Chapter One: Harry Gets Sorted into Slytherin

(A/N: Yes, I know, it's another 'Harry gets put in Slytherin' fic. But I'm going to try it anyway. It's probably going to suck, but still.)

Disclaimer: Nothing you recognise belongs to me. I'm only going to type it this once. This disclaimer serves for the entire story which I'm probably never going to finish, just like the rest of my stories.

'Hullo,' said the boy, 'Hogwarts too?'

'Yes,' said Harry.

'My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands,' said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. 'Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first-years can't have their own. Have you got your own broom?'

'No,' said Harry.

'Oh.'

There was silence in the shop.

'Know what house you'll be in yet?' the boy asked. He seemed to be trying to fill the silence.

'No,' Harry said again.

'Well, no one really knows until they actually get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been – imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?'

'Mmm,' said Harry, wishing he could say something a bit more interesting.

'I say, look at that man!' said the boy suddenly, nodding at the front window. Hagrid was standing there, holding two large ice-creams and grinning at Harry.

'That's Hagrid,' said Harry. 'He works at Hogwarts.'

'Oh,' said the boy. 'I've heard of him. Gamekeeper, right?'

'Yes,' said Harry.

The boy seemed to find something amusing. Harry didn't ask him.

'Why is he with you?' asked the boy. 'Where are your parents?'

'They're dead,' said Harry shortly. He didn't feel much like going into the matter with anyone.

'Oh, sorry,' said the boy.

There was another silence as Madam Malkin finished with Harry's robe and said, 'That's you done, my dear,' and Harry hopped off the footstool.

'Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose,' said the drawling boy.

Harry didn't think much of the boy as he ate the ice-cream that Hagrid had bought him, but he did remember something the boy had said.

'Hagrid, what's Hufflepuff and Slytherin?'

'School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but-'

'I bet I'm in Hufflepuff,' said Harry gloomily.

'Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin,' said Hagrid darkly. 'There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one.'

'Vol - sorry - You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?'

'Years an' years ago,' said Hagrid.

Harry pondered this for a while, then said, 'You mean, everyone who was in Slytherin supported You-Know-Who?'

'Yep,' said Hagrid. 'At least, the ones I've heard of.'

Three boys entered and Harry recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

'Is it true?' he said. 'They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?'

'Yes,' said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and extremely mean. Standing either side of the pale boy they looked like bodyguards.

'Oh, this is Crabbe and Goyle,' said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. 'And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.'

Harry was strongly reminded of the James Bond 007 movies Uncle Vernon enjoyed watching so much.

Draco Malfoy was looking at Ron with some disdain, a slight sneer on his features. He turned back to Harry and said, 'You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort, Potter. I can help you there, steer you in the right direction.'

He held out his hand to shake Harry's.

Harry stared at it, then at Draco Malfoy's face, then at Ron, who was glaring at Malfoy venomously.

Well, he seemed sincere…not necessarily nice, no, but he did seem to want to help him. And Harry felt he needed all the help he could get.

Harry grasped Draco Malfoy's hand in his own and shook it.

Harry let go of Draco's hand and remembered Ron, who was sitting next to him with an expression that could be called horror on his face. 'Oh, I haven't introduced you, have I?' said Harry. 'Draco, this is Ron Weasley.'

'I do know who he is,' said Draco slowly.

Ron seemed to come out of his stupor. 'Harry!' he cried. 'You don't want to go making friends with him!'

Harry looked at him curiously. 'Why not?'

Ron opened his mouth to say something, then closed it and looked at Draco pointedly. Draco didn't move.

'Malfoy, would you please excuse us?' Ron asked, with some difficulty, and through gritted teeth.

'Why?' said Draco, smirking.

'I'd like to speak with Harry alone, if you don't mind,' said Ron.

'I don't mind,' said Draco. He appeared to be enjoying himself.

Ron glared at him, then grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him out of the compartment, out of Draco's earshot.

'Listen, Harry,' said Ron. 'You really don't want to become friends with Malfoy. He's – not nice.'

'But he seemed all right to me,' said Harry, confused. 'Why do you hate him so much?'

Ron sighed and released Harry's arm. 'His family was some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared,' he said darkly. 'Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it, and nor do I. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark side.'

'You mean they were in league with Voldemort?' Harry asked, and Ron flinched. 'Sorry.'

Ron nodded. 'Yes.'

'He didn't seem all so bad, though.'

'He was probably just trying to get onto your good side, maybe trick you into thinking he was good,' Ron said.

Harry thought this over.

'Well, maybe you shouldn't judge people by first appearances,' he said finally. 'I'll try to decide for myself, okay?'

Ron didn't look very pleased about this, but he sighed again and nodded. 'But try not to get yourself into trouble, Harry.'

'I won't,' Harry assured him. 'Don't worry about me.'

They returned to the compartment where Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were now occupying three of the seats. Draco was reading the Chocolate Frog card of Dumbledore.

'Oh, you're back,' he said carelessly, noticing them standing in the doorway. 'Have a seat.'

Ron gritted his teeth. Harry shrugged and sat down across from Draco.

They heard footsteps outside and the compartment door opened.

'Oh, hello,' said Hermione. 'I don't think we've met; I'm Hermione Granger, who are you?'

Draco looked her up and down, sizing her up. 'Malfoy, Draco Malfoy,' he finally said.

Hermione seemed to be trying not to giggle.

'Well, hello, Draco Malfoy,' she said, when she had controlled herself. She looked at Crabbe and Goyle. 'And you are...?'

'They're Crabbe and Goyle,' said Draco quickly.

'Hello, Crabbe, hello, Goyle,' she said pleasantly.

'Can we help you with something?' said Ron.

'You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up front to ask the driver and he says we're nearly there,' said Hermione.

'Thank you,' said Ron, scowling at her. 'Would you mind leaving so we can change, then?'

'All right – I only came in here because people are behaving very childishly outside, racing up and down the corridors,' said Hermione, sniffing. 'And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?'

Ron glared at her back as she walked out.

'Honestly,' he muttered, and a whole lot of other things under his breath as well.

Draco looked amused, but said nothing.

They took off their jackets and pulled on their black school robes. A voice echoed throughout the train: 'We will be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately.'

They joined the crowd in the corridor and stepped out onto the dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air, and he noticed a light hovering above the heads of the students. He heard a familiar voice call out: 'Firs'-years! Firs-years over here! All right there, Harry?'

Harry grinned at him and nodded.

'C'mon, follow me – any more firs-years? Mind yer step, now! Firs-years follow me!'

Harry almost fell on the steep, narrow path. They followed Hagrid down the lane quietly.

'Yeh'll get yer firs' sigh o' Hogwarts in a sec,' Hagrid called over his shoulder, 'jus' round this bend here.'

There was a loud 'Ooh!' from most of the first-years. Harry admired the great castle perched on top of the high mountain on the other side of a vast lake, with its many turrets and towers.

'No more'n four to a boat!' Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron got into a boat and looked at Draco, who glanced at Crabbe and Goyle and shrugged.

'See you later, then,' said Harry. Draco turned and was followed into a boat by Crabbe and Goyle.

Neville and Hermione got into their boat. Hermione looked at Ron, who looked back, and they both sniffed haughtily and turned away.

'Everyone in?' Hagrid called, looking around. 'All righ' then – FORWARD!'

They glided over the lake, and a short time later, reached a sort of underground harbour, and everyone clambered out onto rocks and pebbles very carefully.

'Oy, you there!' Hagrid called to Neville. 'Is this your toad?'

'Trevor!' Neville cried, taking his toad and cradling it in his arms.

They climbed up a passageway in the rock, following Hagrid's lamp, coming out onto damp grass in the shadow of the giant castle.

They walked up stone steps and crowded around the rather ostentatious oak double doors.

'Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?'

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the door. It swung open at once, as if someone had been inside waiting for them. Which there was.

'The firs-years, Professor McGonagall,' said Hagrid.

'Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here.'

She pulled the door wide and they all followed Professor McGonagall into the Entrance Hall.

(A/N: I'll just skip this part. You've all read it anyway. Not that you haven't read that bit up there, but whatever. On to Draco's sorting, then.)

When Draco's name was called, he stepped forward confidently and got his wish at once: the hat had just touched his head when it yelled out, 'SLYTHERIN!'

He went to join Crabbe and Goyle, looking rather pleased with himself.

Harry was slightly disappointed. After all he'd heard of Slytherin…but Draco seemed nice enough…even if Ron didn't think so…

'Potter, Harry!'

Harry was jolted out of his reverie and stepped forward. He could hear people whispering to their friends all over the Hall: 'Potter, did she say?' 'The Harry Potter?'

Harry tried not to roll his eyes and the hat dropped over his eyes, so he couldn't see people craning their necks to get a good look at him.

'Hmm,' said a voice in his ear, and Harry jumped. 'Difficult Very difficult…not a bad mind, I see…yes, plenty of courage as well. There's definitely talent here…and a thirst to prove yourself, eh? That's interesting…so where shall I put you?'

Harry said nothing.

'Courage stands out, you've got quite a lot of it…but more ambition…hmm…Gryffindor would suit you, but you could be even greater in SLYTHERIN!'

(A/N: Again, I DO know that this is NOT an original story, it's like one of those over-used clichés, but I am writing this anyway. I thought of this when I was rereading the Sorting Hat's song in PS.

Anyway, please review!)