McGonagall grabbed Harry before he could collapse. "Poppy!" she snapped, "Take him." Harry was unceremoniously given into the hands of a witch with a serious expression. "I'll be there later. Be sure no one visits him until Dumbledore or I get to speak to him."

"Of course, no one disturbs my patients." With a wave of her wand Harry floated into the air. Madam Pomfrey glanced at the empty tables. "I will make sure he eats something as well, since he is going without the feast."

"Thank you Poppy." Madam Pomfrey with flicked her wand and followed a floating Harry outside of the Hall. Minerva took a moment to look around. The four tables were in utter chaos. The Ravenclaws were arguing probably about what it all meant, the Hufflepuffs were taking care of a few students who had fainted. The Gryffindors and Slytherins were slinging food at each other. "Now really, where did they get food when the feast hasn't even started?" She pulled out her wand raised it and was about to speak when a quiet voice stopped her.

"Allow me, Minerva." It was Dumbledore. She stepped aside and let him stand in front of the head table. Some of the students noticed him standing there and quieted down. He raised his hands and clapped once. A boom rolled through the hall and at its passing silence fell. Every eye turned to Dumbledore. In a grave, deathly calm voice he said, "The sorting is yet to be finished. Show respect for your future housemates." He turned to go back to his seat. He gave a weak smile, "If you may Minerva, please continue with the sorting."

A short while later the rest of the students had been sorted and food had appeared on the four great tables. There was but one real topic on everyone's lips, Harry Potter. Even at the head table. The teachers ate their food calmly but the discussion raged, carefully concealed behind a charm to keep their words from prying ears.

"What will you do Dumbledore?" Minerva was genuinely curious. This was the first time Dumbledore's expectations for a student was so off the mark. It didn't bode well.

"Leave him be." A greasy haired man said, "If the boy wanted to join my house, then so be it. If he wishes to learn the arts of Slytherin then he is suited for us."

"Severus," Dumbledore interjected, "If he was suited for your house it would make sense, but the boy has more nerve than he does cunning. Could you imagine trying to pull that prank off? He deserves to be in Gryffindor." Minerva thought Dumbledore might be a little off on that being a prank.

"That was not his choice." Severus was annoyed, his house was important to him, whoever was in it, even his son. "If you move him without his permission, you'll be breaking a thousand years of tradition. It will not go well Dumbledore."

"If we leave him he will constantly be in danger. Not only does he have enemies that would see him dead, he just expressed his stance to the world. The students do not yet know what he did, but they will by morning I assure you. A few of the better informed students will be sure to spread the word."

"But Dumbledore-"

"No Severus. He should be in Gryffindor."

Minerva couldn't stay silent, "Dumbledore, you can't just assign him to another house. He would resentfully accept it at best. At worst he could seriously damage your public image." Severus nodded his approval.

Dumbledore considered, "You make a good point Minerva and you too Severus. We shall ask him to change his mind."

A woman with great spectacles and unkempt hair spoke up, "I see… I see… he will be in great danger in Slytherin. Danger of great darkness… and peril."

"Thank you Sybill." Dumbledore responded, Minerva internally rolled her eyes. "Minerva. Regardless of what he wants, I'm going to have him take classes with the Gryffindors. He can follow their schedule, even if he isn't in the same house."

Severus bitterly snipped, "So even if he doesn't choose Gryffindor, Gryffindor it shall be." He folded his napkin on the table, and stood. "Excuse me Headmaster, I'm a bit tired and will turn in. I do hope you don't take too many liberties with your students' free will."

Dumbledore quietly watched him depart. Finally he broke his revere, "Minerva, I'd like you to be the one to approach Harry. He knows you already and might take it better if you suggested it."

She sighed, "Very well. I do not think he shall like this, but I will propose it as best I can."

Minerva arrived at the hospital wing later that evening. Stopping before the doors she straightened her robes. Satisfied that all was in order, she entered. The room was large with two rows of beds clean an ordered. Most of the beds lay empty except for one. Harry sat in bed, calmly eating a sandwich. Madame Pomfrey caught her before she had stepped two steps into the room.

"Minerva, I must ask you not to stress him too much." Minerva raised an eyebrow, "I know, I know you don't upset people without cause. But really magical exhaustion needs proper rest, it just won't do to use magic to help him sleep if he is too worked up."

"Yes Poppy, I'll be quick. He'll stay the night here at the very least." Madame Pomfrey nodded, "Has he said anything?"

"Just thanks for the food. He isn't in shock I can tell you that much, though he is acting quite strange."

Minerva excused herself with a quick thank you and went to talk with Harry. She conjured a chair for herself next to Harry's bedside and sat down. She didn't say a word, and waited for Harry to finish his sandwich. He inelegantly shoved the last bite into his mouth, and swallowed.

She waited. Harry squirmed under her gaze. She knew she had this effect on students, it really was quite useful. Finally Harry broke, "I'm sorry Professor. That didn't go entirely the way I expected."

Like she would believe that, "Then do tell Mr. Potter, how you intended it to go." This was always the fun part. She clasped her hands in front of her and stared at him.

"Well… for one I didn't want to pass out. I simply wanted to make the ceiling glow, like I did the building at Ollivanders. It just seemed to get out of control." She raised an eyebrow, Harry quickly continued. "I mean it was the flashiest piece of magic I knew I could pull off. That was still a little flashier than I expected." He seemed to run out of words.

She let him stew. Finally, she chose her words carefully. "Flashy is an apt description, all you really did was throw your magic at the ceiling like a child in a tantrum." Harry's face fell, "To many students it probably looked rather impressive," his face lit up. She held back a smile, kids could be so adorable, "but to the professors and more educated students, it resembled a poorly defined blob of magic that could hardly be called proper magic." His face had fallen again, a chuckle threatened up her throat but she managed to turn it into clearing her throat. "You claimed the Order of Merlin as your own and furthermore you managed to make an ancient magical artifact aid you in your madness. Do you understand what you have done?"

Harry looked up and met her gaze. His eyes hardened. "Yes Professor, I think I do. I will rule world alongside my brother, both magic and muggle worlds. I have announced my true intention and I have forced the Slytherins off balance. They will question my power and with the Slytherins unsure of what to do, I will creep into their ranks and slowly get win them to my side." He was becoming more animated, "I will work with Hermione Granger and become friends with the Gryffindors, thereby bringing the two houses together and showing my loyalty to the Hufflepuffs. I will befriend the Ravenclaws with my intellect and knowledge. With dreams like mine Professor, I need allies. This should get them for me."

"Is that all?"

"Isn't it enough?" Harry eyed her quizzically, "Usually people scoff when I claim I want to rule the world."

"Well I do believe I am right in saying that you have not considered all the implications of what you have done. Consider for a moment that the Order of Merlin has been used for hundreds of years as an award to the most gifted magical talents, to the most powerful, and yes sometimes as a reward to those individuals who make great contributions to the magical world."

"That was not its original intent." Harry cut in.

Her voice chilled, "Do not interrupt me." His eyes went wide and he nodded, "I am well aware of the Orders of Merlin's original goal, as I am sure most of the magical world is. It's fairly common history. Now what you have done is insinuated that all of those people who were awarded the Order of Merlin were not truly worthy. That they are frauds and not worthy of the Order." Harry's mouth had dropped, "Among those granted the Order of Merlin is your very own headmaster Albus Dumbledore."

"I didn't…"

"That is clear but I shall not stop there. Your plan indicates you wish to become friends with the Slytherins, yes?" He nodded, "Well I imagine that would be harder than you possibly realize. You do remember what I told you about all those witches and wizards that were on the side of You-Know-Who? Many of the witches and wizards who were implicated in crimes during his reign have their children in this school and in particular in Slytherin. Do you really believe those children will let you go quietly? You are singlehandedly responsible for their families not ruling the world alongside You-Know-Who. Not only that, but they have alliances among the families already. You have what few alliances remain after these long years. You don't even know of the alliances you do have."

He swallowed. Minerva could see sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. "You had a bounty on your life from the moment you came out of the rubble of your parents' house. You are widely thought to have been the cause of You-Know-Who's demise. You can be sure that at least a few students from Slytherin wouldn't hesitate a moment before turning you in."

Harry's voice wavered, "They can't be all bad. Slytherins can't be all bad."

Minerva let her voice drop some of the steel, "No, Slytherins aren't all bad. Many have qualities you and I can approve of, that we can envy even. But you Mr. Potter were born squarely on one side of a war that has split the wizarding world in two. You already have strong allies, and you'd make strong friends in Gryffindor." She was to it, "Even Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw would likely suit you in time. But Slytherin is too entrenched against you. I very much doubt you would make it a week before you were bullied into submission."

"I could-"

"What could you do? You can't defend yourself with magic. Anything you could do against them would be useless. You aren't dealing with just first years here. There are older students, capable of doing magic that is beyond you. Trust me I hear enough of their antics as it is, I do not need to invite them to do more. Professors can't be around you all day every day. You'd be like a lamb to slaughter."

Harry was scared now, his face was taught and white. "What can I do professor?"

And now for the bait, "Well, it's up to you. You can stay in Slytherin and rue the day you accepted it. Or you could choose another house."

"But the sorting hat-"

"The sorting hat is no more master of this school than you are Mr. Potter. Dumbledore has the last say in all school matters. If you wish it we can change your house?" She said the last bit as a question and softened her voice even more. It could almost be called soothing, "Harry dear why not consider Gryffindor? It's my house so I'm biased, but I tell you they're a nice enough lot. There is power in Gryffindor and powerful allies to be made. The students do tend to get a little wild and break some rules now and then, but their hearts are in the right place." She patted his legs, "Tell you what, I let you rest and you can tell me tomorrow morning." She got up and the chair disappeared. She had just about reached the door when Harry's voice caught her.

"Professor!" She looked back. Harry was staring at his bed, "I'll go to Gryffindor." He looked up at her, a light back in his eyes, "I'm already friends with one member of your house at least. And besides, I'm sure the Slytherins will still be quite off balance."

"I'll be sure to let the headmaster know, thank you Harry." She opened the door and Harry's voice trailed after her again.

"And Professor," it came, unwavering, "I will become stronger even than Merlin. No one of any age will be able to bully me by the time I graduate. At that time, I will raise that banner for the entire world to see."

For some reason that made her shiver. "Good night Harry." She shut the door. And then she let out a sigh. It was always better when she could let a student come to an outcome of their own decision but it was nerve-racking. She bustled off to tell Dumbledore the good news.

Back in bed, Harry took another bite of his sandwich, and smiled. "How the bloody hell did Hermione get that right?" That wasn't entirely fair though, she hadn't figured that exactly, but she had banked on him not being allowed to stay in Slytherin. "Hermione, you are amazing." He settled in and munched on his sandwich, waiting for the morning when new plots would be crafted.

"How did you find him Minerva," Albus Dumbledore looked at her over his spectacles, "Was he amenable to changing houses?"

"He seemed well and he was willing to change to Gryffindor. Dumbledore, he intends to rule the world!" She chuckled, "How many students does that make now since you and I joined the staff?"

Dumbledore smiled amenably, "The real question Minerva, is not who rules us, but how. The ministry, great wizards, and evil wizards all have their own style of law for good or ill." He twiddled with his thumbs, "We are their teachers and we will guide them to live for the greater good."

AN: Making this chapter flow the way I wanted it to took a few more rewrites than I expected, but here it is. Better late than never.