A/N: Welcome to Chapter 3...entitled...The Sorting Hat. It's where Harry and his friends get sorted into houses...by a hat.
Anyway, thank you for all the positive comments and reviews. I'll probably be posting quite a bit for the next week or so til my online classes start back up and then I will move to once or twice a week depending on course load and how the story is going.
As always - Like, Subscribe, Favorite and Review!
3
Susan grasped hold of Harry's hand tighter as they entered the great hall. Despite having been here before both Harry and Susan were nervous as they approached the main stage. They stopped just short of the stage where the sorting hat sat quietly on the stage. The hall quieted as the sorting hat cleared his throat and began his song.
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!*1"
Everyone applauded as the sorting hat finished his song. Professor McGonagall pulled out a list and spoke up, "As I call your name please come up and sit on the stool so that the sorting hat may assign you your house. When it does you will go down and sit with them. Are we ready?" Without waiting for an answer she looked down at her list. "Hannah Abbott"
Hannah nervously looked at Susan and Harry who gave her the thumbs up as she walked up the few stairs to the stool and sat down.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
There was a cheer from the Hufflepuff table as Hannah went and sat down.
"Susan Bones"
Harry and Susan exchanged nervous glances. "Good luck," he whispered. She let go of his hand and walked up to the stool. As the hat was placed upon her she heard its voice inside her head.
Ahhhh Miss Bones! Welcome back! Ready for round 2 are we? Marion told me you were coming.
You know Marion? Susan asked inquisitively.
Of course I do. For many years and through different timelines. Now let's get you sorted. Shall it be Hufflepuff again?
That would be great. Although I do have a request. Can you put Harry Potter there too? Marion sent me back with him.
I know the sorting hat responded she told me everything but I will heed your request.
Thank you Mr. Hat
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Another loud cheer from the Hufflepuff table as she went down to join them, giving Harry a wink as she went by. A few other names passed by before Harry recognized another one. "Hermione Granger"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
A loud roar from the Gryffindor table erupted as she went to join them with a smile on her face. Another few names before "Neville Longbottom."
As he sat there nervously on the stool, it looked the hat was considering something.
"HUFFLEPUFF"
Harry was surprised and as he turned and looked at Susan he could tell that she was surprised too. Their eyes met and he just grinned and shrugged. More names went by, including Draco Malfoy. No surprise he was sorted into Slytherin. No matter what universe or time he went to, Harry was sure that Malfoy would always be a Slytherin. Harry was getting nervous as the names neared his when finally he heard. "Harry Potter" All the noise in the room stopped as everyone stopped to look at the boy they had all heard stories about. Even the staff at the table were eyeing him as he made his way up to the stool and the sorting hat was placed on his head.
Hello again Harry Potter. Ready for another round are we. Marion told me you were coming.
Hello again. Not sure if I'm ready for another round but here we are anyway.
True enough. Seeing as how we've been over this before I could just place you back in Gryffindor with your friends. Of course I've also had a request from a certain redhead that I place you with her. That would make the most sense and keep Marion out of my so-called hair. What say you?
Sure. Let's shake things up a bit. It could be fun. Everyone is expecting me to get into Gryffindor. Let's give them a shock.
He heard the sorting hat chuckle inside his head.
Very well. Have fun Mr. Potter.
People were on the edge of their seats as it appeared the sorting hat was taking his time with Harry. Nobody could hear what they were discussing although most bets were that he would end up in Gryffindor. Nobody was prepared for what came next…
"HUFFLEPUFF," The hat roared.
It took just a moment for everyone to believe what they were hearing. The golden child. The Boy-Who-Lived. The Chosen One. Was a Hufflepuff. The headmaster, Professor McGonagall and even Snape all looked surprised. You could hear a pin drop….
Until the Hufflepuff table exploded in cheers and whistles! Harry grinned stupidly as he went and sat down at the Hufflepuff table next to Neville and across from Susan and Hannah.
"What do you think Sue? Are we shaking things up enough," he asked with a mischievous smile.
"Yeah. I think that'll do it Mr. Potter," she responded with a grin.
"Did you see the look on their faces," he laughed, "I thought McGonagall was going to faint. Even Snape was in shock."
"Dumbledore looked pretty pale too," Susan added in between laughs.
Neville looked at Hannah who looked almost as confused as he did and shrugged.
The rest of the sorting ceremony seemed to go by rather quickly. It was no surprise to anyone that Ron Weasley was sorted into Gryffindor like every other Weasley before him.
When the ceremony was over, the feast began. Harry and Susan did their best to avoid talk of their alternate time and find a conversation that their friends could be a part of. Some of it was hard because while they were kids on the outside, mentally they were still the same age as they were in the previous timeline. After they had their fill of both food and desert, Dumbledore dismissed them all for bed.
"First year follow me," the Hufflepuff prefects shouted. "This way please!" The 8 first years followed the prefects down the same corridor that lead to the kitchen. In fact, they passed the entrance with the bowl of fruit painting as they followed the prefects.
"Have you ever been to the Puff common room before Harry," Susan whispered.
"Nope. I've only ever been to Gryffindor and Slytherin's commons."
Susan raised an eyebrow. "You've been to Slytherin's common room?"
"Yep. Long story. I'll explain later."
"Alright. Listen up Puffs," a prefect said, "See this pile of barrels? This is your way into the common room but pay attention. Get it wrong and you're in for a nasty surprise." With that he tapped the barrel two up from the bottom in the middle of the second row of barrels with a rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff' and the barrel swung open revealing a path upwards. Susan took Harry's hand once more as she led them into the barrel and up the passage until they reached the common room.
Harry took a moment to take in his new surroundings and home. The room was decorated in the cheerful, bee-like colors of yellow and black, emphasized by the use of highly polished, honey-colored wood for the tables and the round doors which lead to the dormitories. There was a portrait of Helga Hufflepuff over the wooden, decorative, dancing badgers mantelpiece toasting her students with a tiny, two-handled golden cup. Small, round windows just level with the ground at the foot of the castle show a pleasant view of rippling grass and dandelions. *2
"Welcome home Puff," Susan whispered in Harry's ear. He turned and saw her grinning which caused him to grin as well.
"Thanks Sue and welcome back."
"Thank you very much. I'll be here all year," Susan replied imitating one of those old muggle comedians her parents watched. Harry chuckled at the reference. The door opened behind them as Professor Sprout came in behind them.
"Gather round please," she said in her cheery voice. "First of all I'd like to welcome all of you to your new home in the noble house of Hufflepuff. I am Professor Sprout, your head of house and the instructor for your Herbology lessons. Puffs often get a bad name as being the house that is for leftovers but that it simply not true. We are loyal, patient and kind. We value hard work and fair play. If you ever need help, simply ask and one of your fellow Puffs is always glad to help. You've got a little bit before bed so if you want to explore the common room or your dormitories or meet your fellow Puffs you are more than welcome to. Welcome once again to Hogwarts and to Hufflepuff."
Harry, Neville, Susan and Hannah took the time to meet the other first years that they would be sharing classes and common rooms with. Susan knew them of course but they were knew to the others. Ernie McMillian and Justin Finch-Fletchley would be sharing a room with Harry and Neville while Susan and Hannah would be sharing a room with Leanne Johnson and Megan Jones.
"Alright first years. Time for bed. Boys through this door and girls through that door over there. You'll be on the first floors and your stuff should already be laid out by your bed," one of the prefects said.
Harry bid Susan and Hannah good night and followed Neville to their dormitories.
As Harry lay in his bed that evening when the lights went out he lie there thinking about all the changes that were yet to come. As he looked over at the sleeping form of Neville in the bed next to him, he was glad at least one of his friends had ended up with him. Make that two because Susan was in Hufflepuff with him and they had quite the journey ahead of them. Harry fell asleep dreaming of the many different directions in which that future may lie.
1*- The Sorting Hat song was taken from Harry Potter and the Philosopher/Sorcerer's Stone from the chapter entitled….The Sorting Hat. Go figure…
2*-The description of the Hufflepuff common room as well as the entrance was taken from Pottermore and reworded to my style.
A/N - There we go! Harry has been sorted along with his friends. I was originally going to put Susan in Gryffindor with him but I had a few requests for a Hufflepuff Harry so I decided to appease the masses...and bring Neville along for fun.