"See Dorea, I told you he is not a true Potter, Potters belong to Gryffindor only." Charlus stated conclusively.

"Whatever it is, he belongs to us now" Dorea turned to Harry, "Come Harry, Slytherin table is over there."

Harry moved as if controlled by Imperious Curse. His brain refused to work. What did just happen? His being the unwanted horcrux of Voldemort was the reason why sorting hat contemplated to put him in Slytherin in his time. But he was no longer carrying Riddle's soul fragment with himself. Then what was the hat's reason in this time? Why it mentioned about his allegiance? And the bigger problem was his sorting gave all the more reasons to Tom for suspecting him now. How on earth he is going to avoid that Dark Lord in making now?

"Harry come sit here." Orion called out. Harry saw he had already saved a seat beside him. The Black scion was looking cheerful for first time after they stepped inside Hogwarts. Harry took the seat and regretted at the very next moment as it placed him just opposite to Riddle whose eyes were still fixed upon him. Harry looked at Orion just to avoid those dark orbs.

"Good job Tom, your mentoring made a Potter getting sorted into Slytherin" Abraxas Malfoy remarked which made few of the Slytherins cheering making Tom placating a smug smile.

"I am happy that we are in the same house Harry. Let me introduce you with my family members." Orion said excitedly. This is my older sister Lucretia Black, a sixth year." Orion indicated to the girl sitting beside him who nodded at him. Harry remembered Lucretia was married to Molly Weasley's uncle Ignatius Prewett. So she is her aunt by marriage.

"And that is my second cousin Alphard Black" Orion indicated to the pleasant looking boy sitting beside Tom."

"Glad to meet you finally, was eager to see you ever since we read the Daily Prophet article. I was asking Tom about you too. Didn't I Tom?" Alphard smiled warmly

"Yeah you sure did over a hundredth time." Tom replied with a little annoyance. Harry sensed Tom was a little annoyed with Alphard's over friendliness but Harry liked him at the very first glance. After all he was the only support base Sirius had got. No wonder Tom disliked anyone and everyone with little positive vibe in them.

"Meet my younger brother Cygnus, a third year Slytherin." Alphard turned to another boy beside him ignoring Tom's mockery, and that is my older sister the fifth year prefect Walburga over there, he showed the witch sitting beside Abraxas Malfoy." Harry noticed Cygnus had similarities with his youngest daughter Narcissa and Walburga though had a curved nose but didn't look like the banshee that she was in that hanging portrait at Grimmauled place, rather she looked more like her younger son Regulus Black. She however didn't care to look at Harry. It looked like snobbery always had been her main trait.

"Don't mind her, she is quite wrapped up with her own things" Orion said apologetically. So he always has a crush on his older cousin then. May be Walburga didn't pay attention to him until much later.

"And that's ours another cousin Araminta Black, in her second year." Orion showed another girl who held her nose so high to even notice Harry.

So this was Araminta Mellifula Black who wanted to make muggle-hunting legal? No wonder she was such a snob then.

"Oh come on give us a break. Our house is not only consists of Blacks there are others too who belonged to sacred twenty eights." Romelia remarked in a sarcastic yet bored tone. Lestrange and Munciber nodded in agreement too. Harry sensed there was a competitive environment even among the purebloods. That was really something.

"You must have met older Rosier girl already" Alphard gave an indicative glance to Riddle which the latter completely ignored. "There is her younger sister Druella." He pointed at the first year sitting near Romelia. Harry gasped to see a split image of Bellatrix in her mother. However as Druella nodded at him Harry felt like she could have been more like Andromeda rather than Bella.

Before the introduction process could go any longer finally sorting ceremony came to an end and headmaster Dippet stood up to announce the grand feast. In a blink dishes after dishes appeared before the students. The great hall filled with excited chirps from students especially first years. Although the little amounts of food Harry had in train had been digested long back, he was not feeling like eating anything. After being sorted in Slytherin all his plans of avoiding Tom had just been wrecked. Must he had to be fate's chew toy all the time?

"Harry why are you not eating? You need proper proteins to get rid of your physical weakness." Tom pushed a plate towards him filled with an enormous sized beef roast accompanied by pork chops, stew, Cornish pasty, jacket potatoes and sorted vegetables. Even in his depressed state of mind Harry noticed Tom offered no desert. Seriously what is with Voldemort and his aversion to anything that tastes sweet? However on the very sight of the food hunger made Harry aware of its overwhelming presence. He silently accepted the dish and started devouring Hogwarts' delicacies after two months. Tom was right. Harry had to be strong if he was to succeed his goal.

"Tom, this steak and kidney pie is so delicious, take a bite." From corner of his eyes Harry saw Romelia feeding Tom a spoonful of meat from her plate causing Alphard and some other students to chuckle. Harry didn't know why the pumpkin juice tasted so bitter suddenly.

After the grand feast was over prefects of all the four houses queued up first years and led them towards their respective common rooms.

Abraxas and Walburga led Slytherin newcomers to their dungeon. It was no different than the way Harry had seen in his second year when he visited with Ron in guise of Crabbe and Goyale to spy on Drako in order to know the truth of Slytherin heir. Although that time he was in a hurry to observe the place thoroughly. So he concentrated on doing that now. The Slytherin common room as in Harry's time was hidden behind concealed entrance that opened when Walburga uttered the code 'Sacred Twenty Eight' that amused him. Couldn't slytherins become a little more original? The emerald emblem of serpent with silver eyes were displayed on the gateway of the common room along with portrait of a huge serpent on the wall. Greenish lamps and green leather sofas gave the semi dark common room a mysterious vibe. As the entrance got concealed Harry noticed the lake water from the window as he remembered the dungeon extended partway under the lake. It gave the feel as if Slytherins were living inside a wrecked ship. All the furniture had been dark colored, there was an ancient aristocratic grandeur in the decoration yet the warmth that Gryffindore tower was used to was missing in this dungeon. Everything seemed very cold and calculative without any heartiness.

"Harry, I am too relieved that we are sorted into same house." Orion nudged Harry. "Now I don't have to face disapproval from anyone to maintain a friendship with you" At his words Harry gave an assuring nod to the youngest Black scion. He didn't want to let Orion know how disappointed he was being sorted into Voldemort's house. Not only Orion was father of Sirius but the first one in Hogwarts to make a friendship with him. Harry didn't want to cause any disappointment to him yet.

"So looks like our youngest cousin is finally able to make a friend. He was too worried about it. Alphard patted Orion's back smiling warmly and then turned to Harry.

"It is good to see you among us, Potter, you proved that one needn't to be sorted in a house just because their family members were sorted there." Alphard settled on the chair near them. Harry's mood lightened a bit at his presence. Alphard Black seemed to be only person that carried a positive vibe among Slytherins.

"You are saying that? When you had literally asked the hat to put you in Slytherin just because it is your family house? Everyone was sure that you would be sorted into Hufflepuff otherwise." Orion wondered.

"So what? I wanted to be with my family unlike you" Alphard shrugged, "I am happy for Potter to be sorted here because he lives with Riddle, and Gryffindors do hate him. So it would have made things difficult for this kid."

Harry suddenly remembered how disappointed the faces of Gryffindor table was when he was heading towards Slytherins especially Algie Longbottom. He sighed, now he was going to be antagonized by his own house members. His mood got soured again.

"Hey newbies? Do you want to join my glob stone club?" A slim looking girl approached their table. The most noticeable feature on the girl was her nose. The feature was again familiar to him.

"This is Eileen Prince from second year, she was the glob stone champion last year and founded a club herself." Alphard introduced the girl with them and Harry lifted his face to notice Snape's mother well. She surely resembled her son.

"No, not interested in glob stone, sorry." Orion replied and Harry shook his head in support. Snape's memories prevented him to be easy with Eileen. Latter left disappointedly.

"So, it must be hard for a wizard to live in a muggle orphanage right?" Alphard asked curiously.

"My cousin is always inquisitive about muggles. What a muggle life is like, what they do for living what do they think of us, biggest reason why our family is not happy with him." Orrion interjected and Alphard smiled it off.

"Well I can't really stop being me which Blacks had got a problem with. Muggles are as much human as us only without magic and yet they are capable of starting two world wars with the length of destructions that even our magical world has problem imagining. So, it is quite natural to be interested about them, don't you agree Harry?" Harry nodded in agreement. He now could see why Alphard was only support of his godfather. Slytherin dungeon was not feeling as cold and heartless now with presence of Alphard. Only Merlin knows how Tom managed to remain as negative around him.

"No wonder you have topped in muggle studies previous year." Orion chuckled "But now I am afraid that Lucre's prediction is going to be true that you will end up marrying a muggle girl and I must warn you if that happens Buurga would not approve at all and you will get disowned." Although there was genuine worry in Orion's tone Harry didn't miss the extra bit of fondness as he took Walburga's short name. Sirius's father was seriously infatuated.

Alphard also looked embarrassed at the mention of marrying muggle girl. He smiled again to brush the awkwardness off.

"Well sadly my questions about muggles remain mostly unanswered as students coming from muggle backgrounds are hardly sorted into Slytherins and other houses tend to avoid ours one. My only option was Riddle but he always ignores me whenever I bring up the topic." Alphard sounded really disappointed.

However Harry couldn't really blame Tom for not answering Alphard's question. The experience at Wool's was not at all a pleasant thing to talk about for even an otherwise friendly person. No wonder an introvert as Tom would avoid questions regarding that beside the fact that Voldemort hated to discuss his most vulnerable parts of life. As the topic of Tom rose up Harry's eyes were drawn to the corner where silhouettes of a boy and a girl standing close were visible. In semi darkness it was not clear what Tom and his older girlfriend were up to but Harry suddenly felt very tired and unenthusiastic to converse any further and couldn't help a big yawn escaping him.

Seeing him yawning Alphard got aware of the timing. "Oh, I am sorry I didn't notice how late it is, you first years must be very exhausted. You should leave for bed now" Alphard go up from chair. "Good Night Harry, we will talk again tomorrow" And he left for his dormitory.

"Come Harry, first year boy's dormitory is in the corner" Orion gathered his belongings and went for the corner room. As Harry was about to follow him after collecting his box a farm grip on his shoulder stopped him.

"So, now a Potter in Slytherin. Disappointed much Harry?" The familiar cold voice sent a chill through his spine. Gasping Harry discovered they were the only two present in common room now. Everyone including the prefects had left for dormitory now. This was the first time after morning he was facing Tom and he knew this moment would come since the sorting hat had this bright idea of putting him in Voldemort's house. Sighing he turned to Tom looking into his eyes gathering all the confidence.

"It was decision of the sorting hat, nothing was on my hand." Harry tried to shrug it off.

"Yet you tried to argue with the hat, don't try to deny I was watching you." Tom bent a little more towards Harry.

"Oh yeah! You have got eyesight of a hawk now?" Harry's day long annoyance was now coming out in the form of sarcasm.

Irked by Harry's tone Tom roughly grabbed his arm. "You are the one with weak eyesight Potter and a weak liar as well. You better spill out what going on there that the hat decided to put a Potter scion into their rival house?" Tom touched Harry's unruly bang to smooth it out. "Trust me boy you don't want me to find out your secret by any other means."

"That's enough. Stop bullying me anymore!" Harry jerked away Tom's Hand from his head with all his might pushed the older boy away. Tom was not ready for this sudden outburst. He stumbled on his feet for a moment before regaining his balance. His hand automatically went inside his robe catching the hold of his wand. He noticed Harry did the same. He waited for a second to see if Harry was going to attack him which would have confirmed Tom's doubt regarding his magical knowledge. But Harry didn't.

Although Harry wanted it. His patience had reached to its boiling point. That bastard had made his life hell in every possible way and yet Harry was the one to be assigned to the job of helping him. He still had made peace with fate's decision knowing after all Tom had a rough childhood. But it turned out Riddle was not missing the pleasure of teen life at all. In that age Harry's all focus was concentrated on how to survive from this madman's attack and the psycho in his teen was actually chilling out with a girlfriend? Harry's frustration was making him to want to hurl crucio all way out on that ass. But for past two months he had learnt to control his impulse. He knew the moment he would attack Tom he would let the secret of his magical knowledge out and Tom was just waiting for it. He took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"No need to be so cocky boy." Regaining his composure Tom went back to his signature calm and cold tone. "I have also seen how Charlus Potter rejected to acknowledge you as part of Potter family. Which means at the end of the year you are going to be back to Wools, with me, under the same roof. You might want to work on your temperament."

"We still have ten months in the hand. Who knows what happens by then" Harry didn't let his voice falter although nervousness was occupying him. Tom obviously didn't take his outburst well. But he won't stop standing up to him. This is not Wool's after all, in Hogwarts Tom would be answerable to authority if he would try to bully him further.

"Oh really? Okay we will see then" Tom smirked coldly.

"Fine we would! Now goodnight Tom, I am too sleepy to keep on arguing with you." Harry turned on his heels and strode towards his dormitory leaving Tom standing on the same spot.

Tom shook his head. Harry's sorting into Slytherin had surely surprised him and made him sure that this sorting surely had something to do with him. But he can't deny that he was also little relieved with the sorting. Now he would have no problem to keep an eye on him. However Harry's outburst had caught him little off guard. It seemed like being at Hogwarts had given extra confidence to the boy which only suggests that Harry is well acquainted with Hogwarts. Now it was more necessary for to get a grip on him. He sighed and turned towards his Dormitory. Whatever happened he was not letting the boy go out of his hand. The more challenging Harry becomes the more his deliberation intensifies.

Everyone was asleep when Harry entered into his dormitory. The ancient four poster beds were rowed up in the room. All the other beds were occupied with the curtain dropped making each bed and its occupant isolated from the other. Only one bed beside the window was empty. As Harry took the bed he could see the dark lake water tapping against the window.

"Hey Harry. What took you so long" Orion poked his head out from the curtain of nearest bed. Harry felt relieved to see him at the bed beside him. He wouldn't have felt comfortable to be near any other snob pureblood kid.

"Just caught up in collecting things." Harry replied as he placed his things beside his bed.

"Okay goodnight. We have big day ahead" Orion's head disappeared behind curtain.

Harry dropped his curtain and changed into pajama quickly. As his exhausted body finally stretched under blanket and before he lost himself into Morpheus' arms the last thing he could remember was Tom's eyes after he pushed him away. Those dark orbs were full of astonishment, disbelief, anger and a little bit of hurt? Before he could figure it out slumber had occupied him. There was a long journey ahead after all.