Seeker was relieved when he learned that all five of them had made it to the welcoming feast. It gave them a chance to work on another project that Spellforged had talked them into. Now that they were not nervous first years, newly connected by a mind link they still didn't fully understand, they could properly enjoy the sorting ceremony.

Spellforged, ever the Ravenclaw, wanted to understand the differences between their worlds. The subtle differences they saw at the wizengamot suggested that the list of new first years - and their houses - might reveal other differences between worlds.

After all, they had already seen one major change - themselves. Each world had a different boy or girl who lived, and Spellforged believed that that fact alone would shift things at the sorting. His cousin had already reported several students who planned to try for Ravenclaw - no doubt due to his presence. Would the others see the same?

Seeker watched as the first years walked in, with their nervous glances around the crowded great hall and their looks of wonder as they saw the enchanted ceiling. For some, this was their first real taste of the wizarding world - and a moment that would shape everything that came after.

The hat sang its song (the same song in each world, it seemed), and the first names were called. It did not take long for the first change to appear, when Marigold's list had Brown, Cecil. The boy was quickly sorted into Gryffindor, where Lavender Brown cheered the loudest for what had to be her little brother.

None of the others had a Cecil Brown. Marigold learned a week later that he had been born prematurely - just early enough to make it into that year's group. Perhaps the others would see Cecil next year?

Creevey, Colin, was sorted into Gryffindor in all five worlds, some quicker than others. The length of the sorting seemed to vary slightly, but they had not thought to keep track of that detail. Marigold remarked that it might cause talk if they kept a stopwatch and wrote down the length of each sorting.

The next change was Astoria Greengrass. In Rose's world, she went to Slytherin immediately. Chaser and Marigold reported the same, though there she was under the hat for a minute or so. Seeker watched the brunette under the hat, and saw her smile softly before the hat shouted SLYTHERIN! He caught Daphne's smug smile as her sister joined the snakes.

As Harper, Aaron walked forward, Seeker heard Spellforged's surprised muttering.

oOoOoOoOo

Spellforged watched as Astoria Greengrass entered her fifth minute of sorting.

Rose had been surprised as well, of course, seeing how rapidly her Astoria had been sorted into Slytherin. Spellforged wondered which houses were in the discussion between hat and witch. This sorting was already the longest so far, in his great hall.

He had heard about the younger Greengrass sister from Rose, and wondered how his Astoria differed from hers. He made a notation on his list. Anthony Goldstein chuckled at the sight of the notebook, which had quickly become one of Spellforged's trademark possessions. Any time the boy-who-lived was seen scribbling in the small book, his housemates knew that he was working on some problem that he couldn't (yet!) figure out. For Ravenclaw house, that sort of thing was nothing new.

Spellforged was writing each name as it was called, adding in Cecil Brown, and then marking which house they were sorted into, once for each world. The Goblin Nation had perfected shorthand, as it happened - quite useful for bankers, it turned out. That made keeping up with five sortings at once much easier than it would have been otherwise.

"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat. Astoria stood, grinning, before handing the hat over to Professor McGonagall. Then, to a round of polite applause from the hall, she made her way over to her new house. Spellforged was making his notation when he realized that she had sat down next to him.

He smiled politely at the grinning brunette. "Welcome to Ravenclaw, Miss Greengrass."

"Thank you, Heir Potter." She nodded her head at him, the best she could do with the formal greeting while seated. Applause from the Slytherin table drew their attention, as Aaron Harper was sorted into the silver and green. Both Harry and Astoria took the opportunity to look at the end of the Slytherin table, where a frowning blonde was staring at the newest ravenclaw.

"She doesn't look happy," said Astoria, almost to herself. She waved to her sister, which only got Daphne to give her a more intense glare.

"No," agreed Hermione, sitting across the table from the worried brunette. "No, she does not."

Spellforged looked over to his new housemate. "As I recall, the Lady Greengrass was a ravenclaw in her day, was she not?"

Astoria looked impressed. "She was, yes. How did you know?"

Harry smiled. "I spoke with your father, after he helped me free my godfather from Azkaban, and the topic of a ravenclaw acting the slytherin came up."

Astoria nodded. "He enjoyed that meeting more than most, or so he said." She glanced back at her sister, who was still looking at them. She saw Tracy Davis leaning over, whispering to her friend. "I hope this didn't hurt her feelings."

"What, being sorted here?" asked Spellforged. It might, he thought, seeing as how the sisters had been sorted together in the other worlds. His thoughts were interrupted again as a blonde girl was sorted into Ravenclaw. He had already written her name down in his book, since the other sortings were further along than his own.

"Daphne was hoping that I'd be in Slytherin," Astoria said, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"You can sit with her tomorrow, if you want." said the newest ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood. Spellforged looked up at her as she stood across the table. He had not noticed her approach. "Is this seat taken?"

Spellforged waved his hand to the empty seat across from him, an invitation. He saw her silvery eyes brighten slightly at the gesture, her soft smile widening. Her hair was tied back with a blue ribbon the exact color of Ravenclaw House, which surprised Spellforged. When a first year was sorted, their school robes took on the colors and crest of their new house - but that magic did not extend to accessories like hair bows or ribbons. Which meant that Luna had predicted her house, and gotten it right.

He wondered if the other Lunas had done the same. All five had been sorted into his house, after all.

"Welcome to Ravenclaw, Miss Lovegood."

Luna smiled again. "Thank you, Harry." This caught Hermione off guard, as she had expected a greeting like Astoria's. She looked from Luna to Harry, and saw that Harry was as surprised as she was.

After a moment, Spellforged nodded. "Not at all. This is my friend, Hermione Granger." He indicated Hermione, who found that Luna was already reaching over to shake hands. She's going to be fun, I can already tell, thought Spellforged. There was a relaxed air to the blonde, a decided lack of intensity, almost a dreaminess - but he could already see the mind behind that exterior. Luna was observant and intuitive, and here her eyes gave her away - Spellforged saw her taking in the group, reading the table.

He had wanted to make new friends, after all. And it turned out that Luna Lovegood was easy to like.

As Hermione and Luna began discussing her unusual earrings, Spellforged looked back at Astoria, who still looked troubled. "Miss Lovegood is right, you know."

Astoria's face brightened at that. "Really?"

"Of course. You have to sit with your house during major feasts, like this one, but there's nothing that says that you have to sit here for every meal." He nodded toward the Slytherin table. "Or that your sister can't join you here."

Her face fell. "Draco wouldn't allow it."

Spellforged's face darkened at that. "Draco Malfoy is not the boss of your sister, Miss Greengrass."

"Someone should tell him that."

Spellforged chuckled at that, as he marked another sorting into his notebook. Quentin Robards had been sorted into Hufflepuff. "Maybe I will, Miss Greengrass. Maybe I will."

Her eyes grew wide. "Really?"

Spellforged looked at her. "If a slytherin thinks he can keep one of my housemates from having lunch with her sister, then yes I will have a talk with Heir Malfoy." He grinned, getting a smile from Astoria in turn - and one from Luna, who had started following the exchange when Hermione asked Anthony a question.

Astoria looked relieved. "Thank you," she said, quietly.

"Sullivan, Erik!" said Professor McGonagall. Spellforged's eyes snapped to his cousin. The boy walked confidently to the stool, a look of determination on his features. Then the hat obscured his face, and the waiting began.

It took seventy seconds to sort Erik into Ravenclaw. When Erik's eyes went to his new house, he saw his cousin Harry standing and applauding the loudest of any of them. Erik walked over and took the seat next to Luna.

"See?" Luna said, smiling brightly at him. "I told you we'd be wearing blue."

Erik laughed at that, and then laughed again at Spellforged's look of utter confusion. Erik glanced between his cousin and his new friend, and realized that he'd be seeing that look quite a bit as the year went on.

Spellforged has no idea what he was in for this year, thought Erik.

oOoOoOoOo

Rose watched Erik Sullivan walk over to the Ravenclaw table, as he had in each of the five worlds. She knew that Spellforged had worried about his cousin, even in the four worlds where he wasn't actually their cousin. It was another point that she was curious about - how much of the person that Erik Sullivan had become was due to the influence of one Harry Spellforged? By all accounts, Anna Sullivan was a good and honorable witch, smart enough to earn a highly sought-after position with Gringott's, and with it the trust of the Director. Her brother, Erik's father, held a mastery in Arithmancy, and helped the ICW identify unknown spells found at crime scenes and statute of secrecy breaches.

When she considered all of that, it seemed obvious that Erik would end up in Ravenclaw, even without Cousin Harry leading the way.

Hearing that a version of Astoria had followed in her mother's footsteps had been the bigger shock. That she fit into Ravenclaw, Rose had no doubt, for despite her sarcastic exterior Rose knew Astoria to be a quick study at almost any topic. Lady Greengrass had often had trouble keeping the girl interested during their many tutoring sessions.

She, too, wondered if Astoria might have let the presence of the boy-who-lived push her into Ravenclaw. That such a small factor could turn the tide simply meant that Astoria was well suited to either house - or that she was cunning enough to mask her true intentions even from the hat, sending a snake into the house of the eagles.

Or, she was overthinking it and should just let that Astoria live her best life.

"Weasley, Ginevra!" shouted the Deputy Headmistress, and the last remaining first year stepped forward. The girl was clearly nervous, her hands in the pockets of her as-yet undecorated school robes. Seeker and Chaser had already heard the girl get sorted into Gryffindor, followed shortly by Marigold. Here, she watched the girl under the hat, waiting for Spellforged to tell the group where the youngest Weasley had ended up.

After the second minute, Rose looked over at the Gryffindor table. Ron Weasley caught her glance, and the red-haired boy shrugged. He had no more idea what was going on than she did.

Nor do I, answered Spellforged, when asked what was happening. She went to Gryffindor, but only after close to five minutes. She didn't look very happy, either.

Rose could see what had to be some sort of internal struggle between Ginny and the hat. The girl's frown was obvious, and its meaning was clear - whatever the hat was saying, she didn't like it.

After seven minutes, and a very worried staff table, Ginny Weasley was sorted into Gryffindor. As Professor McGonagall took the hat, Ginny stood up, her eyes fixed firmly on Rose.

What? thought Rose. Ginny had a look of regret on her face, balanced with no small measure of annoyance. Then she seemed to wilt, defeated. With a visible sigh, Ginny Weasley walked toward the lions.

I think Ginny Weasley wanted to be sorted into Slytherin. Rose could not believe what she had seen from the girl, who not three weeks prior had been scared just to be in the same room as Rose.

Well, mine wanted to be in Ravenclaw. Spellforged was just as puzzled. One of our first years lives near her, and says that she has seemed withdrawn over the last few weeks.

Going to Hogwarts for the first time is quite a change, as we know, said Chaser. Maybe she was just nervous?

I don't know, replied Marigold. She seemed off when I stayed at the Burrow. And part of why we were late is that she almost had a full-blown panic attack over some diary she left at home.

Why would Ginny Weasley want to be in my house? Rose wanted to know. Whatever fantasy she had about the girl-who-lived would have been torn down by my sorting, according to her brother.

None of the five had an answer.

oOoOoOoOo

After the feast, Spellforged led Astoria Greengrass over to the Slytherin table, where a pair of second year girls were getting ready to head down to the dungeons.

"Heiress Greengrass, Miss Davis," said Spellforged, to get their attention. Daphne and Tracy turned to look at him. He watched their faces light up when they saw Astoria.

Spellforged did not get to say anything else. Astoria, once she saw the look on her sister's face, rushed forward and wrapped Daphne in a hug. Tracy laughed at the sight, and was promptly ignored by the Greengrasses.

"Miss Greengrass had said that she and her sister were close," Spellforged said to Tracy, as they watched. "I'm glad this will not divide them too badly."

Tracy looked over at the ravenclaw, considering his words. Her eyes went back to the sisters, and she could tell how relieved her friend was. The other houses rarely lowered themselves to the level of the snakes, and Daphne had been worried that her sister would end up the same way.

"Corrupting another one of my slytherins, Potter?" Spellforged looked to the head of the table and saw Draco Malfoy walking toward him, along with his friends Crabbe and Goyle.

"Heir Malfoy," Spellforged replied, careful to keep the required formality - and using that formality to highlight Malfoy's casual disregard for the protocols of the pureblooded society his father aspired to lead. "I merely escorted Miss Greengrass over to meet with her sister, the Heiress Greengrass. Surely you would not begrudge one of your housemates a few moments with her family?"

Draco sneered. "If her sister is enough of a blood traitor to get sorted into another house, then no, she doesn't need to be associating with us." He stepped forward. "And neither do you, scarhead."

Spellforged had not yet even spoken with Daphne Greengrass, though he thought he knew her well enough from her counterparts' interactions with Rose and Seeker. Truthfully, he had not come over here to cement any sort of arrangement or alliance with the Greengrasses - Astoria just missed her sister, and would need someone to lead her back up to Ravenclaw Tower afterward. But Draco's words were a challenge that he could not ignore.

"I will associate with whomever I wish, Heir Malfoy." He leaned forward slightly, a predatory grin stretching across his features. "As will my housemates."

Draco leaned forward as well, one hand in his robe pocket - likely on his wand. "Do you really think you can protect her?"

Spellforged channeled Rose for a moment - her arguments with her Draco about what Slytherin should be had been persuasive, though none of the others had as much of a stake in the issue as she did. "Has Slytherin fallen so far, that the great Draco Malfoy would be intimidated by a first year?"

Draco's pointed at Spellforged with his off hand, keeping his wand hand in his pocket. "If she wanted to honor her family, she would have gotten into Slytherin somehow. She stays away from us, or she gets hurt."

One look over Draco's shoulder, between the Malfoy scion and Vincent Crabbe, gave Spellforged reason to grin once more. "Again with the threats. So cunning, that you bring three snakes to challenge a first year girl."

"She would be no challenge." Draco said, scornfully. He glanced at a worried Astoria, still held by an enraged Daphne. "A few hexes and she would be begging to go home."

"And that will be twenty points each from Slytherin for threatening to harm another student, gentlemen," said Professor Flitwick, from behind the slytherin boys. Spellforged saw Crabbe and Goyle turn white in fear at the charms master's harsh tone, but his eyes never left Malfoy's. The anger he saw there almost drew out a laugh.

"And a detention with me, Mister Malfoy, for your deplorable conduct." That got Malfoy to turn around and face the professor.

"My father will hear of this." said Malfoy, coldly, as if the threat had any weight at all.

"Good," said Spellforged. "I wonder what Lord Malfoy will say when he learns of his heir's cowardice." Malfoy turned his reddening face back to Spellforged, who looked at him with what he hoped was pity. The laughter that threatened to erupt from him was helping nothing, at this point.

He continued. "If Slytherin ideals are so fragile, so weakened by time, that one of your housemates cannot have breakfast with her sister without being corrupted, as you say, then perhaps they are not worth having in the first place." Spellforged folded his arms, as if he were standing in judgement.

"You DARE?" Draco seemed to be contemplating an attack on the boy-who-lived, before Professor Flitwick cleared his throat. Draco's anger had not abated, however. "This isn't over, Potter."

Spellforged smiled. "Good."

Draco didn't know how to respond to that - usually, the people he threatened backed down. He looked at Professor Flitwick, who stood there with one hand pointing at the door. Without another word, he left the great hall as quickly as he could.

"Twenty points to Ravenclaw, Mister Spellforged, for defending a housemate." Flitwick said, relaxing. "Thank you for giving me some warning."

"Not at all, sir." He nodded at the Greengrasses, who were sitting at the end of the Slytherin table, talking quietly. Both were still a little shaken. "When last I checked, Mister Malfoy was not the arbiter of who could speak with who. I just wanted to make sure he was aware of that fact."

Flitwick nodded. "And well done, there." He saw the Greengrasses standing, and nodded to them. "Miss Greengrass, would you allow me to escort you to the tower? I believe your fellow first years are waiting on their head of house."

Astoria smiled at the professor. "Of course." She left her sister with a promise of a shared lunch the next day (at the Ravenclaw table), before following Professor Flitwick out of the great hall.

Spellforged turned to Daphne and Tracy, who were looking at him curiously. "That would be my cue to leave as well, I'm afraid."

Daphne nodded. "Thank you, Heir Potter, for what you did tonight."

Spellforged shrugged. "It was fun, honestly. I've been waiting for Mister Malfoy to screw up, and it turns out I didn't have to wait long." His smile faded, as he looked at the slytherins. "I hope this does not make life in the dungeons harder for you."

Daphne shook her head. "The prefects usually keep him in line. Of course, the prefects were not here tonight... "

"Be that as it may, please let me know if you have any issues. I know your sister will be doing the same." Spellforged gave them a deep bow, and grinned when they laughed at the exaggerated gesture. "Heiress Greengrass, Miss Davis. Good evening." He was rewarded with two curtseys, delivered with snickers at the silliness of it all.

oOoOoOoOo

As Spellforged left the hall, he found another housemate waiting. "That was well done, Harry," said Luna Lovegood.

Spellforged blinked at the familiar use of his name (again). It was not an insult, certainly, though some of the more rigid purebloods might take it as such. But it was unusual - which did not stop his grin at the compliment. "Thank you, Luna. I take it you saw the whole thing, then?"

She smiled at him, nodding. "It was a brilliant performance." She turned, and began to walk down the corridor. Shaking his head, Spellforged followed.

"Perhaps I just don't like bullies." He said, falling into step alongside his new housemate.

"I can tell," she responded. "Most Goblins don't tolerate them. Nor should they."

He gave her another look. "Not many witches or wizards understand that about us."

"No, I don't think they would. Too many wrackspurts, you see. They always get in the way." Luna started up the staircase, and Harry realized that she knew where she was going. "You have to get rid of them if you want to see clearly."

Not knowing what else to say, Spellforged simply nodded. "A worthy goal, it seems."

"Yes." At the next landing, Luna turned to the left. "Erik had a few on the train, but they went away when you met us in the entrance hall." She glanced over at him. "I know the other first years felt very welcome after having older students showing them kindness like that."

"That was part of the idea." He acknowledged.

"But you were worried about your cousin, too." He nodded. "Once he knew you were here, he relaxed. And so did you." She saw him nod again. "You're a good cousin, Harry Spellforged."

"I do what I can," said Spellforged, not knowing how else to respond. The pair turned a corner, and saw their head of house speaking quietly with Astoria Greengrass. When Flitwick saw them, he nodded and answered the riddle, opening the door to the Ravenclaw common room. Luna gave Harry a nod, before entering with Astoria.

Flitwick and Spellforged shared a look of amusement. Whatever else happened this year, both knew that it would never be dull.


A/N: Aaron Harper is adapted from a slytherin in this year named "Harper", who shows up in one of the later books - no particular significance there, it's just that we know so few names from Ginny and Luna's year that I had to drop one in.

We have not spent much time with any of the Dracos other than Rose's, but the differences in his story are worth considering as well. First year, he left Spellforged alone, not wanting to appear intimidated by the kid who had permission to carry a knife (as Goblin obligations dictate). But now? Well, we'll see.

I've put a lot of thought into Luna over the past few weeks - hopefully, that work pays off in her presentation here. Spellforged will not have his own Golden Trio, but he seems to have found himself in the middle of a silver something-or-other. That dynamic will be fun to watch as we go forward.

Much of this chapter was written while travelling. So if you saw a chap tapping away on his phone on a Delta flight out of La Guardia, then you got to watch me write. Special thanks to the nice woman in Seat 11B, who consented to beta this when she would probably have preferred to sleep. But if she wanted a travel companion who would let her sleep, I guess she should not have married me.

Feedback, as always, is welcome.