Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling.
Draco sat on the ground, watching the Gryffindor team practice. He felt a flare of hot jealousy as Harry caught the snitch they were practicing with and the team cheered. Draco had asked Marcus Flint if he could tryout for the Slytherin team and Marcus had just laughed and said they didn't have firsties on their team. He said Gryffindor was crazy for doing so and thought it meant the team was desperate. But watching the practice, Draco knew Flint would be in for a surprise. Harry wasn't just good, he was really good. Harry was already a celebrity in their world and now he would be a Quidditch star. It wasn't fair!
"He's a show-off, isn't he?"
Draco looked up to see Theo and Pansy standing next to him, also watching the practice.
Pansy plopped down next to Draco. "As if Potter doesn't get enough attention, right?"
Draco shrugged.
"Come on, it has to bother you," Theo sat on the other side of Draco. "After all, Potter is the golden boy," He said sarcastically. "He probably can't do anything wrong in the eyes the adults, even Professor Snape. Which means you'll get blamed for everything."
Draco fidgeted uncomfortably. He was worried about that a little...although he had seen the professor scold Harry in the past a few times so didn't that mean it wasn't true? But he had allowed Harry on the Quidditch team...
"I just feel bad for you, Draco," Pansy said sweetly. "It would be so much better if Potter wasn't in the picture, wouldn't it? Then you would have all of Professor Snape's attention. You would be his only son."
Draco glanced at her in irritation. "Well, he is in the picture and it's fine. We all get along, okay?" He smirked. "Besides, at least I'm in Slytherin. I'll be the Slytherin son."
"True," Theo said grudgingly.
HP
"I have an announcement to make," Severus said that evening, raising an eyebrow as he waited for his snakes to give him their full attention. Once he had it, he continued. "An old policy has been brought to my attention by the Headmaster. In the past, if a Head of House had a child in the school who was sorted into a different house, they automatically became an honorary member of their parents house."
"Oh no," Draco's eyes widened.
"Oh no, please don't say it," Theo muttered.
Tracey smiled. "Sir, does that mean Harry is a honorary Slytherin?"
"It does," Severus said.
Tracey grinned. "That's great!"
"Should be fun, he seems nice," Blaise agreed.
Theo glared at them. "Are you insane? We don't want Potter!" He hissed.
"Do you have a problem, Mr. Nott?"
"Uh, no sir."
"Is he part of our points system now?"
"Can he fly for our Quidditch team?"
"We don't need some first year," Marcus scoffed.
"Have you seen him fly?"
"No."
"Just wait."
"To answer your questions," Snape interrupted. "No, any points Mr. Potter earns or loses belong to Gryffindor. All this means is that he can use our common room and eat with you."
"He can come here?" Pansy complained. "A Gryffindor doesn't belong in our dorms. What if he plays pranks on us? Or sneaks his housemates in here?"
"He would not do that," Snape said coolly. "I expect all of you to be welcoming if he visits here or joins you in the Great Hall."
"What if he's the one not nice?" Pansy demanded.
Severus sighed. "I trust he will be, but if not then let me know." He looked at Draco, expecting him to look happy at the news but Draco was looking down. He frowned, wondering what was wrong. He was distracted by his worry by another student asking a question.
Draco felt like screaming. The one thing he had over Harry was being a Slytherin like Professor Snape. And now Harry was an honorary Slytherin! How was Draco supposed to be special to Severus now?
HP
Harry shifted on his feet nervously as he waited to be let in to the Slytherin common room. His dad had insisted he visit after dinner and be formally introduced to his house. Harry wasn't sure about it, he was worried that no one would want him there. He wasn't sure how he would feel if the situation was reversed. Well, he wouldn't mind Draco in Gryffindor. Or Tracey. And Blaise seemed cool.
"You look like you might sick up," Draco said bluntly. "You hate Slytherins that much?"
"Huh?" Harry blinked. "I don't hate anyone. I know some of the older Slytherins. I just don't know if I'll be welcome here. Maybe dad should take a vote or something." He looked pleadingly at Draco. "I don't want to make anyone mad."
"Oh," Draco said, feeling guilty for assuming Harry didn't want to be associated with Slytherin. He shouldn't listen to Theo or Pansy, they just confused him. "Don't worry, it will be fine." He hoped. He relaxed. "Like you said you know some of them already, like Marcus right?"
Harry nodded.
"And you have me and Tracey. Blaise was happy about it." Draco told him.
Harry relaxed and he gave Draco a genuine smile. "Thanks, Draco."
"No problem," Draco said as Snape gestured for Harry to join him in the middle of the room.
"Some of you already know him, but this is my son Harry Potter," Severus said, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. "An honorary Slytherin."
Several of the older Slytherins grinned and waved, they already knew Harry since he had practically lived at the castle over the years. Tracey and Blaise also gave him a welcoming smile but they were the only first years to do so, besides Draco.
"I expect everyone will behave themselves," Severus said warningly. He pushed Harry gently towards Draco.
"Hey Harry," Tracey said, moving over on the sofa to make room for him.
"Are you excited for your first game?" Blaise asked.
Harry brightened. "Yeah, I'm a little nervous though. Oliver Wood takes the game really seriously. He lectures forever before our practices."
"No offense little firstie, but I think it's a mistake to have you on the team," Marcus said, shaking his head. "You're too young to be playing. It can get brutal during the game."
"Especially with our team," Another fifth year joked.
"I'll be fine," Harry said.
Marcus sighed. "I'll do my best to make sure my players don't send a Bludger your way."
"Why would you do that?" Theo gave Harry a mean smile.
"Oh no, our team will have to go easy on Harry Potter," Pansy sneered. "He is a celebrity after all."
"I don't need your team to go easy on me," Harry snapped, getting annoyed.
"Be quiet, you two," Marcus glared at Theo and Pansy. He gave Harry an apologetic look. "I don't mean to hurt your feelings or anything. I just don't want to see you hurt."
"He's the competition, don't be nice to him," One of the older students, Blitz Joyner, complained.
Marcus rolled his eyes and wandered away.
"You and your team are going down, Potter," Blitz said with a smirk before walking away.
HP
"We won! We won!" Ron whooped, dancing around.
"Ron, stop cheering. Harry could have been killed!" Hermione scolded. She and several other Gryffindors had run over to Harry to make sure he was all right after he had caught the snitch.
"I'm okay," Harry said, grinning. He had been terrified, yeah but now he was too happy to have won his first Quidditch match to care.
"Uh oh," Neville said as Snape headed over to them, his face furious.
"Is he mad you won?" Seamus Finnigan whispered.
Harry started to roll his eyes at that but then paused, a flicker of uncertainty running through him. His dad wasn't mad at him, right?
"Harry, are you all right?" Severus demanded, taking his son by the shoulders and looking him over.
"I'm fine, Dad," Harry said. "I don't know what was wrong with my broom though."
"Someone jinxed it," Severus said angrily. "And when I find out who, they will be very sorry."
Harry frowned. "Why would someone do that?"
"To keep you from catching the snitch," Ron guessed.
"But he could have died," Hermione said in a worried voice. "He almost fell from his broom!"
Harry paled slightly. Was someone trying to kill him? "Dad?"
Severus put his arm around his son. "I suspect someone was playing a joke or trying to sabotage the game. I will find out who did it and they will be dealt with, I assure you."
"Harry!" Marcus ran up to them. "That was some amazing flying! I take back what I said, you're the best Seeker I've seen in ages. Are you sure you can't fly for us?"
Harry laughed. "Sorry."
"Oh well," Marcus grinned. "Our team will just have to practice even harder for our next match."
Feeling happy, Harry turned and gave his dad a tentative grin. "Did you enjoy the game, except for the jinx?"
Severus raised an eyebrow. "My House lost."
Harry's grin faded. "I'm sorry."
Severus chuckled. "I'm teasing you, son. I'm very proud of you, you were amazing. Some of those moves were a little risky though."
Harry grinned again. "It's Quidditch." He said with a casual shrug, as if that explained everything. And in a way, it did.
Severus rolled his eyes and ruffled Harry's hair. "Of course."
HP
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron shouted, waving his wand dramatically over the feather on his desk. When nothing happened, he frowned.
Harry bit back a laugh and was about to help him when Hermione spoke up.
"You're saying it wrong," Hermione said with an eye roll. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa. You have to make the 'gar' nice and long."
Ron narrowed his eyes at her. "Oh yeah? You do then, since you're oh so clever," He said sarcastically.
"Fine," Hermione picked up her wand and with a flick of her wrist said, "Wingardium Leviosa!" The feather floated up several feet above her desk. She grinned.
"Well done!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed. "Everyone, Miss Granger has done it!"
Ron scowled.
After class, Ron began complaining. "You're doing it wrong, Ron. It's Wingarrrrrdium, not wingardium," He said in a high voice. "She's a nightmare, honestly."
"That's not nice, Ron," Harry chided.
"She has no friends," Ron grumbled. "Gee, I wonder why?"
"I'm her friend," Neville protested.
Ron rolled his eyes and then stumbled as someone knocked into him. "Hey!"
Hermione hurried past and Harry could see tears in her eyes before she disappeared from view. "She heard you," Harry said.
"So?" Ron said, though he looked uncomfortable.
"Way to go," Neville snapped at Ron before hurrying ahead of them to try and catch up with her.
"You should apologize to her," Harry told his friend.
Ron sighed. "Fine. I will the next time I see her. But I still think she's annoying."
Harry rolled his eyes as they continued to their next class.
HP
Harry entered the Great Hall for dinner that evening with excitement. It was the Halloween feast and the room was decorated with a thousand live bats that fluttered from the walls and ceiling while more would swoop over the tables, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. Hundreds of carved pumpkins floated above them and suddenly the feast appeared on their golden plates.
"Not eating with us, Potty?" Theo remarked as he and Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle walked past him. "Our feelings are hurt."
"Yeah, you haven't eaten at the Slytherin table yet," Pansy said with a fake smile. "I bet Draco and Professor Snape wonder why. I bet they are hurt."
Harry stiffened. It was true, he hadn't eaten with the Slytherins but only because he wasn't sure if he would really be welcome or not. Draco hadn't said anything about it and his dad hadn't said anything since the night he formally introduced him to his snakes. So Harry had wondered if maybe they didn't actually care if he visited with Slytherin, or maybe they didn't even want him to. After all, except for a few exceptions most of the Slytherins hadn't seemed too pleased when he had visited their common room.
"Don't listen to them," Ron said as he filled his plate. "The snakes don't care if you eat with them or not. In fact, they probably don't want you to. You are a Gryffindor, after all."
Harry sighed. "I don't know. Maybe I should try?"
"You're going to leave us and eat with the Slytherins?" Seamus asked in horror. "You can't do that!"
"Yeah, what would it look like to everyone if you abandoned your own house to eat with them?" Dean Thomas added.
Harry sighed and glanced around the table. "Hey Neville, is Hermione okay? Where is she?"
Neville scowled at Ron. "I heard she was in the girls' bathroom, crying."
Ron shifted uncomfortably. "I'm going to apologize when I see her," He defended himself. "I just haven't seen her since Charms."
"That's because she's been crying since Charms," Lavender Brown said, overhearing their conversation.
Harry stood up.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm just going to say hello to the Slytherins and then I'll come back," Harry said. That was a good compromise, wasn't it?
Ron glanced over at the Slytherin table. "Good luck, mate."
Harry made a face. "Thanks." He walked over and noticed his dad was looking at him appraisingly. He gave a weak smile and then stood by Draco. "Uh, hey guys."
"Hi Harry!" Tracey and Blaise greeted cheerfully.
"Are you sitting with us?" Draco asked in surprise. Harry hadn't sat with them yet and Draco had relaxed, thinking he wouldn't have to compete with Harry in his own house.
"No, I was just coming by to say hi," Harry gave a weak smile. "Happy Halloween."
"Uh, you too," Draco said. "It's pretty brilliant in here. The decorations are amazing."
"Yeah, I've always loved the decorations," Harry said, looking up. "Hagrid grows the best pumpkins. Just wait until Christmas, the trees are amazing."
"It must have been nice, getting to grow up in the castle," Blaise said.
Harry smiled. He'd loved it. He loved their house too. Having two homes when once only having a cupboard had been like a dream. "It was great. I got to play with a lot of the students, which was fun. I also know the castle pretty well," Harry grinned.
Tracey moved over so Harry could sit, which he did without thinking and began chatting easily with Tracey and Blaise.
Draco started to join in but paused when he saw Theo and Pansy looking at him disapprovingly. Some of the other students were as well. He settled just for listening and occasionally making a comment.
"He wants to be better liked than you," Theo whispered. "In your own house! It's insulting!" He patted Draco on the shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll take care of him."
Before Draco could respond Professor Quirrell ran into the hall, looking panicked. "Troll! In the dungeons! Thought you should know," He collapsed in a faint.
As everyone began shouting in fear, Draco noticed a gleeful look on Theo's face.
TBC: