Impromptu-A short piano piece, often improvisational and intimate in character.

Chapter Five: Impromptu Sortings

The rest of the trip to the castle flew by in a flash as Harry pulled out books he'd brought that detailed muggle findings and such and shared them with his two new companions. He was rather relieved that they had taken to his long spiel well as he knew he had a tendency ramble when he was nervous. They had put the books away to get dressed in proper robes when the five minute warning was announced over the train speakers.

"So Harry," Theo began as they settled back down. "Do you have any idea of what House you'll be in?"

The pianist paused, blinking. "Err, I haven't really thought about it. Maybe Ravenclaw or probably Hufflepuff, if I think about it. I like learning but I'm also loyal to my friends." Harry paused, thinking. "I don't really know but I'm sure it won't be Gryffindor. I can be brave but I like to think my decisions through and I'm not really out-going enough to be a Gryffindor."

Draco released an amused snort. "That's where everyone's expecting you to go, you know. You're the Boy-Who-Lived, Savior of the Wizarding World. You'd probably break them if you didn't manage to get into Gryffindor."

Harry frowned, "But what do they know about me, really? They know stories and such but I'm not brave. I was a baby! I've no idea what happened and using events from when I was one to base your opinion of me on is stupid."

"I'm betting Hufflepuff," Theo finally decided.

"Now way; Ravenclaw for sure," the blond countered. "Didn't you hear what he said? That's a Ravenclaw mentality, no question about it."

"Can you cease betting on me?" Harry pouted at them but all he did was get a knowing glint from both boys. "Oh fine. I'm with Theo, Hufflepuff."

"Ten galleons seem reasonable?" Draco asked as they shook hands. Two minutes later, the Express came to a halt and three excited boys found themselves hopping off the train to greet their new school.

The wait for the Sorting to begin was terrible and Harry found himself shuffling anxiously as his peers were called up one by one before being sent to a different House. Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and they were met with cheers of their respective Houses each time.

"Malfoy, Draco!" Draco gave him a grin before seeming to block off all emotion except for a sneer as he sauntered up to the stool.

"Purebloods are expected to act a certain way," Theo explained as he saw the stunned expression on Harry's face. "Malfoy's are expected to be cold and, well, unpleasant. Draco's just giving them exactly what they expect of him."

"Oh," Harry blinked and returned his attention back to Draco's Sorting just in time to hear the loud shout of "SLYTHERIN!" that came from the hat's 'mouth'.

Harry barely paid attention to the other's that were called up, too busy worrying about his own sorting to care about the Sorting of children he didn't know. Theo had to nudge him when his name was called.

Gulping, Harry made his way up to the stool, blocking out the whispers of the rest of the school. McGonagall placed the Hat over his head with an encouraging smile.

"Ah, so much potential. And a musician to boot! You have a decent, strong mind, young Heir Potter," a voice commented in his head.

"Err, thank you Mr. Hat?" How did one address and inanimate (or at least, what was supposed to be an inanimate) object anyway?

"Oh stop worrying about it," the Hat suggested. "Young Mr. Malfoy was right, you would do well in Ravenclaw. However, Slytherin would do just as much for you as Ravenclaw. You have a shifty mind, young Heir Potter but that is not all that there is to you. I sense loyalty buried deep within both your mind and soul. You are loyal to a fault and you work hard for what you want. Already I see plans worthy of Slytherin running through your mind, accompanied by a determination that can only be Hufflepuff."

"Draco owes us both ten galleons," Harry thought back just as the Hat called out "HUFFLEPUFF!" for all to hear.

The Hufflepuff table erupted into loud cheers as two red haired boys from the Gryffindor table broke down in fake tears. Harry giggled before joining his new house with relief. It seemed the fears he'd had were unfounded as he was accepted just as happily as the other new Hufflepuff's. Draco waved from the Slytherin table; along with the just sorted Theo. He waved back happily.

Harry frowned when he noticed his year mates giving him uncertain looks as they glanced to the two Slytherin's and Harry. Harry grinned when food appeared on the table and began eating.

Not once did any one of the other Hufflepuff's engage him in conversation during the entire meal.

"Now, First years," a prefect by the name Tonks grinned at them all, her hair flashing through different colors as she spoke. "Our common room is the best in Hogwarts and that is for one reason only: we're right next to the kitchen."

"Oh don't listen to her," a male prefect moaned. "It's because we've got no password."

Harry blinked as they were led past a picture of a bowl of fruit to one of barrels and what Harry assumed was Helga Hufflepuff.

"Now just tap this barrel," Tonks gestured to the middle third barrel. "In the rhythm of Helga Hufflepuff and the doorway will open. Now don't go on telling anyone about this, we've got a nice rumor that we're up by the Gryffindors going on and it's fun watching people attempt to 'gain access' to our 'common room' up there."

Harry laughed with the other first years as they realized the giant joke being played on by the other Houses by the so called 'Duffers'. Tonks grinned brightly at them before opening the common room entrance and leading them into a room decorated in yellow and black. There were comfortable looking chairs and couches all around the room and tables by each and every one of them, probably for homework.

"Since we've got the entire basement to ourselves, minus the kitchens, we've enough room to give each and every student their own room." Tonks added. "Hufflepuff isn't as big as the rest of the crowd, so you'll each get your own rooms. We were surprised at the large count of firsties this year but the castle will have shifted to make room for the change."

"Wow," Justin, one of the only first year boys that had introduced himself to Harry, grinned. "I can't believe it! We're finally here!"

"Well, believe kid!" Tonks laughed. "Now follow me you lot. Second years with us as well!"

Harry followed the crowd of first and second years down into the cellar and stared in amazement at the rounded wooden doors that were the entrance to the different dorms. He stepped into one that was for first years and found a miniature common room with five different rooms that were labeled for each person or two people.

"Amazing," Harry whispered as he entered his only to be greeted with a four poster bed, desk, bookshelf, and bronze carpet. A large wardrobe sat only a few inches from his bed and Harry blinked as he realized the entire room and it's furniture was rounded at the edges. His trunk sat proudly in front of his bed with his father's bottomless bag on top.

Harry unpacked quickly, placing the books, school supplies, and other items where they belonged. The room had one window that was open and Harry wondered how they had managed that seeing that they were in the cellar. Peeking out of the window, Harry realized that they were just slightly above the very bottom level of the castle and were therefore two stories about ground. Thinking about it, the underground levels were probably the dungeons and Slytherin common room.

The window seemed to be the only unrounded surface in the entire room and Harry placed Hedwig's perch on the ledge. She'd find him by morning, of that he was sure.

Happy with how things were set up, Harry picked up his camera and began taking pictures of the entire room. He pulled out his new photo album and labeled the page "Hufflepuff Dorm" and placed the newly developed pictures inside before closing it and slipping it underneath the bed.

Satisfied with the beginning of his collection, Harry felt the exhaustion from the day settle on his shoulders and the Hufflepuff yawned. He'd write his first letter in the morning, the new Hufflepuff decided. The others would understand that he would be tired and Harry tucked himself in the cozy bed with a smile.

It didn't take him long to fall asleep, dreaming of all the interesting things that he would see the next day.

The staff, on the other hand, were in shock after the unexpected sorting that had taken place the day before.

"Harry Potter in Hufflepuff!" Severus seemed to be the one in the most shock. Yes, he had known that the boy wasn't like his father (that had been obvious from the small meeting they'd had when the Potter child had received his letter, much as he hated admitting he'd been wrong for the last decade) but Hufflepuff? He'd been sure that the boy would be either a Ravenclaw or a Gryffindor!

"I must say, I am just as surprised as you are," the Headmaster admitted, eye twinkling. "But it is a good surprise."

"I was sure he'd be a Ravenclaw," Minerva muttered to the surprise of Filius and Pomona. "His room suggested a strong adoration for books," she explained, smirking. "I do believe you have just gotten the most Ravenclaw Hufflepuff there's ever been."

Pomona wondered if that was going to be a problem or not before dismissing it entirely. Harry was a 'Puff and therefore he would be welcomed by his housemates just like any other 'Puff.

If only she knew.

Harry woke up to the sun from his window and a snowy white owl's soft hoots. "Hedwig!" he grinned and threw off the covers.

Frowning at the sun he wondered what time it was. Seeing as the sun was just barely peeking above the mountain tops, Harry figured he had woken up at an exceedingly early hour. Again.

Waking up early had been part of his early childhood, when he had been at odds with his relatives. It was a habit he had never managed to break and even his aunt had excepted that it was never going to stop. He had thought that he would have slept in later due to how exhausted he had felt the night before but he'd apparently been mistaken.

Harry picked up his bottomless bag and walked over to his bookshelf where he grabbed his course books (not completely sure what he had today) and then grabbed his fountain pens (he still wasn't sure how to use a quill) and parchment journals for each class. He also hesitantly grabbed an inkwell (spelled not to open or break by the shop keeper) and quills before nodding in satisfaction.

Setting the bag on his bed, Harry exited the room and headed for the bathroom that he had noticed the night before, toiletries in hand. Brushing his teeth and taking a quick shower, Harry was pleased to escape back to his room to get dressed in his new uniform.

Grabbing the bag, Harry exited his room, closing the door behind him and slowing making his way back to the common room. There were only a handful of people, mostly older year students, already in the common room and Harry easily slipped past them all into the outside Hall without any trouble. If he remembered correctly, the Great Hall was just above them.

Spotting the staircase, Harry made his way upwards and grinned at the sight of the giant double doors that proclaimed the Great Hall as being behind them. Inside there were very few people awake besides a couple teachers and a handful of children at each table. Harry took a seat at the far end of the Hufflepuff table and began eating the plate of eggs that appeared in front of him.

Not really hungry, Harry pushed the remaining eggs a bit away from him as he pulled out some parchment and a fountain pen before beginning to write.

Dear Dudley, Denis, and Piers,

You'll never guess what Hogwarts is! It's a huge castle in the Scotland Mountains and it's amazing! There's ghosts everywhere and even a giant squid in the lake, according to Hagrid, who's the grounds keeper here. I think he has to be at least part giant because he's three times as big as Uncle Vernon!

As for the Sorting, we're sorted into four House called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. I've made some friends that were sorted into Slytherin but I was sorted into Hufflepuff. Theo and Draco are pretty cool and did you know that they didn't know what a dinosaur was? They didn't even know that muggles had been to the moon! There's a lot I have to catch them up on in terms of recent events.

I haven't started classes yet but the teachers all seem nice. I'll probably have more to say after I start classes so you'll have to wait until then to get a real update on that area.

I see Draco and Theo coming in now and I think the professors are starting to pass out time schedules. I should see Professor Sprout (she's my head of house) about mine. I'll write you as soon as I finish classes for the day but you might not get it until tomorrow since it'll take time for Hedwig to come back from dropping this letter off.

Missing you,

Harry

Satisfied with the letter, Harry folded his up and placed into an envelope. Sealing the envelope, he flipped it over and addressed it as McGonagall had taught him: Dudley Dursley, Number Four Privet Drive, Surrey.

Smiling to himself, Harry tied the letter to Hedwig's leg (she'd evidently followed him after he'd left) and told her where to take it. Giving an acknowledging hoot, Hedwig spread her long wings before taking off into the air and leaving the Great Hall altogether. Watching her leave, Harry looked around for his Head of House before spotting her taking to other teachers and stood to go over and ask for his schedule.

So began his very first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Sorry for how long this took. Senior year has been killer so far! Updates won't be as frequent because of it but I'll do my best to make sure that they don't take too long!

You're all wonderful! Thanks for the favorite, follows, and reviews!

~MisteryMaiden~