'd had coming in back on and watched as the rest of the Ceremony continued.
The chatterbox was his only wrong answer so far. He'd been sure she'd be Ravenclaw. But she ended up Gryffindor. The screeching blonde got the only place his pampered spoiled butt deserved, Slytherin. And Harry fake smile froze suddenly as he realized he was about to be called.
"Potter, Harry."
Harry tossed his head back and widened his smile to 'friendly', but not 'grinning loon' and walked up to the stool ignoring the sounds of chattering people around him. He waited as McGonagall plopped the hat on his head.
'So you are Harry Potter. Albus talks of you a lot these days. Hmm, yes, yes. But dear me, he won't like this. Hufflepuff is definitely not you, though you know of loyalty and hardworking. Ravenclaw, though you read and absorb like a sponge is also not for you. You know bravery and you are adventurous, but you also know power and you seek knowledge to gain more power.'
Harry frowned. 'Do you speak back to The Headmaster?'
'I do. But don't worry I won't tell your secrets.' The Hat sounded amused.
'I know he wants me in Gryffindor. He practically pushed me into their dorms.'
'You may be adventurous and you can be brave…but you are not a Gryffindor. You will have to be in…' "SLYTH…" That was shocking enough for everyone in the Hall, their saviour about to be placed in Slytherin but then the Hat started hacking, like if it had a throat and something was in it.
"Oh dear," Professor Dumbledore stood. "The Hat seems to be malfunctioning. I'll have to take it back to the office for a fix-up then…"
Strangling spell! Harry closed his eyes and willed his wandless magic as he always had. "Finite Incantatum." He whispered.
"ack…SLYTHERIN!"
"The Hat seems fine to me." Harry said with a cutting smile and took it off his head before dropping it onto the stool and going off to his table. The school seemed to pause for a moment as he sat, even the Slytherins themselves, before McGonagall shook out her list again and Dumbledore sat down, twinkle in his eye gone.
She cleared her throat. "Miles Quint." And the Sorting continued.
Dedicated to Unseen Watcher whose review is what made me get my arse back on Runespoor and update. I'm just waiting for the contest to end to see how I did but I already know I've lost…so back to writing here for me.
The reason why the update wasn't yesterday when the review came though is because...BECCA, LadyTreason if you want to hunt her down...had me off playing this game. Age of Empires...I never knew you could play the trial version online it's great!