warnings: Well i just realized that the warning i put in the last chapter really applies to this chapter... whoops? so, warning! ten year old Harry slaughtering creatures!

Slytherin's Surprise

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody bellowed. His magical eye tracking all the magical illusioned creatures that were in the room while his good eye was trained on his best student, who was merely ten years old.

Harry flawlessly dodged the spiked dragon tail as it passed inches over his head. He rapidly fired off two spells to distract the Chimera that was sneaking up behind him before turning back to the Hebridean Black Dragon. The bright purple eyes blinked hungrily at him and smoke wafted from his nostrils. Harry cast conjunctivitis curse followed by a confundus charm on the thirty foot dragon. The dragon thrashed about as it became confused about where he was and why he couldn't see. The Mountain Troll that had been aiming his club for Harry was knocked aside by the thrashing tail. The Chimera roared in anger at the dragon, who immediately turned on the smaller creature. Harry retreated from the two ferocious beasts that began to fight and faced the lumbering troll. The dragon had broken the troll's club, and he seemed deeply upset about it. He grunted angrily at Harry and stomped towards him. Harry pointed his wand and muttered the entrails-expelling curse. The troll stumbled before falling to his hands and knees, he then started to retch up his organs.

Harry turned from the gruesome site towards the Chimera and Hebridean Black. The Chimera was dead, and the dragon roared in victory as he stood over the body of the Chimera. Harry crept closer, spells on a dragon had to be carefully aimed due to their thick, magic repelling hide. Harry aimed a drought curse in his roaring mouth, causing all the water inside the dragon to disappear. The dragon shook for a moment before collapsing to the ground.

"Well done Harry!" Scrimgeour stepped into the magical ring that the illusions stayed in. Moody followed him and waved his wand, causing the fake creatures to disappear. Scrimgeour patted Harry on the back and led him out of the ring to where the other children sat in chairs to observe. "Harry not only had the fastest time, but he didn't sustain an injury either. He receives full marks!"

The others looked slightly disgruntled, but that didn't stop them from congratulating their friend. "Way to go Harry, the drought curse, I never would have thought of that." Neville exclaimed and grinned at Harry.

Harry blushed and shrugged. "Well, we learned the other day that every living creature has to have water to survive, and that water is inside every creature... so... I improvised."

"Improvision is one of the best skills to have in the field." Moody barked gruffly. "Well done." He nodded.

Harry glowed under Moody's praise. He rarely gave any comments that weren't about improving.

"Now who's next? Longbottom? Try not to get burned this time." Moody pointed out the nervous boy. Last time the dragon scorched him so bad he had to be rushed to St. Mungos emergency room.

"Good luck!" Harry called.

Neville grinned before rushing into the ring as Moody conjured the magical beasts again.

oOo

"FIRS' YEARS, FOLLOW ME!"

"Okay Harry, how do you want us to split up?" Mandy asked as they stepped off the train into the cool night air.

But Harry wasn't paying her any attention. His gaze was fixed on the carriages that took the returning students up to the castle. "Merlin! Are those carriages drawn by Thestrals? That's dangerous! I can't believe Dumbledore has them so close to students." Harry seethed. He was still upset about one of the prefects remarks and now he had to deal with Thestrals.

"Harry! Mission! Splitting into groups!" Tracey hissed in his ear as curious onlookers gaped at the Boy-Who-Lived's angry expression.

Harry shook his head and glanced down at the small brunette. "Oh. Sorry Tee, you and I will go with the first years. Neville, Roger, and Mandy will go in the carriages. Spread out, and watch those Thestrals. Make sure the younger kids don't get too close because they can't see them. And remember: Constant Vigilance." Harry ordered with a smirk. Moody might be paranoid and anal, but he was right most of the time and the best teacher Harry ever had.

He gave one last look towards the carriages before he and Tracey walked towards Hagrid's lumbering form. Harry hated Thestrals. When he was fourteen, Shacklebolt and Savage led them on a mission in Romania in the Transylvanian Alps. There was a dark wizard that the Romanian Ministry of Magic needed assistance in defeating. He was attempting to resurrect Dracula. During one night of scouting Harry and Savage accidently stumbled upon the dark wizard's herd of trained Thestrals. Needless to say, after that Harry wasn't very fond of the demonic looking horses, which could be vicious animals when needed.

"Oy! 'Arry Potter! Good ta see you again!" Hagrid waved over the heads of all the intimidated first years.

The crowd parted like the red sea as Harry and Tracey walked up to the half giant. "Ah... Hello Hagrid."

"Yer a spittin' image of yer ol' dad." Hagrid clapped Harry on the back, and nearly sent him off the train platform.

Tracey grabbed his arm and helped him stand up straight. "Err, thanks." He gave a wary grin to Hagrid.

"Wotcher, Potter!" Tonks jogged towards him. "The boats and the carriages check out okay and the perimeter is secure."

"Thanks Tonks." Harry grinned. "We better get going. Hagrid?"

"Oh, righ'. FIRS' YEARS FOLLOW ME!" Hagrid bellowed once more before trundling off the platform. Tonks blew a kiss in farewell before jogging back to Proudfoot's sentinel form. Harry and Tracey followed from the back of the crowd, constantly scanning the nearby buildings and bushes for any signs of danger.

Hagrid ushered the children into the small boats. Four children could sit in each boat, but Hagrid was barely staying afloat in one with no one else. Tracey boarded a boat with three scared looking girls in the middle of the crowd. Harry waited until the very last boat, which only housed two small boys. They both stared at him with wide eyes as he sat behind them. "Err... Hello." Harry smiled down at them. Harry didn't think that they're eyes could get much wider, but they did after he spoke to them. He sighed and glanced out over the still waters of the lake and towards the majestic castle that was known as Hogwarts.

"Here we go." He sighed.

oOo

"Welcome to Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry first years. Please remain here for a few moments. Mr. Potter, Miss Davis, please follow me."

Harry and Tracey walked up the stone steps towards the woman that Harry assumed was Professor McGonagall. She nodded at them both and briskly walked off down a small hallway that ran along the great hall. She opened a door and ushered them through and into a small room. Mandy, Neville, and Roger were already inside, as well as Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape.

"Ah, Harry Potter, so good to see you again." Professor Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled merrily, as if he knew the punch line of a joke and no one else did.

Harry had didn't know what to think about the aging headmaster, and definitely didn't trust the man. For as long as he could remember Moody and Scrimgeour drilled into him not to trust him, that he only wanted to use him for his power, that he wanted him to be raised by neglectful and abusive muggles. They had met a few times before, Dumbledore always offered him a sherbert lemon but Harry always declined. But then Sirius Black, his godfather, raved that he was a wonderful man, and Dumbledore did help get his name cleared. But Harry suspected it was so people would believe in Dumbledore more than the ministry.

"Ah, Hello Professor." Harry shook his hand in greeting. He stood with Mandy and Roger on his left side and Neville and Tracey on his right.

"I just wanted to discuss some details with you and your companions."

"Myrmidons." Roger corrected.

"I beg your pardon?" Dumbledore turned to face the tall blonde boy.

"Myrmidons. Calling us companions makes us sound like life partners or lackeys. We're his Myrmidons." Mandy stated.

Snape snorted and mumbled something that sounded like "could have fooled me".

"My apologies, I meant no degradation." Dumbledore carried on in his cheerful voice. "Harry, you and each of your Myrmidons-" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled madly "-will be staying in a different house, and I request you to eat your meals and attend classes with assigned house. I think this will help the students adjust better to you."

Harry nodded. "Shacklebolt informed us of this."

Dumbledore nodded as well. "Good. Professors McGonagall, Snape and I decided based off your parents and what houses they were in for the houses we placed you all in. Roger Davies will stay in Ravenclaw, Mandy Brocklehurst in Hufflepuff, Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter in Gryffindor, and Tracey Davis in Slytherin."

"No." Harry frowned at the Headmaster.

"Oh?" Dumbledore's eye twinkle faded to a wary look.

"I don't want Tracey in Slytherin by herself. Her parents were Death Eaters, I fear some of the Slytherins will see her as a blood traitor and will give her a hard time. I will be in Slytherin with her."

"Absolutely not." Snape snarled.

Harry glared at the Head of Slytherin. "Fine. Than just me."

"Mr. Potter, I don't think it wise for you to be in Slytherin either." McGonagall spoke up.

"I don't want any of my Myrmidons alone in Slytherin. It's either me or we all leave Hogwarts." Harry threatened. He knew Shacklebolt and Moody would march his arse right back in here, but Dumbledore didn't know that. Hopefully.

"No need for such dramatics Harry, you may stay with Miss Davis in Slytherin." Dumbledore nodded.

Snape's glare on Harry intensified, and Harry wondered what he ever did to him to earn it in the first place. "Thank you sir." Harry nodded.

"Now if you'd please follow me and then take a seat at your appropriate table." Dumbledore gestured to a second door in the room. Harry nodded and walked through, followed by his friends. The door lead straight into the great hall, near the staff table. Sirius Black waved at Harry, and Harry grinned back. The students had yet to notice their entrance. Harry and Tracey set off for the Slytherin table, but as they walked by the students the Great Hall gradually quieted down until there wasn't even a whisper.

The only open seats at the Slytherin table were on the end closest to the staff table, presumably for the first years to sit. Harry and Tracey sat across from each other and next to the last few students. They openly gaped at the two elite fighters that were still dressed as muggles. The Great Hall immediately burst into hushed whispers. The ones that Harry could hear sounded a lot like, 'what in Merlin's beard was Harry Potter doing at the Slytherin table?'

The second year boy that happened to be sitting next to the famous Harry Potter happened to be the little brother of Pansy Parkinson. Pansy, who sat towards the middle of the table and across from Draco, glared at her little brother to be polite. He nodded nervously and turned to Harry.

"Um... Hello Mr. Potter sir. My name is Puck Parkinson."

Harry grinned at the small brown haired boy. "Hello Puck. My name is Harry Potter, it's nice to meet you." Puck squeaked in awe as he shook Harry's larger hand and he smiled snootily at his friends.

Pansy smiled in victory. "This is fabulous! My little brother was the first to introduce himself."

Draco glared at his friend. "Yeah, Potter is probably going to seduce him while no one is looking." He muttered darkly.

"Oh come off it Draco. It takes two to tango Draco." Pansy easily replied.

"Lighten up Draco, you have an honor no one else can claim. You've had sex with the Boy-Who-Lived." Blaise whispered over to him.

"No, I had sex with Kirke Shacklebolt. Merlin knows how many other witches and wizards have done the same." Draco hissed back. He was furious with Harry Potter and he was going to confront him at the first available moment.

Blaise couldn't reply as the doors opened to the great hall and the first years filed in. Harry didn't listen to the speech that Dumbledore made or the sorting hat's song. Instead he observed all the first years and their nervous expressions. There were more first years attending this year than there had been in a few years. Parents were more willing to send their children to a school when he was protecting them. The bloody Boy-Who-Lived.

Slytherin gained four boys and three girls, compared to Gryffindor's seven boys and six girls. Not many students wanted to be in this house anymore. A pity, Harry thought. A lot of great wizards had come from Slytherin.

Time was passing slowly during the feast. Tracey and Harry kept glancing at each other and then their watches before returning to stab at their food. Harry stuck up a conversation with Puck to get time moving a little faster.

"Puck, do you have any hobbies." Harry asked.

The small boy jumped, but then blushed before responding. "Quidditch!"

"Quidditch? Are you any good?" Harry asked with a smile.

"I like being a seeker. I plan to try out next year, after Draco leaves. He's the team seeker right now, he's brilliant!"

"Really?" Harry's eyes drifted over to the silver haired teen. Quidditch sure explained his nicely toned physique. A physique Harry was hoping to catch another glimpse of soon. "I'd love to see him play."

Puck nodded happily, oblivious to Harry's lusting thoughts. "We've won the Quidditch cup every year since he's been seeker. But Dumbledore always finds a way to get another house to get the house cup." He sighed.

"Sounds like him." Harry mused dryly.

The rest of the speech passed quickly, Tracey and Harry engaged the younger kids around them in idle chit chat. And soon Dumbledore was wishing them all a good night and telling them all that they should be thankful for Harry Potter and his Myrmidons (there seemed to be heavy influence on that word) for giving Hogwarts aide. Harry flushed in embarrassment at being picked out of the crowd and sent a glare up at the Headmaster as they filed out of the Great Hall.

Harry and Tracey followed the Slytherin students out of the Great Hall and towards the dungeons. Draco glanced back at them every few moments. Soon they were standing at a nondescript stretch of wall where Draco called the password loud enough for all of them to hear. "Parseltongue."

Harry blinked for a minute at the odd word. He wondered if the wizarding world knew that he could talk to snakes. Probably not, his traits that he shared with Voldemort were kept under wraps.

Professor Snape was in the common room waiting for the students and gave a welcome speech that was far from the kind one Dumbledore delivered earlier. Snape's was full of 'don't bother me unless it's life threatening' and 'treat the other houses with disdain' and 'Slytherins are leagues better than Gryffindors'. Harry was amused.

As the students made their way down the two staircases, one for boys and one for girls, towards their rooms, Snape hailed Tracey, Harry and Draco.

"Draco, your Head Boy room is behind the portrait of Salazar Slytherin, the password is 'Riddle' until you change it." Draco nodded. Snape then faced the other two with a loathing expression. "Mr. Potter and Miss Davis, I'm afraid you'll get no special treatment in my house. You'll be bunking with the seventh years."

"That'll be fine, we've slept in worse places then a school dormitory." Harry grinned playfully. He was amused by the professor's obvious hatred of them.

"Oh? I highly doubt the Boy-Who-Lived has ever been uncomfortable." Snape said rather bitterly.

"Well, the camps in Siberia were uncomfortable." Tracey spoke up cheekily.

"Hmm... cold yes, but Brazil was worse. You never knew what was crawling into your sleeping bag with you." Harry shuddered. He had awoken to find an Anaconda just about to squeeze him to death. Harry was lucky he was a parselmouth and smooth talked the snake into eating something else.

"True, we thought you were a goner when your were wrapped up by that twenty foot anaconda." Tracey smiled in amusement.

But Snape was not amused. "Please refrain from causing a disturbance in my house." He hissed before stalking out of the common room.

"Potter, do you think I could have a word or two with you?" Draco asked calmly.

Harry smirked back. "Of course. G'night Tee."

"'Night Har." Tracey waved before heading off down the girl's staircase.

Draco stalked over to the portrait of Salazar Slytherin and called out 'Riddle'. Harry followed him inside.

oOo

To Be Continued

What are Harry and Draco about to be doing? -smiles- oh you all are going to hate me next chapter!

Thanks to all who have read this so far! especially: Tora88 (totally! just let me know when you do! thanks for your long review! -glomps-), Ashes of Stars (you really had me going there for a second! thanks! -glomps-), Mariel (harry is awesome, isn't he?), nanono, Grace James, RavenMistress (oh, you probably didn't like this cliffhanger either), SillySlyth, danuschka, Starr Light1, Romilly McAran (I think you'll apperciate the next chapter the most), Lady Slone, dablksaiyangurl, SuperChic, Silentslayer, kozie, DrAco's FAN GurL, CompleteGeek, Priestess of Silvanus, and VampireFreak! Thanks a Million! You all are what gets me updating so fast!

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