A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'll be posting a chapter every other day at least, and following some of your advice, will be shooting for 1200 word minimum per chapter. Hope you enjoy! - ES
Chapter 23
The last few minutes of the train ride were passed with Harry and Draco in conversation about the upcoming Sorting and Welcoming Feast. As soon as the arrival announcement was heard, the whole compartment was on it's feet. More than one student was smoothing their robes and checking their appearance, causing Harry to get up and do the same. 'No wonder they always look so well put together. Bet they get up in time to be groomed and prepared, not to mention having time to eat breakfast without rushing.' Harry mentally snorted, thinking of all the times Ron had overslept and almost missed breakfast, as well as his general lack of preparedness and poor hygiene habits. 'After all,' thought Harry, ' throwing robes over pyjamas and only brushing the teeth you can see is definitely due to laziness.' With that, Harry decided that he'd rather follow these students' good example than Ron's, wondering if that was another plot of Dumbledore's to keep Harry ignorant – Ron certainly didn't question the old goat's word, and probably thought he was doing Harry a favor.
Harry mentally rejoined his new friends and they all left the train. The first thing they heard, besides the buzz of conversation from the excited students, was Hagrid. "Firs' years! This way for Firs' years!", Hagrid called as he directed them to the boats that would take them to Hogwarts the first time. As they travelled across the lake in groups, Harry shivered. Even this seemed slightly sinister to Harry – trying to impress the little Firsties with a grand view of Hogwarts. Why didn't they set up tours and new student orientation before the school year? That would make more sense and then the students would actually know their way around, instead of being awed and getting lost for the first month or so.
The boats docked at an underground landing and all the students grouped together at the pier. Hagrid knocked on the main chamber door, the booming sound bringing Professor McGonagall. She spoke to the assembled students, welcoming them and informing them about the Sorting. Harry hadn't noticed before, but McGonagall definitely put a different emphasis on the word Slytherin, like it had a nasty feel in her mouth. When she suggested they smarten up for the Sorting, as it would take place in front of the entire school, Harry tried to flatten his hair. Draco chuckled as he watched Harry, then said to him, "There's nothing you can do about it. From what I understand Potter hair is always untameable, so much so that it's almost a trademark to your family line." Harry nodded in thanks for this comforting comment and settled down to wait for their escort into the Great Hall. He enjoyed listening to the others speculate on what they would have to do to be Sorted and if they were to be tested or had to beat a magical opponent like a troll. Harry snorted in quiet amusement as he heard all of this – so much mystery for such a simple thing! He noticed that Hermione was not among these, but was standing quietly waiting not far from his group. It seemed he really had given her a lot to think about. 'Good, maybe she won't take everything she reads as gospel this time.' thought Harry.
By the time Professor McGonagall had returned to announce their entrance into the Great Hall, the Hogwarts ghosts had traveled through the room, and a few students still looked a little green with anxiety at the upcoming Sorting. She directed the students into a line and commanded them to follow her through the huge double doors and into the Great Hall. Harry and his group were all lined up together, with Ron further down the line and Hermione further up the line. They all waited expectantly (although Harry had to say that the Slytherins were definitely more composed – if any of them were as awed at the sight of the whole Hall looking at them, they masked it well.) while Professor McGonagall stood in front of them with a long parchment and the Sorting Hat. She placed the Hat on the chair where it ran through the same song that Harry remembered from his original Sorting. After the hall applauded its' song, it bowed to each of the four Houses and the hall became silent once again.
Professor McGonagall started going through the names, while Harry barely paid attention, having seen this before. He watched the different reactions of each House to it's new members. Hufflepuff welcomed all of it's new arrivals with smiles and polite applause. Ravenclaw was a little more reserved. Gryffindor was more rambunctious than the other three put together, but Harry still thought he got the loudest cheers the first time around (and wondered about that as well). Slytherin was also reserved, with smiles for all arrivals and low applause for recognized family names. Harry attention stopped wandering as he heard McGonagall call Hermione. As he watched, she walked calmly up to the Sorting Hat and placed it on her head. It appeared that she was pleased with the choice, as the hat announced "RAVENCLAW!", and she went off happily to join her new House. Neville was once again Sorted into Gryffindor, but didn't walk off with the hat this time. Draco went right to Slytherin, joining his friends at the table.
Harry knew there were only a few more names until his was called and was waiting for the Great Hall's reaction. He wanted to see who was really interested, so he paid more attention this time. Sure enough, as soon as his name was called, the whispering in the hall started to get louder. He looked around discreetly as he walked up to the hat. All of the teachers were watching him closer than they had the others, he thought, as he sat down and pulled the hat onto his head.
"Hmm," said the hat, "It appears we've done this before, Mr. Potter."
Though surprised, Harry replied, "Yes, and I wish to go where I should have last time."
"Very well, Mr. Potter. Feel free to come speak to me if you have the chance. I would like to discuss these unusual circumstances with you sometime." said the Hat, then out loud the hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"
At first, there was dead silence in the Hall. The Gryffindor table seemed shocked, while the Slytherins clapped and smiled as Harry walked over to their table and took a seat next to Draco. As Harry looked around the hall, he saw Hermione clapping for him and Neville giving him an appraising look, while the Weasleys all looked mutinous. 'They must have been told that I was coming this year. Bet they thought I'd be like my parents, but how can I be when I've never known them?' thought Harry, as he took in everyone's reaction to this news. While several teachers looked surprised, some of them did not, and it was these that Harry took note of. Flitwick, Sprout, and Vector clapped with the Slytherins, while Snape looked surprised for a second before his expression became blank once more. Dumbledore and McGonagall looked almost disappointed – Harry had to hold back his laughter at their looks. He sat with the others while the sorting finished with Ron being the last Gryffindor and Blaise being the last Slytherin.
After Dumbledore's speech, Harry looked around at his new House, knowing that the members who had not been in their compartment would surely have some questions for him. He started eating, noticing that all of these students had good table manners – no one was shovelling food into their mouths like a certain redhead, and no one was speaking while eating. Soon enough, the table was done and the questions started. Draco, however, held them all off, saying they would have plenty of time to talk in their common room. This seemed to satisfy the students and they watched as the school song was sung and they were dismissed.