Disclaimer: the same as in chapter 1 + some lines in this chapter are quoted from 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' by J. K. Rowling.
This chapter is short (the second shortest in the whole fic) and bridge-like, it's mainly about people's reactions, so don't expect action. That comes later.
Chapter 4 Family problems here, family problems thereIt was already past midnight, everyone had long fallen asleep, but Harry couldn't close his eyes. He sat on the windowsill, gazing out into the clear, starry night, taking deep breaths of the cool and fragrant air. Down on the Hogwarts grounds hundreds of crickets were making a concert with the occasional hooting of the school owls as background music. The lake's surface glittered in the moonlight, as though thousands of fairies had been dancing on it with graceful, swaying movements.
It was a beautiful, magical night; still Harry felt miserable. While nature was calmer than ever, his soul was in turmoil, a real thunderstorm raging in his heart.
He tried and tried to calm himself – to no avail.
His son had been sorted into Slytherin. Slytherin!
He simply couldn't believe it! Why, for heaven's sake? Daniel was a Potter, after all!
Harry clearly remembered the day of Daniel's birth… when he decided to give him a name suitable for a future Gryffindor: Daniel Leonard. Daniel for the Bible Daniel who had gone into the lion's pit and Leonard for its meaning: 'strong, like a lion'.
He heaved a deep sigh.
What had gone wrong? What made the Sorting Hat put Dan into Slytherin?
'Hm. Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes – and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting… So where shall I put you?' the Hat's voice of twenty years earlier echoed in Harry's mind. 'Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness…'
It's all there in your head… Harry frowned. 'You can speak Parseltongue, Harry, because Lord Voldemort -– who is the last remaining descendant of Salazar Slytherin – can speak Parseltongue. Unless I'm much mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you that scar.' Dumbledore's words after the destruction of the Basilisk came to Harry's mind. 'Voldemort put a bit of himself in me?'
Harry shook his head in disbelief. Could that be the reason? Did it mean that Daniel had inherited the piece of Voldemort that was in Harry?
But if yes, then… why didn't Lily get into Slytherin? If Harry had a bit of the late Dark Lord in him, then so did Lily, Daniel and all of his children.
Still, Lily was in Gryffindor…
This was too much for Harry to comprehend, simply too much. He remembered the murmur that ran down the Great Hall when the Sorting Hat announced its decision:
"SLYTHERIN!"
Everyone in the Great Hall gasped. Daniel almost fell off the three-legged chair, then looked around with a haunted expression – just to see whether he had heard it all right. However, the looks on the others' faces showed that he had heard it all right. He had been sorted into Slytherin.
He cast a nervous glance at his father, who seemed to have been petrified – he was sitting at the staff table with his mouth agape, his face as white as a sheet. Daniel simply couldn't bear his stare, so he looked at Kevin, who was standing a couple of feet away, looking equally perplexed.
"How could this happen?" Daniel mouthed to his cousin, who shook his auburn head with a really dull expression.
"Potter, move on!" McGonagall patted him on the shoulder, indicating that he was wasting their time.
"What?" Daniel looked up. He had been too shocked to interpret her words.
"Move to your table," Minerva said, pointing at the table on the right – the table of the Slytherin house.
Daniel nodded, then slowly stood up, took off the hat and headed for the table on the right, wondering what McGonagall's expression had meant: was it compassion? Or rather astonishment mixed with fright? He couldn't tell.
He just walked up to the Slytherin table, where Norbert Devilsmoor-Malfoy was already waving at him in a merry sort of way.
Daniel flopped down next to him, propping his chin into his palms, gazing at his golden plate.
"Daniel!" Norbert patted him on the back. "You're in Slytherin!"
Young Potter cast a sideways glance at his new housemate. "You look happy about it," he grumbled in an accusing manner.
"Well, of course I'm happy!" Norbert nodded cheerfully. "I've grown to like you on the train, Dan. You weren't as nasty to me as your cousin… you defended me, although you knew well enough that I was a Malfoy… that means that we could be friends."
"Friends?" Daniel blinked.
"Yeah. Why not?" the other boy replied. "Just imagine what our parents will say when they get to know that we are friends!" he added, laughing. "They'll explode with anger! Especially my dear brother! Hahaha! He'll go mad when he gets to know that my best friend is none other than Harry Potter's son!"
Daniel grimaced at the thought of himself introducing Norbert to his father as his new best friend. What would Harry say?
His heart sank as he imagined what his father could be feeling now: disappointment, anger… utter horror. A Potter in Slytherin? That was the greatest shame he could think of… almost as great a shame as being a squib. He had been told by his parents about being born a squib then getting powers from the Magic Goldfish in Durmstrang's lake years ago. He regarded the story as a fairy tale – as something beautiful and incomprehensible. Now he wished he had stayed a squib forever… then he wouldn't be in Slytherin now.
Meanwhile, the sorting ceremony carried on, although in a totally different mood than before Daniel's sorting. The air was still vibrating with shock and amazement. Everyone wanted the ceremony to be over – and this time not to have dinner at last, but to have an opportunity to discuss the events that had recently taken place.
All the four Weasleys (Viviane, Valentine, Kevin and Lancelot) got sorted into Gryffindor – Lancelot protesting that he wanted to be in Ravenclaw. Finally Kevin decided to punch him in the nose to make him shut up. Professor McGonagall immediately took ten points from Gryffindor for fighting. Kevin couldn't be blamed, though – he wouldn't have punched Lancelot if Daniel hadn't been sorted into the rival house, which made Kevin feel frustrated and release his pent-up emotions on his most annoying cousin. So, for the very first time in Hogwarts' history, Gryffindor started the school year with minus ten points.
Lily was just as shocked as everyone else in the family. David Dursley, from Hufflepuff table, kept sending her encouraging glances, to no avail. She was so nervous that she couldn't even touch the delicious dinner, just stared at her father who – half an hour after the sorting – still looked shocked. She saw that Remus Lupin and Hermione were talking to him – clearly trying to calm him, but her father just kept shaking his head. Lily perceived that Harry hadn't touched his meal either. She didn't dare imagine what Ginny would say when she got to know about the Sorting Hat's decision. She'd surely faint.
Even Ron and Hermione's vivid twins were unusually silent over dinner – all they said was 'pass the salt-shaker'. To Lily, Kevin looked downright broken, bending his head on his arms, madly eyeing Daniel talking to Norbert at the other end of the hall. Lancelot was the only one who managed to find his voice:
"I have always told you that Daniel was a worth-nothing, haven't I? All he has been doing was to annoy people, so no wonder that he got into that house."
"Shut up or Gryffindor will lose more points!" Kevin growled at him.
"Anyway, Daniel only annoyed you, Lance," Valentine added. "I have always found him a nice boy with a good sense of humour."
"Exactly," Viviane nodded. "No matter what house he is in, your brother is still a cool guy, Lils."
"Thanks," Lily forced herself to smile. "I truly don't understand why he got into Slytherin. I mean… he put a hedgehog into my bed, all right, but all boys of his age do such things to their big sisters… it doesn't mean that he's evil… he's just mischievous, but definitely not nasty enough to be a Slytherin."
"Are you sure? I for one would never put a hedgehog into anyone's bed," Lancelot straightened his back to start another tirade about Daniel's non-ethical behaviour, only to be kicked in the ankle by Viv.
Lily's stare suddenly fell at Professor Snape, who seemed to be rather interested in Daniel Potter all of a sudden. Lily shuddered. Daniel was in Snape's house! This hadn't even occurred to her earlier! Her heart ached for her little brother, knowing the Potions teacher. Severus was quite unbearable as a professor, she didn't dare imagine how unbearable he could get as a head of house… and what power he would have over Daniel. Of course Snape was known to be favouring the Slytherin students, but wouldn't he make an exception with Harry Potter's son?
Lily shook her head, deciding that she'd rather not imagine the future relationship between her brother and her less favourite professor.
After the opening-of-the-school-year-ceremony ended with all the students and teachers (the latter quite reluctantly) singing the Hogwarts anthem, everyone headed for their dormitories. While Kevin, Viv, Val and Lancelot entered the welcoming Gryffindor common room with its red and golden carpets and tapestries, Daniel Potter was guided down into the dungeons by none other than Professor Snape.
After several minutes of walking downstairs, the sleepy Slytherins paused before a damp stonewall.
"Venenum velox!" said the head of house and a hidden stone door slid aside to reveal the Slytherin common room.
Daniel, who had heard so much about the cosiness and warm colours of Gryffindor Tower, couldn't help pouting. This common room had rough stonewalls with a low ceiling from where round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. The only welcoming thing was the fire crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece.
Professor Snape led the students through a dark corridor that opened from the common room. At the end of the corridor there were two staircases leading even deeper into the bowels of Hogwarts.
"Girls' dormitories on the right, boys' on the left. Off to bed, everyone!" the head of house said in a cold voice.
Daniel watched Gilda Lockhart descend the steps to the right, looking rather cheerful. He simply couldn't understand what could make anyone be happy about being in Slytherin.
"Potter, I said something!" he heard Snape's harsh voice. Shuddering, he looked up.
"Excuse me, professor?"
"You'd better pay attention when I'm talking, Potter!" Severus growled at him. "Stop loitering and go to sleep, tomorrow will be a rough day."
"Yes, professor," Daniel nodded, feeling like kicking something – especially Snape.
As he started down the left staircase, he heard the teacher call after him:
"And try to stay out of trouble, Potter, for your own sake!"
*Why does he think that I'd get into trouble?* Dan sighed inwardly. *Just because I'm my father's son?*
"Hey, what is this pouting, Dan?" Norbert asked with a wide smile. "C'mon, I'm drowsy!"
Young Potter followed young Malfoy down the steps, into a corridor full of green doors on either side. Each door had a large, silver serpent on it – somehow the serpents seemed to be moving as the children walked past them.
With a heavy heart Daniel entered the room at the end of the corridor to see five four-poster beds with curtains of deep, green velvet and silver fringe. Several torches were lit all around the walls to provide a bit of light, since the dormitory had no windows. For a second Daniel felt like being buried alive in an underground chamber. It was not a happy thought.
His luggage had already been taken down into his room. The cage of Helena stood on the floor next to the bed. On the bedcover lay a green and grey striped scarf along with a tie of the same two colours. Daniel dropped himself on the bed with a resigned sigh when suddenly a monkey jumped on his shoulder.
"Abu!" he laughed – for the first time since he had been sorted into his new house. The monkey nestled its furry head onto Daniel's cheek, encircling his neck with its long and fluffy arms. The boy patted Abu gently, feeling grateful for his closeness and warmth. "Thanks," he muttered, peeling the monkey off himself, starting to undress.
While he had been sorrowing over the lack of windows and moonlight, Norbert had already changed into pyjamas and slipped under the soft green bedcover. His raven, Ivo, had been let out of his cage and perched himself on the boy's pillow.
The other three boys they shared the room with were giving Daniel curious glances, clearly not understanding what a Potter was doing in Slytherin.
"I'm Jerry Travers," one of them introduced himself. "You're the Potter boy, huh?"
"Er, yeah," Daniel nodded. "And you are…?" he turned to the two other boys.
"Donald Rookwood," a boy with a face of a fox replied. "And I don't understand how you got in here, Potter."
"Neither do I," the third boy commented. "I'm Iago Rosier, by the way."
"I don't understand it, either," Daniel shrugged. "I really don't. But do you think… that we could be friends?"
"Friends with a Potter?" Donald Rookwood snorted. "Your parents sent my grandpa into Azkaban! How could you expect me to be your friend?"
"Oh, shut up, Rookwood!" Jerry Travers snapped. "It's your grandpa's problem that he happened to be there at Stonehenge when Harry Potter's wife did away with You-Know-Who! He has only his own stupidity to thank that he got sent into Azkaban!"
"Ooooooh, look who's talking!" Donald spat. "Your uncle was also a death-eater, like my grandpa and like Rosier's grandfather!"
"…and like Malfoy's father!" Iago Rosier, an unusually blonde boy pointed at Norbert who was peacefully lying on his bed, caressing Ivo's black-feathered wings.
"You are right, Rosier," Norbert replied calmly, "but my father was never caught."
"Of course he wasn't, because he was out cold at St. Mungo when that massacre at Stonehenge took place!" Rookwood reminded him.
"Oh, yeah, could be. Good for daddy that he had almost gone crazy by lord Voldemort's Cruciatus curse," Norbert grinned.
"You have said the name!" Travers gaped.
"So what? Voldemort's dead!" young Malfoy shrugged. "And I'm not afraid to say the name of a dead guy."
"You are so lucky, Malfoy," Iago Rosier fumed. "My grandpa was killed by Mad-Eye Moody. All that makes me happy is that he had distorted Moody's nose before he died!"
"Yeah, the good old times when our ancestors were death-eaters…" sighed Rookwood.
Daniel cast a side-ways glance at Norbert and was surprised to see some kind of secretive smile on the boy's face.
"Okay, the Descendants of Death-Eaters Discussion is over, guys!" Norbert said. "How can you be so stupid to praise your death-eater ancestors in front of the son of Harry Potter?"
Jerry, Donald and Iago gave Daniel a piercing look before slipping under their green bedcovers.
"Don't take them seriously, Dan," Norbert whispered to his new friend. "They are rather unhappy about their ancestors being the Dark Lord's supporters. They are thoroughly ashamed of it… they just try to conceal it by blabbering about the 'good old times'. They don't mean it."
"Are you sure?" Daniel asked insecurely. "They did sound as though they had meant it. I fear I won't have many friends here in Slytherin."
"But you'll have me," Norbert winked at him. "Now drop off, Potty, we're starting with Potions tomorrow… at least I heard so."
Young Potter let out a groan and pulled up the covers. Abu nestled himself into the crook of his arm and Daniel held him like a stuffed toy. He decided to chase the bothering thoughts out of his mind… at least till next morning, when he would have to face Snape at Potions class. He took off his glasses, put them on the bedside table and closed his eyes, picturing the charming Liu Chang.
* * * * *
While Daniel sank into a deep slumber, Harry had made a decision: talk to Albus Dumbledore! He would know the answer for your questions!
He left his room – it was already one o'clock in the morning – and headed for the headmaster's office.
On his way he met Peeves, who had stolen a sack of peas from the kitchen and was spilling it on the floor so that people would slip on it first thing in the morning. When the poltergeist caught a glimpse of the approaching Harry, he started to cackle madly:
"Potter, you rotter, you're a poor dad,
I weren't surprised if you'd go mad!
You were so proud of Daniel son,
But now your pride is forever gone!
Dannie's in Slytherin with the bad folk,
Just wait and he'll turn a nasty warlock!"
"Fiscella!" Harry pointed his wand at Peeves, performing the same muzzle charm Aberforth had performed on the poltergeist eleven years earlier.
"Mmmmhhhh!" Peeves protested, madly tugging at the muzzle that simply didn't want to come off.
Harry – in a bit better mood – continued his way upstairs, finally stopping by the stone gargoyle standing in front of Dumbledore's door.
"Er… liquorice wand?" he asked, wishing that he had asked Albus about the password the previous evening. "No? Then… Bertie… eh, no, he hates it. Let's see… fizzing whizzbees?" the gargoyle still didn't budge. Harry suddenly remembered Albus at Percy and Penelope's wedding, eating two slices of… "Treacle tart?"
The gargoyle came to life and sprang aside to reveal a spiral staircase moving like an escalator. Harry stepped onto it and let it take him up to the headmaster's room.
Before he could knock with the griffin-shaped brass knocker, he heard voices coming from inside:
"But why, Albus?" it was Aberforth's voice. "Why didn't you tell me that I had a son?"
"Because your ex-wife, Michele, asked me not to," Albus replied to his brother's irritated voice in a rather calm tone.
"But why didn't she want me to know?"
"Come on, Aberforth, don't pretend to have forgotten how bad terms you had been on with Michele! You were rather nasty to her, admit it… always going off with your worth-nothing buddies to pubs and going home drunk… of course Michele had enough and took divorce proceedings! As soon as she got free from you, she decided to go as far from you as possible…"
"…with my son in her belly?" Aberforth fumed.
"Yes," Albus replied. "She didn't tell you, because she knew you. As well as I knew you, Aberforth."
"What do you mean?"
"C'mon, brother… remember what you were like at the age of thirty… careless, obstinate, foolish… you were no father-material at all, admit it. If you make jokes by turning goats into women, then you are far from being mature, and you, brother, were the farthest possible from being mature. I always wondered what Michele saw in you… you never treated her as a wife, rather as a playmate… she had enough and I totally understood her. So I kept my mouth shut about her being pregnant."
"And… where… where did she go?"
"To America. She settled down in Seattle, brought up her son, Aberforth Jr…"
"Aberforth?" the old wizard's voice quivered. "She… she named our son after me?"
Albus was silent for a while. "You have no idea why, huh? Oh, brother… she loved you. She had enough of you, but she still loved you to the end of her life. She never got married again."
"To… to the end of her life? She's dead?"
"Yeah, she died about fifteen years ago. Your son sent me a letter telling about Michele's death. Unfortunately your son also died last year, but your grandson, Aberforth the third, moved to England with his wife and daughter, Julia."
"Julia…" Aberforth sniffed. "That weenie little blonde girl… I noticed her right away when she got off the Hogwarts Express… she looked so endearing… I… I can't explain it, Albus, but she made my heart melt at once."
"Well… it's understandable. She's your great-granddaughter."
"How… how should I tell this to Minerva?" Aberforth asked nervously. "She's going to be very angry when I tell her that I have already been married once… and I never told her…"
"That is your problem to settle, brother," Albus replied nonchalantly.
"Ah, great, thanks for your support, brother!" Aberforth growled and headed for the door, banging it open with a rather aggressive movement.
"Oh, hi, Aberforth," Harry grinned sheepishly, cringing a bit, seeing how infuriated the old wizard looked.
"Harry, boy!"
"Uh… I didn't want to eavesdrop, really, I just wanted to talk to Professor Dumbledore… I know it's really late, but…"
"Don't apologise, Harry, come in," Albus said.
"Thanks. Bye, Aberforth," Harry gave his old friend an encouraging smile, knowing that Aberforth must feel quite as shaken now as he did. Damn family problems.
* * * * *
"Have a seat, please," Albus pointed to the chair opposite his desk. Harry sat down, looking around. Nothing had changed here since he had been in here for the last time… when Albus had sent him back to the Dursleys because of the journalists' attack on Hogwarts.
There were still small silver instruments whirring and making funny noises, there were the portraits of the previous headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts hanging on the walls, there was still a perch for Fawkes – who was sleeping peacefully -, there was still the glass case containing Gryffindor's sword… and of course the Sorting Hat.
Dumbledore saw Harry's glance pause on the hat.
"You have come to ask me why it has put your son into Slytherin," the headmaster said - this was not a question, but a statement.
"Yes, professor," Harry nodded.
"Call me Albus, Harry. We are colleagues, after all," the old wizard smiled at him benignly. One of the one-time headmasters woke up in his frame to scrutinise the new addition to the Hogwarts staff.
"All right, Albus," Harry nodded. "You are right… I want to know… I need to know…"
"Then it is not I whom you have to ask, but him," Dumbledore pointed at the Sorting Hat.
"May I?"
"Sure… you have already worn it thrice, why not wear it for the fourth time?"
The young wizard walked up to the hat and placed it on his head with shaking hands. He had not been this nervous when he had asked the hat whether it had made a right decision to put him into Gryffindor.
He closed his eyes, waiting for the familiar little voice that didn't make him wait long.
"Meeting you again, Harry Potter?"
*Well, yeah. * Harry thought. *I need to ask you something.*
"Then go ahead!" the hat encouraged him.
*Why did you place my son, Daniel, into Slytherin?*
"Because I couldn't put him elsewhere."
*You couldn't put him elsewhere? Why? I understand that he's not a thing like a Hufflepuff, but… isn't he brave enough for Gryffindor? Or witty enough for Ravenclaw?*
"Too many questions… and there are no answers. I don't intend to change my mind, Harry Potter. Your son will be great in Slytherin."
"You're wrong," Harry pulled the Hat off his head, placing it back on the three-legged chair. As he removed the Hat, the first thing he saw was that the late headmaster, who was awake in his frame, looked concerned. To Harry he seemed rather familiar. Then it dawned on him: it was Professor Dippet. The one he had seen in the magic diary during his second year. Strangely this made him have a bad feeling… as if the late headmaster had known what he wanted to ask Dumbledore… about the possible heritage of Voldemort – or as Dippet had known him: Tom Marvolo Riddle.
"Well, managed to get to know something?" Albus asked.
"No," Harry flopped down onto the chair facing the headmaster, turning his back on Armando Dippet. "The Hat refused to give its reasons. But… maybe you could… couldn't you?"
"Harry…" Albus heaved a deep sigh. "I understand how you feel now. It must be terrible for you, but if the Hat thinks that Daniel will be all right in Slytherin, then he will be all right."
"I fear that…" Harry's voice faltered.
"What?"
"That my son might have inherited things from Voldemort, through me."
"Oh," the old wizard breathed. "Well… it's not possible."
"No?" Harry raised an eyebrow – so did Dippet in the painting.
"No. You got powers and traits from Voldemort when he first tried to kill you, but it was a simple transfer of magic, - the magic built itself into your body, into your cells, but I'm sure that NOT into your DNA. It is there in you, but it cannot be passed down to your descendants. Never mistake magic for genetics, Harry. The powers you got from Voldemort aren't present in your son or either of your other children. Daniel is no Parselmouth, am I right?"
"No. None of my children is," Harry said, feeling a bit relieved. Professor Dippet also seemed to be in a bit better mood.
"See? Both you and Ginny are Parselmouths, but both of you got this ability through magic, not inheritance. You got it when the killing-curse failed and she got it when she was brought back from the netherworld with Apophys' torch. Had this power been inheritable, your children would be able to speak Parseltongue. But they are not," Albus scrutinised the young man's worried face. "No need to worry about this. Your son has not a single chromosome from Voldemort."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"But then… why has he been put into Slytherin?" Harry pressed.
"Of that I have no idea… but I'm sure that your son will not become a dark wizard," he winked at Harry. "Anyway, it's not that terrible being in Slytherin. My own brother used to be there."
"Aberforth?" Harry was really surprised.
"Well, yeah," Albus nodded. "Maybe that's why he played that nasty joke on me…" he shuddered. Harry stifled a chuckle, knowing what that nasty joke had been. Poor Albus…
"But your brother was never… ehm… evil, right?" he asked.
"Evil? No," the headmaster laughed. "He was a mischief-maker… almost as great as your father, Sirius, Remus and Peter together. He liked annoying people, and I guess that is why he got sorted into Slytherin. But no… he never used to be evil. Another example… eh, did you know that Gilderoy Lockhart was also a Slytherin?"
Harry's mouth tucked into a smirk. "Why don't I feel surprised by this?"
"Wonder why…" Albus chuckled.
Suddenly Fawkes woke up from his slumber, letting out two short squeaks, then falling asleep again.
"It's two o'clock in the morning. I think you should go to bed if you want to teach tomorrow… er, today, to be exact," Dumbledore said.
Harry grimaced. "You are using Fawkes as a cuckoo clock?"
A/N: yes, I know this was short, but the next one is twice as long as this one.
venenum velox means quick-killing poison (quite suitable for the Slytherin-common room password, huh? :)
mandy weasley: thanks :)
AClodhoppingElf: yes, there will be some evil cliffies, especially near the end. Me – in Gryffindor? Well, truth be told the Warnerbros HP site kept putting me into Gryffindor, but last time I finally managed to get into Slytherin. Dunno why, but ever since I put Dan into Slytherin (that means since May, because I wrote this part back in May), I've liked that house. But I think that if the Hat had to sort me, it would either put me in Hufflepuff (because I'm peaceful and generous), or into Ravenclaw (because I like studying and I think – or at least hope - that I'm clever enough to get in there.)
Christina: please, don't die! Yes, I'm envious.
Kristen Michelle: well, I hope you liked the reactions in this chapter.
rebkos: you were laughing at Tom Parris' name? Hehe, then you'll be laughing even more in chapter 24, when he'll finally get a bit of a role – a bit of a funny role :)
Jeanine23Dr: 'to sell half of your heart' sounds beautiful :) You're bored? I wish I could be a bit bored nowadays, but no such luck! No, we don't get Gilmore Girls here.
Belle: no way would I put Malfoy into Gryffindor. I have read some stories doing the same and I didn't want to. I thought that having a Potter in Slytherin would be more interesting than
having a Malfoy in Gryffindor. Snape isn't laughing his head off, though. I'm glad I could make you laugh with Gilderoy :)
Black Ice: well, now you know what house I placed Gildy into. I couldn't imagine him elsewhere than in Slytherin. Well, perhaps Hufflepuff (given that he's a bungler). But I thought that Slytherin suited a stuck-up guy more.
Katie Bell: okay, let's say that Katie is Chris' mum :) Though Katie still won't have a role, because Chris won't be that important, either. Oliver himself will only have two short scenes. Lancelot – embarrassing name, huh? You know where I got the idea for that? From an Agatha Christie novel (don't remember the title), in which two brothers were called Percival and Lancelot. I thought that it was so ridiculous, and since Percy is short for Percival, I decided to name his son Lancelot. Knights of The Round Table rule! :))
goldenstar555: thanks :)
Lyny: do you also like Rowan Atkinson? I'm a huge fan of his! Mr Bean rulez! Well, Dan getting into Slytherin was the least terrible thing of all things Harry will have to suffer in this fic. Much worse things are to come. Pooooooor dear Harry, I'm so cruel to him! In the first fic I robbed him of his memories and Ginny, in the second I robbed him of his powers and his youth, in this one… you cannot imagine. Let's just say that he's never been through such horrible things. *evil grin*
Altec: oh, I see… I thought you had a kid of your own. Sorry.
Laurel Hoffman: the movie comes out on 5th December here, and I already have tickets. I don't think that Draco is that evil. Deep down he has a heart.
Katrina: I don't think it's bad to get into Slytherin – at least it's not bad for you or me, but for Daniel and Harry it is.
makulit: I'm happy to hear that my writing style's been improving :) Liu is given her mum's family name, because Cho never married her dad – her dad doesn't even know that she exists. Cho said so in chapter two, but she'll come back to this later as well. The fic will be centred around Daniel and Co., but Harry, Snape and Albus will be also important.
star queen: I was also sorry for Cho when Ced died, but in general I don't like her at all. I'm glad you liked the Hat Song! I spent about a week with writing it! Honestly, normally I write poems very quickly, but I just couldn't get on with this one, I feared I'd never finish it. So I'm happy to hear that it was worth the trouble :)
Waldomier: no mistakes? Yippiee!
The-Girl-Who-Lived: Desideria's business doesn't necessarily have anything to do with Dan being in Slytherin. But I'm not revealing yet what it exactly was about.
Ice Kitten: probably you have the Sight :)
King Jasbon: no, the title ISN'T about Dan getting into Slytherin. You'll see what it's about in… chapter 29 *wicked grin* - it's a long wait :) The title of the second fic referred to Harry losing his powers.
Lady Schezar: Charlie, Bill, Arthur and Mollie won't have a single line. The other Weasleys will be around a bit, but not much. Well, Ginny will be around a lot more than her brothers, of course.
Lizzie: sorry, but I had to put all the other Weasleys into Gryffindor, for plot reasons.
Nefertiri: it's NOT the end of the world :)
FaeDreamer: no, I'm definitely not J.K. Rowling. Wish I could be!
2Coolio: what did I make you think? *arrested look*
sabby: Lance wanted to be in Ravenclaw, but I thought I'd make him miserable by putting him into Gryffindor. But honestly… even I don't understand him – how can someone feel miserable about being in Gryffindor?
Rab: Daniel was nothing like a Hufflepuff and I didn't want him to be a Ravenclaw. He's clever enough (as he'll show later), but I had a very good reason to put him into Slytherin.
jen: yes, there's a good reason, though it won't be revealed until chapter… 28, I guess. Yes, love is definitely in the air – there will be quite many couples formed in this fic as well :)
Harrysgirl: no problem, your review wasn't that terribly long :) Read my answer to The-Girl-Who-Lived. No, Daniel isn't powerful, on the contrary. In chapter two Harry was kind of lamenting over Daniel having very little magical powers and resembling Neville Longbottom in this respect. He'll have lots of problems with his lack of talents, right in the next chapter.
apple-pie: I'm afraid Trelawney is right this time (or at least comes very close to the truth).
souls: did you manage to get your jaw up off the floor? :))
Alexander Pheonix: you wrote: "And as Dumbledore says 'It is our choices that make us who we are, Harry.'" It's true, but not in Daniel's case. Everything will be explained in time.
figgiesblazin: wait it out, he WILL act 'slytherinly' (is that a word?). But I also think that not all Slytherins are bad. Some are really nice.
Cyclo: Albus didn't manage to get a female P.E. teacher :)) And the students will be doing P.E. normally (or almost normally) dressed, so there'll be no problem with Gilderoy gazing at the seventh-year girls' tits :) I think he believes himself to be much more attractive than any girl :)
Indigo Ziona: yes, it's going to be a fun year (apart from all the terrible things that are about to happen :)
jasper: yes, Dan and Norbert will be close friends.
Phoenix_kiss02: twisted, yes :)
Kit Cloudkicker: well, Harry didn't faint, did he? :) Whom will Draco find? Well, read back to the last chapter of TGSaWCS, and you'll have the answer.
Melee: you wrote: "Daniel in Slytherin? Aberforth has a granddaughter!? Okay... where are you going?" Where? Towards shocks, grieves and terrible, lethal danger at the end… /Professor Trelawney, TGEEF, chapter 3/ *evil grin* - don't worry, things aren't that serious… yet :)
starheart: no, Dan being in Slytherin has nothing to do with the fact that he had been born a squib. There's another reason for that. You also had a fic on GTnet and it didn't get successful? Well, somehow I think that on GTnet only the Queens can be successful… never mind. Oh, so you are also an Emma like Emma Watson? :)))
Altec: I had a very good reason to put Dan into Slytherin. And you'll find out that reason in chapter 28 or 29. Dan didn't have a choice, didn't have a chance to talk back to the Hat, because it was so determined and quick to place him into Slytherin. You are right that we don't know much about Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, it's true that they are kind of neglected, but for the major plot of this story it was VITAL to place Dan into Slytherin. Otherwise I might have put him into Ravenclaw, because he's a witty little guy, but you'll see that the story couldn't *exist* if Daniel had been put into any other house than Slytherin. Not even if he had been in Gryffindor. Trust me, it'll turn out to have a very good reason. That's the longest answer I have ever written you :)
Kell: it wasn't that much of a cliffie, was it?
Toby Haine: Gilda sounds scary? LOL :) No, in fact she isn't scary at all, just likes fighting. Thanks a lot for reviewing on GTnet! *hugs and kisses you for it*
Wood's secret lover: you liked Mrs Norris? Really? Weird! Yes, I do love Gilderoy! A lot! :)) And I also hate P.E., because I always sucked in it. I have no talent for climbing ropes and stuff like that. Fortunately I no more have P.E. Why do I hate Cho? Dunno… perhaps because she made Harry so miserable in GoF.
seashell: yes, this story will be an anti-prejudice fic. Daniel himself will express my opinion about stupid prejudices in chapter 7. Of course I'm not telling who the evil is :) Well, now you have your answers about Aberforth and Julie.
Maureen: you'll get to know more about the Hogwarts festivities in chapter 8, as far as I remember… but effectively 1st May will only be in chapter 23. Yes, the caretaker will be important for some reason. Gilda was born months BEFORE the triplets. In chapter 38 of TGSaWCS Ginny was just 2 months pregnant, while Sunny was already showing, so she had to be 2-3 months ahead of Ginny.
AmandaPanda: yes, I hope so…
nicole: I'm glad I could amaze you :)
K. C. Hunter: oh, I hope you are feeling better now! Did you get my HP get-well card?
Aimee: I doubt that Dan will have so much fun in Slytherin… but wait it out and you'll see. No, Kevin and Norbert will never be friends.
Lily: huh, thanks for deciding not to kill me! :)
SiriDragon: sorry… no Gryffindor for Dan.
Princess Ginny: sorry but no, I haven't got your mail. When did you send me one? Read my answer to star queen.
the coffee fiend: thanks for the correction. I'm glad you liked Rowan Atkinson and Nelly Oleson :)
Missy: I'm from Hungary (central Europe).
Derkaun Zarion: it seems you know me enough already :) Liu is pronounced as Leeoo. You'll see Narcissa Malfoy in chapter 28. No, Percy won't become Minister, at least not in this fic. You can imagine him becoming Minister years later, if you feel like.
Saphron: you liked Filch? How weird! I'm sure that Lockhart knows some charms against sweating :)) But you know… a sweaty Gilderoy must also look sexy… Yes, you'll see Draco, and quite a bit of him, but only later.
Allie: sorry, but Dan must stay in Slytherin.
spangle*star: thanks, I'm glad you appreciated my 'Dan in Slytherin' idea :)
Ronniekin's Sweetheart: I'm glad that you managed to wake up after fainting :)))
Teri: thanks a lot! :)
reviewer with no name: yes, I'm building up, and I'll continue it till chapter 12, so please, be patient with me! (btw, are you the same who wrote me a review with the name 'me' last time? Just wondering)
LilGinny: yes, Anck-sun-Amun is pretty. Not all children look like their parents. Some take after their grand- and great-grandparents. You're in love with Norbert?!? LOL :) Narcissa must be doing fine. You'll see a bit of Draco-Norbert antagonism, but not too much.
NuttyBuddy: yeah, I hope it will be interesting :)
CandyGurl83: hazardous to your health? *big grin* I'm glad you aren't planning to give up reading :) Harry's not that much of a sex maniac, is he? *innocent look* No, I haven't seen the movie yet. On 5th December…
Blondie in Disguise: yes, there is a logical explanation, but I'm not revealing it yet. You don't need to worry about the story's direction… for a while. From chapter 12 you can start worrying :)
TaMaraR: what does Kevin call Fred and George? Dad and dad :)
C-chan: oh, you've become a Gildy fan? Great! I've loved him from the first time I read CoS. I tend to love the idiotic characters :) Who or what is Eomer?
romina: no, I cannot have chosen something different. Dan had to be a Slytherin in order to make the story 'function'.
Cassandra Anthemyst: yes, I'm going to relieve the Slytherin prejudice. At least a bit.
tarantula: thanks :)
Houou: no, Daniel won't necessarily be the bane of Potter's existence. No, his becoming a Slytherin has nothing to do with getting powers late. Something else, though, will have a lot to do with it, but I won't reveal it until chapter 13.
Autumn Dreams: truth be told, I had no idea what the guy playing Filch was called. So no, I didn't take the name Bradley from there – but it's a funny coincidence :)
Lana Riddle: I'm glad you think so :)
Sean Mulligan: no, that's not the reason. Yes, Dan's insecure about himself, but the reason is something else.
Whit2005: you are not going to see the triplets go to Hogwarts, because this fic will be only about this school year.
Zenon Lee: how nice to see you again! You wrote: "Well...I can follow your current fic without reading the previous one." Uh… I'm not sure. If you haven't read TGSaWCS properly, you won't understand this one properly. As for Liu's name – it was Rowling (with all due respect to her) who bungled it up. She made it look like as though Cho had been the girl's given name and Chang had been her family name. She might have made a mistake, since no one is perfect, not even the wonderful J. K. Every time Harry thought about Cho, he thought of her as 'Cho', not as 'Chang', and I don't think that he'd have thought of her by her family name. For example Ron would never say 'Granger' instead of Hermione. She is just Hermione to him and Harry. So it seems obvious that Cho is the given name. I don't doubt that you know these things better than me or Rowling, but I'm going to leave Liu's name the way it is, given that Rowling used Cho as the given name and Chang as the family name. Blame her :)
Puck: I hope you are feeling better now. Desideria the goldfish wasn't necessarily referring to Daniel. But who knows? Of course I'm not telling it yet.
Any last requests: yes, I have an ulterior motive:) I'm glad you liked the Hat's song, I had a hard time writing it.
Drex: better than the other two? I'm glad you already think so, but in fact it will only get more exciting after chapter 12. But as a whole it's really the best thing I have ever written. You're Peruvian? Great. Where did I get the idea from? Dunno… maybe because I was reading Inca mythology over the summer. I simply love Inca mythology, it's so cool.
Sky: thanks :)