A/N: Sorry shouldn't you have gotten a notification for the last chapter but fanfiction seemed to have a few problems…so should you wonder that we're already at chapter seven you were one of those who didn't get a notification and have to read the previous chapter first.

Over 1k favourites? For a story that I wrote on a whim and that didn't even turn out as I first thought? Amazing! Though one thing I'm certain of with this story…nothing and I mean absolutely NOTHING is as it seems to be on first glance.

Sick of all these people talking, sick of all this noise
Tired of all these cameras flashing, sick of being poised
And now my neck is open wide,
begging for a fist around it
Already choking on my pride,
so there's no use crying about it

I'm headed straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the castle
They've got this kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut

(Castle – Halsey)

Chapter 7: Straight to the Castle

"Lucifer," the boy greeted while walking into the compartment and closing the door behind him.

"Gabriel," Lucifer drawled out. "What do you want?"

"Were you honest?" Gabriel asked while sitting down opposite of Lucifer, but he never once stopped observing his brother.

"I beg your pardon?" Lucifer snapped back his surprise over the question evident.

"When you apologised…was it sincere?" Gabriel clarified.

Harry just wanted to give the archangel a piece of his mind for coming here and hurting Lucifer even more with his questioning, but Lucifer bet him to it.

"What do you want to hear, brother?" he snarled. "That I wanted it? That I wanted to fight my own brother? You held your impressive speech about how you couldn't stand it any more watching your brothers kill each other but have you ever for one second, thought about how I might have felt? How it is to be attacked by your very own brother because of some half-assed rumours?

"No! You ran…left at your first convenient opportunity and didn't even question the reasons why or look back!" Lucifer sighed after his rant. "It's exactly as I said. I don't care about Michael's petty little temper tantrum anymore. So you can go back to wherever you were hiding and stop worrying that I'll kill this planet."

With the last word said, Lucifer turned back towards the window, his face a blank mask. However, Harry could feel that the angel was anything but calm. Therefore, he leaned against him and smiled when Lucifer instantly placed an arm around him and started to run his fingers through his hair.

They both didn't anticipate that Gabriel would suddenly jump up and tackle Lucifer in a hug.

"I'm so…so sorry," he said his face burrowed in Lucifer's shoulder. You could clearly hear the tears in his voice. "I shouldn't have just left…I should at least have asked…wondered…but I didn't leave because I ran…not solely. Michael, he came to me one day. He said I had to choose…him or you…he threatened me," he started to sob heavily now. Both Harry and Lucifer knew that this seemed to be something that had weighed heavily on the archangel. "But I wouldn't…I couldn't…"

Lucifer looked at Harry. At this moment he looked lost, not knowing what to do or think. Had Michael really threatened Gabriel? Gabriel, who had always been loved by the angels? The only archangel who was all the time jovial, annoyingly so? The one no one could ever hold a grudge against? Even if pranked repeatedly?

It had hurt hearing the speech Gabriel had held in the warehouse. Though it pained him even more hearing now how Michael had threatened their younger brother, it was a different kind of pain.

No, while that one time it had hurt him personally, he now hurt because of what Michael had done to him and their little brother. He was outright pissed. Gabriel had been a child at that time, well he had already been a few centuries old, but for them, it was still a child, a teenager if you went with the human measurement. They were his older brothers, they were supposed to love and protect him not to put him on the spot and force him to choose between them.

Yes, Lucifer was pissed at Michael, but a part of him was also angry with himself for not seeing what Michael had done to their baby brother. To think that he had tried to force him to choose, he suddenly couldn't be angry with his baby brother for leaving anymore.

Harry looked Lucifer straight in the eyes, a smile forming on his face, he nodded towards the other angel.

That was all the prompting Lucifer needed. He let go of Harry and hugged his brother for all he was worth, tears pricking at his eyes. It seemed that he, at last, had one part of his family back and that Harry was more than okay with it, even encouraged it.

Once again, Lucifer could only wonder how he deserved to have someone like Harry in his life. More so, he questioned the boy's personality with having a childhood such as Harry had had. But perhaps that was the reason why he now encouraged him to make up with his brother. Knowing what it was like to have a family that didn't care about him. Thus he urged him not to push away the only opportunity he would probably have to gain at least a small part of his family back.

"You know I would never have made you choose, and I would never ever have dragged you into our fight…I don't know what Michael was thinking," Lucifer finally muttered.

The two angels stayed that way for a few more moments before Gabriel drew back a bit.

"I missed you," he said with a smile before he turned towards Harry and to the boy's surprise hugged him too. "Thank you, Harry."

"What for?" Harry didn't know what to think about the archangel's antics, especially how he knew who he was. But the angel had probably done his homework wanting to know just who was able to "tame" his brother.

"For giving me my brother back," he hugged Harry even closer. "I don't know why, I don't know how, and I certainly won't question why but you're good for Lucifer, and I highly doubt that we would be here without you. I would probably have to watch them rip each other apart."

Gabriel let go of Harry and sat back down opposite of him and started to chuckle when he became aware of Lucifer's possessive glare aimed towards him.

"Don't worry, I would never try to steal someone from you who is obviously good for you, I'm not stupid," he said with a grin.

"I'm not a possession you could steal," Harry muttered for good measure. But he smiled when Lucifer placed his arm back over his shoulder, ignoring Gabriel's chuckling.

"Not that I'm not glad. But what exactly are you doing here?" Lucifer inquired.

That made Gabriel's smile widen.

"After you and Harry left that day, the Winchesters and I had a very long talk. It went on an entire night wondering what your reasoning behind the statement you made was. It was Sam who said that you really meant what you said…he said that he could feel it somehow. However, Dean and I weren't convinced by it," he explained with a wistful smile. "In the end, Sam literally kicked me in my ass, stating that I should go search for you and talk to you."

Lucifer hummed. "I think it isn't that farfetched since he was originally meant to be my true vessel. We probably have some basic connection to each other."

"That makes me wonder…how did you get that body of yours? I can feel it that it's a custom made one, but I didn't know that you were able to make one," Gabriel mused.

"And you're right, I can't make my own. Death made this one for me after I had to take Harry as a vessel to save his life," Lucifer replied.

"Why would Death care, and more importantly, why did you have to save his life?" Gabriel cocked his head in curiosity.

Lucifer threw a quick glance at Harry before he answered. "Your guess is as good as mine regarding Death's motives and to why I had to save Harry…" his voice trailed off not knowing whether he should reveal it or not.

"My uncle and my cousin beat me to death. Or rather would have succeeded in beating me to death if it hadn't been for Lucifer," Harry piped up when he became aware of Lucifer's indecisiveness over the matter.

Gabriel's face darkened. "Where exactly are this uncle and cousin of yours?" he growled and Harry could tell that he was pissed.

It was a good feeling to find that someone he didn't even know cared about him. Harry had to admit that he liked Gabriel. Not only did he have a wicked sense of humour, but he also was nice to talk to, hence why he told him in the first place.

"Alastair's VIP racks," Harry replied with a very vindictive smirk.

"Good, I hope they suffered," Gabriel replied with a smirk of his own towards Lucifer obviously thinking that it had been the other angel's doing.

"Oh, I had no part in this, at least no active part," Lucifer snickered much to Gabriel's surprise and shock, who then looked over to Harry.

Harry sported a mischievous grin before holding up his hands and inflamed one with hellfire and the other with soul fire. Seeing that Gabriel's eyes went as wide as saucers while looking back at his brother.

"I gave him the ability to wield hellfire while I was at it. The soul fire I can only guess, but I think it was Death's doing," he explained. At the same time, Harry extinguished the fires knowing that Lucifer was highly uncomfortable around the soul fire, with good reason.

"So…no pissing of your boyfriend," Gabriel chuckled. He started to outright laugh when Harry threw a ball of hellfire at him with a grin leaving not even a scratch on the archangel's body. "Very well, I'll be off, for now, …you know idiots to annoy, people to prank."

"Will we see each other again?" Lucifer asked and Harry could only smile at his hopeful tone, it seemed that not only Gabriel had missed his brother.

Gabriel threw them both a mischievous grin before he left with a wave of his hand, leaving behind a dumbfounded Lucifer and a confused Harry.

"Your brother sure has a knack for dramatics," Harry snickered snuggling himself against Lucifer.

Once he was comfortable, he opened the book that he had placed on the seat next to him. He was amused that Teanna slept the entire time not bothered in the slightest that Gabriel visited.

"You have no idea," Lucifer muttered continuing to run his fingers through Harry's hair while watching the landscape fly by.

They both fell back into a content silence. Still, unlike before Gabriel came into the compartment, Harry could tell that Lucifer was far more relaxed. Dare he say it, happier. That, in return, made him happy.

Harry thought back to when Gabriel had launched himself at Lucifer and when Lucifer then looked at him. He had undoubtedly seen the conflict in the archangel. On the one hand, Lucifer had wanted his brother back. Yet on the other, he had been anxious how Harry would react to it as if Harry would deny him his family.

However, it had also warmed Harry's heart that Lucifer cared about his opinion and not just selfishly did what he wanted. To think that Lucifer would have given up his own brother for him would he have asked it of him, it astounded him.

Their train ride so far was quiet and without any other disturbance except for when the lady with the trolley knocked at their door and Lucifer bought them a few sweets. However, that peace wasn't to last until they reached Hogwarts.

Sometime in the afternoon, the door suddenly opened without the person on the other side even bothering to knock, revealing a redheaded boy with too many freckles. The boy wore worn robes and had dirt on his nose as if he hadn't bathed for some time. He looked them up and down and wrinkled his nose upon seeing their apparent wealth since they wore only the best clothes, even if it was muggle ones.

"Have you seen Harry Potter? I'm looking for him," he muttered without any greeting.

The entire demeanour of the boy grated on Harry's nerves, not only hadn't he knocked, now he demanded to know something without even greeting or introducing himself.

"That depends," Harry answered coolly and elaborated when he saw the boy's confused look. "What do you want from him?"

"I want to become his friend, you know he and I are to become best mates," the boy replied with more confidence and a certain smugness in his voice.

"Uh-huh," Harry drawled out. "I somehow highly doubt that Harry Potter would want to associate himself with a boy who doesn't even show rudimentary manners."

They observed how the boy's face became as red as his hair. "What do you know? I have to make sure that not one of those slimy snakes gets to him, but with how you look you're probably one of them," he raged.

That, however, woke Teanna who looked at the boy in disdain. "Snakes are not slimy…idiot," she hissed, which made Harry and Lucifer chuckle.

However, the boy who heard the hissing looked at the snake before going pale and his eyes widening before he whimpered.

"K-keep t-that m-m-monster a-away f-from m-m-me," he stammered before he fled the compartment.

"At least he's amusing," Harry snickered. "Though he should quickly get rid of the notion that I would become his best friend."

"Didn't Alastair teach you a few useful hexes? I think he will make a perfect target for practice," Lucifer added.

"As long as he isn't in the same house as us," Harry muttered. "I wouldn't want to put up with him daily."

"Highly doubtable, from what I could assess he'll end up in Gryffindor, of that I'm pretty sure," Lucifer replied running soothing circles through Harry's hair.

The rest of the train ride they had their peace and quiet and soon enough the announcement that they would reach Hogsmeade Station in five minutes echoed throughout the train. Harry and Lucifer quickly changed into their school robes, Teanna hiding on Harry's shoulder and under the boy's collar was told to stay out of sight for now. They left the compartment but not without having shrunken everything down and placed it in their pockets. Neither Harry not Lucifer wanted anyone having the opportunity of snooping through their things. They had quite a few objects – mainly books – of questionable legality, like for example books of what others would deem the dark arts. No, they didn't want to tip off anyone that things were not as they thought they were, not for now anyway.

The train slowed down and finally came to a halt. The students rushing out of it and filling the train station that lay in the dark evening lit with only lanterns along the entire length. That was when they heard someone calling out for the first years. Lucifer noticed that while they walked up to a man that had to be at least half-giant the rest of the students walked into the other direction. There they then boarded carriages that brought them to Hogwarts.

Lucifer stepped next to Harry, waiting for the half-giant to give them further instructions. It took a few more minutes until all the first years were gathered before the man led them down a path and to the shore of a lake. Many small boats were bobbing on the water. Harry and Lucifer stepped into a boat sitting next to each other. They were soon joined by a round boy who seemed to be in distress over something and a girl with bushy brown hair. Shortly after the boats departed and rounded a small tongue of land where they got their first view of Hogwarts Castle. Harry had to admit that it was breathtaking, and even Lucifer was impressed. They watched the castle when they heard the brunette lecturing about it.

"Hogwarts Castle has thirty-four towers of different sizes including Gryffindor Tower and the tower where the headmaster's office is located. Besides that, it has a hundred and forty-two different staircases with the most impressive one being the grand staircase. Every flight of stairs there moves," she lectured in a bossy know-it-all tone.

"Oh great, I never thought that I would want to know that," Harry muttered sarcastically making Lucifer snicker.

The girl threw him a glare but luckily for her shut up upon hearing that comment. However, the boy threw them a curious look but didn't say anything, obviously too shy to speak up. So, they spent the rest of the boat ride in mutual silence enjoying the view.

However, that didn't last long because soon they reached an underground harbour where they stopped and had to leave the boat. Being lead up a flight of stairs, they ended up in front of a stern older woman. Lucifer could identify her as Professor McGonagall according to the information he had gotten from Crowley, which he quickly shared with Harry. However, he wouldn't have needed to because the woman started to speak to the group of first years.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," McGonagall greeted them with a slight Scottish accent. "My name is Professor McGonagall, I am the Transfiguration teacher here at Hogwarts. Soon you will walk through this door and be sorted into one of the four houses; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. Each house values different traits. Good behaviour will earn you house points while rule breaking will result in a loss and possibly detention. At the end of the school year, the house with the most points wins the house cup, which is a great honour."

Harry tuned out the explanation about the different houses and used the time to take a look around at the other first years. That was until he spotted a familiar face standing a few feet away talking to the other boy that had shared their boat. Though he was now holding a toad, obviously happy over that fact. He nudged Lucifer and pointed into the direction where he had spotted the boy, who just at that moment turned his head and smiled wickedly at them.

On the other hand, Lucifer groaned not knowing whether to be glad that his brother would also stay at Hogwarts or take Harry and run as fast as possible. Lest they be caught in Gabriel's pranking sessions. He didn't doubt that this would happen.

"What? You should be happy that you can see your brother more often. I would be ecstatic had I any family at all that would want to stay with me as your brother does," Harry tried to smile reassuringly, but it came out as a grimace.

Lucifer rubbed soothing circles over Harry's back. "I am happy to have him back, but you don't know him as I do, he can mean…utter chaos, and I don't want to be in the middle of it," he scoffed.

Right at that moment, a blond boy stepped in front of them his entire demeanour and clothing screaming wealth, followed by two goons who looked as if a protozoon had more of a brain than they did.

"So, it is true then," he said with an air of arrogance. "Harry Potter is at Hogwarts. My name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

They all heard a snort behind the blond who instantly turned around to the source which turned out to be the redhead they had met at the train.

"Find my name funny, do you? I don't even have to ask yours…dull expression, old and worn clothes, red hair…probably a Weasley," Malfoy sneered before he turned back around to Harry. "You will learn that some wizarding families are better than others, I can help you sort that out," he explained, holding out his hand for Harry to shake.

Harry looked at the other boy for a few moments in contemplation before he answered.

"As long as you have no problem that Lucifer here is my friend, I don't see any problems with that, Malfoy," Harry replied, holding out his own hand. But he didn't shake Malfoy's wanting to see whether he would agree to his terms or not.

Malfoy turned to look at Lucifer and instantly knew that it was someone he certainly didn't want to antagonise, especially with the air of power he radiated. "No problem, no," he said before shaking Harry's hand. "And please call me Draco."

Ron, who saw that, once again went as red as his hair in anger. "You want to befriend Malfoy? That Death Eater in training?" he snapped.

Both Harry and Draco turned around to the offender, and Draco was just about to say something when Harry beat him to it.

"Mr Weasley, you seem to be stuck with the notion that you and you alone are qualified to assess whom I have to befriend and whom I do not. Let me tell you here, and now that this is not the case. I am very well able to decide whom I trust enough to call a friend of mine and whom not to. To make it clear…you are not one of those. You probably never will be either, understood?" Harry sneered. "And it would do you well would you not insult those I deem worthy of being my friend."

"It seems that all the time you spent with Alastair has rubbed off on you," Lucifer whispered in his ear.

Draco looked at him in surprise, that tone, the stance and the sneer reminded him of another person he knew only too well, but no that couldn't be, so he shook his head to get rid of that thought.

Looking at him as if he decided to grow a second head and his face as red as his hair, Weasley slowly shook his head.

"You're probably a Death Eater in training yourself or better yet the next Dark Lord," he snapped back. "As if I want to be friends with someone like you."

"Good, then you can get lost before you make even more a fool of yourself," Harry retorted before he turned around to Draco. "To think that we have to put up with him for the next seven years," he shuddered at that thought.

"Luckily he will be in Gryffindor so far away from me at least. How about you? Which house do you think you'll be in?" Draco inquired.

"I have no idea though I hope it will be Slytherin but definitely not Gryffindor," Harry replied with a glance at the Weasley boy.

"As long as you end up in the same house as I do, I don't really care," Lucifer added.

Harry snickered. "You do realise that you'll be sorted before me? M comes before P."

"Then I'll have to convince the hat that it is in its best interest to place you in the same house he places me in." Lucifer pulled Harry closer his protectiveness over him, shining through.

Draco observed that amusedly. "I somehow doubt that the hat can be convinced to place someone in a certain house."

"I have my methods," he chuckled.

Unfortunately, they had to end their conversation because McGonagall, who at some point must have left, returned and ordered them to follow her. Together the first years entered the great hall, and everyone bar three of the children looked around in awe.

"The ceiling is bewitched to resemble the sky outside. I read all about it in Hogwarts: A History," the girl from the boat again lectured.

"Wow, I would never have thought that I would learn so much valuable knowledge on my first evening at Hogwarts nonetheless," Harry replied in false astonishment.

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit," the girl shot back.

"Oh, I offended you with my opinion? You should hear the ones I keep to myself," Harry sneered. "Besides if you quote Oscar Wilde do it correctly…sarcasm is the lowest form of wit but the highest form of intelligence."

The girl huffed before turning away from him. Harry could only shake his head while he heard Draco snicker next to him.

In the meantime, Gabriel seemed to look around, trying to assess whom he could prank and who made the perfect target.

On the other hand, Lucifer looked about instantly evaluating who could be a threat and who could be an asset. Harry though was more interested in who the teachers were when he suddenly stumbled in shock and surprise.

"What's wrong?" Lucifer, who obviously hadn't taken a look at the head table yet, asked in concern. But, Harry only pointed at one of the teachers.

When Lucifer's gaze fell on the head table, or better yet the professor Harry was pointing at, he couldn't help himself. He started to laugh, and quite loudly at that, startling everyone around him making them think he was insane. Sitting at the head table right between a professor wholly clad in black and one with a ridiculous violet turban was Alastair in his full glory. He wore a deep blood red robe and animatedly talked to the man wearing black.

"He really is a fucking bastard," Lucifer snickered, ignoring the scolding from the know-it-all about his language. "I never would have thought that he would apply as a teacher."

"I like it," Harry smirked. "Though I do wonder which subject he'll teach."

The only thing Lucifer could do was shrug because they came to a stop at the front of the great hall beneath the head table. When they all were gathered the hat, which sat on a four-legged stool, started to sing a song about the different houses and how he would evaluate in which they would fit best. Once the hat and the applauding students fell silent again, McGonagall stepped forward a long piece of parchment floating in front of her.

"When I call your name, you are to come to sit on the stool. I will place the hat on your head for you to be sorted," she said in a stern voice. "Abbot, Hannah."

A nervous-looking girl stepped forward and did as McGonagall said. Sitting on the stool, the hat was placed on her head, everyone waited in anticipation to see where she would be sorted into.

Harry's gaze in the meantime wandered back to Alastair and the man he was talking to. It took a moment until Alastair realised that he was being stared at, so he looked around. When he saw Harry, a small smile appeared on his face before turning back around to the other professor.

The sorting went on, and soon McGonagall called out a name of interest.

"Laufeyson, Loki-Gabriel," she said for everyone to hear.

"So that is where he's been hiding all this time," Lucifer muttered having recognised the name. He watched how his brother walked to the stool before he sat down, and the hat was placed on his head. "I wonder which house he will be sorted into."

They carefully observed how first Gabriel or better Loki – they would really have to talk to him to learn how he preferred to be called;. However, it seemed that he was okay with them calling him Gabriel because he otherwise wouldn't have chosen the name Loki-Gabriel. It took quite some time in which Gabriel's expression was first pensive before becoming more amused.

"Gryffindor," the hat finally exclaimed. Gabriel rose with a smirk Lucifer knew could only mean trouble for everyone.

A few students later the next person of interested was called.

"Malfoy, Draco," McGonagall called out.

Draco strode to the hat with confidence. The assessment that he would be sorted into Slytherin was promptly confirmed when the hat shouted it without touching the boy's head properly.

"Morningstar, Lucifer," was the next name the stern professor called, and it was instantly followed by murmuring of quite a few of the students sitting at the tables.

It seemed that Lucifer was not only known in the muggle world but also in the magical one. It was no wonder that mostly Slytherins whispered fearfully since they were known to be drawn towards the darker magic. Therefore, they were not unfamiliar with hell and everything concerning it. It seemed a few of them wondered whether it really was Lucifer and what he was doing here. Harry, who was listening to them, could only snicker, they would soon learn that things were not as they expected them to be…not in the slightest little bit.

Lucifer's sorting took even longer than that of his brother. To Harry, it looked as if he was highly amused with what the hat was telling him.

When it took over five minutes quite a few people, though mainly Dumbledore and McGonagall, became confused and nervous.

However, looking at Dumbledore, Harry couldn't deny that there was something in the man's eyes that unnerved him. Not only that the man seemed to know who he was without ever having met him. The looks he threw not only him but also Lucifer and Gabriel/Loki. It was one mixed of disappointment and mostly disdain and if he wasn't wholly mistaken one of hatred. The only question was why a man like Dumbledore would look at them in such a way.

Harry was ripped from his thoughts when the hat suddenly and quite loudly shouted "Slytherin".

He applauded his friend for his sorting, his gaze falling on the man in black who was listening to Alastair while observing Lucifer walking to his place. That was until the man looked straight at him and Harry didn't know exactly why but he smiled and waved at the man. Said man sat a bit straighter. When Alastair whispered something to him, confusion and surprise flitted over his face.

"Potter, Harry," McGonagall shouted effectively ripping Harry from his musing.

All over the great hall murmuring broke out, people wondering if he really was THE Harry Potter and quite a few craned their necks or even stood up to get a better look at him. Harry ignored them, confidently walked up to the stool and sat down, Professor McGonagall then placed the hat on his head that blocked his view. The last thing he saw was the reassuring smile of Lucifer.

"Well, well, the boy himself, vanquisher of the Dark Lord Voldemort at the age of one, tamer of the Devil and certainly NOT as everyone assumes," the hat snickered.

"And what is it that everyone expects?" Harry asked waspishly, he hated his fame.

"Dumbledore's golden poster boy, the epitome of light and good, the leader of the light faction, the Boy-who-lived…" the hat replied. "I know you hate your titles and the expectations others have for you, but unfortunately, that is how they see you. I could sort you into Gryffindor…"

"Lucifer…" Harry started, but the hat quickly interrupted him.

"I know what Lucifer told me, but that is beside the point right now," the hat growled. "As I was saying, I could sort you into Gryffindor, and I don't doubt that you would fit right in out of necessity, you would be what everyone wants you to be."

"Hats on fire, hats on fire, burning, burning with desire," Harry started to sing much to the shock of McGonagall who stood next to him waiting for him to be sorted. "Oh wait, no that song went hearts on fire…sorry never mind."

"Hammerfall…Salazar always had an interesting taste of music, or should I call him Alastair now? However…" the hat took a small break before it continued. "As it seems you're equally fitting for any other house. Your loyalty to those you deem worthy knows no bounds while you are even more studious than most Ravenclaws. Oh, and then there is also Slytherin the house of the cunning and ambitious.

"While you're quite content with the status quo as it is at the moment you nonetheless have the deep desire to prove yourself, prove your worth to Lucifer. But are you sure that you can handle the scorn, distrust and in some cases, even outright hatred that will be thrown your way should I sort you into the house of snakes?"

"Should anyone be stupid enough to directly antagonise me he or she will quickly learn what a stupid idea that is," Harry growled.

"Very well, one last bit of advice…Lucifer can be extremely protective, but should you decide to trust him you won't regret it. Oh, and please do try to reign in his brother. I fear the castle will be levelled to the ground by the end of the year otherwise." Harry didn't doubt that if he could, the hat would be shaking his head. "Have fun and good luck. SLYTHERIN," it shouted the last word.

The entire hall was stunned silent by that exclamation. The only ones who were clapping were Lucifer, Gabriel, Alastair, Draco and much to Harry's surprise the professor in black. It took the rest of the hall a few moments to come out of their stupor, and tentatively more and more students from Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff started clapping.

On the other hand, the Gryffindors were beginning to argue that Harry should have been sorted into their house. Being sorted into Slytherin probably means that he is dark or even the next Dark Lord.

Gabriel had a hard time suppressing his laughter. Wouldn't they like to know the truth and that Harry could become something far worse than a Dark Lord if he so wanted to? He didn't doubt that some of them would be running and fast. But as it was nobody knew, so they were all speculating on what it meant that their saviour was sorted into Slytherin.

In the meantime, Harry smoothly slid into the spot right next to Lucifer, who smiled at him.

"Welcome to Slytherin," Draco who sat opposite of him greeted.

"I told you that we would be sorted into the same house," Lucifer snickered.

Draco looked at the archangel and swallowed before he answered. "I won't doubt you again," he nearly whispered.

"So, you finally recognised me," Lucifer snickered.

"My great-great-grandmother was a Veela, of course, I know who you are," he replied. "I have to apologise that I didn't recognise you earlier, but I didn't think that it was truly you who was visiting Hogwarts."

"That explains a lot," Lucifer smirked. Veela, in fact, are half-demons. They came into existence when a succubus mated with a siren and then slowly but surely developed into their own race with their own magical traits inherited from both species. "But don't worry, as long as you don't endanger Harry or do something else to piss me off you and everyone else for that matter is safe from me."

"Don't worry, he's just one big plushy teddy bear," Harry chuckled.

"I am not a plushy teddy bear!" Lucifer retorted indignantly.

"Oh, really? But you sure do make one hell of a good pillow," he now smirked.

"You know what? You can sleep alone tonight," Lucifer huffed.

"But whom am I supposed to use as a pillow then?" Harry now tried it with puppy dog eyes.

Lucifer raised an eyebrow. "Certainly not me."

Harry huffed. "Okay, perhaps your brother is more inclined to be my pillow then," he said, turning his head away.

"You wouldn't dare ask him," Lucifer growled.

"You want to bet?" Harry challenged him, but Lucifer only glared at him, which he was utterly unimpressed with. "Oi Gabriel," he shouted through the entire hall ignoring that he just cut off Dumbledore who right at that moment stood up to hold a speech. "Want to be my pillow tonight? Lucifer refuses to," he added when he had the other archangel's attention.

The entire hall, especially those who knew who Lucifer was, was staring at him as if he had lost it but Harry didn't care.

"No, I want to live to see the next day. Thank you very much," Gabriel shouted back at Harry.

"Awww, but Lucifer is sulking, and now I'm without a pillow for the night," Harry pouted.

The glare that Gabriel shot his brother upon hearing that was hilarious. It was one that clearly told everyone who knew the pagan god turned archangel that he was contemplating how to best prank his brother in retaliation. It didn't go without noticing how Lucifer blanched.

"Okay, okay, I'll be your pillow…" Lucifer muttered if only to avoid his brother's wrath, and yes it was one of the very few things that frightened him.

Harry though now grinned broadly and quickly thanked Gabriel. The archangel suddenly had the distinct feeling that he had been used in the quarrel between Harry and his brother. Shaking his head, he turned back around to his housemates.

On the Slytherin table though, every single student was staring at Harry and Lucifer. Had Harry really just manipulated Lucifer of all people into agreeing to serve as his pillow? His pillow?!

"Not one word," Lucifer growled at the staring students and quite a few blanched and quickly went back to their own business.

Luckily, Dumbledore opened the feast so that everyone was too busy filling their plates to say anything more.

At the head table

"Did Potter just manipulate Lucifer into doing something he wants him to do?" Snape asked incredulously.

"Believe me, that was nothing. Lucifer would have ripped the entire High Guard apart because of Harry. That is IF they hadn't let go of him after he had killed High Counsellor Eligos," Alastair replied with a smirk.

Snape who just took a sip from his goblet spluttered and started to cough.

"That was Potter?"

He had heard about the incident that some boy – a living one at that – had killed the High Counsellor, but he would never have thought it could have been Potter.

"Yes, Harry Potter is nothing like everyone expects him to be. It would do you good to be careful about how you treat him. Less because it would piss off Lucifer should you hurt him, but also because of the boy himself, he can be very…creative," he chuckled, he should know he had trained the boy.

"Indeed," Snape watched with new interest how the boy talked with Draco about something. He honestly would have to watch how he behaved around the boy, not only because he had disembodied the Dark Lord at the age of one and nobody knew how. But he also had apparently with not even eleven years killed a high-ranking demon, including several High Guard members if his information was correct.

At the Slytherin table, the feast went on in peace. After the students realised that Lucifer wasn't a threat as long as they didn't pose a threat to Harry Potter, they all relaxed visibly. Some even started to talk to the archangel.

Harry meanwhile talked to Draco and Blaise Zabini whom he learned was the son of a black widow. The latter was currently entertaining her seventh husband. According to Blaise, though, it was doubtable that he would live to see the next Christmas.

The feast went on in peace and after the main course was over the desert appeared. Harry indulged himself in some treacle tart while Lucifer didn't take anything. Not much later, the desert also disappeared. Dumbledore stood up to announce a few more things.

"Now that we are all fed and watered a few last announcements before you can leave for bed. The forbidden forest is called that for a reason…it is forbidden for everyone, a few of the older students should remember that also," he said with a glare towards the Gryffindor table. "Mr Filch has also reminded me for the four hundred and seventeenth time to tell you that no magic is allowed in the corridors between classes.

"The Quidditch try-outs will be held in the second week of the term. Whoever wants to apply for their house team shall either inform their head of the house or Madame Hooch. Finally, I have to inform you of a few changes in the faculty of the school. Unfortunately, Professor Cuthbert Binns has been forcefully evicted from the castle and is no longer with us. Therefore the new professor for History of Magic will be Professor Sal Alastair. Please give him a hearty welcome."

The thunderous applause that followed that announcement was deafening. Every one of the students from year two onwards was standing and cheering, not even a single one was sad that Binns was gone.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure that Professor Binns will be missed dearly," Dumbledore continued once the students have calmed down again. "Furthermore, Professor Quirrell will teach Defence Against the Dark Arts from now on while Professor Burbage takes over Muggle Studies."

That announcement was followed by some polite clapping, but the reaction was by far not as overwhelming as it had been when they learned that Binns wouldn't teach anymore.

"Lastly I have to tell you that this year the third-floor corridor on the left hand is out of bounds. For everyone who doesn't want to die an excruciating death," Dumbledore announced. This was followed by a shocked expression on Lucifer's face.

At the Gryffindor table, Gabriel instantly started to worry. He would have to scout the corridor and make sure that no one could be hurt by whatever deadly threat lingered there. If there was one thing that he couldn't tolerate that was harming or endangering children in any way, so he would make sure that everyone was safe no matter what.

Lucifer also sunk into contemplation how to react to that announcement when he realised that everyone was standing up and leaving the great hall to walk to their common rooms. He also stood up, and together with Harry, he followed the prefect who led them down to the dungeons. Rounding several corners, they finally stopped in front of a blank wall.

"Remember this spot well because this is the entrance to the Slytherin common room," the prefect announced. "The password will change at the beginning of every month, which will be displayed on the notice board. Mandrake root."

Once the password was spoken, the stones that made up the wall started to shift much like Diagon Alley's entrance, Harry observed amusedly. It took only a moment, and then the wall had opened to a short passage that ended up in a large room, the common room.

It was a long room with a high ceiling with groups of sofas and chairs standing around tables and in front of the large fireplaces on the room's left and right, which heated the room up. On the right in the back, a passage went to what seemed to be an extensive personal library only for the Slytherins with areas for studying and doing homework. At the end of the room were large windows that showed that they were beneath the lake they came over. On the left were two doors, which probably lead to the dorms. Everything was illuminated by large chandeliers that bathed the entire room in soft green light.

The prefect led them to the centre of the room, where they stopped.

"Welcome to Slytherin," the prefect told them. "My name is Gemma Farley, and I'm the fifth-year prefect. You are now a proud member of the old and noble house of Slytherin, and I expect you to act accordingly. That means that every dispute as minor as it might be will stay within this common room, outside of these walls you are to show unity, is that clear?" she asked with a stern glare. Everyone nodded dutifully. "Good. For the first four days a prefect will lead you to the great hall for breakfast as well as to your classrooms, they will depart from here at eight a.m. sharp so don't be late or you'll have to find the way on your own."

Another round of nods followed when the door to the common room opened. Professor Snape strode in, his cloak billowing behind him. With a sharp turn, he came to stand in front of the first years.

"I see that Ms Farley has just introduced you to the rules of this house," he told them his voice barely above a whisper, but they caught what he said with ease. Looking at each of them, his gaze lingered for a moment longer on Harry and Lucifer who only stared back. "Very well, if there are any problems that the prefects cannot handle, or you're uncomfortable speaking to them about, my office is always open to you. Though should you think that you can come to me whining about trivial things you're sorely mistaken. If possible, I will stay an hour each evening here in the common room to approach me should you have problems understanding your coursework. I expect you to do your best in class and won't tolerate any slacking."

Again, the Slytherins gathered in front of the Potions Master, and head of house nodded. Much to the man's satisfaction.

"Good, since the Slytherin rooms are located in the dungeons of Hogwarts we have enough space to give each member their own room. The door on the left side in the front leads to the female dorms while you'll find the one in the back leading to the male dorms. Both doors are enchanted to prevent a person of the opposite gender from passing through. So don't even try. I suggest that you'll search for your rooms and prepare for bed, tomorrow school will start," everyone started to walk to their respective door when Snape called out again. "Mr Morningstar, would you please follow me?"

Lucifer and Harry looked at each other before they went to follow the professor.

"Mr Potter, I asked only for Mr Morningstar to follow me, you can wait here for his return," he instructed in a curt voice, but to his surprise, not Harry spoke up.

"Professor Snape," Lucifer answered. "I think it would be mandatory for Harry to accompany us since we have things to discuss he would need to know anyway."

Harry looked a bit confused, what was it that Lucifer wanted to discuss with the man he would need to know? On the other hand, Snape looked at Lucifer, contemplating what to do before he nodded curtly and turned around to leave the common room. Harry and Lucifer followed him the short way to the man's own quarters.

Once they were in the room and the door was closed, the man's entire demeanour changed much to Harry's surprise. Snape turned around and looked at Lucifer in a way that made it clear for the archangel that the man didn't know how to behave around him.

"My Lord," he finally brought out. He made a movement that indicated that he was either on the verge of bowing or even kneeling when Lucifer spoke up.

"Severus, if you dare bow or even kneel in front of me, I might find myself inclined to become…creative," he spoke. Leaving what he would become creative with open for interpretation. "I know you're confused and that there are a lot of things we will have to discuss, but I think you should call her here first," he said with a smirk.

Snape at first looked a bit confused until he caught up with what Lucifer meant and he nodded. "Of course," he took out a pendant from under his robes that showed a dove in flight, holding it firmly he pushed some magic into it.

It took a moment before a cloud of black smoke appeared next to him, revealing a beautiful woman the same age as the Potions Master with flaming red hair.

"What is it, Luv?" she asked him when her gaze fell on Harry.

Her entire face lit up and ignoring anyone else in the room, she launched herself at Harry and embraced him in a tight hug.

"Harry!" she exclaimed.

A/N: Ah yes, my lovely cliffhangers. Originally I intended to end the chapter at the sorting but then I thought to myself that it is too boring and predictable. Then I came up with this one and what can I say…. 'til next chapter!