Chapter 11

Sorting Things out

"Harrison Black."

All eyes went straight to the moving figure on the outer side of the gathered group of fresh students. Dumbledore's announcement of the name instantly caused an uproar among the students. Nearly all the negative ones came from those seated at the rows of green and silver decorated tables. It wasn't everyday an unknown person so causally claimed such a prestigious name as their own. One student's outrage was voiced louder than the others due to its shrill tone.

"He dares!" Her voice rose in volume and disgust. "THE DAMN SQUIB!"

"Walburga Black!"

The girl ignored the reprimand. Like all members of noble family names Walburga had been taught and studied the family tree thoroughly. She clearly knew how this situation might be possible. Her cousin had sent a brief letter of implication of the possibility. She had believed he was jesting but to know such a notion revealed itself to be true angered the young third year beyond measure. An emotion Walburga did not care to veil. "As if such a vile thing could ever be allowed to-."

"Silence!"

An aged wizard seated center of the teacher's table in a high backed chair designed with more flourish than the chairs on either side spoke sharply. This was clearly the headmaster of the school. The man's voice carried the command without breaking into a yelling level of volume. No one spoke further. Students remained quiet as the called upon boy shifted through the gathered first years toward the front. Riddle's eyes fastened onto Harrison instantly with a flicker of something. He had not even noticed when the raven rejoined nor understood why their name caused such a reaction. It was clear it was something impactful. However the question spearing to the forefront of Tom's mind and scraping along his insides was; Does Harrison know? It was a simple question yet loaded. He watched in silence along with everyone else as the boy stepped up onto the platform and took a seat on the single stool chair when directed. The sorting hat was promptly lowered once more only to shout "SLYTHERIN!" in an unknown reminiscent way of a young Draco Malfoy's future sorting. Any objection from the green themed table was quelled by a mere glance from the headmaster allowing the polite clasps of the other houses and teachers alike to sound uninterrupted.

The copy version of Harrison Black returned the hat back to Dumbledore, unaware of the brief look set upon him, and stood up.

Dumbledore continued on by calling up the next name of the student to be sorted. There was not much reaction to this student's sorting since most were still stuck on the fact there was another person from the infamous Black family now at Hogwarts. A member born from an exiled squib at that. 'Harrison' took a seat between two previously sorted Slytherins who gave a noticeable girth and proceeded to wait for the rest of the sorting procedure to be completed. Gray disinterested eyes downcast to set upon the gleaming silverware. Since the copy was limited with its free actions no further movements were taken at this time thus unintentionally giving off the appearance of a docile young boy easy to be picked on.

One boy seated across leaned a bit forward over the dark table toward the unknown copy. A sneer already on their lips. "Nervous, squib son?"

"No."

"Should be." The Slytherin boy scoffed at the brief glance of clear disinterest and utter lack of reaction beyond a simple shrug. "Are you dumb or something?" He chuckled mockingly, a few others adding in their own looks of disdain. "Looks like this one lacks intelligence as well as proper magic."

"Hogwarts was disgraceful enough to allow mudbloods, squibs now too are accepted. Disgusting." Commented another snake.

"How the standards have fallen." Said another, all their words clearly heard with a scorning intent. "I would have gone to Durmstrang if I had the foresight."

"Quiet." The replying voice came from further up the table where the seventh years were located. "The headmaster is watching."

However professor Dumbledore's voice nor the sight of the nondescript student coming toward the singular chair gained Tom Riddle's attention. His mind couldn't help lingering on Harrison's sorting. Brown eyes remaining on the seated raven despite only seeing the back of their head. There was an uncomfortable feeling of having been lied to by the other boy. They had shared the same living space for nearly a year now and not a word was mentioned about Harrison's background. He could see the expressions on everyone's faces at the reveal. Some were neutral, others angry, and some looked to be intrigued. It was obvious to Riddle the surname his roommate held was vastly important in this world. He nor anyone else in the orphanage had reacted to the name Black; it was simple and bland. To him it was a color description for a shade and a happenstance to be another form of address for a person. Tom wasn't sure what a squib was, however from the brief words of the shrieking girl, a possibility of definition turned around in his mind. One assisted by what he knew of Harrison personally. Was he disowned by his family? From what he could see of those at the Slytherin table they all seemed to be rather regal with an air of the upper class of society. Similar to the women and men Riddle had seen when rich people would come by the orphanage to show their facade of concern for the poor abandoned kids. Harrison wasn't like the other kids, neither was Tom himself of course, the difference was easily visible and compactable into a single definition of a word. Ruffian. Harrison was a ruffian. Languish in smart dress and lazy in stance with a heedless vulgar attitude, disregard for orderly structure and applicable punishment. Memories of the times he had witnessed Harrison's fights with the older kids at Wool's orphanage for fun or looking unkempt and bloodied at times when the raven came to find Tom, and the sudden knockdown to Bentley right int front of a matron. Then came the most telling memory of violence; welding a broken pipe to beat a man till blood spattered everywhere and a body was motionless on the ground. Definitely not the qualities a high family would want to keep. Riddle felt the uncomfortable feeling in his chest disappear. Harrison was discarded because he was unwanted. Unfit, unsightly in upper class standing, and someone unworthy to be kept. Riddle of course did not reminisce about his own insidious actions nor the why behind Harrison's attack on the man. What he did mull over was the interpretation those here would have of his own self if he stayed close to the other boy. Black was an esteemed name here yet Harrison's mention was received so intensely. Tom decided to play it by interpretation. If the raven was shunned by those in the school then he would act in accordance. After all their relationship was a mockery of camaraderie; there was no real trust between them.

However the brunette had not considered the possibility of his own surname causing a stir.

Unlike Harrison's sorting whose name brought forth an overall reaction from start to finish Tom's own was mild until the sorting hat shouted "SLYTHERIN!" causing a negative ripple to stir once more at the aforementioned house table. Except this time in a far more intense way. The unknown word Mudblood was repeated. It was said with disdain along with open sneers among those in Slytherin and muttered in pity by those in other houses. Riddle of course pretended to ignore the open dislike and acted as if nothing was taking place besides the norm. He after all was not sure what a mudblood was. Part of him was mutedly thankful that Harrison had no reaction and simply slid down to make room upon the bench as the other Slytherins felt no need to make much space. When the sorting was finally over Tom could feel more eyes focused upon him at the table so it was only a matter of time before someone said something directly.

"A mudblood, huh?" The same boy who addressed Harrison earlier spoke with a disgusted tone toward Riddle. "You shouldn't bother with unpacking and just leave. Save us the trouble of dirtying our hands with your filth. You too, squib son."

Countless feet below the mass of bodies stood the real Harrison Black. Gray eyes sweeping over the contours and bends before him. The sight almost caused a feeling of surrealness. He stepped further inside the hidden chamber beyond the carved surface of Slytherin's face. According to Death, each founder of Hogwarts had been given the task to set the placement and protection of the castle's rune stones. There are a total of five stones. Harrison wasn't too sure of the location of three of them but had a general idea of where they could be given what he knew of each house namesake. So he had Death check the possible area while he dealt with the one he knew of for certain. Salazar Slytherin's assigned rune stone was easy to know of after the revealment of the infamous Chamber of Secrets. It was probably one of the better protected ones given parseltongue was such a rare ability. Let alone a blood inherited trait. Harrison hadn't paid the returned ability any mind ever since returning to the past and getting a new body. Now that he was standing in the infamous Chamber of Secrets the awareness of this skill was fore fronted. He knew the Black family was well integrated into other high level families via marriage and birth blood, two prominent ones being House Potter and House Malfoy. Having been once part of The Potter family and the events of the Horcrux hunts he knew the family house was a direct descendant line of the the younger Peverell brother Ignotus. Thus he was aware of it's connection to the second brother Cadmus whose direct descendant was Salazar Slytherin and further down line the Blacks. So it would not be a leap of logic to assume Harrison's new body might be able to stir up the parseltongue trait in the same way Tonks was able to manifest the transformation ability.

It was something worth looking into however for now Harrison refocused on the coiled giant before him. His eyes followed one gleaming curve toward the front to where a massive head of a mythical creature rested. The immobile basilisk seemed to be in a spelled sleep of sorts. He wasn't sure when Riddle awoke the slumbering beast let alone as to the how but he figured anything would wake up if under threat of danger. However despite the limit of time there were set steps of importance and one such step was the collection of some scales for future use and profit. Basilisk scales were a rare item and fetched quite the heavy price for a single one alone. Harrison wasn't sure if Tom had done the same but he doubted it given Riddle's personality and possessive detainment of anything deemed as his. At most if Riddle did harvest the snake then the scales, venom, blood and all else were used in potions and the like only meant to further the benefit of Tom Riddle himself and no others. After getting a decent amount of living material Harrison knew would not gain the great snake's attention he cast a protection barrier around himself and threw a slicing hex at the creature to awake it.

Nothing.

"Well alright."

The next was a strong severing curse followed by a few more when Harrison noticed the shimmer of a protection ward around the snake's body. "Wake up already!" He applied actual strength to the next bombardment only to falter when the closed eyelid closest to him suddenly shifted in a sign of disturbance. Seriously!? He remained where he was standing as the basilisk seemed to awake with the simple parseltongue spoken command. I heard the saying, simple is best, but this is just ridiculous. While silently questioning the mind workings of Salazar he watched as the giant serpent shifted its body, head shaking a bit to clear off any lingering sense of sleep and natural fallen debris. Harrison chose this distracting moment to make himself known. "Hi there."

Golden eyes focused instantly upon Harrison's sole form.

Blood, guts, and crushed bones would have burst into the snake's mouth to slither down its throat if it hadn't been the barrier encasing Harrison's form from head to toe. So all those giant lethal teeth could do was clench down and try another attempt to crush the invisible barrier. Harrison could admit the sight of those deadly teeth coming right at him in the blink of an eye scared him. He inwardly patted himself on the back for the foresight. Seeing the serpent retract its maw and lean back with a contemplative gaze the raven was struck with the realization this basilisk was not actually mindless. Then again even in the original crossing of paths with Salazar's pet it had actually just been following orders to attack him. It never had been a mindless beast. "Huh, food for literal thought."

"You speak."

The deep rumbling voice vibrated more in the young wizard's bones than it did in his ears. Just before his eyes raised to the snake's eyes Harrison remembered the whole repeated event of his original second year. Basilisk eyes had the power to kill instantly if not pre cautioned against. So Harrison kept his gaze on its teeth. Ironically enough lingering on the very tooth that would be used to stab Tom Riddle's diary. "I do. Can you do something about your eyes?"

"Master Salazar's descendants have no fear."

Great! Harrison resisted the urge to huff at the giant beast. Instead he decided to be honest with the creature knowing no one else would be able to gain anything from it; apart from Riddle. However the raven knew Tom will not find the Chamber of Secrets until maybe fifth or sixth year at the earliest. He had no plans to assist in progressing that part of the timeline. "Well you see, this body is borrowed."

The basilisk clearly had no patience for an explanation once it knew this human was indeed not seeded with its master's descendants' essence. "Tainted flesh of an imposter, I will consume thee." It lunged forward without further warning. Dead maw open and snatching up the small human with a curl of a forked tongue.

Everything went dark around the time traveler.

He made a face at the squeezing convulsions of the snake's throat trying to swallow him whole since biting was out. Harrison's brow twitched in annoyance. And people called him rude. Least I don't just eat people when they annoy me. He expanded the space of the barrier until he knew it was almost blocking off all airflow for the creature. Being eaten by a snake was not part of his plan and nor was it something he would let slide even if he was the cause of the snake being so grumpy. "Sonorus. If you don't want to die after just waking up, spit me out." Of course there was no verbal reply but the muscles in the massive throat began to move differently in physical response. The movement caused Harrison's barrier and thus himself to slide backward toward the mouth. The raven returned the barrier to its former state to just above his skin and clothing so it would be easier for the basilisk to vomit him out; which it promptly did. "Death by suffocation isn't so nice, hm?"

Beast and human faced one another at an almost stalemate.

The look of irritation was hard to miss but easy for the young wizard to ignore. He kept the barrier active just in case. Part of him did feel a little bad about disturbing the giant snake's peaceful sleep. It irked him whenever Riddle felt the need to be petty and interrupt his nap only to play ignorant on what awoke the raven. Let's try this again then. "Where is the rune stone Slytherin set for the school?"

"Imposter child is unworthy."

"Who was it that almost just died because of this 'unworthy child'?"

"..."

"Oi!" Harrison startled verbally when he saw the coils of the serpent's body move. He frowned a bit confused on what the creature was doing since it was clear it couldn't harm him. His eyes blinked in disbelief when it registered the snake turning its giant head away from him and heading into one of the huge pipelines. "Where are you going?" Silence. The scaled body slithered in until it was only Harrison left in the magically spacious room. "...Guess pride is indeed a house trait."

Since the feast would be over soon Harrison was forced to cut this trip here. At least he knew for sure the rune stone was most definitely here seeing as the basilisk did not deny it. He removed the protection barrier after jumping down from the mouth of the stone statue and headed toward one of the side chambers where he knew there to be a portrait passageway. He had come across it when using Slytherin's lair as his own when on the run from the wizarding world as their replacement dark lord. It would lead him to the bottom landing of the grand staircase directly below the main landing that connected to the hallway near the entrance hall stairs.

There was a sudden clatter of silverware. Some ridicule from the same table followed the abrupt movements while most simply ignored it. "Hurt your feelings?" came a mocked question of concern from a girl nestled in a seat among other first years of their house.

One of the third years who had been more vocal with their taunting of the seemingly docile boy raised their voice. "Where are you going, squib?"

"Piss." Gray eyes barely connected before turning away as the copy of Harrison headed down the aisle toward a direction directed to it. The insults to its original owner's crudeness went completely ignored. As did the covert glance from Riddle who now become the sole focus of ire from those of Slytherin house. 'Harrison' followed the invisible pull down a few hallways then a sharp turn left brought upon by a hand suddenly snatching their robes. The copy froze in its movement.

"There you are."

The real Harrison Black stared at the copy. It was so weird to see himself standing there while knowing it was not a reflection of a mirror. Of course he had seen himself before when he was a third year but at that time he had mistaken himself for James Potter. The raven winced at the memory. How deliriously dumb was I? Harrison raised a hand to brush the strands of dark hair atop his copy's head. It felt quite real. He couldn't help but slide his hand down, the left mimicking, to rub the mirrored face on both sides causing the features to squish a bit. Soft warm skin, bland expression, and minor movement of simple pretend breathing. I wonder… Harrison shifted his hold so one hand held the copy's jawline and the other pried open its mouth. Fingers slipped in to feel around the hot cavern; pressing along the immobile tongue and then gently skimming over pink gums. A morbid curiously sprung up when feeling the realistic-ness of a living mouth. He slid two fingers in further and wiggled expecting some reaction but there was none if one didn't count the continued blank stare. "Huh, does my body not have…" Those same fingers were then put into Harrison's mouth, promptly causing his own body to bend a bit as its natural gag reflex was triggered. "Nope, it does. Bleh." He pushed his copy away after straightening himself up. "Well at least you easily pass as real. But how do I get rid of you?"

Silence.

"Yeah, figured you'd say that." Harrison exhaled a sigh. "I'm really getting sick of the silent treatment, I gotta say."

"You there!"

Reacting without thought the raven pulled the copy closer; hugging them against him in a way that kept their face hidden. Harrison Black did not have a twin after all. However before he could decide what to do or say to whoever had spotted them he felt something weird. Looking down he saw the copy version of himself merging with his body until his hands were flat against his own chest. He didn't have time to marvel at the sight as the person passed the pillar partly hiding the corner of the hallway he was in.

The stern face of a teacher looked down on Harrison. "Why are you not at the feast?"

"Got lost?" Harrison paused there as the memories of the copy interested itself into his own. "I had to use the restroom, sir."

"Return with me. After meal announcements will be made soon."

"Okay."

Indeed by the time Harrison took up the vacated seat beside Riddle the mass of food covering all tables vanished. Including the cutlery. Some disappointment filled him but there were no pangs of hunger. He was glad he had stopped by the house in Godric's Hollows before departing with the disguised Death for the station. Of course the visit was another impulsive act on his part. One that featured a certain boa snake Riddle was far too fond of. Harrison snorted inwardly at the memory.

Nagini stared up at the boy who now approached her from where they had been watching her and Tom speak. She knew from her master that he, along with this boy, would be gone for quite a few months. Most likely not returning for a visit until the year's end. Nagini could say nothing toward her own knowledge of the school Tom spoke to her about when under the warning stare of the other boy. This hatchling seemed to only get stronger whereas her young master remained the same; if simply more aware of his own present abilities and the magical world. She wished Tom would have stayed clear of the boy after the incident of their introduction but Nagini had spotted the pair together a few times in the yard. If distance was not possible then a more keen awareness since that boy clearly was dangerous. She could scent the smell of blood on the boy from time to time.

So today she was extra cautious. More so when the boy came to her after making sure Tom was nowhere near the area. Nagini felt the barrier go up; her caution spiking despite the steady gaze in those gray eyes. "Does hatchling have something to say?"

"Do you want to stay here?"

"Tom is here."

Harrison vaguely nodded. "For now, sure, but not for the following months. So I ask again." Here he crouched down to be more level with the young and smaller version of Nagini. "Do you want to stay here?"

"Hogwarts would not allow a snake." Nagini replied with a fact she had gained from overhead conversations between her previous master and others. "There is no other place."

"There is my house."

The snake seemed to eye Harrison rather intensely. It would have been unnerving if it was done to anyone else but him or Riddle. So Harrison gave a brief explanation that was littered with more lies than truth. After all, it wasn't like this offer being rejected would affect him in any which way. Eventually Nagini agreed. There was no forewarning beyond the offered arm the snake slithered onto before the scenery changed. Nagini barely had time to register the location when another creature popped into existence before the young boy.

A house elf.

"Good timing, I'm fuckin starving!" Harrison shoveled a few finger foods into his mouth with care.

Nagini starred in as much disbelief as a snake could at the sight of this supposed orphan boy. It was obvious she had never expected the boy hanging around Tom with some skill of magic to actually be embedded in the magical world entirely. Harrison polished off the snacks with an offered drink. He set her slacking body down onto the entrance table. Gray eyes filled a mirthful gaze that flickered with a tense intention as he spoke next.

"Anything you see or hear here can't be conveyed by any means."

The snake understood the implication and unspoken threat.

Harrison was brought back to the present by the sound of mass movement. With the final announcements delivered the prefects of each house guided their new first years to the designated common rooms. The walk led them to join alongside their year mates of Ravenclaw house for a time. Harrison vaguely recognized one of the girls from the boat ride who smiled when she saw him. He debated returning the greeting gesture when he noted her gaze drop down to the crest now placed on his once solid black robes. However the expected reaction of scorn did not come. Instead the girl pointed to her own and gave a thumbs up before she guided along with the rest of Ravenclaw to go down a different hallway.

"Can't say I expected that."

"That one's brain must be faulty. Or doesn't know she was interacting with a failure like yourself." retorted a voice that was becoming familiar to the raven in an unpleasant way.

"You really shouldn't recite what your mother says about you out loud." Harrison ignored the glare. "Edited or not."

The first years were then broken off from the few older students of Slytherin house who had chosen to come this way. They were directed through a few levels, descending downward in the bowls of Hogwarts castle, via a scenic route that will lose its awe in a few weeks. Soon enough the group were told to come to a stop right before a blank section of solid stone wall. Harrison found himself actually paying attention part way through the walk after the split. He hadn't been that way before, or if he had it was a vague memory not kept. What most definitely grasped his attention was the stone snake coming up from the floor. In its wake appeared an archway with dual door panels directly underneath. The leading prefect explained this was the main entrance to the Slytherin common room yet mentioned there are other ways in as well. All of which are password protected like this one. Harrison had always wondered why the way he and Ronald had come wasn't so grand. It turned out because that way hadn't been a main pathway. He wondered if Gryffindor had multiple entrances too.

Soon all first years were gathered in the center of Slytherin house. Left with direction to remain where they are by the prefect before they went to fetch another student who was to apparently take over. However before any real sight seeing of the tastefully done green, black, silver and gold styled area trio of older Slytherin boys came into sight.

"Disgusting filth!" Flint marched up to the group of first years; ill intentions clear by the expression on the 2nd year's face. His attention focused on two people in particular. "How dare you tarnish the house of Slytherin. Recall my previous words and don't bother unpacking."

"Flint!" shouted the same voice that had interrupted the remarks previously exchanged after Black's sitting. A badge pinned above the embroidered house crest glinted off the fireplace's flame when they shifted to face the addressed boy; it read Headboy. "Wait till after the rules and introduction have been given before starting conversations." The seventh year ignored whatever response Flint gave and addressed the group of newly sorted housemates. "Welcome to Slytherin house, best of the four, and superior to any. I will go over the rules then our head of house will introduce himself. No interruptions."

Harrison muffled a yawn as the rules were read out. His tired eyes roamed over the common room picking out the differences from this current view to the one he had seen as a Polyjuice Crabbe in 1992. Everything looked about the same. How disappointing. He shifted his attention onto those of above first year; many of whom were almost ignoring the entire existence of the freshly sorted. It seemed the entertainment during the feast lost its luster. Apart from Flint. Shouldn't be surprised to find out that guy is Oliver's rival's relation. Who knew teeth shape was a hereditary trait And speaking of genetics it was easy to spot Malfoy by their platinum blonde hair even though their head wasn't fully facing him. The blonde was speaking to another boy whose back was facing Harrison entirely so there were no hints toward who they might be. Not that Harrison's attention lingered on the pair for long.

The raven was quite content with taking in the sights of the Slytherin common room in all its cold noble glory. It really is the complete opposite from Gryffindor's common room. From the ebony, silver, and green hues of styling dark theme colors to the floor to ceiling chilling windows done with elegant gold framework to showcase the submerged scenery of the giant lake. The glow of the water's depth added a touch of calmness along with an extra bite of cold temperature to the common room. No wonder most of them are uptight, it's rather chilly down here. Harrison focused back onto the headboy as the seventh year finished up their speech. He hadn't heard much of it but figured it couldn't be anything worth paying too much attention to as there was no upcoming Dark Lord to fret about- at least not yet. What he did have to keep attention on were the bland stares of contempt and sharply whispered words against himself and Riddle.

"This is gonna be a fun year." Harrison hummed lightly to himself.

A/N:

I uploaded it. Forgot to post it as a chapter for actual viewing.

My bad. - Edited.

Side note: Some character ages have been altered to fit. It won't effect the timeline.