Sorting

*Hogsmade Village*Scotland*Eight PM*

'That is an impressive sight' Harry thought as soon as the castle came into view, and if the amazed gasps all around him were any indication, his new year mates thought so as well.

The castle itself was impressive, with its imposing height and thousands of windows, several towers that, well towered, over the rest of the castle in six different places.

Adding to the image were the flickering lights that could be seen from every single one of the visible windows, giving it the impression that every room was in use.

The dark sky also helped the castle, bathing it and the grounds in the moonlight and giving it a clam vibe that complimented the ancient feel of the ambient magic that Harry could already start to feel.

And the lake, the perfect mirror as it was totally calm with only the slight breeze causing a few ripples when it hit the water, giving the reflection of both the sky and the castle with all its flickering lights.

"Yes, I had a similar reaction" Lily said, watching through her son's eyes, "I was very much more expressive though" she added.

"Why aren't you impressed?" hissed Lisa from her place at his side, clutching him so she would not trip or slip on the slippery stone path, "it's beautiful"

"It is," Harry agreed, "and I am impressed, awed even, at the sight this place offers, but I do not like to gape in public"

"You awfully remind me of someone I know" muttered Blaize, "who could it be?" he pointedly looked at Daphe as he said this.

"He knows when to display emotions and how to play on a person's personalities" the girl said stiffly, "the perfect conduct for an heir of a Most Ancient and Most Noble house"

"You're going to have to teach me about tittles," Harry said as he slowed down a little to allow them to catch up, "The only thing I know is that I'm becoming a Lord as soon as I turn seventeen."

"You know nothing about politics" Daphne stated more than asked, but Harry nodded anyway, "I'll be willing to help you if you are willing to make an alliance with my House when you become of age" she said.

"Only if can teach well enough" Harry countered, "and I keep the right to go back if I think you're leading me on"

"Deal" Daphne said.

"Damn, not another one," whined Tracey, "I have enough with one cold, political thinking friend, two will be too much"

"Well, it is tree of us normal kids against two of them" Blaize pointed out, "we can always leave them when they start politicking"

"Is that even a word?" Lisa asked, "I've never heard it, and I've hear the word defenestrating"

"And you don't know 'politicking'?" Blaize asked, "Really, goes to show you've not payed enough attention to adults"

"I'm eleven" Lisa growled, "of course I don't pay attention to adults"

"She's got a point," Harry pointed out, "adult talk is boring, I much prefer reading over listening to a grown up talking about what they did during the day"

"And I do listen to my parents talk, but they talk math and medicine," Lisa said, "not politics"

"Her parents are an actuary and a nurse" Harry said, "It is dreadfully boring to hear them talk about their jobs, unless they have a funny anecdote to tell"

"Actuary?" asked Trecey.

Lisa sighed, "My dad works in a company, and he is part of the department that calculates the monetary income and outcome of every product they give or of the benefits they offer to the employees"

Daphne hummed, "That is an interesting thing, I may have to contact father and mother about this" she muttered.

"Oh god no" Blaize rubbed his head, "now she'll be in thinking mode for the rest of the day"

*Great hall entrance*

As the giant that had picked them up at the station dropped them off at the entrance hall of the castle after a word with Professor McGonagall, Harry admired the structure around him, recognizing it as an architectural marvel.

He only paid attention to the houses and the bit of the House Cup of McGonagall's speech, favouring the observation of the castle and nearby suits of armour that looked at the students through their metal heads.

What an interesting piece of decoration.

"They're enchanted sweety" Lily said as she felt his curiosity spike.

'So you've told me, but I want to know how they've lasted so long'

"The enchantments on them are tied to the ley lines under the school"

'That would overload them, you've told me that iron isn't a good conductor for magic, the reason it is used in cauldrons'

"Do you have any questions?" he heard McGonagall ask.

Harry lifted his hand, the only one to do so, getting some snickers thrown at him, "yes, could you please tell me how it is that the suits of armour move? They are too fluid to be enchanted"

McGonagall coughed awkwardly, not expecting such a question, "It is knowledge lost to the ages I'm afraid, Mister Potter"

He heard a growl from somewhere behind him and identified the voice as that one of the rude boy that had busted into his compartment during the train ride, the one with the bad Bond impression.

Not Neville, he actually liked Neville.

He wouldn't be three steps behind him and in front of Blaize otherwise.

"Investigation required then" he muttered.

"Smarten yourselves up while you wait for the sorting to begin" McGonagall disappeared behind the giant doors in front of them, where chatter of hundreds could be heard.

Nervous whispers about the sorting could be heard, but Harry paid them no mind, instead getting close to the nearest suit of armour, mindful that it was holding a Morningstar in one of its hands.

It was a bit unnerving that its visor followed his every move, doing as an owl would and turning its head a full 180 when Harry stepped to face its back.

He slowly, almost as slowly as his first good attempt at a rune cluster, he touched the armour with his magic tendrils, retracting them immediately when it moved the hand with the shield up.

He tried again, even slower when the suit of armour lowered the shield.

"How strange," he muttered to himself, "how very strange."

To him the suit of armour felt just like any other person he touched with his magic would feel like, but it was colder and more like a muggle, with only the barest amount of magic needed for the soul to function.

But it also felt corrupted, as if having the iron armour as a body corrupted the soul somewhat, or maybe it was BECAUSE the soul was corrupted that it was trapped in a suit of armour.

He would need to find a deserted corridor and perform some tests some time.

"Mister Potter," Harry heard McGonagall call to him. He poked his head over the shoulder of the armour, "The sorting is about to begin, so if you would be so kind as to leave the decorations alone, we can begin"

With a final glance at the armour Harry complied, falling into step with Lisa.

The Great Hall was an impressive sight, almost as impressive as the castle itself, with the four large tables with students in robes of different linings and tapestries of a honey badger, a lion, an eagle and a snake somehow hanging from the roof, if there was any as it was covered by the night sky, complete with stars and clouds.

McGonagall took out a roll of parchment and started calling names from it.

Eventually it was Tracey's turn, and she sat on the stool and put on the Sorting Hat.

"Hmmm, good mind, a bit lazy but not afraid to work, wants to hold a high position in the ministry, that is ambitious, but not you real dream is it.

"No, no, I do believe that you want to do as your mother did, then it better be SLYTHERIN"

She smiled and walked to the table under the green snake banners, sitting herself on the far side of the table.

"Greengrass, Daphne"

"Hmmm, great mind, not afraid of getting dirty but you prefer not getting caught when you have to do it, and your plan for the future is nothing short of impressive, getting control over a house with a large number of wizengamot seats.

"I see that you have already set your eyes on Harry Potter, but I doubt you could get in better terms with him than the mugglborn that has been his friend for years already, but I wish you luck, you will do great in Slytherin!"

"Longbottmom, Neville"

"Not very smart, are you? No, knowledge is not something you are destined for, you are a Longbottom, a family that has given a lot of warriors to the ages, so it is only fitting that you follow your ansestors.

"But you don't like battle, do you? You prefer plants over your family. Well Mister Longbottom, I can assure you that a lot of good will come to you if you stay in GRYFFINDOOR"

The sorting continued, and Harry kept his cold façade on without fail, not even when he started to nod off, "Potter, Harry"

"Harrison, please" he muttered as he walked towards the stool, ignoring the whispers of amazed boys and flustered girls as he confidently made his way forwards.

"You are one of a kind, Mister Potter, I don't believe anyone can claim that their mother lives insider their head" he heard inside his head.

'Tell anyone and I'll burn you' Harry threatened.

"A temper to match that of Lily, but more controlled, you don't snap unless necessary, do you?" the Hat continued without pause, "the sense of humor of James, as well as his disregard for authority figures, but you also have traits that you developed on your own, the ambition to see the world, the drive to complete whatever you put your mind on, the cool head you always try to keep, the knowledge you so desperately want.

"You have no true place in any of the houses, just as you would fit in any of them, but two things rise above the rest.

"Tell me Mr. Potter, what is more important to you, your friends and family, or your dreams?"

'Family comes first, always'

"GRYFFINDOOR! You will go very far Mister Potter"

The table under the lion banner exploded into cheers, and he noticed that Fred and George started chanting "we got Potter!" over and over again

"Turpin, Lisa"

"Hmmm, interesting mind, it always is when I have to sort someone who reads for pleasure and gain, you could go into Ravenclaw right now just for that, but you are also brash, not afraid to speak your mind the Hat hummed for a second before shouting "RAVENCLAW!"

"Zabini, Blaize"

"Hmmm, if I hadn't sorted Sirius Black before you I would tell you that your ambition is impossible, even more if you start where you want to start, lower your targets for your first three years," blaize got the impression that the hat blinked dumbly, "Forget I said that, just abandon your plan, settle for only one girl instead of trying to date everyone your year and up

"Your plan aside, you have a really quick wit, but I wouldn't let anyone get dirt on you, Mister Zabini, otherwise you won't survive SLYTHERIN!"

This was simple enough and surprisingly easy since I wrote it in just one day, i think it's my new record.

Next update will probably be in one or two weeks, I posted this as soon as I did because I already had two out of four chapters ready.