Sept 8
Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley and Stephen Cornfoot was shaking the room was so frigid with the fury the headmaster was emanating. It didn't help that his eyes were blazing.
"A rumor has reached my ears that you three were plotting against my wife." His gaze centered on Cornfoot. "Is that true, Mr. Cornfoot? Did you conspire to cause my wife harm?"
"N…n…no, my lord." Cornfoot squeaked. Salazar! If the Dark Lord didn't kill him on the spot, his father would. If the Dark Lord didn't kill him because of his son.
"Mr. Weasley? Ms. Weasley?"
The Weasleys were too terrified to notice the slip of his tongue. They shook their heads frantically.
Riddle leaned back in his chair. "I don't believe you. Any of you. I believe you are letting your hatred override your common sense." He looked at Ron. If the idiot was stupid enough to harm Hari with Family magic layered over him, he deserved to lose his magic. "I don't care if you are children, harm my wife and I will destroy you."
The three children gulped and shook even harder as frost formed on their bodies. It began to be difficult to breath. Their lungs resisted expanding and contracting. Their bodies grew numb. "W…we wo…won't ha….harm her." Ginny stuttered.
The cold receded a little. "Good. Now off to breakfast and to class."
The three children fled the headmaster's office like the hounds of hell were on their heels. They burst out of the stairwell and rushed down the hall not stopping their mad dash until they were on the next floor.
They leaned against the walls panting for breath, still trembling as they stared at each other.
"How did he find out?" Cornfoot hissed.
The Weasleys looked at each other. Ginny frowned. "Hermione. She was alone with Potter yesterday. Potter gave her a copy of the international O.W.L.S. and N.E.W.T.S."
Ron growled. "Traitor! How could she turn on us like that?! For tests!"
Cornfoot's eyes narrowed in anger. "I'd say Granger needs to learn to keep her mouth shut."
"Yeah, but if we do anything now they'll know it was us."
Cornfoot smirked. "But it won't be us. The know-it-all has lots of enemies. A word here; a word there and someone else does it for us."
Ron studied the floor then nodded. "Yeah. She deserves it. Let's get to breakfast and class and talk more later."
BREAK
Tom and Hari took their seats in the crowded hall watching the children on this first day of new classes and new staff. Excitement ran through Ravenclaw. Nervousness through Hufflepuff. Nervousness and resentment and rebellion mixed in Gryffindor. Slytherin masks were up and solid. There was no way of telling what their true feelings were.
Tom stood and send off a burst of colorful sparks to gain everyone's attention. "The Sorting Hat has something to say." He then pulled the raggedy hat from his robes and plopped it onto the podium.
The battered hat remained still a moment then straightened up and swiveled side to side as if looking at the students. It cleared its 'throat'.
"Usually all you hear from me is a song. A song filled with advice that all ignore. Today I am telling you and will not be ignored any longer. Unity is the only way for Magic to survive. The time for hate and division is past. To survive, to flourish in the future we will need Hufflepuff's steadfast loyalty, Ravenclaw's ability to research and recall information, Slytherin's cunning and ambitious planning, Gryffindor's bravery and courage all working together. The Founders did not divide to cause rivalry and distrust, but to focus each on their strengths. That truth has been forgotten."
The Hat swiveled as if to look at the headmaster. "I asked you at start of term for a complete resort because Dumbledore had forced me to make false sortings."
Chaos erupted in the hall as everyone began yelling and asking where they should be and that the Hat was supposed to be incorruptible.
Hari tapped her staff on the floor and magic boomed out startling everyone into silence. "Hat," she inclined her head in its direction.
"Thank you, Lady Slytherin. As I was saying for decades I have been calling for the Houses to put aside their blind prejudices and unite and have been ignored. I have changed my mind on the resort. I respectfully retire and refuse to Sort another child. Since they can't learn the lesson, the Houses should be abolished. Perhaps then unity can again be reached."
Silence. Absolute silence descended at the outrageous request. Even Tom stared at the Hat in shock. Oh, not that he didn't agree that the House system needed to be abolished or entirely revamped but he never thought the Sorting Hat would refuse to Sort and advocate abolishing the Houses.
Riddle shook off the shock. "Abolish the Houses?"
"Yes." The Hat replied in a gravelly voice. "If they will not listen to reason willingly then I shall force them to listen. Divide them by year groups. Force them to know each other. Use your rather brilliant mind and devise a way to make them actually see the truth."
"I KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT SLYTHERINS. THEY'RE ALL DEATH EATERS IN TRAINING."
The Hat bent toward the redhead that screamed at him. "Ah, Ronald Billius Weasley. Surely you haven't forgotten the conversation we had when I sat upon your head? I do believe the words ambitious, self-serving and Slytherin were mentioned. I do believe I told you that if not for the headmaster's threats you'd be in the house of snakes."
Ron paled then glared daggers at the Hat. "You're lying! I'm a Gryffindor!"
The Hat chuckled. "You are no more a Gryffindor than Draco Malfoy is. Neither were your brothers Fred and George or your sister Ginerva. Ah, Ginerva Weasley now there is a Slytherin – smart, cunning, ambitious, ruthless."
The Gryffindors began backing away from the Weasley siblings while Fred and George puffed up proudly. They had begged to be in Slytherin but the Hat refused saying he'd end up at the bottom of Black Lake if he sorted them there.
Hari was staring at the Hat then at the Weasleys. She snorted then she chuckled. She glanced down the table at Snape's horrified face and nearly fell out of her chair she was laughing so hard.
People started shouting that they thought so and so should be in Hufflepuff or Gryffindor. House mates began voicing suspicions about each other. Slytherins were saying that all the half-bloods sorted to their House was a wrong sorting by Dumbledore's hand.
SILENCE!" Riddle called out with a sonorous charm. He glared at the students. "I am ashamed of every one of you. Look at you turning on friends, housemates. Look at you eagerly taking the opportunity to rip and shred each other apart." He sneered at them. "You think you know yourself and each other so well." He paused glaring at the Hat then over at Hari who had finally composed herself. "What say you, wife? How do we begin to teach them?"
Hari rose gracefully and moved to link her arm with his. "I say, my lord husband, that we insist the Hat sort one final time. Let's see the truth of the matter. Let's see who lands in what house for this one last year. We will start fresh next year with year dorms since we'll need to restructure the dormitories."
Horrified silence descended as Riddle pondered the suggestion. Finally, he looked at the Hat. "Are you willing, Hat? To Sort once more? To Sort an honest Sorting as your last act?"
"This will be the last?"
"It will."
The Hat heaved itself up then deflated in a sigh. "Then I shall Sort one more time."
Riddle nodded. "Thank you, Hat. We will perform the Sorting before supper begins this evening. Classes have been held up long enough. First period will be short fifteen minutes today." He slid his gaze over the hall. "Dismissed."
For a moment know one moved then Slytherin stood and filed out of the room. Halfway through their exodus the other Houses began moving and soon the hall was empty except for Tom, Hari and the Hat.
Tom plucked the Hat up and plopped it on Hari's head.
"SLYTHERIN!" The Hat yelled gleefully.
Tom removed the Hat and kissed his wife.
BREAK
"I must apologize for not checking on you all sooner. We are restructuring the school and it has been a very hectic week." Tom explained to the four parents. "I trust that Fred and George have taken care of any of your needs, explained a bit of our world to you?"
"Yes, they've been very helpful. We're still trying to decide what we can do for a living, but at least we know our children will be taken care of here."
"They will. Do not worry about their education."
"We introduced Mrs. Hooper to Professor Kettlestop yesterday. He showed her his lesson plans." Fred informed Tom with a smirk.
"She laughed and marked them all in red." George chuckled.
Helen Hooper flushed.
Tom smiled. "Did he take it well?"
"After getting over his shock." She murmured. "We spent several hours yesterday going over things. He apparated me to the Leaky Cauldron and we spent the day in muggle London."
"Great. Good. This is what we need to happen. We need a firmer grasp on the reality of the muggle world. We need to be able to blend in."
Brian Whitby leaned forward, hands clasped between his knees. "I'm moving back into the muggle world. I have enough money put back to rent a flat while I look for work. I do freelance photography. I'll need to take some time to rebuild my portfolio and it will be a year maybe before I can regain my reputation and make good money, but I know I can succeed in my profession."
"You are more than welcome to remain here while you rebuild your portfolio, Mr. Whitby. I can assign a house elf to transport you wherever you wish to go to take your photographs."
Brian shook his head. "Kevin says muggle electronics do not work around magic and modern cameras have electronics in them."
Riddle snorted. "Muggle electronics do not work around magic because magicals do not take the time to shield them since they do not want muggle inventions in our world. Bring me your camera and I shall incorporate shielding into it for you. If I ruin it, I shall reimburse you the cost and you can buy a new one."
Brian studied him a moment then nodded. "Thank you, Lord Slytherin…for everything."
"You are welcome, Mr. Whitby." He turned his attention to the other two women. "Mrs. Hopsin, Mrs. Britts have you decided anything yet?"
They shook their heads.
"We tried to find work down in the village but no one would even speak to us about it." Gail Britts muttered bitterly.
"Hmmm, I suspected that would be the case. Magicals are a very insular people for the most part. Hogsmeade is a completely magical village. Godric's Hollow though is a mixed village although the muggles there do not realize they have magicals living next door. Perhaps a trip to Godric's is in order." He directed the last to the twins.
Fred and George nodded. "We'll take them."
"Check out houses for rent or sale while there. I want these families back on their feet."
BREAK
Snape strode between the two silent lines of first years and opened the door to his newly cleaned and refurbished potions lab. The walls were light gray instead of murky black. There were two magical windows – one on each long side wall to let in diffused natural sunlight. The workstations were gleaming and equipped with cleaned and maintenanced burners. He had an adequate supply of spare cauldrons, stirring rods and scales in case a child accidentally destroyed theirs. The store room was expanded and better lighted. All the ingredients checked and refreshed.
No longer did he have to portray the supposedly reformed Death Eater, the greasy dungeon bat. No longer did he have to conform to Dumbledore's idea of convincing the Dark Lord he was still faithful by being horrible to the other Houses especially Gryffindors. He snorted. The Dark Lord had not cared how even handed or not he had been with children but the act played into Dumbledore's goal of making everyone think the Dark Lord was worse than he actually was.
"In. Take a seat. Leave everything in your packs except your text, parchment, ink and quill."
The firsties –Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, he noted - scurried in and settled to both sides of the room leaving the middle empty. He shook his head. "Did the Hat not say we needed to unite? Leave everything in your packs." He strode to the front and took roll noting which house each child was in.
"Everyone up and to the front. I will call names and you will take seats starting with this one." He pointed to the workstation one row left of center.
"Kelpie Applebee. Luci Bailey."
"Perrin Henson. Nelson Brandle."
"Leonard Nostrum. Peter Hopsin."
"Abby Potts. Elias Smythe"
He continued until the class was all seated. "Now you may get out the stated items. Since class is short today we are going to go over basics. Before you brew the first potion you will have an understanding of the different ways to prepare ingredients and why you prepare them differently. You will know why some stirs are clockwise and some counterclockwise. You will also learn the cauldron shield charm that keeps anyone but you from adding anything to your potion."
Snape spent the rest of the class teaching instead of snarling and bullying. Already he was enjoying Hogwarts without Dumbledore and his manipulations. This is what Hogwarts should be – a school not a breeding ground for brainwashed minions.
The board of governors had insisted on so many potions being taught that there hadn't been time in the curriculum to ensure proper techniques and theory were learned. Dumbledore had made excuses, refusing to tell the Board that it was impossible to get the basics in and still brew that many potions. Now, Snape had revised his lesson plans, slashed six potions and replaced them with classes on techniques, theory and two classes on dangerous interactions and one on how to tell the quality of your ingredients.
Out of habit he had expected a long drawn out battle to get the changes endorsed and was prepared to have to give up at least four of them. Tom and Hari had listened attentively. Tom had nodded knowledgably then said, "You are the Potions Master. If you feel these classes are needed then they are."
Snape had nearly shouted with joy.
"Your assignment for next class. Read about the boil cure potion in your textbook. Look up the ingredients in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi note any precautions you need to take when combining them. I suggest you all pay attention to the porcupine quills."
He waved his hand and the door swung open in the back. The children took that as dismissal and quickly packed their things and hurried out chatting excitedly about how he was nothing like their older siblings said he was.
BREAK
Professor Kettlestop waited until the mostly sullen children trooped in and sat down before speaking. "Good morning everyone. I understand that most of you do not want to 'waste your time'" he air quoted, "studying about muggles. That is because you don't have a real grasp of them, their numbers, their behavior or their technology. I will not stand up here and say you have to like muggles. I will say that like them or not we need to understand them so we can maintain secrecy from them and when…not if, but when we are discovered we will be prepared to deal with them. Now, my assistant, Mrs. Hooper took me to muggle London yesterday and opened my eyes. She will now give you a brief overview of muggles and to show you how wrong we are about them."
The class stared disdainfully at the muggle woman. What could she teach them?
Helen stepped forward. "From the moment I entered the magical world I heard the beliefs about muggles – little more than animals, unable to perform the simplest of spells, they can't harm us we have wands they don't."
She looked at Kettlestop. "The maps please."
Kettlestop swished his wand and large muggle maps appeared on the walls.
"This is a map of the world. The color spots are muggle population indicators. There is a legend below that tells what each color means in terms of how many muggles live in an area. The overall number at last count was just over six billion."
"Six billion muggles?!" A girl gasped.
Helen smirked. "Yes." She moved down the wall. "We purchased some aerial photos of the larger cities around the world – London, Paris, Tokyo, New York."
The children gaped at how huge and crowded the cities were.
"While not common in England, muggles in most countries all own firearms – shotguns, rifles, pistols." She pointed to a picture featuring different types of weapons. "These are weapons common citizens can and do own. The muggle military have even more dangerous weapons. Sniper rifles that can kill you from a mile or two away." She moved to a picture of aircraft. "Jets that carry bombs that fly above the clouds and find you by the heat your body puts out or if they have a team on the ground a special light called a laser that the jets instruments picks up."
She looked around the shocked and now frightened faces. "Muggles are experts at warfare. When we go to war we expect the casualties to be counted in the tens of thousands at a minimum."
Several looked green now.
"Muggles are also expert at entertainment. We have art, theater, movies, amusement parks, sports, etc. We aren't stupid, inferior animals. We are intelligent, motivated and complicated just as magicals are."
Kettlestop stepped forward. "We will be learning how to dress in today's fashions, learn their money, how to use today's technology and its proper terminology. Once we have a basic understanding down there will be trips to the muggle side – shopping malls, amusement parks, museums. We will take a few at a time and hail taxis,"
Helen snorted at the way he carefully pronounced the foreign to him term. He glared good-naturedly at her.
"eat at a restaurant, perhaps take in a muggle movie or buy groceries from one of their markets."
A hand shot up.
"Yes, Mr. Woodford."
"You said when not if they discover us. The charms have held this long why do you think they will discover us?"
Kettlestop became very solemn. "They haven't 'discovered' us yet only because they don't know we are here to find. Mrs. Hooper showed me a very disturbing thing on the aerial photo of London." He walked over and pointed to an area that Helen had outlined in red. "This photo was taken by a muggle satellite that orbits the planet in space. It takes thousands of photos a day so muggles can study all sorts of things – cloud cover, ocean levels, glaciers and if they are melting or not, growth of cities, etc. That is Diagon Alley. Our charms work on the human body. They do not work on their technology unless it is at a very close distance. Once muggles find out about magicals all they need do is scan through these satellite pictures to find where we are hiding."
The room was silent.
"Now do you understand why it is important that we don't just dismiss muggles as inferior and unimportant?"
"Yes, sir." They all replied.
Kettlestop nodded. "No assignments today. I think you all have lots to think about so class dismissed."
"I think next class should cover something not so scary like pens, pencils and notebooks." Helen murmured.
"Good idea, Mrs. Hooper."
BREAK
Hari stayed behind when Ancient Runes was dismissed. "Professor Babbling, may I speak with you…as a student?"
The very serious Runes professor eyed her a moment before nodding. "Of course, Lady Slytherin."
"You know I'm coming into Runes late. I've worked hard over the summer to catch up but I know I still have a ways to go. I won't ask you to tutor me because I know the workload you have but can you suggest someone that can help me get caught up?"
"You will be serious about your studies?"
"Yes. Never stop learning. That is Tom' credo and he's infected me with it." She grinned.
Babbling allowed a small smile. "Well that's better than 'let's barely skim by' that you were infected with previously."
"Yes, ma'am." Hari chuckled.
"Anthony Goldstein would be a good choice. He has an exceptional grasp on the theory and he doesn't seem to have the extreme biases that many have."
"Thank you. I'll ask him."
Hari left the room and headed for Herbology. On the grounds she saw several Slytherins headed for class. "Hey Vincent!" She called out. She hadn't seen him or Gregory for weeks.
Crabbe and Goyle stopped and waited for her. "Hari," they muttered.
She linked arms with them. "Sorry I've not checked up with you before now. It's been crazy. So how's it been going?"
She ignored the stares and glares from both Gryffindor and Slytherin students.
Vincent gave a hesitant grin. "I've been helping Ms. Pince. We've got the first and second year library ready to open and the third and fourth should be ready by tomorrow. She gave me the set of rules and how to look stuff up and said if I do as well the rest of the year as I've done so far she'll ask you to hire me as an assistant after I graduate."
"Great! I can't see me not hiring you."
He beamed at her then ducked his head flushing.
"So no problem with your folks?"
They shrugged. "Not real happy but allowing it." Gregory mumbled.
Hari studied them both before letting it go. They were grown. She wouldn't treat them like kids. "So Gregory how is your working with animals dream going? Narrowed it down any?"
He shook his head. "Dunno really where to start. Just love animals."
"Hmmm. Well, I'd say we need to sit down with Professor Feathers and see what options are out there. Once we have that we can perhaps arrange tours or meetings with people in those jobs to find out more details. Maybe arrange for you to work with them on weekends to see if you'd like to do what they do or not."
Gregory gaped at her. "You'd do all that for me?"
"Course I would. I got the impression we became at least casual friends over the summer."
"You…you consider us…friends?"
Hari paused. They were just outside the greenhouse now and class was about to start. "Did I overstep? Assume too much?" She lowered her voice a bit. "I was brought up Gryffindor-ish not Slytherin-ish."
The two boys shook their heads. "Nobody ever said they were our friend before. We'd like that, Hari."
"Great. Now we better get in before Professor Sprout takes points."
BREAK
It was a very nervous gathering at supper that evening. The four houses were lined up against the walls. The four long tables stood empty.
Tom stood in front of the head table beside the stool the Sorting Hat sat on. "If you are Sorted into a different House tonight you will pack your belongings and while you are in class tomorrow morning the house elves will move those belongings to your new dorm room. I will take this moment to reiterate that you will not cast spells or potion one another. There will not be any fisticuffs. Now, to begin," he let out a sigh and called out, "Abbott, Hannah."
Eight hundred and fifty-four names later the tables was full of students. Some relieved to have remained in their original house; some relieved to have been moved. Many upset and angry at the changes.
Stephen Cornfoot went from Ravenclaw to Slytherin. As did Carmen Heffenson and Caleb Whitman who were muggleborn.
Daphne Greengrass from Slytherin to Ravenclaw.
Millicent Bulstrode moved from Slytherin to Hufflepuff with barely concealed relief.
Cassandra Pucey moved from Slytherin to Hufflepuff with a worried look at her older brother. To Hari and Tom's relief, Adrian had hugged his little sister warmly and spoke quietly to her. She had then practically skipped over to the Hufflepuff table where three girls in her age group began chatting her up.
Hermione transferred with a look of great relief to Ravenclaw while the two Weasleys did indeed resort to Slytherin.
Gryffindor got Tamsin Applebee a seventh year Hufflepuff while Hufflepuff got both Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.
Fred and George demanded to be resorted as well and cheered when the Hat shouted 'SLYTHERIN' as soon as it touched their hair.
All in all over sixty children sorted differently. Seven muggleborn into Slytherin. It appeared that the standard rule had been if they were of a known Dark family they were to be Slytherin or Ravenclaws and known Light families Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. No muggleborn had been allowed to be in Slytherin even if they were Slytherin to the core and if they were from a Death Eater family that Dumbledore knew of he made sure they went to Slytherin.
Snape stared at his rearranged House in consternation. Merlin what a mess! He turned to his lord and lady. "It would be best if you two came down tonight and made it abundantly clear that mistreatment of muggleborns will not be tolerated."
Tom and Hari looked over at the table and saw the looks being given the new muggleborn Slytherins and nodded with a grim look.
After supper, Snape gathered his charges including the new ones and herded them to the dungeons for a long discussion on expected behavior.
The older Slytherins settled in their common room glaring at the newcomers. Ron and Ginny huddled off to the side glaring daggers at everyone.
"Slytherin House has long lamented the fact that we would never be seen as anything other than a breeding ground for cruel, backstabbing, morally bankrupt evil wizards. The chance we never thought to have has arrived." His black eyes swept over the assembled children. This is your year to prove that while we are indeed ambitious and clever we are not evil personified." He sneered at the two Weasleys when he said that. Ron glowered back hate in his eyes.
"The question before each of you now is this: Will you waste that opportunity?"
Snape gave them a moment to ponder it then continued. "I will be in the common room every night as usual to check on all of you." His gaze flickered to the new students. "Regardless of what house you were in this morning you are now Slytherin. One of mine. And I take care of mine. I will listen to your problems and offer advice. I will check your work and offer guidance if needed. I also make damn sure that my students obey the rules. Break those rules and not only will you have whatever punishment the other professors hand out but then you will have mine on top of it. Whatever disputes we have with each other we do not air out in the Great Hall, classrooms and hallways. Your disputes remain inside these walls." He indicated the common room.
The door opened and Tom and Hari entered.
"The looks given the muggleborn were noted. Lord and Lady Slytherin are here to speak to you about those looks." Snape moved to the side.
Tom swept the room with a serious gaze. "You have all heard my stance on blood status. I am certain that most, if not all, of you believe that it is just public rhetoric to improve and solidify my standing with the public and to further an agenda in the Wizengamot. It is not. Hari and I are both half-bloods. Hari's mother was a muggleborn. One of the most powerful and most intelligent magicals of her age. Muggleborn are not inferior. The fact is that introducing fresh blood into the magical cleanses it. Take for example Nymphadora Tonks who is looked down on for being a halfblood. Her mother disowned from the Black family for marrying a muggleborn. Yet Nymphadora is the first with Black blood to exhibit the renowned Black metamorphmagus ability in eight generations. There are several treatises around the world that goes into great detail. If you wish to read them, I will give you a copy."
"The Sorting Hat knew what would happen to muggleborn in Slytherin and it knew that Dumbledore would have allowed it and used it to further his agenda of painting you all as sadistic monsters that needed to be destroyed. I will tell you straight up that any mistreatment of muggleborns and halfbloods will be returned to the perpetrator tenfold by myself or Tom." Hari warned. "Harassment, bullying, bigotry will end in Hogwarts and if we have to make a few students scream to get that lesson across to them than we shall."
"Is this warning just to Slytherin, Lady Slytherin?" Theodore Nott sneered.
"No. If any one of you are subjected to harassment or bullying by someone in another house they will be punished the same."
"Are your new housemates going to be safe in here?" Tom asked in a voice that said the answer had better be yes.
"Yes, sir." The group chorused sullenly.
Tom swept the room once more before nodding at Snape and prodding Hari out the door.