Author's Note: I own NOTHING here except the storyline, not the characters that you are already familiar with. All the fantastic characters the works of J.K.Rowling, and she's going to be my idol for always. But I do think there's no need to say 'Don't sue me', for this is a fanfiction net and I'm posting my fanfiction onto it. :P Enjoy the story, and all comments, no matter good or bad, are welcomed. Thank you... And just read on.

P.S. I'm a Chinese high school student, so it's very normal that I'd make some mistakes. Sorry for the those, and you're always welcomed to point them out to me.

Chapter 1 Gryffindor? Slytherin?

I hurried up the stairs that night, in case the stairs suddenly move. When I was walking hurriedly toward the room at the top of the stairs surrounded by dim light in the hall, someone clinched me by the shoulder.

'Mr Filch,' I calmed down my voice after recognizing who he was.

'It's late in the night, Potter,' he said in a scaring voice, as if wanting to frighten me by saying that. 'Why are you wandering in Hogwarts so late at night?'

'Sorry, Mr Filch, but... I'm going to the lavatory,' I said what I made up. All the things in my head were all in a mess.

'And you have proof for that?' said Mr Filch, staring me in the eye fiercely. He was just like a dangerous wild animal, I thought. 'The lavatory is just in your room, Potter. Why are you coming outside at this time of the night and going to the lavatory, which is the furthest from your room? Tell me. Are you trying to steal something from Hogwarts? You can never do it, Potter. NEVER.' He stared even straighter into my eye. I tried to get away from his hands but I couldn't.

'Huh, Potter? Tell me.'

'Sorry, Mr Filch... I promise, I'll never do that again. I'm going back to bed immediately, if you want me to.'

'You'll have to explain to me why,' said Filch. I never expected him to be so suspicious. But I knew I was doing the wrong thing.

'I'd like to go to bed,' I lied. 'I feel so dizzy now. Perhaps I went the wrong way while I just woke up from my bed. Sorry about that... I didn't know where I was going.' His eyes reached mine and I looked down. It was hard to lie to him; everybody knew that. I thought that he wasn't in, but he clinched me at precisely the right time when I didn't notice, suddenly making himself seen.

'Lying to me isn't always a good thing, Potter,' said Mr Filch with a furious look. 'I want to make this clear. Now tell me the truth, Potter... Tell me the truth.'

It was hard. It was indeed hard.

Just then, an old, stern voice under the stairs broke out in the silence. 'Who's that?' it said. When the person walked up the stairs, I recognized him immediately. He had the most special look.

'Professor Dumbledore,' I called out in surprise.

'Hello, Harry,' smiled Dumbledore and said. 'And Mr Filch... What are you two doing up there? It's unusual for you to chat at this time of the night, eh? It's past midnight. What happened, Mr Filch? Tell me about it.'

'Mr Harry Potter is wandering in the school at this time of the night for no reason at all,' said Mr Filch word by word, his little eyes shooting down at me.

'Yes, Harry?' Dumbledore turned towards me and said with a quiet voice.

'Yes, Professor,' I said, not daring to look at him.

'It's okay,' replied Dumbledore. 'Follow me to my place, Harry. Tell me the truth. I know everything about you, Harry. I think you are willing to tell me something about it, aren't you? It isn't something illegal, is it?'

'No,' I answered. I suppose my eyes suddenly lit up at that moment. 'Yes, Professor Dumbledore,' I continued, looking up at the man I respect. 'I'd like to tell you about it.'

'Follow me then, Harry. I guess we'll have to have a talk. We've not talked since last term, right? I hope you aren't too tired to carry it on.'

'No, Professor,' I answered. 'I'll go with you.'

He grinned and took my hand. His hand was big and warm. I took his hand gently. What a nice, old professor, I thought.

While Mr Filch was still shouting behind us, 'He has to be punished!', I followed Dumbledore into his office. He let me drink some coffee to keep me awake and he asked, looking down at me warmly from his desk, 'Now, Harry, what is it? What were you looking for?'

'The... the Sorting Hat,' I replied in a timid voice.

'The Sorting Hat?' laughed Dumbledore. 'What do you want that for? You belong to Gryffindor, I'm sure. You've already made a lot of achievements there. What are you worried about?'

'You know, Professor, sometimes...'

'Go on, Harry.'

'Sometimes I don't feel I'm a student of Gryffindor. Sometimes I even feel that I'm from Slytherin. I don't know why. Could you please tell me why I feel like that, Professor Dumbledore?'

'Sorry, Harry, I also don't know why. How can you have feelings like that? You always have to feel that you are a Gryffindor. It's so weird, Harry. How can things turn out to be like that?' Dumbledore frowned and said in a serious tone.

'I'm wondering also, Professor. So I wanted to go into the...'

'I know. But the Sorting Hat was removed here yesterday. So I have it right here in my office. Want to have a try now, Harry?'

'Um...Yes, Professor Dumbledore,' I had finally made up my mind. 'I'd like to try.'

'You know what, Harry?' Dumbledore said with a smile. He looked at me with a warm, kind face. 'You're always proved to be a brave boy. Good luck to you, Harry. Hope it turns out to be Gryffindor.'

'Thank you,' I grinned and replied. 'I really hope so.'

I went over to the Sorting Hat. His eyes were closed, and he was obviously sleeping. When I went up to him and was picking him up, he groaned discontentedly. 'Who is that, waking me up in the middle of the night while I'm sleeping soundly?' A long sentence came out of his mouth. He mumbled some more, but I didn't bother to listen to them.

'Wake up, Sorting Hat,' I called, bending my head to look at him more clearly.

'Who is that...' He finally woke up and said angrily. When he opened his eyes, he winked with surprise and said, 'Ah, it's Harry Potter... What can I do for you, Potter? Not satisfying enough in Gryffindor?'

'No, Sorting Hat,' I said. 'Would you mind if I want you to choose my place again?'

'WHAT!?!' said the Sorting Hat crossly. 'Your parents were both from Gryffindor. You think I made the wrong choice? You must be joking! How could I have made the wrong choice, Potter? Your parents were both students of Gryffindor, and I still remember them!'

'I'm not saying that you made the wrong choice, Sorting Hat,' I said, feeling a bit worried. 'But... would you please... Well, I know I'm doing this for nothing, but... will you...'

'All right,' he grunted. 'I don't know why you are doing this, Potter. But if you'd like my help I'll help you... Nah, why not do it in daytime, it's bad of you to wake me up like this!'

'Sorry, Sorting Hat,' I answered. 'Now will you please get working?'

'Yes... No chitchat, put me on your head,' said the Sorting Hat, as if singing a well-known rhyme.

I walked nearer cautiously and took the Sorting Hat in my hand. He was squinting his eyes again and again, without stopping. I put it gently on my head.

Suddenly, I heard a sharp scream coming from the top of my head.

'What...what's wrong, Sorty?' asked Dumbledore, calling the nickname of the hat. 'What happened? How do you feel?'

I heard panting up there. A mere second before I wanted to take it down to see what happened, he talked as he always did, calmly.

'I just couldn't believe it, Potter,' he said. 'May I do a little alteration of the first choice I made?'

I felt like I was stroked by a strong lightning, going into the deepest corner of my heart. I opened my mouth but I couldn't let out a word.

'Tell me about what you discovered,' said Dumbledore, looking also surprised, and— even a little frightened.

'Harry Potter is from Slytherin,' announced the Sorting Hat loudly. 'Slytherin, Slytherin, Slytherin. Not from Gryffindor anymore! Harry Potter is going to be in Slytherin tomorrow. We can't let him stay in Gryffindor like that if he doesn't belong to it. What do you think, Professor?' he turned to Dumbledore. I felt myself shaking. I knew the Sorting Hat was shivering too. I knew he didn't believe it.

'Why did you make that choice without thinking?' I bet my whole face was red with anger.

'I thought about it, Potter,' said the Sorting Hat. 'You've been in Gryffindor for six years already. I thought I made the wrong choice... But I was right. Totally right. When I saw you I thought, wow, that boy must be a Slytherin. But you insisted that you were a Gryffindor... So what could I say? The fault is on yourself, Potter.'

'I look like a student of Slytherin because I've fought with Voldemort, Sorting Hat,' I said, frustrated. 'Voldemort did give some of his powers to me. But I'm definitely a Gryffindor. Like you just said, my parents were both Gryffindors. How can it be that I'm not? I know I am.'

'You are a Slytherin, Potter,' the Sorting Hat repeated loudly. 'I can find out that you have Slytherin blood. It's true. I'm the only Sorting Hat in the whole world. There's nowhere you can seek other help from. And I'm the best Sorting Hat ever. Every student must obey me. They have no one else to obey. Go back to Slytherin, Potter. Gryffindor is absolutely not for you. Go back to where you belong, and be nice there.'

With these words, the Sorting Hat sank into a deep sleep again.

'You have to trust him, Harry,' said Dumbledore sadly. Then he suddenly got angry and gazed at me sharply. 'It can't be,' he said to himself. 'It can't be. How can Harry Potter be a SLYTHERIN? It's impossible, no such thing happens! If this is so, there's no hope in Gryffindor. Not any.'

He turned towards me. 'You're still here, Harry?' he said. 'Go back to bed. And, don't be afraid to face the reality, Harry. Do what the Sorting Hat tells you to do. Go back to where you belong... Only this is good for you. The Sorting Hat never says wrong things, Harry, and you must know this.' He sighed and continued after taking a deep breath, 'Come here again tomorrow, Harry. I'll help you register.'

'Register?' I felt my blood turning cold. 'Register? For what?' I was asking something I already knew. No, it couldn't have happened. No.

'You know that, Harry. You know that,' he said in a deep and disappointed tone. He took another deep breath. 'Slytherin, Harry. If you don't belong to Gryffindor, you mustn't stay there anymore. Go to Slytherin and I believe you'll do good there.'

'Yes, Professor,' I heard myself say. I didn't know what I was thinking. Suddenly, I turned over. 'Good night, Professor Dumbledore,' I said. 'I'm going back.'

'Good night, Harry.'

'Professor Dumbledore,' as sudden as I was several seconds ago, I turned back again. 'I hope it's just a dream. I do hope so.'

'But it isn't, Harry,' said Dumbledore. 'Good night. Go back to bed. Tomorrow is another day. Try to be good in Slytherin, will you?' I saw tears in his eyes.

'Yes, Professor,' I said gently. I turned over again, and walked out of the office, lost in my thoughts.