Disclaimer – for the love of….they aren't mine! I don't own the characters. Next chapter I am not even bothering with a disclaimer! Jeez!

Notes: Sorry this took so long! Yeah I know I say that a lot but hey, my muse jumps from idea to idea. (Basically I started 5 new fics all at the same time Wheezes. You might even get to read them one day.) Anyway, this is short and unbetaed for the reasons I have explained at the end.

Please read the notes on the bottom of the story….Love yah! Enjoy!

Chapter – Reputations and Appearances can be deceiving!

As soon as the train stopped Harry and Dudley were rounded up with the first years. Dudley kept a tight grip on Dudley's sleeve not letting Dudley leave him not that his cousin was trying to. They had a boat to themselves to cross the lake and Dudley was stunned at the site whilst Harry leaned his head tiredly against his cousin.

"Oh wow Harry, it's amazing!"

"Hm." Harry grinned with his eyes shut. His magic hadn't risen as quickly last time he came to Hogwarts but his magic had suddenly risen today. He supposed it was because Harry was keeping an eye on it and was using his magical abilities. He shrugged mentally, he didn't really care but the draining had taken a lot from him.

The boats stopped and Harry climbed out of the boat with unsteady legs. Dudley smiled gently at him with concern showing brightly in his eyes.

"I'm fine Dudley." Harry smiled back before taking a tight grip on Dudley's sleeve once more. Dudley and Harry walked with the first years up to a lady Professor who both boys knew to be Professor McGonagall from all of Danny's letters. The professor led all the first years and Harry and Dudley to the great hall and right up the middle isle. Harry and Dudley spotted Danny who was grinning widely at them.

Up on a stool at the front was the sorting hat. Harry and Dudley paid little attention to what the hat was saying since Harry was busy monitoring his magic and Dudley was too happy looking around the large room and at the banners, ceiling and people around him.

"Now that our first years have been sorted I would like you to welcome our two new forth year students who have finally joined us this year. They have been tutored privately due to various sicknesses. Professor, if you'd please?" Dumbledore gestured to the two boys with a smile and McGonagall nodded her head.

"Dudley Dursley?" Dudley smiled easily and discreetly pried Harry's hand off his shirt. Harry let go with a sigh and crossed his arms rubbing his arms as if trying to keep warm. Dudley sat on the stool and allowed the hat to be put on his head. The hat spent about a minute in silence before the rim opened and it shouted it's sorting.

"RAVENCLAW!" The Ravenclaw table cheered and Danny at his table clapped his hands happily. Dudley smiled and walked towards the table. As he passed Harry Dudley gave the boy's hair a small ruffling. Harry scrunched his nose up in distaste and raised a hand to his hair. Unconsciously some of his magic seeped out and his hair neatened as Harry's hands repaired the mess Dudley had created. Luckily, no-one noticed Harry's magic.

"Harry Potter." Harry shut his eyes briefly and tried to gather strength unknowingly tugging in some more magic to his body to help him. Walking up to the stool Harry sat down and gripped the seat tightly as the hat was pulled down over his head.

'Hm! What have we here? Oh my! Now this is something I haven't seen for YEARS! My goodness no…very rare…anyway lets see, yes, hum, yes. You are very sneaky, discreetly practising that. Goodness me a regular Slytherin the way you avoid answering those questions completely. But no…no I don't think Slytherin is right for you. No, you are too loyal. Loyal, brave, intelligent, powerful…Hm where to put you. Should it be with your brother? How about your cousin? Perhaps…yes, perhaps it is time to give you your independence eh? You shouldn't be tied down my loyal little one. No, no it is decided. Stay loyal Harry, stay loyal and help all you can.'

Harry felt the hat pull out of his mind and heard the rim open again. Harry smiled softly to himself, he had a feeling he knew what was going to happen.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" Harry grinned as the table laid out with golden yellow napkins and banners exploded with cheers.

'Now remember Harry, reputations and appearances can be deceiving.' Harry felt a little confused by the Hat's last comment but he was happy he had his place now. The hat was removed from his head and Harry stood up making his way over to his house table with a grin. When he reached the table two boys reached out and took his hands to shake them and a girl hugged him happily.

"Welcome to Hufflepuff Harry." Harry looked up at a tall boy with light brown hair and kind eyes.

"Thank you."

"No problem. I'm Cedric Diggory, Prefect of this house. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to talk to me."

"I won't, thank you Cedric." Harry smiled and the taller boy went back to his seat. Harry sat down next to a girl named Susan Bones and they started up a light conversation about healing magic and herbology once Dumbledore had told them to dig into their food. Every once in a while Harry would glance over the tables and meet Dudley or Danny's eyes and each of them would give Harry a grin which was returned brightly.

At the end of the feast there was no time for Harry to talk to his cousin and brother. Instead Harry followed Susan to the common room. They walked down the hallways until they reached the entrance hall. From there they turned left and went down a corridor that was warm and well light. Halfway down the corridor was a picture of a young girl bandaging a kitten's bad paw. The kitten kept mewling abut the girl just smoothed it and petted it.

"This is the common room." Cedric Diggory announced to Harry. "Now at the end of this corridor is a staircase up. The staircase leads out next to the hospital wing. At the other end of the corridor is the kitchens and we are right next to the entrance too. Helga Hufflepuff designed her rooms to be here because she was the healer of Hogwarts in her time. The kitchens being near her rooms is purely coincidental despite all the rumours that have circulated. We are near the entrance too because whilst Helga Hufflepuff was a quiet lady she loved her Quidditch. Now. The password is 'pax pacis'."

"thank you Cedric." Harry said with a smile and entered the common room with awe. Around him were large squashy sofas and bean bags. At the end of the room was a gigantic window that lead out onto an enclose patio space.

"The patio is charmed so no-one can see it but we can see out." Cedric explained as he watched where Harry looked. There was a large medicine cabinet with a padlock in the corner of the room and three large bookcases next to it. There were small corridors leading off this large room that Harry guessed lead to the different dorms.

"Now Harry, no-one in our house fights. We don't approve of fighting and if you do get caught fighting then you will be punished for it. We are usually looked down on, since we are Hufflepuffs and no-one believes in our strengths. Because of this we are basically a strong family unit within out house. We all look out for each other. WE all try hard in our favourite subjects and do our best not to let anyone down.

"Your dorm room is up there and to the left." Cedric pointed the way. "I believe you are sharing your room with Terry Boot and Brian Holmes. Those two have been looking forwards to having a third dorm member since school started. It gets lonely with just two people. That saying three's a crowd is nonsense. You should have your own work station up there next to your bed however most of us do our homework together in the common room so we can help each other."

"Thank you. I'd better go unpack though. I'm kind of tired…"

"OH NO!" Susan complained tugging gently on Harry's arm. "But you haven't met everyone yet! Come on, I'll introduce you! Please Harry please?"

"Okay then but I really am tired." Harry said with a smile at the girls' enthusiasm. By the time Harry got to crawl into bed he'd made friends with Terry Boot and Susan though Harry had to admit he liked Susan a lot better than Terry. The boy just seemed very quick to fluster.

Harry lay down on his bed and shut his eyes. He sank deep inside himself and felt around for his magic. Investigating his magic more Harry found Susan's bright purple magic that seemed to jump around the place even as it made it's journey towards Harry's magical core. Terry's magic seemed to be orange and Harry discovered it was hot something Harry put with Terry's 'passionate' character and 'warm' temper. Harry smiled to himself, Terry and Susan weren't that bad. On a whim Harry decided to look around for Cedric Diggory's magic and found it in the peachy-brown magical glitter.

Rolling onto his stomach Harry pulled the covers up so they hooked over his ear and left only his face and hair on view. He also made sure to lift his legs up before putting them down so the edges of the blanket was under his body. He was quickly wrapped up like a cocoon, just the way he liked it. Hufflepuff house really was very friendly and very open. There were no secrets here. Harry liked it though he knew he could never be as open as his new friends.

Away in Ravenclaw, behind a statue near the entrance of the library, Dudley was sat at a table reading a book on ancient runes whilst talking over the different points with Padma Patil. Dudley and the Asian girl seemed to have hit it off rather quickly with a conversation about what spells had been used on the ceiling. Dudley's intelligent brain pointed out he and his family hadn't used the prank they were planning to use at the feast but that there was still time. Also, Dudley thought of how their schedules were going to be sorted considering Dumbledore knew that in every class Harry had either his cousin or Danny had to be there just in case.

"So anyway, this rune. It's use is far too generalised, it could be used in so many ways depending on the intent and will of the caster."

"I agree, it needs a few boundaries…hang on wait, no look it says here that it needs boundaries set before use because otherwise it doesn't work." Dudley said pointing to the piece of text on the page. Padma read it then put her hands over her lips.

"Oh my gosh! Then why didn't the Kildera Experiment take that into account and set boundaries?"

"Don't know. Poor research?" Dudley offered with a shrug. "Either way their experiment would have been a success had they set the proper boundaries for the rune. Honestly, some people just don't read."

"Mmhmm." Padma hummed her agreement and the two went back to sharing their reading book. Dudley paused then and looked Padma over. She was no Danny and certainly no Harry but she was a brilliant reader and extremely intelligent. Dudley knew he wouldn't get bored in Ravenclaw now, he had been worried after all Ravenclaw had a reputation for being complete book worms.

In Gryffindor tower Danny had just stormed up to bed after a fall out with Ron and Hermione. They just weren't listening to him when he told them he couldn't tell them why they had to get out of the compartment because it wasn't his secret to tell! They were blowing everything way out of proportion! He had apologised as well, though he did say it was necessary for them to leave. They just weren't listening to him.

Never mind. Danny sighed. His thoughts turned to his cousin and brother. He'd not really been surprised when Dudley went into Ravenclaw. Dudley did like to read and learn, despite his dyslexia with maths. Danny guessed Dudley hadn't asked to do Arithmancy for that reason. Harry though, Harry had been a surprise.

Harry was no push over, he didn't like to fight and physically he was rather weak but when Harry put his mind to something he could do it and he wasn't scared of fighting for what he believed in either. Danny had always thought of Hufflepuffs as weak, though they did have a reasonably good Seeker. Still, if Harry was a Hufflepuff with all his intelligence, stubbornness and power then Danny guessed he should change his view. At least his brother wasn't a Slytherin though Danny did wonder whether the Hat considered placing Harry into any of the other houses.

Danny stripped off and pulled on his pyjamas. He couldn't wait to see Dudley and Harry tomorrow. Climbing into bed Danny pulled the blankets around his neck nice and tightly and fell asleep.

Okay, here's the thing. I haven't sent this to my brilliant beta because, despite being wonderful and really quick at sending my stuff back to me, I am going on holiday fr 3 weeks tomorrow. I'm going to Hawaii so even if I sent this chapter away now then I might not get it back by tomorrow and I wanted to tell you all I was going on holiday and what better way to do that than give you another chapter? Sorry…I'm babbling.

Anyway, yeah. I'm going on holiday so when I get back (I come back on the 18th but I shall be really tired so you won't hear from me until after that) there should be more updates for you. Now also, I have so many new stories I'm hoping to post here so please look out! When I last went on holiday to Hawaii I wrote loads in a notepad but I never typed them up because I didn't have an account on Still, I have more stories and I shall post them if my beta and my friend engranatenroses says they are good.

Have a good three weeks without me. I will see you all soon. Love you all! And Review otherwise I might not post….

Gemxxxxxxxxxxxxx