"Yes" said Harry "why do you want to know?"
"You're rather famous around our people, Potter" said the boy "but I'm sure you wouldn't know that, living with Muggles", he said the word as if it were a disgusting swearword.
"My name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy and this is Crabbe and Goyle" he pointed to the two boys flanking his sides.
Ron coughed in a way that suggested he was trying to cover up a snigger. But before Malfoy could respond, Hermione began talking.
"Are you really? I heard that the Malfoys were the one of the oldest families in the-"
"I know my history, thanks" said Malfoy " and I think I was talking to Potter, not you"
"I don't think you were invited into this carriage" said Mandy" or does being posh mean you get to go everywhere?"
"I think you ought to be less rude you, arrogant, thoughtless bully" said Hermione
"Yeah, it doesn't help you make friends, Malfoy. Maybe your dad didn't teach you that when he was busy helping You-Know-Who" said Ron.
"Don't you dare talk about my father!" Shouted Malfoy "I know about your family. My father says every Weasley has red hair, freckles and more children then they can afford. And as for these two" he cast a disdainful glance at Hermione and Mandy "I don't think they're from a proper family at all"
He turned directly to Harry "you'll learn very soon, Potter that some wizards are better than others. I can show you the right sort" he extended his hand.
Harry refused to shake it.
"Don't talk about my sister like that" he said coldly "or my friends. I think you should go now"
"Well that's a shame, isn't it?" Sneered Malfoy "because we don't much feel like leaving"
This was really starting to get out of control but Harry supposed that there was really no way of backing down now.
"Leave now or I'll make you leave" said Harry. He hoped that if he sounded tough enough, Malfoy would back away.
He had no such luck.
"Or what? You'll fight me?" Malloy said with a sneer.
"I wouldn't be feeling so brave if I were you, Malfoy. There's four of us and three of you" snarled Ron.
"You think I'm afraid of some blood traitors and a couple of girls? Crabbe, teach him a lesson"
Crabbe began to waddle over to Ron, his mass dwarfing the redhead.
Mandy began talking" Harry I really don't think we should-"
As Crabbe bent down to grab Ron, he suddenly howled in pain and withdrew his finger. He went back to Malfoy and Goyle.
"Go. Now" Harry shouted and they heeded his advice.
"What happened to Crabbe's hand?" asked Harry
Ron withdrew something small and brown from his pocket.
"It was my rat, Scabbers .He bit Crabbe when he tried roughing me up. Doesn't do much usually, good thing Malfoy came while he was awake".
"Can I have a look?" asked Mandy
"Alright" said Ron "but I warn you, he's fallen asleep again and he doesn't like being woken up"
Mandy took him into her hand " aaaww he's so cute" she said, stroking Scabbers' fur " I like rats. Everyone says they're dirty but they're not, not really"
"You're welcome to have him" said Ron "Percy gave him to be because he was so useless. Doesn't do anything but eat and sleep. Mind you, I suppose he might be helpful if Malfoy comes back"
"Lovely boy isn't he, that one?" said Mandy
"Typical Malfoy" said Ron "that family's been rotten to the core since forever. His dad was a Death Eater and I'll bet you any money his grandad was too"
"A Death Eater?" asked Harry.
"Someone who followed You-Know-Who" Ron clarified.
"A follower of You-Know Who? But The Rise and Fall of The Dark Arts said that they were all captured or killed" said Hermione.
"Well he always says he wasn't really a Death Eater. Fed everyone some bollocks about being bewitched and the Ministry let him get away with it 'cause he's rich. My dad reckons the Malfoy's never needed a reason to turn dark"
"Well that's outrageous" said Hermione "I hope someone catches him one of these days"
"My dad's been trying to pin something on him for a while but it never sticks" said Ron "still, one of these days…"
Harry looked out of the window and realised that it had been some time since they had been in a city. Outside, it was all rolling fields and wide, open spaces. The cows in the fields looked different too. They now had shaggy coats and long, curved horns. The sky seemed to be getting blacker and blacker as the journey went on. In the distance there were mountains.
"I think we're nearly there" he said "it looks like we're in Scotland"
"You two had better get out then" said Ron to Hermione and Mandy "unless you want to watch us change"
Hermione left with a huff and Mandy with a muttered comment about politeness.
No sooner had they finished putting their robes on when they heard an announcement, informing them that the train would stop in five minutes. Harry and Ron gathered their stuff and went off to get Hermione and Mandy.
They got off at the Platform to find a most unusual man waiting for them. He was simply huge, towering over everyone and everything in the vicinity. He had a rather barbaric appearance, with his long, wild hair and an enormous black bushy beard covering much of his face. The giant spoke in a deep booming voice with a West Country accent.
"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!" he cried.
Harry and the others dutifully walked towards him, although a few looked rather worried by his appearance.
When everybody had assembled the giant looked over at the children and beamed. Then he spoke.
"C'mon follow me-Any more firs'-years? Mind yer step now! Firs' years follow me"
He led them down a long and narrow path. It was now very dark, so it was rather hard to see anything. Everybody was too busy trying to avoid tripping over to talk much and despite their best efforts there were a number who stumbled or fell. The boy who had lost his toad sniffed once or twice.
"Yeh'll see yeh first sight of Hogwarts in a second" said the giant "jus' round this bend"
There was loud and pleased noise from all the assembled students.
Hogwarts was certainly an impressive sight. Although Harry had read about the nature of Hogwarts, he had still pictured it in his mind's eye as merely a larger and more fantastical version of his primary school. This was not the case. Hogwarts was a vast black castle, perched on a mountain and resting by the shore of a vast black lake. It dominated the landscape. Unlike the castles Harry had seen before this was no ruin. It looked to be in the prime of its existence its walls standing high and proud.
They were led to the shores of the lake, where a number of little boats sat waiting for them.
"No more'n four to a boat!" shouted the giant and Harry dutifully got into one of the boats, along with Ron, Hermione and Mandy. Suddenly, the boats began to move, under their own power and they were drifting across the lake. Everyone sat in silence as the boats drifted closer and closer.
"HEADS DOWN" yelled the giant as they reached the cliff. They ducked their heads and were carried under a curtain of ivory. The boats brought them through what seemed like an underground tunnel until, still underground, they were brought to a harbour. They all climbed out of their boats and onto the muddy, pebbly ground.
"Oy, you there, is that your toad?" Said the giant to the toadless boy. The boy's reaction showed very clearly that it was.
They were now being led across a narrow passageway built out of the rock. The passage took them higher and higher, until they were again out in the cold, clear air. This time they were standing on the grass next to the castle's entrance. From there it was only a short walk to be standing right outside the huge castle gates. The giant strode up to them and knocked three times.
The door was opened by a tall, black haired witch wearing emerald green robes. Her face had a very severe lock on it and Harry had a feeling that she was somebody he really didn't want to get on the wrong side of.
"The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall" said the giant.
"Thank you Hagrid" replied McGonagall "that will be all" She spoke in a calm authoritative voice, with the hint of a Scottish accent.
She led the new students to a small stone chamber. There she told them that they would soon be sorted into their houses.
"How do they decide what house you should be in?" Asked Harry.
"There's some sort of test" said Ron "I don't know what it is. Fred says it hurts a lot but I think he was joking"
"A test? Well that shouldn't be so bad, should it, Hermione" said Harry. He'd done quite a few tests and managed to come out best, although he had no idea what the wizards' idea of a test would be like. Hermione was muttering everything she could remember under her breath, while the rest sat in stony silence.
The silence was abruptly broken when several people screamed. Harry turned around and gasped.
"Ghosts!" cried Mandy, for that was what they'd seen. Pearly white and transparent, they drifted through the walls and floated through the air. They seemed to be deep in conversation with each other because they did not acknowledge the students at all. One of them, who looked like a rather rotund monk was saying "forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance-"
'My dear friar, haven't we given Peeve all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not even really a ghost- I say what are you all doing here?'
One of the ghosts had noticed them at last and now the others were starting to pay attention. Nobody answered the ghost's question.
"New students!" said the fat monk "about to be sorted I suppose?"
A few were brave enough to nod mutely.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" he said "my old house you know"
It was at that moment that Professor McGonagall returned
"Move along now" she said "the Sorting Ceremony's about to start"
The ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.
McGonagall spoke again "now, form a line and follow me"
Harry fell into line and walked with the others out of the chamber and towards the Great Hall.
The Great Hall was as large and impressive as everything else about Hogwarts. It was lit by many thousands of candles, floating in midair. There were five long tables- four for the students and one for the teachers. All of them were covered in golden plates and goblets, which glittered in the light. McGonagall led them to the teachers table and they stood, facing hundreds of other students. Harry gulped. He had hoped that the test would be done in private- if he failed, he would have hundreds of witnesses. He felt a ball of worry beginning to grow in his stomach.
Looking up, he saw the night sky. It was a beautiful, clear night and the stars glimmered in their billions. Hermione whispered in his ear "it's bewitched to look like the sky outside". Further down, floating just above the tables were the ghosts.
Harry heard a noise and looked down again. McGonagall was placing a four legged stool in front of them. Then she produced a hat and placed it on top of the school. The hat was dirty and frayed and generally past it's prime. Aunt Petunia would have given him a stern talking to if he had ever brought something like that into the house.
Presumably the hat was involved in the test somehow. Harry was, however at a loss to figure out how. Was there really something to all that stuff about magicians pulling rabbits out of hats?
For a few seconds nobody spoke. All eyes were no the hat. Then the hat began to twitch and keep twitching until a hole opened up on the brim. It looked very much like a mouth and clearly it had the same function because the hat began to sing.
Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!
A singing hat. Now he'd really seen it all.
"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron said "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll"
"And you believed him?" said Mandy incredulously "honestly Ron, no wonder they keep playing tricks on you"
McGonagall stepped forward, holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted" she explained "Abbott, Hannah"
A blonde haired girl with pigtails came out of the line and put the hat over her head. After a moments silence the hat cried "HUFFLEPUFF!" and there was a great explosion of cheer from that table.
Next up was "Bones, Susan" After not long under the hat she too received a call of "HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Boot, Terry"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Brocklehurst, Mandy"
"Wish me luck" she whispered and walked towards the stool.
"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat and she walked up to join Terry.
The next to be sorted was "Brown, Lavender" who became the first Gryffindor followed by "Bulstrode, Millicent" who became the first Slytherin. Harry could see Ron's point about Slytherin- they did not look like very nice people.
Eventually the hat reached Hermione, who walked very quickly up to the stool and practically shoved the hat onto her head. The hat took a long time to decide with Hermione but eventually he heard a cry of "RAVENCLAW!" He knew which house he wanted now.
The toadless boy, whose name turned out to be Neville Longbottom took an equally long time before he was sorted, before he was finally placed in Gryffindor. He ran off still wearing the hat and had to come back to return it amid gales of laughter.
Malfoy didn't take nearly so long to be sorted. He was declared a Slytherin practically the moment the hat touched his head.
Harry noted to his amusement that Crabbe and Goyle seemed dedicated to flanking Malfoy's sides at all times, having opted to sit on opposite sides of an empty seat.
His amusement was short lived, however because the supply of people was rapidly running out.
"Moon" … "Nott" … "Patil" and "Patil" then "Perks" and finally
"Potter, Harry"
Harry stepped forward and walked towards the stool. It felt as if he were running a marathon, each step seemed to take an eternity. A sudden outbreak of whispers and murmuring occurred across the hall. He heard his name many time amongst the chatter. He really wished they wouldn't, it was turning an already nerve wracking experience into something else entirely.
Soon however, Harry found his eyes engulfed by the black velvet of the hat.
"Hmm" said a small voice in his ear "this is difficult. Very difficult indeed. You've got bravery, you've got cunning, you've got a fondness for knowledge- and a nice thirst to prove yourself- so where shall I put you?"
Harry didn't have to think very hard 'Ravenclaw', he thought.
"Are you sure?" Said the Hat "you'd do well in Gryffindor or Slytherin, you might even make it as a great Hufflepuff-no? Well if you're sure it had better be RAVENCLAW!"
Harry walked wearily towards Hermione at the Ravenclaw table. A great cheer erupted across the table, bigger than any previous one. The Ravenclaw ghost, an elegant grey lady, gave him a piercing look.
Harry saw the high table where the teachers sat properly now. He saw Dumbledore sat to the centre and McGonagall by his side. Hagrid was sat there as well. Not far from Dumbledore and McGonagall were two more teachers – one was hook-nosed and sallow faced with a mop of land, greasy hair. The other as thin and nervous looking, with a huge purple turban perched atop his head. As Harry looked towards them, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his forehead.
"Harry, are you alright?" said Hermione
"I'm fine" he replied "just a bit of a headache, that's all"
"It's good that we're together, isn't it?" said Hermione "I thought we might end up…"
"In different houses?" Harry finished "come on, as if I'd leave you on your own"
The sorting was really beginning to wind down now. Once "Thomas, Dean" had joined Gryffindor and "Turpin, Lisa" had come to the Ravenclaw table there was only a handful left. One of those handful was Ron. Harry hoped that he would join them but he didn't feel it was particularly likely. After all, Ron had said all of his family had been Gryffindors for centuries. Like Hermione and Neville, Ron was spending an inordinately large amount of time under the hat. When the hat finally moved again it was with a cry of "RAVENCLAW!"
Harry, Hermione and Mandy were among the few who clapped. Most of the hall seemed to be in a state of shocked silence, including Ron's brothers. Ron walked his way over to the Ravenclaw table.
"I don't think anyone was expecting that" said Hermione.
Ron smiled and laughed "yeah, first Weasley in Ravenclaw in, well, ever. Who'd have thought it? That'll teach Fred and George, the Sorting Hat says I'm smarter than them!"
Once " Zabini, Blaise" became a Slytherin the ceremony was over. McGonagall rolled up her scroll and put the Sorting hat away.
Dumbledore got to his feet and began to talk.
"Welcome!" he said "welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak"
'Thank you'
Harry was very confused by this, as was much of the rest of the hall. But when the plates began filling up with delicious looking food, harry suddenly found that he didn't care very much.
Authors Note: So everybody's in Ravenclaw. Some of you may question having Ron in there but I don't think it's terribly implausible. Contrary to popular belief, the books never depict Ron as stupid or particularly bad at schoolwork (the films on the other hand…). He was never shown to do any worse than Harry at any of his schoolwork and their exam results in Half Blood Prince are close to identical. Plus his skill at chess shows that he has a certain gift for strategy. He's hardly what you'd expect a Ravenclaw to be like but he's no more ill –fitting to it than Crabbe and Goyle are to Slytherin or Pettigrew to Gryffindor
Why does he want to be a Ravenclaw? It's essentially a combination between wanting to be with his new friends and seeing an opportunity to move out of the shadows of his brothers. As the first Weasley in Ravenclaw he'll stand out no matter what he does.