The Great Hall of Hogwarts was alive as students, second year and above greeted their housemates and friends, it was a warm and comfortable atmosphere for everyone. Ravenclaws talked excitedly about what they learned over the holidays, and what classes they were looking forward to this year. Hufflepuffs mostly just hugged everyone hello and asked about the holidays. Gryffindors were the loudest, shouting at each other in happiness and trying to be heard over each other, Slytherin was the most refrained but even their table was noisy as they greeted each other and spoke of their break. Harry and Hermione sat opposite each other at the Slytherin table, they were seated at the top of the second years, next to the lowest of the third years. Slytherin house had a system that had been in place for centuries, it kept order and maintained peace within the students, there were rumours that Salazar himself had enacted it himself. Each year group had a selected 'leader' as such, Knights of Slytherin, each individual had Knight said before their name out of respect. They had the leadership of their year, and over the Knight of the year below them, the only way to lose the title would be to lose a duel for the position. As Knights, they would settle disputes and be obeyed at risk of being punished, harshly at that. Harry looked down the table at the other Knights, gaining respectful nods from them all, although the first years hadn't been sorted, so they had no Knight. Harry had taken the role of his year groups, Knight, easily the year before, his friends had bowed to him without a fight, knowing he was right to lead them. His other housemates; Bulstrode, Crabbe, and Goyle, bowed because they outright feared him. But he knew Hermione had only bowed to him because she knew how much it meant to him, and having no interest in running their year group, preferring to advise Harry from behind the scenes. The third years were led by a boy called Terence Higgs, Harry didn't actually understand how he had gained it, he wasn't that great, and had thrown a fit over Harry being picked for seeker over him the year before. Fourth years were lead by Serenity Mcnair, she was a powerful witch in her own right and her Father Walden Mcnair worked for the Ministry after escaping persecution in the First Wizarding War. The fifth-year was led by Peter Blishwick, he was from a family who was classed as Neutral Purebloods until around three generations when a half-blood married into the family, other than that Harry didn't know anything about the boy. The sixth-year was run by Gemma Farley, she was made Prefect the year before and was very talented in charms, Hermione adored the witch and was constantly found studying with her. The seventh year was run by Harry's mentor and friend Marcus Flint, the Quidditch Captain who had maintained his role since his second year.
But this year would prove interesting, and Harry was looking forward to it because only one person out of the whole house could rule over The Knights as well as everyone. The Acting Prince answered to no one inside Slytherin except the Head of House, they were only called 'Acting' unless they were of Slytherin blood, although even those with Slytherin blood still had proved themselves to their peers of being worth their respect and allegiance in a duel. But the last Acting Prince; Hyland Anks had graduated last year, leaving the spot open. Tonight after the feast and before bed, there would be a spectacular duel in the common room for it, Harry had his suspicions on who would take the crown this year and he couldn't wait to see it in action. His musing was interrupted when he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that Fred was watching him intensely, blushing he gave a small smile, Fred grinned and gave a subtle wink before going back to laughing and joking with George and Lee. Tilting his head to the right he noticed something strange at the Gryffindor table.
"Hermione" he whispered lowly gaining the attention of the Cambions.
"Potter and Weasel aren't here," he said nodding his head across the room.
"Where are they?" Draco asked from his right.
"Who knows, they could be anywhere" Blaise shrugged.
"The Potter's look worried" Hermione murmured, as one, Harry, Draco, Blaise, and Theo turned to stare at James and Lily Potter who were whispering with Albus Dumbledore, terror on Lily's face. Then suddenly she snapped at James and stormed off, most likely to look for her wayward son, but surprisingly James stayed behind to watch the sorting of his only daughter.
"No subtlety at all," she said shaking her head.
"I don't think they know the meaning of the word" Daphne giggled.
"So boy wonder and his sidekick are missing," Harry said almost giddy with ideas of what could've happened to the Gryffindors.
"I doubt it is anything as disgusting as you are imagining," Hermione said popping the bubble Harry had created for himself.
"You don't know that it was disgusting" he defended.
"What was it then?" she asked, daring him to lie his way out of it.
"That they had been kidnapped by Muggle cannibalizes" he admitted grudgingly, his friends stared at him in shock for a beat before laughing hysterically.
"I knew it" Hermione sighed, wiping the tears away from her eyes she shook her head at her brother, before he could say anything in his own defense Professor McGonagall opened the massive Great Hall doors with a bang and led the first years to the front of the hall. Among the small children, Harry only recognized five people by name, although a few he had seen at Ministry Functions. At the front with blank masks up, were the Carrow twins, Flora and Hestia, they were the children of Amycus Carrow and his Husband, Evan Rosier-Carrow. Evan had been killed by Alastor Moody when he resisted arrest shortly before Tom Riddle vanished, or that's what the masses were told by The Light. In truth, he had been killed protecting their newborn children from The Order of the Phoenix, who wanted to take the children and adopt them out to light members or even Muggles in a desperate attempt to bring down The Dark's defense's and demoralize them. He wasn't the only Dark member to die in such a way either.
Behind the twins were two redheads that he recognized straight away Ginny Weasley and Rose Potter, but what surprised and pleased him was that they were standing with the petite and blonde Astoria Greengrass. It was obvious that Rose had liked the girl from his birthday party and had then introduced Ginny to her, it was a good start to his plan to lure Rose away from The Light, and if he was lucky then maybe Ginny would follow her. He watched impassively as McGonagall told the first years the same speech he got about how the sorting would take place, and finally it started, while his face was blank, it was clear to those close to him that his eyes were watching intently with excitement. If only he knew Legilimency so he could hear the conversation between the Sorting Hat and Rose Potter.
"Carrow, Flora," McGonagall said, the girl stepped forward, she was quite plain like her Father Amycus, straight brown hair with a grey or silver glow to it, brown eyes, and a sharp face. The hat didn't wait long before shouting Slytherin, with a smug smirk the girl took the seat next to Millicent Bulstrode.
"Carrow, Hestia" was called after the Slytherins had stopped clapping politely, the girl was almost identical to her sister, although she had a slightly wider jaw and from the looks of it was maybe half an inch or an inch taller than her sister. She waited slightly longer than her sister but soon enough the Hat shouted Slytherin, and the girl sat opposite her sister, next to Gregory Goyle.
"Creevey, Colin" was next, Harry had to hold in a laugh when the smallest of all the first years, tumbled up grinning widely, his blue eyes wide as he took in everything, clearly a Muggleborn. Harry raised his eyebrows in shock when the tiny boy was sorted in Gryffindor, he had pegged him as a Hufflepuff.
"Greengrass, Astoria" Suddenly all the cambions were leaning forward to watch, Astoria was a sweet girl and a hard worker, smirking Harry turned to Daphne.
"Three Galleons she goes to Ravenclaw" he grinned, he knew Astoria's family would love her no matter what house she got in, but a bet was always fun.
"Slytherin and you're on" Daphne laughed shaking his hand, quickly while the girl was walking up they placed their coins on the table before returning their eyes to the front. They all watched with anticipation as the Hat sat for a while clearly saying something that made the girl blush before screaming to the hall;
RAVENCLAW!
They all clapped happily as the girl skipped over to her table happily, while Daphne waved at her sister with a smile before sliding the Galleons across to Harry.
"How do you do that?" Draco asked shaking his head.
"It's a gift," he said arrogantly before smirking and eventually laughing quietly not wishing to get in trouble for disrupting the sorting. The cambions were so wrapped up in whispering to each other they missed a few students sorting, suddenly there were four people at Slytherin. Two boys sitting with the Carrows, one of which was Regan Harper, whose Father was an Unspeakable for The Ministry. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw all had more students, but they went silent when they heard McGonagall shout the name they had been waiting for;
"Potter, Rose" everyone in the hall was sitting forward watching the younger sister to The-Boy-Who-Lived get sorted, James was watching intently from the Professor's table, Rose's expression was one of fear, she glanced up at the Professor table and she looked upset when she couldn't find her Mother. As the Hat was placed over her head, the hall waited eagerly awaiting the verdict. Harry felt himself getting tense, it was confusing, yes he didn't hate the girl, she had nothing to do with his abandonment. But this concern he felt bubbling in his stomach? Why would he be worried for her? When his eyes glanced up to the head table, it sunk in why. No matter what he had said at his birthday party, he didn't want her in Slytherin, she would possibly be disowned by her parents and even though he hated them, she didn't and it would break her. Added to the fact that the majority of Slytherin's wouldn't trust her, solely on who her parents were, and he didn't have power over the older years just yet, and he wouldn't for as long as he wanted to hide his true intentions from Dumbledore. He stiffened when the hat opened its… mouth? And shouted out for the entire of the great hall to hear…
RAVENCLAW.
Wait what?
Rose Potter smiled timidly when the hat was taken off and most of the student body just stared in shock. The silence was broken by Astoria Greengrass clapping happily and making sure there was room beside her for Rose, following the girl's lead Harry, Hermione and Daphne started clapping again. Suddenly the hall was alive with clapping, Ravenclaw students seemed happy to have another student with them, unlike Gryffindor who wanted The-Boy-Who-Lived's sister. Ravenclaw was just happy to have another student who was smart enough or had the thirst for learning. Hufflepuff's were just all-around cheerful people, happy for everyone, how someone could be like that baffled Harry, and it was obvious Slytherin was just following their lead. Harry chanced a glance up at the head table at James Potter, and the sight shocked him greatly, the man was smiling for his daughter and clapping for her. He had expected him to at least be disappointed she wasn't a Gryffindor like her idiot brother. Unfortunately, his curiosity at Potter cost him the rest of the sorting, almost, at least up until the last person was called;
"Weasley, Ginevra" the last first-year standing walked to the stool and hat, but Harry noticed her eyes dart to her only friend, the friend she had, had since they were in diapers together.
"Ravenclaw" Harry muttered so only his friends heard him.
"What? She is the seventh child of a family made of only Gryffindor" Draco hissed.
"She is going to talk the hat into placing her with the only friend she has ever known" Hermione whispered back making Harry smirk, so he hadn't been the only one to notice that. The hall went quiet as yet another child from a Gryffindor only family made their way to Ravenclaw, but it was broken by her twin brothers jumping up clapping loudly, and screaming out they knew she was too good for the lowly Gryffs. The girl blushed bright red at her brother's actions, but Harry also saw the small smile on her face, she was grateful that the twins at least, didn't hate her. Which he knew was impossible for Fred and George, they hated how she acted around Henry Potter, but they blamed their mother for that, she on the other hand was only a child. Harry smirked, with Rose and Ginny in Ravenclaw, the house most popular for Neutrals, and with Astoria, his plan was that little bit easier.
Hey guys, I hope you enjoy this chapter =) I apologize for any mistakes. Review and let me know what you thought =) I am sorry to those who aren't happy with the sorting but I do have a reason for it, which will be more apparent as the series goes on. =) see you next update!