Disclaimer: This is a fan fiction using characters, settings, and plot lines from the Harry Potter world owned by J.K. Rowling. I own nothing except original characters.

September 1st

After an uncomfortable hour spent on the stuffy bus, it finally reached King's Cross Station. Harry slumped in relief and wiggled between two doughy middle-aged women as he made a break for the exit. Burdened by his trunk, Harry barely made it down the stairs and onto the sidewalk before the bus driver rudely shut the doors and speed off. Harry scowled at the bus and coughed on its exhaust. Rubbing his hands together (and thanking the heavens he was early) Harry began the slow journey of hefting his trunk towards the barrier. Overall, it made quite a funny picture, a scrawny prepubescent boy harshly tugging on an oversized trunk and moving maybe an inch a minute. If Harry had been back in Surrey right now, he figured he'd already have attracted quite the ensemble of "good Samaritans" luckily though, this was London and hardly anyone payed him any mind. When Harry finally reached the entrance of the station, he slumped in relief at the sight of an abandoned trolly by the doors. With the new set of wheels, he was able to move much quicker and he speed down the platform looking for nine and ten. Harry knew he didn't have to rush, just glancing at the large clock bolted to the ceiling showed he had plenty of time, but as Hogwarts drew near Harry had found himself growing inexplicitly more excited. At least for the novelty of it all.

Harry deftly maneuvered his trolley through the crowds, craning his neck and at times giving a little hop to see over people's heads. In truth Harry had almost walked completely by platform nine and ten. It was only when a very tall man that had an eye watering fuchsia top hat bent down to pick up a newspaper that Harry saw the platform number previously covered by the man's hat.

Harry smiled and quickly turned to his other side and began to approch the pillars that hid platform 9&3/4. He could begin to feel his heart hammering in his chest took a deep shaky breath. The pillars were getting closer, the magic world was getting closer. Harry slipped between two groups of obnoxious tourists and broke into a light jog. His aunt had told them that his mother always said to approach the barrier quickly – less time for your brain to tell you to stop. Harry's cart squalled and the wheels rattled on the cracked cement. The wall was getting closer and Harry could feel himself unconsciously tense, preparing for collision. With a deep breath he squeezed his eyes shut and started to sprint. And then he hit the barrier.

The Barrier felt like a warm egg yolk that he had to push against until it popped and let him out on the other side. He half expected to be wet. But when Harry opened his eyes, he was not wet, and he was certainly not in the muggle station anymore. In front of him stretched a long locomotive steam engine painted a bright scarlet red. Despite being early people hustled around the train tracks and yelled at running kids that would sprint past with squeals of joy. Harry was in awe. It was not as magical or grand as Diagon Alley, but the presence of the steam engine just seemed to scream promise to Harry. He was so in awe that Harry forgot to move, something that was rudely remined for him when he felt the front of a cart clip his heels.

"Watch it!" a nastily sounding voice snarled from behind Harry as he stumbled forward; his body hitting his cart with the momentum of a pinwheeling falling boy. He could only watch in horror as if by fate the platform cleared of people and his carte went hurtling full speed into the large locomotive. Harry desperately wished that some of his accidental magic would flare up, that it would stop the carte, but no such think happened. Instead his cart hurtled merrily along until with a resounding crash it nailed the side of the train leaving a large gash on the trains previously perfect paint job.

People on the platform quieted and began to whisper as Harry felt his face heat up. He scrambled up from his sprawled position and quickly scurried to the wreckage in front of him. As he moved forward he could feel the multitude of eyes on him. It made his skin ich and his blood boil. Harry quickly ripped the carte away from the train and with strength born of desperation hauled his trunk up the staircase as fast as he could. Harry ducked his face and hurried through the crowded train looking for an empty compartment. There were children all around him laughing and shouting, but after his early morning, cramped bus ride, and embarrassment on the platform, Harry was tired and just wanted to be alone. After walking for several minutes towards the back of the train he finally found an empty compartment.

Propping his feet up Harry sighed in relief as he rested his head on the cool window. Now all that was left was the train ride to Hogwarts. Checking his timepiece (an old windup that his Aunt had found in a pawn shop) he noted that there was still an hour before the train was set to leave. Harry sighed and closed his eyes.

oOo

Archie shifted under his father's invisibility cloak and egged towards the crowds on the platform. He would have to move quickly to get on the train without arousing suspicion. But that was looking exceedingly more difficult as the platform became more and more busy. It was at this point that Archie was considering taking the clock off and submitting himself to the masses when a loud crash grabbed everyone's attention. And luckily with their attention they also stopped moving. Archie grimaced in sympathy of the cherry faced boy that was running towards his wayward luggage but wasn't about to take a gift house in the mouth. Using the provided distraction Archie quickly entered the train and slid into an empty compartment towards the back of the train. Enjoying the quite Archie slumped on the seat and failed to take off his cloak. He knew that soon news of his arrival would permeate the train and he would then be swamped with well-wishers and brown nosers.

So lost in thoughts, Archie startled badly when the compartment door opened. He briefly panicked that he was already discovered, but relaxed when he was not acknowledged. The boy that shoved his way in was the same one from the platform. He was simar in stature to Archie and if not for his shortly cropped hair, bright green eyes, and lack of glasses Archie could have mistaken him for his twin. Archie shifted uncomfortably on his seat. He was invisible now and did not want to reveal his cloak, a closely guarded family secret. But he also could not spend the whole train ride invisible. Alex was still trying to figure out how he could reasonably appear out of thin air without the cloak being reveled when his problem was solved for him. The boy collapsed on a seat and after a brief moment checking a dinged watch, closed his eyes and fell asleep. After watching him for a couple of seconds Archie quickly shoved his cloak off and stuffed it in one his pockets in his wizarding cloak.

Now that the danger of discovery had passes Archie was able to more closely observe the stranger. His hair appeared curled, but it was hard to tell with how close it had been shorn to his head. He had pale skin that at times reveled spidery blue veins, and was also in warn muggle clothes. Archie had some muggle clothes for his brief forays into the muggle world but preferred his wizarding clothes. With how worn these clothes were, in combination with not being in eyewatering color, Archie felt he could reasonably assume that the boy was a muggleborn. That would be great. If the boy was a muggleborn then there was a high likelihood that he would not know who he was and immediately scream when he saw him. Archie closed the blinds and settled back into his seat. With another cursory glance at the boy he grabbed a toy snitch from his pocket and started to toss it around and snatching it from the air as it flirted around his head.

He had been at it awhile when the train finally jerked to a start and whistled its departure. Out the window Archie could see parents waving their children's departure, some smiling, some crying. He wished his father could have been there but if he had it would have just attracted undue attention. As it was his father had promised to sneak on the grounds and say goodbye as a stag. Archie smiled to himself at the thought of a huge stag marching through Hogwarts's halls like it owned the place. His father may try to deny it but his animagus form practically oozed smugness and pompness when he was turned. He absolutely sucked at pretending to be a normal deer.

When Archie turned back around, he froze at the inquisitive stare of his cabin mate. The boy had woken up from the loud whistle blow and realize he was not as alone as when he had fallen asleep. Archie ruffled his hair nervously and gave a wane smile.

"Er, Hello?"

The boy continued to stare until he abruptly shook himself and gave a nervous smile of his own.

"Hello, names Harry Evans. Who are you?" He stuck is hand out and stared at Archie expectantly. Archie hastily grabbed his hand to shake, his hands clammy and cold. He was exceedingly nervous. His father and godfather had raised him very sheltered and Archie could count on one hand the number of times he had actually talked to a kid his own age. He hoped he didn't screw up somehow.

"Archie Potter" His stomach felt liked it fell to the floor as he watched the other boy's reaction. As soon as his last name was uttered Harry went from relaxed to ram rod straight and paled dramatically as he staired at him with wide eyes. Archie sighed inwardly. It looked like this Harry boy was no different than all the others. He mentally began to prepare himself for the awe and flood of questions. He could already predict that the boys first question would be his scar. Just the thought of showing it made it burn with phantom pain. It was a nasty scar that started from mid neck and spanned down to his collar bone and across his shoulder. Because it had been created from dark magical means the healers had been unable to heal it without residue scar tissue. Archie had always hated his scar and the looks it got and so always wore high necked shirts. But that did not stop people from demanding to see it. His hands had already started to unconsciously travel to the top buttons of his shirt when the boy slumped back into his seat and gave a weak "oh." Archie waited for a follow up. None came. The boy – Harry- was still staring at him, and was still slightly pale and queasy looking but he had not started a torrent of questions, or screamed, or started to stare at him like he was some type of god. As far as reactions went Archie decided that he liked Harry's the best. Hell, he hadn't even asked to see his scar.

"So are you excited for Hogwarts?" Harry startled badly at Archies next question and looked down at his lap.

"Um, No? Maybe? I miss my family more than anything"

Archie stared. This was the first time he had heard of someone not excited to go to Hogwarts. He himself was ecstatic. He had had to spend days convincing his father to let him go and even then, it had been a close call. He decided to tell Harry so.

"Well I absolutely can't wait! Honestly, I've been stuck at home for so long and my father barely lets me out of his sight to begin with so I was about ready to climb the bloody walls!" Archie smiled at Harry and tried to wink conspiracy like his Uncle Siris did. He though he had done a pretty decent job too until he saw Harry frown at him. Archie wrinkled his head in confusion. Had he made another mistake? He was trying to be funny but apparently his joke had fallen flat. Blushing lightly, he cleared his throat.

"So have you always known you were a wizard? Or did you just find out?"

The other boy shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Oh well, I've known for a while. Our family had produced witches and muggles before so they knew what was happening when I made things float and whatnot."

Archie nodded sagely "Well that's good. It can come as a nasty surprise to people that don't know about our world"

"Yeah. . ."

Archie looked down at his hands as his blush darkened. He was trying damnit! He would not fail at making his first friend. Thinking desperately he remember something that his uncle Remus once said, everyone loves chocolate. He dug his hand into one of his pockets and Yes! He found some chocolate frogs. They were a little big mashed up, but he figured they still tasted alright. Desperately (and a little aggressively) Archie thrusted a chocolate frog under Harry's nose.

"Here! I have chocolate frog you can have! Do you have a chocolate frog collection? I can help you make one if you don't! I have lots…" Archie looked down in embarrassment as Harry didn't immediately reply and started to retract his hand. It looked like the boy didn't want to be his friend after all. But just as he was putting his hand down, Harry reached over and plucked the frog out of his grip. He looked at it curiously while Archie looked hopefully on until Harry turned to him with a confused expression on his face.

"What's a chocolate frog?"

Archie felt a smile grow on his face and he sat up straighter.

"Oh a chocolate frog is brilliant! They're chocolate obviously, But they also move! Not for long though, they only really have one good hop in them. Still, unless you want to be picking lint off its feet its better to catch it while its airborne. And you also get Wizarding cards with each frog! They're collectables and have every notable wizard or witch in history. I myself am only missing Nicholas Flamel" Archie slightly swelled with pride at that admission. His Chocolate frog card collection was his pride and joy and was almost completed. Harry nodded and looked at the packaging intensely. Archie watched eagerly as he opened the flap of the carton. Upon opening the frog flew out while Harry jerked back in surprise. Archie nimbly caught the frog as it traveled through the air and passed it back to Harry who had gotten over his initial scare.

"I didn't realize that they jumped that high"

"yeah they can jump quite high. One once went over my head" Harry stared at the boy in shock and Archie grinned back. His plan was working! Chocolate bribery really was the best. He would have to get Uncle Remus a gift. "Well? What card did you get?" he leaned over the compartment eagerly and tried to crane his neck to look into the box. The candy was good but the cards really were his favorite.

"Oh… Ah…" Harry quickly shoved the frog in his mouth and chewed rapidly as he grabbed a tin foil out of the bottom of the box. He looked at the card and swallowed noisily before glancing back at Archie's eager face.

"I got Nicholas Flamel"

Archie could feel his smile dim a little at those words. He knew he shouldn't but at that moment Archie really wished he had not given Harry that candy. In fact, it was all Harry's fault! If he had been nicer and not so damn quiet Archie would have never given him that candy and the card would be his! So deep in his stewing Archie at first failed to notice Harry talking.

"So you need this card right? Do you want it?"

Archie blinked at him in shock. "Parden?"

"You need this card to finish your collection, right? So do you want it? I don't have a collection, so it doesn't matter to me"

Archies eyes widened and his smile came back full force. He collection would be complete! He enthusiastically nodded and snatched the card from Harry's proffered hand. Sure he now though Harry was little weird to just give his card away, but he was certainly not complaining.

"Thanks!"

Harry smiled back at him and relaxed. "So what's Hogwarts like?"

Archie and Harry spend the rest of the train ride talking about Hogwarts with only very brief brakes in between when the food trolly came around (Archie insisted on buying all the chocolate frogs for Harry as a thanks so Harry was now running on a sugar high) and when the Malfoy boy rudely barged into their compartment. However, upon seeing Harry he colored slightly and left with a mumbled excuse. All in all, the train ride with Harry quickly became one of the best days in Archie's life. So he was sad indeed when he felt the train start to slow to a stop.

"come on we're almost to the station; we need to change into our uniforms"

oOo

Harry had just fished shrugging on his robes when the train lumbered to a stop and a booming voice echoed down the train "LEAVE ALL LUGAGE ON THE TRAIN"

Harry looked at Archie and he shrugged as they turned to walk out the door together. Harry noticed that as soon as they had left the compartment Archie ducked his head and rounded his shoulders, as if trying to make himself unnoticeable. It remined him of when he used to get bullied in school. Honestly Harry didn't know what to think of Archie Potter. He was his brother, and while he did not hate him like he hated their father, he also did not know him. When Archie had first appeared before him and introduced himself Harry had felt his blood freeze and had barley stopped himself from having a panic attack. He had only fully relaxed when he realized that Archie did not recognize him. Archie seemed nice and also seemed to be in sore need of a friend. He had been practically desperate when he had shoved the sweet under Harry's nose and Harry had felt bad about snubbing the boy when he was trying so hard to be nice. It wasn't his fault that he had mentioned their shared father. So Harry had took the sweet, smiled, and started to talk back. And honestly, it wasn't bad. Archie was funny and sweet and made Harry smile. Talking with Archie let him see what a relationship with his brother could be like, and though he was still wary of being friends with him Harry had decided there was little danger of him being found out. They didn't even look that similar. While they had the same build and hair color, Archie wore his long and wild while Harry's was kept short. And While Harry had bright green eyes and contacts, Archie had thick coke bottle glasses and hazel eyes with just a tint of green to them. He did dress kind of funny though. Harry had noticed that his shirts were high necked even though it was hot out and he refused to unbutton it even a little despite the obvious gathering of sweat at his color. He eventually just wrote it off as a weird quirk and left it at that.

Getting off the train with Archie proved to be difficult. It was pounding rain outside and in the black of the night, with students in black cloaks, Harry soon found himself separated from Archie. Harry looked around in dismay when he realized that Archie had disappeared in the crowd; unsuccessfully trying to locate him in the throngs of people. It was no use. With the darkness and rain Harry could barely see in front of him much less others faces. With a despondent sigh he turned towards the only land marker around – a giant of a man who was bellowing for First years at the top of his lungs. The man looked to be seven or eight feet tall and was three times thicker than any man Harry had met. He had skin that resembled the rough bark of a tree and wild, wiry brown hair. From inside the mass of hair two beady black eyes that shined like beetle husks peered out over the crowd. Harry hurried over to the man with several others as the man began a head count.

"Are we all here? GOOD! Now follow me and watch yer step; its damned slippery right here it is" the large man turned away from their shivering group of wet cloaks and plunged into the forest behind him. The first years squeaked and ran into the forest behind the man, following the only light around, his bobbing lantern.

Harry cursed and leaned heavily on the shoulder of some girl beside him. This was the third time he had tripped on a root during this walk and he was sure that he was about to acquire a new sprained ankle. The girl beside him groaned in sympathy and hosted him up by his arm. He didn't know who she was, only that they had been helping each other stop from falling and that she had thick frizzy hair that kept finding itself in Harry's mouth. Harry grimaced and spit out the bit that had just snuck in. Normally Harry would have been seriously annoyed with the girl and her hair by now but at the moment he was just two grateful for her help walking.

After a couple of more minutes, and more that a few students becoming covered in mud, they followed the giant man out of the trees and to the shore of a very large lake where a series of small boats awaited.

"All right! No more than four to a boat! Get on now!" The large man shoed Harry and the rest of the school children towards the boats. Children awkwardly clambered into different boats. One girl screamed as she overbalanced and landed but down in the water. Another boy complained about his feet getting wet. Harry didn't really see the point – they were already soaked to the bone. Harry and his Crutch friend slid into one of the last boats with a round faced sandy haired blond and a haughty looking black boy that looked like he had a stick up his arse. Since they were the last ones in a boat Harry and his crutch friend had barely settled dawn before the large man bellowed "FORWARD, SAIL!" At that command, all the boats on the shore obediently glided across the water of the lake. They were powered by magic so there was no engine or sail and were exceedingly quiet.

Harry leaned over the edge of the boat to take a quick peek in the water but only saw a brief movement that looked like a large tentacle. He leaned back in the boat. He had no aspirations to find out what that tentacle was attached to. The girl beside him cleared her throat and stuck out a hand.

"Hello. My name is Hermione Granger. And you are?" Harry jerked back a little at the girls strait forward manner but shook her hand anyways.

"Harry Evans"

The girl gave him a firm nod of approval and turned expectantly towards the other two occupants in the small boat. The round-faced boy blushed under scrutiny.

"Neville Longbottom" as he finished giving his name a loud croaking noise came from the boy's clothes. Harry and Hermione looked at Neville strangely. The other boy continued to stare straight ahead. "Oh! And this is my toad Trevor!" Neville said much more enthusiastically as he dug through his robe pockets for his toad. When he extracted it Harry looked on with interest. The toad was large and shinny with thick gray green skin and intelligent eyes. Harry could see Hermione wrinkle her nose out of the corner of his eye. Trevor the toad gave another croak in greeting before suddenly wiggling out of Neville's fist and leaping through the air.

"TREVOR! NO!" The toad was soaring through the air between the benches and had almost made it to the lake when the quiet boy deftly snatched the toad out of the air. Holding one of its legs between two fingers the boy screwed up his face in distaste and dropped the toad back into Neville's lap. Harry fancied that the toad was pouting.

"Oh good catch!" Hermione applauded from her seat "and you are?"

The toad snatching boy gave her an annoyed look "Blaise Zabini"

Hermione would have probably opened her mouth to berate Zabini on his appalling manners but luckily for him Hogwarts had finally come into view. Any arguments became forgotten and a hush fell over the group as all the children staired at awe at the castle before them.

Harry had never seen a building so big or beautiful. It butted up to the side of the lake and appeared to glow under the light of what must have been hundreds of thousands of candles. It had three large towers that pierced the air and thick walls that spoke of a time when it had been a fortress. Harry though it was beautiful – and formidable.

"All right now! Watch yer heads!"

The boats slipped into a cavern cut into the side of the castle and Harry ducked under a hanging eve that tickled his cheek. With a soft bump the boats landed at the dock and the giant man ordered everyone out. Eger to get out the children pushed and shoved each other out of the way. Harry himself took a very sharp elbow to the ribs.

They all followed the man up a series of twist and turns and up several flights of stairs. When they finally entered what seemed to be a grand entrance hall several of them were out of breath. Waiting for them was a thin older woman who had a tightly pursed mouth and slightly bulging eyes. She was dressed in sharp green tartan robes and had a classic witch's hat perched jauntily on her head.

"Hagrid! Were there any problems?" Ah. So, his name was Hagrid.

"Naw professor McGonagall we got's here just fine. A wee wet though!" Hagrid let out a deep booming laugh and McGonagall gave a small smile.

"Yes well, let me fix that right up" She took out a thin piece of wood- her wand- and waved it in several complicated loops and swirls around the group. Suddenly, Harry felt a hot blast of air flow by and he became dry again! It was amazing! The woman smiled down at the excited chattering of the children. "Can I have your attention?" The children all quieted immediately.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. This will be your home for the next seven years. When you enter the Great Hall you will be sorted into one of four houses. There is Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Gryffindor. You can gain or lose house points and will be competing for the House cup at the end of the year. Your House's victories will be your victories and your houses losses will be your losses. Now I suggest some of you smarten up!" She cast a stern look at the group pausing at Neville and a red headed boy before turning and striding back into the Great Hall. Harry shifted nervously and tugged at his collar while other students broke out in hushed whispers.

"How will we be sorted?"

"I heard we had to wrestle a troll"

"I'm gonna be sick"

"That's completely illogical!"

Harry grimaced and tried not to think about trolls. What did trolls even look like anyway? Probably horrifying monsters that would love to eat him. Harry was just beginning to imagine the particulars of magical trolls when he felt a small tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw Archie holding a finger to his lips and hiding in his shadow. Harry smiled at Archie.

"Do you really think its gonna be a Troll?"

Archie shrugged noncommittedly "dunno my father and uncles refused to say" Harry felt is mouth tighten a bit and hummed

"Yeah my aunt wouldn't tell me either. Apparently, its tradition"

Archie scowled and opened his mouth to reply when shrieks started to fill the air. Startled, they both wiped toward the sound and found themselves face to face with translucent ghosts. There were four of them total and appeared to be having an argument among themselves.

"Peeves must go! He is giving us ghosts a bad name!"

"You say this every year and every year he stays" another ghost nodded in agreement

"Face it Peeves is here to stay" The original speaker bolstered up as much as a ghost could until he caught sight of the children

"Is it that time already?"

"I believe so"

'Well welcome students!" One of the ghosts breezed up them and his ghostly stomach jiggled. "My name is the Fat Friar, I am Hufflepuff's ghost! It really is the best house you know"

Another ghost made a shocked sound and went right through the Friar. "Nonsense the Gryffindor house is the best; I should know I'm its ghost" The man plucked at his ruffled collar and stared disdainfully at the friar while students shivered around them. It appeared that the air temperature dropped wherever a ghost was. The two other ghosts, a lady and a man with rattling chains remained silent.

The student had just begun to edge away from the two bickering ghosts when the doors to the Great Hall opened wide and Professor McGonagall appeared, smartly rapping a shoe against the flagstones. Harry and Archie, along with most of the students rushed eagerly toward her to get away from the ghosts. Harry had decided that he'd rather take the troll than the ghosts. Clustered at the Entrance of the hall the doors closed again, and the Professor ordered them to stay there until their name was called to be sorted.

After the students had worked themselves up into believing that they were to be wresting a troll the sorting itself was underwhelming. A dirty patched hat was set on a stool and the students were instructed to come up and place the hat on their head when their name was called. However, it was at that point that the hat became a lot more magical. A slit in the frayed hat opened wide and a song burst forth echoing throughout the hall

"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your

bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.

You might belong in

Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in

Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old

Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in

Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

(Excerpt from J.K. Rowling's Book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. All rights of excerpt belong to J.K. Rowling)

And with that song the sorting began. Abbot, Hannah went to Hufflepuff while Boot, Terry went to Ravenclaw. As each student was called they would have to take a long walk up to the front of the Great Hall where they would wait for the professor to drop the hat on their head. The hall would then hush as they would watch the new student get sorted and erupt in cheer when their house was called. The House that the student was part of was always the loudest.

Since Evans was in the beginning of the Alphabet Harry did not have to wait long to be called.

"Evans, Harry" Harry squeezed Archie's hand and started to wiggle himself out of the crowd of first years. The walk up to the front of the Hall was nerve wracking and Harry could feel sweat sliding down his neck as the hall quieted. In what felt like no time at all, but also an eternity latter, Harry arrived at the stool.

Professor McGonagall gave Harry a small smile and gently lowered the hat onto his head. When the hat had settled it dropped over his eyes so that all he could see was the inside of its brim.

"well, well, well, what have we here? Harry Evans? Hmmm… related to Lily Evans perhaps?"

Harry felt his heart almost jump out of his chest. The hat could talk! The hat could talk in his head. Harry screwed his eyes closed and thought as hard as he could no, no, Lily Evans in not related to me. However, it was all for not as the hat gave a sharp laugh and seemed to settle further on his head.

"don't lie to me boy, I know she's your mother! I can see it in your head! No matter, lets see what house to sort you in"

Harry felt nauseous but kept quiet. He hoped the hat would be fast. He wasn't sure he liked it all that much.

"Let's see, lots of courage but also a sneaky side to you. Oh, and that there is a nice hunger to prove yourself. Hmmm, you will work hard but you don't enjoy it and you also don't learn for the sake of learning, so I suppose you'll be either Gryffindor or Slytherin. Now isn't that interesting? The two houses that are diametrically opposed" The hat sniggered on his head.

Gryffindor or Slytherin? Harry scrunched up his nose. What was the difference between them really? They were all just children. In fact the only thing he could see that was different was that one had the mascot of a snake and one had the mascot of a lion. A lion? A lion! Suddenly Harry dearly did not want to be a Gryffindor. He did not want to go to the House with a lion as its coat of arms. He was already traumatized enough from his visit to the zoo thank you very much.

"You don't want to be a Gryffindor because you hate lions?" The hat laughed uproariously on his head "Very well, then it better be SLYTHERIN!"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I FINISHED IT! IN LESS THAN A WEEK! I hope yall enjoy this! I always though it was funny how people give the characters super deep reasons why they go to one house or another. It me, I've always thought that they were eleven and I remember how much of a stupid shit I was at eleven. So, I wanted Harry's reason for being in the House of snakes over lions to also be a stupid eleven year old reason. Like simply not liking Lions after the zoo incident. Anywho, stay safe yall