The huge and magnificent interior of the Great Hall beckoned the nervous First Year students inside, as the floating candles shone warmly above their heads. Harry had never seen such an exquisite sight, but Draco appeared less impressed.

"This is nothing compared to my father's office at the Ministry," He snorted. "You should see what he has done with the place. He's enchanted it to make it bigger than Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace combined,"

The room fell quiet as Professor McGonnagal placed a dusty old hat on the stool, as though it was a sea lion waiting to perform for the Dursleys and the other park visitors at the London Zoo. Many eyes around the room darted towards the hat waiting in the corner; Harry was unsure what they expected to happen.

Suddenly, it began to move, a crease towards the bottom of the headpiece forming into a mouth. Its song was deep and mysterious, and conjured many magical thoughts and ideas in the young Harry's mind:

'We may be in another universe.

Occupants of another world.

But although this may not be our reality.

Our students are still the brightest of our time.

So whichever house you may belong.

Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw.

Make the most of your time at Hogwarts.

And you will soon find this is the place where you belong.'

Harry heard McGonnagal whisper something nervously to the man he recognized as Dumbledore from the Chocolate Frogs he had bought with Draco.

"What does he mean 'another universe'?"

"I shouldn't think it matters," Said Dumbledore calmly. "Treat every universe as real, Minerva, and the concept of alternate realities soon loses all meaning,"

This seemed to please Minerva, who proceeded to read the names from her sorting list. Harry waited anxiously, as the line of students began to dwindle as the house tables grew in size.

Finally, his name was called forward.

He sat nervously on the stool, as McGonnagal placed the hat over Harry's head.

"Hmm, interesting..." It muttered. "In another universe, you were a Gryffindor. But in this one, I sense I better place you in...SLYTHERIN!"

Harry wandered over to the Slytherin table. He removed his cloak and placed it on the chair next to him, hoping that Draco would be sorted into the same house.

He noticed a man with a long hooked nose and greasy black hair appear surprised, as he glanced in Harry's direction. The sorting hat had said that in another universe, he was a Gryffindor. Could that be what had taken Snape by surprise? Did the sorting hat make a mistake?

Draco was the next to become an honorary member of Slytherin. He took his seat next to Harry, and they chatted at length about the hat's remarks regarding another universe.

"Do you think I'm still Slytherin in another universe?" Draco had asked.

"Don't know," Harry replied. "But I certainly wasn't..."

Harry retired to bed that night with many thoughts clouding his mind. He wondered about his place in the universe, and whether life had led him to who he was meant to be. Was he the main Harry, or was he just one of many infinite Harrys across several alternate realities? These were big questions for such a young wizard, and no easy answer.