Here is the next chapter. Please note in this chapter that people have gone into the houses I wanted them to go into. This is not canon so if you were expecting that then I'm sorry. Please read and review it and we'll see where it goes. Love Moon xxx
Everyone looked at Professor McGonagall in shock as she looked truly furious and exceptionally harried from running quickly to another part of the castle to greet them somewhere different then was the norm. "Hello everyone I am Professor McGonagall the vice headmistress of Hogwarts, Transfigurations Professor and head of Gryffindor house. Please excuse my appearance. Usually our grounds keeper Hagrid escorts you to the school but it would seem he didn't turn up for some reason so you've entered the school in a different place than normal!" she said scrutinizing them all carefully. They were all so small in that large atrium. Harry looked around stunned at the beautiful stone work. It did look truly divine and he endeavoured to find out later on how it had been built. He refocused looking at Professor McGonagall once again before he got lost in the various moving portraits all around them which fascinated him so much. How had they been made? He planned to research that in the library as soon as he knew where it was. Maybe he could even make one of himself as a gift for his aunt. If it could talk maybe he could communicate with her from the distance.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. It is a privilege each of you should get to attend Hogwarts at all and is not something to be taken lightly. Here at Hogwarts we have four houses respectively called Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Slytherin house values cunning and resourcefulness. Gryffindor house values bravery and chivalry. Hufflepuff house values hard work and loyalty and lastly Ravenclaw house values knowledge and wit. No matter what house you end up you are expected to do all you can to be good and model students!" she commanded as Harry smiled. One of those sounded highly exciting to him and he sure hoped he'd be placed there. Slytherin didn't appeal to him because any house which valued cunning as one of its traits was not an intelligent house. The point of being cunning was to do so quietly not by announcing like a fool that it is the main trait of your house. His nose wrinkled in disgust at that. McGonagall saw him wrinkle his nose in disgust when she mentioned Slytherin and smiled brighter then she had been previously. When he saw her do that he raised his eyebrows almost as if to ask her why it pleased her that he visibly expressed his own dislike for Slytherin which served to make her frown. She was very easy to read. He guessed she had been happy because she'd assumed him not liking Slytherin meant he'd definitely go to Gryffindor. How naïve she was.
"In a moment we will enter the great hall where you will be individually sorted into your houses…"
"Will we have to fight a troll? I'm not ready ma'am. My brothers said you need to fight a troll to get sorted. I don't even know any magic spells yet!" Ron exclaimed in a panic as she gripped her nose in rage.
"Young man pull yourself together this instant. From your red hair I can but assume you're a Weasley family member. I can assure you that your brothers were most incorrect. It is more likely they thought they were being funny when really they were being incredibly stupid. Hopefully they only said this to you. Twenty points from Gryffindor for sheer stupidity for them both I think ought to teach them a lesson. I see nothing funny about this and you there will lose twenty points for your own house once you're sorted for laughing at something which is unintelligent" she sneered at Draco who had burst out laughing and now looked mad.
"I am a pureblood madam! Do you have any idea who I am? My father will hear about this!" he snapped as she glared at him her ire now very visible on her face. In fact she looked very threatening indeed.
"Yes he will hear about this from me now do pipe down you silly little boy. You are sorted using a sorting hat. Nothing more and nothing less. In the great hall behind me where we eat each day you will see four huge hour glasses up again the front wall. Inside them are some coloured crystals. Each crystal represent house points which are given to those who perform well at a task in class or otherwise. They are taken away for any rule breaking which impacts on your house as a whole. To begin the year everyone starts with fifty house points as a base and we go from there. At the end of the year the house which has the most points will win the coveted house cup!" she said as Harry decided to ask her something.
"Excuse me ma'am but when this house cup is won how is it decided who should be awarded the honour of taking it home with them? I imagine many people should like the privilege but I don't want to have to fight anyone for it in case whichever house I'm in wins it" he said as she frowned. She'd never truly thought of that as no one had ever asked her that before. They'd obviously not thought of it or something due to nerves.
"You have misunderstood me young man. The house cup is won and resides inside the head of houses office for the next year. No one takes it home but the whole house takes great pride in aiding to win it. Once they have won it they have the satisfaction of being the house that did win it for the whole of the next year. Currently that house is Slytherin but I do hope to change that if I can. As I said I teach Transfigurations and I head house Gryffindor. Professor Snape teaches potions and heads house Slytherin. Professor Sprout teaches Herbology and heads house Hufflepuff. Professor Flitwick teaches charms and heads house Ravenclaw. In a moment I will be ready for you to join me for your sorting but until I am please make yourself look presentable!" she said as she left via a side entrance to get the stool and hat ready for the ceremony.
While she was gone someone screamed as others joined them when ghosts floated through the walls. Harry himself didn't scream however he remained rooted to the spot unable to move as they terrified him. He'd never seen anything so scary well that is if you didn't count that flying green light he sometimes remembered in his dreams from when he was a baby. She came back out into the hallway once more stunned at the screaming students and further stunned at Harry whom she could tell was literally rooted to the spot in terror.
"Ok we're ready for you now. Please follow me. Young man please come along!" she instructed as Harry seemed to remember where he was and told his feet to move forwards but they couldn't. He was literally scared stiff. She looked very sorry for him and instructed the ghosts to go away at which point some colour returned to his cheeks.
"I am so very sorry ma'am. I have never seen anything that frightening except some flying green light once when I was a baby although I can't remember why that scares me just that it does! I see it in my dreams from time to time. They are so scary my goodness. Will they be able to hurt me?" he rambled moving forwards as she gasped her hand flying to her mouth in horror. So he'd remembered the killing curse. It was something which had oddly made her shed a tear.
"No child they will not hurt you and I promise you this. You know they have ghosts in the muggle world too if I can find a book on it sometime I'll show you. Are we all ready? Great then go on in now please!" she instructed wiping at the few tears escaping her eyes as they all walked forward. Albus looked concerned when a tearful Minerva entered with the students. He wondered what it was about but would find out later on at some point he presumed. Right now they needed to be sorted.
Harry gasped as he entered the gold guilded great hall. It was designed with loads of stone bricks which were surrounded neatly with gold. Many candles were suspended from the ceiling giving the whole place an air of enchantment which looked divine. The ceiling itself had been bewitched to look like the nights sky and although not totally accurate still looked amazing. They were asked to form a line and one by one were called up to be sorted.
Harry was fascinated watching where each person would go. Neville went into Hufflepuff and was genuinely delighted as he adored plants so much. Augusta wouldn't be too happy about it initially but as soon as she saw how genuinely happy it made him she'd be alright again. When she saw how accepting Hufflepuff was and indeed how much he would grow in leaps and bounds in that house she'd be so proud of him for it. Ron had gone to Gryffindor where everyone in his family was usually sorted and looked highly relieved to be there. Harry could spot a couple of red heads sitting at that particular house which he assumed to be relations of the young boy. Hermione was still sitting with the hat on her head and a very red face. She appeared to be shouting at it much to the shock of Professor McGonagall and everyone else in the hall who could see her. The hat was charmed with silencing charms which automatically activated as soon as you put it on which meant no one could hear what she was talking about. When it declared that she was in Ravenclaw she looked furious and devastated at the same time. She took it off throwing it on the ground and bursting into tears.
"I wanted Gryffindor so I could be wonderful just like the headmaster but it said no! Why would it be so mean like that?" she said going to Ravenclaw where everyone looked stunned she was so upset. It went on and on with Draco going to Slytherin and suddenly it was Harry's turn. He felt very awkward as everyone there was whispering suddenly about how he looked and everything. He sat nervously on the stool as the hat was placed over his forehead covering his eyes and obscuring the hall from view.
Well this is indeed interesting. Please relax Mr Potter I am not out to hurt you although your occlumency shields are astounding. I can tell you've worked for years to perfect them. I can get through any mindscape you see although yours should be sufficient in keeping our headmaster and indeed potions master out of your head thank Merlin. Now as for those traits of the other houses you're thinking of I wouldn't count Slytherin out you know. It could help you on your way to greatness you know, well that is if it actually suited you which it does not. You are an amazing young boy and I can tell you will do well in this house. They are lucky to have you Mr Potter. If the headmaster asks you to his office always insist in bringing your head of house with you each time. I know you've studied the school charter and know this already. I wish you well with your studies. Better be RAVENCLAW!" he said as Harry smiled brightly.
He'd wanted Ravenclaw and this felt great. It would seem when you didn't demand a house as Hermione had obviously been doing with Gryffindor you could get what you desired by simply showing the hat why that was the best house for you logically. It was most logical and was indeed the assumption of Harry anyway. Everyone in the hall was stunned and Ravenclaw erupted with loud cheers. Dumbledore was thoroughly stunned and Minerva looked like she wanted to seriously curse everyone in her direct line of sight. She was absolutely furious he wasn't in her house. Filius however was ecstatic. Pomona and oddly enough Severus were delighted for him. Who knows, he hasn't gone into Gryffindor like his father so maybe he isn't the same terror Severus thought with interest. Harry resembled his father only slightly because he wore no glasses and elected to wear his hair differently. It was slightly longer then James' had ever been and shaggy. James had never had shaggy hair but his short hair had always been a mess none the less. His eyes were unmistakably Lily's and all those on the staff who had seen him so far could see it.
When the last student Blaise Zabini was sorted into Slytherin the sorting hat was taken away again. Professor McGonagall joined the other staff at the head table and gently touched her spoon to her glass goblet making it ring around the room as everyone fell silent and stood approaching the podium whilst nodding to her in thanks.
"Thank you Professor. Welcome everyone to another year at Hogwarts and to our wonderful first years welcome. I wish to apologise for the absence of Hagrid our groundskeeper at the train station to meet you. I am sure he was merely nervous about meeting our hero young Mr Potter and failed to turn up for this reason. Never mind I will not hold him accountable for it. I am told to remind you all by our caretaker Mr Filch that spells should not be exchanged in the corridors. No student is permitted to enter the forbidden forest unless accompanied by a teacher and that does go for all of you!" he said looking to two red headed twins on Gryffindor table in particular whom Harry assumed were the brothers of Ron. They blushed under his intense gaze as he lingered there for a tad too long before he seemed to remember where he actually was and continued.
"Moving on. Each house will have prefects whose job it is to aid the first year students and I do not think I should need to point out that you have a duty you must comply with. Also I should point out that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to all students who do not wish to die a most painful death. As the stairs in the school are sentient it is only natural that at some point the stairs will take you to that corridor but you must simply wait till another stairs comes and take that stairs away to safety" he said while glancing curiously at Harry which everyone noticed although he had thought he was a bit more subtle then that. Harry was annoyed at the attention and looked around the hall not paying him any attention something which angered him greatly.
"ALL EYES UP HERE NOW! WHEN I AM GIVING A SPEECH YOU LOOK AT ME MR POTTER!" he snapped at Harry directly who looked at him now looking highly put out even more so when he smiled at him for doing as he was commanded to like a good little minion. Everyone else in the hall however looked concerned including Minerva who had asked him what his problem was.
"If someone doesn't hear my speech Minerva they may think it wise to go that corridor and I can't allow that. Now then welcome and let the feast begin!" he intoned shocked as no food came up to the tables. Harry had decided using wandless magic it should be delayed for his outburst earlier on which had been ridiculous. He didn't get to show off afterwards like some kind of king. His plan had been to embarrass him and boy had he although Dumbledore wasn't nearly smart enough to assume the delay anything to do with Harry. He had assumed it was a problem with the elves and it made him grumpy. He always loved being able to show off that trick and loved how naïve and excited the first years would be when he did it. They would always look at him like a hero and he loved it. He repeated his phrase and again nothing happened.
Let the feast begin! Harry mouthed to himself as the food came up shocking everyone. He had used his wandless magic merely to delay it for a moment in order to embarrass the man who had just attempted to publicly embarrass him and it had worked. Severus was the only one who had seen it as he had been watching Dumbledore's attempt to embarrass Harry which was as loud as a muggle windbreaker suit from the eighties and had seen Harry's response and smiled to himself. This would be good. He definitely wasn't like James one bit. James tormented everyone but Harry only did things to those who actually deserved it and Dumbledore had acted like an ass which they all saw. Albus himself was stunned as he heard many students asking each other what he had against Harry Potter and blushed. Obviously he'd been more obvious than he had originally intended. Damn it he hadn't actually meant to use Harry's name like that. He'd been an unintelligent hot head and it had actually shown! No one would think him their king now!
