EDITED - Slight wording changes
Tommy's eye colors:
Fern green - intense and dangerously protective
CHAPTER 30 - SORTING
After a long discussion, Tommy and Harry decided against leaving the hours earlier that would be required to ride the train to Hogwarts. Instead, using the espionage skills of the Thunder Line, Tommy teleported them to Hogsmeade Station just as the students were disembarking, not a single person noticed anything out of the ordinary. When a large man that could only be the half-giant groundskeeper Snape had mentioned called for first years, they easily fell into step with the others. Su Li saw them and smiled as she hurried to their sides.
"Tommy," Su said, rather hesitant as she was unsure if such familiarity would be allowed.
Tommy smiled gently. "Hello, Su." He offered his hand to assist her into the boat.
"We had hoped to find you on the train. When we didn't, we feared … it wasn't worth your time."
"Nothing of the sort," Tommy responded. Reaching the shore, Tommy once again offered her his hand. "I found the books your brother suggested to be interesting. We look forward to getting to know both you and your brother."
They soon found themselves in the Great Hall, being sorted by a talking hat.
"Granger, Hermione," Professor McGonagall called and Harry perked up, watching as he friend took a deep breath before marching up and slamming the hat on her head. A moment passed then the hat called out, "Gryffindor!"
Gryffindor cheered. Harry also cheered loudly, he smiled as he met Hermione's eyes as she walked towards her table. Hermione returned the smile.
Several more followed before Su Li was called, and she was sorted into Ravenclaw as expected. Tommy and Harry nodded to her as she made her way to sit beside her older brother.
Professor McGonagall called several more before stopping, staring at the list. She looked to the head table where the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore sat, the old man easily recognizable from Snape's description with the long white beard and neon robes. She looked down at the list once more then stood straight and announced, "Oliver, Harry."
Harry started forward but stopped suddenly as she continued, "The legal alias of Harry Potter."
Silence fell over the Great Hall as everyone stared at Harry in shock and Harry stared at McGonagall in disgust before turning to Tommy in silent question. Tommy stepped forward, Power swirling around him in visible anger.
"You are the most foolish and idiotic professor I have ever had the misfortune to meet," Tommy hissed, glaring fire at McGonagall. "It's clear that even the obvious fact that introducing anyone in this world as Harry Potter would be detrimental if one wished him to be able to concentrate on his education here is beyond you."
McGonagall looked taken aback. She'd never seen such an aura of Power before. Dumbledore stood from the head table and said, "Now child, Minerva is only doing as I suggested. I see no reason for young Harry to hide himself when the world so obviously…"
"Needs a dose of reality, while certain old men need to learn I will not allow anyone to use my brother simply because he didn't die as a baby." Tommy turned to Harry. "Harry, do you still wish to attend this school, despite this?"
Harry didn't respond for a long moment. "You're glowing, Tommy," he said instead of answering.
Tommy took a moment to center himself, slowing drawing his Power back within himself until the aura was no longer visible. As he did this, the thunderstorm that had been warring in the charmed sky died out, leaving clear skies behind. Everyone in the hall looked to the sky in shock, only then realizing Tommy's anger had so effected the weather. Even Tommy was surprised at that, though he knew it was connected to him being master of the Thunder line, nothing like that had happened before.
"Well, Harry? The choice is yours," Tommy questioned, calmly now.
"Even with this, I still believe it's the best option. Besides, bro, anyone would be insane to mess with me. You'd never let them get away with it, nor would I," Harry stated.
"Alright. We'll stick around for now. The glamour's no longer useful though." Tommy waved his hand towards Harry and the glamour fell. The staff and students alike gasped in shock at this casual show of wandless magic. "Know this," Tommy stated, his fern green eyes meeting Dumbledore's. "You chose to reveal my brother like this, any trouble he has because of this will be returned to you tenfold."
Harry walked up to the sorting hat. As he put it on, he thought about everything he and Tommy had discussed on the different houses, and he thought about Hermione. Despite every reason they'd said, he found himself begging silently, "Please, please put me in Gryffindor."
The hat called out Gryffindor. Three houses cheered, several of the professors did as well, Dumbledore seemed relieved at this. Professor Snape, along with all of Slytherin House, watched Tommy for his reaction but he let nothing show.
McGonagall looked rather relieved at his placement as well, as it had yet to occur to her that Harry Potter's safety was now her responsibility and that meant she would often have to deal with his rather protective brother, especially if she should fail in any way. Returning to the list, she sighed before calling out, "Oliver, Tommy."
Tommy walked up to her and softly stated, "You shouldn't follow anyone so blindly, ma'am, not when blind obedience endangers a child." He picked up the sorting hat and put it on. Somehow, no one was surprised when the hat called out, "Slytherin!" What was surprising to many was that not only Sytherin clapped for him, Su and Sheng Li of Ravenclaw, Cedric Diggory of Hufflepuff and Fred and George Weasley of Gryffindor all cheered loudly. Tommy had met all but the twins, though he placed them easily enough from Charlie Weasley's descriptions. He wondered if they cheered him because of something Charlie said to them or something else.
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Continued - Let me know what you think. Review