Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Updated 3 January 2017

Harry and company's characterization is going to change so he doesn't become so well socialized and so quickly or so instantly inexplicably knowledgeable of the wizarding world. Neville, Daphne and Tracey will also hopefully be less two-dimensional.

Sorry if you left a comment on the original story chapter and it's no longer letting you comment I didn't want to move where I'm posting the story so people can find it more easily. PM me if you want or comment on the version on Archive of Our Own.

King's Cross Station, London, England 1 September 1991

Harry arrived at Platform 9 ¾ about a half an hour before the Hogwarts Express was due to leave. He figured the platform would be busiest then and it would be well into crunch time for parents to say good-bye to their kids. He was hoping this would help him to avoid being recognized. He had covered his scar up again and wore a baseball cap. He also put on some of his shabbier clothes he used to garden hoping people would assume a celebrity, like he apparently was, would only wear the best of the best.

He got on the platform easily enough, as McGonagall had given detailed instructions, and he quickly made his way onto the train and found an unoccupied compartment. He easily lifted his trunk up on the rack, extremely glad it was equipped with a feather-light charm. He sat down and pulled out a book that held a collection of political essays and began reading. After around fifteen minutes the train started to move and Harry let out a sigh of relief. If his luck held he could avoid people discovering who he was until that evening.

The compartment door opened suddenly, causing Harry to start. He looked up to find a tall, redheaded boy in rather mismatched muggle attire, "Have you seen Harry Potter?" the boy asked rudely.

"Why?" Harry asked looking back at his book. Hopefully the boy hadn't really gotten a good look at him.

The redhead's ears turned red but he pretended not to be embarrassed, "Because," he said slowly as if talking to an incredibly stupid person, "I'm his best mate."

Harry very nearly laughed, "No, I haven't seen your best mate," he replied looking him in the eye, now almost daring the boy to realize who he was. The ginger huffed and left the compartment. 'My best mate?' Harry thought incredulously. That kid was in for a rude awakening at Hogwarts.

However, a new opportunity had presented itself. If he could evade the notice of someone looking specifically for him, he could use the train ride to get to know what his peers were really like. Mind made up Harry pulled out a set of school robes to change into later and put them in his school bag. He then exited his compartment and headed for the dining compartments which would hopefully hold a lot of people who could be more easily approached than those in the private compartments.

On his way there he spotted something moving out of the corner of his eye. Reflexively he reached out and caught it. He nearly dropped the slimy object when he realized it was a toad which meant that it must be someone's pet. Congratulating himself over creating such a perfect introduction, Harry went off to seek its owner.

Harry soon saw a slightly chubby, blond-haired boy who looked to be his age. The boy was down on his hands and knees scanning the ground of the hallway frantically.

"Is this little guy yours?" Harry asked him, holding the toad aloft.

"Trevor!" the boy exclaimed and thanked Harry profusely.

"Hi I'm James Evans," Harry said. He didn't think anyone would begrudge him too much for the omission (unless they revealed some unsavory facts about their character like that redhead.)

"I'm Neville Longbottom," the boy said shyly.

Harry recognized the surname from a few of his books. They were one of the other Most Ancient and Noble Houses. They were politically Light aligned and had been allied with the Potters for generations. Frank Longbottom, who would have been the lord, was permanently incapacitated following a Death Eater attacker which occurred only shortly after Harry's own parent were killed.

"Do you mind if I join you? I don't really know anyone yet," Harry said.

Neville's face lit, "Of course! I my stuff is in one of the cabins a few cars down."

Harry followed Neville to the dining car where he had left his trunk. Neville abruptly halted in the doorway causing Harry to nearly run into him, "Um it looks like someone took my spot," Neville said looking embarrassed and at a loss of what to do.

Harry decided to take the initiative, "Well maybe we can make some more friends," he said, hoping to come across as a bit anxious but eager.

"Yeah that sounds- that sounds great!"Neville smiled at him.

Harry scoped out the room, having decided to approach one of the smaller groups. He settled on a table that contained two girls who looked like they would be first years too. One had golden blonde hair sleeked back into a ponytail and the other had brown hair that was cut into a wavy bob. The girls, like Neville were dressed in fine robes but did not seem to carry themselves with the same haughty airs some of the families he observed in Diagon Alley did.

Harry walked over to their table, "Would it be alright if we sat with you?"

"Yeah of course!" she brown-haired girl said, "I'm Tracey Davis and this is Daphne Greengrass," she looked at Neville, "You're the Longbottom boy, right?"

Neville nodded quickly, "Uh yep that's me… Neville," he added hastily, "and uh, this is James."

"Hi," Harry waved. Harry reflected on what he knew of the Greengrass and Davis families. From what he read, both were politically neutral. Daphne's father, the current Lord Greengrass, was notorious for abstaining from voting to the point that it had become a sort of in-joke in the political world. Harry wondered why he even bothered to attend Wizengamot meetings.

In his observation of the girls he had noticed that while Tracey seemed openly friendly and earnest, Daphne seemed a bit more reserved and calculating. She had eyed is run down muggle attire but seemed to decide to accept him for now.

"Do you have any class in particular that you're looking forward to?" Daphne said, making small talk, "I'm excited for potions class, although I haven't heard the best things about the professor."

Harry revealed that he was looking forward to DADA and History and was disappointed to learn that due to those professors he would likely hate those classes. Tracey was looking forward to Charms and Neville was waxed poetic about Herbology. Harry ended up spending a half an hour talking about muggle plants which Neville was very interested in. Neville got more animated and confident as they talked and appeared to be coming out of his shell. The table continued exchanging small talk, something Harry was very good at (which was the primary reason he was allowed at Vernon's business dinners.) Eventually, Daphne seemed to warm up to Harry.

Harry decided to get up to go to the restroom so that he could make the rounds of the room when he came back. On his way back to the compartment he spoke with a Ravenclaw prefect name Penelope Clearwater. She had flagged Harry down to talk about the band Joy Division which who's t-shirt he was wearing. Harry didn't know much about the band, having bought the shirt second-hand, but Penelope had done most of the talking anyways.

Once back inside the dining car Harry met Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones. Susan Bones was the niece of Amelia Bones, the Head of the DMLE. Hannah's father, he discovered was a wealthy pureblooded businessman. He talked to them about school in general and found out that they both wanted to be in Hufflepuff.

He also met a set of first year twins named Parvati and Padma Patil who were Indian. They were sitting with a Lavender Brown. Padma was looking a little annoyed with her sister and Lavender and appeared glad that Harry had come to talk to her. He learned from her that she was from an old, predominate family from India and her father had come to England to run the English branch of the family company.

He briefly talked to Marrieta Edgecombe and Cho Chang who were Ravenclaws starting their second year. They were openly rude to Harry so he quickly left. He also met Cedric Diggory and Roger Davies (Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw respectively). They were going into their third year and, while polite enough, appeared like they didn't want to talk to some firstie so he parted company with them as well.

Later, he helped Dean Thomas try to explain football to Seamus Finnegan who insisted it sounded like a rubbish sport. Harry promised Dean, who had brought a football, that he would play a pickup game with him sometime.

When Harry returned to the table Daphne commented, "I see you've made the rounds of the room," she was eyeing him assessingly.

"I'm sure I wouldn't know what you mean," Harry claimed with faux innocence.

Just then the train compartment opened admitting the blond-haired boy Harry had seen at the robe shop. He was flanked by two large boys with vacant expressions on their faces. The blond boy sneered at everyone in the compartment. When he spotted the table Daphne, Tracey, Neville, and Harry were seated at smirked cruelly and strutted over to them.

"Not even to Hogwarts and you're already sitting with the mudbloods and filth. What would your families think?" Malfoy sneered.

Harry realized he was the mudblood in this situation and couldn't hold back a grin. He ducked his head hoping to pass it off as looking embarrassed.

"Well, Draco," Tracey said, "I'm sure we both know I have no worries in that regard. I don't think Daphne's father would have much of an opinion on the matter either. Thank you for sharing Draco, but we'll ask for your opinion if we want it in the future."

Draco looked embarrassed, probably having remembered Tracey was a half-blood and Daphne's father was notoriously un-opinionated, "Have it your way then," he said trying to save face and left the compartment in a huff.

When Harry looked back up at the girls was Tracey looking apologetically at Harry and Neville but Daphne was looking him over suspiciously. She had apparently seen Harry's grin. When her eyes returned to his own they widened in recognition then flicked up to his baseball cap. She tapped on Tracey's shoulder who had begun apologizing about Malfoy. Tracey stopped talking and allowed Daphne to whisper in her ear. Her eyes widened in shock and she looked back at Harry. She looked him over before her eyes fixed on his cap.

Harry sat there trying not to look too guilty but wholly unapologetic. After the girls stared at him for a bit longer they burst out laughing Harry joined them. Neville looked a little upset at being left out. Tracey must have noticed this too because she motioned Neville in and whispered what they had discovered into his ear. Neville looked at Harry in shock for a few seconds his eyes making the same path the girls' had then he too broke down laughing.

"Oh Merlin," Daphne giggled, "When Malfoy finds out he's going to go absolutely mad!"

Harry told them about his other encounter with Draco at the shops which caused another round of laughter. They shared other Draco Malfoy stories regaling him with tales about how he would strut around name-dropping his father every other sentence. When Harry told them that he thought their family resembled albino peacocks the girls laughed so hard tears streamed down their faces. Apparently the Malfoys kept albino peacocks on their property.

Daphne asked what other information he had managed to glean while incognito and Harry told them, in whispers, about the ginger boy who had burst into his compartment asking if he'd seen himself and when questioned why told him that he was Harry's best mate.

Neville started laughing hysterically. This time the other three looked at him to explain, "That would have been Ron Weasley," he told them quietly, "He's been telling everyone he was going to be Harry Potter's best mate for ages and he finally meets him he goes and-" he broke down laughing unable to continue.

"I believe his exact words and inflection when I asked him why he was looking for me were, 'Because'" Harry mimicked Ron's slow, patronizing tone, "'Harry Potter's my best mate,'" This caused another fit of laughter and this time the whole table joined in. They began to tell him other stories about his fans including one about Ron's little sister Ginny who was apparently going to be his wife. Harry paled when he heard this and marveled at how crazy some people got over famous people.

The table lost track of time chatting until a Hufflepuff prefect passing by the car told them that they were only 30 minutes away from Hogsmeade. This prompted a somewhat mad dash to the toilets to change into the school robes. Harry and Neville separated from the girls to stand in the line. They continued to chat until they were interrupted by a commotion further up in the line.

"—saw you cast something, blood traitor. You tripped me!" one voice said.

"We can't help it if you snakes our clumsy," another replied. Harry couldn't see who was talking due to his vision being blocked by some older students who stood in front of them.

"Why I oughta—"

"OI!" a commanding voice interrupted, "Quit it!" when he turned around Harry saw that it was a Ravenclaw student wearing the Head girl badge. "Higgs, you're already dressed, get out of here. Jordan, shut it. I don't want to have to explain to Snape and McGonagall why their houses are down points before the feast starts."

The voices mumbled but things clamed back down.

"What do you think that was about? Harry asked Neville.

"House rivalry," Neville answered immediately in a tone that implied it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh," Harry replied, thinking it over and putting together some of the things he had read and McGonagall's apparent dislike for Slytherin, "So that's between Slytherin and Gryffindor, right?" he asked .

Neville gave Harry a look that seemed to question if Harry kidding "Yeah. Gryffindors and Slytherins hate each other. Gran says you can't really even be friends with someone if you're in one and they're in the other."

"Really?" Harry asked. That could be terribly inconvenient for building up connections.

Neville smiled, "Yes really, Har—James. Merlin, you really didn't know that?"

Harry was starting to feel a little nervous. He had done almost nothing but read about the wizarding world all of August but he didn't know this apparently simple fact. He was not as prepared as he had thought and Harry hated it, "No, I didn't," he admitted to Neville as making Neville think he had been playing a joke on him wouldn't do him any favors.

Neville frowned, "Well I suppose that means we might not be able to stay friends with Tracey and Daphne," Neville said sounding upset by the thought, "Their families are almost always in Slytherin." Neville then scoffed, "Here I am, talking like I've already made Gryffindor. I'll probably be in Hufflepuff anyways," he shook his head, "Gran's going to kill me," he said weakly to himself. He looked back up at Harry suddenly as if he had just remembered Harry was there and let out a laugh, trying to make a joke out of his revealed inner turmoil.

Their line had reached the toilet and when it opened up Neville quickly ducked inside. Harry felt bad for not having been able to reassure Neville right away but what Neville had set brought about revelations for Harry. Everyone, even Neville who had been talking to him for the better part of a day, assumed Harry would be going to Gryffindor like his parents. Harry had noticed that families seemed to tend to stay go to the same houses, but it's not like Harry was actually raised by his parents. If Gryffindor and Slytherin were such rivals, it was likely that going to Slytherin would not be taken all that well. Harry couldn't see himself in Gryffindor but (assuming he had any control over where he would be sent as all books seemed deliberately vague on how students were assigned houses) should he try to get into maybe Ravenclaw so he wouldn't be ostracized from either Gryffindor or Slytherin?

Neville exited the toilet dressed in his robes. Harry flashed him a smile and went in to change. Harry had been looking forward to being in Slytherin. He wanted to continue to be friendly with Daphne and Tracey but he definitely wanted to remain able to be friendly with Neville whose family his own was allied with and, if Harry was being honest with himself, who Harry just genuinely liked talking to. But Neville didn't think he was headed to Gryffindor anyway. Maybe if Harry could just convince him Hufflepuff wasn't such a bad thing…

Hogwarts, Unplottable Location, Scotland 1 September 1991

Shortly after Harry had changed the train arrived at the station in Hogsmeade. The first years followed the giant man, who Neville identified as Hagrid, down a path to the lake. Harry, Neville, Tracey, and Daphne clambered into one of the boats that would take them to the castle. As the boats rounded a bend, the castle came in to view. The sight literally took Harry's breath away. Hogwarts was absolutely beautiful. It was huge and imposing, the windows were all lit up making it a dazzling sight and which was reflected by the lake.

Soon though, they were under the castle and out of their boats. Hagrid raised his fist to the door and knocked thrice. The door swung open to reveal Professor McGonagall wearing a very stern, no nonsense expression. Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer than they usually would've done, peering around nervously.

McGonagall told them they were about to be sorted and what exactly that meant she continued and explained the point system and the house cup. She left them to go and check if the hall was ready.

After McGonagall's speech, Neville was nearly hyperventilating. Harry decided now was his last chance to talk to him.

"You know," Harry said, "I think Hufflepuff is underrated." Neville looked at him in surprise, "being hard-working and loyal sound pretty good to me," Harry shrugged, "I think people should go wherever they're best suited. Whatever house either of us are in, I'll still be your friend," Harry was a bit surprised to realize how sincere his use of the word friend was. He had never had or really wanted friends before.

"Thank you," Neville said, giving Harry a slightly watery smile.

Harry exhaled allowing his breath to catch a little. "People expect me to go to Gryffindor but…" Harry looked down and away, "To be honest, I think Slytherin would really suit me better," he revealed, peaking back up at Neville as if he was nervous about how Neville would react. Harry was slightly unnerved to find that doing so required very little acting.

Neville was looking at him in shock. He opened his mouth to say something when ghosts drifted through the walls casing many of the first years to scream.

Before they were able to regather their wits McGonagall returned declaring, "The Sorting Ceremony is about to start."

Harry and the other first years followed McGonagall to the door of the main hall. The doors flew open the students sitting along four tables conversations halted as the craned to see the new students. Harry took a deep breath and stepped inside.

As Harry and the other first years entered the hall the students began to whisper he heard people talking about him and asking each other, "Have you seen him yet?" and, "Which one is he?" Up at the front of the aisle there was a stool holding a decrepit looking hat. Once the first years had all reached the front of the hall the hat opened at the brim and began to sing:

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
And your top hats sleek and tall
But 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 put 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 Gryffindor 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 folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're safe in my hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!

The hall broke out into applause and the hat bowed to each table before becoming still again. Professor McGonagall pulled out a scroll and began reading out names, the students would go up and sit on the stool, put on the hat after a moment or a few minutes the hat would shout out one of the houses. Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones went to Hufflepuff as they had predicted. Terry Boot and Mandy Brocklehurst became the first two Ravenclaws. Harry tried to remember everyone but he soon lost track. He did pay attention to the people he had met on the train. Tracey and Daphne went to Slytherin along with Malfoy's bodyguards. Lavender Brown and Seamus Finnegan went to Gryffindor.

Neville was called up after a bushy haired girl who went to Gryffindor after the longest sorting yet. Harry gave Neville a reassuring pat on the back. However Neville was no longer quaking in his boots. Harry saw a determined expression form on his face just before the hat slid over and covered it.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted. When he removed the hat he gave Harry a smile showing that Hufflepuff was the result he had hoped for. Harry cheered extra loudly for him and gave him an approving nod as he sat next to Hannah and Susan.

A few names later Draco Malfoy did, in fact, go to Slytherin. Then after six more students Harry's name was finally called, "Potter, Harry."

The hall broke out into excited whispers some students even stood up craning their necks to get a look at him. When Harry stepped up to the stool a few of the students gasped in surprise, 'Really' Harry thought, 'All I've done was get a haircut lose the glasses.' The daft pointed hat they all had to wear for feasts covered up his scar. The hall broke out into whispers. Harry tried to ignore all of this, keeping his gazed focused straight ahead. When he turned around to sit on the stool he saw Ron Weasley was glaring daggers at him looking absolutely furious not embarrassed like Harry had expected. (Harry then decided to stop trying to predict the reactions of crazy people.) The hat fell past his eyes and was completely cut off from the sounds of the hall.

'Interesting, very interesting,' a voice whispered in his ear.

'Or rather in my mind' Harry corrected himself.

'And not a bad mind at that Mr. Potter!' said the hat, 'Now where to put you… plenty of courage I see, a very sharp mind, hard-working too… Oh, but so much ambition and what a ruthless sense of cunning!' the hat laughed, 'No Mr. Potter there's no question on where to put you.'

Harry felt a brief flash of worry over not being able to be as openly friendly with the Gryffindors.

'I can see into your mind, Mr. Potter. That you should even worry about such things only guarantees that you belong in…'

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted to the hall.

Dead silence followed the hat's shout.

Neville was the first to break the silence with his applause and seemed to be single-handedly trying to make up for the otherwise silent room. Daphne and Tracey followed, then some students at the Slytherin table, the faculty joined in, and finally a few people at the other tables. Most students, however, were either looking at him with horrified awe or whispering fiercely with their table mates. Ron Weasley stared at him in horror as though he had just witness Harry murder a puppy.

Harry walked calmly over to the Slytherin table. Well, at least it looked like he did. Inside though his heart had started to race. It looked like the fallout of being placed in Slytherin would be much worse than he had anticipated. Some students at the Slytherin table were glaring at him too. Harry scanned the table and caught Daphne's gaze. Her eyes held an amused glint and Tracey who sat next to her was trying to suppress her giggles. Harry sat down in between them.

The rest of the Sorting Ceremony passed in a blur. Harry, who was seriously reconsidering his life choices, barely managed pay attention to where the other kids he met on the train went (Padma to Ravenclaw and Parvati, Seamus and Weasley to Gryffindor.)

The feast started after Dumbledore said a few nonsense words. While the rest of the hall broke out into chatter the first year section of the Slytherin table was unusually quiet, attempting to gather themselves from the shock of Harry's sorting. Malfoy had paled dramatically once he realized the mudblood he had sneered at had been Harry Potter who is father had instructed to gain the favor of. He had told him Harry was raised by muggles and would be ignorant of the wizarding world. Malfoy prayed Harry would forget about it but he was in no such luck.

"Dear me, Draco," Harry said feigning surprise at seeing him, "The sorting feast not even over and your already sitting with the mudbloods and filth. Pray tell, what would your father say?" Harry said, breaking the table's unnatural silence.

Draco flushed bright red, spluttering. Daphne and Tracey broke down into giggles. The rest of the first years had seen the exchange and even though they hadn't witnessed the scene on the train had a pretty good idea that what Harry said was probably quoting words from Malfoy nearly verbatim. Most were pleased by Malfoy's humiliation. Slytherin was a dog eat dog world for politics had Malfoy was a major player.

Harry began to exchange barbs and pointed remarks with his tablemates, knowing that he had to establish himself fast so that the others would realize he belonged there. Many were surprised he could keep up. Harry was having the time of his life. This was why he had wanted to be in Slytherin: Politics.

Albus Dumbledore frowned deeply at the head table. This was definitely not what was supposed to happen. Harry in Slytherin? And worse the boy didn't even look upset about it! Did Tom have more of a hold over him than he thought? He felt The Plan that had been slipping away since July fall to tatters. Everything was wrong.

Harry was not at all like he had planned. The boy looked confident and well-kept. Not at all meek, humble, and broken he had planned for. And if what Mrs. Figg said was true he wouldn't see Albus as his savior. No, the boy had saved himself. This too made it more unlikely that he would ever rely on any adult. The meeting with the Weasleys had also not gone as planned. They were late to the station and Mrs. Weasley hadn't even seen him. She might not have even recognized him if she had. He had seen the from the Weasley boy's glares that his intended role had obviously fallen through as well.

Dumbledore contemplated just what had gone wrong with The Plan. He couldn't fathom a single reason the Dursley household could have flipped over night that didn't involve the boy frightening them with some sort of display of magic. And now the boy was in Slytherin. Had Tom manage to possess or somehow communicate with Harry? He resolved to ask Harry to come up to his office immediately following tomorrow's breakfast. If the boy was free from Tom's influence he would have probably realized by then that he would get eaten alive in Slytherin, knowing so little of the wizarding world. If Dumbledore had bothered to look at the Slytherin table he would have seen this was most definitely not the case.

Down the table from Albus, Severus Snape was seething. The Potter brat looked alarmingly like Lily but it was obvious he was just as arrogant as his father. Making his resemblance to Lily a greater offense. The brat had pretended the whole world was beneath his notice! And now he was in his house to top it off! The brat was probably playing a prank on the school and would announce it all was a hoax in the morning. Knowing the headmaster, he would probably turn a blind eye or even facilitate him.

He had hoped to minimize contact with Potter's spawn. Well, outside of the detentions of course. Manual labor would serve the pompous prince right. No, he would make sure to sort that brat out tonight and have him running screaming from his house before bedtime!

Once the feast was over Dumbledore addressed them again going over some of the school rules and warning them to stay away from the third floor corridor if they wished to avoid a painful death. Harry couldn't decide if Dumbledore truly didn't understand the nature of children, or if this was some sort of challenge. A painful rendition of the school song followed after which they were dismissed.

Harry followed the crowd of students down to the dormitories in the dungeons. Already there and waiting for them was Professor Snape. Harry had paid little attention to the staff table during the feast but he knew that Snape taught Potions and he had read that he had been cleared of charges of being a Death Eater by Albus Dumbledore who had claimed Snape was his spy (how being a private citizen's spy was enough to clear someone of charges Harry couldn't fathom.)

"Welcome to Slytherin," Snape drawled addressing the first years, "As you will soon discover, Slytherin is hated by all the other houses and even some of the professors will discriminate against you and will likely take the word of any other student above yours. Because of this it is essential that you present a united front outside of this common room. Leave your petty quarrels behind closed doors. If you allow the rest of the school to see any divisions between you, they will not hesitate before ripping you limb from limb. Remember, first and foremost, you are a Slytherin."

Harry was becoming alarmed. A rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin was inconvenient but not unreasonable. The rest of the school, professors included, treating him like some kind of juvenile delinquent was a horrifying and all too familiar. Just what had he gotten himself into?

"As a Slytherin you are also expected to behave at all times with dignity," Snape continued, "I will not tolerate any troublemakers or anyone who receives failing grades. This means that if you notice another student struggling you will help them. I will be meeting with each of you in a week to discuss your progress, dismissed," he said harshly.

The first years began walking towards their rooms, "Potter," Snape shouted glaring at Harry, "With me," he said turning on his heel and walking into a study room off to the side of the common room. Harry followed him. The way Snape had practically spat his name let him know he was in for a chewing out.

Snape turned towards Harry once they were in the room, "I don't care how you got here, Potter," he spat, "Just looking at you I can tell you are as arrogant as your father. Now if I you get in a single lick of trouble or I find out you've been spying on any of your housemates you'll be out of this school before you can whine a single sentence," Snape sneered at him.

Harry felt about ready to lose it. So not only were other houses and professors going to hate him but his own head of house too? Just because of some bad blood between Snape and his father? No, he wasn't going to take this.

"I'm no spy, sir," He said, "Well, you see I don't think I have the temperament for it." He said in a self-deprecating tone, "Why, if I was a spy, I think I would have to have much better control over my temper," Harry stared at Snape seeing his barb hit its mark. Snape's response was predictable.

"Detention, Potter!" Snape spluttered his face having turned red, "Tomorrow night at seven."

"Yes, sir," Harry said in a respectful tone. He took this as a dismissal and went up to his dormitory.

Severus Snape returned to his quarters seething. What was most frustrating was that the boy was right. If he had ever gotten this worked up during the war he would have found himself six feet under. He had managed to trick the Dark Lord and here he was throwing a tantrum over an eleven year old brat!

He knew now, how the boy got into Slytherin. The boy was much more of a Slytherin than half of the kids who got sorted there these days. 'At least James Potter would be turning over in his grave,' he thought bitterly. However, he quickly halted the thought. He needed to bury his grudge against his long dead nemesis. Even if it was only to spite the same man's son.

Author's Note:

1. Harry didn't know the fallout of his sorting would be so dramatic and even if he did I'm not a fan of the idea that the hat can be tricked into putting someone into a different house McGonagall is a fair teacher and Harry tried to stick with books written without bias and didn't even read many about Hogwarts. Remember he also didn't have Ron or Hagrid whispering horror stories in his ear.

2. Snape will come around eventually after he finally lets go of his hatred for James.