Chapter 1- A different house, a different life

"Slytherin!" The Sorting hat yelled. The room cheered but not as much as Draco's housemate. Draco smirked nastily and sat down. "HARRY POTTER!" The room broke into a whisper. A nervous, thin boy stepped out from the huddle of new students. All has gone quiet as the boy sat down on the stool and the old wizard hat was placed upon his head, forcing his untidy black hair to cover the lightening-shaped scar on his forehead. To the left, Draco muttered something to his followers. They forced a laugh. But Harry was too busy thinking about what the hat was telling him. "Mmmm. Very interesting I think you should be in Slytherin, don't you, boy?" Harry gulped. "Hmmm. I don't know. M.maybe. if you say so. I guess." "If I say so, Mmmm, you have power, boy and I think Slytherin will bring out that power. So I say.SLYTHERIN!!" Still very shaken, Harry got off the stool and walked over next to Draco, who put his arm around him. "Well, Well" He sneered. " We got Potter. I'm glad you could make the right decision."

"Come on Harry! Let's go!!" Draco was yelling from the top of the stairs. "You go ahead, I want to explore a bit!" With that, Harry wondered off. "Hey HARRY!" Somewhere behind him, a boy's voice yelled to him. Harry turned. "What do you want?" The red-haired boy turned slightly red. "RON!" A curly haired girl turned the corner trying to keep all the books in her arm. "I Said, what do you want!?" Harry hissed. " Not much. I'm Ron Weasley- we never got introduced properly before when Malfoy interrupted. We should be friends, even though we are not in the same house. but still." Harry hesitated. " I don't know. Draco." "You listen to that brainless git!" Ron snorted. "Excuse me Weasley, what did you say?" Draco has silently sneaked up from behind. Ron startled but quickly straightened up. " I said what did you say?!" Draco growled under his breath. " What is it Weasley? You can't even talk at the sight of some one with money? Are you really that poor." Draco taunted. Ron turned redder than ever. He reached for this wand but Hermione stopped him. "Let's go, Ron. You don't want to do something you might regret." She whispered. "Shut Up! I won't regret this. I promise!!" Ron whipped out his want and pointed at Draco. "Hehe, so you want a duel, alright than." Malfoy started to turn as he reached in his robes for his own wand. Ron was stilled red and snarling. "Yeah! I want a duel. Bring it on, rich-boy! Face me Malfoy!" Ron screamed. Harry could see Draco grinning. (Hermione was desperately telling Ron that he doesn't know how to duel.) "Expelliarmus!" Draco spun around and cried. But the green jet of light took a sharp turn and hit the stairs with a loud BOOM. Ron's eyes are wide open staring at Draco. Draco looked around puzzled to see who stopped the attack. Both Harry and Hermione had their wands out by now, Hermione looked tense and nervous, but Harry looked calm. " How dare you mudblood!" With that, Draco held up his want again and aimed at Hermione. " Stop it Draco!" Harry said. " Stay out of this, I won't be beaten by a Mudblood!" Draco snarled and looked at Harry out of the corner of his eye. "STOP IT!!" Harry yelled. He took a deep breath and said more calmly. "It was me that stopped your attack." Draco now turned and looked at Harry. He took a few steps forward until his face almost touched Harry's. Harry didn't even flinch. " I will forget about this just because you are a Slytherin and I consider you to be a friend, but don't you dare do it again!" He put away his wand and hurried up the stairs. "Than." Ron started. But Harry put up his hand to stop him " Don't expect me to do it again." Harry said without turning to face Ron. He started walking but stopped. " And Ron, about your question. I would be your friend, but. I. I'm a Slytherin, Sorry" Harry stood there for a minute than hurried to the common room.

Draco was already there, sitting on the sofa. He looked up at for a minute and turned back to his book. Harry flung himself on the sofa opposite to Draco and closed his eyes. He was expecting Draco to say something about what had happened. But seeing he was not going to, Harry got up to leave. " How could you stand up for Weasley?" Draco was looking down. Harry thought he looked disappointed. "Huh?" Harry didn't know what to say. He wasn't like Draco. He didn't think Ron was so bad. Finally, he said " What do you have against Ron?" " Nothing but the fact that his father's a muggle loving freak." Draco snorted " And the fact that he's in Grinffindor. Don't ask why Harry, it's just that way." Draco said casually. Harry opened his mouth to say something, but decided it was better not to. " Well, good night than" He muttered. "Wait!" Draco stood up and grabbed Harry's wrist. " What is it?" " Er." Draco turned away slightly to hide his reddened face. " I just wanted to say that we have potions first tomorrow, you should get a good sleep, I. er.. Heard it's a tough class." "Right, ok.Good night." Harry looked puzzled "Yeah. Good night." Draco said, still slightly pink. Harry washed and lay down on his comfortable bed. He was starting to think about the day's events but soon discovered how tired he was and soon fell asleep. That night Harry had an odd dream. A huge snake was standing right in front of him with it's deadly fangs ready to strike. But than Harry said something and it recoiled. But there was laughter in the background. A high-pitch laughter of an evil powerful man. Harry was scared. He was losing control of the power to communicate with the snake. Like the serpent had another master. One who was more powerful then him. Harry woke covered in sweat and his heart was pounding. He got up to get a drink. He tried to comfort himself as he gulped down water. Harry tried to get back to sleep, but the vivid images of his nightmare still haunted his thoughts. So Harry sat in the common room for almost the entire night. But finally, he could stay awake no longer and drifted of.

"Harry?" Someone was whispering in his ear. "HARRY!" "Wh. what?!" " Come on or we'll be late for class." Draco was leaning over Harry all ready to go. "Why were you sleeping here?" "Er. Bad dream, couldn't sleep." Harry mumbled. "Did I miss breakfast?" "Yup! Come on, will you?" They hurried down flights of stairs. Both were panting by the time they were standing in front of a dark dungeon room. "Are we late?" Harry whispered. Why he just whispered, he didn't know. Draco didn't answer. "Get in and take a seat." An icy voice said from behind. Both Harry and Draco jumped around. Standing before them was a tall man, his skin was pale white. He had on a long black robe. His stare seemed to look right through Harry. "Get in!" he swept passed them. Harry shuttered and followed Draco inside. They took a seat near the back of the classroom. Harry saw Ron and Hermione sitting across for him. Ron looked up at him but quickly turned away. " What is it now, Granger?" Snape sounded impatient. " I just wanted to answer your question, Professor!" " Stop trying to show off! 5 points from Grinffindor." Snape snarled. " ah! Potter, would you tell me what the key ingredient of a shrinking potion?" "Er. I'm sorry, I don't know." Harry stuttered. " It's in your text book. No matter, that's what you will learn today." Snape said rather nicely. When Snape turned away, Harry caught a glimpse at Hermione's red face and she was trying to hold back her tears.