Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the intellectual property associated with Harry Potter.

Hi all,

Here's the next chapter. Another slow one, but things will pick up soon.

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Chapter 16

"The method we will use to sort you into the four houses is simple," Headmaster Flitwick said, peering down at the first years. "You will have to fight a troll."

Harry blinked, looking at Daphne with a shocked expression. The other first-years exclaimed in disbelief, and Neville stepped back involuntarily in fear.

Ron yelled from the back of the group, "Bloody hell. Fred and George weren't kidding."

"Of course, we weren't Ronnikins," Fred said from his spot at the Gryffindor table.

"How could you doubt us, dear brother?" George cried.

"Headmaster Flitwick," Professor McGonagall said sternly. "The joke is in poor taste. Please explain before I have a bunch of hysterical first-years on our hands."

There was a chuckle from Headmaster Flitwick that was replicated by most of his students seated at the tables, except for Slytherin who remained silent. The first years exhaled in relief, looking at the Headmaster with annoyed expressions.

"That wasn't very nice," Hermione said, looking more composed than the other students.

"You didn't look scared," Harry commented.

"I recognise a practical joker," Hermione growled. "I have to live with one."

"Your father?" Daphne guessed.

"No. My mum is totally bonkers," Hermione sighed.

Headmaster Flitwick raised his hands, and the hall fell silent. "I'm just kidding. Since we are unable to sort using the Sorting Hat, we must resort to another method. However, before we do so, I would like to conduct a small experiment. Professor McGonagall, if you would please."

His grandmother stepped forward and handed each first-year a piece of blank parchment and a quill, and they clutched them in confusion. What did they do with these?

"I will allow you to choose which house you want to be sorted into," Headmaster Flitwick said. "Please write your name along with the house you wish to be sorted into on the parchment. If you have friends among yourselves, you may consult each other first, just in case you want to be placed in the same house."

An immediate silence followed the announcement, but not for long, as the students began discussing the surprising news en masse. The first-year students looked at each other with bewilderment. They had not expected to be given the choice of a house, so they didn't immediately act.

"Hurry up now. You have five minutes," Headmaster Flitwick said. "I have no doubt that everyone is hungry, and I have notices to give as well."

The first years splintered off into their own sub-groups as they discussed which house best suited them.

Harry, Daphne, Tracy and Hermione gathered together to deliberate on their own choice.

"My grandmother will kill me if I don't choose Gryffindor," Harry said as he pondered his decision. "So, my choice has already been decided. Although, I don't really care which house I belong to, with the exception of Slytherin. I get the impression that my presence there may cause it to implode within a week."

"Wow, look at who's being melodramatic," Daphne said with a scathing glance at Harry.

"Just a little," Harry replied with a smirk.

"Well, I thought I would be sorted into Ravenclaw," Hermione said. "To be honest, if I had to choose, I would prefer to be sorted into Gryffindor because I believe I will be able to stand out more."

"I thought I would be sorted into Slytherin," Tracy confessed, looking relieved that she had a choice. "I am certainly ambitious enough, but I don't think it would have been the easiest place for me to stay, given my Half-Blood status. However, I will follow Daphne wherever she goes. There is no way I want to be separated from her."

"Daphne," Harry said imploringly. Having his girlfriend in his own house sounded like a dream come true as they could spend more time together in and out of classes. On top of that, he disliked the idea of her being sorted into a house like Slytherin which may be a danger to her. There was no doubt that bastards like Draco would be sorted into that house.

"Don't give me that look," Daphne sighed. "Gryffindor is the last house I thought I'd be sorted into. Besides, the headmaster said it was just an experiment, so it may not be permanent."

"Daphne," Harry widened his eyes in a quiet appeal.

A blush spread over Daphne's face, and she looked away quickly, unable to withstand those stunning green eyes. Tracy rolled her eyes in exasperation at her friends' weakness.

"Are you a couple?" Hermione asked inquisitively. "I thought that was the case after she held your hand on the boat."

"Yes," Harry replied, looking at Daphne, and exploiting their relationship shamelessly. "Imagine how betrayed I would feel if she didn't choose the same house as me, where we can spend more time together."

"You jerk," Daphne laughed. "Fine, let's see what Gryffindor thinks of us."

"Yes!" Harry cheered.

They all wrote down their choices and gave the parchments to Professor McGonagall, who was collecting them from the students. After hearing her grandson and his friend's conversation, his grandmother had a smug expression on her face. After all the students made their choice, his grandmother gave the parchments to the Headmaster. He sorted through them, counting the results.

Headmaster Flitwick exclaimed, "It's exactly what I imagined. All four houses received fairly equal numbers of students, with only Gryffindor getting a few more. Because you are already thirteen, I wanted to experiment and see whether your choices would cause an imbalance in the house numbers. All of you are not adults yet but mature enough to know where you belong. Since this is the result, we will stick with these choices and not use the other method. However, I will give you all an opportunity after the first semester is finished to choose a different house. This is if you feel like the current one is not working for you. Be warned! After that, the choice is permanent and cannot be changed."

They were given a lot of freedom to choose their houses in a way that was comfortable for them. In light of the stories Harry had heard from his grandmother, he was certain this was not the way Dumbledore operated. It appeared that Headmaster Flitwick was not afraid to be unconventional and come up with creative ideas. It is true that he had been forced into this position due to the fact that the Sorting Hat had been stolen. Despite this, it still spoke volumes about what kind of Headmaster he was and would be in the future.

Headmaster Flitwick clapped his hands, and the first-year's ties changed to the colour of their respective houses. "Please join your housemates at their tables."

A cheer went up from the Gryffindors as soon as they noticed Harry walking towards their table.

"We got Potter," the twins celebrated, getting up on the table and doing an impromptu dance.

"Get off the table, the two Mr Weasleys. Five points each from Gryffindor for your unseemly behaviour," Professor McGonagall said sternly.

In spite of the fact that the Gryffindors were certain Harry would reside in their house because of his grandmother, they were still not certain that he would be there for sure. It seems that they were worried about nothing.

They were able to find an open spot at the table and sat down next to some of the other first-years who had joined Gryffindor. They were greeted enthusiastically by the Weasleys, and Harry spoke briefly to them. He was congratulated by Percy on his choice of Gryffindor before he was interrupted by the headmaster.

"I know you all must be hungry, so let's fill our stomachs first before I give out the start of term notices."

Harry was startled by the sudden appearance of food on the table in front of his eyes, so much so that the table almost groaned as the weight of the food pushed against it. Among the dishes that were served were roast pork, roast chicken, roast potatoes, carrots, peas, shepherd's pie, bacon, and Yorkshire pudding. In addition, there were a number of drinks that Harry could only recognise thanks to his grandparents who taught him about the wizarding world.

"About time," Ron cried, loading his plate with every nearby food within his reach. Harry followed his example and started filling his plate as well, realising how hungry he was at the moment. In contrast, Daphne was more reserved in her manners, loading small potions onto the plate gently.

As Harry ate his meal, he glanced around the table surreptitiously, curious about the other occupants of the table. Most of the people were engaged in various discussions, but some were concentrating on eating their food or in Ron's case, stuffing his face. Seeing him, the girls scooted away from him as far as they could.

There were some students staring at him, not bothering to hide their curiosity. The other tables were similar, as he could feel various eyes on him from across the room as well. He wasn't sure if he would ever get used to the attention as it made him extremely uncomfortable. He used to be invisible to others in the past or bullied by them. He had never been subjected to such intense scrutiny before. Also, some were obviously unhappy to see him. Several glares were directed at him, mostly from the Slytherin table. What was their problem?

Harry turned his attention to the head table, where the teachers sat. His eyes were immediately drawn to a nervous-looking wizard wearing a purple turban on his head, who was speaking to a sallow-faced man with greasy hair beside him. As if they could feel his eyes on them, they turned and stared straight at him.

"Ouch," Harry rubbed his forehead, feeling an intense stabbing of pain.

"Are you okay, Harry?" Daphne asked.

"Yeah, just a slight twinge in my scar."

"Has that happened before?"

"Not that I recall," Harry shrugged, looking back at the two teachers briefly. A feeling of uneasiness settled over him as he stared at them. Was his Animagus form warning him about them for some reason? It would be a good idea to keep an eye out for those two.

"Percy, who are those two teachers?" Harry asked, pointing at them when they weren't looking his way.

"The one in the turban is Professor Quirrell," Percy answered. "He used to be the Muggle Studies Professor the year before, although he is now the DADA teacher now. The other is Professor Snape, the Potions teacher. He is not very pleasant, so I would advise you not to antagonise him. He knows a lot about the Dark Arts and is fascinated by the subject, considering how much he talks about the subject. My parents don't like him, but they won't tell me why."

Harry nodded. Professor Snape kept staring at him, which was disconcerting. Returning to his meal, he shook his head. It was not really important.

It was only a matter of time before the food disappeared from the table, and several desserts appeared. Harry, who thought he was already full, took a small slice of treacle tart. He had never tried the dessert before, but as soon as he bit into it, it became his new favourite. It was almost too sweet, but there was a slight hint of bitterness that he really liked.

A boy with sandy hair and an Irish accent asked from down the table, "How did you come back from the dead, Potter?"

"Seamus!" Ron yelled. "What the hell?"

Harry looked up from his plate and stared at the rude boy. "How is your mum between the sheets?"

"What?" Seamus glared at Harry as the boys sniggered. The girls, specifically Hermione and Daphne, sent him looks of disapproval. "What sort of question is that?"

"Bloody rude isn't it?" Harry remarked. "I will apologise if you do."

Seamus opened his mouth to respond before his brain caught up with his mouth. "Sorry."

"Me too," Harry said, returning to his dessert.

After everyone had stuffed themselves, everything disappeared from the table, and Headmaster Flitwick rose from his seat again.

"Some final words before you head off to bed. There are a few start-of-term notices I need to give you," Headmaster Flitwick said. "First-year students should note that the Forbidden Forest is off limits, as it has dangerous creatures within its borders that are hazardous to your health."

In addition, he briefly explained the Quidditch trials, and some items recently added to the banned items list, courtesy of the caretaker, Mr Filch.

"Finally, and most importantly, there was an event over the summer holidays that caused a commotion in Hogwarts, and I am not talking about Dumbledore," Headmaster Flitwick said seriously. "Up in the third-floor corridor, a mural has appeared on a section of the wall, which we are calling The Enchantment Wall, due to its nature. It is a mystery that has us scratching our heads as to its purpose and reason for showing up. As far as we are aware, this is the first time that it has made its appearance in the entire recorded history of Hogwarts."

Harry perked up, suddenly more interested in what Flitwick was saying. He wasn't the only one, as everyone had fallen silent and was listening intently.

"Professor Babbling has examined the wall, and although she cannot decipher it yet, it doesn't seem to be a threat to the students. However, as a precaution, the corridor is off-limits to students until we can determine what exactly it is."

A look of disappointment was shared by Harry's group. That would have been awesome to explore and discover its secrets. It is not often that Hogwarts has a completely new mystery on its hands, although it was unknown how many secrets the castle held.

"What do you think it is?" Hermione asked excitedly. "I wish we could see it. Maybe we'll get a chance to learn some ancient magic?"

"I don't think you will be able to discover anything meaningful that Professor Babbling hasn't," Daphne said dryly.

Harry wasn't so sure about that as he had an advantage over the others in the sense that he had the Source to help him out. Who knows what he might find if he gained access to the wall? It was something he would have to keep in mind, but he had plenty of time to discover its secrets.

"Now that everyone has been fed and watered, it's time for bed," Headmaster Flitwick said. "Prefects, lead the first-years to their dormitories please."

September 2nd

As soon as Harry woke up the next morning, he took a quick shower and put on some casual clothes. It was still early, and the rest of his roommates were still sleeping in, but they didn't really have any reason to get up. There were four other boys he shared the dormitory room with; Ron Weasley, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Neville Longbottom.

Apart from Seamus and Neville, Harry had no problems with them. While Seamus apologized for his remarks last night, he noticed that the teenager constantly checked out Daphne. It wasn't a surprise that she drew his attention, as she was one of the most beautiful witches in the castle., but it still rankled. Harry would keep an eye out for him. He wouldn't be surprised if Seamus made a move on her, but he knew Daphne could take care of herself.

Harry was still wary of Neville. Even though there was no indication that he had any ulterior motives, he would still be careful. The boy was very shy, so any attempts would be obvious and easy to avoid. Harry hated to suspect others' motives, given that they were still teenagers. It was important for him to remember that he was in a different environment, playing by different rules. When he used to roam the streets, he had to adjust quickly to avoid running afoul of the local street gangs.

The first day of classes wouldn't be until next Monday, and today was only Thursday. Not only was it easier to organise classes from the start of the week, but it also gave the first-years time to acclimatise to the castle. You could not only explore the castle and find your classrooms but there were also some small optional classes teaching some basics about the wizarding world.

Muggleborn students may need them since they are unfamiliar with some basic knowledge that magic-raised students take for granted. For example, information on the Ministry and the role it plays in magical society, and Gringotts and the services that it offers. There are also crucial services such as St Mungos, which everyone in the wizarding world should know about.

Another lesson that was important was the use of quills. It was a major problem for most Muggleborns as it took some practice to become proficient in using them. If Harry had not received prompting from the Source and gained the skill, he would have taken the lesson as well. As for the other lessons, he had already received a crash course in the basics of the wizarding world from his grandmother. This meant he had free time to do other things until classes started.

Harry walked down the stairs and into the common room. It was designed as a place for students to relax, and it succeeded admirably. The room was mostly decorated in red and gold, with many squishy armchairs and tables arranged throughout. There were tall arched windows that overlooked the school grounds and a huge fireplace with a picture of a lion above the mantelpiece. Various animals and witches were depicted on the scarlet tapestries that adorned the walls. The room also had bookcases filled with various novels and other literature.

Harry spotted Daphne chatting enthusiastically with Tracy and Hermione, sitting on some chairs next to a bookshelf. Hermione already had a book in her hands but hadn't opened it yet. The Muggleborn witch fitted into their group easily, as they all had a shared interest in academics.

"I had a hard time convincing my parents to allow me to come here," Hermione was saying as Harry approached them. "I was already well established at my secondary school, Cheltenham Ladies College. They didn't want me to abandon my Muggle education just because I was a witch."

"How did you convince them?" Harry asked. "Good morning ladies."

"Good morning," said the three girls simultaneously.

Harry took the last remaining chair next to Daphne after greeting her with a kiss.

"They relented when I said I would continue my Muggle education," Hermione said. "At least until I get my A levels."

"What's that?" Daphne asked.

"It's a qualification for Muggle students over sixteen," Tracy explained, knowing the Muggle educational system since her mother was a Muggleborn. "It is the equivalent of Newts, and can lead to higher education, comparable to Masteries in the wizarding world."

"Yeah, it's going to be difficult to manage it all," Hermione grimaced. "Most of my summer will be spent catching up on Muggle subjects."

"That stinks," Harry said sympathetically. "Do they expect you to return to the Muggle world after finishing Hogwarts?"

"No, but they want me to have options if being a witch doesn't work out," Hermione shook her head wryly. "As if being a witch is merely an optional career path and not something that is fundamentally a part of who I am."

"Well, they are at least being reasonable about it," Harry replied. "Having both a Muggle and magical education will open up a world of opportunities for you. One such example is the Artisan profession. In places like America, they design Magitech, which is a combination of Muggle and magical technology."

"Really?" Hermione asked interestedly. "I wonder if that applies to medicine as well."

"I imagine it would," Tracy said thoughtfully. "I know St Mungos applies some Muggle techniques to diagnose and treat patients, although they are still in their infancy compared to some other countries."

Harry got up from his seat and browsed through the books on the bookshelf. He needed an easy spell to create his first spell card. Yesterday, he brought a magnified eyepiece from Diagon Alley. It was nothing special, as it had no enchantments on it, but it was suitable for his needs. He decided that once he got some practical experience under his belt, he would design his first Artifact around the piece of equipment. He would use the eyepiece as a blueprint to build his own, but he was unsure of what specific functions he would add to it.

"Do you have anything planned for today, Harry?" Daphne asked from behind him.

"I was hoping to find Tonks to see if she could recommend an easy spell that I could turn into a Spell Card, to begin with," Harry said.

"That's an excellent idea," Daphne smiled. "Why don't we go down to the Great Hall for breakfast and see if she is up yet?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Tonks was sitting at the Hufflepuff table when they entered, which was unexpected since she did not appear to be such an early riser.

"Wotcher, kids," Tonks said as they stopped at the Hufflepuff table.

"Hey, Tonks," Harry sat down next to her, and the three girls joined them in sitting down.

"Where's your sidekick?" Tonks asked, tapping his shoulder.

"Fawkes took off early in the morning with Hedwig, which was unusual since he is usually lazy and doesn't like to get up early. It was probably his love of flying that compelled him."

"Right," Tonks said, as she finished her breakfast and wiped her hands with a napkin. "So, what does my young guildmate need from Big Sis Tonks?"

"Remember what I said about crafting spell cards?" Harry asked. "Do you have any ideas about what spell I should replicate first to gain some experience? I don't want to create original spell cards until I get more experience creating preexisting spells."

"It's not my area of expertise, but I'll try and impart my wisdom, my young Padawan," Tonks said. "But it's not too complicated to figure out. The easier the spell, and the fewer functions that it has, the easier it will be to inscribe. For example, the Levitation Charm is a first-year spell, which is easy to cast with a wand. However, it doesn't translate well to a Spell Card as there are a number of functions attached to it that make it extremely complicated. This will increase the number of Rune Sequences you will have to add to the Array. It's not something that will fit onto a card like you plan to do."

Harry nodded. He already had figured that much out. If he wanted to create a Spell Card out of the Levitation Charm, he would probably need to layer cards on top of each other, which was beyond his ability at the moment.

"It's not a very practical spell to use as a Spell Card," Tonks continued. "Not for what you have in mind. It's easier to use a wand. I would start with the Wand Lighting Charm, as there are fewer factors that you have to take into consideration. The main thing is that you need a sequence that controls the illumination of the spell itself. Got a parchment and a quill?"

"Here," Hermione said, already prepared as she was taking notes on Tonks' lecture. Even if it was beyond her understanding at the moment, it didn't prevent her from preparing for the future when the knowledge became useful.

"Here is the sequence for controlling illumination," Tonks said, carefully drawing it on the parchment. "The advantage with spell cards is that it is easier to strip back the spell's effects, almost like you are dabbling in spell creation, albiet to a lesser degree. The Wand Lighting Charm usually gives off a fair bit of heat, based on how much power you put into the spell. However, if your goal is only to illuminate an area, you can remove that effect and save yourself some magic in the process."

"So I have to deconstruct spells to get the effect really want on spell cards?" Harry asked.

"It delves into the realm of Arithmancy, Harry," Daphne explained. "It's the magical discipline of studying the magical properties of numbers. It is used in spell creation."

"She's right," Tonks confirmed. "Arithmancy can determine the viability of an array before activating it, but it is extremely complex."

"Muggleborns have an advantage over magic-raised kids as they study math in school before coming to Hogwarts, and it's a big part of Arithmancy," Tracy said, and Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, Tonks," Harry said, taking the parchment with the sequence on it. "It looks like another subject I will have to pay attention to."

"It's easier to create spells specifically for a wand before turning them into a Spell Card," Tonks explained. "So make sure to study Arithmancy first and get some experience under your belt. It's dangerous though, so do not rush into it, or you may just lose your life if you're not careful. I know someone that died recently due to experimenting with a new spell."

Harry swallowed, taking her words seriously. He would not be stupid enough to dabble in spell creation until he was confident enough that he wouldn't endanger himself.

More work had just been laid at his feet, but Harry was even more excited. For now, he would replicate some easy spells into Spell Cards to gain some experience, and simultaneously work on the pending Tasks the Source had given him. Since there was still some time till he started class, he would devote his time to it.

"Who are you?" Dumbledore repeated a question he had asked over a hundred times since leaving Hogwarts.

He was talking to the Sorting Hat, which was placed on the table in front of him. In response, the hat released a yawn. The tear in the brim of the Sorting Hat perfectly mimicked a real mouth.

"Go blow it out of your arsehole, Dumbledore," it replied. "I'm not telling you anything, even if you destroy me. I have seen your type before, and unfortunately, you are far too common."

Dumbledore paced, growling in frustration. He had been in a terrible mood since Fawkes escaped his confinement. As a result, his movements had been severely restricted, which was very frustrating when he was accelerating his plans to get the Grand Array set up. Even though he could Apparate to anywhere in Britain easily enough, it could be detected if someone was looking for it.

The Ministry had a magical detection network set up across Britain to detect magic use. It was only actively monitored for threats to the Statute of Secrecy, like underage wizards and witches performing accidental magic. Because it would be a massive invasion of privacy otherwise. It took some substantial Wards to obscure a location from the network, which was usually only available to prominent families with manors and estates

But it could also be used to track criminals, as long as the Aurors had the wizard's magical signature. Which meant every time he apparated somewhere, his location would be revealed. Now he had to rely on Muggle transport to travel anywhere in a reasonable amount of time. It grated on him that he had to rely on barbaric travel methods.

His mood only worsened when he read in the newspaper that Fawkes had attached himself to Harry Potter. Although the Phoenix knew some of his secrets, they were nothing too concerning. At least nothing that others could discern from the information that was readily available.

The only thing that distracted him from his sour mood was the mystery of the Sorting Hat. In all his years at Hogwarts, it never occurred to him that it was anything more than what it was rumoured to be. Supposedly, it was enchanted by the Founders to sort students into the four houses. It was not easy to prove, however, as it was a millennium ago, and records of those times were sketchy at best. It was only in his research into how Voldemort survived that Halloween night that he reached the shocking conclusion about the Sorting Hat.

It was a Horcrux.

He almost immediately dismissed this idea as soon as he thought of it, and it was only after he cast some obscure detection spells that his suspicions were confirmed. He could not understand how it remained undiscovered for so long. Its presence should have been detected by the Hogwarts Wards and the Headmaster alerted to the problem. The Wards were functioning as usual for hundreds of years before he came along and started messing with them. A Horcrux would have been detected and disposed of immediately. The hat has been around for a millennium, so there was no chance it could not remain unnoticed. That is, unless...

Dumbledore stared intently at the hat. "I believe you must have been somebody important if you managed to conceal yourself from the Hogwarts Wards. One thing I do not understand is how your physical body endures the ravages of time. Could it be a stasis charm of some sort? It is true that Horcruxes may prevent people from dying before their time, but they do not prevent them from dying of old age. How can you still be alive?"

The Sorting Hat said nothing.

Of course, there were some rituals that could overcome the issue of the body's physical limitations. As long as the owner of the Horcrux didn't have an actual physical body, they could perform a ritual that could give them a new body. However, it came with certain risks. Because the Magical Conduit, which gave wizards their magic, was a semi-metaphysical construct, it was difficult to replicate. In theory, they would start afresh, meaning they would have to develop their Magical Conduit again. This means they wouldn't have the same amount of power at their disposal from the get-go.

It was the method Voldemort would choose to revive himself, which is why Dumbledore was not that concerned about the possibility of the Dark Lord's return. Well, that wasn't completely accurate. Voldemort had a lot of esoteric knowledge of the Dark Arts, so it is possible that he had discovered another method that overcame that obstacle.

Dumbledore paused as another idea came to him, but it was so unbelievable he almost didn't voice it.

"Could it be that you are Godric Gryffindor...or Salazar Slytherin?"

So, what did you think? The new mystery of the Enchanted Wall replaces the Philosopher's Stone and explains the reason why Voldemort came to Hogwarts.

Thanks for reading