Great Hall, Hogwarts, 31st August 1991, 08:30 p.m.

Harry looked around his surroundings. Everyone was staring him in fear, his housemates were shocked. He could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest him sat Hagrid, who caught his eye and those eyes showed immense hatred. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Harry spotted a professor, who was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban. A professor with greasy hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin, sat quiet shocked looking at him. Professor McGonagall looked like she wanted to cry. Harry frowned, he knew that he may get a bit raised eyes but looks like he underestimated.

There were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a Black boy even taller than the red haired boy, joined at the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was red haired boy's turn. His name was Ronald. The Slytherin's started joking around, 'how the Weasley's have more children than money' and 'how every year you will find a Weasley getting sorted'. A second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!". "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The last he ate was the food Petunia packed for him. He looked towards the high table again as Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "The very best of evenings to you. Now… to our new students, welcome, to our old students, welcome back! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words." Dumbledore stopped as he looked around to see if he gained everyone's attention. "And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

"Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.

"Is he, a bit mad?" he asked Aries sitting opposite to him uncertainly.

"Mad?" said Aries. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes." The dishes in front of him were now piled with food.

"You know, we have got the cup six years in a row! Even the Bloody Baron's – the Slytherin ghost, becoming almost unbearable to the others. I heard some students from Gryffindor complaining about him." He heard from a fellow Slytherin.

Harry looked over at the end of the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood.

"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Harry with great interest.

"No, one knows, but, yes, I heard from father, that they were the first ghosts of Hogwarts, Bloody Baron and the Ravenclaw's ghost, the Grey Lady." said Homam delicately.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor anyone could think of. Harry took treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs.

Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. The professor in his absurd turban, was talking to the hook-nosed haired professor. The hook-nosed teacher looked straight into Harry's eyes – and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.

"What is it?" asked Aries.

"N-nothing."

The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling Harry had gotten from the professor's look, a feeling that he didn't like Harry at all.

"Who's that professor, that who's hair is a bit oily?" he asked hesitantly.

"Oh, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to, everyone knows he's after Quirrell's — the man in turban, job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape. I heard he uses legilimency on students especially Gryffindors, be careful Potter, I have heard he doesn't like you, something about your father being his rival during the school years." Homam muttered looking at Aries, who rolled his eyes.

Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him 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 we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. 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 in the direction of the identical twins in Gryffindor.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all 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 in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch." He looked around as the students started talking.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Harry laughed, but he was one of the few who did.

"He's not serious?" he heard Homam muttering to someone else.

"Must be," said a blonde, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere – the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told the prefects, at least."

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!" And the school bellowed:

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot."

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Gryffindor twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

'If I had a doubt before that he's a bit mad, I would like to think that he's totally insane' thought Harry.

The Slytherin first years followed Gemma Farley through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and towards the Dungeons. Harry was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed. They walked straighter towards deep in Dungeons, Harry was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt.

"You want to watch out for Peeves, the Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. And you're all lucky as Bloody Baron's is Slytherin's ghost." The Slytherin prefect said as they stopped near a wall.

"Aconite", said the prefect, and the wall slide to reveal the Slytherin common room.

As they entered, the common room, the prefect made them stand in line, "Welcome to Slytherin, I am Gemma Farley and that's Leo Lestrange, we are the fifth year prefects. This is the Slytherin common room. This year the Head Boy is from our house, James Cornwell. Now, as you're all sorted in Slytherin, you're an obvious target of three fourth of the school and many teachers. If there's anything wrong then people will point you first. We're not bad people. We're like our emblem, the snake: sleek, powerful, and frequently misunderstood." Gemma Farley looked around and continued, "The password changes every 1st of the month by the Head of our House and our Potion's Professor Severus Snape. The password to the common room changes every fortnight, and it will be posted on the noticeboard. You all are warned to never bring students from other houses into the common room, or to reveal the password. There have been no outsider, who had entered the common room for more than seven centuries and it's good for you to keep it the same way. The rules are posted on the noticeboard, read it and act on it. If you have any questions ask the prefects first, then the head boy as he is from our house, this year and if none is available then you may contact professor Snape. If you have any problem solve within the common room, outside this room you're not allowed to show any dispute among yourselves. You have to stay united. Remember, you all are Slytherin's and you're supposed to be cunning and sneaky, do not get caught breaking rules. Tomorrow morning you are to report in the common room at 7:30 a.m. sharp so that we can guide you to the great hall. Your dorms are through these doors, left for boys and right for girls. Any questions?" Gemma looked around and when found none, they were dismissed.

Dumbledore's Office, Hogwarts, 31st August 1991, 09:30 p.m.

Headmaster's office was quiet full. Once the staff assembled, Dumbledore took his seat. This discussion was supposed to be for protecting the Philosopher's Stone. However, they were discussing for two students who's sorting had shocked both Minerva and Severus.

"This is impossible. The brats of my two biggest tormentors are in my house. In my house."

"I agree, no one expected at least Potter to be sorted into Slytherin." Pomona nodded shuddering

"Never in my life, I had thought that a Potter will be sorted into Slytherin, though I believe his case is just like Sirius, exceptional. I have to say that, I'm glad he's not here with us, otherwise he would have gone mad knowing his son and godson, both sorted in a house he and James hated so much." Minerva nodded

"Yes, Aries sorting was surprising as he had boasted so much about being in Gryffindor like Sirius, though I'm glad that Harry and Aries can be friends with each other as I'm unsure about the other children whose parents were found guilty or were imprisoned after Voldemort's downfall." Dumbledore seriously thought, ignoring the flinch everyone had after hearing Voldemort's name.

"Though, I would like especially you Minerva and Severus, not to judge the boy either for the house Harrison is sorted into nor because who their parents were. As I say always, they are children, and you shall treat them as such. And I don't want another Dark Lord to be born, already two Dark Lords had affected our world. So treat Harry like you would treat any other children. Now, back to the reason why are we here." There was no twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes as he said those words.

"And what about his attitude? I'm sure he thinks as he owns the castle, just like his father."

"Need I remind you, Severus, that Harry was fifteen months old, when his parents died or that he was raised among muggles who themselves are unaware of magic or that he was raised by an aunt, who didn't even have the decency to tell young Harry about his parents." Dumbledore glared at Severus, though his words shocking everyone.

"What do you mean, Albus? Of course, Harry must know about James and Lily." Minerva asked horrified.

"No, he wasn't allowed to ask any questions regarding his parents, Harry was told that his parents died in a car crash and that his mother, was nothing but an ungrateful whore and his father was an unemployed drunkard. The poor boy, didn't even knew how his parent's looked like." Albus looked sad while remembering the conversation, and the others were shocked especially Minerva and Severus.

"Oh, the poor child. How can muggles be this much nasty?" Aurora murmured and others nodded thinking the same.

"Who was taking care of Harry, Albus?" Severus asked calmly, he had to visit that so called family, who dared to call HIS Lily, a whore.

"I told you, Albus. That the Dursley's were the worst kind of Muggles, one can ever meet. But, you, the great Albus Dumbledore thought that it will be safe for Harry to grow up there." Minerva reprimanded him.

"Petunia? Harry was raised by Petunia? Have you gone mad, Albus? That woman hated Lily and you sent her son there." Severus looked like he will AK Dumbledore if he said yes.

"What's done is done. Though I'm warning you Severus, don't do something because of which I have to take a serious action against you."

After everyone recovered, they continued discussion about the protections to be modified in the third floor.

Great Hall, Hogwarts, 1st September 1991, 07:30 a.m.

The official first day of the Hogwarts was entertaining for Harry. He had made friends with Aries Black and had a few decent conversations with Blaise Zabini.

The breakfast was a quiet affair as the last night sorting. Gryffindor's were looking or glaring at Harry like he just declared himself as the new Dark Lord, while the Hufflepuffs were horrified watching Harrison calmly eating his breakfast with the children of the death eaters whose lord had killed his own parents and made him orphan. The Ravenclaw's were confused about what should they believe, the tales they had heard since childhood or what they were watching right in front of them.

While Harry ignored everyone and was too busy discussing with Aries about the subjects when they received their timetable.

Soon everyone was off to Transfiguration which was in the Classroom 1B on the ground-floor, around the Middle Courtyard.

Harry sat with Aries on the front bench and looked around to see only a few Gryffindor's had reached the class even there were only 5 minutes left for the class to start, at least his whole classmates were present. Soon the class was filled except Ronald who become five minutes late and declared how he was glad that Professor McGonagall wasn't here already to which Harry looked at the cat and smiled

"I have never seen a cat sitting so stiff for a long time, Professor McGonagall." Harry said loudly and Minerva transformed, the students were awed at her

"Ten points to Slytherin, Mr. Potter."

Looking at the class, Minerva stated "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts, anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."