Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. All rights reserved, inc. copyright goes to J.K. Rowling. No copyright infringement intended, no money is being made. I do not own the cover picture, I got it off of Google Images (all rights reserved)
Warnings: language
Notes: I've been having this idea in my head for half a year. I'll try to update every week or two weeks since it's summer time, but I'm moving and have my sweet sixteen coming up soon so I may not update all the time. Plus, when school starts I won't be able to update as much as I like, since I'm going to be doing some college classes. However, this isn't Beta'd so sorry for any mistakes and errors. I don't own the cover picture, or any pictures that I may use. Please review, favorite, and follow!
Chapter One
"Granger, Hermione."
With extra enthusiasm, the eleven-year-old bushy haired brunette rushed towards the stood, eagerly awaiting the sorting. She wasn't disappointed when Professor McGonagall placed the raggedy singing hat atop her head the second she sat on the stool. There was soon a gentle rusting throughout her mind, and a raspy voice spoke not a moment later.
"…very peculiar, yes…extraordinaire…loyalty that Helga Hufflepuff herself would envy…ambition Salazar would snatch up in a second…bravery Godric would love to have at battle…oh, what's this? Knowledge and a knack for learning? Now, where to put you…where to put you…?"
There was more shifting through her mind and memories, before the Sorting Hat finally said, "Yes, I know exactly what to do with you…"
The Hat then yelled out, "RAVENCLAW ‒ HUFFLEPUFF ‒ GRYFFINDOR ‒ SLYTHERIN." There was an astonished silence before a "APPRENTICE OF HOGWARTS!"
The stern professor was too shocked to even take off the hat. Hermione did so only to be stared at by everyone in the hall. She was reminded of her primary schoolmates teasing and bullying, people staring at her in the halls and commenting on her supposed weirdness, and she gulped before looking back at the other professors, brown eyes pleading to do something, anything.
One kind, short Professor who had a lily flower in her gray streaked hair shot up into action.
"You can sit with my House, dearie." The witch said kindly, gently guiding the first year to the black and yellow table of the Badgers amidst the gaping stares and mouths.
"I'm Hannah Abbott," The blonde girl next to her with the slightly pink cheeks and pigtails grinned at her.
The girl sitting across from Hannah, with red hair, greeted, "I am Susan Bones."
People soon stared to pay attention to the sorting once McGonagall cleared her throat, glaring at the starers, although majority still stared, still gaped. She continued down the line to a ‒
"Longbottom, Neville." She called.
Nervously, sad boy stumbled to the stool, and his vision was blocked by the hem of the talking Hat.
"…interesting…very interesting…much like Miss Granger…with loyalty…bravery…cunning with a dash of ambition to not be your father or a squib…knowledge...hmm…where to put you…what's this? Very interesting, dear boy ‒ I know exactly what to do with you, just like Miss Granger…"
The Hat opened the brim mouth of his and yelled, "HUFFLEPUFF ‒ GRYFFINDOR ‒ SLYTHERIN ‒ RAVENCLAW ‒ APPRENTICE OF HOGWARTS!"
Neville was too shocked to even think, his mind was blank. The Hat was taken off his head, and the Professor who had helped Hermione helped him. He sat, flabbergasted, next to his fellow Apprentice.
"Hello, Neville." Hermione smiled brightly at him. "I'm glad I'm not alone in this."
Neville nodded, his mind still processing the information of the Hat. What did It mean, exactly, by saying that he had a thirst to prove that he wasn't his father, or a squib, to his family, that he was just Neville?
Then, there was a "Malfoy, Draco." The boy everyone thought to be a Slytherin from birth, bred to be one with a silver spoon in his mouth. He sauntered his way to the stool, but only four realized that it was fake confidence and swagger. They could see the hidden panic in his silvery gray eyes.
One wondered if Malfoy was as bad as mother said he would be…
"Hello, Draco…you have a fine mind, one that surpasses Ravenclaw…loyalty for family and friends, though you could be a bit more welcoming and less obnoxious…you have the ambition and cunning for Slytherin…and…well, look at this…you stood up to your father, and you don't want to be his carbon copy…yes, I know what sets ou apart from the others…"
There was the usual silence, and then, "SLYTHERIN ‒ RAVENCLAW ‒ HUFFLEPUFF ‒ GRYFFINDOR ‒ APPRENTICE OF HOGWARTS!"
Even though nearly everyone in his family, Mothers' side as well, were Slytherin, he knew that he was singled out…and the snake pit would eat him alive.
He made his choice, then and there, on that oak stool, changing his fate and destiny unknowingly, before moving to sit with the other Apprentices. He gave a hesitant smile to the Pureblood and Muggleborn Apprentice. He didn't really like the M-word for Muggleborns, anyway. His father made him say it. They returned it.
The Sorting continued. "Moon, Lily" was a new Ravenclaw, "Nott, Theodore" went to Slytherin, sending Draco an unfathomable glace before making his way to the green and silver table. Then, "Parkinson, Pansy" went to the table of green and silver, "Patil, Padma" went to Ravenclaw, and "Patil, Parvati" went to the boisterous, rowdy table of red and gold. "Perks, Sally-Anne" was a new Hufflepuff.
And then, finally…
"Potter, Harry."
The too-tiny-to-be-eleven-year-old boy nervously made his way towards the stool after a comforting nudge from Ron that propelled him forward, and as he did so, he heard their whispers.
"The Harry Potter…"
"…wonder if he'll be an apprentice…"
"…my mother said he was extremely powerful, defeating a Dark Lord at only one, of course he'd be an apprentice…"
And then the whispers stopped, and the last thing Harry saw, was everyone craning their necks, trying to get a better view of him.
"Well…well…well…you'd do very well in Slytherin, it's all in your head, you know…Gryffindor, too…and what's this? Loyalty to the boot, and knowledge untapped…hmm…decisions, decisions…yes, you'll do very well with where I'll put you…"
The Hat screamed out into the silent hall, "GRYFFINDOR ‒ SLYTHERIN ‒ RAVENCLAW ‒ HUFFLEPUFF ‒ APPRENTICE OF HOGWARTS!"
Harry placed the Hat back on the stool before quickly making his way to the House of yellow and black with his other fellow apprentices. He sat across from Neville, next to "Perks, Sally-Anne". He gave them all a smile and they returned it with enthusiasm. Harry zoned out the rest of the sorting until a "Weasley, Ron" was called.
Harry watched with rapt attention as his first and only friend, for now at least, sat stiffly on the stool, posture ram-rod straight, his red hair and freckles stood out as his face grew paler with each second.
"Definitely a Gryffindor, his entire family is one. From what I've heard, at least," The delicate looking girl next to him, Sally-Anne Perks, said quietly to him.
Ron was growing anxious until a voice, seemingly from the inside of his mind, said, "Hmm…I see ambition to surpass your brothers and their achievements…undeniable loyalty to those you love and consider close, although you do get dreadfully jealous sometimes…you're quite the strategist and you have a mind Ravenclaw would definitely nourish with the right nudges…oh? What's this I see? A thirst to…yes, you'll do perfectly…"
The Hat then shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF ‒ RAVENCLAW ‒ SLYTHERIN ‒ GRYFFINDOR ‒ APPRENTICE OF HOGWARTS!"
Ron was shocked at what the Hat said. Before, he'd thought he'd never be anything, do anything, simply because his brothers had already done it all, and it'd be a moot point in the long run.
He sat next to Harry at the Hufflepuff table, relieved that his back was turned to the Gryffindors. He was unable to look at his siblings and perhaps see the disappointment, the shame, because he wasn't in their family House.
Ron's stomach churned with unease ‒ he didn't even want to think about what his parents would say!
With "Zabini, Blaise" settling down at the Slytherin table, the Sorting Hat and stool was removed by McGonagall, and Headmaster Dumbledore stood up, arms spread, looking as if he'd never be anywhere but here. Once the old man finished his speech with the words "Oddment! Blubber! Tweak!" a feast appeared out of nowhere.
As soon as everyone go their food on their plates, and some in their mouths, they began to speak.
"Do any of you know what an apprentice is?" Hermione asked.
Draco responded, "Well, there hasn't been an apprentice in Hogwarts since Merlin and Nicolas Flamel ‒ Dumbledore wasn't even an Apprentice during his time here! ‒ and those two were both extremely powerful and intelligent."
"Scary brilliant," Ron added once he swallowed half his chicken leg.
Harry only picked the foods he'd been allowed to eat at the Dursleys'. Even though everything looked absolutely scrumptious…he wasn't sure he could stomach it at the moment. For now, he stuck to the nutritious foods and would work on the others later in the school year.
He looked to see Hermione doing the same. She smiled at his unasked inquire. "Mum and Dad are dentists. So, I'm not really allowed sweets or anything unhealthy."
Harry nodded. His old primary school Nurse was once a dentist, before she retired, and only gave out sugar free candy to those who wound up in her office.
"Susan Bones," A redhead greeted ‒ and that was the start of the Hufflepuff table erupting into introductions.
"Sally-Anne Perks," Sally introduced. "I'm a Half-blood, Muggle raised."
"Hannah Abbott," Hannah said.
"I'm Hermione Granger," The first Apprentice introduced herself.
"N-Neville Longbottom," The shy, chubby boy smiled slightly.
"Ron Weasley," The other redhead said, after inhaling his mashed potatoes.
"Draco," He muttered, twirling his fork at his spaghetti. He didn't feel like saying his last name, didn't want to see the looks of disgust and revulsion at the mention of his family and their Dark Ways.
"Harry, Harry Potter." The messy haired boy grinned at everyone. Then, he frowned. "Say, where do you think we'll sleep?"
The Apprentices frowned as well, but then the Headmaster stood and the food disappeared. He gave the students a Welcome Speech, something about a Mr. Filch, warnings about a Forbidden Forest, and then a corridor, and a painful death that would resume upon entry. Harry's stomach did flips.
The Hufflepuff Prefects called for their first years, as did the other tables, but before the five Apprentices could follow, a voice behind them, in a silky tone, said, "Apprentices, follow me please."
The five looked up at a tall, dark haired man who had a very large nose and sallow skin. Draco smiled up at him before the unknown man led them out fo the din, and into an unfamiliar, winding hallway.
Hermione mustered up her Gryffindor courage and asked, politely, "Excuse me sir, but, who are you?"
"I am Professor Snape, your Potions Professor here at Hogwarts." The man drawled, not once stopping his smooth and fast gait, or looking back to see if they were behind him.
Neville, and even Draco with all his fake confidence, stumbled, trying to catch up with the Professor as they walked up steps and down hallways with twists and turns. Soon, they stopped in front of a stone gargoyle.
"Blood Pops." The Professor said with a grimace, making the Apprentices stare at him oddly.
"Blood Pops?" Hermione mouthed to Harry, the other person who was muggle raised besides her. He shrugged.
The gargoyle then moved, revealing a staircase spiraling upwards. "Follow me." Professor Snape said, before walking diligently p the stone steps. The apprentices followed in silence. They were all tired from the feast and their earlier travel.
Professor Snape opened an oak door, and the five children looked around in awe at the Headmasters' office. There were swirling and smoking trinkets, a telescope pointed upwards to an open window, portraits that talked, the ultimate clutter of a genius, etc.
There were four Professors in the room, counting the Headmaster, excluding Professor Snape.
"Hello Apprentices," The Headmaster smiled at them. "We just need to see who your mentors are going to be." He turned towards the Sorting Hat, and they all waited with bated breath. "Well, Gregori? Can you tell us who their mentors are going to be?"
The Hat turned itself towards the Headmaster from its shelf with an annoyed huff. "I've already told you, Albus. Their mentors are Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw."
"The Founders or the Heads of Houses?" Dumbledore inquired.
"The Heads, Albus." The Hat droned, with an audible duh tone.
Headmaster Dumbledore nodded, but that was when Hermione spoke. "Excuse me, Headmaster, but where will we sleep?"
"We can use the Guest Rooms near Hufflepuff tower." The kind Professor, whose name was actually Professor Sprout, suggested. "It's been built just like the dorms, with a common room, and bathroom as well."
Headmaster Dumbledore looked at the other Professors, all of whom murmured their agreements. "Excellent!" He grinned once there were no other suggestions or objections.
"I'll take them there." Professor Sprout said. "I don't speak to my 'Puffs until the morning."
"We can all take them there." Professor McGonagall said briskly. "So that we can give them our rules, expectations, and, perhaps, work out a schedule."
That was when Ron, of all people, spoke up. "What will we be doing, exactly?"
The tiny, short Charms Professor ‒ Professor Flitwick ‒ explained, "Well, each of us have a different are of expertise. I deal with Charms and Dueling."
Professor McGonagall said, "I deal with Transfiguration and History."
Professor Snape said, "I deal with Defense and Potions."
And Professor Sprout said, "I deal with Herbology and Healing."
"We'll work out the details for your ‒ abilities ‒ later on." Professor Dumbledore said. "Preferably over the weekend,"
"Um," Neville stumbled. "What House will we be apart of?"
The Professors shared a look until Headmaster Dumbledore said, with twinkling eyes, "Why, you'll be apart of all the Houses. It wouldn't be fair to separate all of you, after all."
Once their sleeping arrangements were met, the four Head of Houses and five Apprentices made their way towards the Guest Room which were seating across from the kitchens ("You have to tickle the Ron's ‒ dismay). The Guest Rooms' entrance was a beautiful wintry portrait with little children scrambling about, playing in the snow, dressed in Victorian Era clothing. A little girl, who looked about nine, bounced towards the front of the portrait, with dark brunette hair and cheeks flushed rosy red, gave them all a toothy smile.
"Hello," She beamed. "My name's Isabella. Are you visitors?"
"We're Apprentices." Draco told the girl.
She smiled brighter, if possible. "That's positively wonderful! In order to get in, you must set a password."
The Apprentices looked at one another, and then at the adults. Professor Flitwick squeaked, "The password can be Hogwarts for now. You may change it later on."
The five first years nodded, and the portrait swung open to the rooms. The first years, except Harry, all had to bend down in order to get through the circular entrance, as did the Professors. The Guest Common Room was in neutral colors of crème and a beautiful color of lilac. There was a large sofa with two armchairs and a coffee table in the middle of the rug. There were paintings hung up on the wall and portraits that moved, though few didn't. North of the Common Room were two sets of stairs, one that led to a boys' room and the other girls'. On the left of them was an oak door.
Professor Snape and McGonagall briskly made their way up the stairs to look at the rooms as Professors Sprout and Flitwick ushered the apprentices to get comfortable. Harry nestled himself in the armchair on the far right, which was a lovely crème color and black polka dots. The afghan was lilac. Draco settled himself on the couch, as did Neville. Ron sat on the floor behind the coffee table with his back leaning against the couch, and Hermione claimed the other armchair that was black with crème colored polka dots and a lilac colored afghan.
"Alright," Professor Sprout beamed. "Since this was so spontaneous we haven't really had the chance to work out all the kinks and such."
"Since today is Friday, we have the entire weekend to work out a schedule." Professor McGonagall said as she and Professor Snape made their way towards them.
"There are many rooms," Professor Snape told them, "On both sides. I suppose you could each have your own room."
Professor McGonagall looked at him frostily, but the other two Heads agreed quite chirpily. "It is getting very late," She said, looking down at the first years who were fighting to keep their eyes open and mouths closed so no yawns can escape. "We will speak more of this in the morning?"
The other Professors agreed, and ushered the exhausted first years to their respective rooms. Hermione chose the first door that she found, and saw that her trunk and school things were already placed in there. Her eyes wide, she observed her new living space for the next seven years. The bed was a large four poster bed, with curtains hanging down from it in a princess manner. There was a side dresser, a vanity dresser, and a door that probably led to the lavatory. She didn't feel up to exploring it more as she trudged to the bed, and fell asleep instantly once she plopped down.
Harry, like Hermione, claimed the first room, Draco the second, Ron the third, and Neville the last. Their room was set up the same as Hermione's, and just like her, they all instantly fell asleep once their heads hit the pillows.