Once the train arrived at Hogsmeade station, the first years were ferried across the lake to Hogwarts by the groundskeeper. They were then lead to a chamber off the Great Hall by deputy head and Transfiguration teacher Professor McGonagall, a tall black haired witch with a stern face, dressed in green robes. She then gave a short lecture on the four houses and the point system before leaving the chamber for a short while so that the students could "smarten up". Once she had left, the room was filled with whispering with several students speculating on what the sorting was going to be like.
"Well, if it isn't another Weasley. Father always said that all Weasleys have Red hair, freckles, and shabby-clothing. I have always wondered how your parents can afford to have so many kids." A blond hair boy stated.
"Take that back, Malfoy!" the Weasley boy spat out.
"Oh, and what if I don't?" Malfoy sneered. "Are you going to run crying to mummy?" Malfoy's comment caused several of the onlookers to break in laughter.
"Why you..." Before the Weasley boy could say anything else, Professor McGonagall returned.
"Line up now children, the sorting is about to start." The group formed a line and followed Professor McGonagall inside the Great Hall, where an old hat was placed on a stool at the center. A rip at the brim of the hat then opened wide and the hat started to sing:
Oh you may not think me 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!
After the hat finished to applause from the students and staff, Professor McGonagall then started calling out the first years to the hat one by one. Harry had zoned out in the beginning before refocusing on the names being called out.
"Granger, Hermione" A bushy haired girl went up to the stool and was sorted into Ravenclaw.
"Longbottom, Neville," A chubby faced boy holding a toad went up to the chair was sorted into Gryffindor.
"Malfoy, Draco." The blond from earlier was then called. The hat immediately called out "Slytherin" the minute it touched his head. The continued along the same vein before the Professor reached to Harry's name.
"Potter, Harry." As Harry stepped forward, whispers broke out in the hall. "Isn't he the brother of Nicholas Potter, the one who was prophesized to have the power to defeat You-Know-Who?" "I hear his brother…"
'How annoying,' Harry thought as he walked up to the sorting hat. He sat on the stool as the hat was put on his head. 'Hmm...Mr. Potter would you mind letting me in?' The Sorting Hat askd as he tried looking into Harry's mind but saw nothing. 'Just sort me in a house.'
'Now you know that won't do. I have to see something in order to sort you.'
'…put me in Slytherin, there is zero chance I will let you into my mind.' The Hat tried again to talk Harry into letting him in but Harry would not budge. Finally, giving up, sorting hat said, 'Never have I met someone stubborn as you Mr. Potter, I suppose considering how well you guard the secrets within your mind, the best house for you would be SLYTHERIN!' Harry heard the hat shout the last word out for the whole Hall to hear.
Whispers once again filled the Great Hall. The students at the Slytherin table politely clapped as Harry made his way towards them, sitting down next to Malfoy. Meanwhile, the sorting continued.
"Hello, I am Draco Malfoy, you can call me Draco." said Draco sticking his hand out.
"Hello Draco," said Harry shaking Draco's hand. Once the sorting was over, and the Headmaster Dumbledore had given out the start of term announcements, the feast started. Plates upon plates of food appear on the tables.
'Oooo food!' Salazar poking his head out, 'too bad I can't eat them, just look that those fat chicken legs.'
'You know you don't eat food' Harry pet Salazar lightly on the head. 'Didn't you take a nap?'
'I was but how can one sleep with all this noises?' Salazar hissed with slight irritation. 'Oh, the Malfoy boy is staring at you.'
Harry looked up to see Draco staring at him with awe. "Yes Draco?"
"Merlin you are a Parselmouth!" Draco exclaimed, his voice carrying causing the rest of his new housemates to also look at him with awe. After all is not every day you hear someone talking in Parseltounge.
Another boy said to Harry "Is that a snake?"
'Of course I am one, are you blind!' Salazar hissed, his tail twitching in annoyance.
"Yes, he is my familiar. Don't touch him unless you want to be bitten." Harry said, stroking Salazar softly.
"Harry, that is so cool. Not only you have a snake as a familiar, you also speak Parseltounge. Do you know how much some others want that gift? There was only two other can speak to snakes: Salazar Slytherin and The Dark Lord."Draco tells Harry.
"..Thank you?" Harry half heartedly listened as Draco and other his other housemates chatted on. After a while, Harry turned his head towards the head table. As he was examining his professors, he met Dumbledore's eyes. He then felt something try to enter his mind. Harry kept his mind blank so nothing would be found. A few seconds later, the probing stopped. Dumbledore smiled at Harry, though if you look carefully you see that flicker of irritation hidden in the twinkling of his eyes when he found nothing in Harry's mind. Harry gave the Headmaster a cold look for trying to probe in his mind, 'How dare he try invading my mind? Some headmaster he is looking in student's mind.' Harry's internal tirade was interrupted by Draco telling him that they had to go to the Slytherin dorm.
It was no surprise that the dorm was located in the dungeons. Professor Snape, the Slytherin Head of House, lectured them on the Slytherin house rules. Once Professor Snape was done, the first years were shown to their rooms. Harry was roomed with Draco, his two followers: Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, Blaise Zabini, and Theodore Nott. Harry walked to his bed located on the far right corner of room next to the window. The first thing he did was cast a few charms and spells on his bed.
Draco's bed was next to his. Blaise's bed was opposite. The other three beds were occupied by the rest. Harry invariably learnt about the other boys sharing his dorm as they chatted about boring things. He did find out some interesting facts. For example, Draco was highly respected in the house because of his family name and fortune, most of people in the house wanted to be friends with him for one reason or other. Harry, himself was respected since Draco had befriended him and the fact that he could speak Parseltounge. Also, he found out that Crabbe and Goyle were actually really as dumb as they looked.
'Man, chatty aren't they?' Salazar said.
'Yes, they are.' Harry replied as he removed the shrinking spell on his trunk and put it under his bed. He then put his phoenix egg next to his pillow.
"Harry which egg is that?" Draco asked.
"That is my other familiar. He is a black phoenix but he won't be hatching for some time." Harry replied, "Also, you don't want to touch my bed for you will be surprised."
"Sweet Harry, a black phoenix." Draco said.
"Don't trust us?" said Blaise.
"It is good to be cautious. Besides you have to prove to me that you can be trusted." Harry responded.
"Like a true Slytherin eh?" said Blaise with a smirk.
After everyone got on to their respective beds, Harry drew his curtains close. Whispering a silent spell, he lay down on his silky bed.
'May I?' said Salazar, looking into Harry eyes as he lay on Harry's chest. Hunger could be clearly stated seen in his eyes.
'Go ahead.' said Harry, giving Salazar permission to drink. Salazar then sank his fangs into Harry, drawing his blood. He really liked his master's blood. It was sweet and tangy, with a hint of bitterness that Salazar absolutely loved.
Harrymoaned as his blood was being drained. With last flick of his tongue, Salazar withdrew his fangs and lay on his master's chest.
'Your blood is addictive you know.' Salazar said flicking his tongue. 'I could drink it forever.'
'Talking like a vampire now huh?' Harry said, petting Salazar.
'I am vampire basilisk after all.' Salazar hissed in content.
Harry closes his eyes, and the night moved on.
