Here is the next chapter of my story. Please read and review love Sag x
Unfortunately Harry knew there was only one way to get Hagrid to understand the seriousness of things and that was to hurt his feelings deeply something he'd need to be doing now. He still wasn't over him leaving him at the Dursleys all because Dumbledore had told him he had no choice. He did like Hagrid actually and he'd been a great friend last time round but the fact that he'd not thought to send someone other than himself to check on Harry was too much. I mean obviously given how he looked he couldn't well come himself as that would raise far too many questions but he could have sent someone normal looking to check on Harry but he never had. Harry was very angry that he'd not realised this the last time round. How weak can one get? Hagrid had abandoned him there because Dumbledore had told him to and when he'd met Hagrid just been his friend as though that was alright well it bloody well wasn't.
The point is he didn't know how Harry had been raised nor that he'd been constantly abused until he got Tilly who helped to exact very muggle methods of revenge to repay the favour. Every so often she'd still get Vernon the muggle way. Neither he nor Petunia were smart enough to realise Harry was actually behind it. That they could never hit him ever again bothered them so much as it was what all freaks deserved something he'd always be in their eyes. He quickly asked Tilly to erase Hermione's memories of her having met him on the train only. Tilly popped in unseen and managed to do it while Hermione was busy putting a book away in her trunk. He had already decided to be mean to Hagrid for a moment so that the idiot would seriously think about what blindly following Dumbledore's orders had cost him. As he exited the train quickly before anyone else Hagrid called for the first years to come over stunned when Harry scowled at him.
"I know you! YOU'RE THE EVIL FREAK WITH THE FLYING BIKE! You left me with those animals! For what? What did you get out of it? Did you get a sick thrill from leaving me with those abusive monsters? They were so scared of magic they beat me daily and kept me in a fucking cupboard!" he thundered as Hagrid shrieked blubbering into a large tissue he kept inside his pocket which resembled a baby blanket to Harry.
"Harry please forgive me. Professor Dumbledore said you needed to stay there and be safe. He told me you'd be safe!" he pleaded. No one else was there yet which was why Harry was having this conversation now as he'd run out of the train very fast to do it away from everyone else.
"And where the hell was he? I don't ever recall seeing someone with that name in my lifetime! Did he check on me to make sure I was safe or send someone to do it if he himself was busy? WELL DID HE?" Harry shouted as realisation finally dawned on Hagrid who looked as though he'd just been told Aragog was dead. He then wept again.
"I can tell he didn't but on my own life I swear I didn't know it. He promised me you'd be safe and you weren't. He lied to me and I do mean physically lied. This will take some getting used to for sure. I didn't even know he knew how to lie if I'm honest. Just know that I am deeply sorry I believed him when he said you were loved and cared for. He really did tell me Lily had been a drama queen for saying that Petunia hated her that much and that of course she loved you. Why would he not check on you like that? That's very irresponsible that is! Oh here are the others. FIRST YEARS OVER HERE!" he called out as Padma joined Harry. He'd rushed out of the train ahead of her out of what she assumed to be excitement and she'd laughed at him. Hagrid tried to look at Harry again but he wouldn't meet his eyes. He'd not thought of that the last time round but it had made no sense. I mean Hagrid had claimed to love him so much as a friend but he never once checked on him in all those years before school. It sometimes baffled Harry how stupid Hagrid could be. Yes he was lovely but he was so gullible that if it was raining outside but you told him it was sunny even if he was by the window he'd believe you. Hagrid just believing everything someone said was useless and maybe this sharp shock might smarten him up. At least that's what Harry was hoping for. He didn't really hate Hagrid but he did resent that he'd not thought of that the last time round.
As Hagrid asked them to follow him and lead them down towards the boats Harry couldn't help but ask if he was sure it was even safe. Hagrid found it most hurtful that he didn't appear to trust him and could at least see why given what he'd said. He was beginning to see he'd been used a lot by people and he was not ok with it. They boarded the boats once Hagrid assured they were safe and he lead them to Hogwarts. As they rounded the corner Harry saw Hogwarts for the first time again and felt very happy. A lot of shit had gone down here the last time round but this was a brand new fresh start. He turned and told the others to straighten out their robes as they'd probably be asked to do so once inside. Everyone heard him say that and all followed suit. When they arrived McGonagall was stunned to see them looking so well turned out. Usually she'd need to tell first years to sort themselves out so this was a good thing.
"Ok thank you Hagrid. Welcome everyone to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This school will be your home for the next seven years. It has four different houses with four different heads of house. My name is Professor McGonagall and I teach Transfigurations classes here. I am also the deputy headmistress and I myself head Gryffindor house. Professor Flitwick teaches charms and heads Ravenclaw house. Professor Sprout teaches Herbology and heads Hufflepuff house. Lastly Professor Snape teaches Potions and he heads Slytherin house!" she said as everyone watched her raptly. She checked to see if everyone was watching and listening before continuing.
"Now then each year students gain house points for their houses when they do well in classes and so on. Any rules which are broken result in a point loss for the house and a possible detention depending on how severe the rule breaking was. Your houses are like family and while we can all agree families do fight from time to time remember your house members have to live with you for your seven years of schooling so try to think sensibly about what you do and how you express yourself. Don't overdramatise yourself and annoy others with how you think they should be doing the things they do either. Focus on yourself and all will be well. Now each house has prefects in them which wear a golden or silver coloured badge with a giant purple p on the front of them. Should you ever need any help with anything and your head of house is not present please ask them. Wait here and I'll be back in a moment!" she said leaving quickly her heels clacking on the floor as she walked away. They were all about to discuss what she'd said when a nearby muggleborn girl screamed many joining her as some ghosts floated through the wall.
"Well I still think we should give him another chance my lady. I know he messed up but maybe with our help he can become a better man. Oh what have we here then? First years. Very excellent. I'm the esteemed Friar of Hufflepuff or the Fat Friar if you will. I'd be honoured if you join my house!" he said as people watched him in awe. He would have returned to speaking with them but Minerva had arrived at that point and ushered them forwards.
"We're ready for you now. Follow me. That's it through here please. Ok now then line up here in front of me. When I call your name you shall step forth and sit on the stool here. I will then place the sorting hat on your head and he will determine which house you should go to. The Ravenclaws are there, Gryffindors there, Slytherin here and finally Hufflepuff on the far left over there. In no particular order Parvati Patil!" she called out as Parvati gulped audibly. She stepped forward looking very sure of herself even though she was shivering with nerves internally. She sat down and the hat was placed on her head the brim of it shielding her from view. The whole hall was silent. Suddenly the hat started to laugh really loudly surprising Minerva who looked shocked. She had no idea what it was about but sometimes the hat did indeed do strange things.
Better be GRYFFiNDOR! It called out as Minerva removed the hat once more and called Neville Longbottom to come up next. The hat was placed on his head and seemed to be fighting him on something Minerva was not privy to. What was going on with the sortings this year?
BETTER BE HUFFLEPUFF! The hat screamed as Neville looked at it with rage and handed it back looking more disgusted then he had before his sorting. It would seem it had needed Neville to understand his sorting so had practically screamed it at him. Goyle and Crabbe quickly went to Slytherin and the hat had seemed almost repulsed by sorting them something everyone noticed and found odd. Blaise Zabini went next stepping forward with such grace it was almost as though his feet didn't even touch the ground. He seemed utterly unfazed by his sorting something else to make Minerva feel weird. Even the rest of the staff noticed how odd the sorting was. Draco Malfoy went to Slytherin. It was when Hermione Granger came to be sorted that the sorting hat physically recoiled itself. Just get to Gryffindor and stay there! It ordered as Minerva looked at it in utter disbelief. In all her years here it had never done that before. Dumbledore looked at the girl in concern. He'd be watching her for sure.
Padma heard her name being called and released Harry's hand walking to the stool and taking a deep breath before completely clearing her mind of anything in order to give it the best and clearest image so it would be easier to sort her. Definitely RAVENCLAW! I couldn't put you anywhere else even if I wanted to it declared making the staff chuckle. Ronald was called up next and the hat was placed on his head. He was more interested in where he would be placed than anything else. He was in fact so interested in where he might go that he didn't have the time to be nervous. He sat there for quite a while as Fred, George and Percy watched on in awe. What was taking so long? Eventually it's mind was made up. I know just what to do with you. Have a lovely and different school experience in RAVENCLAW it called out as Ron gasped a huge smile on his face. His brothers clapped really loudly for him. Percy was stunned as he'd never have thought Ron was smart enough to get into Ravenclaw but then again that goes to show what he knew.
Susan went next and ended up in RAVENCLAW herself something which made Dumbledore look up in awe. Her whole family had always been Hufflepuff members and Ronald's family had been Gryffindors. Now he was beginning to panic a lot. Harry hadn't even been called yet. What if he went to Slytherin and turned evil? He was now sweating profusely as Severus eyed him weirdly. On and on the list went when finally it came to Harry. When his name was called out whispers broke out all around the hall and Dumbledore was stunned. He looked at the boy who was James' double but at the same time wasn't either. He didn't have messy hair, glasses or a scar. He'd had a scar as a baby. Had Sirius done something about it? No surely not. He wasn't all that mature. Harry looked around and rolled his eyes to heaven. He sat on the stool as the hat exclaimed drawing Dumbledore's attention back to the present. Harry visibly frowned at something it said before it laughed at him. Whatever it had been about had worried Harry but then he'd calmed down as the hat laughed. Suddenly from out of nowhere the hat screamed scaring everyone. It moved until its mouth faced away from the hall and towards the headmaster.
ALBUS PERCIVAL WULFRIC BRIAN DUMBLEDORE YOU MONSTER! WE WILL BE TALKING YOUNG MAN! RIGHT NOW I CAN BARELY STAND TO LOOK AT YOU. JUST KNOW IF I COULD KILL THEY'D BE DEAD BOTH OF THEM. NOW BACK TO BUSINESS GO TO RAVENCLAW DEAR HARRY AND MAY WE SEE MANY GREAT THINGS FROM YOU BECAUSE YOU DESERVE EVERY HAPPINESS it shouted as everyone wondered what that was about. Even Severus seemed intrigued. Harry looked almost like his father but he didn't have the messy hair or glasses and held himself completely differently too. Only time would tell how he behaved. Hermione was stunned as he'd not looked at all as he'd looked in his books. He wasn't ugly at all. He might not be stupid either considering Ravenclaw but then again maybe the hat had seen something in his head that made it think that would be the best house for him. Dumbledore was sad. He didn't know what the hat was referencing to in exact detail but he wasn't a complete fool and could guess. He looked down the table stunned as Hagrid sent him an exceptionally cold look. In that moment Hagrid had looked like an animal all sense of joy gone completely from the usual jovial man something Severus and Filius both noticed frowning. Ravenclaw erupted in cheers of joy with the whole house standing and clapping as he joined them sitting beside Ron while Susan and Padma sat in front of them.
Gryffindor who really did think he should have been in their house glared at Ravenclaw something which made Harry roll his eyes and laugh as they'd looked so stupid. Given how Gryffindor had treated him the last time they didn't deserve to have him as a member. The whole hall was buzzing. Minerva clicked her spoon gently on her glass as Dumbledore seemed to remember where he actually was and what was expected of him and rose to his feet. Harry had not gone to Gryffindor the schools best house in his own opinion which he believed to be entirely unbiased which of course it wasn't. At least he'd not gone to Slytherin but he'd made no plans for Ravenclaw and didn't like the freedom it was now giving Harry. He put it out of his mind and approached the podium.
"Good evening to you all. Welcome to all old and new to another year at Hogwarts. I hope your summers were good and that the train journey was restful. Let the feast commence!" he called out raising his hands as platter upon platter rose to the table tops. There were platters of roasted and steamed vegetables as far as the eyes could see. Potatoes of all kinds littered the table while platters of sausages, fried chicken, roast chicken, chicken wings, roast lamb and steak spread over the whole table. There was sauce boats filled with cheese sauce, bread sauce and pepper sauce. As they all tucked in enjoying their meal Harry smiled brightly at Padma and felt his stomach flip when she gave him a kilowatt smile in return. He'd never get to use to that ever he didn't think. He was the luckiest guy he knew in his own opinion. It had been a wonderful sorting. He liked Ravenclaw house. The last time they'd simply ignored him but weren't outright awful to him as the other houses had been and that had been the best thing to do in a bad situation. He pulled a few chicken wings onto his plate and placed his napkin on his lap. He watched with interest as Ron actually ate normally. It would seem having more money and not needing to literally fight his siblings for food each dinner time had done his manners the world of good. Judging by his slightly longer hair Molly was obviously more relaxed then she had been last time round.
Padma glanced at Parvati and gave her a thumbs up which she really appreciated. She too was eating some of the spicy wings. When she was done she pilled some steamed veg, mashed potatoes and bangers onto her plate. She'd always loved bangers and mash. Harry himself got a steak with fried mushrooms, pepper sauce and a baked potato. Susan was eating the same as him. Susan was so cool and he was actually annoyed he'd not been her friend last time around. Glancing around the table he spotted Cho who batted her lashes at him as soon as she saw him looking and made his stomach churn with revulsion. After everything that whore had done to Luna he could never like her again much less anything else. He'd been a blind fool the last time that's for sure.
He took a drink from his glass exclaiming at the awful taste of Pumpkin juice. It had always been too sweet for him. He was about to ask for a jug of water when one appeared there with a fresh glass thanks to Tilly who had whispered in his ear that it was her so he didn't get alarmed not that he would have. He was relieved and poured a glass for Susan who had told him earlier that she felt the same way as he did about pumpkin juice. He'd told Ron and Susan he had his own personal elf called Tilly and Susan told them all about her elf Eva. Ron didn't have an elf of his own but was stunned when Tilly said as Harry's best friend she'd answer his call now too. She told all of them that as Susan beamed at her cuteness. Her aunt would love knowing that she had another elf looking after her. As the dinner came to a nice end Dumbledore clapped his hands together as all of the dinner plates disappeared and were replaced with rows and rows of dishes containing all sorts of desert. There were various flavours of ice cream, cheesecakes, chocolate fudge cake, sticky toffee pudding, treacle tart, Eaton mess, banoffi pie and much more. There were pots contained tea, coffee and hot chocolate while jugs of milk and sugar bowls lined the table.
Harry almost shrieked in glee when he saw the treacle tart but managed to hold himself. He got the largest slice he could find and tucked into at once. The conversation around him turned to him or in particular his sorting. Everyone who could speak to him had asked him why the hat had shouted at Dumbledore and he told them all he didn't know as it wouldn't tell him but he actually did know. It had seen the memories of the worst beatings he'd suffered because he had brought them to the front of his mind to see what the hat would do. Even he hadn't expected that outburst but it had happened none the less. He met two other boys in his year Wayne Hopkins and Justin Finch Fletchly. They both seemed lovely. Wayne was a half blood and Justin was a muggleborn. As desert came to an end Dumbledore stood and approached the podium once more.
"Now that dinner is finished and we are close to bedtime I will just give you a few start of term notices before we all retire for the night. Mr Filch are caretaker has asked me to remind you that magic may not be performed in the corridors in between classes unless absolutely essential. All forbidden items are on a list which he has hung up on the noticeboard outside the hall doors for you all to read. I suggest you do so. The Forbidden forest is forbidden to all who are not accompanied by a teacher. Lastly prefects should note that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is forbidden to all who do not wish to die a most painful death!" he said dramatically as everyone in the whole gasped and looked at him as they thought he was either crazy or joking or both.
"I assure you this is no joke. Now as many of you will know the school has stairs which are sentient meaning they move on their own. It is likely at some point the stairs will lead you to that corridor and if that should happen to you please don't panic. I simply ask you to wait for the staircase to return and take it away from that area. Should that happen to you, you will not be in trouble so long as you do leave when the staircase comes back. Have a wonderful night and as a start of term treat there will be no classes tomorrow so our first years can have time to explore the school and see where their classes will be held. For the older years take tomorrow to study. Off to bed now goodnight!" he said as everyone stood and started to leave. Harry watched Quirrel who looked very panicked for a moment and seemed to come back to himself. Clearly Voldemort was not ok with his panicking. Harry was very excited to get to bed. What a day it had been.