Chapter 5 – Hogwarts and the Sorting
Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts
Albus Dumbledore sat in his office idly sucking on a lemon drop, a muggle sweet he was rather fond of, while his familiar, a beautiful scarlet phoenix with a long golden tail sat on its perch trilling in amusement.
Suddenly an owl flew in through the window, dropped a letter on the headmasters head and flew back out into the darkness without pausing to see if the headmaster would want to write a note back to whoever had sent the letter.
He just chuckled and picked up the rolled up parchment.
It was a letter from Ollivander. Immediately Albus sat a little straighter in his chair thinking of the only one reason possible as to why the old wand maker would have written to him. He opened the letter and read.
Albus,
The wand with your phoenix's second tail feather has chosen a wielder.
Yesterday Mr. Potter and a muggleborn by the name Lillian Austin, came to my shop to buy their wands. The Holly and Phoenix feather wand choose Ms. Austin as its new owner. Mr. Potter on the other hand was quite the surprise. I am certain you will recognize the wand that chose him if you have an opportunity to look at it.
Have a nice day,
Yours sincerely,
Ollivander: Makers of fine wands since 362 B.C
Professor Dumbledore sat quietly on his chair thinking about the letter he had just received. "So your second wand has been purchased, Fawkes," Dumbledore said looking at the phoenix. Fawkes just ruffled his feathers in response.
"Strange," he muttered, "I expected Mr. Potter to get that wand." He opened his drawer and pulled out a diary and began to write.
Five minutes later he closed his diary and called a house elf, "Binky!"
A small elf popped into the room staring at him with big wide round eyes. "Yes Master Dumbledore? You is calling for me?"
"Yes Binky, could you please go to Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape and ask them to please come up to my office," he told the little elf.
"Yes Professor Dumbledore, sir," she squeaked and vanished with a pop.
Fifteen minutes and 7 lemon drops later there was a knock on his door. "Minerva, Severus, please do come in." Both Professors looked mildly curious as to what the headmaster wanted at this hour.
"Care for a lemon drop?" he asked them both.
"No thank you Albus, now why did you call us here?" Professor McGonagall asked. She was not pleased at the headmaster for waking her at such an hour.
Professor Snape didn't say anything but looked anywhere but at the headmaster.
"I would like to talk to you about the two students you picked up yesterday, Minerva," said Albus.
"Who did you pick up yesterday?" Snape asked curiously.
"Mr. Potter and a Ms. Austin," Professor McGonagall replied.
"POTTER!? Snape gasped. The word Potter never failed to arouse hate in every part of his being. "You called me here to talk about Potter? What are you playing at Albus?!" he spat.
"Calm down Severus, I have other things to discuss with you," the headmaster replied calmly. "Well Minerva? What did you think of them?"
"Well Potter was understandably excited about everything and kept asking questions the whole time where as Ms. Austin was very well mannered girl and certainly not as talkative as Mr. Potter was. Though when the girl joined us things became pretty stressful," she said remembering their bickering.
"What do mean?" he asked her.
"Oh they were just being children," McGonagall said dryly. "They have a tendency to fly at each other's throats at the slightest provocation. I suspect Hogwarts is going to endure seven years of property damage."
"Surely you exaggerate Minerva," Dumbledore said with a nervous laugh. Fighting students meant more work for him and the Weasley twins were still around.
"Well maybe a little," she admitted, "I know children and I know a trouble maker when I see one."
"Potter no doubt," Snape muttered.
"Actually it's the girl," McGonagall retorted. "She's quite temperamental."
"Gryffindor then," Snape snorted.
McGonagall just glared at Severus and Albus sat, smiling in amusement, his eyes twinkling happily.
Seeing the twinkle in his eyes McGonagall got irritated and said, "Albus I have a bone to pick with you, you have to remove Harry from Privet Drive!"
Immediately the twinkle vanished from his eyes. "Why would you say that Minerva?"
"Albus, his relatives absolutely hate him. You should have seen how happy he was just to get away from them. They never even told him the truth about what happened to his parents, said they died in a car crash! He didn't know anything about himself or about the wizarding world at all!" she exclaimed.
The headmaster just sighed and said, "You know I cannot do that Minerva, as long as Harry stays there the blood wards will protect him from any person who wishes him harm."
"It may protect him from outside enemies Albus, but it cannot do anything for those inside the wards. I can't imagine how horrible it must have been for him, growing up with those awful muggles."
Dumbledore rubbed his forehead looking older than ever and said, "I'm truly sorry Minerva, but he has to stay there. It's the only place for him."
She backed down for now but made it a point to take this matter further.
Albus then cleared his throat and said, "Now the true reason for calling you both up here. I sent Hagrid today to retrieve the Philosopher's stone from Gringotts and now we have to hide it here in Hogwarts as a favour to my old friend Nicolas Flamel."
Both the Professors nodded their heads understanding the seriousness of the situation.
"I decided to use the abandoned third floor corridor to keep the stone with various protections in place. All the Professors will place their own unique protections for the stone to make it as safe as possible," Albus said.
"Headmaster, why not just hide it in your office behind powerful enchantments? After all your skill with a wand is much better than the rest of us and the stone will be under your watch all the time," suggested Snape.
"I have my reasons Severus," he said without explanation, "Well that's all for now, we have a lot of work to do tomorrow and we have to prepare the castle for the next year," he said dismissing them.
As soon as both the Professors left Fawkes let out a disapproving trill, knowing very well what the headmaster was up to.
"I know Fawkes, I truly am sorry do you really think it would be wise not to try?" said Professor Dumbledore gently stroking the phoenix smiling sadly.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Harry's last month with at Privet Drive was quite boring. The Dursley's were petrified of Harry now that he had a wand. They pretty much ignored him all the time and for once made Dudley do some of Harry's chores.
Even if it was a bit dull, it suited him just fine as he spent most of his time burying his nose into the new school books. He was amazed by all the different kind of spells - some which can could your hair fall off, give you boils, turn a matchstick into a needle, and make objects hover in the air and lots more. There was almost a spell for everything. There were potions for curing common cold, something muggles didn't have a cure for, a potion for getting rid of boils and pimples. He had even tried a few spells including the levitating one and found them to be relatively easy. He didn't even get tired after levitating heavy thing like his bed or table unlike when he tried them without a wand.
But he was most fascinated by the history of the wizarding world. The goblin wars, giant wars, the witch burning era, the dark ages, the necessity for secrecy, the dark lords, the famous wizards - the list went on. Half the things which were a mystery in the Muggle world were all part of the wizarding one and many famous people like Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Elva Edison and more were all wizards too, it was just unreal.
Right now he was reading a book called Hogwarts: A History. It was just as the title said, all about the history of the school. He had just started reading the first chapter of the book, which was about Helga Hufflepuff, one of the founders of the school when he checked the time and realized it was five minutes to midnight. He shut the book, turned off the light with a flick of his wrist and shut his eyes. After all tomorrow was a big day; it was the day he was leaving for Hogwarts.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
1st September 1991
Harry woke at 6.30 AM the next morning and let a smile grace his lips. Today was the day he would finally be rid of the Dursley's and was sure they would be happy to get rid of him too. He checked his Hogwarts list once again to see if he had missed packing anything. He took Hedwig's cage in one hand, wand out in another and levitated his trunk downstairs.
Two hours later, Harry's heavy trunk had been loaded into the car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Harry without the fear of getting turned into a pig and they had set off amidst a depressing atmosphere.
At half past ten they reached King's Cross and Uncle Vernon dumped his luggage into a trolley and said, "Don't even think about coming back for Christmas, boy, we don't want you to corrupt our Dudley with your freakishness."
Harry snorted and replied, "I wouldn't even dream of it. Well goodbye bitches, see you next year." That said, and ignoring the splutters of rage, he rolled his trolley towards platform 9 and 10 not looking back to say bye to his aunt and cousin.
On reaching platform 9 and 10 he saw a wall with the numbers 9 and 10 on either sides of it. He remembered Professor McGonagall's instructions and took a deep breath and walked straight towards the wall, his eyes closed, praying nothing would go wrong. He kept walking and then realized he should have hit the barrier by now. When he opened his eyes he was delighted to see a scarlet engine with steam billowing out of its chimney with a large board on its side reading HOGWARTS EXPRESS. He turned around to see a silver archway with the words platform nine and three quarters written on it.
Harry's heart swelled, he had done it! There were a lot of people running around helping their kids load their trunks on the train, cats and rats of various colours running between everybody's legs while their owners went running after them, owls sitting on the roof of the train hooting over the chatter of the crowd, cracks of apparition sounding every few seconds, not to mention the honking of the train that resounded through the platform.
He slowly pushed his trolley towards the train levitated his trunk and Hedwig's cage on to the train and went in search for an empty compartment. He found one near the end of the train and made himself comfortable.
"Hey girl, you want to stretch your wings for a bit?" he asked Hedwig. The owl hooted in reply and Harry let her out. She immediately flew out after nipping Harry on his ears affectionately.
Five minutes before the train was scheduled to leave, he noticed a large family of orange heads noisily running on the platform hurriedly getting their trunks onto the train. The mother was crying and hugging sons and rubbing the smallest ones nose. He noticed a small girl standing next to the mother holding her hand while tears streaming down her face.
Soon the train started moving and all the parents started running with the train saying goodbye to their loved ones. Looking at them Harry couldn't help feel a little jealous, after all thanks to his relatives he never had any friends or anybody to look after him when he was sick or hurt. If it weren't for his magic, Harry couldn't imagine how bad things would be with the Dursley's.
Suddenly the compartment door opened and a tall dark boy with high cheek bones and slanting black eyes entered. "Is there anybody sitting in here," he asked.
"No," Harry replied.
"Oh good, everywhere else is noisy," he said dragging his trunk in.
"By the way, my name's Blaise, Blaise Zabini," he said sticking out his hand towards Harry.
"I'm Harry," he said shaking the boy's hand, not wanting to give his last name knowing how people reacted to him being Harry Potter.
Zabini raised his eyebrows at the lack of his last name but didn't say anything and sat down opposite Harry.
They both sat silently just staring out of the window observing the scenery outside. The compartment door opened again and a very familiar voice said, "The very first compartment I find empty and you have to be in it don't you?"
"Pleased to see you too Austin," replied Harry smirking. Seeing Zabini's questioning look Harry introduced them, "Zabini this is Freckles Mary Austin, Freckles this is Blaise Zabini."
"Please don't call me that," she said sourly. "My name is Lillian Mary Austin," she said holding her hand out to Zabini. "Don't listen to this guy or else you might get drowned in his lack of common sense."
Zabini just grinned at Harry and shook her hand, "Pleasure to meet you Ms. Austin. Are you two friends?"
"Debatable," Harry said smirking.
"We meet when one of the Professors came to take us to Diagon alley," Lillian informed him.
"Both of you are muggleborns then?" Zabini asked, noticing the muggle attire on them.
"No, my parents were a witch and a wizard, but I was sent to live with my muggle relatives when they died," Harry replied.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he said looking awkward.
"What about you?" he said looking at Lillian, who stowed her truck under the seat and sat down next to Harry.
"My dad's a muggle through and through, I don't know about my mum though; she died when I was little."
"I'm sorry for your loss too," Blaise said wincing. "Is there any way for me to stop putting a foot in my mouth?"'
Lillian laughed. "Don't worry about it," she said warmly.
"You could try and shove it up your arse instead," Harry said.
"Be nice Potter," Lillian snapped.
"It was a joke Freckles. Don't you know what jokes are? Or is there air between your ears instead of brains," he retorted.
"Potter? You're Harry Potter?!" exclaimed another voice near the door cutting out Lillian's response.
Three heads turned towards the door and saw a tall lanky boy with orange hair standing near the doorway looking at Harry in awe.
Harry raised an eyebrow looking at the newcomer warily.
"I'm Ronald Weasley," he said grasping Harry's hand and shaking it vigorously before squeezing himself beside Blaise. "Do you have the…, you know the scar!" he asked eagerly.
Harry just sighed and pulled his hair back to reveal the lightning bolt shaped scar above his left eye.
"Wow," Ronald exclaimed his eyes wide in awe, "Do you remember anything that happened that night? When You Know Who killed your parents?" he asked excitedly. He had grown up hearing the most amazing stories about the triumph of the boy who lived and he was eager to hear it straight from the legend himself.
Harry, who was now getting really irritated, replied coldly, "Yeah I do, I remember Voldemort coming into my room with his wand in his hand, he then pointed his wand at me and then shot the killing curse at me but I raised my hands caught the curse and threw it back at him and he died in a huge explosion, I got this scar when a shard of devastating magic hit my forehead and then I fainted because I was magically exhausted."
All this time Ron was hanging on to every word Harry said while Lillian was trying to control herself from laughing out loud. Blaise was giving a look to Harry which clearly said what a load of crap.
Then Ron spoke again, "Wow, that's so cool! So that's what happened huh."
"Of course not you dolt! I was a year old when it happened, do you really think I'd remember it!" Harry snapped, feeling disturbed at the redhead's obsession with him.
This time Lillian couldn't control herself and burst out laughing while Blaise looked amused by the redhead's embarrassment.
Ron blushed, feeling self-conscious and nervous now. "Oh, yeah cool," he said quietly.
There was silence for a couple of minutes before Ron spoke again, "I t-think I better go, my brothers will be wondering where I am." And then he practically ran out of the compartment.
"Yeah, just don't bring them back with you," Harry muttered after he left.
Blaise snorted and said, "Well that was hilarious."
"Honestly Potter, you didn't have to be so hard on him. He was just excited you know, meeting the great Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, and hero of the wizarding world!" Lillian mocked.
"Shut it, Freckles," Harry muttered.
"Aw, is the living legend annoyed?" she teased.
"The living legend wants to kick you out of the compartment right now."
"Why don't you try it dickhead," she said. Lillian was always up for a fight. It was what got her kicked out of her first primary school.
"As much as this amuses me, why didn't you tell me who you were, Harry?" Blaise asked, cutting in.
Harry had the grace to look guilty and said, "I didn't want you to react like that redhead did. I hate people like that."
"It's alright, and just to let you know I wouldn't have reacted like that, we pure-blooded Zabini's take pride in being able to control our emotions," Blaise replied.
"Pureblood?" Lillian asked confused.
"Yeah, those whose parents are from a proper wizarding background are pure-blood's, those with one parent who is muggleborn are half-blood's like Harry and those who come from a family whose parents are muggles are called Muggleborns like you," Blaise informed them.
"How does it matter, being a pure-blood or a half-blood or a muggleborn?" Harry asked Blaise, bemused.
"It does," he said seriously, "the wizarding world is racist and muggleborns are not treated the same as purebloods, they are looked down upon and not given the same rights as a pureblood or even a half-blood."
"So how do you know I'm a half-blood," Harry asked him.
Zabini just rolled his eyes and said, "Just open any history book about the dark lord and it'll give you a detailed history about you and your parents past. Your father was a pureblood and mother was a muggleborn."
"So because I might be a muggleborn, I'm going to be treated like crap?" Lillian asked him indignantly.
Blaise nodded his head.
"What about you," she asked him coldly.
"Honestly, I don't care, my mother was always careful to avoid such topics since we don't support either group. It would only create more problems if we took a side," he said shrugging.
They all fell silent after that, each one immersed in their own thoughts.
At around half past one, a loud clattering sound was heard outside and their compartment door was slid open. An old lady smiled and asked, "Anything from the cart, dears?"
Three wide eyed heads nodded vigorously and bought almost all the goods available on the cart. Harry was fascinated by the various candies lying around. There were Bettie Bott's every flavour beans, Drooble's best blowing gum, chocolate frogs, pumpkin pasties, cauldron cakes, Licorice wands, and a number of strange things he had never laid eyes on.
The dull conversation was forgotten and they all were trying out all the sweets laughing and having fun experimenting with Bettie Blott beans.
Lillian was opening one of the chocolate frogs when a card fell out and the frog suddenly leaped out and almost jumped out of the window when it was caught by Harry immediately and he quickly bit into it.
"That was mine you know," Lillian said, glaring at him.
"You lost it and I caught it," Harry said smartly. "Honestly Freckles, you should stop glaring so much or it will become a permanent feature on your ugly mug."
"Will you stop calling me that stupid name!" she said irritably.
"Then what should I call you, I can't keep calling you Ms. Austin can I?" he shot back.
"Well my friends call me Mary, but wait! You're just a pain in my arse so you call me Ms. Austin, get it scarhead?" she said loudly, poking him in the chest with each word not realizing that they both had stood up.
"I'll call you whatever I want Freckles," Harry fired back poking her on the forehead.
"Don't you understand how I hate that word," she screamed pulling out her wand and pointing it towards Harry. Seeing her pull out her wand Harry pulled out his own and pointed it towards her.
Blaise, who was enjoying the show up till know realized an interruption was required or both would end up in the hospital wing before the sorting would even start. "Hey, hey calm down! No need for wands for something this trivial!" he said stepping in between them pushing them back to their seats. "You don't want to be expelled before you reach the school do you?"
Both nodded their heads still glaring at each other.
"Good, then keep your heads down and don't look at each other until we reach the station. Honestly such a fight over one chocolate frog," he said shaking his head. "So, Harry. Which house do you think you'll be in?" Blaise asked him trying to lighten their moods.
"House? What house?" Harry asked Blaise confused.
"Oh for heaven's sake Potter, didn't you read the books the Professor got us!" Lillian exclaimed. Harry was about to reply when Blaise quickly cut in before another argument took place.
"What do you think, Austin? Which house will you be in?" he asked her.
"I think maybe Ravenclaw or even Gryffindor, what about you?"
"Slytherin or Ravenclaw. All mother's side has all been in Slytherin so I doubt I'll go anywhere else," he said.
"Will somebody please explain me what are you talking about," Harry said feeling left out.
"There are four houses in Hogwarts Potter - Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Each house has its own personality types. Gryffindor is meant for the courageous and the daring; Slytherin is for the cunning and shrewd; Ravenclaw for the intelligent and Hufflepuff for the most loyal. Based on your qualities you are sorted to one of the houses," Blaise told Harry.
"Oh," Harry said frowning pensively wondering which house he would be sorted in. "So how do they sort the students?" he asked Blaise.
"I donno, some sort of test I suppose, my mum wasn't telling me, said it would be a surprise," he replied.
The compartment door was slid open again and this time a girl with alarmingly bushy brown stood there. "Has anyone seen a toad, Neville here has lost his," she said in a bossy voice pointing towards a frightened looking boy standing behind her. Both were wearing their new Hogwarts robes.
All three sitting in the compartment said no.
The bushy haired girl sighed and said, "Well if you see one, hold on to it and give it to Neville here later. Oh and you should change into your Hogwarts uniform you know, I asked the conductor up front and he said we'll be there in about 20 minutes."
Saying what she came to say she turned back and went out of the compartment along with the boy who just followed her looking miserable.
Looking at each other, bemused the interruption. "She's right, the trains slowing down we better go and change," Lillian said. She opened her trunk took her robes out and went out of the compartment.
Both boys took out their robes and quickly changed as soon as they were done a voice echoed through the train, "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."
The train slowed down rapidly and then came to a stop. Teenagers rushed out of the train onto a dark platform. Blaise shivered and looked at Harry and said, "Aren't you c-cold! It's practically freezing out here!"
"Is it?" Harry asked him frowning, "I don't feel cold at all, it's rather pleasant actually."
"Firs' years! Firs' years! Over here," came a booming voice from the other end of the platform. Harry walked towards the voice and then saw the largest man he had ever seen in his life. He was at least 8 foot tall, had a thick beard and friendly beetle like eyes which were brimming with warmth and kindness.
"C'mon, follow me – any more firs' years? Alright then me name's Hagrid and you lot gotta follow me, and mind yer step, yeh should be able to see Hogwarts over this bend now."
There was a loud oohhhhhh and a gasp which Harry recognized as Lillian's, as Hogwarts came into view. It certainly was a majestic sight; a huge stone castle on a hill across the lake with lights shining inside it. It had a very homely and welcoming feel to it.
"No more'n four to a boat," Hagrid shouted over all the heads pointing towards a fleet of boats. Harry and Blaise got into one followed by Lillian and the bushy haired girl. Harry couldn't resist and said, "Hey, Austin, why are you following me around like a puppy." She didn't respond, she was spellbound by the beauty of Hogwarts. Harry frowned at the lack of response then shrugged his shoulders and turned his gaze back at the castle.
The boats soon came to a stop at the end of the lake and Hagrid lead them to the huge oak front door of the castle and knocked with his big fist three times.
The doors immediately swung open and there stood Professor McGonagall in emerald green robes. She told the first years to follow her in a no-nonsense voice and walked towards another door across the hall. She then stopped and turned towards them and spoke:
"Welcome to Hogwarts, the start of the term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the great hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes lingering on Ron's dirty nose and Harry's hair before walking back into the great hall.
Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair, while Lillian smoothed her robes and Ronald was rubbing his nose trying to get rid of some dirt on it.
"I wonder how we get sorted." Neville asked Ron.
"My brothers told me we have to fight a troll and depending on how we fight we get sorted," Ron whispered back. Those in hearing distance paled at his words.
"Don't be silly, Ronald," came the bushy haired girl's voice, "Maybe it will be some sort of written personality test or a quiz of your knowledge of spells."
Her opinion didn't make anyone feel better.
Professor McGonagall came back and beckoned them inside. Harry's stomach turned to lead as he walked inside unable to cast his fear aside. There was a gasp as everyone walked into the great hall. There were thousands of candles lit, which were floating in mid air, illuminating the whole hall. There were also four tables lined with golden plates, spoons, forks and of course, students.
Mainly to avoid all the stares he looked up and was surprised when he saw a velvety black sky dotted with stars instead of the roof. He then heard the bushy haired girl whisper to Lillian, "The ceilings bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read it in Hogwarts: A History."
He looked back down again as Professor McGonagall brought out a stool and placed a dirty, worn out, black hat on it. Suddenly the hat twitched, the rip near the brim opened and 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 Gryffindor's apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuff's 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 folk 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!"
The entire hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song and bowed to all four tables. Harry was relived, all they had to do was try on a hat and they would be sorted.
Professor McGonagall stepped forward and said, "When I call out your names step forward and put on the hat to be sorted." She then unrolled a long piece of parchment and read:
Abbot, Hannah!
A pink faced girl with blonde pig tails came stumbling out of the line and put on the hat. After a moment's pause it yelled, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The table on the right erupted in cheers as she ran towards it.
Austin, Lillian!
Lillian walked smartly up to hat and put it over her head. Two minutes later it screamed, "GRYFFINDOR!"
Pleased, she ran to the table on the extreme right which had erupted in loud cheers as they welcomed the first new Gryffindor.
After Susan Bones was sorted to Ravenclaw, Hermione Granger, the bushy haired girl and Neville Longbottom went to Gryffindor which surprised Harry considering how scared he looked. A Draco Malfoy was sorted to Slytherin within milliseconds and finally, it was Harry's turn and he was quite nervous.
When McGonagall called his name, he walked up to the chair and placed the hat over his head which fell over his eyes blocking the view of everything outside. Suddenly a voice spoke in his ear. "Hmmm, difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent and Oh my! So much power! There's also a nice thirst to prove yourself, and a lot of wit I see, also quite loyal to your friends but will not hesitate to hurt them if they hurt you! Hmmm… long time since I've seen one with all four qualities in abundance. Well boy you don't have to say anything do you?"
Five minutes had passed and people started whispering as to what was taking so long? The professor sitting in the centre of the teachers table leaned in front, looking forward to this sorting.
"Just put me in any house," Harry thought frantically wondering what would happen if the hat didn't sort him.
"No preferences at all then? Ok then… oh wait! I didn't see that talent of yours! Well now there's no doubt as to where you should go boy," the hat said in his ear before shouting out loud.
"SLYTHERIN!"
The table on the extreme left exploded with the loudest cheers yet and Harry oblivious to all the looks of shock and surprise he was getting from the other house tables hurried towards the Slytherin table happy to be sorted and not left out.
Back at the teachers table a pair of eyes widened in surprise and the other in disbelief.
Finally Blaise Zabini was sorted into Slytherin who quickly went and took a seat next to Harry, who was happy to have one familiar face in his new house. Professor McGonagall then rolled up her scroll and took the stool and the sorting hat away.
The headmaster, Albus Dumbledore got to his feet and said, "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts, now before we begin our feast I would like to say a few words and here they are; Nitwit, Blubber, Pizza and Pie! Enjoy your feast."
"Thank you!"
He sat back down as everybody cheered and laughed. Harry looked at Blaise uncertainly and asked, "Is he mad?" Blaise shrugged and said, "I guess he might be a little crazy, but he is the most powerful wizard in the world."
Someone tapped Harry on the shoulder and he turned back to see a boy with slick blonde hair, grey eyes, with an arrogant expression on his pale face. He was flanked by the thickest and meanest boys he had ever seen of their age. The blonde stuck out his hand and said, "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, pureblood and heir to the Malfoy fortune."
Harry looked at him wondering if what he said was supposed to mean something to him but shook his hand nonetheless and said, "Pleased to meet you."
"You would want to come and sit with the better people in the Slytherin house Potter, ones who can give you what you need. Not with the likes of someone like a Zabini," he said sneering at Blaise whose expression remained neutral.
Harry looked at Blaise and back to Malfoy and said with no emotions showing on his face whatsoever, "Thanks for your offer, but I think I'm fine here, thanks anyway." Malfoy looked back at Harry and stared at him for a few seconds before nodding and walking back towards his seat.
"What was that all about?" he asked Blaise.
Blaise just shrugged and said, "Tell you later."
Suddenly the empty gold plates, goblets and bowls were filled with food and juice. Harry, who hadn't realized how hungry he was, started taking a bit of everything within his reach. Blaise looked at Harry in amusement, "Hungry are you?"
"Starving," he replied stuffing his mouth with mashed potatoes. Blaise grinned back at him and started filling his plate too.
After eating his fill Harry was starting to feel sleepy and looked over to the Gryffindor table and saw Lillian and Hermione talking to the Gryffindor prefect. The Weasley boy and the other new first year boys were talking to the resident Gryffindor ghost. He looked to the head table and saw Hagrid drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Another Professor with an absurd turban on his head was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose and sallow skin.
It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past the turban straight into Harry's eyes and a sharp, hot pain flashed across the scar on Harry's forehead.
"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.
"What's up Harry?" Blaise asked looking at him in concern.
"N-nothing."
The pain went as fast as it came. He got a feeling that the greasy head teacher didn't like him very much.
"Hey, Blaise," Harry said. "Who's the teacher next to turban guy?"
"That's Professor Snape, Harry. He's the head of our house. He's supposed to be really strict and dangerous to mess around with," he said eating one of the chocolate pastries.
"What does he teach?"
"Potions."
Harry looked back at him trying to catch his eye, but he didn't look at Harry again.
At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again.
The hall fell silent.
"Just a few more words now that you're all fed and watered. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."
Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed towards the Gryffindor table.
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind all of you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested to play should contact Madam Hooch. Also this year the third floor corridor is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. Finally I must welcome Professor Quirrell to the defence against the Dark Arts post."
There was polite applause as the man with the turban stood up.
"Alright then, first years follow your prefects back to your common rooms, off you trot!" the headmaster said his eyes twinkling happily.
The Slytherin prefect was a tall bulky fifth year named Marcus Flint. The first years followed him down into the dungeons until they suddenly stopped in front a bare damp stone wall.
"This is the entrance to the Slytherin common room and the password is Victory." The wall slid open and they entered the common room.
The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and there were several high-backed chairs, green sofas and a few large silver pillows which were just floating about, waiting to be plucked out of the air by those who wanted it.
The prefect motioned them to the centre of the common room. "Right, now listen up you lot. There are some ground rules in the Slytherin house which should never be broken whatever happens.
First of all being a Slytherin basically means you're hated by the rest of the student population by default. Slytherin's and Gryffindor's hate each other on principle. So you better stick together wherever you go and never ever tell on your fellow house mates or there will be consequences.
Secondly, if you feel sick or have any problems with any other student of the other houses go and meet Professor Snape immediately, he will help you.
Thirdly, if there's a fight or anything against the rules happens around you, get out of there or else the blame will fall on you whether it was your fault or not. And finally, our unofficial rule is to inflict pain to the Gryffindork's at every chance you get," he said grinning nastily.
"Regarding your sleeping arrangements, each room has two beds so you can choose your roommate and make your way to any of the rooms in the first year dorm.
Now Professor Snape will want to talk to you for a bit and then you can go to bed."
The moment he finished his little speech, the entrance to the common room slid open and in walked the hook nosed Professor exuding an air of authority.
"Have you explained the rules to them, Flint?" he asked the prefect.
"Yes, Professor."
"Good, you may leave."
The prefect nodded and went up the stairs to his own room.
Professor Snape looked at each of them in turn and said, "All I am here to tell you is that if you have any problems adjusting I am there to help you and guide you. I expect each one of my students to do their best in class and I do not tolerate rule breaking," his eyes lingering on Harry's as he said that. Harry gulped but stared back unwilling to flinch under his gaze.
But the Professor broke off his gaze and continued, "Tomorrow morning I will be giving you your respective timetables and I expect you to be on time for every class. Is. That. Clear?"
Nine heads nodded quickly not wanting to anger their head of house.
"Very well, you may leave," he said and walked out of the common room, his robes billowing behind him.
As soon as he left Harry let out a sigh of relief and followed Blaise to their new room. They entered a room at the end of the first year dorm and gasped at the size of the room.
There were two huge four poster beds at opposite ends covered in silver and green hangings, two beautifully furnished tables and chairs and a door leading to their own bathroom. There were two windows and when they looked out they were surprised to see that their rooms were just a few meters above the backwaters of the lake which was gently rapping the castle wall.
Harry was amazed. He looked at Blaise who had an equally amazed look on his face and said, "Wow."
"Wow is right, I'm taking the left side!" he yelled and ran towards the bed closest to the window. Harry ran and tackled him before he could reach it.
After 5 minutes of tossing, turning, yelling and laughing Blaise was sitting on the bed near the window and Harry on the other giving him dirty looks. Blaise grinned at him and they both started laughing uncontrollably.
"Let's go to bed, we've got class tomorrow," Harry told Blaise once they had gotten control of themselves. Blaise nodded and they changed into their night clothes and bid each other good night and fell asleep as soon as they hit their pillows.
Gryffindor First year boy's dorm
Ronald Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan were sitting talking about the boy who lived.
"Surprising eh?" said Seamus, "The boy who lived in Slytherin."
"Yeah, I thought he would be in Gryffindor, defeating You Know Who and all that, you know," Dean said.
"I'm not surprised," Ron said darkly. He had not forgotten the humiliation he had felt after meeting Harry Potter.
"Why not? It's Harry Potter!" Neville squeaked.
"I met him on the train. Just went to say hi," he said lowering his voice, "There he was sitting and laughing with this other Slytherin. That new Gryffindor Austin was there too and now that I think about it, I think she was under some kind of a spell. I looked at him and there was this gleam in his eye and before I could say anything there was a wand being pressed against my head!"
All three other boys gasped and Ron paused for the effect. He then took a deep breath, "He then whispered in my ears that unless I wanted my brains splattered on the wall or my eyeballs rolling on the floor I better get out and get out fast."
All the boys shuddered and Neville looked like he might wet himself.
"I then ran as fast as my legs could take me away from that compartment," he finished.
There was silence for a couple of minutes which was broken by Neville, "But why? Why would he do that?"
"He's a dark wizard Neville, that's why," Ron said softly. Ron was notorious for making up stories to get back at his brothers back home.
"Makes me wonder how he got rid of You Know Who," said Seamus.
"I think we better go to sleep guys, tomorrows a big day and this talk about Potter gives me the creeps," muttered Dean.
They all nodded, went to their respective beds and feel asleep.
That night the stars twinkled brightly in the clear black sky, as if celebrating the start of a new term. The wind blew ripples in the lake and made trees near the edge of the forest rustle and everybody in the castle slept soundly and peacefully. And then there was a wizard. A wizard moved quietly and swiftly in the shadows towards the third floor corridor, his red eyes gleaming in the dark.