Disclaimer: Harry Potter, plot and all her characters belong to JKR and her publishing companies, which's names I don't know. No copyright infringement intended. Don't bother suing, my "fortune" isn't worth the trouble. I only own the idea to this story. The magical snake race Geleafa is my idea - I was too lazy to search the net for a fitting one.
Timeline: In their fifth year, 1995/1996
Rating: PG-13
Chapter: 2/15
Pairings: Hermione/Ron, Goyle/Crabbe
Summary: At short notice is announced that students will be regularly resorted at the beginning of their fourth year. To get this system running, starting with the 4th years all are now sorted anew. Guess who ends up in Slytherin…?
Author's note: I'm suffering from writer's block at the actual instalment of my vampire novel series and I've read way too much HP/DM fanfics since I read the first around ten days. I'm kinda addicted to it now and still struggle with being over the age HP was intended for. Then I'm in a gloomy mood and have to get some story out of my system, although I don't have any particular story idea in mind. Because it gets a pain in the neck, I decided I'll now just write whatever comes into my mind and if it's not too bad post it. Pathetic, huh? ;-)
Author's note 2: I'm sorry for all grammar and spelling mistakes, English isn't my native language.
Warnings: Mild swearwords. Don't read if you dislike Slytherins and/or Harry, Neville, Seamus. After the first couple of pages House Gryffindor is only secondary star. I just can't help fancying the bad guys. Well, it's slash, some kissing and tame smooching between boys. Maybe a bit OOC, I couldn't find enough about Blaise and Pansy. What concerns the other characters my only excuse is that this is the first HP story I dare to publish and my second at all.
Silver Snake
By Artemis (Artemis1000@gmx.net)
Chapter two: Resorting - Monday
Then the day was there when all students and teachers met in the Great Hall for the sorting and "handing over". Exactly one week after the evening of the announcement, that would change his whole life, turn it upside down…
---
Headmaster Dumbledore stood in front of the House tables, looking good-natured down at the body of students. He could just hope everything would work out the way he expected - hoped - it to. His plan had been controversial from the beginning, but this was too important. And in the end, it's for the students best. He only did what he believed to be best for them. If they just could see that…
Many were nervous, many others excited or upset, some just bored and some others were close to going into hysterics.
"Dear students, I assume all of you understand why you're all here this evening - apart from enjoying the feast and having a good time - but to be sure I'll explain it again.
In the last months and years, more students told the prefects, their teachers or the leaders of their Houses that they're unhappy with the choice of their House than before. Not because the Sorting Hat made a mistake, not at all. In the course of our life, we change. We grow, develop, we learn new things and some of our beliefs turn out to be prejudices or plain wrong, we make new experiences, some painful, some happy. Some of us have had a very hard life before they came to Hogwarts, others were kept far away from the hard reality and only had only here a chance to mature. The muggle-born of you will know the best how much life can change within a very day! One morning you lived like a usual Muggle child and in the evening you're here, in a totally different world you only knew from fairy-tales…
It's only natural that we change and that the needs we had when we joined Hogwarts we don't have necessarily some years later. And so the vast majority of you wouldn't be sorted now into the same House than when you came to Hogwarts. And please trust us, the teachers, as hard it may be to get settled, you'll be more happy in your new House. Because the students who're there with you fit your needs now, not your needs some years ago. A new House gives you the opportunity to a new perspective, new friends, new alliances, a new understanding about the different Houses and a new way of life. We won't anymore keep you at the stage of development of your joining, now we support you like we're supposed and strive to.
Frankly, we never dared to make this step in the past. We knew that many of you would react negative and we didn't had the heart to separate you from your home away from home. But now we're forced to make a decision. It makes the teacher staff very sad to watch so many of the students become Death Eaters. If we can save only one soul from believing that he or she's better off among the Death Eaters than amidst us, then it's worth it. Although, let me please emphasize this, we always were aware that at some point this step would be inevitable. And even if you now think of yourselves as the unfortunate ones, you aren't. Instead, you're very fortunate, you're the pioneers.
A few words to the procedure: The concerned grades will be called in alphabetical up, starting with grade four. If you're sorted into the House you're at, please help the newcomers to settle in. If you're sorted into a different House, you join them at their table - don't forget to fetch your luggage at your old House's table - and follow the instructions of your new prefect as well as your new House's head. At the tables are also scarves lying, please exchange your scarf if necessary.
Should you've forgotten anything at your old dorm, your prefect will gladly help you. Also, if you've questions, need anything or just are too shy to approach someone at your new House and make friends, the prefects and House heads will be of assistance. You'll get your new timetables likewise from your prefects. Next week Monday and Tuesday you can get used to your new timetable, Wednesday is the first day of Christmas vacation. And… everyone who's transferred into a different House as well as the prefects are for the rest of the week exempt from lessons!
But enough talk now! I can see that you're eager to find out what's
your new House - or want to get over with it", Dumbledore added wryly.
"Good luck that you get the House you deserve and enjoy the banquet the
house elves organized to speed the bonding up!"
Harry, Ron and Hermione sat together with Ginny, Neville and Seamus at the Gryffindor table. Though the atmosphere was tense all over, they tried to joke the nervousness and feeling of dread away. Little did they know that this would be the last time they sat at this table in this constellation, all brave and loyal Gryffindors, examples for their House.
"I still can't believe he's serious!" Hermione shook her head sadly, hoping against hope she would wake up every moment and this had been just a nightmare. Now, that they almost had to say goodbye, she couldn't any longer distract herself. She'd to face the cold, harsh reality now. But she's a Gryffindor - even if she wouldn't be one for much longer - and it wasn't like them to despair. So she tried to see the whole thing positive - and make her friends cheer up. It wouldn't do them any good to spend the last minutes together angry or say…
Seamus had had the same line of thought. "Well, let's see the bright side!", he forced himself to say cheerful. "It's not even sure that we'll… be resorted into different Houses", he couldn't make himself say separated. "After all, our characters didn't changed utterly. We only… matured. I'm curious which House you want to join if you've to leave Gryffindor and if you would belong to the people who would like to be resorted. I don't have any real preference besides Gryffindor, but I think Hufflepuff isn't too bad. Ravenclaw is cool, but I'm not clever enough for them."
"That's not true, Seamus. You're clever. And if the Searching Hat notices that you like Ravenclaw and if you fit to them, then you'll be sorted into Ravenclaw."
"Thanks, Hermione. But what about you? Oh, come on, people, we'll never get this conversation going if you're afraid to say something!"
Ron puffed his chest fastest up and said as dignified and indignant at the same time as possible, "I'm not afraid! I believe I'll either be sorted into Gryffindor again or into Slytherin."
"Why do you want to be a Slyth of all Houses? I mean, I respect if you want to join this House, but I got the impression you… strongly dislike Slytherin", quipped Hermione.
The Weasley almost choked at his butterbeer. "Urgh! Me wanting to be a Slyth? *Yuck*! I didn't meant that I want to become one, I just said it's likely. I mean, let's face it, I'm neither wise and clever like a Ravenclaw nor patient and just like a Hufflepuff. And I do have my mean days, especially when a Slytherin crosses my way…"
"I would like to join Ravenclaw. In fact, I was a bit disappointed when I wasn't sorted into Ravenclaw at the first time. But that's only if we're parted anyways. If you, Ron, Harry, can stay at Gryffindor, I'll rather do without the chance at studying among the Ravenclaws than loosing you. Anyone else for Ravenclaw?"
"Me!", said Ginny beaming. With Hermione she handled the resorting best. "But I also wouldn't mind joining Hufflepuff. Although their status is low, they're good people, I admire them for that."
"That's noble. I'm proud at my little sister!" Ron ruffled Ginny's hair lovingly.
Neville Longbottom sighed heavily, already resigned. He knew he would be put into the House he'd least similarity with and where he would be liked the least. Which was… "With my bad luck the Sorting Hat will surely put me into House Slytherin!"
"That won't happen, don't worry, Neville. You don't have always bad luck. And I mean, you don't have so much in common with the Slytherin. Look at our arrogant, cold-hearted, sarcastic, uncivilized Slytherin classmates, like Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, Zabini… Can you see any similarities there to yourself?"
"The only one who's silent till now are you, Harry. Are you so deep lost in thoughts?"
"Cheer up, Harry, please. No matter how hard life is, it's too precious to waste it with being desperate."
"You are the only one of us who'll be accepted at every House because you're the Boy Who Lives. I know that's no great consolation because they won't befriend with you because of you, but because of the title you have. But it's a start."
"Slytherin."
"Huh?"
"It's Slytherin."
"*What*?!", shouted Ron panic-stricken.
"Calm down, Ron, I don't mean I want to become a Slytherin or am a fan of Slytherins. I just believe that Slytherin is the house to which I'll be sorted into - I know it with 99 percent certainty - so I try to see the bright side."
"You hit your head?!"
"If you don't feel well I'm sure Headmaster Dumbledore will understand, Harry…"
"No, I do feel well. As well as someone can feel in this situation. You made me realize that, Hermione. When you said that I would have it easiest of us at all Houses because I'm the Boy Who Lives. I could never truly become the friends of this people within two and a half years. You know that I'm a perfectly ordinary boy with super powers. They'll see in me super powers in the body of an ordinary boy. The Slytherin hate me, they think I've everything easier because said super powers and… they seem to think so they could be all mean because the niceness is now only compensated, they're not really mean to me - after all, everyone else is nice. But they're mean to me, not to the walking super powers. And that's in the end better than being admired…"
"And you believe the Slytherin will become your friends?"
"No, I won't even think about befriending with them. I just can't deny anymore the facts. And the facts are that I was supposed to become Slytherin already four years ago, only avoided it by begging the Sorting Hat to sort me into Gryffindor and in the end I guess it'd pity with me. But it's sure that I belonged into Slytherin. And the experiences here hardened me, I saw people die, I fought Voldemort, had to stand up to Malfoy at a daily basis… All that made me harder and colder and if I was already back then meant for Slytherin…"
"The fifth years are appealed for queuing up, let's go!"
At the Slytherin table was the resorting of the fourth grade only watched wild mild interest. But then again, they also wouldn't show more emotions when they're collectively sorted into Gryffindor… Slytherins didn't liked showing weaknesses and they made a point of showing that to everyone. So it's against their nature, against their principles to show their considerable nervousness, anxiety and worry.
Draco, Pansy, Goyle, Crabbe und Zabini were also making another half-hearted attempt at carefree conversation.
Well, Pansy was trying to socialize with the other Slytherin, cheer them up and encourage them. But she failed miserably - some of her Housemates could be even more stubborn than she'd believed and expected them to be. "In which House do you want to be put? Of course, apart from Slytherin."
"I don't believe I'll be resorted today. I'm not in need of it and perfectly satisfied with my life at House Slytherin so it would make no sense. I mean, I got friends, a place at the Quidditch team, my needs are met", said Blaise Zabini and gulped his butterbeer down in one draft..
"We all don't need resorting", snapped Draco with a strain audible in his voice.
"But if you would be resorted, which would you take?", she insisted.
"I don't care… as long as I'm with Greg."
A malicious smirk appeared at Goyle's face when an especially cunning thought struck him. "Well", he said in a casual voice, "I want to join House Gryffindor."
Everyone at the table sputtered, choked and some almost fainted. "*Goyle*! How can you?! That's not what I meant when I said I don't care as long as we're together!"
"Think about it. If we're in Gryffindor we could annoy them all the time and nobody can do anything against it. We could even play them off against each other and destroy the dream team!"
"I don't think that's right", meant Pansy. When everyone stared at her, she plastered a fake smile at her face. "Well, if you make such plans and think this way, you never will be sorted into Gryffindor. I mean, why should the Sorting Hat make someone a Gryffindor who's a much better Slytherin when the only reason he wants to be a Gryffindor is to harm them, huh?"
"You've realized that quite right, Pansy, dear. Only someone who fits to them has a chance at infiltrating them."
"We can try being little innocents, can't we?"
"Maybe the Sorting Hat doesn't digs deep enough to discover our ulterior motives. If we atr fully eager to become Gryffindors and pretend to be such disappointed from Slytherin, it won't have the heart to make us stay with… us."
Draco just wanted some silence. Before he's probably maybe made a Gryffindor, at least he wanted to relax a bit and sort his thoughts, have a chance to prepare for what's going to happen. Oh god, his father would disinherit him if he left this room as anything but a Slytherin through and through! If he'd recognized them all right, not a single fourth year stayed in his or her first House. Okay, it made sense because most students wanted to get the four days off… Not that it would be much better to take care of all the new Slytherin, weak Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, arrogant Ravenclaw who all never wanted to become one of them…
"You've got nerves, Greg! If you're sorted now into Gryffindors, you'll have to stay with them for the rest of your time at Hogwarts! And because they would harass you if they would find out that you betrayed them, you've to keep your pretence up till the very end. Not that you've any chance at becoming Gryffindors, you don't fit to them at all… Besides, did you ever thought about your families reactions? If any of us becomes Gryffindor, we're toast!"
"Maybe. But somehow I think it would be interesting to get first-hand experiences how the other Houses are. I mean, we never got in touch with them and you never wanted me to befriend with anyone from them, Draco…"
"Pansy, you know why I didn't approved of you befriend with other Houses, although I would've never forbidden it. You would only get unhappy this way and you would make yourselves many enemies among the Slytherin. We also would have to pretend that we hate you or someone would finally realize anything and maybe inform my father. And you know what he would do with all of us… Besides, nobody wants anything to do with us, so they would only hurt you and make you unhappy.
But if you really want to waste yourselves on Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and their kind, then I won't stop you. If you're not sorted into another House, I'll let you take care of our new fellow Slytherin. It shouldn't be hard for you and suspicious to make some friends from other Houses among them and I can justify it so that I don't want to be bothered with caring for them, helping them to settle in." In a softer voice, more gentle than most people would credit him with, Draco said, "but I'm positive that you get your transfer, Pansy. If someone deserves it, then you!"
"Thank you very much, Draco! It means a lot to me that you would trust me with the new Slytherin as well as you won't hold a grudge against me when I'll have to join another House. Because of the four of you it's a pity to leave Slytherin. Let's face it, the last years were the best of my life - especially with me pretending to be Draco's girlfriend and the other cool stuff we did - but now it's time to move on. I only wanted to join Slytherin to please my family and thanks to you I got the self-confidence to stand up to them. And this is my last opportunity at joining one of the other Houses, maybe my last opportunity to make friends with someone from another House at all. And I don't want to waste it, as hard as this decision is."
Blaise hugged his friend in an encouraging way and patted her back. He's sorry for the poor girl, she's almost crying. "We understand that, Pansy. Don't worry that we'll not be anymore your friends. What we experienced together forged a friendship that nobody can ever take away from us, no matter what Houses we belong to."
"Which do you want anyway, Blaise?"
"Oh, I really don't know. I think the Ravenclaw are bearable, although they're kind of weird people. But… yeah, I guess Ravenclaw is the smaller evil. You yourself? I mean, you want to leave Slytherin for years, you ought to have thought a lot about this choice."
"And as more as I thought about is as more I got confused. Hufflepuff are good, kind people who I admire for being so strong, although they're ridiculed and treated disparagingly occasionally. But they're somewhat weak, aren't they? And I got a major problem with their reputation, as much as I respect them for handling it so well.
Ravenclaw I admire also, but I can't see myself seriously as one of the intelligent, wise Ravenclaw. I'm not as stupid as I like people - especially Gryffindors - to believe but I doubt I'm smart enough to become a Ravenclaw and feel comfortable in their House. I mean, I strive for knowledge, but so much…?
I don't want to join Gryffindor because they're stupid blockheads, like Mudbloods and Muggles and I can't stand them. But I envy them the friendship and undying loyalty they share such casually, I like it that they're good and kind, it would be a pleasant change. When I can't have loving, caring parents, at least a loving, caring House's a little compensation."
"Well, that's what the Sorting Hat's there for, isn't it? It's impartial and usually makes really good decisions, so…"
"Oh, we've to queue up! Let's go!"
"Creevey, Colin!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
Colin was surprised that he's chosen for such an elite House like Ravenclaw.
He'd already came to terms with becoming this evening a Hufflepuff and
instead he's now one of the clever ones, his passion for photography would
maybe even be appreciated there… Well, that's quite a pleasant resorting!
"Weasley, Ginny!"
"Oh, what do we have here? A hunger for knowledge, loyalty, wit, wisdom and compassion, that's difficult…"
Ravenclaw, please Ravenclaw! I don't want to be separated from my brothers, no matter what major jerks they're sometimes, but I so want to become a Ravenclaw!
"RAVENCLAW!"
Ginny jumped happily up and down, delighted that she'd gotten her wish.
Now she could finally join Ravenclaw and even kept some of her friends…
After she was congratulated by her brothers and fetched her luggage, she
skipped to the Ravenclaw table, greeting Colin and waiting for Hermione.
Surely the other girl wouldn't have any problems to join if Colin and her
were picked - Hermione was so very smart and kind.
"Crabbe, Vincent!"
"Very easy, no doubt here, only in one House you can develop freely", said the Sorting Hat and didn't even allowed the Slytherin to say anything. "That is… GRYFFINDOR!", it exclaimed oblivious to the reaction it caused.
Vincent Crabbe was such shocked that he couldn't even be surprised. In a daze, he glared at the Sorting Hat and went back to the Slytherin table to get his baggage. "You're right, Greg", he admitted, still dumbfounded.
"I'll get into Gryffindor too, don't worry, Vince", said Goyle. He have his boyfriend a goodbye kiss, hoping now for serious that he became a Gryffindor. Not to infiltrate them, he just didn't wanted to be apart from Vincent, even if that meant becoming one of the people he hated most…
He sat down away from the Gryffindors, his fellow Gryffindors, he corrected
himself, and tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for his boyfriend's resorting
and trying to understand what had just happened. And how he could explain
this to mum…
"Granger, Hermione!"
"Oh, that's difficult. You love the Gryffindor boy, you are brave and kind, but you fit perfectly into… RAVENCLAW!"
Some of the students commented on the rush at the Ravenclaw House by Gryffindors - which's quite a compliment for them - but nobody who knew Hermione was surprised that she's picked for this special honour.
Hermione herself let out a delighted cry and beamed first at her friends, then at the applauding Ravenclaws. Hurrying back to her friends, she got a kiss from boyfriend Ron, some hugs and pats. "Ron, you looked after my luggage?"
"Sure! Now go, we understand that you want to be with your new House now, darling. And send me after the banquet an owl how you're doing!"
"You bet!"
"Finnegan, Seamus!"
"So you want to stay with your friends… But you don't fit to them, not anymore. You should be happy about the resorting. You're still brave and good-hearted, but you'll find your kind in another House. You'll be very happy with them, don't worry." The Sorting Hat cried in a - rather annoyingly - cheerful voice, "SLYTHERIN!"
Seamus had had a bad gut feeling all the time. But this was worse than he'd feared in his worst nightmares… Ghostly pale, he went back to fetch his baggage, muttering at his way, "goodness gracious! I'll not even survive my first 24 hours!"
"Keep your chin up, Seamus!", said Neville. He's still at their table, because frog Trevor felt like playing hide-and-seek with him before they went to the sorting. With a mock evil smirk he added, "I'm with you in a couple of minutes."
"Don't make jokes about that stuff, it's not funny, Neville." With a
last wistful look at his friends, who're still waiting for their sorting
or already at the new tables, he approached the Slytherin table.
"Goyle, Gregory!"
"Easy", chirped the hat. "You love the Crabbe boy enough to settle into Gryffindor for his sake. GRYFFINDOR!"
The Slytherin… Gryffindor heaved a sigh of relief. Gregory Goyle had never felt as good about a really apocalyptic thing as this evening. "Draco, my luggage? Oh, I suppose as a Gryffindor this is "would you please give me my luggage when you're bored some time, kind sir"…"
Draco returned Gregory's smile hesitant. Now it's official that he'd
maybe loose two of his best and longest friends unless he's sorted into
Gryffindor as well - which's highly unlikely - and he just didn't felt
like gallows humour. "Have fun. And let go of me before Vince gets jealous",
the blonde said somewhat gruffly.
"Longbottom, Neville!"
The Sorting Hat didn't said anything to him. It made Neville expect the worst. No! No! *No*! Even I can't have that much bad luck, life just isn't fair!
"SLYTHERIN!"
"*Excuse me*?! Nevile isn't a Slytherin! They can't do that!", shouted Ron indignant. "Harry! We can't let them do that to him! Slytherin of all Houses! Poor Neville, they're always mocking him and now…"
"Look at the bright side: At least it won't be the end of our circle of friends, we just become two or three smaller circle of friends."
"How can you even think about that? Harry, you really do behave like some of this Slytherin bastards!"
Neville wasn't surprised. In fact, he'd known this would happen. Just his luck, becoming a member of the only House his family surely would never tolerate, let alone accept. Now he's not only an outsider, a loser at his House, also at his family…
So he reacted a bit harsher to what he'd overheard of Ron's complaining that he would've usually. Maybe, though, it just was the knowledge that it didn't mattered, he's anyway dead for his friends. "Thank you, Ron, that's just what I need for a good start at my new House - my friends making it even harder with insults and not even giving me a chance!"
"I'm sorry."
"Me too. See you, Harry, Ron, my "fellow Slytherin" are glaring, I must
be going…"
"Malfoy, Draco!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
Good. And like expected. That's very good. He really didn't felt like being explaining this to his father - and being disinherited…
While Draco returned to the Slytherin table, he contemplated what he'd
to do now. Without three of his four best friends certainly, maybe without
all of them, most of the experienced and mature Slytherin transferred and
as his House's only prefect - Pansy was the other Slytherin prefect - instead
with clumsy Gryffindors like Longbottom, this was going to be a hell of
a week…
"Parkinson, Pansy!"
I don't have a real preference, but just not Slytherin. As much as I love my friends, I don't want back to Slytherin. Especially not now that there're so many Gryffindors who'll make fun of us and taunt us all the time.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Well, very well. Pansy could handle Hufflepuff and although the Hufflepuff clasped hesitantly, they didn't looked like they're angry or disappointed with her choice… As an additional advantage, she'd only counted three Slytherin at Hufflepuff. There she could maybe start really anew, without anyone knowing her and expecting anything.
Smiling triumphantly at her best friends - seated at two House tables
and standing in the line - she accepted her baggage from Blaise Zabini
and got her congratulation. Then she hurried to the Hufflepuff table, looking
already forward to the banquet. And she really didn't wanted to know what
a frog was doing at the Slytherin table …
"Potter, Harry!"
Because last time the hat had already wanted to put him into Slytherin, this time Harry was cautious. He thought nothing at all. He didn't wanted to give the hat anything it could use against him.
"SLYTHERIN!"
No emotion was shown at Harry's face when he received his "judgement" from an especially cheerful Sorting Hat. At first he even believed the Hat was smug about finally having put him into Slytherin - even if it took him four years - but then he told himself the other Slytherins craziness was already rubbing off on him and he's just paranoid.
Harry still didn't allowed himself any visible reaction when he went back to the Gryffindor table to get his baggage. He'd refused Ron's offer to look after it for him because he expected this decision and didn't wanted to deal with his best friend's feelings as well as his own. Silently and apparently perfectly calm, he picked his luggage up and sauntered to the Slytherin table way more determined and relaxed than he felt.
He could remember very well that he'd always glared at this table, channelling
all his hate and anger at the students eating at it. Now he's one of them
himself and somehow it seemed suddenly so very funny that he couldn't prevent
himself from going into hysterics…
"Thomas, Dean!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Shrugging, Dean fetched his baggage and turned to the Hufflepuff table.
Could've been worse. A few minutes before he would've been at the least
annoyed by this decision. But since he knew the sorting of pitiable Seamus,
Neville and Harry, he didn't gave himself the right to complain about becoming
a Hufflepuff. Slytherin would've been way worse.
"Weasley, Ron!"
"So you want to be again a Gryffindor, huh? Well, you are still brave, kind and they can give you a lot. But Slytherin can help you to become the leader you always wanted to be. When you're one of them you can become someone great, they'll nurture your ambitions."
"Please not Slytherin! I hate them fiercely and they hate me as much! I can't become one of them."
"But you're capable of handling yourself. You don't have to fear them and most of your friends are there. You have a quick wit that would fit to Ravenclaw, also your girlfriend is there. But you aren't a bookworm. Then it is again… GRYFFINDOR!"
Ron leaped back to the Gryffindor table and his brothers, overwhelmed by relief and happiness. He'd maybe lost some of his friends, but he hadn't lost his House as well… It wasn't a great consolation, but this was better than getting nothing at all.
When he instantly started celebrating with Fred and George - who were still waiting for their resorting - Ron's eyes wandered equally often to the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables. He's proud that his clever girlfriend finally achieved becoming a member of the - for wisdom famous - Ravenclaw House. Hermione deserved to have people in her House who didn't looked at her like she's crazy when she told them excited she'd spend the whole weekend at the library…
The youngest Weasley boy's less proud that his best friend and two very
good and trusted friends were now Slytherin. He could just hope that Harry
was right and their friendship wasn't destroyed by this. Although it wasn't
very encouraging that his best friend had really fled to the Slytherin
table as soon as he's sorted…
"Zabini, Blaise!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Yeah!" Blaise couldn't help a cry of triumph. He's too happy to tell himself mentally off for this. Later he would worry about his reputation, now just about celebrating. And… about saving Draco from suicide. His friend looked pitiable, with a hysterically - or manically? - giggling Harry Potter standing only a couple of feet away, Finnegan trying to bond with him and babbling him dumb and deaf in the process, and Longbottom's frog on the run…
The - as ever - Slytherin hurried back to his seat next to Draco, hoping
that he hadn't lost his sanity by now. But how could the Sorting Hat be
so cruel anyway, filling their House with Gryffindors? And if it'd to be
Gryffindors, why not the kind, brave heroes they're so proud of, why the
idiots and clumsy ones? Was this whole resorting some really sick prank
of the Weasley twins…?
"Weasley, Fred!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Okay, that wasn't what he'd hoped for, but it's OK. At least they wouldn't
be disinherited, like if they'd to join Slytherin and the Hufflepuffs maybe
didn't knew about their pranks…
"Weasley, George!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Good choice. He wasn't separated from his twin and the Hufflepuffs maybe
would be nicer when they became victims of pranks than the Gryffindors.
Hm, it would be definitely interesting to try something tonight, when nobody
expected anything already…
"Hey Seamus! I told you that you wouldn't be for a long time alone at Slytherin, didn't I?" Neville couldn't help some smugness at being right. Maybe he hadn't made a necessary prophecy and he rather had been mistaken this time, but at least he hadn't blasted the Potions classroom with his divination, that's a progress…
"Aye, my great fortune-teller Master Neville!", teased Seamus and made a mock bow.
"Hopefully one of our "old" Slytherin classmates stays - hey, I would've never thought I would ever say that, and mean it - or we won't even be able to find our dorm. And I need to talk to the prefect about Trevor, maybe the snakes are more than a symbol and I really don't want Trevor to be all the time almost-dinner like at the Gryffindor dorm with Harry's snake, Hermione's monster and all the other monsters of my roommates…"
"Take a seat and let's as a precaution also keep one for Harry. I heard this is the area where most of the fifth years sit, so if our prefects aren't Slytherin anymore, here someone will maybe baby-sit us. Besides, it can't hurt to try some bonding at the bonding banquet."
When the prefect approached the table, he just overheard that this Slytherin freshmen were desperate to talk to a prefect. Because they sat anyway next to his group's seats and Zabini would kill him if he found out he's mean to their "baby snakes", like Pansy called their newcomers, he said as polite as he could manage, "you've found the prefect. Are you already in trouble? If you cost us House points, you'll wish you're dead when we're through with you!"
That suddenly Draco Malfoy sat down in front of him startled Neville terrible. Old habits got the better of him and his hand went without thinking from the pocket that held Trevor to his wand. Then he remembered that Malfoy's presence was very justified and the blonde snob could make his life even more miserable than before if he wanted to. So he tried to cover his reaction up and forced himself to act casual, "hello. We aren't in trouble, but we need to talk to you. Uh… some time, when you aren't busy. But if we took someone else places, we go. No problem, non at all, really!"
That's ought to be good! "Make yourselves comfortable, Longbottom, Finnegan. It's always a pleasure to be of assistance for fellow students", the white-blonde prefect said with a malicious smirk.
When Neville sat down distracted, the frog made use of this rare opportunity and escaped from his pocket. With a quack he leaped at the table. "Trevor! Not *again*!", he groaned, blushing furiously.
Draco wanted to kill the clumsy Gryffindor student at first. How could he loose a frog? And what's the frog doing here? "Why the hell are you anyway bringing a bloody *frog* to the sorting, Longbottom?!", he shouted indignant and furious. A frog bouncing over the House table at a banquet - what a terrible disgrace for them! Keeper and animal would've to pay dearly for this… incident.
But then the little frog quacked - posing in the middle of the festive set table - to get attention. And he looked just too cute that anyone could stay mad at him. Hufflepuffs were the first not involved people who noticed Trevor. Giggling how cute the frog was and that they'd never believed Slytherins could be such sweeties that they bring their animal friends to the sorting - maybe even as lucky charm - the girls were instantly in raptures. The present Slytherin, some Gryffindor and Ravenclaw believed frog Trevor to be a planned, intentional gimmick of House Slytherin. Some Gryffindor even claimed to know that the Slytherin wanted to prove finally that they did have a sense of humour…
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Malfoy! I didn't wanted that to happen, if I'd known that Trevor would disappear and make trouble I hadn't brought him along… But I'll catch him!"
"No!", hissed Draco and pulled the other student back, who's wanting to chase his animal.
"What?"
"Everyone believes the frog is a gag and even if we get into trouble because of bringing animals into the Great Hall as well as disturbing the resorting, I can handle that. But if you chase Trevor now, even your brainless Gryffindor friends will get that it's an embarrassing accident - and we make a fool of ourselves. So you'll either play along voluntary or I make you!"
"Malfoy, really, now you're exaggerating. Even if our "brainless Gryffindor friends" - very flattering compliment, by the way, thank you very much! - use this for teasing, we'll all be teased. And Neville will be the main victim of this, maybe me and his other friends a bit, you and your precious fan club aren't affected at all - of which anyway no one's left. Let's just forget for the moment that the frog is on the run, Trevor is always running away and he always comes back. Let him have some fun and when Neville threatens him, he'll come back. We've at least once a day frog chase and every several weeks Trevor has his fun in the Great Hall, that's no big deal."
Draco hadn't really given any attention to the sorting anymore, but he knew which Houses Pansy and Potter got. And latter was approaching their table, so he wanted to finish this talk. Harry Potter would surely love to tease him with Trevor. "Just to avoid misunderstandings: I won't help searching and…!" He interrupted himself because said boy was almost toppling over from laughter. "What's so funny, Potter?!", he snarled.
Seamus was intent on bonding with Draco Malfoy. And he didn't liked being interrupted, especially by Harry, who's anyway Malfoy's centre of attention. Now it's his turn! "Oh, ignore him, in case you didn't noticed, he's just plain weird."
"I did notice indeed", agreed Draco smirking. He'd recovered from the frog shock and his attitude was again firm in place. "If you don't mind, I would really like to concentrate now on the sorting again!"
"Okay. I didn't expected you to be capable of polite small talk."
"I don't have to take insults from a Gryffindor!"
"Ex-Gryffindor. At the moment I'm a Slytherin. That's the only reason why I'm even trying to be civil to you instead of telling you what I really want to", Seamus said with an unusually sharp tongue.
The blonde's grey eyes narrowed dangerously in anger. Suddenly he smiled. It's a small smile, but a honest one nonetheless. "Now I see why you're sorted into Slytherin…"
"Are you going to share? I don't have a clue."
"If you ask nicely enough."
He snorted, half amused, half insulted. "Only in your dreams!"
"Fine. Then make your friend Potter sit down and be quiet before I kick him out of Slytherin."
"If annoying you is all we need to do to leave Slytherin…"
"Hey Draco, someone brought food for our owls?", asked Blaise smug, when he returned finally to the Slytherin table.
Neville stared with wide, shocked eyes at his frog. "Oh goodness! I didn't thought about that! I've to get Trevor or an owl will get him!" Before he could be held back again, he chased after his fleeing frog.
"Use magic", suggested another Slytherin who overheard their conversation.
"Would love to, but me and magic means exploding cauldrons and I don't want to risk anything with so many people around."
"Oh, in that case, let me take care of your frog problem." Blaise whipped his wand out and pointed it at Trevor. A shimmering bubble surrounded the little animal after Zabini had cast a spell. "I created now a magical force-field. The bubble will get invisible in a couple of moments so that your Trevor isn't scared, he can't leave the bubble until the spell is removed and he's protected from the carnivorous animals around here."
"Thank you."
"Not at all, I also wouldn't be happy if my Lorene was in danger of becoming my owl's pudding."
"What animal is your pet?" asked Seamus. By now he's tired of trying to socialize with the defiantly taciturn Draco Malfoy and ignored the blonde boy petulant.
"Some magical snake which's name I don't know."
"Hopefully…"
"Lorene is a race somewhere between small snake and blindworm, don't worry about her snacking at Trevor."
"Can I once come to your dorm and have a look at her?"
"*Our* dorm, Neville. You, Draco, Finnegan, Potter and me are now the inhabitants of your dorm."
"But you're Slytherin… Oops! I totally forgot that I'm now in Slytherin. Stupid, stupid, stupid, Neville! You wouldn't be allowed to sit at this table if you're still in Gryffindor, this nice people would most likely try to kill you or at least make you spend the next weeks with Madam Pomfrey for getting near their table", he muttered under his breath and hit his head at the table. Apologetic, Neville smiled at Blaise and said, "it's still so new, hell, I'm not even sure I would find the entrance by myself!"
"Don't worry, you'll soon be at home at our dungeons. I mean, our common room is maybe not as luxurious as the Gryffindors, but we've more, smaller dorms. I personally prefer privacy and cosiness to big, impressive rooms."
"Cosiness sounds good. Didn't credited you with it, though."
"How did you imagined our common room?"
"Cold, maybe naked stone, very plain and impersonate…" He heard Draco snort and got defensive, "I don't know myself. Maybe the way that would fit to you. Or at least to how you're behaving all the time, I'm not sure anymore if you're really this ruthless, cold and arrogant."
"Well, thank you. Draco, you're the only one of us not involved in a conversation at the moment. Please do all of us a favour and look after Potter, will you? He's going to suffocate if he's much longer in hysterics. And I for my part don't have any intention to spend the night at the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey and the stomach-ache patients."
This did the trick. Draco muttered under his breath something about traitorous friends that are too much Slytherin for his own good. But he did as Blaise asked him to. Even if not the way he'd expected him to. "Aw bloody hell, Potter, snap out of it!"
Harry was confused to no end. He'd suddenly felt laughter bubbling up and a moment later he's going into hysterics. Next thing he knew was that Malfoy was annoyed. Because of him. "Huh? What have I done wrong this time?" Harry pushed his bottom lip out, pouting quite adorable.
"Get at the table! You're scaring the first years. Fool…!"
"Hey, I heard that!"
"Do I look like I care?!"
"No, in fact you don't", he realized suddenly. Malfoy was doing a good job at ignoring him just as much as Seamus, Neville and Blaise ignored both of them. But the green-eyed could see a small, amused smirk tugging at the corners of one Slytherin's mouth…
The Boy Who Lived was after only a couple of minutes - which they're pretended to watch the resorting - infected by his neighbour's bad mood. He just didn't liked being ignored. Okay, that's an understatement, he hated it when someone just treated him like non-existent. That'd happened way too often when he still lived with the Dursleys and he's quite touchy about everything that remembered him of them. And there's a twinge of something suspiciously feeling much like jealousy - he didn't even wanted to think about the meaning of this. "Oh bloody hell, I'm *hungry*!"
Everyone in the Great Hall turned to the Slytherin table. This'd come out a bit louder than he wanted… Harry turned within moments as red as his ex-teams Quidditch robes. Hadn't he sat at the Slytherin table - damn the Sorting Hat - he would've ducked out of sight. And even so the temptation was almost too great.
The Gryffindor gave their ex member sympathetic "chin up!" smiles and seemed to understand fully why he's suddenly whiny. Hufflepuffs being the kind people they were, gave him compassionate looks. The Ravenclaw looked slightly annoyed, almost disapproving, but they returned their attention soon to the Sorting Hat because one of theirs was next. Well, all but Hermione and Ginny. The girls smiled encouragingly at him, only at him - Seamus and Neville were such lost talking shop with Blaise about amphibians that they hadn't even noticed Harry's outburst. The Slytherins were way too amused for his liking.
"Oh shut up, Potter! Aren't you satisfied with humiliating us, do you need to get all of us into trouble with the teachers as well?"
"But I just stated that I'm hungry and I'm pretty sure that everyone here's hungry, I'm solely the only one who says it aloud."
"For goodness' sake, stop behaving like a child and become a Slytherin! If you are going to be this bad-tempered all the time, you'll cost us a lot of House points."
"I don't know, is that really a bad thing…?"
"Harry, don't say such stuff. With one thing Malfoy's right, you'll cost us House points if you're like this to the teachers. Maybe even more than me… Hey, do you think Snape will still torture me, now that I'm a Slytherin? If he stops, that alone's already worth the resorting… Anyways, there's no sense crying over spilt milk, we're stuck in Slytherin for the next two and a half years and as sooner as we come to terms with it, as sooner we'll start to have a good time", said Neville determined.
He didn't knew why he suddenly felt like defending the Slytherin - the Slytherin of all Houses - maybe he's unconsciously starting to change his loyalties, maybe he's happy to have found a new friend, most likely his Gryffindor kindness just got the better of him. But it didn't mattered, because it just wasn't fair if they willingly harmed their new House. Sure, they hated some Slytherin, but most they didn't even knew and it's mean to make this strangers on purpose loose the School Cup.
"I'm sorry, Harry, but I've to agree here with Neville. We're stuck
at House Slytherin and the only thing we can do to let the next years not
become horrible is to at least give them a chance. I think we already established
that we can get along with some Slytherin and even if we couldn't… do you
really want to loose the School Cup, Harry? There're some outstanding Quidditch
games, with a bit of luck and the many "naturalized" Gryffindors", he flashed
a teasing smile at Blaise, " we can still make it… By the way, I wonder
who becomes Seeker now?"
Ron sat at the Gryffindor table with some of his acquaintances from classes as well as the fifth year Slytherin to keep an eye on them. He's Gryffindor prefect, so he'd to take care of them and keep the Slytherins from scaring the panicking first and second years. Even most third years looked less than happy. And of course the Ex-Slytherin had a great time scaring the children…
Surprisingly, more than half of the Slytherin resorted were put into Gryffindor and Ron now tried to keep them as far away as possible from the panicking first and second years. In return many Gryffindor had become Slytherin, new Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were equally matched.
The red-haired boy wasn't able to control his anger anymore when the banquet finally started. "Why has the Sorting Hat done that? I mean, I can understand that Hermione's sorted into Ravenclaw, Ginny and Colin also make more or less sense there. Hell, I can even understand that they put Fred and George into Hufflepuff. But Harry, Neville and Seamus Slytherin…!"
"Calm down, Ron, it could've been worse", tried Lavender Brown rather unsuccessful to calm her Housemate.
"How? What the bloody hell could have been worse than my friends becoming Slytherin of all Houses! That's terrible and they won't become happy there, they never wanted to join this bastards, so why were they put into this House of all!"
"Uh… worse would've been definitely if Malfoy, Parkinson and Zabini had been sorted into Gryffindor as well. Let's face it, not even you could do anything against them, with the House Gryffindor consisting halfway of former Slytherin."
Crabbe scowled at this, but he kept silent. After all he, Gregory, Draco, Pansy and Blaise had promised each other whatever House they would be sorted into tonight they would give them at least a chance.
Finally an Ex-Hufflepuff dared to say, "but your friends do look like they have a lot of fun, don't you think so?"
In disdain watched Ron the Slytherin table. Doing so he stopped himself short from glaring at them. Seamus and Neville talked with this Zabini guy while playing with Trevor, Harry was lecturing Malfoy apparently about an unknown student writing Gryffindors are gits! into the air. No matter if it's childish, he answered with Slytherin sucks
His boyfriend looked ready to pounce on the redhead, so Crabbe shot him a warning glance. "Don't bother with this Gryffindor children, Greg."
"Hey, I heard that! Watch your mouth or at least try to pretend you're able to be civil!"
"I believe it's obvious who's more civil at the moment."
"Yeah, look how much fun they're having at our old table… Vince, do you think the Headmaster will put us again into Slytherin if we ask him?"
"Nope. But maybe into Hufflepuff with Pansy, if we can think of a really good excuse why we suddenly turned into nice, little, patient Hufflepuff candidates."
"Don't complain unless you've a better idea."
All out of sudden an alarming thought struck Lavender. "Who's going to be our new Seeker, Ron?"
"Bloody hell, I didn't even thought about that! Damn! We won't stand a chance against Slytherin, now that they've the two best Quidditch players of the school in their team."
"It's so unfair. We've nobody left from our old team. I mean, we need a new Seeker, replacements for Fred and George from the senior team, that'll be hard enough. But as if that's not enough we also lack - just the people I can think spontaneous of - Ginny, Colin, Dean and Seamus from the junior team aren't anymore Gryffindors either…"
"You have to become Seeker."
"Aye, Ron, you have to do it."
"That's really nice and I'm flattered, but I don't stand a chance with my broom against the other Houses. Just look at the Slytherin table, they got all the good players. It's so unfair, I still can't believe our Quidditch team is destroyed now, of all time - and it's even worse that Professor McGonagall refuses to postpone our match against Hufflepuff. Three weeks - the holidays don't count, nobody will stay - aren't an appropriate time to train a new team!"
"All teams have to cope with the resorting, Ron. Also Hufflepuff."
"You're right, but… I miss my friends, OK? Just give me a couple of days to get used to this situation and then I'll be again a good prefect for you."
"Let's eat something before Hermione gets worried."
The Slytherins entertained themselves with some superficial, harmless small talk. They chatted about their pets - Neville with his frog, Blaise, Draco and Harry with snakes - and classes, their new timetable and the delicious food. But nothing really important was discussed, nobody wanted to ruin the relaxed atmosphere already. The first arguments would start soon enough, there's no point in provoking them.
Harry tried to enjoy the peaceful mood, but he wasn't quite able to. When the black-haired boy had eaten so much that he's afraid his stomach would burst if he only ate one other bite of iced chocolate cream gateau, puff pastry biscuits or mousse eau chocolate, the denial didn't worked anymore. "Urgh! That was definitely overkill of food."
Draco blinked and asked after some moments disbelieving, "but why didn't you stopped when you're full?"
"Old habits die hard… Are you guys also such tired? I feel like I'm going to nod off any moment."
"Well, I'm not surprised. You haven't slept for three nights properly, Harry."
"I kept you awake?"
"All the time."
"Sorry. I was just so bloody nervous that I couldn't relax enough to sleep."
"The same here. But now we know the answer from the Sorting Hat, so I'll call it a day, if you don't mind, mates. That is if anyone of the long-time Slytherin could please accompany me? I don't know where you nest. And I'm afraid that I'll by accident walk back to the Gryffindor dorm and humiliate myself."
Everyone of the group agreed with the yawning Neville. Harry wondered briefly how he'd managed to get into the same House, dorm and clique as Draco Malfoy - all of that within an evening - but he's just too tired to care. As long as he got into his bed within the next minutes, he could just maybe pretend this all had been only a very, very bad nightmare…
Depending on your point of view, it's either a very unfortunate accident or a dispensation of fate - just outside of the Great Hall the Slytherin group run first into Ron, who's ushering some new Gryffindors out of the hall, then this group collided with a bunch of Ravenclaws, among them Hermione.
Hermione smiled when she noticed that Harry was embarrassed looking everywhere but at her and Ron's faces. She just wasn't sure whether he's embarrassed to be seen as Slytherin or specifically with Malfoy. "Ron, Harry! It's a pleasant surprise to see you such soon again. I didn't expected to hear anything from you this evening."
"Disappointed, honey?", teased Ron. "Ow!", he mock-cried when Hermione smacked his arm playfully. Giving up the pretence very fast cause his girlfriend anyway wasn't fooled by it, he pecked her. "How do you feel about us three going outside for a talk? The teachers are all at the banquet - even Filch, McGonagall and Snape - so we don't have to worry about being caught."
"But if we're caught we'll already be responsible for the loss of House points. As much as I would love to use this fortunate chance, we shouldn't risk anything now. Besides, Ron, aren't you ought to bring the new Gryffindors to the tower?"
"Oh, that's the smallest problem. Lavender understands to handle the newcomers quite well - especially the male ones - I trust her to bring them home. Well, maybe she'll organize a party instead of tucking them into bed, but I wouldn't mind some celebrating. If you two would come, at least."
Nervously played Harry with his Slytherin scarf. He still had to get used to it, but he'd to admit that it matched his black robes quite striking. "I can't, Ron. At the moment I'm getting along with Malfoy and Zabini, I don't want to risk that."
"If you ever want to play again Quidditch, you've to sort your problems out with him, Harry", stated Hermione calmly. "He's team captain and considering the relationship you have with Professor Snape, you need his vote of confidence."
"Thanks for reminding me, Hermione."
"I'm sorry, but this has to be said. And it looks like I'm the only person who dares to. Well, are we going to do this stroll or not? My fellow Ravenclaws look already huffy."
"Potter, get moving, for goodness' sake! I have more important matters to take care of than baby-sitting you!"
"Just tell me your password, Malfoy, I'll join you guys in a couple of minutes in the Common Room, OK?" Harry saw in the other boy's eyes that he's going to forbid him his walk gleefully. And unfortunately Malfoy had the right as the only remaining Slytherin prefect. He made a mental note to suggest they got a new second prefect still this week and searched for something Malfoy wanted from him. Well, the obvious was that he jumped from the Astronomy Tower, but that was a bit high a price just to take a walk with Hermione and Ron… "I'll help you take care of the first years until a replacement for Parkinson is chosen - if you don't boss around."
"You start tomorrow Potter! Longbottom, where is your frog?", Draco asked with a terrible foreboding as soon as he remembered Trevor.
"Uh… Blaise, did you take Trevor? He isn't in my pockets."
"No, I believe you'd removed the spell when we left and taken him."
"If you didn't removed the spell, then Trevor has to be still caught in the bubble. I hope it. Go without me, I'll catch up with you."
Immediately rushed Blaise after the Ex-Gryffindor. "I'm gonna come along!"
Now Draco was in a predicament. He didn't wanted the countless non-Slytherin students around them overhearing what password he told Potter. But neither did he wanted to get too near to the other boy. After he called Blaise silently all names he could think of, he whispered it into his ear, "Phoebus", snatched his snake cage and stalked immediately down the hallway.
Harry was immensely glad that Ron and Hermione had already said their
goodbyes to their companions. He didn't wanted anyone to see him bright
red - and at the moment he's blushing furiously.
Some minutes later the three friends were sitting at the grass and looked over the lake. In the almost complete darkness they could barely make out each other, from the Forbidden Forest came eerie, loud sounds. All in all, the danger of discovery was small.
They could've had a good time just being together and talking, confiding in each other. But this time it's different. Now they're here as members of different Houses who're traditionally hating each other, didn't knew if their friendship could truly survive. What would their good intentions be worth in the light of day…?
After several minutes of uncomfortable silence Hermione couldn't bear it anymore. "Harry, what does it means to be a Slytherin?" She hated how hesitant, uncertain her voice sounded. She's supposed to be the sensible one of them, not asking silly questions.
Ron finally voiced his thoughts also. Not quite able to conceal his dread, he asked, "what makes a Slytherin a Slytherin?"
Harry understood this first so cryptic seeming questions. They weren't sure if they could still trust him. after all, Harry was now a Slytherin and this was a meaningful statement about his personality, wasn't it? If he'd been sorted into this House when he first came to Hogwarts, he would've the excuse that he'd changed, but he's only a Slytherin for a couple of hours. There's not even a loophole for Harry Potter, for the great Boy Who Lived. And he didn't felt great at all. He felt terrible, like he'd betrayed his friends, although it wasn't his fault. "I wish everything could be still the same as it'd been this morning. I really do, honestly."
"You did? But you looked to have a good time with the other Slytherin." Ron's voice was carefully guarded. The only emotion audible was his contempt for Harry's new House.
"I'm still the person I was a couple of hours ago. My personality didn't changed, I've still the same strengths and weaknesses, I'm still afraid of the same things and like the same. Is it really so bad that I now wear a scarf in another colour? Come on, that's more or less the only immediate change. And that I'd to move into the Slytherin dungeon. But believe me, this idea doesn't thrills me exactly."
"I just don't understand why you had to have such a good time with this git Malfoy and his bloody friends! You barely left the Gryffindor table when you went into hysterics and then you enjoyed yourself, took part in this frog stunt. You even got along with Malfoy, hell, you wanted to go back to the tower with him!"
"Ron, let me explain this. I sat down next to him because Seamus and Neville had picked us seats next to Malfoy and Zabini - don't ask me why.
The frog stunt was an accident, Trevor wasn't supposed to escape. And you've to admit that it's just ridiculous - a frog at the Slytherin table!
We didn't talked about anything important, just tried to pass the time somehow enjoyable. Like Hermione said just some minutes before, I have to make a truce with Malfoy or I won't ever play Quidditch again. So it's for my own benefit when I'm civil with him. Zabini is a good player and I happen to think that he's an OK bloke. Besides Neville and Seamus are the ones who talked all the time with Zabini, I was stuck with Malfoy.
I left with them because I neither know the password nor which is our 5th year boys dorm. And they're my roommates. This is another explanation why I was with them. We share a dorm, a table, we play Quidditch, have classes together, so we'll have to spend a lot of time together. I'll rather be civil to some - admittedly arrogant - Slytherin than let them torture me 24 hours seven days each week. And let's face it, I can't avoid the Slytherin. It's just impossible."
"Harry, Ron, I believe the problem between you two isn't that you're Gryffindor and Slytherin. Neither it is that you, Harry, get too well along with your Slytherin Housemates. You have to get along with them and as your friends we want you to be happy. It doesn't matters with whom. And if you actually manage to make friends with some Slytherin, then we'll also befriend with them. Of course on the condition that they're civil."
"What is our problem then, Doctor 'Mione?"
"You are you jealous. And I can't claim that I don't have any such feelings, but at least I realize what they are. Ron, you are afraid that you won't be anymore Harry's best friend if Harry befriends with the Slytherin. He'll always be available for them, they always offer an ear to listen to his worries and wishes while you're at the other end of the castle, you're opponents at Quidditch, and there's the Gryffindor-Slytherin hostility which makes your friendship even more difficult. Additionally Harry gains new friends, friends with whom he spends more time. It's natural that you're jealous."
"And…?"
"Now that you know what the true problem is, we can counteract it together. We have to make sure that we don't spend less time together, at the very least. Preferably we should be more often together, to compensate that we live at different towers. When we visit Hogsmeade, we shouldn't always go with our Housemates, even when we want to. The friendship we have is very important, it grew for many years and gives us strength, we need it. That won't change when we gain new friends."
"You're right."
"Yes, Herm, we have to make sure that we don't loose our friendship. How about we… have together high tea tomorrow? You could come down into the Slytherin common room and use the opportunity to see Seamus and Neville again."
"Are you sure we won't be thrown out of the tower if anyone sees us?"
"I won't keep it a secret that we stay friends. I also won't hide you from the Slytherin. In fact, if they're still awake I'll tell them directly."
"And if Malfoy forbids it?"
"He can't or our deal is over." Harry failed to stifle yet another yawn. Keeping his eyes open also got more and more difficult. "We should rather go back to Gryffindor tower. Uh, that is, to Gryffindor tower, Ravenclaw tower and Slytherin dungeons. I'm so tired I'm afraid I'll fall asleep out here and get sick just before the Quidditch selection."
And back was the tense atmosphere. Ron cleaned his robes provisional while they walked back to the castle, avoiding Harry's eyes. It didn't helped any that the clouds weren't anymore covering the moon and he now saw his best friend wearing the Slytherin scarf. "Uh… yeah, that would be a pity, I suppose. Malfoy will jump at the chance to deny you to become Seeker."
"He will."
They wished each other a good night when their ways parted and then Harry was left with his thoughts.
----
He's alone in the dark, empty hallways of Hogwarts, moving slowly - rather reluctantly - in the rough direction of the dungeons. He didn't knew the fastest way to the Slytherin entry, in fact he'd troubles remembering where it was, so this could take some time. And he didn't really cared. As long as he didn't reached the Slytherin Tower, his tower, he neither had to cope with it looking cold and uncomfortable nor with his dorm mates.
He stopped in front of the supposed entry and said hesitantly, "Phoebus?" Maybe Draco proved his humour with giving him a wrong password and effectively locking him out…
A moment later Harry stood in the Slytherin common room. And got the shock of his life.
The whole room was bathed in a soft glowing light from oil lamps of varying size, form, colour and the cosily crackling fireplace. Walls and ceiling were painted in different shades of green to make the room appear bigger and taller, the marble floor was a silvery white. Silver, green and white fluffy, thick rugs were scattered on the floor by random. Light, cheerful paintings from flowers and landscapes decorated the walls. Only four paintings were "business", showing the four House founders.
All over the common room were small tables, couches, armchairs and chairs placed. The upholstered furniture was mainly in pleasant shades of green, silver, brown, orange, blue and black, sometimes small pillows made it look more cheerful. Even some small cupboards stood at the wands. They're either oak or some wood Harry didn't recognized, maybe cherry, with silver.
"Wow! That's absolutely not what I expected", murmured Harry under his breath. Only when he realized that some Slytherin were still hanging around and now staring at him curiously, he remembered to snap his mouth shut. Because he's really tired by now, the black-haired boy approached reluctantly a boy that looked more or less like his age. "Uh… Hello, I need to find my dorm room. I'm a fifth year. Can you help me please?"
"There're two boy fifth year dorms, I believe. I'm only a third year."
"Do you happen to know which room Seamus Finnegan, Neville Longbottom, Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy have?"
"Missing me already, Potter?"
Harry whirled around as soon as he heard the all-too familiar drawl. "Malfoy, for god's sake, don't sneak up to me! One time you'll give me a heart attack, I know it… Just tell me where our damn dorm and washroom are, will you? I'm bloody tired and really don't feel like fighting with you right now."
The blonde boy understood very well. He's also not looking forward to 24/7 fights with Harry Potter, but he wasn't ready to admit that. At least in front of witnesses. And not before he's sure this wasn't just sleep deprivation and exhaustion. "Just follow me and then get into bed. I want to make full use of my claim and it's no fun if you're too tired to put up a fight."
tbc…
If you wonder why the Common Room is looking so friendly, I'll explain it in one of the next chapters. Who knows, maybe this will even become important?