Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
Web of Lies: Revelations.
"Well, well, well, look at who we have here."
Harry rolled his eyes under the hat. "Hello to you too."
The hat chuckled lightly in his head. "I don't think I've ever spoken with a student as often as I have done with you."
The teen shrugged lightly. "That's not my fault."
"Of course it isn't. But let's get on with this. The headmaster told me you couldn't be placed in Gryffindor due to security matters, so, how about Slytherin this time?"
Harry nearly laughed out. "Yeah, right, a Dumbledore in Slytherin, that would be so safe. Besides, we're trying not to draw attention."
The hat sighed. "I guess you have a point there, being in Slytherin would certainly draw some attention." Harry snorted but didn't comment. "So, that means no Gryffindor and no Slytherin; then I guess it's going to have to be..." Harry tensed as he heard the hat shout: "Ravenclaw!"
The boy stood up and handed the hat back to McGonagall, who was looking slightly disappointed. It actually made sense for the hat to reach that decision, and he could not believe he didn't think of it himself. After all, no one would find it strange that a Dumbledore was placed in Ravenclaw, and it would actually help him cover up his extensive knowledge he has since he's suppose to be fifteen and not eleven like a real first year. While heading to the table that was cheering for him, he looked up at the teacher's table. First he locked gazes with the headmaster that nodded at him with a small, but pleased smile on his lips. At Dumbledore's side, the boy noticed the Potions Master also seemed to be pleased. Actually, Harry was sure he could see some relief in the man's eyes, which didn't surprise him much. He had probably thought he was going to be a Gryffindor, which would have caused the man a bit of trouble. Looking down at the table, Harry noticed that Professor Flitwick was smiling excitedly, and he couldn't help but wonder how the small professor was going to behave around him.
He suddenly was torn out of his musings when someone sat down next to him. The teen couldn't help but smile slightly when he saw Lan's happy smile. "Not Gryffindor, eh?"
The girl chuckled. "Well, it wanted me to go there, but I asked it nicely to put me somewhere else." She shrugged lightly. "My brothers seem to be a bit disappointed."
Harry turned to face the Gryffindor table and saw that Colin and Denis were indeed looking a bit crestfallen.
"Alec?"
Harry blinked and looked back down to Melanie. "Yes?"
"Are you related to the headmaster?"
The boy saw as everyone turned their attention from the sorting to him and knew, without a doubt, that everyone would know his answer before dinner was finished. "He's my grandfather's brother."
The girl sighed. "You're so lucky; I wish I was related to such an important wizard."
Harry shrugged lightly and turned his gaze to the sorting that was finally ending. He sincerely hoped that the girl wouldn't develop some kind of hero complex because of his supposed family. Lan was about to speak again when the last first year sat down and the headmaster stood up.
"Welcome back to a new year at Hogwarts; I hope you've all had a nice and relaxing holiday and that you're ready to learn once again. As most of you know and others should remember, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to every student, you are not allowed to do magic in the halls, and Mr. Filch has added several new objects to the forbidden list." He paused for a moment, his cheerful demeanour falling as he regarded the silent Hall seriously. "As you will all know by now, Hogwarts is now an independent institution; we're not longer ruled by the Ministry of Magic. The reasons that led to such a drastic decision are too long to explain right now; your heads of house will come to your common rooms and answer all your questions tomorrow evening after classes, so please be sure to be there. There have been several changes made of which the most important is that there will be several Order of the Phoenix agents guarding the castle. They will live here with you during the year, and I ask you to not stand in their way and remember that they are only here to see to your safety." He turned lightly to the man sitting a few seats away from his. "This is Samuel Johanson; he was an auror until he became injured in one of the recent Death Eater raids. He is on medical leave for now, and he has accepted the position as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher for this year."
The students applauded politely, but Harry could tell that most of them just wanted the speech to be over so they could start on their meal. The headmaster seemed to notice it too, because he smiled kindly at them and clapped lightly. "After all this is said, it's time to fill your stomachs, so go ahead, eat up."
Harry smiled slightly and turned to his plate. At his side, Lan was looking with large eyes at all the food that surrounded them and quickly started to pile things up on her plate. Alec chuckled lightly and started to eat at a more sedated pace. Around him, the other Ravenclaws were chattering happily, some discussing magical theories or happily arguing about quidditch. Alec preferred to keep to himself, listening as Lan talked to several other first years.
The time flew by and soon everyone was standing up, ready to follow the prefects to the different common rooms. Harry was about to follow Lan when a squeaky voice stopped him.
"Mr. Dumbledore?"
Both Alec and Lan turned around and looked down at their head of house. "Yes, Professor?"
The man smiled up at him. "The headmaster wishes to see you in his office. I trust you'll be able to make your way there on your own?"
Harry nodded lightly. "Of course, Professor." Then he turned to his new friend. "I'll see you later, Lan."
The girl nodded a bit reluctantly but started to follow the other first years. Alec quickly made his way to Dumbledore's office. He really didn't want to talk to the headmaster right now. He knew that the old man had been concerned about him, but he didn't want to explain what had happened on the train. He was so lost in thoughts that he didn't notice the small group standing in front of the entrance to the headmaster's office until he was nearly on top of them. When he recognized several of the Weasleys, he took a few steps back and sank into the shadows. The other teens didn't notice him and continued to say the names of all the sweets they knew in hopes of guessing the password. In the end, the gargoyle opened on its own and the headmaster looked at them through the opening. "Good evening, I guess you wanted to talk to me?"
The students nodded slightly and walked past him when he moved aside. Instead of following them, Dumbledore turned towards the place were Harry was standing. "Alec?"
The boy saw the surprise in the other teens' eyes, and reluctantly left his hiding place. Once he stood in front of the headmaster, the man motioned him inside. "Come in, Child."
Harry looked at the other students. "Maybe it would be better if I came back tomorrow?"
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes at the slight hope he heard in the boy's voice. "I don't think so, Alec. Why don't you go upstairs? Severus is there, and I'm sure he would like to congratulate you."
Harry sighed, and knowing that he wouldn't be able to win this argument, he nodded and stepped inside. He could feel the curious eyes of his friends following him as he walked up the stairs, but he ignored them as good as possible.
To be continued...
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and thanks to Vinnie and Leena for their help.
Web of Lies: Revelations.
"Well, well, well, look at who we have here."
Harry rolled his eyes under the hat. "Hello to you too."
The hat chuckled lightly in his head. "I don't think I've ever spoken with a student as often as I have done with you."
The teen shrugged lightly. "That's not my fault."
"Of course it isn't. But let's get on with this. The headmaster told me you couldn't be placed in Gryffindor due to security matters, so, how about Slytherin this time?"
Harry nearly laughed out. "Yeah, right, a Dumbledore in Slytherin, that would be so safe. Besides, we're trying not to draw attention."
The hat sighed. "I guess you have a point there, being in Slytherin would certainly draw some attention." Harry snorted but didn't comment. "So, that means no Gryffindor and no Slytherin; then I guess it's going to have to be..." Harry tensed as he heard the hat shout: "Ravenclaw!"
The boy stood up and handed the hat back to McGonagall, who was looking slightly disappointed. It actually made sense for the hat to reach that decision, and he could not believe he didn't think of it himself. After all, no one would find it strange that a Dumbledore was placed in Ravenclaw, and it would actually help him cover up his extensive knowledge he has since he's suppose to be fifteen and not eleven like a real first year. While heading to the table that was cheering for him, he looked up at the teacher's table. First he locked gazes with the headmaster that nodded at him with a small, but pleased smile on his lips. At Dumbledore's side, the boy noticed the Potions Master also seemed to be pleased. Actually, Harry was sure he could see some relief in the man's eyes, which didn't surprise him much. He had probably thought he was going to be a Gryffindor, which would have caused the man a bit of trouble. Looking down at the table, Harry noticed that Professor Flitwick was smiling excitedly, and he couldn't help but wonder how the small professor was going to behave around him.
He suddenly was torn out of his musings when someone sat down next to him. The teen couldn't help but smile slightly when he saw Lan's happy smile. "Not Gryffindor, eh?"
The girl chuckled. "Well, it wanted me to go there, but I asked it nicely to put me somewhere else." She shrugged lightly. "My brothers seem to be a bit disappointed."
Harry turned to face the Gryffindor table and saw that Colin and Denis were indeed looking a bit crestfallen.
"Alec?"
Harry blinked and looked back down to Melanie. "Yes?"
"Are you related to the headmaster?"
The boy saw as everyone turned their attention from the sorting to him and knew, without a doubt, that everyone would know his answer before dinner was finished. "He's my grandfather's brother."
The girl sighed. "You're so lucky; I wish I was related to such an important wizard."
Harry shrugged lightly and turned his gaze to the sorting that was finally ending. He sincerely hoped that the girl wouldn't develop some kind of hero complex because of his supposed family. Lan was about to speak again when the last first year sat down and the headmaster stood up.
"Welcome back to a new year at Hogwarts; I hope you've all had a nice and relaxing holiday and that you're ready to learn once again. As most of you know and others should remember, the Forbidden Forest is off limits to every student, you are not allowed to do magic in the halls, and Mr. Filch has added several new objects to the forbidden list." He paused for a moment, his cheerful demeanour falling as he regarded the silent Hall seriously. "As you will all know by now, Hogwarts is now an independent institution; we're not longer ruled by the Ministry of Magic. The reasons that led to such a drastic decision are too long to explain right now; your heads of house will come to your common rooms and answer all your questions tomorrow evening after classes, so please be sure to be there. There have been several changes made of which the most important is that there will be several Order of the Phoenix agents guarding the castle. They will live here with you during the year, and I ask you to not stand in their way and remember that they are only here to see to your safety." He turned lightly to the man sitting a few seats away from his. "This is Samuel Johanson; he was an auror until he became injured in one of the recent Death Eater raids. He is on medical leave for now, and he has accepted the position as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher for this year."
The students applauded politely, but Harry could tell that most of them just wanted the speech to be over so they could start on their meal. The headmaster seemed to notice it too, because he smiled kindly at them and clapped lightly. "After all this is said, it's time to fill your stomachs, so go ahead, eat up."
Harry smiled slightly and turned to his plate. At his side, Lan was looking with large eyes at all the food that surrounded them and quickly started to pile things up on her plate. Alec chuckled lightly and started to eat at a more sedated pace. Around him, the other Ravenclaws were chattering happily, some discussing magical theories or happily arguing about quidditch. Alec preferred to keep to himself, listening as Lan talked to several other first years.
The time flew by and soon everyone was standing up, ready to follow the prefects to the different common rooms. Harry was about to follow Lan when a squeaky voice stopped him.
"Mr. Dumbledore?"
Both Alec and Lan turned around and looked down at their head of house. "Yes, Professor?"
The man smiled up at him. "The headmaster wishes to see you in his office. I trust you'll be able to make your way there on your own?"
Harry nodded lightly. "Of course, Professor." Then he turned to his new friend. "I'll see you later, Lan."
The girl nodded a bit reluctantly but started to follow the other first years. Alec quickly made his way to Dumbledore's office. He really didn't want to talk to the headmaster right now. He knew that the old man had been concerned about him, but he didn't want to explain what had happened on the train. He was so lost in thoughts that he didn't notice the small group standing in front of the entrance to the headmaster's office until he was nearly on top of them. When he recognized several of the Weasleys, he took a few steps back and sank into the shadows. The other teens didn't notice him and continued to say the names of all the sweets they knew in hopes of guessing the password. In the end, the gargoyle opened on its own and the headmaster looked at them through the opening. "Good evening, I guess you wanted to talk to me?"
The students nodded slightly and walked past him when he moved aside. Instead of following them, Dumbledore turned towards the place were Harry was standing. "Alec?"
The boy saw the surprise in the other teens' eyes, and reluctantly left his hiding place. Once he stood in front of the headmaster, the man motioned him inside. "Come in, Child."
Harry looked at the other students. "Maybe it would be better if I came back tomorrow?"
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes at the slight hope he heard in the boy's voice. "I don't think so, Alec. Why don't you go upstairs? Severus is there, and I'm sure he would like to congratulate you."
Harry sighed, and knowing that he wouldn't be able to win this argument, he nodded and stepped inside. He could feel the curious eyes of his friends following him as he walked up the stairs, but he ignored them as good as possible.
To be continued...
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and thanks to Vinnie and Leena for their help.