Haven't put in a disclaimer for a couple of chapters. Harry still doesn't belong to me!



It was just before dinner when Harry found himself in the library, studying an annotated bibliography on the Dark Arts, and Hermione arrived. Sitting herself across from Harry, she put down her bag and leveled a steady gaze at him. Alright, Harry. I don't hate you, let's get that straight, but I do want to know what's up.

Harry put down his book and marked his place, carefully putting it back into his bag. Well. You know some of what went on this summer. I wasn't nearly as explicit in what I told you, though. What Ron said earlier, in Defense Against the Dark Arts, there was one part in there that was true, except it was Vernon who was requiring them, not Voldemort. Harry paused suddenly and stood. Let's go out to the lake to talk. I don't want to be overhead. Hermione nodded and they made their way outdoors.

I wrote to you, Ron, and Sirius about everything that was going on. I was pretty sure that you were going to try to help, but then you were on holiday, so I assume your parents found out? Hermione nodded. Sirius and Ron were both told by Dumbledore to leave me there. Sirius was going to come anyway, but Dumbledore found out and brought him to Hogwarts and had him physically restrained and a watch put on him around the clock. Hermione gasped. Dumbledore also sent a letter explaining his actions to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Ron found it and wrote me about it. Essentially, Vernon isn't able to kill me while I'm at Privet Drive, and neither can Voldemort or any of his Death Eaters. The entire purpose of my summer is to keep me alive for the next time I face Voldemort. I'm a tool for Dumbledore, nothing more and nothing less.

Once I realised that, I started thinking about everything that had happened from the time I got my Hogwarts letter until now. The very first day, when I was with Hagrid, he started by planting some notion that all witches or wizards who went bad came from Slytherin. I already knew that wasn't true though – witness Wormtail. So I started wondering, if Hagrid hadn't told me that, would I have fought the Sorting Hat so much?

Fought the hat? Hermione asked, confused.

Harry smiled slightly. It wanted to put me in Slytherin from the get go.



But Hagrid told me one other thing about my parents that was significant, though it took a long time for it to register. My parents were in the same year, and were Head Boy and Head Girl. Those two *never* come from the same house.

So your mum wasn't a Gryffindor. What was she, a Ravenclaw?

No, Hermione, think about it. Her friends are never mentioned. I have no pictures of her friends. Neither Sirius nor Professor Lupin has ever mentioned her friends, or her House. Hermione, they would have mentioned it if she were in Ravenclaw, or even Hufflepuff. No, she was, like me, a Slytherin.

Are you sure? Hermione whispered.

Harry nodded. Positive. I asked Se– Snape, and he confirmed it. He and my mum were actually best friends here at Hogwarts. That's why... that's why, in my memories, Voldemort was telling my mum that she didn't have to die. Snape was trying to protect her.

Hermione was silent for a long while, and then she drew in a shuddering breath. So. Because of all of that, you decided to be ReSorted?

Yes. I'd always felt slightly out of place, and chalked it up to just being the Boy Who Lived or something like that, but once I realised that I was being manipulated, and that my mum had been in Slytherin, I decided I needed to give myself the opportunity to just see if things needed to be different. And, Hermione, I made the right decision.

But, Harry – Slytherin?!?

It's not like you think, 'Mione. Harry was smiling. We're not all evil servants of Voldemort. Mainly, we're a family of sorts, for those of us that don't have your parents or Ron's family. I... I can't explain it. Sirius said my mum used to say that you can't explain being Slytherin to anyone else, because they don't need Slytherin.

So Sirius knows, then?

Yeah. He's been really great about the whole thing. Hermione, I just couldn't go on pretending anymore. I'm not like the Gryffindors, I'm not. I just wish it hadn't taken me so long to figure it out. You've been a great friend, though, 'Mione, and I'd hate to lose that.

What about Ron?

You saw how he reacted, Harry whispered. He knew everything that was going on this summer and he didn't do anything. Fred and George and he could've figured out a way to get me out of there. Vernon didn't... he didn't rape me until two weeks before I left, long after I had written to Ron. And now he's more concerned with the fact that I changed Houses? His bloody priorities are a little screwed up, don't you think?

Hermione could only nod sadly. I understand. I don't like it, but I understand. He's not being reasonable, and he was the only one who had a chance to help you, but he didn't. The pair walked in silence for awhile. Wait, I thought Hagrid was gone. Why is there smoke coming from his house?

Harry grinned. Probably our new Care of Magical Creatures professor is in there. You want to go see him? We've met him before, you know, and even Snape doesn't think he's half-bad, so this may turn out to be a very interesting class.

Who is it? Hermione asked as they began walking towards the hut at a faster pace. C'mon now, tell me, Harry!



Charlie Weasley?

The one and only. I'm wanting to know what happened to Norbert, personally. C'mon!

The pair crossed the last few yards to the door and knocked. A moment passed, and it swung open to reveal Charlie Weasley. Harry! Hermione! Come in, come in! I hear you three have a habit of visiting this little hut.

Er, I doubt you'll see us as a threesome anymore, Harry shifted uncomfortably.

Why's that? Charlie raised an eyebrow.

Ron doesn't really appreciate the fact that I had myself ReSorted. Harry grimaced.

ReSorted... Oh! He look more closely at Harry then. Slytherin, hmm? Like your mum. He smiled.

Yes, only I never knew about my mum until this summer, and even then I had to puzzle it out.

Well, Severus probably told you that I was the closest thing to a Slytherin that the Weasleys ever produced, and I had some friends in Slytherin as well. Harry nodded. So, I'll tell you what I haven't said to anyone before. Frankly, I was surprised that you were Sorted into Gryffindor, and amazed that you acquitted yourself as well as you did there.

Harry nodded, surprised, then decided to take a gamble. I know Ron might not listen to you, but maybe... you could say something to him for me? I wrote him over the summer, told him some... things... that Vernon was doing, and today in class he threw it in my face. It's bad enough that I know what happened, but...

Charlie peered at him intensely. Bloody hell, Harry, what did Vernon do?

Harry looked down. Let's just say I could've gotten him arrested if I was ever allowed near a phone. Sexual assault, battery, rape, abuse, you name it.

God damn! Harry, are you telling me that my brother knew about this and didn't do a thing?

Harry nodded. Dumbledore told him not to. Wrote your mum and said as long as I was alive, that was what mattered. My godfather tried to come, but Dumbledore had him restrained here at Hogwarts.

Charlie had gotten up and crossed the room and was now enveloping Harry in a tight hug. Thank God you had the sense to ask to be ReSorted. There was a long silence. I'll try to talk to Ron. No guarantees, though, he can be a bit too much like Percy, really.

The conversation moved to lighter topics then, and Harry and Hermione left just before dinner to head back to the castle, Harry feeling happy that his friendship with Hermione would also survive intact. Harry went directly to the Slytherin tables and sat down beside Draco.

I saw you out walking with Granger. How'd that go?

Harry smiled. Good, actually. We went by and visited Charlie as well. I think he's going to have a talk with Ron about inappropriate use of information, if you know what I mean.

Thank god, Draco growled. Little prat was lucky that Lupin came in when he did.

Several of the others had overheard the conversation and were nodding in agreement. We'd best have a plan for tomorrow, Blaise chimed in. Potions with them and Severus'll most likely be late, seeing as it's first thing. Harry groaned inwardly. Blaise was right, there was no way that there would be time for Charlie to have talked to Ron by then; in fact, Harry was almost positive that Ron wasn't even aware that Charlie was here.

Harry continued eating mechanically as his classmates planned around him, and then he excused himself to go to visit Madam Pomfrey. He was required to visit her each evening for the first two weeks of term; after that, the time would be use for him to alternate between meeting with the counselor Severus had procured, and doing some basic exercises to regain his strength.

That night, Madam Pomfrey took a full history and moved his file from the drawer containing Gryffindors to the one containing Slytherins, as well as rechecking his wounds and giving him some more Dreamless Sleep Potion. Harry knew that Dumbledore wanted him to stop using it, so that he could warn them all of Voldemort's next attack, but Harry needed the rest, and refused to stop taking it.