He hadn't been able to pick the boy out amongst all the first years gawking at the enchanted ceiling, as he thought he would. He could easily see his Godson, Draco with Crabbe and Goyle's son's standing on either side of him like two hideous bookends. The bright ginger hair and face full of freckles spoke of yet another Weasley. How many more of them could there possible be?
But he didn't see a roguish swathe of messy black hair. Or the familiar glint of round golden frames that the boy was sure to have. There didn't seem to be a mini James Potter among the crowd. Where was he?
Minerva began to call out names and one by one the children were sorted. Unsurprisingly, his godson went to Slytherin along with his bodyguards. He kept an eye on his Slytherins and noted who joined them.
Eventually, as the crowd waiting to be sorted thinned out, Minerva got to the P's. The teachers around him seemed to hold their breath as Perks went off to sit with the Hufflepuffs. They all knew who was next.
Severus Snape, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House, gave one last look at the remaining children. Which one was he?
"Potter, Harry." Minerva called and the Great Hall broke out into a sea of whispers.
There was movement at the back of the group and they began to part to let the boy through. And what he saw shocked him.
He hardly looked like James Potter at all. It seemed he had inherited his fathers hair but it was chin length and the added weight seemed to pull it down and keep it somewhat orderly. Even though it did stick out in some places. His face wasn't as rounded as Potter Sr's had been. He was thin and slightly angular with high cheek bones that struck more from the Black line than the Potter's. And he was sure Potter had never been so small.
The biggest shock, however, was his eyes. Shape, size, colour. They were exactly Lilly's eyes. Most especially the colour. Free of glasses it was clear he looked like his mother.
But he couldn't let that effect him. He boy was sure to behave as his father did. In no time he would be strutting down the Halls with sycophants hanging off his every word. He was the Gryffindor Golden boy. The Boy-Who-Lived.
He placed the Hat on his head. It didn't immediately call out Gryffindor as it had for his father all those years ago. Silence hung in the Great Hall as everyone waited with bated breath to see which House the Boy-Who-Lived would be sorted into. Snape watched the boy's fingers tighten on the edge of the stool.
As time ticked by a few people began to whisper again. Then the unthinkable happened.
"SLYTHERIN!" The Hat announced.
For a moment, he didn't understand. Was he having a stroke? Had someone confunded him without him noticing?
The boy took off the Sorting Hat and laid it on the stool. Unlike everyone else, Potter didn't get an applause; the Great Hall was completely silent. It didn't seem to bother the boy as he headed for the Slytherin table, head held high.
Draco Malfoy, of all people, stood and began clapping. His house followed immediately and a few polite Hufflepuffs joined them. Everyone else just watched him take a seat on the far side of the table next to Draco and across from the Nott boy.
He shook Draco's hand when it was offered and the two boys sat waiting for the ceremony to continue.
Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, was a Slytherin.
Minerva carried on after only a slight hesitation reading out the last few names. Snape looked over to see Dumbledore watching the boy intently. This is not what the Headmaster wanted, that much was clear.
Soon everyone was sorted and Dumbledore had spoke his yearly nonsense, the food appeared. The children began talking amongst themselves, as did the teachers and mostly about Potter. Snape didn't, he was watching the boy. Potter had put a sensible helping of food on his plate including some vegetables, unheard of in a child his age. Draco was holding court, regaling his year mates with some story, probably about his father or himself. Crabbe, Goyle and some of the girls listened with rapt attention.
Potter didn't. He, Nott and Zabini were watching. Draco, the girls, each other, students at the other tables. At one point he saw the Nott boy give Potter a nod and Potter returned it. Had someone coached him on the rules of Pureblood society? He was doing too well for it to be an accident.
The boy looked up at the Head Table, his eyes lingering on Dumbledore for a moment. His face didn't betray what he was thinking. Then those familiar emerald eyes met his. He knew he was scowling at the boy, but he scowled at everyone. He didn't seemed to take offence. The boy looked away first, saying something to Zabini next to him.
The Boy-Who-Lived, James Potter's son, was a Slytherin.
Dinner finished and dessert began. The children, as usual, gorged themselves on all manner of sweets. Potter, however, took an apple from the untouched bowl of fruit. And that was all.
Dumbledore made his yearly announcements about the forbidden forest and the banned objects. He mentioned that if anyone were to venture into the third floor corridor on the left hand side was sure to meet certain death. Severus refrained from rolling his eyes and made a private bet with himself that one of the Gryffindors would venture there before the term was up. And he was being exceedingly generous.
The prefects started leading the new snakes through the main corridors to the common room. It wasn't the most direct route by far but it would keep them from getting lost in secret passageways until they knew the castle better. The rest took one of the more direct paths to the dungeons.
Snape however took the most direct corridor that was only open to teachers. He liked to beat the new snakes to the common room and make them wonder at his skill. He didn't even have to move at more than a fast walk. He entered the common room and waited in front of the fireplace.
He was going to make sure the boy knew where he stood. He wasn't going to get any special treatment from him or anyone else in the House of Snakes. He wouldn't be letting any lazy, arrogant behaviour pass. The boy would toe the line.
How was the boy a Slytherin?
Weirdly Harry felt a sense of familiarity as he was led to the common rooms. It was like he'd walked the corridors before in a dream. Into the dungeon they went, far enough to give them some distance from the rest of the school but not so far to risk them getting lost.
All the dark corridors were lit by torches sitting in sconces along the stone walls. Occasionally there was a tapestry or portrait but they were few and far between in the dungeons, unlike the rest of the school. He didn't like the way the people in them moved about, often from painting to painting, following them along their path. Who had their loyalty and tongue? Professor Snape? The Headmaster? One of the older Slytherins if they got the opportunity?
Harry trailed along at the back of the group of First years. Malfoy's voice could still be heard chatting to the Prefects and anyone who cared to listen. How pleased his father would be when he sent him a letter in the morning. Of course there was never any doubt that he would be a Slytherin. His family had been in the House of Snakes for generations. Even on his mothers side. Did everyone know his mother was a Black?
Harry stored this information away till he could figure out the significance. Was there a way to find out the history on all the important families in the Wizarding world? Including his own. He really needed to find the Library tomorrow.
Eventually they passed a portrait of a stern man with a snake wrapped around his neck and paused in front of a blank space of wall. The prefects turned to them and motioned at the wall.
"This is the entrance to the common room. You are not to tell any of the other Houses where it is or what the password is on pain of serious pain." The Prefect, who said that with a particular viciousness that made Harry believe her, was a slender blonde girl, probably in her last year.
The other prefect, a boy Harry thought to be fifthteen, faced the wall and clearly said the password, opening the door to the common room.
"Runespoor." He turned back to them, not letting the front of the group from pushing through. "We change the password every week so you better remember to check the Notice Board before you leave on Mondays."
Then he turned and stepped through the doorway. The female prefect gestured for them to follow him inside. Nott and Zabini were in front of him and he shortened the distance he had left between them when he realized that the girl was going to wait for them all to enter.
As soon as he couldn't see her in the corner of his eye, he pricked his ears to listen to her movements. At the same time he took in the room before him.
The windows offered no light but he could still see that they were under the lake as a school of fish passed the window and the torches lighting the edges of the room caught their scales. The room itself was probably the fanciest place he had ever been. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, holding a hundred candles. Black leather sofas were spaced out around fireplaces filled with raging fires. Rich tapestries, which depicted stories or characters that everyone else in the room could probably recognise, hung between ornate dark wooden bookshelves filled with books that reached up to the high ceiling. There were thick wooden tables along with the chairs where people could study and do homework. Or just sit around as the older students were doing at that moment. The green and silver accents were everywhere as well as a variety of carved or sculpted snakes.
It seemed there was only one way in or out and that was the entrance behind him that had closed. The prefect moved around him on his left and joined the other prefect in front of the main fireplace. There was a staircase that Harry assumed lead up to the dormitories.
The first years clustered close to the fireplace, hoping to chase away the chill that haunted the dungeons. Harry felt it but didn't react. He'd been colder and he didn't want to be too close to the rest of them.
Malfoy stood on the other side of the group, finally silent, with Parkinson practically hanging off his arm and Crabbe and Goyle on either side of them. A bunch of girls stood next to them; Greengrass, Bulstrode, Runcorn and Davis. Davis looked like she'd rather be standing next to Parkinson but didn't have the courage to move Goyle out of the way. Greengrass didn't look like she wanted to talk to anyone but Zabini and Runcorn and Bulstrode looked bored and sullen. Nott was eyeing him ever so subtly but Harry ignored it for now.
Then Professor Snape appeared out of the shadows in the room. Harry cursed himself for not noticing him before but managed to keep his face neutral. He was imposing and Harry instantly thought it would be a good idea not to be on this man's bad side.
Then he sent Harry a scathing look that Harry recognised as one Aunt Petunia used a lot. The look was gone when he looked to the other first years and Harry knew his Head of House hated him. Why, he would have to figure out.
"Slytherin is a House of Cunning and Ambition. Laziness and Stupidity will therefore not be tolerated." The man began in a low soft spoken voice that did nothing to comfort any of them. "The other Houses scorn us, so we must therefore stick together. There will be no arguments with your housemates outside of this room. Out there we are a united front."
He eyed each of them individually, as if he could see in their faces if they were going to be breaking these rules. His lips pinched and his eyebrows coming together slightly when it came to Harry.
Harry just stared back.
"You will all be in bed at nine o'clock of an evening, awake at seven and in the Great Hall for eight. The prefects will escort you to and from your classes for this week and not after. Study groups will be posted on the Notice Board tomorrow. They are mandatory, as are meal times. The Prefects will tell you the rest of the rules and then you will go to sleep. It has been a long day." He paused, assessing each one of them again. "Welcome to Slytherin."
He made eye contact with Harry then and motioned for him to follow him. Harry didn't hesitate but he did brace himself. The Professor led him over to the wall and opened a door that Harry hadn't seen. It opened into a narrow corridor that the Professor swept down.
At the other end it opened into what Harry thought was the Professor's office. He turned sharply as the door closed behind Harry.
"Mr Potter." The venom in his voice was undeniable as he spat through clenched teeth even if he didn't raise his voice. "You are not going to be receiving any special treatment from me. Despite your celebrity status you will be treated like every other member of this House, do you understand?"
Harry took a moment to partially frown as though he didn't understand why he was pointing that out. Harry of course did. This man obviously thought Harry was going to go around crowing about how he was the Boy-Who-Lived and how he had defeated Voldemort. He wasn't, of course. Attention was something he despised.
"Perfectly, sir." He answered graciously and waited for his reaction.
His jaw clenched tighter and his scowl deepened.
"Dismissed Potter." Was all he said and he turned away to his desk.
Harry slipped down the corridor again and joined his year mates in listening to the speech the prefects were giving about all the rules and what to do if they had trouble of any kind. They all looked to him as he returned, some more slyly than others. They all wanted to know why Professor Snape had pulled him away.
Eventually they were sent up to the dorms. The girls to the left and the boys to the right, Malfoy leading the way.
The dorm was a long rectangle room with six four poster beds, three to either side. Emerald curtains hung round the bed matching the thick silky covers on the beds. Another door stood at the other end of the room, which Harry assumed were the bathrooms.
The rest went straight to their beds, recognising their trunks sitting at the foot of the beds. Harry's bed was the far one, on the side with the windows. Nott was next to him and Zabini was next to Nott closest to the exit. Malfoy and his cronies were on the other side with Malfoy in the middle. Harry opened the door on the far side and inspected the bathroom.
It had three cubicles, containing showers and a wall with a long mirror that sat over three sinks. There were three more cubicles around the corner that had toilets in them The tiles were a mint green with emerald highlights, with everything else in white. It looked very clean but Harry wasn't sure how long it would stay that way.
The others were unpacking their trunks. Harry leant down to whisper the password to unlock his trunk and began following their lead. He was hanging his school uniform to one side and his new every day robes to the other when Malfoy approached him.
"So," He drawled and Harry turned to him. "Why didn't you tell me you were Harry Potter at Madam Malkins? And why were you dressed like a muggle?"
The disgust in the boys voice was undeniable. Harry was kind of surprised that he even remembered him. He'd already come up with a story at dinner in case the boy did remember.
Harry smirked. "I was in disguise. I wanted to get my school things, not spend all day shaking hands with old ladies."
The boy scrunched up his nose as if he didn't understand why anyone would hide from all the attention. Harry just snorted.
"Excuse me." Harry said pointedly so he could carry on unpacking his stuff.
Malfoy barely moved so Harry pushed past. He knew in an instant he was being baited. Dudley had done it too many times for Harry not to recognise what was happening. Crabbe and Goyle had moved round so they were standing near his trunk.
He reached for the lid and slammed it shut. As he did so Malfoy made his move. Harry felt the magic build a split second before it was fired.
"Locomotor Wibbly!" Malfoy bellowed behind him.
It was more powerful than Harry had assumed a completely untrained wizard might be capable of. It wasn't a spell he'd come across yet in his reading, although it didn't take a genius to figure out what it might do. Which meant Purebloods probably taught their children before sending them to Hogwarts.
But Harry had barely any time to think as the magic shot out at his legs. Unfortunately for Malfoy, Harry had excellent reactions from dodging blows his whole life. He jumped over the spell and saw Crabbe fall, his legs akimbo and moving of their own accord, as he turned to Malfoy, wand in hand.
"Expelliamus." He murmured, catching Malfoy's wand in his free hand.
He turned again, taking a step back to put Malfoy and Goyle in his eye sight. He eyed the other two boys, but they didn't seem interested in jumping in too. Nott and Zabini just watched him.
"That was a rather rash move on your part, Malfoy." He threw the boys wand away from him and towards the other boy's bed. "So was that a test of my magic or a declaration of war?"
Malfoy fumed but said nothing, just watched to see what move he would make. Harry just nodded his head towards Malfoy's bed. The boy stalked across the room and retrieved his wand. Goyle went to help Crabbe up with a muttered finite incantartem that didn't work the first time.
Harry waited until wands were away before stowing his own. He vowed to never take off his wand holster. It seemed that here, like at the Dursley's, he would have to keep his guard up.
He finished unpacking, then went about putting locking and alarm charms on his wardrobe and the draws on his desk. The same ones he had used on the train. His trunk had it's own, better protections. He made a note to focus on protection spells in his extra studies. He couldn't afford to be behind his classmates.
He changed in the bathroom, away from prying eyes, checking his back over once more in the mirror before going to bed. The others were all beginning to get into bed. He felt eyes on him again and looked up to see Nott watching him again. The boy nodded at him before laying back.
Harry drew the curtains around himself and put the strongest sticking charm on the curtains to keep them closed. Then he looped the alarm spell around the bed. Tomorrow he'd find the library and a better way to guard his bed.