Better Be...
The door swung open almost at once. A stern look woman in emerald-green robes stood there, her face pulled back tightly and green eyes piercing through a pair of glasses that rest on the bridge of her nose. Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross - she reminded him a lot of an Alpha. He resisted the urge to go an lick the underside of her jaw, show her respect.
After a brief conversation with Hagrid, McGonagall pulled the door wide and ushered the children in. Harry gaped as they followed her - the entrance hall alone, stone walls lit with torches and the ceiling too high to make out, was so big you could have have the entire the clan stand around and have room left. And the noise, he could hear the faint voices of hundreds from a doorway nearby, the rest of the school must have already arrived. But instead of leading them towards the voices, Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small and empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer and peering about nervously.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," started Professor McGonagall briskly as she started her speech. Harry listened with only half an ear, nervous enough that he was struggling to stand still. There was so many new smells that he couldn't place, so many faint new sounds that he had never experienced during his time with his relatives or his time with Elysia and their clan. And the magic - it was so strong in the air he could almost taste it. He couldn't wait to explore the castle and see what there to find.
"...The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school," McGonagall was still saying. "I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her sharp eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear. Harry nervously tried to flatten his bangs, to make sure that his scar didn't show.
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly." She left them, and everyone around him started to whisper to each other as they tried to fix themselves up at the same time.
"How exactly do they sort us into Houses?" Harry asked Neville as he helped him fix the cloak, who shrugged in answer.
"Don't know - Gran never told me."
"Harry!" Making his way through the other children easily as most of them quickly part for him, Draco suddenly appeared in front of him, two other boys that his side. "I was hoping to see you on the train, but at least I caught you before the Sorting."
"Draco!" Harry grinned. "Nice to see you again."
"Ready for it, Harry?"
"I think so, still not sure where I want to go, though - you said wanted to be Sorted into Slytherin, didn't you?" Harry said, remembering the conversation that had in Diagon Alley. "Still going for it?"
"Of course." Draco nodded towards his two friends. "These are my companions - Crabbe and Goyle, they're hoping to be in Slytherin as well." They were both built and gruff looking, one almost twice his size. While Harry stared up at them, Draco turned towards Neville, who for some reason had turned pale and was shaking on the spot. "And you are...?"
"N-Neville Longbottom," he finally answered with a stutter.
"Ah, yes - I remember your family," Draco said after a moment, giving him a long look before he turned back to Harry. "Well I hope to see you in Slytherin, though I won't keep my hopes high - you seem more like a Gryffindor."
"We'll just have to wait and see," grinned Harry.
Professor McGonagall had returned."Form a line and follow me."
Suddenly feeling like his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line behind girl with wild and curly brown hair, with Neville right behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors - finally into the Great Hall.
It was amazing, and Harry was once again gaping in astonishment. The large room was lit by thousands of candles, floating in midair over the four long tables where the rest of the students were sitting, all of them filled with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where a number of adults were sitting, teachers; Snape, Dumbledore, and Hagrid among them. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that faced the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight, and dotted here and there among them were figures that shone silver - ghosts, someone whispered, though Harry wasn't sure he believed that.
Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard bushy haired girl next to him whisper, "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."
It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open to the heavens. Harry smiled, it reminded him of home, of the night time sky through the forest trees, and relaxed a smidgen.
McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years just as Harry looked back down, a pointed hat, patched and frayed and dirty, sat on it. Everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat as it suddenly twitched, then a rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and then it did the most incredible thing - it 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."
"Do all hats sing in the wizarding world?" Harry asked Neville in a low undertone, thinking of the pictures that moved and stations you had to enter by running at a wall. His new friend laughed quietly before shaking his head in answer.
"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!"
Everyone began to clap, and it bowed to each of the four tables before they calmed. McGonagall cleared her throat and brought out a large roll of parchment.
"So we've just got to try on the hat!" someone whispered. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."
"When I call your name, you will put on the Hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," McGonagall said before glancing down at her list. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the Hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. And then there was a moments pause...
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the Hat.
The table on the right, underneath a banner that was yellow and black with a badger on it, cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. It seemed easy enough for Harry, but since he was probably a ways down the list, that meant he had more time to stand there and be queasy. Maybe he shouldn't have had all those sweets on the train.
It went on for awhile - Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Ravenclaw again, Gryffindor, Slytherin, before his cousin's name was finally called. Dudley lumbered up there and sat heavily on the stool. A few moments later the Hat finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"
"Yeah!" shouted Dudley, punching the air and rushing down to his new table, ignoring the look McGonagall gave him as he joined the table under the red and gold banner with a lion. He saw Harry clapping for him and gave him a wave.
It never seemed to take the same amount of time. A sandy haired boy took the hat a whole minute to Sort into Gryffindor, while the bushy haired girl next to him because a Gryffindor almost instantly.
"Longbottom, Neville!"
"Good luck, Neville," whispered Harry as his new friend hesitantly stepped forward. Sitting on the stool, it was a long few minutes before the Hat finally shouted out,
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Harry clapped with the Hufflepuffs as they welcomed Neville to the table with the yellow and black banner hanging above it, though he had to run back and hand McGonagall back the Sorting Hat which was still on his head, but still his grin going from ear to ear.
There was "MacDougal, Morag," and then Draco's name was called. He walked up to the stool with a swagger that made Harry bit back a laugh, replaced with clapping when the Hat almost instantly shouted out, "SLYTHERIN," which was the House that the blond was going for. Draco waved back at him as he joined Crabbe and Goyle, sharing a look with them that beamed pride.
There weren't many people left now between Harry and his turn. "Moon" ... "Nott" ..."Parkinson" ... then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" ... "Perk ... and then finally -
"Potter, Harry!"
Before he even had a chance to step forward, Harry heard the whispers spark around him, sounding like little flames hissing to life, with the volume and numbers of whispers rising each moment he stood there. Harry flinched for a moment, not use to the attention that he was getting, or should he say the attention his name was getting. Still, he finally stepped forward, not looking directly at the students as they leaned forward to get a better look at him. He sat on the stool, grateful of the small smile McGonagall gave him before placing the Hat on his head, suddenly blocking out sight and sound. Huh. Must have been more magic.
"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear that made him jump in surprise. "Difficult. Very difficult. Where shall I put you? You are certainly brave, yes, it takes courage to try and earn a place in your pack, so perhaps you are a Gryffindor. Yes, I know of your unique family and childhood, Potter," said the Hat when Harry gaped in shock. "I see all here, in your head. But do not worry, I can keep your secret." As Harry relaxed, he went on. "But, I don't think you are quite reckless enough to be a Lion. Mm. Smart, but maybe not Ravenclaw material. Sneaky not so much, but you are resourceful. All in all though, you are loyal to a fault, and hardworking, and fearless. You like to make friends, and I think those friends will be a great help to you someday. So I think the best choice for you will be... HUFFLEPUFF!"
As the Hat shouted out the name of his new House, Harry felt the Hat lifted off his head and was greeted with an entire hall of people gaping at him in shock. Blinking, Harry glanced around, even managing to crane his neck so he could look behind him at the teachers. All of them looked shocked as well. Had he done something wrong? Or had the Hat picked the wrong House for him?
"... Go Harry!" Neville had stood up at the Hufflepuff table and was clapping for him, his cheer piercing through the silence. A few moments passed before someone else put their hands together for him - Dudley as he also stood up, and then another, and as Harry slid off the stool, the whole hall was clapping for him. The Hufflepuffs were the loudest though, standing up and cheering as they welcomed him to their table, some even patting him on the back as he joined Neville, both grinning ear to ear now.
It took McGonagall a minute to get everyone's attention so the Sorting could continue ... Thomas, Dean ... Turpin, Lisa ... Weasley, Ronald... and then there was -
"Winters, Regina!" called out McGonagall. After a moments pause, the young girl that Harry and Neville had seen on the train stepped forward, glancing around nervously before she sat up on the stool and let the Hat cover eyes. She squirmed in her seat for a few moments, probably not use to the new voice in her head, before after a long minute, the Hat finally shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"
Her new table greeted her warmly, but Regina seemed hesitant to actually let anyone near her, even as she smiled back at her new Housemates while "Zabini, Blaise," also joined the Slytherins.
Dumbledore got to his feet, beaming at the students with arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. "Welcome. Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. While I understand your desire to talk with Mr. Potter about his missing years, please leave those questions for latter, and let us all enjoy our meal. Thank you!"
Everyone clapped as Dumbledore sat down, especially Harry who was grateful not to answer any questions right now. Suddenly a wave of smells overtook Harry, of warm food and sweets and spices. Glancing down at the golden plates in middle of the table, he gaped at the amount of food that had suddenly appeared before him - beef, chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, cooked potatoes of all different kinds, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, and for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.
Having only eating sweets on the train ride, Harry piled his plate with food, but he before he had even taken a single bite, people started talking around him, their attempts of not being noticed as they stared at him failing, though none of them gathered up enough courage to actually speak to him. All around him whispers of his name, of his supposed defeat of the Dark Lord, of his fame. Suddenly not hungry anymore, Harry pushed his food around his plate, only taking polite sips of pumpkin juice - which would have been wonderful under different circumstances.
Harry had already endured whispers and stares for the last six years of his life. He had though, for a split moment, that things would be different at Hogwarts. That he could just be Harry.
"There, next to the blond boy."
"With the long black hair?"
"That's him?
"Harry Potter?!"
"The Harry Potter!"
How wrong he had been.
"You not hungry?" asked Neville when he saw him absentmindedly push around his food, with a clear intention not to eat it. He was already halfway through a plate.
Nodding automatically in answer, Harry glanced up at the High Table, wondering when dinner would be over and he could go hide in his new rooms. Then he caught of Professor Snape talking with a teacher with a strange purple turban, and he remember that he had to thank the surely man for the photo's of his mother.
Even as that thought when through his mind, Snape looked right at him, and a sharp pain went through his skull, threatening to slit it open. Dropping his fork, Harry clutched at his forehead, hissing in pain.
"What's wrong?" asked Neville with surprise. A few seats over, a older student glanced over before excusing herself to make her way over. Harry flinched as she knelt down next to him, his pain still strong enough that his eyes watered.
"Are you alright, Harry?" asked the girl with sincere concern. She must have been a fifth of sixth year, with honey brown hair and light and bright green eyes, and a silver badge on her uniform front. "You not feeling too well?"
"I'm alright," said Harry, quickly blinking back the tears his pain brought before anyone else noticed. "Just a really bad headache."
Smiling kindly, the girl introduces herself. "I'm Maddie Williams, Harry. I'm one of this years Prefect for Hufflepuff - so just let me know if you need help with anything, alright?"
Nodding again, Harry turned his gaze back towards the professors and asked as Maddie stood up again, "Who is that talking to Professor Snape?"
Maddie followed his gaze. "Oh, that's Professor Quirrell, he's this years Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
"This years?"
"The position's cursed," whispered Maddie, shrugging at Harry's wide gaze. "Or so they say. Still, it is true we haven't been able to keep a Defense teacher for more then a year - we came close with Professor Green a couple years ago, but he then got into a terrible accident a week before school started." She shook her head. "Poor man..."
"You know Professor Snape already?" asked Neville as Maddie went back to her own seat.
"Yeah, sorta." Harry turned to Neville. "Do you?"
Neville shrugged, his hands busy tearing a roll into tiny bread pieces. "Gran talked about him a few times - he's head of Slytherin House and our Potion's Master." He tensed for a moment. "And he certain lives up to their standards."
"What do you mean?"
""Everyone that goes into Slytherin comes out dark," said another first year that had been Sorted with them, showing how he had been listening in on their conversation. "You-Know-Who came out of there too, you know."
"Oh. Is that why you were so nervous around Draco?" Harry asked his friend, who was now turning the ripped pieces of bread into crumbs.
"Well... that and my Gran told me about his family, too," admitted Neville. "His family's been dark for generations, plus his dad was a one of You-Know-Who's followers, right from the never start. She told me to stay away from him."
"I'm sorry, Neville, I didn't know."
Shrugging, Neville gave him a nervous smile."Don't worry about it, it doesn't you have to avoid him."
Harry tried to smile back reassuringly, but it was all he could do to keep the frown off his face as he continued to smell the fear that came from his friend in waves. Neville was hiding something, something that had him scared badly of Draco. And he doubted it was just because the Slytherin might turn dark.
Finally, after a mountain of desserts, basic school rules explained, and a strange sing along, the the first year Hufflepuffs were finally lead to their new House - down they went, deeper into the castle while the Ravenclaws went up and Slytherins and Gryffindors went the opposite way, towards Slytherins the Dungeons and Gryffindors towards the Towers, Maddie explained.
"We're right near the kitchens," explained Maddie as they went along, the smile on her face never faltering. "So if anyone feels the need for a nice hot chocolate or a warn biscuit, you won't have to far to go." She winked. "You'll find that we're not ones to skimp on snacks around here."
They stopped into front of a large painting of a bowl of fruit, and Maddie touched the bottom of the pear lightly. "Just tickle it gently here, and it'll open up for you. And of course the house-elves will be happy to help you in anyway possible. But remember, be nice to them - they aren't our slaves or servants, they're the kitchen staff of Hogwarts."
And then she gestured to a stack of barrels not even ten feet away. "This, right here, is our enterance. It requires a password, but unlike everyone else, we use something a bit different then just a spoken word."
She reached over to a nearby wall knocked on it in pattern to demonstrate. 'Knock knock, knock knock knock.' "If you listen closely, it sounds out our Founder's name, Helga Hufflepuff. And make sure you get it right, otherwise the barrels will go on the defensive." She wrinkled her nose. "They spray you with vinegar. Even magic can't get that stuff out right away."
Harry wrinkled his own nose and shook his head, ignoring the look Neville gave him - he could only imagine how bad the smell would be.
Preforming the same knocking pattern on a barrel now, which she pointed out very carefully as the second barrel from the bottom, middle of the second row, Maddie stepped back as the barrels slid away, revealing a dirt tunnel that had a yellowish glow at the end. "Go on," she gestured. "The Common Room's straight ahead. And welcome to Hufflepuff."
Stepping through - the travel through the tunnel only taking a few seconds, Harry was greeted with the smell of warm dirt, flowers, and the burning smell of a fire as he took in the sight of their Common Room. It was large round room with a low ceiling, with lots of potted plants hanging from it that smelled like herbs Arianna would use. Round windows let moonlight come through, and Harry saw dandelions and long grass dancing in front of them. And finally, there were lots of soft looking armchairs and couches scattered in front of a roaring fire, all of them decorated with yellow and black pillows. Badgers were carved into the mantle piece, and a large picture of a smiling women was resting there.
It was earthy, warm, and inviting, and Harry relaxed for the first time since dinner.
A plump woman that Harry recognized from the Feast as a professor greeted them with a smile that was just as warm as Maggie's. Everyone smiled here. "Welcome to Hufflepuff! Please, gather round everyone. Thank you, Maggie you can go get settled in your room now. My name is Professor Spout, and I am your head of House. Now before I let you all go to your room and settle in for the night, I have a few personal rules to go over with you."
"One: We are patient and accepting. That means we will accept anyone, despite whatever House they are in and despite what people say about them. We look past that and accept the person they are.
"Two: We are loving and kind. We will treat everyone as we want to be treated, and will help those who need it the most.
"Three: We are loyal and fair. I don't want to hear anything about someone cheating or ruining a relationship over something petty. Nor do I want to hear anything about someone being cruel.
"Four: We hardworking and dedicated. While I don't expect everyone to get top marks, I expect you to work for your grades. No slacking off. If you need help with anything, I will arrange for help from either myself or someone I trust to help you.
"Five: We are family. And family sticks together. That means despite whatever you might feel about a fellow Hufflepuff, they are a part of your life now, and you will treat them with respect outside of this room. If you have problem with someone, come to me or Maddie, and we will figure it out."
During the whole speech, Sprout looked everyone in the eye, taking a moment to meet each person gaze. "I know its a lot to take in, and maybe its a lot to put on your small shoulders, but I know all of you will do your best to meet these rules; after all, these are all traits of a Hufflepuff, which each of you are now."
"Now, before I send you all off to your rooms, just take a moment to look over the House rules: rooms clean, bed times, and so on. Just little things that will make things here a bit easier. If anyone wishes to speak with me, you have an hour before curfew, though I will be conducting personal evaluations with you periodically. Ah, Mr. Potter, a word with you please?"
Slightly startled by being called out, Harry stepped forward while the rest of the students looked over the rules board that hung near the enterance. Sprout gentle smiled down at him. "I know its a bit sudden, deary, but I'd like to speak with you first. Will you please stay back after I sent the rest of the children to their new rooms?"
Harry nodded, wondering what his new of House would want to say to him.
"All right then, room assignments," said Sprout, clapping her hands together to gain everyone attention. "You'll be placed in rooms of two or three - don't want you to get to crowded, do we? Hannah, Susan, you'll be together in room fourteen, Megan and Emma, you'll be in room thirteen."
The four girls all glanced at each other, quietly pairing with their new roommate.
"Ernest, Justin, and Wayne, you'll all be together in room fifteen," the boys grinned at each other. "Harry and Neville, room sixteen for you. The girls rooms are down that way -" Sprout pointed to a tunnel on the left. "And boys are down the other." She pointed to the right. "Now go along to bed, I'm sure you've had a long day, and tomorrow will be your first day of classes. Go on then."
Hanging back until they were alone, Harry stared down at his feet until Sprout finally spoke up. "Harry, I just wanted to let you know that Headmaster Dumbledore decided that, given that I am your Head of House and your caretaker during the school year, to tell about your past few years with your new family."
Tensing, Harry glanced up at Sprout, resisting the urge to run. "And?"
"And nothing." Sprout shook her head. "I'm not going to judge you or your family, if that's what you think. What I wanted to talk about was a fact the Headmaster brought up - that you might like to go running every once in awhile. I have no problem with that. You know, he also reminded me of a passageway that I had forgotten about - I believe its in our little cupboard over there." She pointed to said cupboard. "I believe he said the password was that Muggle knock - shave and a haircut, two bits - you know the one? It should lead whoever uses it outside, right near the forest. I would tell that person to stay away from the Forbidden Forest, but I think anyone who can run with wolves will be alright."
Staring up at Sprout with his jaw dropped, Harry nodded. "T-Thank you."
With one last smile, Sprout patted his shoulder. "Its nothing. Now go on to bed - and good luck Harry." She made her way down another tunnel, leaving Harry to go find his new room.
It was the last one at the end of the hall, and after noticing that Neville wasn't around, Harry took in the sight of his new room. It was then he expected, with plenty of room for two large four-poster beds on one side of the room, two night stands separating them, two desk at the opposite side with a few shelves hovering above them, and two wardrobes sandwiched between them. And sitting on the farthest desk was -
"Hedwig!" said Harry happily, quickly going over and letting his owl our of her cage. She flew to his shoulder, nipping at his ear and chirping unhappily, clearly not pleased with being stuck in a cage for so long. "Sorry girl. Tomorrow, I'll let you go flying, promise."
Entering the room with his toothbrush hanging from the corner of his mouth and dressed in blue pajamas with little frogs on them, Neville glanced between Harry and the bed nearest to the door. nervously "Sorry, I picked first - we can switch though if you want."
"Its alright, I'm fine over here," said Harry letting Hedwig fly off to roost on his wardrobe before he glanced down the hall. "Bathroom's where?"
"Just a couple doors down - Err, don't you need you toothbrush and stuff?"
"Oh, right..." Harry started rummaging through his trunk, now getting a bit nervous. He did remember that when he was with his relatives he would use a toothbrush and toothpaste, but he used licorice root now. It would probably look a little weird... thankful Lupin had thought of that and sent him some more human supplies not long after their trip to Diagon Alley.
Pulling out the pajamas (also sent by Lupin) that were a dark green that reminded him of tree leaves, Harry trudged down the hall again into what he realized was now the bathroom. It was a lot bigger then the one he used during his time with the Dursleys - with a circle of sinks right in the middle, a series of showers on one side of the room, toilet stalls on the another, and a few dressing booths shoved near the door, as if an after thought. Harry blinked as he realized how long it had actually been since he used a real toilet. Usually he just wandered away from camp and went where ever he wanted, covering up with dirt afterwards.
It wasn't completely empty, with a few older students chatting while they got ready, but they stopped and stared at Harry only a few moments after he entered. Even as his cheeks turned a pale pink, Harry went about his business as they were three or four pairs of eyes staring at him while he washed his face and brushed his teeth. Still, when he went into the dressing rooms to change, he waited until the other boys left before he finally came out.
It wasn't going to be a walk in the park, it seemed, to attend this school. He wondered how hard it would be to slip away unnoticed to go for a run in the woods...
"Good night, Harry," Neville mumbled when Harry finally came back to their room, the other boy already half asleep.
"Night, Neville," Harry answered back automatically, slipping into his own bed. He was suddenly very tired - maybe being "famous" took more out of him then he realized. Glancing out the window that was between their beds (which he vaguely realized must have been enchanted like the Great Hall's ceiling), he stared up at the half full moon until he finally drifted off into slumber, unconsciously holding onto the charm that Elysia gave him...
Only to have dreams of Draco and Neville laughing cruelly at him as the Hat insisting that there was no place for him in Hogwarts, so Spout threw him out into the forest where unfamiliar wolfs forced him to transform as they snapped at his heels, making him to run and run until his paws bleed. And then he fell into a bottomless pit that appeared out of no where, and as he slowly dropped through darkness, he saw the hunter that had attacked him before, laughing at him - a high pitched and cruel laugh - as he pointed his rifle at him again. And this time it wasn't a gunshot but flash of green light ...