AN: The second thing the Sorting Hat says to Harry is taken verbatim from the original Philosophers Stone, so obviously I don't own Harry Potter.
The Sorting
"Dursley, Dudley." The stern looking witch called from her position at the front of the hall. His cousin clapped him on the back and Dudley walked up to the stool on which sat the talking, singing hat that was going to determine what house he went to.
"It's good to see you again, Mr. Dursley." He nodded back but kept a wary eye on the Sorting Hat, "Don't worry, I promise it doesn't hurt." She smiled at him and gestured for him to sit. He sat down and as soon as the black hat dropped on his head Dudley heard its voice in his mind.
"What have we here?"
"Are you the Sorting Hat?" He asked in his mind.
"Indeed, I see into your mind and your personality and use that information to decide where you should go. Where you will thrive. You seem to know more about the magical world than most muggleborn. What do you know of the Houses?"
"Harry's parents were both in Gryffindor."
"But do you know what that means?" The Hat asked.
"Uh." Dudley replied, "Hermione said there were four Houses and each one has a certain kind of person in it. I don't want to be a Slytherin. All the ones I met were jerks."
"It takes all types, Mr. Dursley. There are four houses. Each one is built around a core principle. I see courage in you, the courage to stand up for those too weak to do so for themselves. Certainly courage for Gryffindor, the house of bravery. But I don't quite think that it is your most defining trait."
"It isn't?" Dudley asked, a little disappointed.
"How hard did you work to lose your weight and control your eating? Also, when you decided to change your life, you didn't just work on your body but your mind as well. How many nights did you spend with your cousin, studying math and working on your handwriting?"
"A lot. It was hard, I'm not good at that stuff. You aren't going to put me in the smart house are you?"
" Ah ha ha ha," The Hat laughed in his mind, "no Mr. Dursley. Though there is, as you say, a 'smart house' in Ravenclaw, that is not what I meant. They are not simply intelligent, but those who value intelligence and learning for their own sake."
"That's definitely not me." Dudley let out a quiet chuckle.
"Maybe not, your defining trait is your drive and your willingness to work hard. And that drive is coupled closely with your sense of loyalty. Which means the House you are destined for is-"
"Hufflepuff!" The Hat shouted to much applause. Dudley stood up and went to where the previous 'Hufflepuffs' had gone with a smile on his face. Being sorted by hard work and loyalty over courage wasn't bad at all in his book. He turned and waved to Harry and Hermione, who waved back, as he sat down, and the sorting continued.
Dudley watched as more students were sorted, he noticed that the green-robed Slytherins never clapped unless someone was sorted into their own house and frowned when he noticed that some people in the other houses didn't clap when someone was sorted into Slytherin. He made a point to clap for everyone, no matter how much like a snob they looked. When 'Finch-Fletchley, Justin' was called and sorted into Hufflepuff as well, Dudley waved him to the seat beside him.
"Hello there." Justin said as he shook Dudley's hand sat down, "I'm sorry, do I know you?"
"I'm Dudley, Dudley Dursley. My dad's a salesman for Grunnings. He sold your grandfather's company some drills last year. I was surprised to hear your name when it was called. Is your family magical?"
"No, I'm the first. I was originally going to Eton, but I convinced my mother to let me give this a try. I couldn't imagine going anywhere else now though. You?"
"First on my side of the family, my aunt was a witch, but my mum wasn't. My dad's side doesn't have any magic in it." Dudley looked back up to the front of the hall as 'Granger, Hermione' was called, "Oh, sorry. That's one of my friends, I want to see her sorted."
"Wow, this is so fascinating!" Hermione thought back to the Hat after it had spoken to her.
"I'm not used to so many muggleborn who are already comfortable with magic. It's quite refreshing… and you have already seen a bit of the prejudice in magical society, and seek to change it. That's quite the ambition, with intellect to match, Miss Granger. Worthy of Slytherin like no muggleborn before you."
"Absolutely not!" Hermione shouted into her mind, "I know about that House's history, don't you dare put me there! There's no way I wouldn't hex one or all of my dorm mates within a week. Why wouldn't you put me in Ravenclaw?"
"Ha ha! That fire, and immutable sense of justice, tells me I was wrong about Slytherin, Miss. But you would be stifled in Ravenclaw! You belong in-"
"Gryffindor!" The Hat shouted.
Dudley clapped for his friend and waved when she looked his way, "I thought Ravenclaw was the smart house? Hermione's the smartest person I know." he asked an older boy a couple seats down after she'd sat down.
"Jones, Megan."
"Hufflepuff!" clap, clap, clap.
"Technically, but not everyone who's smart goes Ravenclaw." The boy chuckled at Dudley's face when realized what he'd implied, "Cedric Diggory." He introduced himself, "It's pretty strange for muggleborn to know each other before coming to Hogwarts. Pretty cool that you know two already."
"Longbottom, Neville."
Cedric was surprised when Dudley again apologized and zeroed in on the sorting again, "Do you know Longbottom too?" He asked the muggleborn.
"Yeah, uh. We met on the train. He lost his pet toad and I found and returned him." Dudley responded without fully turning around. Cedric smiled, this kid would fit in well in Hufflepuff, making friends that easily.
"And where should I put you Mr. Longbottom." The Sorting Hat spoke into Neville's mind.
"I don't know. I'm not very smart, or brave. I guess you could just put me in Hufflepuff…"
"Why would you say that? Do you consider hard work and loyalty your greatest strengths?" The Hat paused for a minute as it searched through Neville's memories… "The House of the meek? That's what you think of Hufflepuff?"
"I did, my Gran told me that only Gryffindor would do. She talked down the other three Houses," The boy confessed, "but then you sorted Dudley into Hufflepuff. My Gran must be wrong or something, cause he's really really strong."
"Yes, but in your case, there is somewhere else you should go. Gryffindor isn't just for those who are fearless, but also for those who strive to conquer their fears. Yes, you will do well there if you allow yourself to grow."
"Gryffindor!" The Hat shouted, the Hall applauded and Neville hurried to sit beside Hermione who, much to his embarrassment, gave him a big hug as he sat down.
Several other students were sorted without much incident before Mcgonagall called, "Potter, Harry."
"That's Harry Potter?"
"He's shorter than I expected."
"I heard he challenged Draco Malfoy to a duel on the train."
There was much whispering amongst the student body as Harry sat on the stool and the Hat was lowered over his head. Some of them weren't bothering to whisper, and Harry heard several mentions of what happened with Malfoy on the train but none included Dudley.
"Mr. Potter, quite a few of your yearmates' thoughts have been of you while I sorted them, and you do not disappoint."
"What does that mean?"
"Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, my goodness, yes, and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting... So where shall I put you?"
"Not Slytherin!"
"Not Slytherin? With a snake familiar wrapped around your arm? You could do so much there, you know. You seek to bring medicine to the magical world and potions to the muggle, that will require the kind of connections Slytherin can give you."
"Not Slytherin! Nothing to make me like him."
"If you're sure, then, better be-"
"Gryffindor!" The Hat bellowed to enormous applause from the Hall. Dudley noted that the redheaded twins he met on the train, who were apparently Gryffindors, were standing on their table chanting "We got Potter!"
"Harry's gonna hate that." Dudley muttered as he watched the over-the-top antics of the red and gold table.
Cedric had asked to switch seats to be next to the interesting first year, so he heard him, "How do you know? He could like it, some people were worried Harry Potter would be big headed about his fame, you know."
"He isn't. He thinks it's dumb. We think his mum and dad must have tricked Voldemort that night and beat him somehow, there's no way Harry did it as a baby." He immediately regretted not speaking more quietly, the whole table had tuned into the conversation.
Cedric and the others around them flinched at Dudley's use of the dark lord's name, "Geeze, man." Cedric said after he recovered, "You talk like you're best friends with him or something."
Oh well, Dudley thought to himself, he shrugged what he hoped was confidently, "He's my cousin. We grew up together."
"But…" Cedric gaped at him, in the silence Dudley was hit by whispered questions from all the nearby students, trying to learn about the enigmatic Harry Potter, and the sorting continued. Dudley did his best to keep the conversation from straying into things that were too close to home and eventually the other Hufflepuffs changed to asking about him, which he was fine with. Though he was disappointed that none of them seemed interested in trying football.
Meanwhile, Harry had made his way to the Gryffindor table where Hermione had moved over to allow him to sit between her and Neville and given him a hug as well. After they were done chanting the redhead twins edged over.
"Hey Neville, when did you and Potter meet?" The nearer twin asked.
"Remember the guy that found Trevor for me? When you guys were getting me out of that hex?"
"What?" Harry asked angrily, his annoyance at the twins temporarily forgotten.
"Yeah mate, some Slytherins put him in a body-bind on the train." The second twin responded to Harry as the first twin answered Neville simultaneously.
"Yeah mate, some luck that he showed up right as we were getting you out."
"That was Harry's cousin Dudley." Neville finished, to the twin's astonishment, then he turned to Harry, "These are the Weasley twins, Fred and George. They're pretty bad pranksters, but they're still good guys. I live sort of close to them." The two twins gave mock bows at their introduction and turned to continue watching the sorting.
Harry took the opportunity to look up at the head table and examine the teachers he saw there. He already knew that Professor Mcgonagall was Gryffindor's Head of House, and he saw Hagrid sitting on one end of the long table who waved and smiled to him. In the center of the table sat Headmaster Dumbledore on a giant chair, practically a throne, gilded in brightly shining gold. His gaze continued to the other end of the table where a sour-looking man who desperately needed a hair degreaser sat next to a man in a turban, of all things. After a moment looking in that direction, Harry felt a stabbing pain in his scar.
"Are you alright, Harry?" Hermione asked, having seen him wince.
"Its nothing, just a sudden headache." Hermione frowned at his answer, his hand was rubbing directly on his famous scar…
"Weasley, Ronald."
"This is our brother." The twins said together.
"Oh great…" Harry moaned when he saw the boy walking confidently up to the Hat on the stool.
"What does that mean?" Fred asked testily.
"We didn't hit it off well on the train." Harry said as he watched Ron Weasley under the Hat.
"It was hard to like him when he kept trying to talk around his feet." Hermione added.
"Oh my, another Weasley. How odd, you aren't defined by the same traits as your brothers… I guess this is the result of having so many siblings." The Hat's voice was annoyingly loud in Ron's head.
"What do you mean?"
"Your chief drive is to surpass your brothers, isn't it? However you have to do that as long as it isn't dark?"
"Well, yeah… I guess. I'm not sure I'd put it that way. Aren't you going to put me in Gryffindor? How can I be Potter's friend otherwise?"
"You will never pass your brothers that way, Mister Weasley. May I place you where you have a chance to actually do so?"
"Well… yeah. If you see some hidden talent to pass my brothers, sure."
"Wonderful!"
"Slytherin! The Hat shouted, to complete, stunned, silence.
"Wait, what?" Ron asked as Mcgonagall took the Sorting Hat off his head.
"Well, Mr. Weasley." The Professor said as she watched the magic of the sorting trim his robes in green and silver, "Please join your housemates."
Ron walked slowly to the Slytherin table, feeling as though it were a gallows march. All eyes were on him as he sat down on the end. Well, almost all eyes, he looked up to his brothers, but found all three of them were distinctly avoiding looking in his direction.
"Well, I never would have thought a Weasley would ever make it into the mighty house of Slytherin." Draco Malfoy commented, loud enough for Ron to hear. He did his best to ignore it, but it wasn't going to be easy. He was hungry.
"I guess he must have some cunning, to have hidden it in a house of blood traitors." He continued. "Maybe he's trying to fix his family's reputation?" Ron's face burned red and he looked away.
What have I gotten myself into? He thought to himself.
"Potter, what the hell?" One of the twins, Harry thought it was George, asked him.
"Yeah mate, what did he do to earn himself a place in Slytherin? Our family has been Gryffindors for generations." Fred added.
"I wonder where we went wrong?" His twin said wistfully.
"No idea, but I'm definitely glad I'm not having to share a room with him." Harry responded as the last person, 'Zabini, Blaise,' was sorted into Slytherin. "First thing he did when he walked into our cabin on the train was lie about there being no room in any other cabins."
Headmaster Dumbledore's short speech, if you can call four words of nonsense a 'speech', just left the Hall with a surreal feeling, and like the man was finally losing the last of his marbles. The food magically filling the tables and wafting incredible smells throughout the student body brought them back to reality, though. Harry and Hermione found the spread quite diverse and were pleasantly surprised to find that the goblets were filled with pumpkin juice, which they found they liked.
As he was stuffing his plate Harry had a thought and looked up to see what Dudley was doing. His cousin had battled with his weight most of his life, and this much food this good would see him gaining a lot of it back soon. Especially since Harry had learned from Neville on the train that wizards only played one sport, on brooms. His cousin caught his eye and waved. Harry waved back and glanced down at his plate, Dudley nodded and gave him a thumbs up.
Dudley was enjoying the feast as well. He knew that it wouldn't do to just load up everything he wanted on his plate, so he carefully took small portions of several different dishes. No reason he couldn't try everything was there?
While they ate, Dudley and Justin introduced themselves to the other first years that were near them while Cedric answered questions about how the school worked. Susan Bones and Ernest Call-Me-Ernie Macmillan were from old wizarding families and were the most persistent in asking questions about Harry Potter; while Susan's friend Hannah was quieter and asked the two muggleborn about their non magical activities. She told them that her mother was a muggleborn, but she had been raised wholy magical like her father.
Dudley had almost decided that the magical world wasn't as backwards as his mum had told him when Ernie asked how muggles shrank people to fit into a 'tellis-vision' with just 'elketrikety' and no magic. While Dudley was able to keep from laughing openly, Justin was not.
"What's so funny then?" Ernie asked indignantly.
"'Electricity', it's 'electricity', and 'television'." Dudley said as he tried not to choke on his roast beef. "Television doesn't have tiny, shrunk-down people in it either." He had to cover his mouth at that point.
"Eh? Then how does it work?" Ernie asked, growing angry as Dudley slowly lost his composure.
"I'm interested in that too." Cedric added, trying to diffuse the younger boy's ire, "I'm starting Muggle Studies, it's an elective you can take beginning in third year, but I read ahead in the course book and I didn't see anything about them in it. Or Eh-lick-tre-city?" He sounded out, "It's not covered in the book either."
"It's…uh…" Justin started and realized he wasn't actually sure how to explain television to someone that couldn't pronounce 'electricity.'
Dudley came to his rescue, "It's like the pictures in the Daily Prophet." He said, slowly piecing his description together while remembering looking at the publication with his mum and Harry some this past year. There was a lot of speculation and hype-building for Harry coming out into public in those pages recently.
"Those moving pictures that show a loop of time? Television is like that. Except instead of printing it on paper, a company sends the moving picture directly to the television screen using electricity, and it comes with sound, so think like an entire play that's been put into a moving picture. The company that owns the recordings posts a schedule so people can make sure to see the ones they like."
"Wow. Muggles can do that? That beats the Wizard Wireless hands down." Cedric responded.
"That's the magical radio." Hannah supplied, seeing Dudley's confusion at the term. "They play music, and cover important quidditch games. Every now and then there'll be something about the news on it, but the Prophet likes to keep that to themselves."
The Hufflepuffs continued trading information about their respective worlds, and Cedric Diggory was growing to worry that his Muggle Studies class was going to be a joke. He intended to ask Professor Burbage why she didn't have 'television' and 'aeroplanes' in the class textbook. If muggles could pile a hundred or more at a time into a metal ship and fly across the world as high as dragons fly, why didn't wizards talk about that more often?
When dessert replaced the dinner spread on the tables Dudley leaned over to Cedric and asked a question he'd been waiting on since he sat down.
"Hey, who up there is our head of house? My magical guardian gave me a letter to give to them once I was sorted. Will they introduce themselves tonight?"
"Oh, our head is Professor Sprout, she's up there, the bigger woman up there next to Professor Flitwick, he's the short one." He pointed her out, "She's also the professor of herbology, and keeps the school greenhouses."
"Harry and Neville will like that class, I bet." Dudley returned, "Does she introduce herself, first night?"
"Yeah, she has the prefects take the new students to the dorm and get them attuned to the door. Then comes in after we've shown everyone their room and explains the house rules. You can give it to her then."
"Sounds good." Dudley went back to his slice of apple pie.
"Wait. Why would Dumbledore need to send Professor Sprout a letter through you? Why couldn't he just talk to her himself?" Cedric asked, finally realizing the implications of the question.
"He's not my magical guardian though." Dudley said between bites. He then slipped into the response all three of them had rehearsed before Cedric could ask more questions, "Our magical guardian is a squib who's related to the Potters. My mum raised the two of us mostly magic free, and the headmaster was a smokescreen. Neither of us have even met the guy."
The magically raised at the table, who were holding out that maybe Dumbledore at least had a hand in raising The-Boy-Who-Lived, were astounded at that fact, Harry Potter really was raised totally by muggles?
"That makes sense, I guess." Cedric conceded.
"Blimey, why all the cloak-and-dagger then?" Justin asked his new friend.
"My cousin's famous because a dark lord named Voldemort-" all the magically raised again flinched at the name and Dudley looked at the girls, who were shaking in fear, "What?"
"You don't say his name, Mr. Dursley. It's… not good." Cedric answered since Susan and Hannah were still too shocked to do so. "The Headmaster is pretty much the only one who says his name, and my dad says he thinks Dumbledore just does it to put everyone else on edge."
"So what, do you call him those long, dumb names the papers called him?" Dudley asked. "What's the difference in one fake name or another?" The others stared at him, dumbly, "Hermione and her mum know a little french. 'Vol de Mort' apparently means 'Flight from Death'. That's not a name, it's what someone calls themself when they want to be scary but have a name like 'Josh'."
"I'm not quite sure what you're talking about," Justin offered, "but my family does a lot of business overseas. That is what that means. 'Flight from Death,' I mean." None of the magically raised had a proper answer to that but Dudley was again asked to not say the name, You-Know-Who would suffice. Dudley just groaned and shook his head, but promised to avoid using the name.
He was able to finish giving an abbreviated version of Halloween 'eighty-one to Justin before the tables were cleared and Dumbledore again stood to say some words. Dudley and the other first years were rather put-out by his promise of a 'painful death' on the third floor.
"This is a school right? I didn't get on the wrong train?" Dudley asked, jokingly. The rest laughed nervously as the prefects led them to the Hufflepuff dorms.
o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o
While Harry was digging into a treacle tart Hermione asked the twins who a prefect was for Gryffindor, the twins had glumly said that their older brother 'Perfect Percy' was a prefect, and pointed him out.
"Hello Mr. Weasley." She said to the fifth year as she extended her hand after walking over, "I'm Hermione Granger."
"Hello, Miss. Can I help you." Percy asked as he looked up from his pie.
"Yes, actually I had a question and your brothers told me you were a prefect?" At the boy's nod she continued, "Well, my guardian sent me with a letter for my head of house. Will Professor Mcgonagall introduce herself to the first years? It's important."
"Well, not normally. But if it's important, I suppose I could go up and ask if she could come and speak to you before you go to the dorms?"
"That will work, thank you. I'm sitting over there by Harry and Neville." Hermione smiled and turned to walk away.
"Could I ask you a couple questions Miss Granger?" The redhead asked before she left. When she stopped and nodded 'mhmm' he asked, "Please forgive me if this question seems rude but, how are you so familiar with the heirs of two important families? Being a muggleborn and all?" He continued before she could answer, "Also, do you think Mr. Potter knows anything about my brother Ronald being sorted into Slytherin? He was bragging that he'd made friends with him on the train but didn't have anything to actually say about him, so I assumed he was making up stories."
"Well, I only met Neville on the train. But I met Harry last Christmas at a business dinner between my parents and his uncle." She answered brightly, then her tone soured, "As for your brother. He came into our cabin on the train and you would think he was trying to make Harry angry, and Harry doesn't think when he's angry. Dudley, Harry's cousin, got your brother to leave the cabin before he started a fight."
"If I may, what did Ronald say?"
"Among other things, he asked Harry if he remembered the night Voldemort killed his parents. I wanted to kick him in the shin but Dudley had already moved him." Hermione's face flushed with her own anger as she remembered the incident.
"Oh my. Well, at least I know. Congratulations on your sorting, Miss Granger. The feast will be over in about ten minutes, so in five I will speak to Professor Mcgonagall for you." Percy looked over to where Hermione was heading, "Please, also apologize to Mr. Potter for me concerning my youngest brother. I will write my mother about his behaviour."
"Thank you."
o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o
Albus was just about to wave the dinner away when he noted the oldest Weasley currently at Hogwarts walking up to the staff table, towards Minerva.
"Professor Mcgonagall," He heard the boy say, despite his soft tone, "there's a muggleborn who has a letter for you from her guardian. She says it's important, a Miss Granger."
"Very well," Minerva replied, "Instruct her, and I assume also Mr. Potter to wait for me at the conclusion of the feast. Please also wait outside the Hall for them with the other first years until I send them out."
"Anything interesting?" Albus asked his Deputy, eyes twinkling.
"Oh, nothing. Just a letter from a concerned guardian, I will be speaking with the students involved." She looked at him sidelong.
"I couldn't help but notice you mentioned young Harry…"
"Do you want to have this conversation here, Headmaster?" Mcgonagall fixed him with a stern gaze before leaning forwards to better see Professor Sprout.
"Pomona, I have a feeling there will be a similar letter for you from Mr. Dursley."
"I meet all my new badgers the first night, I'll speak to him then. But thank you for the heads up." Professor Sprout returned.
"Dursley?" Albus mused aloud, wait, how is that possible?
"I have a strong feeling that I know what those letters will say, Albus. We can speak afterwards. I believe it's time for you to end the feast?" Professor Mcgonagall couldn't quite kept the smirk off her face.
The Headmaster frowned, "I suppose I shall wait for you in my office then?" The other teacher nodded and he stood to close the feast.
"It's nice to see the two of you again, Mister Potter, Miss Granger." Professor Mcgonagall said once the crowd had left the hall, as she smiled and accepted the sealed letters from her two new lions and opened one.
"Yes, I'm so excited to be in your House, Professor!" Hermione replied excitedly.
"Me too." Harry said, "I'm glad it wasn't the reason I was sorted, but I'm happy to be in the same House that my parents were."
Mcgonagall smiled to him as she began reading the letter from 'Ms. Acacia':
To the Head of House of Hermione Jane Granger,
As the magical guardian of Hermione Granger, I am formally requesting that Headmaster Albus Dumbledore never be allowed in a room alone with her without you, or a representative that I elect, present. There has been an egregious breach of trust by him that has yet to be redressed.
On a less serious note, I would like to formally request progress reports of her class standing at regular intervals (up to your discretion) throughout the year. Lastly, I would like a report of any incidents that result in Hermione spending time in the Hospital Wing, for any reason no matter how minor. You may contact me through Potter Accounts Manager Axegut, of Gringotts, with the above requested information, as well as a confirmation that my first request shall be honored.
Ms. Peony Acacia
"May I assume," the Professor asked as she looked up from the letter, "that Mr. Potter's is similar?"
"Yes ma'am." Hermione answered, "All three letters were the same except for our names, obviously."
"Well, I shall write her tomorrow, I instructed Mr. Weasley to wait outside the Hall with the other first years for you, please go join them so you can get to the dormitory before morning." The Professor shooed the kids away as she finished speaking.
As the two newly minted Gryffindors headed for the double doors at the front of the hall Professor Mcgonagall walked back towards the side entrance used for staff, on her way to her meeting with the Headmaster. She wasn't totally sure what action the Headmaster had taken that had led to 'Ms. Acacia' taking such a stance against him, but she could certainly hazard a few guesses. Dropping Harry on the doorstep without alerting them, putting up wards that kept her from contacting the magical world without permission, even claiming Harry's magical guardianship was an overreach that directly affected the Dursleys. But something nagged at the woman and told her that none of those things caused the outright animosity that Harry and his guardian felt for the Headmaster.
These thoughts occupied her all the way to the gargoyle statue that protected the Headmaster's office, which immediately stepped aside as she approached. She hesitated at the bottom of the stairwell leading up into the office, composing herself before starting up. He still had no idea who Ms. Acacia really was; and for whatever reason hadn't done more than ask her whether they had met. 'Yes, at the Leaky Cauldron,' was all she'd given him, but now she was going to have to figure out some of what the old coot was hiding from her.
"Ah, Minerva, all was well with your students I trust?" The Headmaster asked from behind his oversized desk. A single chair rested in front of it, Mcgonagall swished her wand at it and transfigured it into a larger one with bigger cushions before sitting in it and responding.
"Yes, Ms. Acacia has requested academic and medical reports for Mister Potter and Miss Granger, I assume for young Mister Dursley as well." She pulled Harry's letter from her robe as she spoke and placed it, still sealed, on the desk. "There was one other thing she requested. I'm told all three letters were the same, save the student's name, so feel free to read that one for yourself."
Albus frowned as he sat back and opened the letter to read, his frown deepened as he read the first request in the brief note. His frown quirked into a smile, then deepened again as he finished reading.
"I assume, since you've read the other letter, that you see now why I was interested in Ms. Acacia." Albus began once he'd read the letter twice over. "She clearly wants to influence young Harry against me."
"Oh, I quite agree." Mcgonagall responded tersely, "She has had an enormously positive influence on Mister Potter." Dumbledore's mouth shut with an audible click. "For almost ten years." Mcgonagall continued, causing the older wizard's eyes to open comically wide.
"Oh yes, ten years. Mr. Potter was raised knowing about magic; and yes, Mr. Potter bears some enmity towards you for cutting them off like you did." Albus' brow furrowed in frustration, "But, Ms. Acacia did not seem to when I met her in person. She feels slighted by you, yes, but also understands that many of the things you did were to protect Harry. Her issues stemmed from something else that I don't quite understand."
But Albus did.
"Go ahead, ask your questions Minerva." Albus sighed, obviously something had gone wrong with his plan. Maybe he could learn something from this too.
"Why did you cut them off from both directions, Albus? What was the point in that? Honestly, that's the most pressing question I have." She paused for a moment, "I think I know why there were two hundred owls directed to the Dursleys the day I went. You wanted to send a staff member and argue that Ms. Acacia was negligent or incapable?" She frowned, "That wouldn't work. I want to understand your obsession with being Mr. Potter's guardian. Why is it important if he's coming to Hogwarts anyways?"
Albus fixed her gaze, "I cast the spell in both directions because of what you and Hagrid told me that night." The woman looked confused for a minute as she recalled Halloween 'eighty-one before she realized, "Yes. You both told me that Petunia Dursley strongly disliked magic and magical kind. I worried that Lily's sister might know where Diagon Alley is and take Harry there to try and be rid of him at the first sight of accidental magic."
Slowly, sadly, Mcgonagall nodded, "I will admit, yes," he continued, "that the large number of owls was a direct attempt to wrest guardianship back for Harry. I intended to prevail upon Petunia to submit paperwork for the change."
"But why, and if you were so worried that Lily's sister would reject her own nephew, why would you place him there?"
"There are extraordinarily powerful wards at Privet Drive. I'm sure you noticed them? Among them there is one based on the blood connection Harry and his aunt have with Lily Potter. As long as Harry lives at Privet Drive, and is still a minor, that ward will prevent any marked Death Eater, as well as any magical being with intent to harm young Harry, from being able to find him, or even the street he's on. Honestly, I had no idea that Harry's cousin was also a wizard, but that fact would have made the blood ward even stronger, as he is also connected to Lily's bloodline and is magical."
Professor Mcgonagall sighed as she pinched her nose, then responded, "I see where you might have felt that the extra wards you put up that cut off the Dursleys from the magical world could have been necessary. I will write Ms. Acacia and Mrs. Dursley a letter explaining that, and apologizing for being accidentally responsible for your thinking so." She took a breath, "But that doesn't answer why you feel all of this is so important."
Before the Headmaster could respond to her, one of the portraits of past headmasters on the wall spoke up, interrupting them, "Professor Mcgonagall, the Gryffindor portrait says that there is an incident in the Gryffindor Dormitories, you are needed."
"We can finish this another time, Albus. Think on your answer to that question, and please do not bother Ms. Acacia." She stood up and walked briskly out the door.
"What do I do, Fawkes?" Dumbledore asked the phoenix perched in the corner, "He was supposed to be meek, receptive. What do I do?" The phoenix looked at him sadly, but didn't make a sound.
O0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o
"Wow, this is so cool. Like a secret spy-base." Dudley whispered to Justin as the male fifth year prefect demonstrated how to open the secret passage to the Hufflepuff dorms. Tapping your wand five times to the beat of Helga Hufflepuff's name on the biggest round barrel would make it open up like a door. Not only was it an awesome secret entrance with a special knock to get in, it was only two floors under the dining hall!
"Don't worry, it won't open unless you've been attuned to the door. So no one from the other houses is going to sneak in just by spying on you getting in." The prefect, Gabriel Truman, said as the door swung outward, revealing a round walkway that he had to duck into, but which opened up quickly.
"Follow me please, Professor Sprout, our Head of House will be joining us soon. She will be attuning you to the door before you separate to go to your respective living quarters." As he spoke, the group had walked through the passage, which had opened into a large, yet cozy, round room with a cheerful fire burning in an oversized hearth large enough for two couches to rest in front of.
"Hello first years. Welcome to the Badger's Den." A girl wearing a prefect badge like Gabriel's said once everyone was in. "I'm Jessica Smith, the other fifth year prefect. Once Professor Sprout has attuned everyone to the entrance I'll be leading you girls to your living quarters through that door." She gestured to a round door on the right hand side of the Den, "Gabriel will, obviously, be showing you guys to your beds tonight through the other door."
"You guys have a couple minutes before Professor Sprout gets here, so you guys make sure you know everyone else, and definitely ask Jessica or I if you have any questions." Gabriel said as the group began to spread through the common area.
The first years didn't have any questions beyond knowing when they would receive their schedules. Once they learned they'd receive them at breakfast the Hufflepuffs congregated on the couches in front of the fire to formally introduce each other to those who were sitting too far apart at dinner.
"Well doesn't that just do my heart good." Professor Sprout said to Gabriel Truman as she entered the Den, causing the first years to notice her and stand up.
"Hello, students, I am Professor Pomona Sprout. I have been the Head of House Hufflepuff for twenty-two years now, and I'm also your Herbology Professor. If any of you ever have issues with members of another House, it is I you should come to." She looked over the smiling faces in front of her. "We are Hufflepuffs, the house of the loyal and hard working. We help each other, we help others. I expect great things from all of you. If you have any questions for me, feel free to ask them now. If you come up with any more later you may come to me after hours or ask a prefect to contact me. They have enchanted notepads that can request my presence for a meeting, if needed."
Dudley raised his hand once the Professor had finished speaking, "Ma'am, I have a letter from my magical guardian that she told me to give to my Head of House." He pulled it out of his robes and presented it to her.
"May I assume that Professor Mcgonagall received two copies of this?" Professor Sprout asked with a smile as she accepted it. "There was a small comotion up at the staff table, would you stay here and be present when I read it?" When Dudley nodded she turned to the other students and verified they were all content before attuning their magics to the door and sending them to bed.
"Mister Dursley, Ms. Acacia isn't worried for your safety here at Hogwarts, is she?" Professor Sprout exclaimed once she'd finished the letter, "Hogwarts takes security very seriously, and myself in particular."
"Professor, with respect, what's with the 'painful death' on the third floor then?" Dudley asked with a raised eyebrow. "But really, that's for my parents' sakes."
"I have been trying to reason with the Headmaster on that for a month now… Please understand that the Headmaster's warning was not a joke, and that if I find any of my Hufflepuffs in that corridor it will mean a week's detention, at least." She sighed, "As for her request for academic records, that will not be a problem. But, could you please enlighten me why the Headmaster is not allowed to be in the same room as you without another adult?"
"Uh, honestly ma'am, I don't know everything. Harry was left on my parents' doorstep by Professor Dumbledore in the middle of the night, so my parents have always kinda thought he shouldn't be trusted with kids." Dudley answered, which caused Professor Sprout's eyes to widen in shock. "There was something else that happened when Harry went to Gringotts, but I don't know anything about that ma'am."
"That's quite alright, I understand." Professor Sprout shuddered, "Leaving young Harry on a doorstep in November is definitely cause to worry about him. I shall write Ms. Acacia a letter tonight establishing the specifics of her other requests. If I could keep you from your bed for just one more question? Who is Ms. Peony Acacia? I would have expected the Headmaster himself to be your magical guardian to be honest, but there is a Gringotts seal at the bottom of this letter indicating it is authentic."
"She's a squib who's related to Harry." Dudley replied, "When that thing happened at Gringotts she got really mad and that's when she filed to become me and Harry's guardian. Hermione too after she started coming to see us on weekends."
Professor Sprout nodded sagely, "Well, that answers that. Secrecy around your nephew can only help his protection. That answers several questions, I believe. Go join your yearmates Mister Dursley, and have a good night."
"So what was the letter from your guardian about? If you don't mind us asking?" Justin asked on behalf of the other boys once Dudley had joined them in the first year bedrooms.
"Nothing much, some stuff Professor Sprout needed to know about because of my cousin mostly." Dudley shrugged.
"Makes sense, I guess." Ernie said as the boys turned in for bed.
o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o
"At least I won't have to worry about running or something while I'm here." Hermione said tiredly as they walked through the portrait into the Gryffindor common room. "So many stairs, how are we supposed to get to classes on time?"
Some of the other students snickered at her antics, even Harry couldn't help but smile at it. The two fifth year prefects, Percy Weasley and a girl named Delilah Higgs, led the first years to their respective dorm rooms and showed them where their trunks were already placed by a bed.
"If you need anything, I'll be doing some last minute corrections on my summer homework in the common room. Please come get me if necessary, and have a good night." With those words, Percy left them to get settled in.
Neville noticed Harry pull out a large red and gold pillow with black tassels and set it at the head of his bed, "I thought you hadn't planned on any particular House before you came to Hogwarts, Harry?" Neville chuckled, "What's that then?"
"Oh, I got this for Najash a couple years ago," As Harry answered Neville's eyes widened and he mouthed 'bad idea', "Sorry Neville, I get it. But I don't wanna hide him from the guys living in here, you know?" He let Najash slither from his robe sleeve onto the bed. The snake worked his way under the pillow to hide, hissing ~One of them tastes of fear, Harry~ as he did.
"Oi, what the hell Potter!" Seamus Finnigan shouted as he jumped backwards away from the bed with the snake. "What do you think you're doing bringing a bloody snake in here! I'm not getting bit by that thing when you aren't looking!" He turned and ran out of the room, shouting for Percy Weasley.
"That could have gone better, Harry." Neville groaned as he watched Dean Thomas back away from Harry as well.
"What was that about then?" Dean asked, "I mean, I don't particularly like snakes mate, and they weren't on the list of pets we could bring, but that was a bit mental."
"Well," Neville answered, remembering that Dean was muggleborn, "snakes are generally seen as agents of dark magic. Plus, Harry, are you sure he's not venomous?" Neville asked, eyeing the pillow the serpent hid under slightly warily, "Most brightly coloured snakes are you know. It was too dark on the boats for me to see him that well."
"Najash isn't dangerous at all Neville, promise." Harry plopped onto his bed and sighed. Neville moved over and, cautiously, sat on Harry's bed as well.
"You aren't going to start talking to him are you?" Neville whispered to Harry. He nodded to Harry's negative response and said to Dean, "It's mostly superstition. Apparently Mister Finnigan takes it seriously though."
"And you can get permission for other pets besides cats, toads, and owls. I just had to ask Professor Mcgonagall and tell her his name." Harry offered.
"Well, I haven't seen anything weird yet. He's not dangerous?" Dean asked Harry, who shook his head again, "Then I don't see anything wrong with him." With that said, the boys went back to setting their respective beds the way they liked. Harry took the chance to set up his parent's picture on his nightstand.
It took a few minutes for Seamus to come back, with both Percy Weasley and Professor Mcgonagall in tow. By unspoken agreement, none of the three remaining boys had turned in yet, expecting a noisy confrontation. Hermione came up behind the three, waiting at the door while Seamus led the two older people in, looking worried.
"Its under that pillow, Professor!" Seamus practically shrieked as he backed up to be behind Percy.
Professor Mcgonagall sighed as Percy Weasley began, "Mister Potter, Mister Finnigan came downstairs with a rather disturbing report. Do you have an unapproved pet, urgh, a snake in your bed?" Percy was clearly disgusted at the thought.
Harry, for his part looked directly at Professor Mcgonagall, "But Professor, you said it would be fine if I brought Najash and Dudley brought Hedwig."
"Oh dear." Mcgonagall said, remembering the strange name, "I believe I did, didn't I." She looked past Harry at the pillow which hid the offending animal. "It is absolutely on me that I didn't verify what manner of creature he was. I confess, when we spoke I simply assumed he was a rat or mouse. The idea that Harry Potter would have a snake for a pet just didn't cross my mind." Harry frowned at her words, "I knew at the time that you knew about our world, so I would have thought you'd avoid snakes to avoid association with You-Know-Who. I didn't mean anything else by it." She squinted and pinched her nose for a moment while Hermione chewed her bottom lip behind them all.
"May I see the thing, then? Mister Potter?" Professor Mcgonagall asked. Harry reached over and gently moved the pillow before holding out his hand for Najash to wrap up around. When he held the snake up for the teacher to inspect she frowned at him, "What spell did you cast to make it have those colours?" The thing had alternating deep red and gold bands separated by thin black lines.
"I didn't Ma'am. This is what he naturally looks like." Harry said.
"He's a kingsnake, Professor." Hermione offered from the door, "When I first met Harry I was wary too, cause he's bright red and yellow and I'd always heard that bright colours meant 'dangerous' for foreign snakes."
"A… 'king snake'? Like a king cobra?" The professor asked, confused. Percy and Seamus were flabbergasted that the professor was even listening to this and not just telling Potter to get rid of the serpent.
"A scarlet kingsnake, Professor. They are a non venomous species that is immune to the venom of the local snakes where they come from, which they hunt." Hermione continued.
"And where is that?" The Professor asked as she eyed the snake. It was remarkably well-behaved, with Harry stroking the top of it's head.
"North America, Ma'am." Harry answered, "I told you I found him in the back garden one summer. Apparently one of my neighbors bought him from some illegal pet seller and when their parents found him they threw him out."
"It's still a snake, Potter. It needs to go." Percy Weasley said, trying his best not to look away from the little serpent wrapped around Harry's wrist and hand. Harry frowned, he didn't want to be separated from his friend.
"That is a bit premature, Mister Weasley." Mcgonagall corrected.
"But Professor!"
"No buts. Technically Najash has been approved through the proper channels already." She looked pointedly at Harry, "There will be no incidents with him, and Mister Finnigan will never find your pet in his bed or playing any part in some other prank on him. Is that clear?" Harry nodded, "There will be no warning issued, Mister Potter. While I didn't confirm what kind of animal he was, you should have made sure I knew. Your fast defense of him, as well as Miss Granger seemingly knowing to join us, tells me you knew he would be a problem beforehand. You should have said something." She paused for a moment.
"Get to bed, all of you. You too Miss Granger. I understand that you were worried for your friend, but in the future please refrain from coming up to the boy's dorms without being invited, and not at night." Hermione nodded, embarrassed, and ran back down the stairs. "Mister Finnigan, if Mister Potter's pet bothers you outside of simply existing then bring your complaint to me, please." She looked at the four first year boys, "Mister Weasley, things are taken care of here for now, do not bother Mister Potter about the nature of his pet."
"Yes, Professor." He looked like he was sucking on something sour as he said the words, but headed back downstairs to continue revising his homework.
"Now, get to bed." The Professor turned and headed out the door, leaving Seamus Finnigan staring, horrified, at the snake wrapped around his roommate's hand.
"I don't hold it against you or anything, Seamus." Harry offered as he sat on his bed and let Najash slither back under his pillow. "I promise, he won't bother you." Seamus just frowned and nodded, without speaking, and began preparing for bed. "If you guys wouldn't mind, can you not go telling everyone that I have a snake in here? At least this early in the term?" Neville and Dean nodded, but Finnigan ignored him.
The whole room got a little bit quieter after Harry's last words for the night before closing his curtains, directed at the picture on his nightstand, "Goodnight mum, goodnight dad." Neville was in a position to see James and Lily Potter wave out from the picture.
As Professor Mcgonagall descended the stairwell towards the Gryffindor common room she fought to wrap her head around what she'd learned. Harry Potter had a snake for a pet. Not just any snake, but a snake-hunting, venom-resistant, Gryffindor-coloured snake that was, itself, not venomous? Astounding.
"Albus is going to have a full-grown kneazle." She muttered to herself with a chuckle.
"Oh, Mister Weasley." She said as she passed through the common room, "I see no reason to go shouting that Mister Potter has a pet snake. Not that we will hide it, but won't volunteer the information. Alright?" She stared at him pointedly until he agreed.
o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o
"What was that about, Hermione? Is Harry okay?" Lavender Brown asked the moment that Hermione had made it back to her dorm, practically falling off her bed she was leaning so far forward on it.
"Harry is fine." Hermione took a breath to remind herself of that, "When I heard shouting I just panicked. I was worried something bad had happened to Harry." Both Lavender and her friend Fay smirked knowingly at Hermione before heading to the bathroom to get a shower before bed.
Before Hermione could begin her own preparations, Parvati Patil walked over to her, "I was in the stairwell when that boy was shouting. He said Potter had a snake? Is that true?"
She didn't seem scared, just curious, so Hermione answered, "Harry wasn't trying to broadcast it, but yes. He has a pet snake, they're really close."
"What kind of snake is he?" The Indian witch asked, seemingly genuinely curious.
"Uh, he's a kingsnake, why?" Hermione asked.
"Huh? Like a King Cobra?" She returned, confused.
"No, it's a constrictor, American." Hermione responded. "He's even Gryffindor red-and-gold, but that didn't stop that Seamus fellow from shrieking like a girl. Najash is only two feet long or so anyways."
Parvati laughed at that, "I'd like to meet him sometime, if you think Harry would let me?" at Hermione's stunned expression she continued, "Snakes aren't feared in India, and people with a snake familiar, particularly a King Cobra, though I bet this 'kingsnake' would be similar, are especially revered in my home country's culture."
"Uh, sure, I'll ask him tomorrow." Hermione replied as she finished getting ready for bed.
o0-0oo0-0oo0-0oo0-0o
Ronald Weasley clutched tightly to his pet rat, Scabbers, in his pocket. The Slytherin common room was dark and drab, and there were snake motifs on the walls. The first years were grouped relatively tightly together, which unfortunately meant that Ron couldn't avoid hearing Malfoy continue to take pot-shots at his family's size and lack of wealth. He hoped that the boy would shut up once they got to the dorms and went to bed.
Meanwhile, Professor Snape had begun giving them an introduction to the House, "You are Slytherins, cunning and proud. Outside that door I will tolerate absolutely no fighting between Slytherins. No one out there will accept you, you are just snakes to them, so you must always present a united front. Even if it isn't true." He looked directly at Ron, "Prefects, take the first years to bed."
Ron followed the fifth year prefect, Marcus Flint, with the other first year boys. He still couldn't believe this was happening to him. He was supposed to be rooming with Harry Potter! Not Malfoy and his goon squad!
"Malfoy, Nott, Zabini," Marcus said once the group was in the dorm, "Weasley," He locked eyes with Crabbe and Goyle standing behind Draco Malfoy after getting Ron's attention, "listen to me here. Professor Snape wasn't kidding about standing together as Slytherin. I get that Weasley's family are blood traitors, but the Hat has said he's worthy of Slytherin and we're gonna treat him that way. Weasley… remember that goes both ways." Ron nodded stiffly, and noted that the others did as well with only Malfoy hesitating.
"Good," Marcus continued, I noticed that Weasley was apart from the rest of you at the feast, spend some time getting to know each other a little. You've got to spend seven years together, may as well get along. Mister Malfoy," He said, looking at Draco Malfoy, "I noticed you ostracizing Weasley in public earlier. You got away with it because Professor Snape hadn't given his first-night talk. Don't let it happen again."
"Understood."
It wasn't supposed to be like this, Ron thought as Marcus Flint closed the door on his way out.
AN: I'm sure many of you thought Harry and Hermione would end up in Ravenclaw. But as the Hat told Dudley, Ravenclaw is for those that value knowledge for knowledge's sake. Harry wants to change the world, at least a little, knowledge will just help him get there.
