Alternate Reality: Simply Slytherin
Chapter Five
"Firs' years over this way. Firs' years, follow me!" Harry immediately recognized the huge mass that was Hagrid. "Hello, Harry! Doin' alright there? Firs' years over here!"
Harry waved, falling in line behind a girl with pigtails and a pink face. Together the mass of first years followed Hagrid to the docks where they clambered into boats by fours, excepting Hagrid who had one to himself. The water was murky, almost black except for the dim lights reflecting off the surface from their lamps.
"I hear there's a monster in the lake." A girl in the next boat over whispered to someone on her right.
After passing through a curtain of ivy the boats were docked and everyone climbed out. A frog croaked and Hagrid bent to pick it up off his giant work boots.
" 'Ere now, who's lost a toad?"
"Trevor!" A boy with a round face came forward holding his hands out gleefully.
"Right then. Everyone here?" Hagrid turned around and raised a great fist, knocking three times on the castle door.
The door swung open, revealing a tall black haired witch. She was stern looking and wore rich green robes trimmed with gold.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." Harry recognized her as the Deputy Headmistress that had visited his home several weeks before.
Pulling the door open wide Harry got a good look at the empty entrance hall. It was large enough to fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in and lit with flaming torches. The ceiling stretched for a mile or so high, and a grand staircase facing them led to the upper floors.
Following Professor McGonagall across the stone floor they were led into an empty chamber of the hall where she turned and watched them crowd in.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before your take your seats, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting ceremony is very important because while you are here your house will be your family.
"You will eat at your house table, sleep in the house dormitory, have classes with your house mates and spend free time in your house common room. You will earn points for your house with your accomplishments and lose points with your misdemeanors. At the end of the term your points will be counted up and compared, the house with the most points earns the house cup. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.
"The Sorting will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of school. I suggest you smarten yourselves as much as you can while we are waiting. I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly."
She left the chamber.
"How are we sorted?" asked a boy with sandy hair and dark eyes.
"Some sort of test. Fred said it hurts a lot, but he was joking. I think." Harry looked around for the speaker; eyes resting on a boy with flame red hair and freckles. A smudge of dirt was on his nose.
Harry's stomach did a strange flip-flop as it sunk in. A test? And in front of the whole school no less! He silently groaned. Looking around though he found that the other first years looked quite pale as well. The girl with bushy brown hair was whispering furiously to herself, listing all sorts of spells she had studied and what she would need and if she should have looked up certain spells in books Harry had never even heard of.
A girl with long dark hair behind him screamed quite suddenly and he jumped several feet in the air, whipping around wand ready in his robes.
"What the-?"
He almost smiled. Several people around him gasped. Almost twenty pearly white, transparent ghosts streamed through the back wall, gliding across the room. They were all talking to each other and hardly noticed the terrified first years below them. A tremendously obese monk was saying: "I still say we ought to let him attend. Forgive and forget you know-"
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances that is normal? Not to mention all that he deserves. He's given us all a bad name you know and- I say! What are you all doing here?"
A ghost wearing something akin to the renaissance had finally noticed the students below him and swooped down to get a better look.
"We…We're h-here to be So-So- Sorted!" sputtered a tall black boy standing next to the red headed boy who had spoken earlier.
"Splendid! About to be sorted, I suppose?" Several students nodded meekly.
"Good good, hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."
"Move along now," said a familiar sharp voice. "The Sorting is about to begin." Professor McGonagall had returned and watched to see the ghosts disappear one by one through the opposite wall. "We're ready for you. Form a straight line and follow me."
Harry silently started praying to every known god he could possibly think of, his legs feeling like a mixture of lead and gelatin. They were led out of the room and through the entrance hall and a pair of double door into the Great Hall.
The young Potter child had never imagined such a wonderful and strange place. It was lit by tens of thousands of candles that were held in mid air over four long tables where the rest of the students were sitting. The tables were littered with glittering plates and goblets, complete with golden forks, spoon, and knives to match. At the front of the hall was fifth long table were the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led them to the front and turned them around to face the students, the professors behind them. Hundreds of faces were staring at them, the candlelight dancing across their features. Feeling slightly sick at meeting each of the dark, shining eyes Harry glanced up at the ceiling a habit he had acquired at home. He remembered reading somewhere that the ceiling was bewitched to look like the sky outside and he pleasantly greeted with the sight of a velvet black night dotted with stars.
Harry's attention was drawn away form the stars by the sight of Professor McGonagall silently placing a tattered wizards hat on top of a four-legged stool. Upon closer inspection the hat was more than a litter tattered, it was patched in several places, frayed at the edges and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house.
'Perhaps we have to get a rabbit out of it,' Harry mused, it seemed reasonable. Looking around he noted that everyone was staring at the hat so he did the same shocked when it twitched and a rip near the brim suddenly opened wide and began to sing.
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their end.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The students and professors burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables before becoming still again.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," stated Professor McGonagall. Unraveling a long piece of parchment she began. "Abbott, Hannah!"
The girl with pig tales that Harry had seen earlier shyly stepped out of line and placed the hat on her head, which fell over her eyes, and sat down.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. Harry winced, wondering if it hurt to have the hat yell so close to her ears. Filing away the thought he watched as she sat down at the Hufflepuff table, the Friar waving cheerfully to her.
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Brockelhurst, Mandy!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Brown, Lavender!"
"GRYFFINDOR!" The table at the far left exploded in cheers and almost everyone stood up and clapped, welcoming the blushing girl to sit down. Harry's lips quivered at the sight of twin red heads cat calling.
"Bulstrode, Millicent," then became the first Slytherin.
Harry could feel the meager bits of food he had stolen at breakfast begin to churn uneasily in his stomach. The whole ordeal reminded him of being picked for teams during gym at his old school. He had always been the last to be chosen because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked him.
Absorbed in his own thoughts of ultimate failure he barely acknowledged when Justin Finch-Fletchley and Seamus Finnigan were sorted to Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. Someone next to him shifted and breaking from his thoughts he was surprised to see Draco. He had apparently edged closer and closer while everyone else was preoccupied with the Sorting. The platinum haired boy gave him a smile and a wink before turning his attention back to the Sorting. Harry likewise focused onto the sorting just in time to crack a smile at the boy named Neville as he ran back to the stool to give Morag MacDougal the hat which he had apparently ran away with.
When his name was called Draco swaggered forward easily and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it shrieked, "SLYTHERIN!" Harry had the sneaking suspicion it was urgent to get the slicked back hair as quick and far away as possible.
Malfoy gave one last look at Harry before going to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.
"Moon"…,"Nott"…, "Parkinson"…, a pair of twins were next, "Patil" and "Patil"…,then "Perks, Salley-Anne"…and, then, at last-
"Potter, Harry!"
The Hall went unbelievably silent. Like a tidal wave whispers broke out like great hissing fires all over the hall.
"Did she say Potter?"
"The Harry Potter?"
"Can you see it?"
"Did you see his scar?"
Everyone in the hall was leaned back in their seats, craning their necks to get a good look at him. Harry could feel himself begin to flush with embarrassment before dropping the hat over his head, the rim covering his eyes.
"Well this is interesting…hmm," said a small voice inside his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Talent oh yes, plenty of courage as well. Not a bad mind either. A thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting…but where to put you…Slytherin perhaps. Or Gryffindor. Ravenclaw would certainly do, even Hufflepuff…"
Harry had the sickening feeling that if the hat didn't choose, Professor McGonagall would rip the hat off his head and demand he leave at once. The hat gave a chuckle.
"Maybe not as much courage as I thought," mused the Sorting hat. "Well, time will tell. For now though-better be SLYTHERIN!"
Harry winced as the hat shouted the house name to the whole hall. Taking off the hat he stood from the stool to meet the unearthly silence of the Great Hall. After handing the hat to the next boy, Dean Thomas, he set off resolutely, though a might bit shaky, for the Slytherin table. Completely aware that everyone in the Hall was staring at him he took a seat across from Draco and wished for all the world that he could be invisible. At least that was something he was used to.
The poor boy to be sorted next didn't have a clue as to what to do. He kept looking at the hat and at Professor McGonagall who was looking at who Harry guessed was Headmaster Dumbledore who was sort of in his own world. Now that he was seated Harry could see the High Table properly. Hagrid, sitting at the end farthest away from him, was quite pale and looked as if he had suddenly been thrown into another dimension and didn't know what to make of it. At the center of the table was the headmaster who had snapped out of his reverie and was looking around cheerfully, not at all concerned that the Hall was completely silent. Making a gesture with his hand he encouraged Dean Thomas to carry along with the sorting and everyone turned their eyes back to the sorting hat as it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
There were only four more people left to be sorted and after "Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw is was the red headed boy's turn.
"Weasley, Ronald!"
A moment later, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Ron looked immensely happy as he handed the hat to "Zabini, Blaise," and walked briskly toward the Gryffindor table who were back to clapping enthusiastically. After Blaise Zabini was sorted into Slytherin Professor McGonagall rolled up her list and took both the stool and hat away.
The headmaster stood up with arms open wide; he was beaming and looked as if nothing could have pleased him more than to be there at that moment with the rest of them.
"Welcome!" he said at last. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is not deemed 'Forbidden' for no reason. It is off limits to all pupil, a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."
Several professors' eyes were suddenly drawn to the Gryffindor table.
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic will be tolerated between classes in the corridors.
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch our flying director.
"And finally, I must inform you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
Several students laughed but quickly quieted down at the Headmasters severe look.
"Let us eat!" said the Headmaster. Harry turned back to his empty plate to watch as mouth watering foods seemed to bloom out of nothing on the platters in the center of the table. He had never seen so many foods in one place that he liked or thought he might like: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, an assortment of chicken, pork and vegetable sausages, bacon, and steak. There were also boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, mashed potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, onions, mushrooms, gravy, ketchup, mustard, butter, rolls, biscuits, and, for some odd reason, peppermint humbugs.
Still feeling slightly ill from his encounter with the Sorting hat Harry ate sparingly but keeping to his habit stowed away a role of fresh bread in his pocket for later. Draco looked up from his plate, piled with food and gave him a superior smile. Leaning forward he said in a hushed voice, "What did I say? You're simply Slytherin." Finishing with a knowing wink he continued with his meal trying his best not to show his unease at sitting next to a particularly unpleasant looking ghost.
"So young Potter, what do you think about being sorted into Slytherin?" The ghost suddenly turned his attention toward the small first year and gave him a piercing look.
"What should I think?"
The ghost sneered. "Never in all my years at Hogwarts did I think that I would see the day when a Potter was anywhere but in Gryffindor. To have one within our ranks is quite a phenomenon indeed.
"Much like young master Malfoy here. If he was to have been sorted into Gryffindor…" the ghost paused and an unfamiliar light came into his blank staring eyes. But then the light was gone, "One might have supposed you both, two sides of the same coin!" he murmured to himself in something barely above a whisper. "We shall have to see how this one ends." The ghost ended cryptically, gliding away towards the older students.
It was then that Harry noticed that several of the more unpleasant looking Slytherins, particularly in the higher years, kept stealing unsure glances at him, quickly looking away again and whispering furiously to each other. Two or more of them would look up at the High Table for a few moments before again looking in Harry's direction. Harry, intrigued, chanced a glance at the teacher whom they were trying to get eye contact with and was surprised to meet the black eyes of one professor immediately.
He was dark with greasy hair and a hooked nose. His eyes, black as coal with just as much fire, were boring into is own and he found himself locked in a battle of wills. Suddenly his scar gave a sharp painful prickle and he blinked, shifting his gaze to a professor wearing a strange purple turban. The professor was turned away from him, conversing with a woman wearing deep blue robes. Furrowing his brow he gripped the edge of his seat as the pain increased.
"Potter!" said a sharp voice, ripping his eyes from the turban.
"Draco?"
"I've been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes, what's wrong?"
Harry looked around him, several of the other first year Slytherins were giving him strange looks but he focused back on the platinum haired boy in front of him. "Nothing, I was just thinking. What were you saying?"
"We were just talking about quidditch. It's such a drag that first years can't try out for the house teams." Several other students nodded, muttering under their breaths. "I tried to bully my father into letting me smuggle my broom in, but he wouldn't let me." Draco pouted at his chocolate éclair and strawberries. Harry noted that the magnificent feast had quite suddenly transformed into desserts.
Apple pie, peach pie, nectarine sauce, orange cake, strawberries, cherry jubilee, treacle tarts, and jam doughnuts, trifle, Jell-O, rice pudding, every candy imaginable and quite a few Harry didn't recognize (which was saying quite a lot for living with Dudley). Harry noted there was an abundance of lemon sherbet candies available as well.
Soon enough when dinner and dessert had ended the headmaster stood up once again waving his hands for the students to quiet down.
"Ahem-just a few more words now that we have been fed and watered. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!
"Now, before we totter off for bed, the school song!" cried the Headmaster. Harry noticed the other teachers' smiles had become rather frozen. All except for professor Snape of course, he was still scowling at his plate.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if trying to rid it of a fly on the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and wounds itself into words.
"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Headmaster Dumbledore quite happily, "and off we go!"
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
It seemed to Harry that the song had no real tune and found it highly amusing that everyone finished at different times. At long last the only people left singing were the two red headed twins who had chosen a rather slow funeral march.
"Weasleys…"muttered a boy on Harry's left. Sensing Harry's attention the boy turned in his seat, offering his hand. "Marcus Flint."
"Aren't you the Quidditch Captain?" queried Draco.
The older boy nodded, "And your prefect, don't make me take you to Snape and we'll get along fine." Harry shook his hand.
"Snape?"
"He's our head of house, that one there next to Quirrel. He teaches Potions. Genius that one. He's actually a -"
"Potions master, yes Draco told me. And Quirrel teaches Defense?" Harry gave the turban wearing professor a skeptical look. Professor Quirrel was talking to tiny man on his left but appeared to be incredibly nervous and stuttered every other word.
"He doesn't look as if he could defend himself against a Nat." Draco commented, sharing Harry's thoughts.
"He wasn't to bad the last several years we've had him, but this summer he went out into the field. They say he made enemies with a vampire and now is so scared of his shadow…well, you can see for yourself. He's developed a stutter as well. Quite twitchy too." Marcus Flint shook his head in disgust.
The Weasley twins had finally finished the school song and sat down, leaving the Headmaster to applauded enthusiastically.
"Cracked that one," said Draco.
"Ah, music," the Headmaster said, wiping what appeared to a tear from his twinkling eyes. "A magic beyond anything we teach here. And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
The Slytherin first years followed Marcus through the large double doors and up the large marble staircase. Branching off from the Ravenclaws who had come the same direction, Marcus led them through several corridors hidden behind paintings on the wall. Harry was surprised to see several portraits containing people, who moved about, waving and even talking!
Harry noted that the temperature seemed to be dropping and shivered as a cold draft of air brushed against the back of his neck. Finally they stopped in a corridor and Marcus turned to address the lot of them.
"This is the Slytherin corridor. If you take that door there at the end of the hall, go right at the first five corners and you will be at the Potions Classroom in less that four minutes. After that take two lefts and one right and you'll be at your Head of House's office. Granted there is an office in the classroom but he's usually at the latter office if classes aren't in session.
"Now, if you go through there," Marcus pointed to a painting of Salazar Slytherin. "You can get almost anywhere faster than you can say 'caught'. Salazar won't let you by unless you're a Slytherin but the Bloody Baron informs him every year so there shouldn't be a problem. Just tell him where you want to get to and he tells you the correct path. Our founder designed the whole passageway and as far as I know, none of the other houses know of it. Or," he added with a smirk, "the other professors.
"And this tapestry here," he motioned to a black tapestry behind him with green and silver Celtic knotted snakes. "Leads to our Commons Room." Lifting the edge Marcus revealed a staircase that went deeper underground.
Wrapping his robes around himself tight Harry followed Draco through a tunnel and was pleasantly surprised to see fires cackling merrily. The Slytherin common room was richly furnished with dark oak and cherry wood furniture. The floor was hardwood in places and stone in others making for a very homey, if a bit extravagant feeling. Plush carpets were decorated with snakes and Celtic knots as where the tapestries and paintings.
Two archways were directly across from each other, and in the center was another door, which Marcus told them was another entrance that led to a staircase and up towards the Great Hall. Directing the girls to the archway on the left Marcus led the boys through the archway on the right, which led to two more archways. Marcus explained that the one on the left was the baths and showers while the one on the right were the dormitories. At the bottom of the spiral staircase they found their rooms at last. There were enough rooms to accommodate two people each so Draco immediately claimed one as his and Harold's.
The rooms were well furnished. Twin four-posters hung with green velvet curtains and silk silver valences. Two delicate silver ropes opened and closed the curtains, reveling black satin sheets and pillows and a comforter that had the Slytherin crest on it.
Harry removed himself of his shoes and smiled at the pushiness of the green carpet under his feet. Seeing his trunk already next to one of the beds he sat down and tested it, smiling when it didn't creak under his meager weight. Taking off his robes he didn't bother changing into pajamas knowing he didn't have any and settled comfortably into bed.
Draco came through an adjacent doorway dressed in his pajamas, hair a little less than dignified. "We have our own bathroom," said Draco around a yawn.
Harry nodded eyes heavy with sleep, barely aware of the fact that when both were in bed the torches immediately dimmed. Drawing the curtain half way closed Harry was just thinking about what he was going to do with his piece of bread when he fell asleep almost at once.
Harry opened his eyes and found himself in the dark. Looking around he couldn't see anything but suddenly Professor Quirrell's turban was floating before him. It was talking to him about how, as a Potter, he should ask for a transfer to Gryffindor because that's where people like him belonged. Harry said that the Sorting hat had said he belonged in Sytherin so that was where he was going to stay. The turban started reeking of something quite rotten, like decomposing flesh. Harry tried to back away from the intruding odor but found that his legs wouldn't move. Startled, he watched as the turban began to slowly unwind. As it continued to unwind the turban began to laugh, a laugh that became high and cold almost insane. Suddenly, as the last bits of cloth were become unwound there was a flask of bright green light and Harry woke, sweating and shaking, his scar on fire.
Sitting up Harry realized he had left his glasses on and promptly took them off, setting them on the nightstand beside his bed. Rolling over he fell asleep almost immediately, and when he awoke the next day, all he remembered was a flash of green light and nothing else at all.