The train raced onwards to its destination, the low rumble of its journey across the tracks causing vibrations to shoot up Harry's legs and through his body.

Or at least, that's the best reason he could come up with for the tingling feeling he felt as he stared into the blue eyes of the girl, Daphne, opposite him.

He saw the pink tinge of her cheeks and quickly averted his eyes, realising he must have embarrassed her with his staring.

For her part, Daphne was frantically trying to reinforce her mental barriers and control her emotions, feeling mortified at how much of a simpering, blushing dolt she must look to the boy, who she now knew was called Harry.

'Those eyes really are something, aren't they?'

They really were, she agreed with her subconscious just as the boy tore his gaze from hers. She must have been making him uncomfortable with her staring. Terrific.

Harry coughed lightly, wondering what he should say to clear up the awkwardness he could feel stifling the compartment.

"So...read any good books lately?" He asked, mentally face palming as soon as the words fell from his mouth. Smooth, Potter. Your father would be so proud.

Daphne breathed out, relieved. Books, books she could talk about. She nodded happily as she told him, "Oh, yes, I got quite a few new ones when you saw me in the alley. I've still got a few more to read though, I wanted to get through all the textbooks first." Daphne felt that may have been the longest sentence she'd ever said to someone not related to her.

Harry grinned back at her, relieved that she had taken his fumbling attempt to start a conversation with grace. "Me too, I read them all quite quickly, but then they would mention something I didn't know which meant buying a whole new book about that so I could learn it," He said, shaking his head at himself with a smile. "I'll probably be so far behind everyone else who grew up with all this." He finished nervously.

Daphne smiled softly back at him. "I'm sure you'll do fine if you already read a lot. A-And, if you have any questions you can ask me...if you want?" She offered, ears turning pink.

Harry relaxed into his seat, grinning gratefully. "That'd be great, I don't want to make a fool of myself, and I'm sure you know lots."

Daphne adopted a superior air, lifting her head and looking down her nose at him. "Of course I do." She told him regally.

Harry stared at her, noticing the slight upturns of the corners of her mouth, and snorted. "Well, if I want to be top of our year it looks like I'll have competition...for a few weeks." He joked, trying to replicate her superior tone.

Daphne tried to fight down the grin trying to form. "We'll see." She countered and lost the battle as her face split into a wide grin, causing Harry to begin laughing as he too broke his countenance.

Both children sat laughing together, both feeling a lightness in their chests at finally making a connection with another person, that they might finally have an opportunity to make a friend.

The two settled into an easy conversation, chatting about what they thought the school would be like and what they were looking forward to the most.

"I'm really looking forward to Charms and Transfigurations, they look really useful," Harry told her, smiling at the thought of being taught by Professor McGonagall in the latter.

Daphne nodded her agreement "Absolutely, but I'm looking forward to Potions as well, my Mum is really good at making them and showed me a little." She told him.

"Oh yeah, Potions too, Professor McGonagall told me that my Mum was really good at it when she went to school." Harry recounted.

Daphne quirked her head slightly, confused. "Your Mum?" She questioned, frowning slightly. "I thought you were muggle-born?"

Harry shook his head "Oh, no, sorry for the confusion, both of-"

Before he could finish his explanation, the compartment door slid open without warning and a blonde boy walked in, two larger thickset boys flanking him. The boy had slicked-back hair with high cheekbones and incredibly pale skin.

"I've been looking all over the train for Harry Potter, and this is the last compartment." He said immediately, looking at Harry. "So it must be you then." He stated more than questioned.

Daphne gasped quietly. His name was Harry...and she'd never asked his surname, and as she had just discovered he wasn't a muggle-born as she'd first assumed.

But surely her Harry couldn't be Harry Potter? Why wouldn't he say so if he was?

'Your Harry, eh? How awfully presumptuous of you'

Harry stared at the blonde boy and nodded shortly, before looking past him at the two large boys on either side of him. 'These two make Dudley look scrawny' Harry thought inwardly.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." The boy finished in a proud voice. Harry had no idea why.

Harry glanced at Daphne to find her staring at the other boy, a completely blank, neutral look on her face. If he had looked closer, however, he would have noticed the icy look in her eyes as she looked upon Malfoy.

Harry looked back to the other boy. "Okay, well, I'm Harry Potter as you've so skilfully discovered, though I notice you haven't introduced yourself to my companion?" He said dryly, raising an eyebrow at Malfoy. He'd been in his presence for a little over two minutes and he already reminded him heavily of Dudley.

Malfoy turned his head to take in the girl opposite Harry and his lips curled into a sneer. "I'm aware of who this is, Potter." He spat out distastefully, causing Harry to scowl and Daphne to bristle.

Malfoy turned back to Harry quickly, face morphing into what he must have believed to be a welcoming look, which in Harry's mind just made him look like his Uncle Vernon when he had to entertain clients.

"You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort." He said, glancing meaningfully at Daphne. "I can help you there." He finished, holding out his hand for him to shake.

Harry remained in his seat, looking down at the preferred limb briefly, before looking back to the twit in front of him.

"I think I can work out who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks." He said coolly, glaring at the other boy.

Malfoy pinked and opened his mouth to retort but was beaten to it by Daphne.

"Run along now Draco, even you must know when you're not wanted." She said lightly, a small condescending smile on her face.

Malfoy's lip curled up and his eyes flashed with anger. With a final glare to the pair of him, he turned on his heel and stormed from the compartment, his two silent bookends lumbering after him slowly.

Harry got to his feet and slid the compartment door closed, wishing that they wouldn't be disturbed again. "What a pleasant boy." He joked, returning to his seat.

"Why did you do that?" Daphne queried, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

Harry rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly embarrassed. "I didn't like him insulting you, I guess." He said quietly, not looking at her.

Daphne stared at him. For someone her own age, who wasn't even related to her, to defend her was astonishing.

She grinned at him, and when he grinned back her stomach began to do backflips.

'Uh oh, you're in trouble' Her subconscious sang.

She ignored it.

"Sorry, what were we talking about?" She asked him.

"Oh, I was just saying how my mum was good at Potions so I kind of want to do well in it as well, and then you were surprised because you thought I was a muggle-born." Harry said.

Daphne smiled wryly. "Oh yes, that's right. You can't blame me really, I had no idea who you were, and when I saw you being shown around the alley with McGonagall," She shrugged a shoulder delicately. "I just assumed you were muggle-born, and then you were saying how you knew nothing about the magical world. Was that true?" She questioned.

Harry hummed, "I'm not a muggle-born, but I was raised in the muggle world and didn't know about anything until the day we met. That was all true."

Daphne nodded, accepting that. "But why didn't you tell me who you were?"

Harry looked away to the floor, chewing on his lip. "I didn't want you to judge me for who I am." He said quietly. "I didn't know I was famous until the Professor told me. It's all...ridiculous, really. People kept bothering me when I was staying in the alley, crowding around me, pointing at my scar."

He sighed. "I'm nothing special, really. I'm just Harry."

Daphne thought about what he'd said and found herself agreeing wholeheartedly with the sentiment. "I understand, Harry." She told him sincerely.

He looked up into her blue eyes and saw the honesty there, and smiled lightly.

It was nice to have someone who understood and accepted you.

The two spent the remainder of the journey getting to know each other better, Harry telling her what he knew of the muggle world (she noticed that his explanation that he 'didn't get out much' was hiding a lot, but didn't press further) and Daphne told him what it was like growing up in a magical household.

They were not disturbed again during the journey, as Harry's wish for privacy after Malfoy's visit was enforced by his magic, meaning that a bushy-haired girl and a teary-eyed plump boy completely missed their compartment when searching for a lost toad.

When the sky outside began to darken, they took turns stepping outside the compartment whilst the other changed into their school robes, and soon the train began to slow as a voice echoed throughout the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Harry began to feel the nerves as the train got slower and slower, and a look at Daphne told him that she was just as affected, her skin much paler than it had been earlier in the day even if her face was impassive.

Finally, the train pulled to a stop, and Harry and Daphne joined the crowds pushing their way from the train and out of the door onto the small, dark platform. A lamp was held high and once Harry looked he could see the biggest man he'd ever seen standing holding it in a big, beefy hand. The man had to be over ten feet tall, and his hair and beard were both long and wild, with only a small sliver of skin showing where the man's eyes were visible.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" The man bellowed and soon a crowd of small, shivering children surrounded the man who smiled brightly at them.

"C'mon, follow me- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Together they followed the man down a steep, winding, slippy path. Halfway down, Daphne stumbled slightly and wrapped her arm around Harry's own, and he managed to keep them both upright. Harry saw the pink tinge on her cheeks from the exertion.

Daphne knew that her flush had nothing to do with the journey.

The path winded around a bend and then, in the distance, they both got their first sight of Hogwarts.

In front of a large, deep lake, perched high upon a mountain on the other side the great castle stood, windows sparkling in the night sky, turrets poking up into the clouds above.

It was breathtaking.

The giant man led them further down to a boathouse at the edge of the lake, instructing them to get in.

"No more'n four to a boat!" The man called out as Harry and Daphne clambered into the first empty boat they found. They were joined by a bushy-haired girl and a dark-haired, shaking boy.

"Everyone in?" The man shouted, sitting in one large boat of his own. "Right then - FORWARD!" He roared, and the boats moved off all at once towards the castle on the other side.

The journey was swift, and soon, after they all had to duck as they entered a cave at the bottom of the mountain, they were climbing back out of the boats onto a rocky shore.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" The giant man said to the boy who had shared their boat as he inspected them.

"Trevor!" The boy cried blissfully, taking the wayward pet from the man. Then they were led along a passageway in the rock until finally came out onto smooth, damp grass in the shadow of the castle.

Walking up a flight of stone steps, they arrived at the huge, oak doors and the giant man raised his huge fist and knocked three times.

The door swung open quickly, and standing there to greet them was Professor McGonagall.

Sharing a greeting with the large man, she ushered them inside and the great doors closed behind them with a thud.

Harry looked around at the massive hall they were in, at the moving portraits and tapestries hanging on the walls and the floating candles dotted about haphazardly.

Harry and Daphne shared a look and grinned at each other.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and began to welcome them, informed them of the houses and that they would be sorted straight away before the start of term feast, and advised them to smarten themselves up before taking her leave and sweeping from the hall through a side door.

Harry self-consciously began messing with his hair, but Daphne held out a hand to stop him. "Don't, you look fine." She told him quietly.

Together they stood as around them their fellow students began wondering aloud how they might be sorted. Luckily for Harry, Daphne was well aware of how the sorting worked and had shared it with him on the train.

Harry caught Draco Malfoy glaring at him and glared right back. When the boy turned to make a comment to...Crabbe? Or was it Goyle? Harry shook his head, lamenting the fact that he'd not even been here a full day and already made enemies.

Then, without warning, screams echoed around the hall and Harry looked around wildly, wondering what was going on. Daphne nudged him with her elbow, pointing with her chin to one side where several ghosts had floated in. Harry gaped at them, he'd read about ghosts existing but this was his first time encountering them himself.

The ghosts began chatting cheerfully to the gathered students but were soon interrupted by the re-emergence of Professor McGonagall who shooed them away.

The Professor formed them into a long line, gave them one final appraising look over, and then led them through the large entrance doors and into the Great Hall.

Four long tables filled with students in black robes ran perpendicular to another that sat upon a dais, where the teachers all sat, Dumbledore in the center on an ornate, golden throne. Above each of the tables were banners indicating which table was for which house, and from left to right Harry could see the snake of Slytherin, the eagle of Ravenclaw, the badger of Hufflepuff and the lion of Gryffindor.

Harry looked up, and saw, rather than a stone ceiling, a black sky with stars dotted about. He'd read about this in Hogwarts: A History and knew it was enchanted to be see-through. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Daphne too looking up at the enchantment, her eyes smiling though her face was blank.

The line came to a stop and began to spread out until they were all standing side by side in front of the teacher's table, where Professor McGonagall was before them standing next to a stool and holding an old, battered hat.

"The Sorting Hat", Harry remembered Daphne telling him and quickly gave the girl a small smile which she returned just as swiftly before her face once again lost all emotion.

The Professor placed the hat upon the stool, and Harry saw a rip near the brim open into what looked like a mouth - and to his astonishment, the hat began to sing about Hogwarts and each of the houses.

When the hat had finished its song, the hall burst into applause and the hat became still once more.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward, a long roll of parchment in her hands.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." She glanced down at the parchment. "Abbott, Hannah!" She called.

A pink-faced girl with long blonde pigtails stumbled out of the line, put on the hat which fell down over her eyes and sat on the stool. A moments pause -

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted from atop the girl's head.

The table on the right middle cheered as Hannah Abbott ran from the stool to sit at the table.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted again, and Susan Bones joined Hannah at the table.

"Boot, Terry"

"RAVENCLAW!" The hat shouted, and Terry Boot became the first Ravenclaw student of his year.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" joined Terry Boot in Ravenclaw but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, causing the table furthest to the right to erupt into loud cheers.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" became the first Slytherin student, and Harry watched as the sorting continued, and with each passing student, the sick feeling in his stomach deepened.

"Granger, Hermione" was called, and Harry saw the bushy-haired girl who had shared their boat bound forward excitedly. She sat on the stool for over five minutes before the hat announced her a Gryffindor, and she rushed off to her table with a blinding smile.

And then it was Daphne's turn.

"Greengrass, Daphne!" The Professor called, and Harry noted that her face was devoid of all emotion, showing the girl none of the animosity she had displayed for her mother all those weeks ago.

Daphne breathed in deeply as her name was called and began to walk forward, only just hearing the whispered "Good luck!" from Harry as she did, and smiled internally at the boy's words, feeling her nerves ease slightly.

And as she sat on the stool and placed the hat on her head, the last thing she saw before the brim fell and blocked her vision were his bright green eyes and encouraging smile.

"Hmm," A voice sounded in her mind, "How very interesting. A sharp mind and a sharper wit are exactly what Rowena would look for in her house, but what else is there? Loyalty to your family, oh yes, and the willingness to work hard, and courage also as Godric would wish. Ambition and cunning in spades, you are a conundrum, my dear."

"I don't care where I go, just where I can be the best I can be", she thought to herself and jerked in surprise when the hat answered.

"A good answer, child. Yes, I think it's rather clear where to put you - SLYTHERIN!" The hat finished with a roar, and Daphne rose to her feet, pulling the hat from her head and passing it to the stern Professor.

The applause was quiet and scattered from the table below the snake banner, which, as she glanced down at the now green-trimmed robes, she would belong to for the next seven years. But she could hear loud applause from one person in particular, still standing in the line of first-years and beaming at her. She looked over at Harry and smiled sadly.

There was no way that Harry Potter would follow her to Slytherin.

And wherever he went, they would be sure to tell him to avoid her because of who her parents were.

Harry stood watching as Daphne walked over to her new house, head held high and steps strong, and wondered what was wrong.

Why had she looked so sadly at him?

He missed the next few students being called as he thought it over, glancing behind the line of students at Daphne as she sat alone at the Slytherin table.

He only tuned back in when he heard "Malfoy, Draco" called, and watched as the hat barely touched the boy's blonde head before he was declared a Slytherin also and he sauntered over to the table to loud applause.

The line of students became shorter and shorter, and soon, after "Parkinson, Pansy" became a Slytherin, "Patil, Padma" became a Ravenclaw and her twin "Patil, Parvati" became a Gryffindor, it was his turn.

"Potter, Harry!"

Loud whispers broke out in the hall as students craned their necks to get a good look at him.

"Harry Potter!"

"There he is!"

He ignored the words as they drifted over to him as best he could as he walked forward. He looked up into the eyes of Professor McGonagall and she gave him a small smile, handing him the hat. He took it, walked over to the stool, and sat.

After a quick glance over to the Slytherin table and catching Daphne's eye and seeing the small nod she gave him, he dropped the hat on his head and his world went dark.

"Oh, now this is very interesting." The hat's voice sounded in his mind, and Harry swallowed the lump in his throat. "Difficult too. Intelligence, and curiosity, plenty of courage I see, too. And loyalty, to one in particular? A good worth ethic, that will serve you well. But what's this? Oh yes, you will do very well in Slytherin."

Harry's eyes widened beneath the hat. "Slytherin?" He asked, thinking about his parents, who had both been in Gryffindor. Would he not follow them there?

"Oh yes, Mr. Potter, you could be great, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on your way to greatness, no doubt about that - and that's what you want, isn't it Mr. Potter? You want desperately to make your parents proud, to be the best wizard you can be, and that ambition would do you well in Slytherin." The hat told him.

Harry thought about what the hat had said, finding himself agreeing. 'And," a small voice in the back of his head told him, 'Daphne will be there."

The hat chuckled, hearing his thoughts. "In that case, better be SLYTHERIN!"

You could have heard a pin drop in the moments immediately following the hat's pronouncement. But then, the hall erupted in shocked shouts and hissing comments.

What the hell was their problem?

Harry stood, handing the hat back to Professor McGonagall, who gave him another small smile and used her head to point towards the Slytherin table, encouraging him to join them.

The Slytherin table sat in stunned silence as the famous boy walked over to them. Only one clapped, her face shocked but with a pleased gleam in her eyes.

It was she who Harry made a beeline for, sitting down next to her and returning her grin.

"Potter! In Slytherin!"

"How? I thought he was a hero!"

"What must his parents think"

Harry tried to tune out the whispers, but his head shot up at the last comment and he looked around the hall, trying to find the guilty party. A soft hand grabbed his own beneath the table and its thumb began to trace calming patterns on the back of his hand, and he looked to his left at Daphne, who was blushing furiously.

"It's okay, Harry." She told him soothingly, and he nodded.

What did those idiots know, anyway? His parents loved him and would be proud of him no matter what.

He was sure of it.

Harry gave Daphne's hand a thankful squeeze and she broke hers away, and together they watched the remainder of the sorting, which was short until the final student, "Zabini, Blaise" joined them in Slytherin.

After Professor McGonagall had rolled up the scroll, taken away the hat and stool, and returned to the hall, sliding into her seat to the right of the Headmaster, the man himself stood.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words - and here they are. Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

"Thank you!" And with that, the man sat, and on every table, the dishes were suddenly piled with food.

Harry stared at Dumbledore in befuddlement and the man glanced at him, catching his eye and giving him a small wink. Harry rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe you're in Slytherin!" Daphne whispered happily next to him, scooping Shepherd's Pie onto her plate.

Harry looked around at the food, unsure of what to have himself. All Tom served at The Leaky Cauldron was beef stew, and as tasty as it was it meant that Harry still didn't have much experience with different foods and if he liked them or not.

Deciding to simply copy Daphne, he served himself a helping and responded. "It's where the hat said I belonged, though apparently, these morons around us don't agree. What's the big deal, anyway?" He asked, waving his hand to indicate the student body who were still whispering and shooting glances at him.

Daphne swallowed down her mouthful. "It's because...well, you know about the war, don't you?" She whispered, and when Harry nodded she continued. "Well, You-Know-Who was a Slytherin, and most of his followers were, so Slytherin kind of has a bad reputation."

Harry raised his eyebrow and snorted. "It's a house at a school, does that make us evil now for being sorted here?" He said with a shake of his head.

Daphne gave him a half-smirk. "No, but a lot of people think that if you are a Slytherin, you're automatically a dark witch or wizard. It's silly, but it's true that the last war reinforced that belief" She informed him between bites. "My Dad was a Slytherin, and he's one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. And not all of his followers came from Slytherin, it's just that people forget that."

Harry nodded, chewing thoughtfully. That explained why so many people were shocked that he had been sorted here, but then those people didn't really know him, did they? They just had an idea in their heads of who The-Boy-Who-Lived should be.

Idiots.

Although...

"Okay, but why did no one from Slytherin clap, other than you?" He whispered.

Daphne grimaced. "Well...some of the people in this house are the family members of Death Eaters. They'll hate you on principle because you destroyed their Dark Lord." She said uneasily, eyes darting up and down the table and noting the many glares and looks Harry was receiving.

She was getting a fair few of her own, too.

"Like who?" Harry questioned urgently.

"Malfoy, Nott, Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle...actually come to think of it the only ones who weren't were ours and Davis, but I'm not sure about Zabini's." She told him, looking down the table at the cluster of first years all sitting together. Without her and Harry, of course.

Harry followed her look at his fellow year mates. There were, including himself and Daphne, ten Slytherin students in his year, and only three of them had no connection to Voldemort.

Bloody brilliant.

Though it was good to get confirmation that Daphne's family had nothing to do with the man who had killed his parents, the thought hadn't entered his mind before this but it was a relief nonetheless.

He thought back to the sorting and remembered how Daphne's sorting hadn't been well received in their house, but from what he could remember Davis had been politely applauded as any other. The only other who had received a colder greeting from Slytherin house had been himself.

Why was that?

Harry decided against asking her, sure that she'd tell him in her own time if it was anything important.

The feast continued and the two continued to chat quietly to each other, going completely ignored by the rest of their house. The only other event of note had been when dessert had arrived.

Harry, whilst he had been enjoying a few scoops of mint ice cream, had looked along the staff table. He had caught Dumbledore's eye again, and the man had raised his goblet to the boy, and Professor McGonagall had given him a small smile. It was when he had looked at the skinny, large-nosed, black-haired man next to McGonagall who was conversing with a man in a purple turban that something happened.

Pain lanced through his scar, his hand shooting to his forehead as he hissed.

"What? What is it?" Daphne questioned urgently, spoon held aloft in the air where she had paused.

"It's nothing." He bit out through clenched teeth.

Daphne favoured him with an unimpressed look. "Clearly." She intoned dryly.

Once the pain receded, Harry turned to her. "It was my scar. It just started hurting when I looked at the man with the long black hair." He told her, nodding with his head at the head table.

Daphne looked to her left, eyes searching the table until she found the man who fit the description. "I think that's Professor Snape, from what my Mum and Dad described. He's the Potions Master and our Head of House." She told him.

Harry looked at the man again, who had turned from the man in the turban to now speak to Professor McGonagall. He rubbed his scar irritably.

"My scar has never burned before." He muttered.

Daphne looked back at him. "Well, you're not using any of my ice cream to soothe it." She snarked, bringing a large spoon of her own strawberry confection to her mouth.

"I understand completely" Harry joked with a roll of his eyes, looking at his own empty bowl mournfully as Daphne chuckled.

Once dessert had disappeared, the headmaster rose to his feet once more and gave an actual speech this time, though it ended as oddly as the first when he had warned them against entering one of the third-floor corridors on pain of death.

Apparently this was to be expected in Hogwarts because when the man had finished and sent them off to bed, as one each house began to rise to its feet and make its way from the hall as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Harry and Daphne stuck close to each other as they were beckoned over to their fellow first-years by an older girl who stood with a tall, scowling boy.

"I'm Gemma Farley, and this is Cassius Warrington, and we are the Fifth-Year Prefects. Come along, and I'll show you the way to our common room." She said sharply, turning on her heel without another word as they rushed to follow her and Warrington.

They traveled quickly, passing through a door on the right side of the Entrance Hall and descending deep into the dungeons, which reminded Harry of a maze. Soon, they reached a blank stretch of the stone wall and came to a stop.

"This is the entrance to the common room. Each month, the password will be changed by Professor Snape, our Head of House. Do not allow anyone not of Slytherin into the common room or learn our password." Warrington warned in a low voice, before turning and muttering the password. "We will tell you all the password once we're inside, can never be too sure who's listening outside." Farley and Warrington led them inside, the doorway melting into the wall behind them once the last first-years, Harry and Daphne, stepped through.

The common room was a long, wide area with a low ceiling with green hanging lamps descending from it. A fire was roaring underneath an elaborately carved mantlepiece, with several armchairs surrounding it. Along the front and back walls were long tables for study, and on the right wall were three long corridors and to the left were four of the same.

Farley and Warrington stood before them, arms crossed and looking like they wanted to be anywhere else. "This is the common room. You can socialise and study here, but quietly. Sit anywhere you like, but understand that the older students get priority, unless you'd like to challenge them, that is." Farley spoke with a grin.

Warrington continued, "Those corridors are the entrances to your dormitories." He told them and beckoned for them to follow him to the right side wall and down the furthest right corridor. On each side were five dark, oak doors spread evenly down the passage.

"As you can see, Slytherin students each get their own room, and it will be yours for the entirety of your time here. Go and find a room, and place your wand hand on the door." He instructed.

Malfoy immediately claimed the first door on the left, followed by Nott, Zabini, Crabbe and Goyle. On the right, Parkinson took the door directly opposite Malfoy's, then Bulstrode and Davis took the next.

Harry and Daphne to the end, where Daphne claimed the fourth door along and Harry the last. Placing their hands on the door, they each felt a pulse of magic emanate from the wood.

"Good. The magic of the door will allow only you to enter your room freely, though the Headmaster, Deputy and the Slytherin Head of House can also gain entry in case of emergencies. You can only enter another student's room if they lead you through the threshold." Farley said in a bored tone. "Inside you will have your own private bathroom. We Slytherins value our privacy. Breakfast will begin at seven o'clock, and the first class period will be at eight. You can make your own way to breakfast and from there I will show you the way to your first lesson" She said firmly, gave a short nod to Warrington, and left them to their own devices.

Warrington lingered "Boys and girls can access each other's rooms, but I don't suppose you'll be making much use of that for a while." He said with a smirk before he too stalked off.

The first-years looked at one another for a moment until Zabini turned and opened the door to his room and stepped inside, the door shutting behind him firmly. One by one they each disappeared into their own rooms until finally Harry and Daphne remained.

"Could have been a warmer welcome, I suppose," Daphne said lightly, shaking her head.

Harry laughed, nodding. "Yeah, a cheery bunch aren't they?"

Daphne smiled at him, before turning to her own door and grasping the handle. Turning it, she moved to step inside, before pausing, locking eyes with him.

"Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight, Daphne."

And then, she was gone, the door shutting behind her with a soft click. Harry finally opened his own door and stepped inside his new home for the next seven years.

The room was large, with wooden flooring and a four-poster bed with green and black hangings. Opposite the bed was a grandfather clock, and next to it a large, ornate wardrobe, and at the foot of his bed Harry saw that his trunk was lying in wait for him. On the wall next to the door was a wide desk, with three drawers on each side and a high-backed leather chair. Directly opposite the entrance was another door, which Harry guessed led to the bathroom. Stepping further inside, he found that the room was warm and comforting - not what he expected at all.

He went into the bathroom where he found a large, circular bathtub in one corner and a shower cubicle in the other, as well as a toilet and a sink. Closing the door, he wondered what he might do first.

He raced through the room and dived onto the bed, landing in a spread eagle and grinning happily at the canopy above him.

A comfortable bed, full furnishings, and as much privacy as he could ever desire?

Harry was in heaven.

He underestimated just how tired the day had made him, and before he knew it he was sound asleep, still fully clothed yet enjoying the most peaceful sleep of his young life so far.

When he awoke the next morning, blinking out the sleep from his eyes, his happiness was only enhanced when he took full advantage of the large bath, luxuriating for almost an hour.

By the time he'd finished, unpacked his trunk, and got himself dressed from the day, it was still only half past six in the morning. He was still used to getting up early from his time at the Dursleys. He gathered up his school things, taking all of his textbooks, parchment and quills and placing them in his book bag. His first attempt at picking the bag up was pitiful, and he had to once again use a feather-light charm to get it on his back.

Despite the early hour, Harry decided he was better off making his way to breakfast on the off chance he got lost and stepped out of his door. He supposed he could wait for Daphne in the common room, unless she was gone already.

Stepping out of the door and making his way down the corridor, Harry jerked back in surprise when he suddenly noticed he had company.

He saw Daphne, leaning against her own door, her book bag by her feet as she stared at the door opposite her with a bored expression.

"Daphne? What are you doing out here?" He asked, causing the girl to startle.

"Oh, I was waiting for you," She said, not meeting his eyes. "That's not a problem, is it? I just thought...we can find the Great Hall together" She said quietly.

Harry grinned at her. "I was going to wait for you too but I was worried you might have already gone without me."

Daphne's head shot up and she gave him a blinding smile, and the two set off for the Great Hall together, chatting away and wondering what their first classes would be like.

Neither spoke of the question they both had in their minds, too scared of how the other might react if they did.

Did they finally have a friend?

Jesus Christ this one was hard to write in so many ways yet so easy in others. Large parts of it are basically copied from the first book, like the boat journey and the sorting and that was a pain in the arse, but I enjoyed writing my bits (obviously)

So, this is the point where I kind of have to clarify something.

This is obviously a Harry/Daphne story, meaning that they will become a couple and be endgame for each other. But that won't happen straight away, they will be best friends first because that's what they've both been wanting more than anything. It might be strange to some readers that at 11 they're already showing signs of fancying each other (especially Daphne towards Harry) but I remember liking girls at that age so I don't think it's too bad.

But yeah, friends first.

To those of you that guessed Slytherin, congrats, I really wasn't subtle about it, though a large part of me when I was writing the sorting thought screw it just stick 'em both in Hufflepuff.

How do you think it might go for them both in Slytherin?

Next chapter, first classes, clashes with other students (three guesses which) and teachers (don't bother guessing that one) and a call to the Dumbledore's Office for Harry, then probably a time jump to Halloween but who knows I'll be making it all up as I go along which should be plainly obvious by now.

Enjoy