§Parseltongue§
!READ NOTE AT END!
Chapter Ⅱ
Better Be... SLYTHERIN
Harry wandered through the King's Cross Station, mulling over how to get to the needed platform. Hagrid, of course, left without a word on how to reach the entrance of the platform so he was left to his own devices; Harry personally thought that was why Hagrid wasn't a Professor and merely a groundskeeper but who was he to say anything?
From his experience, wizards seemed to like to hide things in plain sight. So he made his way to the area where platforms 9 and 10 were, ignoring the odd looks that were sent to him.
Hedwig chirped, her intelligent amber eyes staring up at him from inside her cage. He scratched the top of her head before continuing his search.
"-packed with muggles of course-" Harry swiveled around, trying the locate the voice that had reached his ears. A pack of red heads caught his eye, the kids having trolleys with trunks and animals as well.
He turned and followed them, freezing when the youngest male of the group caught sight of him. A slight smile tilted on his lips, and he nudged his head to the side before turning back to the plump woman- his mother, Harry supposed.
Words were exchanged before a teenager ran, barreling straight into a brick column. Or at least he was supposed to, instead he vanished without a trace. None of the muggles around them seemed to notice anything...
Harry watched as they all went through before running straight into the column, ignoring the noisy people in his head telling him this was an insane idea.
His ears were assaulted with noise, chatter from animals and people alike. Excitement burst through him, and, without his permission of course, a large smile broke onto his face; it was not to be quelled no matter how much he tried. So he forged ahead, managing to tone down his smile a few watts.
He stepped onto the train, lugging his trunk behind him and tucking Hedwig's cage under his arm. Suddenly he was thankful for buying the trunk with wheels.
Smooth scales shifted against his chest, a slight weight moving down his arm. He sighed; Loki was getting shifty again. He shoved into an empty compartment (he went near the back, hoping that he would be left alone) and swung his trunk upwards, forcing the warmth into his hands to help him put his trunk up.
As a result, his trunk floated into the rack, leaving a pleased Harry below it. He flopped down, rattling Hedwig's cage and unlatched her lock. She came out carefully, and he opened the window. "Meet you at Hogwarts?" Hedwig, being the wonderfully smart bird she was, bobbed her head and flew out the window, her majestic wings flapping smoothly.
He sighed and floated her cage up; he would put it in his trunk later. "Woah, how did you do that?" Harry whipped around, staring a the ginger before him. His stance was relaxed and bouncy, an awed grin on his face.
Blue eyes gave him their undivided attention and suddenly, his words were lodged in his throat. He wasn't used to speaking with people. He would have to get better at that... He shook his head and gave the boy a tight smile. "Um, it was just practice really. Nothing much..."
The boy snorted and sat himself across from him. "Not bloody likely. Wandless, wordless at that, magic is bloody rare and very few wizards can do that. Even my older brother struggles to do it."
"Oh." Harry cursed his ineloquence, but he really didn't have much to say. The books had bought hadn't touched the subject of magic and casting it wordlessly or wandlessly, never mind doing them at the same time. So he shrugged and gave the boy an even gaze. "What's your name by the way? You never told me."
He received a startled look and the rushed reply of, "Ron. Ron Weasley." He gave a polite nod and wondered how he would introduce himself. He decided with his middle name. And technically he wasn't lying, his name was James it just wasn't his first name.
"James, nice to meet you Ron." Ron gave his hand a slightly loose shake, but Harry was fine with that.
Ron started a conversation about Quidditch, a sport in the Wizarding World, and immediately divulged into its details when Harry told him he didn't know anything about it. He received a lengthy explanation of his family, and his father's and brother's jobs. He noticed the shadows in his eyes as he spoke, a hidden bitterness.
So he shifted the conversation, attempting to pull more information of the Wizarding World from Ron by asking about what he wanted to do at Hogwarts. His reaction was not the one he was hoping for.
Blue eyes dimmed considerably, and the bitterness was enhanced. But before he could answer, the door to the compartment opened and an older lady stood there with a trolley full of treats. "Would you like any snacks dears?" Ron shook his head, saying something about not having any money.
Harry took out a large clutch of coins and took 4 of every treat he thought edible. Ron blinked once, twice, before shaking his head as he sorted through the treats, clutching his sandwich in his lap.
He looked up at the redhead once he was done. "Want some?"
Giving him a hesitant nod, he took the offered treats quickly, looking as though they would be snatched back any second as though it was a trick. When they weren't taken back immediately, he began snapping them open. "Thanks." Harry nodded, his jaws working on a piece of licorice. Ron opened his sandwich and held it out to him. "Want some? Its corned beef. Mum always forgets I hate them, so I have plenty to share…"
He declined, not particularly knowing if he would be able to stomach something like that. Plus, sweets weren't something he got a lot so he wanted to have his fill in case he would be able to have them again.
Ron gestured to gold and blue wrappers, holding frog shaped chocolates. "You should have one, their really good and you can collect the cards! Just be careful, they do jump." Harry gave him a startled look but cautiously took a chocolate frog and opened it.
He leaped up in fright when the frog jumped onto the window, staring wide-eyed before snatching it up and stuffing it in his mouth. He couldn't contain a moan of pleasure; the chocolate was delicious, better than the little treats Dudley would throw away when he didn't like them.
"Who'd you get? I got Morgana."
"Dumbledore." He peered and the old man with the starry robes. This was the man Hagrid yappered about? He must be a very good actor, he mused to himself.
After a bit of words with ron, he got up in search of the trolley lady.
'We can start your own collection and trade 'em! Besides, it'll be fun to do it with my friend.' And Ron just gave a toothy grin as though he hadn't shaken Harry's entire world.
Someone wanted to be his friend! His friend!
He grinned like a loony as he searched for the trolley lady.
Soon he found her and purchased an entire plastic bag full of chocolate frogs. They brimmed the inside-extended bag, and his pockets felt significantly lighter at all the gold he spent.
Ron stared at him when he came back and he poured all the chocolate from on the ground. Immediately yhe two of them began going through them, all stuffing their faces and exchanging cards. Harry wasn't sure he'd ever felt this happy before.
A bit later the compartment door opened and revealed a hunched over girl. Sniffles reached his ears, and he narrowed his eyes.
"Can I sit with you? Most of the other compartments are full and the empty ones are all the way in the back..." She trailed off, her puffy eyes staring resolutely at the ground.
Harry found himself nodding. "Course! What's your name?"
The girl smiled at him as she shoved her trunk under the seat; Harry hadn't even noticed there was space under there. "Hermione Granger. First witch of my family." Pride gleamed in her brightening eyes, and she smiled gleefully.
"Ron Weasley."
"James."
She nodded. "Well, where do you think you'll be sorted into? I'm hoping Ravenclaw but I'm not sure..."
"My whole family was in Gryffindor, so I'm bound to end up there. But really I would prefer any house over Gryffindor." Ron murmured his statement unhappily, his body slouched downward.
"I'm hoping for Slytherin. If... if I do go there, you guys'll still be my friends, right?"
Harray received two enthusiastic nods and an exclamation of 'of course mate!' and 'why wouldn't I still be your friend?'
They dragged her into their card exchanging, and though she wasn't nearly as excited about it as they were, Harry figured they'd be good friends to have.
xXXxXXxXXx
Hogwarts was magnificent, Harry decided as the boat he was sitting in approached the great castle. Ron and Hermione sat across from him, and they made continued with their soft chatter, ignoring the pug-faced girl who continued to stare at them in disgust.
The moon glowed in the sky, the rippling waters of the lake reflecting the glittering stars and bold moon. Harry thought it looked like a fairy tale picture, with Hogwarts standing proudly on a hill, the thick wavelengths of magic warm on his skin.
Anxiety coiled in his gut, and he prayed that whatever decided what house they went to didn't make his sorting a spectacle. He didn't need even more attention or whatever on him. Make him a freak even among the unnatural and magical.
The small boats came to a stop, and he stepped onto the ground, shuddering softly at the loving maternal feel of Hogwarts magic. Harry wondered silently what it felt like to the other students.
He watched as Hagrid knocked heavily, peering up as the thick doors opened and revealed a Stern looking woman in neat robes. The group followed her, and Harry stayed in his place next to Hermione and Ron; he felt oddly attached to them and wondered if that was normal. He decided against dwelling on the thought.
Professor McGonagall as she had introduced herself, explained how the houses worked, their point system, and the end of the year awards. Personally, Harry thought that punishing others for misdeeds they didn't commit was stupid but kept those thoughts to himself. He didn't want the Professor to become cross with him.
Soon they were being led through, silently walking in between two long tables. After of course the expected excitement and fright at meeting literal ghosts, but Harry had already decided that the Wizarding World was rather odd. He decided he liked the Bloody Baron the best, his animation fascinating to him. Ron merely stood pale faced, but a steely look in his blue eyes.
A bratty Wizard introduced himself, Draco Malfoy, and Harry had a vague thought about meeting him in Diagon Alley at Madame Malkin's but didn't think upon it. His nasty words and pale eyes made Harry think of Dudley; that was enough to make him turn way with an airy comment of 'he's not worth it, Ron. Pay him no mind.' He purposefully ignored the sneer that was direct his way.
Harry watched as the sorting began with fascination. The Bloody hat could sing! Wizards were exciting and confusing, Harry decided but decided it was worth it if he could learn magic. Professor McGonagall began calling up students, starting with 'Abott, Hannah!', who landed in Hufflepuff.
He watched with a bated breath as McGonagall called up Hermione, who looked faintly anxious.
He gave her hand a light squeeze before watching as she went up...
xXXxXXxXXx
Hermione walked up the steps to the stool, trying to exude a confidence she really wasn't feeling. She perched on the stool, delicately placing the hat on her head.
She nearly shrieked when a voice chuckled inside her head. 'I meant not to frighten you my dear, only laughing at the mere fact that you belong in Slytherin.'
'What do you mean?' She felt slightly snubbed that the hat thought her plaicement was a reasonable source of amusement.
'I did not mean to offend you if I have. Only, most purebloods believe that muggleborns cannot be placed in Slytherin. While with your ambition and determination, you could very well be placed there. And you have no small amount of cunning either and perhaps your slight ruthlessness will help you too…'
She grinned internally, the thought of proving the purebloods wrong bringing Hermione a savage glee. 'That doesn't sound terrible. I suspect there is a downside though.'
A sigh resonated through her head. 'You will be the target to much bullying because of your status, and not light bullying either as much as it pains me to say it. You could be placed in Ravenclaw if it is preferable to you?'
Something hardened inside of Hermione, her determination becoming like steel. 'No, put me in Slytherin. I want to prove them wrong. And they'll fear my very name…'
'Very well, my dear. Do let me know how it goes.'
'How will I accomplish that?'
'You will figure it out, I'm sure. Now, Better Be… SLYTHERIN!'
There was nearly pure silence, with the exception of a few shocked mutterings, before protests from the Slytherin Table filled the silent Great Hall.
'She's not pure!'
'A mud-ggleborn!' (Hermione so desperately wanted to know what was going to be said at this one.)
'Tell the Hat it made a mistake!'
Hermione slid into a clear spot at the end of the table, keeping away from the other first year Slytherins. Brown eyes sparkled with a slight cruelness, as Professor McGonagall silenced the hall by calling out the next name.
She ignored the whispers in favor of waiting for the next name to be called. Her breath caught when the Professor shouted, "Potter, Harry!"
xXXxXXxXXx
Harry walked to the stool, ignoring all the not-so-hushed whispers went around the Hall. He sat on the stool, only managing a poem at Ron and Hermione before the brim of the hat obscured his vision.
'Well, I have never encountered a student so much like Salazar.'
'What?'
'Yes, the same mistrust after being let down so many times, the same need to control after being ignored and helpless for so long, the same need for knowledge for the sake of power rather than the sake of knowledge, the same need to be great and feared all at once. Yes, you are not unlike Salazar at all.'
Harry stayed silent.
'But we are not here to talk about your similarities with Salazar; we are here for your sorting, quite the occasion for an 11-year-old such as yourself. A sharp tongue you wield there, laced with dark wit. Spite, oh so much of that, that you use to survive, something you seem to be very good at Mister Potter. You have courage that would llow you to fit in with the lions, but it is shadowed by self-preservation.'
'So, I would ft in well with the Slytherin House?' Harry was slightly confused when he got a forlorn sigh.
'You would and that is a slight problem with you being who you are. I have heard much about you being in Gryffindor like your parents, and you will placed under much scrutiny, especially with the reputation the Slytherin House holds as of now. You can go, and you will be forged from the strongest of materials and sharpened better than any house ever could. But you may be slandered and harmed, verbally or physically but it is up to you at this point in time. So, what will it be?'
Harry was silent for a few moments mulling it over. 'Slytherin. Besides, I can't just leave Hermione there.'
The Hat laughs in hi head. 'Yes, that loyalty towards those you see as valuable to your person. I hope that the Slytherin House treats you will, Mister Potter.'
'You can call me Harry, even if I don't ever get to talk to you again.'
'Alistair young one. I do hope that I can talk to you again... Now, Better Be... SLYTHERIN!'
Silence enraptured the Great Hall before an enthusiastic clapping filled the Great Hall. It was Hermione, she was smiling and clapping, brown eyes glittering. A higher year Slytherin began clapping and that shocked the rest of them out of their stupor, making a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws clap long with them, the Gryffindor table still in a shocked silence.
Harry gave Hermione a sheepish grin when she gave him a calculating look. "You didn't say you were Harry Potter. You said your name was James."
"My middle name. So technically I didn't lie." Hermione huffed but there as a smile playing on her lips.
"Very Slytherin of you, Harry Potter. Now, where do you think, Ron is going to go?"
"Probably with us."
"Probably."
xXXxXXxXXx
Ron walked up to the Sorting Hat, tugging on the frayed ends of his brother's old robes. The Gryffindor Insignia was already printed on it, tie red and gold. But he knew, that if the Sorting went the way he wanted it, the Insignia he would be walking away with was Slytherin's and hi tie green and silver.
The Sorting Hat was placed on his head, and he readied himself for an argument. Only for it to never come.
'Slytherin, eh? You would definitely fit there.'
Ron was not ready for that; Ron did not like being unprepared.
'I'm not going to have to argue with you?'
'Child, your mind is a place of strategy, something Slytherin held in great value. You want to make a name for yourself, your determination is admirable and one of the things that pushed you to attempt an argument with me. And in Slytherin you can become great, especially with a stubborness like yours, that will have you breaking down barriers to achieve the objectives you set your mind upon.'
Ron swelled at the compliment. 'Put me in Slytherin then.'
'But I must warn you that your family might not approve, as they are all mostly Gryffindors and the progressing rivalry, that has reached even my old ears, will do you some harm as I feel as though you might be without a home.' Ron knew the Hat meant both at the Slytherin Common Room and at his own home, The Burrow. It made his stomach churn at the thought of his parents not loving him anymore because of the fact that he was put into Slytherin.
But he steeled himself. 'Put me in Slytherin.'
'Very well little one, I hope you accomplish your goals, and make your name known. I hope your family accepts you. Better Be... SLYTHERIN!'
Ron ignored the silence, the silence that made his chest tighten dangerously, (he didn't dare look in the direction of the Gryffindor table) ad sat down next to Harry, who had Hermione of his right.
He gave a tight smile, suddenly feeling very anxious now that the initial determination and stubbornness wore off. Harry squeezed his hand, and he darted his eyes toward the Gryffindor Table, despite every cell of his brain saying otherwise.
Percy and the twins were staring at him, his oldest brother having narrowed eyes and a shifting anger in his eyes; the twins were looking at him in shock and worry. So the twins didn't seem too hostile. That was good at least.
He hoped to at least be able to send a letter to his mum before one of the others told her. He wondered how angry she would be, his mum who constantly ranted about Slytherins being dark and evil, who hated the house with a burning passion and wondered if she would hate him. He wasn't sure he wanted to find out.
So, he shut those thoughts away and waited for the food to show up. Maybe that would keep his mind off things.
xXXxXXxXXx
Severus Snape was unsure of what just happened. Hermione Granger, a muggleborn, was sorted into his house; Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Fucking-Lived, the son of James Potter (and Lily Evans, his brain added unhelpfully) was sorted into his house; Ronald Weasley, the son of Molly Weasley, (a woman he knew to strongly dislike Slytherin and all things dark and evil) was sorted into his house. He wondered if this as just an elaborate prank by Fate. It must be, because after all, the being seemed to hate him.
So, he resigned himself to simply watching the table of green and silver. Occasionally he would look over to Albus, only to see a displeasure in his eyes when he glanced over at the Slytherin Table. Minerva looked shocked that the boy she expected to enter her house was in his house and was sulking into her cup of tea. The students it seemed had taken to pointing and whispering about the Sorting but he had expected that. So perhaps, there was nothing more that would attempt to take a few years off his lifespan.
He picked at his food, eating a slight amount but nothing more as he had already consumed a meal while in his office earlier. Which, in hindsight was a proper idea as he was sure his appetite would have disappeared during the sorting.
After the speech from Albus, he stood and followed his house to the dungeons, lurking behind silently. The trio stayed together, chatting softly. His eyes stayed on the Potter boy, watching as he continually shifted his arms as though he was sore. He frowned to himself but kept watch.
The prefect announced the standard speech of the password, 'Hemlock', which it would stay for the next fortnight. The first years formed a small bunch in the middle of the Common Room, the rest of the students crowding near the walls as was standard.
The female Slytherin Prefect, Gemma Farley, did her part of the speech, keeping her face impassive and her voice low and cold. She was a good student but was perhaps not the best person to welcome students to Slytherin. Not that he could do anything now. Her counterpart, Bellerophon Yaxley, said the second part of the speech, his face just slightly warmer than hers and voice softer; he was better for giving the speech but not by much.
He stalked forward when he needed to, pushing himself off the wall he had been leaning on with ease. He stood in front of the bunch, black eyes searching them."Welcome to Slytherin. You are a snake ow, so that means that you will be targeted by other houses as the Slytherin House holds a reputation for being the Dark House. If you are experiencing any problems, come to me and I will assist you in any way I can.
"I do not take points from Slytherin as the others do that well enough without me, but if I find that you have committed an act against our house and its honor, the punishment you receive will make you wish I were that lenient." He watched Potter stiffen, a fear making itself known in the boy's eyes.
"If you find yourself in a disagreement with any of your housemates, please keep all and any fights, arguments, and displeasure within the walls of the common room. We mut present a united front to the rest of the house.
"Lastly, you all will have a swift discussion about your goals and ambitions within this month with me in my office. You are all to be scheduled for a mandatory check-up with Madame Pomfrey, the school Healer. If I find any discrepancies, do expect me to inquire about it with you.
"Male dormitories on the right, Female dormitories to the left. Curfew is 20:00 for first and second years, 21:00 for third and fourth years, 22:00 for fifth to seventh years." Severus gave a curt nod before walking away, directing himself to his office.
He entered his chambers and set the wards to alert him if anybody knocks on his office door. Then he sank in his chair by his fireplace, opening a bottle of firewhiskey and summoning himself a glass.
He really needed a drink.
Author's Note - Soooo, if I haven't mentioned it already, this story is massively non-canon compliant and canon doesn't exist here. This is my story, and it goes by my rules so just be sure to remember that... :)
Trio will be powerful, not overly so but they will be powerful. Hmm, and they will have their appearances change slightly in 2nd or 3rd year. Like different different, not growth-spurt-teenage-hormones-normal.
I will most likely ask for opinion as this story is written, but most of it is already set in stone.
In case you haven't noticed, Molly will not be favored in this story (Arthur is fucking amazing-) and I'm still working on the siblings. Obviously, Sirius and Remus will come at a later date but I already know what I'm gonna do for them. Hermione... Hermione is slightly more complicated,but I'll figure it out, but her stepmotheris a bitch so that's not gonna change.
Dumbledore... dumbledore is manipulative but for the greater good or whatever shit he convinces himself in. He's more seemingly insane than anything, but yeah.
I don't why I'm doing character breakdowns but I figured I should so whatever.
Also, the dursleys were abusive to a farther extent than some of you might be comfortable with, so trigger warnings will be posted for the chapters that require it. Harry, while spiteful and witty, is still traumatized and will have violent flashbacks when triggered. Do be ready for that if you decide to read it.
I think that's it for now... have a good day/afternoon/evening/night!