Ch. 6

For the first time since he had started Hogwarts, Harry actually got to see what the Sorting Ceremony was like from an observer's point of view. Something had prevented him from watching every year since his own Sorting. A flying car his second year and a Dementor attack his third year.

This year was different too as in the fact that Sloane, Harry's brother, was now sitting with the Slytherians. Harry missed him already and it hurt to see the Slytherian House badge on Sloane's clothes.

Sloane caught Harry's eye from the Slytherian table and smiled slightly. Very few people noticed the silent interaction between Sloane and Harry, and none of them were pleased by it. Draco Malfoy narrowed his gray eyes as he glared over at Potter, not willing to share his new best friend with anyone just yet. Professor Snape had also watched the exchange of smiles between the brothers and hoped that Mars would keep Potter in line this year. Then again, Snape mused, he did have a way of knowing if Potter broke the rules this year.

Ron also noticed Harry glancing over at Sloane. He didn't trust Sloane, and his mistrust only grew when he saw the shiny silver snake on Sloane's black robes. As far as he was concerned, Sloane Mars was a Junior Death Eater and an enemy of all that was good.

Harry was glad when the Sorting was over. He was starving! He hadn't eaten on the train and that meant that his last meal had been breakfast with the Weasleys. Not that he wanted to complain, but Mrs. Weasley had rushed them out too fast for him to really have a decent meal.

Though Harry piled his plate high, he took his time to eat. Chewing his food and savoring the taste was something he was taught from an early age. Ron, on the other hand, inhaled his food like a Hoover Vacuum. Harry wondered if Ron ever tasted what he ate. He'd begin to worry if that plate ever vanished.

Across the room, Draco was introducing Sloane to the other members of his house. They seemed eager to meet him, and welcomed him with a warmth that Gryffindor had lacked.

"Say, Sloane, I don't suppose you can tell us anything about Potter?" Theodore Nott asked. "Like, does he have any fears or phobias?"

Sloane gave him a small smile. "I know this will probably make me just as hated here as I was in Gryffindor, but Harry's earned my loyalty. I won't betray his secrets." Sloane said.

This seemed to cause the Slytherians to pause and look at him. Then, a sixth year boy named Miles Bletchley who played Keeper on the Slytherian Quidditch team, gave Sloane a slight smile.

"We understand, Sloane. Hufflepuffs aren't the only ones who value loyalty. In fact, I think we Slytherians value loyalty a bit more." Bletchley said. "Anyone else you feel that loyal to?"

"Only one other person. Other then that, have a field day with the Gryffindors." Sloane said. "Harry and Hermione Granger were the only two who stood by me when I was hexed six ways from Sunday. They earned my loyalty and I will honor it."

Bletchley nodded, as did several other Slytherians. Pansy Parkinson sighed. "Does this mean I have to be nice to Granger?"

Sloane shook his head. "I won't ask that. Just don't ask me to join in." Sloane said and then gave Pansy a wink. "However, just to keep up with appearances, I might have to give my brother a hard time anyway."

Pansy giggled, a sound that grated on Sloane's nerves. Beside him, Draco rolled his eyes. Sloane had already learned that Draco wasn't allowed to consider any kind of friendship outside of Slytherian House. He had taken a risk by being friends with Sloane before his transfer, but lucked out since his father was still in the throes of adolescent love with Tori Mars.

After they were done with dessert, or pudding as it was called in England, even though there wasn't a single dish that resembled pudding that Sloane was used to present, Dumbledore stood up. The room was silent immediately. Sloane had to admire the way this man commanded their attention. He wondered if it would be the same in an American school where things were a little more relaxed.

Dumbledore gave his customary speech of how they could find the list of forbidden items on Filch's door, of how the Forbidden Forest was off limits and so was Hogsmeade Village to any student under their third year. Then, the speech changed.

"It is my painful duty to let you all know that the Inter-House Quidditch cup will not be played this year." Dumbledore said. He waited until the rumblings started to die down before he continued. If anyone had been paying attention, then they would have noticed that the Slytherian table didn't seem shocked by this.

"This is due to an event that will start in October and last until the end of the school year. It is my great honor to tell you that Hogwarts will be hosting -" Dumbledore started, but was stopped as the doors to the Great Hall opened. A strange figure walked in, one that intimidated well past any glare that Snape could ever give.

The man was missing a chunk of his nose and his face looked as if someone had tried to carve the figure of a man out of wood, and messed up horribly. He had one normal eye, and one blue eye that moved independently. It was constantly moving, taking in everything as he walked up to Dumbledore. Sloane and Harry both noted that the stranger had a false leg that caused him to limp.

The stranger muttered a few words to Dumbledore and then took the seat reserved for the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Everyone watched in fascinated horror as the man examined a sausage and then, after smelling it, took a bite.

"I would like to introduce our new Defense teacher, Professor Moody," Dumbledore said. He was the only one who applauded as everyone else was still frozen.

"Moody? As in Mad-Eye Moody, the ex-Auror?" Sloane whispered to Draco.

"I think so," Draco answered. "Have you heard of him?"

Sloane nodded. It had been Mad-Eye Moody who had come to drag Tori back to England from America. Now that he stared at the man, Sloane remembered him. He had always assumed that the figure of his childhood nightmares was nothing more then a creation of his imagination. Now, he was staring at the real thing. He knew that his mother hated Moody for the chaos he had created in her life. Because she had Sloane in her arms, they never had the Dementors guarding her, but Moody had made it his personal mission to torment her until she was released.

"They say that Mad-Eye was the greatest of all Dark Wizard Catchers. He made a lot of enemies, especially with the families of those he put in to Azkaban." Sloane said. "His last mission as an Auror, before he retired, was to fetch mom. I had nightmares of him coming back for years."

Draco put his hand on Sloane's shoulder when the dark-haired boy shivered. The sight of Mad-Eye Moody brought back that night so clear in his mind. The sounds of baby Daniel crying as Hayden ran from the kitchen, the baby held tightly in his arms. Tori's terrified screams as she was dragged from her home, Sloane in her arms. It had always seemed like a nightmare, something no child should ever even remember, but he now knew it was all too true.

"As I was saying," Dumbledore continued. "Hogwarts will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament this year."

"You're JOKING!" Fred Weasley's voice rang out, breaking the tension created by Moody's arrival. A few people laughed, relieved to have the weight lifted.

"I'm not joking, Mr. Weasley. The Triwizard Tournament will be a friendly competition between the three largest institutes of magic in Europe - Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and us. In October, the heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will arrive with a selected few students who wish to see if they will be picked to be the champion of their school. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen - can compete."

Dumbledore went into explaining the rules of the Triwizard Tournament, its history, and how the delegations from the other schools would be treated while they were there. Sloane barely listened to him. Instead, his eyes had strayed to his Head of House. Snape's eyes found his and Sloane knew, without any words having to be said, that Snape wanted Sloane to talk to Harry. This was the perfect opportunity for Harry to prove that he was going to try to behave this year.

At the Gryffindor Table, the twins and Ron suddenly bombarded Harry. The twins were already plotting on how to enter and Ron was dreaming of winning the prize, when they seemed to notice Harry.

"What do you reckon, Harry? Wouldn't it be cool to win?" Ron said. The twins watched him.

"As much as I'd love to, Ron, I can't. I made a promise to not break any rules this year, and that would be breaking a rule." Harry said.

Ron snorted. "Who did you make this promise to? Mommy dearest? Dumbledore?"

Harry grinned. "Nope. You'd never guess in a million years. Suffice to say, I'm going to be a perfect angel this year."

As everyone filed out, Harry watched as Sloane left with the Slytherians. He truly hoped that this year was better for Sloane then his previous years had been. No doubt, he was already under Draco Malfoy's protective wing. Then again, Harry mused, Sloane was Slytherian enough to manipulate his whole house into doing whatever he wanted.

Sloane watched as the Slytherian Prefect opened the hidden door to the Slytherian Common Room. He had to grin as he looked at the green hangings and dark green leather couches.

"Bet it's a lot better then the Gryffindor Common Room," Draco commented.

Sloane smiled. "A bit. Leather is a lot less likely to hold dust particles, and I like it better then the overstuffed chairs and couches that Gryffindor had. Better coloring too, not so harsh on the eyes."

Sloane was led to his new room. The one thing he did miss was the windows. Being down in the dungeons, there were no real windows, which made the rooms dark.

"Well, what do you think?" Blaise Zabini asked.

"My only complaint is that I will miss having a window. Other then that, I'm home," Sloane smiled. He quickly walked over to his bed and grinned. On his pillow was a note from his father, congratulating him on being transferred.

In a part of their welcome, Blaise Zabini brought out a bag of sweets he had bought in Diagon Alley. Each sweet would let the eater imitate a different animal. The colors let you know what animal it would be.

Blaise started the game and got a monkey. After jumping around a bit, chattering, he could sit back down, the candy's magic faded. Laughing, Draco picked up his sweet and ate it. When he roared like a lion, everyone laughed.

"You could be the next Gryffindor mascot," Sloane said. This earned him a whack from Draco's pillow, but it was all in good fun.

Sloane's imitation of an elephant was declared the best. The boys continued to eat the sweets and laughing as they welcomed their newest housemate. For the first time since he had entered Hogwarts, Sloane really felt like he belonged.

That night, as he lay in bed, listening to the gentle breathing of his new dorm-mates, he thought, "Dad, I'm finally home."

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A/N: Again, suggestions welcomed. I'm missing my reviewers.