Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

A/N: Yes, Harry made Draco cry...because he can be down right mean when he wants...and think about it, Draco's leaving his father's influence for the first time and he wants his dad to be proud of him so much that the idea that he could not be a Slytherin must be terrifying.

Although Harry had never seen the Great Hall of Hogwarts, he felt as if he had; after all, his dad and godfather had regaled him with hours of stories as a child about the pranks they'd pulled, and the Great Hall was a frequent location for those pranks. Still, no matter how good they were at describing it, words did no justice to the soaring heights, the skylight charm, the buzz of students getting reacquainted after their summers, and the sight of all the professors in the school, lined up at the end of the room with Albus Dumbledore in the center in a throne-like chair that gave him the look of an ancient monarch and the teachers were his most trusted advisors. As Harry walked down the corridor, he almost expected to hear music, and to see a jester or two for later entertainment.

The group of first years clumped together as they came down the center aisle, as if terrified of the students, and staring at the ceiling as if mesmerized. Harry tried to keep his pace in keeping with the others, but when he realized it had taken almost a minute to get half way down the aisle, he rolled his eyes, took hold of Hermione's arm to keep her from tripping or running into another bench, and pulled her into a slightly faster pace; a cleared throat brought Blaise and Neville out of their staring and the pair sped up to reach the end of the tables just behind him. After all, there was nothing to be afraid of, even if he didn't know just how he would be sorted; or even where he wanted to be sorted. As the other first years reached the end of the tables and stood in a huddle, McGonagall appeared, carrying a three-legged stool and a battered hat. Harry glanced over his shoulder and caught Hunter's eye, Hunter was about middle of the group, an awed Ron close beside him. Hunter smiled and winked before a noise made Harry turn back around. Harry studied the hat for a moment, and then jerked back a little when it moved, then, after a moment; it opened a hole in its brim and began to sing. Harry smirked as he leaned closer to Hermione, "I think it is tone deaf," he hissed, trying hard not to wince at the grating, atonal voice of the hat.

Hermione snickered, "I know."

McGonagall gave them a look as the song finished, sending both of them into ramrod straight stances, and then spoke, "When I call your name, come forth and the Hat will sort you into your house."

"Fun," Harry muttered.

"Abbot, Hannah." McGonagall called before giving Harry another stern look. Harry gave her his best whimsical smile and scuffed his toe a little.

"HUFFLEPUFF," the Hat declared.

"This is going to take forever," Blaise muttered from behind them as another student was called. "Why did I have to be a Zabini, anyway?"

Harry tilted his head slightly, "Hermione will be called before either of us. We'll get revenge later."

"Brocklehurst, Mandy!"

"RAVENCLAW."

"What kind of revenge?" Blaise asked.

"Something involving the color pink," Harry replied. Hermione kicked his shin and glared.

"Count me in." Blaise muttered.

"Carey, Jane."

"Hufflepuff!"

Finally, it came, "Granger, Hermione!"

Harry squeezed Hermione's arm and gently pushed her forward, "Good luck," he told her with a smile.

Hermione gave him a sickly smile before she sat on the stool. Her eyes fixed on Harry's before the Sorting Hat obscured them. Blaise shifted to stand beside Harry, "Bet you five knuts she's in Hufflepuff," Blaise offered.

"I'd say Ravenclaw," Harry replied. He glanced to his other side and found Longbottom, "You wanna bet?" He asked.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The Hat finally announced.

"Too late, sorry," Harry murmured. Neville only nodded. Hermione paused long enough to give Harry a hug before running to her table. Harry shook his head and tugged on his robe to get it to sit right on his shoulders again.

"Greengrass, Daphne," McGonagall called over the soft catcalls.

Blaise sucked in his breath as the girl took her place on the stool. "SLYTHERIN!" The Hat shouted mere moments later.

Harry watched Blaise as he followed the girl to the Slytherin table with his eyes. "Someone's got a crush," Harry sang in a whisper.

"Do not," Blaise replied

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Not."

"Too."

"Not."

"Too."

The fight continued until, "Longbottom, Neville!"

Harry clapped Neville on his shoulder and watched him go up to the stool. "Go get 'em mate," Harry murmured.

"Hufflepuff," Blaise muttered.

"Gryffindor," Harry replied.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The Hat shouted.

"Told you," Harry said, and stuck his tongue out.

The two mock glared at each other all the way until, "Malfoy, Draco!"

"Slytherin," Blaise hissed.

"Hufflepuff," Harry said, just as Malfoy passed them. The pale blond shot him a look of fear before he took a seat. Harry rather thought that he saw tears in the boy's silver eyes before they were covered.

"SLYTHERIN!" The Hat declared before it even was properly settled on Malfoy's head.

"Oops," Harry muttered, watching Malfoy bolt for Slytherin with a look of profound relief on his face.

"Patil, Padma!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

Harry sighed, "Here I go into the wild blue yonder," he muttered.

"Potter, Harry!"

As Harry mounted the steps to the stool, he could here the quiet voices of the student body, and he noticed the attention of the teachers as he took his seat. Darkness fell as the Hat came to rest, somewhere in the vicinity of his chin. "Well, well, what do we have here? A Potter! I didn't realize that there were any left."

"My twin and I are the only ones of our generation," Harry replied in his mind.

"So I see, and may I say, welcome to Hogwarts, Harry Potter. Now, where to sort you?"

"I don't have a real preference," Harry replied. "I'm not thrilled with Slytherin, and I don't think the Hufflepuffs and I will get along, so either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor would be the best, I think, but you know best."

The Hat seemed to chuckle. "I have seen many minds, Harry Potter, and was friends with the finest. Over the years, I have learned to see the true heart of a child and deduce what they need to grow true to themselves. I look in you, and I see a long road ahead, not because of the forces outside yourself, but the forces within, deep within. Your challenges will be many, Harry Potter. Although you could be home amongst the Slytherins, your power and desire to prove yourself tells me that. I see that even in the depths of your conflicts, you remain loyal to what you perceive as the most important things, so Hufflepuff could be your home. Never doubt that you have intelligence, Harry Potter, in fact, I would call you precocious in some things, speaking of which, did you have to rattle Draco Malfoy so badly? He was begging me in tears to go to Slytherin before I was even properly on his head."

Harry's jaw dropped, "I didn't think I'd make him cry! I just wanted him to go away!"

"Never mind that, he will be well cared for amongst the Slytherins. As for you, it is the courage of the Lions and the strength of the Griffins that you posses and will need above all, and thus, you will truly be home amongst the…"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry stood up and put the hat on the stool before running over to claim a seat between Neville and Hermione. "You were up there forever," Neville said.

"At least ten minutes, what was wrong?" Hermione asked.

Harry shrugged.

"Potter, Hunter!"

"Nothing big," Harry replied, "Hat just was surprised there were any Potters actually left."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry, Neville and Hermione stood and cheered with their classmates as Hunter came over and sat across from Harry with a relieved grin. Once the table settled down, Hunter propped his elbows on the table; "Made it," Hunter murmured.

"Congrats," Harry replied, leaning forward, "Sorting Hat told me that Malfoy begged for Slytherin, in tears."

"No!" Hunter said, "Why can't I be that good?"

"You will learn, grasshopper," Harry said, half-standing to pat Hunter sharply on the head, "You will learn."

"Smith, Zechariah!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Ow, Harry! That hurt!" Hunter whined.

"Baby," Harry replied with a look.

"Weasley, Ronald!"

"Hush," Hunter muttered.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The group stood and clapped with the rest of their table and soon enough, Ron was settled next to Hunter with a grin. "Malfoy was in tears and begging," Hunter reported.

"Just like a true Hufflepuff," Harry added. "We'll have to tell him that he couldn't be a Gryffindor because he was crying."

Hunter and Ron snickered, but Hermione only sniffed, "You shouldn't make fun of people, Harry," she said.

Harry held up his hand.

"Zabini, Blaise!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Harry shrugged, "I'll prank him later then. Now, Hermione, the person we're referring to is Draco Malfoy, a rather unpleasant boy whose father is known for being a Dark Wizard, and most specifically for hating the Muggleborn, such as you. Draco is very much his father's son, and I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't met him by the end of the week. I spoke as I did on the train with the intent of making him cautious, the fears that one entertain in childhood are often the keys to defeat in adulthood. I want to be an Auror and if scaring Draco now will prevent me from having to track him down as an adult, then that's one less Dark Wizard that I'll have to deal with when the time comes."

"Weasleys have always feuded with Malfoys too," Ron offered, "I don't know why, but I've never heard my dad say one nice thing about them, and Dad has a nice thing to say about everybody." Hermione stared at them, but the boys weren't paying attention. At some point during Harry's speech, the feast had arrived, and four young stomachs were crying for food.

"So," Hunter said, after the first hungers were abated. He turned to Neville, "How is your grandmother?"

"She's doing well," Neville replied, surprised.

Hunter grinned, "I'm sure she still remembers our fourth birthdays vividly."

Neville flushed, "It became family legend actually."

"What happened?" Ron asked.

"Oh, our parents and Mrs. Longbottom had a sort of joint birthday party for the three of us since we were born the day after Neville," Hunter said, "and there was this kid, I can't remember his name anymore, well, he was really mean and scared Neville up a tree he couldn't get down. Harry was so mad that the kid was such a bully that he accidentally turned him into a rabbit, which he then gave to Neville for a pet."

Everyone had a laugh and then Hunter turned to Harry, "What are you going to do to that Zabini kid?"

"I'm not sure yet," Harry replied, "but he is a Slytherin now, and the Code says that Slytherins are evil and must be pranked, so we'll have to prank him at some point."

"I've got supplies from Dad in my trunk." Hunter offered.

"I've got stuff from Padfoot to," Harry said, shrugging, "we'll compare kits later."

"Right," Hunter nodded.

"Oh," Harry said, "Neville, this is Ron Weasley. I apologize for not introducing you sooner; it was somewhat rude of me."

"Right," Neville said, "nice to meet you."

"Hermione, Ron, this is Neville Longbottom." Hunter added, waving a hand at Neville.

"Nice to meet you," Ron said around a mouth full of food.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, that's disgusting," Hermione said. Harry rather thought she'd been saving that one since the start of the feast.

Silence fell as the five focused on eating, at least, until the Gryffindor Ghost, Sir Nicholas, popped up through the table, causing Hermione to scream, and sending Neville flying off the bench when he jumped. "Greetings," Sir Nicholas said, "Welcome to Gryffindor."

Ron, Harry and Hunter watched him float all the way through the table, while Percy called down the table, "Have a good summer, Sir Nicholas?"

"Dismal," Sir Nicholas replied, "my request to join the Headless Hunt was denied yet again."

Harry helped Neville onto the bench and said, "Don't be so scared, Hermione. Nick is a ghost; he's incorporeal and therefore mostly harmless. Are you still trying that, Sir Nicholas? My Pa said that it seemed to be the goal of your Afterlife when he was in school."

"And who is your father?" Sir Nicholas asked.

"James Potter," Hunter replied. "I'm sorry you haven't gotten in yet."

"I will prevail sooner or later," Sir Nicholas said, "after all, what is time to a ghost?" He sailed off across the Hall to join the other ghosts."

"Why can't he join the Headless Hunt?" Hermione asked, her fear receding with the ghost.

"Dad said that is was because he's not fully headless. His beheading was botched and his head is still stuck on with a scrap of skin and muscle. If you ask, he might show you," Hunter explained. "Dad said it was really gross."

"I'll pass, thank you," Hermione replied. "No one said that there were ghosts at Hogwarts."

"Of course there are," Ron said, "it wouldn't be an old, drafty castle without ghosts. There's even a ghost who teaches History of Magic, Professor Binns."

"It's not that cool," Hunter scoffed, "Dad said that Binns was boring. I can't wait until we get to Charms."

"Potions," Harry offered, "that's the class that I want."

"Why'd you want a class with Snape?" Ron asked, "Fred and George say that he's massively prejudiced against non-Slytherins, and especially Gryffindors."

"Severus Snape?" Hunter asked, his eyes going to the staff table.

"I think so," Ron replied, his tone curious.

"When did Snivellus start teaching here?" Harry added.

"There he is," Hunter said, "on the end, by the purple turban."

Harry found the turban, and let his eyes settle on the black-clad man beside him. Narrow, black eyes met his, and then Harry looked away, hand slapping his forehead as a sharp pain sliced through his head like a knife through his hand. "Ow!" He yelped, as did Hunter.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked.

"Headache," the twins said, rubbing their scars, "just a really short headache." The look they shared with each other, however, was an agreement that what had occurred was something more than just a brief pain in their heads.

"Tomorrow," Harry mouthed, and Hunter nodded as they lowered their hands just in time for desert to arrive.

After first rush, Neville spoke up, "Who is Snivellus?"

"His real name is Severus Snape and he was our dad's school enemy and primary target of pranks. Him, Uncle Remus and Uncle Sirius that is." Hunter said.

"It was the ultimate of the Gryffindor/Slytherin Rivalry during their seven years." Harry added.

"It's totally not fair," Hunter said, "I thought that any fights with Malfoy would classify as the ultimate, but we have to deal with him as well?"

"Worse than that," Ron said, "Snape is Slytherin Head of House and Potions Master. Think he's got a grudge against you?"

"Probably," Hunter groused, "I mean, he always claimed to be the better man, the mature one."

"Padfoot said he liked cling to his grudges with a child-like delight, so I say we figure out how to ignore him and let him have his descent into insanity in peace," Harry said. "Once that prank war starts, it should be a short trip anyway."

"Speaking of which," Hunter said, turning to the lanky red head with an innocent smile. "Ron, where are your brothers, anyway?"

Ron pointed, "Right there, with Lee."

"Got it," Hunter said with a nod. "Fred and George, right?"

"Right."

After the meal, as Dumbledore stood to begin his speech, Harry pulled out some pens and looked at Hunter, who was looking back, "Tic-Tac-Toe?" Harry mouthed.

Hunter nodded and moved his plate. In moments, the pens had been mixed with silverware in a board and sickles and knuts were divided for the game. It wasn't that the boys were troublemakers, as some would have labeled them; it was just that they had been raised with little respect for Dumbledore, especially after his actions after Padfoot's trial when they were three. They did sing the school song with everybody else, to the tune of 'Amazing Grace', but they did so while holding their ears. Harry, especially, felt the out-of-tune and unsynchronized melodies to be killer on his ears.

After the song, they followed the Gryffindor prefects up to the Gryffindors, with Harry sleepily keeping track of Neville and Hermione as he followed Hunter and Ron. Harry was sleepy enough that he could barely feel a hint of awe at the moving staircases and he knew he'd never remember all the trick steps that the Prefect warned them about. He'd have to figure it out alone. Or he'd just haul Neville around to find them, he thought sleepily as he pulled Neville out of yet another trick step. It seemed that Neville would have a talent for finding the trick steps that nobody else would match.

At the portrait of the Fat Lady, Harry barely heard the Prefect say, 'Caput Draconis', and he knew he couldn't remember crossing the Gryffindor Common Room. Then it was up the stairs and crashing into the first empty bed. Harry barely had enough energy left to change into his night clothes, and his teeth would have to wait until tomorrow before he'd clean them. It wasn't like there was someone who could tell his mum that he'd skipped a bath and brushing his teeth on his first night in Gryffindor tower.

As he fell asleep, Harry heard someone incant the spell for an alarm and he wondered who had the energy to do that, certainly the other boys had been yawning and stumbling as much as he had been. He made a mental note to ask in the morning before the gentle arms of sleep bore him away to places he had no name for.