Chapter Two
The Sorting
--HP--
Harry Potter looked around himself at the Great Hall. And great it was. Four long tables took up the majority of the room, with a fifth positioned perpendicular to the rest of them, at the head of the room. A little to the left (Harry's right) of this fifth table, there was astool, with a tattered old hat sitting on it. The first years were led up to the front of the room, to stand in a line next to the hat.
At this point, Harry was wondering how they would be sorted. What if the quized them on what they knew about magic? Harry would fail for sure. Or what if they came to his name and decided there had been some kind of mistake after all and sent him back to the Dursleys? The Dursleys would ridicule him even more than ever for not even being able to be a freak!
Just as Harry's thought process made this connection, a silence settled over the hall, and everyone was turned to look at the Hat. Harry was confused but followed this lead and turned his head to regard the shabby headpice. It looked like something had chewed on it, spit it out and then sat on it. It was ripped and patched and looked like it had been through a battle or two. As Harry was analyzing it, a large rip in the seam opened, not unlike a mouth, and a voice began to sing:
Oh you may not think me 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 folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
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!
As the hall sat in silent contemplation, Professor McGonagal stepped up next to the hat and addressed the first years. "When I call your name, you will sit down on the stool and place the Sorting Hat on your head. You will then proceed to the House table that it names. Bones, Susan." And with that, the sorting was underway, with each student getting sorted into one of the four houses. Harry vaugley noted when Granger, Hermione, the frizzy-haired toad girl, was sorted into Gryffindor, and decided he hoped he didn't get stuck with her. More students passed before Professor McGonagal called upon Malfoy, Draco, and Harry watched the boy with the bright blonde hair be sorted into Slytherin, much to the enjoyment of the rest of the house. Soon after, it was his turn.
"Potter, Harry!"
The entirety of the Great Hall immediatley and in concert shut its collective mouth, save for a few gasps. As he stepped foreward, whispers started up across the hall.
"No way...Harry Potter? The Boy Who Lived?"
"The Harry Potter?"
"At this school?"
"I hope he talks to me!"
Harry grimaced. Hagrid had mentioned something like this might happen. He sighed and sat down on the stool, and Professor McGonagal placed the Sorting Hat on his head. It drooped down over his eyes, until all he could see was the inside of the Hat.
"Well, well,well! The Famous Harry Potter! A pleasure I'm sure!"
Harry started at the voice inside his head.
"Now, where to palce you? Plenty of Courage, of course, but that's to be expected. Kind, if you had the opportunity. If placed in the right place, you could excell at you classes. But more than anything else...Ambitious. You want to prove you're more than a name. More than an icon. Am I right? Of course I am. Yo belong in...
"SLYTHERIN!"
Harry took the hat off his head and headed dazedly towards the Slytherin table, all of whome were grinning from ear to ear and making faces at the Gryffindors across the hall. Harry sat down in a seat that was cleared for him between the Blond Draco Malfoy and an older student with red-orange hair. The student turned to him, a huge grin on their face. And while HArry couldn't tell from their looks what gender they were, the voice was just barely female, and so, Harry qualified this one.
"Brilliant! You're really bloody Harry Potter? Fu--dge, that's awesome!" She laughed and slapped him on the back. After a few minutes of riotous noise, everbody's attention was turned back to the Sorting. Harry barely payed attention as Weasley, Ronald was sorted into Gryffindor, and was dazed, until Zambini, Blaise sat down across from him and the Headmaster called for attention.
"Welcome to anotehr year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, to our older students, and Welcome, to the first years! This year should prove to be interesting, and Mr. Filch has asked me to remind students that the Forbidden Forest is Forbidden, hence the name, and should anybody be interested in teh full school rules, they are posted on his door. NOw, I have a few words I would like to share with you; They are Verdammt, Verruckt, and Pythagora. Tuck in!"
And with no more announcement, the feast appeared on the tables before the students.
The girl beside Harry turned to look at the three first years in her general vincinity. "Right, well, 'lo there! I'm Jaye, And I guess I'm to tell you about everything. That barmy old man you just saw up there was Professor Dumbledore, our Headmaster. He starts every year like that." At this, she started pilling her and Harry's plates with food. "So, you three are Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zambini? Right, three good wizarding names there, no one should give you all any shit, but people are probably going to be staring at you for a while, Harry, me lad. " She started eating. "Now, any questions you three got can be sent my way, I'm a prefect, you know. The other one's Maxwell, down there, at the other end of the table. If you need anything, don't hesitate, y'know? Now, get eating, we still ahv eto show you the way to your common room!"
Harry blinked as Jaye finished up her rambling speech. She smiled and turned his shoudlers towards the other two first years. Blaise blinked at him.
"You're really Harry Potter?"
"Yeah." He lifted up his hair to show the other two his scar.
"Woaahh..."
"Uh, yeah. It's not all that great. My cousin always just called me scarhead." He looked away embarrasedly.
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Why would your cousin do that? What sort of Prat doesn't know about the boy who lived?"
"A muggle one. I've been living with my Aunt and Uncle since my parents were killed. Apparently they're my only living relatives." The balck haired boy shrugged.
Draco snorted. "Well, they're stupid then." (1)
Harry smiled. "Thanks."
Draco looked at him oddly. "For what?"
"You don't even know them or me and you're already sticking up for me. I guess that makes you my first friend in this world." He held out a hand. Draco took it and grinned at him.
"Sure thing."
Blaise pouted. "Hey! I wanna be your friend too!" He stuck his hand out, and Harry laughed and shook his hand as well.
"Thanks you guys!"
After that, they continued to eat, and Harry found out more about his two new friends, and none of them noticed when Jaye dissapeared and returned, a grin on her face and another seventh year behind her.
"Well whuddya know. Jaye was right for once." The boy said.
Jaye elbowed him in the stomach. "Shut it Max, and get the other first years. Oi! Slytherin First years! Come with me and Max!"
And with that, Harry, Draco and Blaise set off to be introduced to their new dorm and dorm-mates.
(1) - Ah, the logic of eleven year olds. I have this adorable image in my mind of a little child-Draco going "You smell funny." and this sort of evolved from that. Naturally, as an eleven year old, he's much more mature. :laughs: And as a side-note, The Malfoy name has been cleared in this story, and the Wizarding and Witching World has forgiven them.
A/N - Frankly I'm amazed this was finsihed so quickly. Enjoy. Comments Loved and Rewarded with a Chocolate Covered Draco Malfoy. :luff: