Was many years ago that I left home and came this way

I was a young man, full of hope and dreams

But now it seems to me that all is lost and

nothing gained

Sometimes things ain't what they seem

No brave new world, no brave new world

No brave new world, no brave new world

Night and day I scan horizon, sea and sky

My spirit wanders endlessly

Until the day will dawn and friends from home

discover why

Hear me calling, rescue me

Set me free, set me free

Lost in this place, and leave no trace

Stranger in a strange land

Land of ice and snow

Trapped inside this prison

Lost and far from home

-Iron Maiden Stranger In A Strange Land


Chapter Five: The First Night

The hall went instantly silent. So silent, it was almost deafening.

Every single eye in the room was on Harry. McGonagall was frozen in place. She couldn't even bring herself to take the hat off of Harry's head.

Harry calmly got up, took the hat off of his head, and placed it gently on the stool. He then took what felt like the longest walk of his life to the end of the Slytherin table and sat down by himself, his head resting on his fist.

Ron didn't know what to say nor how to feel. His best mate, the person he considered a brother, had went over to the dark side. And it seemed that his sister had as well, although it had always been a running joke that the twins and Ginny should have always been in Slytherin.

Hermione looked as if she wanted to cry. This had to be some cruel joke. Harry didn't have a Slytherin bone in his body. Why would the that do something as wrong as that to someone who already was having it rough? He would be in enemy territory without his best friends to back him up.

Draco was flabbergasted to say the least but was determined not to let it show. Potter? Really a Slytherin? He couldn't sit there and actually say he couldn't see it. Potter was a very ambitious person, sometimes to the point to where he didn't take in account others and he also would do anything to achieve a goal sometimes, even if it wasn't a correct way to go about it. Still he just had to be in his house. He had a feeling that it was going to be a major shift in power happening very soon.

But the fact that Ginny was also in Slytherin made him not even care. He had bigger things to worry about. And he triumphed in the fact that Ginny was basically gift wrapped to him. He was confident in his abilities. Shit, he even gave himself a week to get back on her good side.

Dinner at the Slytherin table was awkward for Harry. No one but a very enthusiastic first year who was apparently a relative of Terry Boot and had heard about Harry for years. He could feel the table's eyes on him and a couple times he looked up and seen Pansy Parkinson and others glaring at him. He could also see that Ginny was in a very animated conversation with Blaise and that Seamus seemed to fit in as well, laughing it up with some seventh and sixth years as if he Har been a member of Slytherin all along.

He sighed. He had a feeling this was going to be a lovely term.

When the meal was over, Ron, George, and Hermione ran over quickly to Harry. Hermione crashed into him, hugging him tight, allowing the tears to fall.

"Oh Harry, this has to be a complete and utter mistake! The the hat to resort you back. Please!"

"Yeah mate. You can't be in that house. You'll be sleeping with the enemy you will. Malfoy will off you when you least expect it." said Ron afraid for his friend.

Harry smiled and shrugged. "Guys, I'll be fine. I'll just stay to myself and be with you guys unless I have to be with them. Besides, I'll have Ginny."

"Yeah about that." growled Ron looking angrily over at Ginny talking to Blaise. "I'm going to have a talk with her and we are going to see McGonagall right now. My little sister isn't going to be around those vicious pricks."

"Ron, you know Ginny isn't going to like you stepping in on her choices. She's of age now." said Hermione.

"And Ginny is more than capable of handling her own Ronniekins." said George. "She knows more hexes that both of us combined."

"That may be true but-"

"Leave her Ron. I need at least one friend in there with me and Seamus doesn't count. I'll look out for her, I promise" said Harry putting a reassuring hand on Ron's shoulder.

Ron nodded, feeling a but better about the situation. "I'll still have a word with her anyways. Let my presence be known, if you will." he said walking away and toward Ginny.

"We have to meet professor McGonagall for our rooms love!" said Hermione chasing after him.

"Good luck Harry." said George with a pat on Harry's back and grin. "And if you need anything Weasley related you know who to come see."

Harry nodded and started to follow green ties to Slytherin Dungeon. He vaguely remembered how to get there having only been there once and that was in second year.


After a while of walking, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to face a smiling Daphne with another girl.

"Well well, welcome to Slytherin." said Daphne smiling brightly at Harry.

Harry smirked. "Welcome indeed. Your lot looked as if they wanted to kill me."

"They are perfectly harmless. Oh Harry, this is my sister Astoria." said Daphne pointing to the brunette beside her. She looked a lot like Daphne only with brown curls and brown eyes and was about two inches shorter than her older sister.

Harry held out his hand. "Nice to meet you." he said.

Astoria looked at him, not attempting to touch even a finger. Daphne nudged her sister, making her shake Harry's hand quickly and loosely.

"Charmed I'm sure." she said shortly and then walked off.

Daphne rolled her eyes. "Don't mind her. She can be a bit of a bitch sometimes."

"She seems delightful." said Harry sarcastically, making Daphne giggle.

"A right peach that one. Anyways, despite my sister and a few others, I'm glad that you're in my house." said Daphne.

"Why is that?"

"Well, it'll certainly be easier to talk to you." she said blushing a bit.

Harry felt his face grow hot as well with blush. "You don't care what your friends think of that?"

"Not at all." said Daphne blushing more.

"Come on Daph!" called out an annoyed Astoria.

"Til tomorrow then." said Daphne squeezing Harry's hand quickly then walking off. Harry watched her walk away with both confusion and interest.

"I saw that." said Ginny popping out of nowhere.

"You saw nothing."

"I saw everything! She fancies you doesn't she Harry?" asked Ginny with the enthusiasm of a child.

Harry shook his head. "I don't think so. She's just being nice I think."

"Sure. Nice. Right."

"Well what about you and Zabini? You two looked pretty cozy at dinner." said Harry.

"Blaise is like Ron to me. He was there for me when...well he was there for me a lot last year." said Ginny looking at her feet.

"Oh."

"Jealous? I hope not." said Ginny.

"Not at all. I already know that the ship has sailed for us." said Harry as he put his arm around Ginny's shoulder. "I think we were better off as friends anyways."

Ginny nodded, agreeing.

"I do feel bad for abandoning you though. You didn't deserve to spend time with Death Eaters."

"It wasn't all that bad. I mean sure it was bad, but I had Blaise and Dr... others." said Ginny quickly. "Come on, I'll show you to Slytherin."

"How do you know where it is?" asked Harry.

"Blaise of course." said Ginny pulling at Harry's robe to make him hurry.

The two walked in silence toward the dungeon. They walked through the open portrait after a couple of third years.

Draco was already in the common room wrapping up a surprisingly calm speech to the first years. When he was done with them, he approached Seamus Romilda, Ginny, and Harry.

"Potter." Draco said with a nod and a somewhat tolerable mood.

"Malfoy." said Harry doing the same.

Draco have the same greeting to Seamus and Ronilda, who giggled like a foolish schoolgirl. But when he looked at Ginny, his whole demeanor changed.

"Hey Ginny." he said, his voice sounding almost silky smooth as well as a bit nervous.

"Draco." said Ginny looking into Draco's eyes as if she was challenging him.

Draco grinned at her and then addressed all three. "So since you lot have been sorted into my house, you are too be staying in a special form reserved for the parents and visitors of events. Blaise and I have been staying there since 5th year actually."

"Why? asked Seamus.

"Because Finnigan they are the best rooms in the house. That answer your question?"

Seamus sneered at Draco. Draco totally ignored it and continued with his speech.

"There are seven separate dorm rooms and since the area was usually occupied my Blaise and I, there is an exception made for our gorgeous witches here as they won't have to be forced to share a dorm with the likes of Pansy."

"Thanks, I guess." said Ginny.

"Oh you're so sweet, you called me gorgeous." said Romilda, blushing.

Ginny glared at the girl, wondering why she was suddenly overcome by the feeling of yanking every black strand of hair out of her head one by one.


"Follow me." said Draco holding out his hand for Ginny to take.

Ginny really didn't want to take it. She also didn't want to deal with the whispers so she just looked at Draco's hand as if he was delusional. Draco gave her a look as if to say please and Ginny reluctantly took his hand. Ramilda huffed.

He lead her and the others through a door on the other side of the dark and dreary common room. Having been this way before, Ginny knew exactly where Draco was going.

"I'm glad you got sorted into Slytherin love. whispered Draco in Ginny's ear low enough so Harry and Seamus couldn't hear.

"Draco, not now. And don't call me love." whispered Ginny back.

"What am I doing? I'm only saying I'm happy you're here. And you never had a problem with me calling you love before."

"That was then and you know it. Can we just leave this alone for now? I'm tired and I want to go to bed." said Ginny faking a yawn.

"You can sleep back in my room if you want." said Draco grinning.

"I shall not." said Ginny immediately.

Draco chuckled. "I'm trying Gin. And I will succeed."

"Whatever. And you didn't have to take us the long way."

"I wanted to talk to you." said Draco, running his thumb across the top of her hand. Ginny snatched her hand away, looking down at her feet as they walked.

They finally made it to a tapestry with a huge snake on it. "Silver hinkypunk" said Draco and the tapestry moved to reveal a hidden door.

When they walked into the room Harry and Seamus looked around the common room. It was somewhat smaller than the regular Slytherin common room, but it was also more luxurious. There were a couple of sofas around as well as big plushy green chairs and a huge fireplace that was in the shape of a snake's open mouth. The walls were a shiny emerald green, like Harry's eyes, that seemed to shimmer as the fire reflected off of them. There was a chessboard, a couple tables, desks, bookcases and even a kitchenette.

"Well boys, I'm going to sleep. See you in the morning." said Ginny as she gave Harry a hug and shook Seamus's hand. She then turned to Draco and gave him a small wave.

"Shall I come tuck you in love?" asked Draco smugly.

Ginny rolled her eyes and sighed. "You're insufferable Draco." she groaned as she walked up the stairs to her room. "And stop calling me love." she said before closing her door.

Draco shook his head. Failed night. But he had plenty more.

"Why are you calling her love, Malfoy?"asked Harry.

Draco looked at Harry as if he was above answering the question. "Ginny and I have...history Potter." said Draco. "That's all you need to know." And with that he walked up to his room, entered it, and closed the door.

Romilda too went to bed, mad that she wasn't getting any attention from anyone.

Seamus and Harry looked at each other.

"Barmy the hat chose Slytherin for us eh Harry?" asked Seamus cheerfully.

"Yeah. Barmy."

"Of course I had a feeling I would end up here. Never thought the ol dusty hat would sort you there though."

"What can I say? I guess the hat saw something in me I didn't know. Night Seas." said Harry.

He walked up the stairs and entered his room. He groaned at the sight of more green. On the walls, on the sheets of his king sized bed, and the banners. He waved his wand and changed them to Gryffindor colors. He needed at least a piece of home in his room.

He decided to explore the next morning, the bed was calling out to him. He crawled into it and found it soft and warm and fresh.

He laid there and thought of the events of the entire day. He thought of Ron and Hermione, wondering what their new rooms looked like and if they missed him as much as he missed them. He thought of the weirdness between Draco and Ginny, he had a lot of questions for his red headed ex to answer.

He thought of being back in this castle, how he felt as if things would never be the same. Too many of his friends had fought and died here. Friends that he considered family. He didn't know if he really wanted to play Quidditch anymore after what took place on the field.

And as he felt his head get heavier and heavier with the spell of sleep, he thought of Daphne and how she had been befriending him. How she was actually being a small kind light in what seemed like a very dark world to him.

And he went to sleep thinking about how pretty her eyes were.