A/N:
Second chapter of the day so we're feeling pretty good about this. It'll probably be the last update for ages though. :/
01/10/23
xXxDoubleKxXx
DavidoDaVinci
Disclaimer: Anything recognisable belongs to JK Rowling
Chapter 6: Hogwarts
The train halted to a stop at Hogsmeade Station. The blackness of the night could have suffocated Harry, but the stars were like tiny bubbles. Tiny bubbles that refused to go away.
Harry had never much liked bubbles.
Harry looked at Ron, who was looking to his right and who might have died of shock, excitement and wonder. Harry looked over and saw what he was gawping at. It was a man. A tall man. A tall man who was clearly half giant.
'Dumbledore is nuts.'
That was the only thing on Harry's mind, Dumbledore's choice to employ what could only be called a bumbling oaf. Aside from his height, Rubeus Hagrid (for Harry knew every member of the Order of the Fried Chicken) had a tangly beard, a giant waistcoat and his hands in his pockets. Everything about him looked agreeable, but Harry had never been one to think of that aspect of people.
"First-years this way! First years o'er 'ere!"
That was the funniest thing Harry had heard all day.
Xxx
As Harry sat down in a small boat with Ron, Hermione and a mudblood called Dean Thomas, he watched the carriages in envy. The carriages pulled by threstrals. He felt a pang of something that might have been regret. No. He was a mudblood.
"His life didn't matter," he muttered under his breath.
Hermione, who was the only one not transfixed by the castle, asked "Did you say something, Harry?"
"Oh, I was just wondering what the carriages are pulled by."
Hermione looked over, "Oh… I never thought of that. I may have to ask a professor bu-"
But what, Harry never found out, for Hermione was cut off by Hagrid's booming voice, shouting,
"Is everyone ready?"
There was a general mumble of 'yeah', 'OK' and 'Yes sir,'
"Well, let's get going then!"
After what felt like hours, the first sight of the ancient castle came into sight.
"Hogwarts," breathed Ron.
Xxx
After being told what was what at Hogwarts, The first years were allowed in. As they lined up, they felt the stares of 6 years of Hogwarts students and realised this was going to be where they were for their next 7.
Hermione was practically jumping with excitement.
Ron was looking nervously around.
Neville was looking at his shoes and clutching his toad, which he seemed to always lose, tightly.
A red-haired girl named Susan was squealing.
Terry Boot was also jumping.
Most of the students were people Harry didn't know.
No one knew what Harry felt. He kept his face still and expressionless.
Barely anyone noticed Harry.
Lily did.
"You know, the ceiling's not actually the sky, it's just enchanted look like that. I read about it in-"
"Hogwarts: A history" Harry finished. Hermione looked startled.
"Well, yes."
Professor McGonagoll had brought a shabby looking hat onto a table in front of the teachers.
She tapped it with her wand and a slit opened into the folds of the fabric.
And then, the hat did something very unexpected; it started to sing.
"I may just look like a normal hat,
But I've so much more to do,
I'll take a look inside your heart.
And see just what is true."
Harry tuned the Sorting Hat's song out after that and started to study the professors.
In the middle, there was the old coot himself, Albus Dumbledore. He had a grim expression on his face. There was McGonagall, the transfiguration teacher, Snape, the insider and… Lily Potter… his…
'No.' he thought, 'she's not.'
He waited silently for the song to end after that.
After a while, it did, and the sorting began.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
And then, there was the first "SLYTHERIN!" of the day. Harry cheered silently.
Then "HUFFLEPUFF!"
What was with the Hufflepuffs?
A sandy haired boy sat on the stool for a minute before being sorted into
"GRYFFINDOR!"
And then, it was Hermione's turn.
Harry wanted her to be in Slytherin.
Ron wanted her to be in Gryffindor.
Nearly Headless Nick was picking his nose.
She sat down on the stool and waited there.
She waited some more.
She seemed to be having a long conversation with the hat, but, finally, it sorted her into:
"RAVENCLAW!"
Yes, that made sense.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
And then, it was Draco's turn.
The hat shouted "SLYTHERIN!" so quickly, Harry was sure it had not even touched his head. Harry was not one to complain though.
Then it was Harry's turn.
Harry wanted to be in Slytherin.
Ron wanted Harry in Gryffindor.
Nearly headless Nick was still picking his nose.
Harry was the only one who heard the sorting hat's thoughts.
"Good mind, Quite brave, cunning, loyal to- oh no."
"He wants you in Gryffindor… but you…"
The hat was scared.
"S-SLYTHERIN!"
Harry rejoiced.
Then it was Ron's turn.
Harry wanted Ron in Slytherin.
Ron wanted to be in Gryffindor.
Nearly Headless Nick was trying to persuade the Grey Lady that he hadn't been picking his nose at all.
The sorting hat put him in Gryffindor.
And finally, Blaise Zabini was put in Slytherin.
After that, Dumbledore stood up and started to speak. He went on and on about how
one of the corridors was out of bounds, as was the forbidden forest, how students were not to practise magic in the hallways. He then talked about how he thought that they should all work together to shut out the dark magic that was creeping closer.
Harry thought Dumbledore should shut up.
After that, it was time for the feast. There was roast pork, roast lamb, roast chicken, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, peas, carrots, gravy, fish, chips, sausages, bacon, bread, toast, mint humbugs, and countless other things. Harry was not at all as shocked about this as many of the other first-year students, for Voldemort was one to praise Hogwarts for every detail, and had not skimped over the infinite food. As Harry tucked in, he realised the biggest difference between Voldemort and himself was that Voldemort had always loved Hogwarts, whereas Harry found that he thought it unnecessary, the only part of magic he had not fully mastered were the Dark arts, and he was certainly not going to learn any of that at Hogwarts, even Voldemort himself could not deny that. And he was going to need immense cover, what with half the staff being in the Order of the Phoenix. And for what? Education in things he had already learnt?
Harry glanced around at the tables. There was no one he recognised at the Hufflepuff tables, but he saw all the Weasleys at the Gryffindor table. He was, despite everything else, glad to have acquaintanced Ron. It would be better to be seen to be friends with a blood traitor, than the son of a well-known Death-Eater.
Over at the Ravenclaw table, Harry saw Hermione. She was chatting excitedly with someone. As he glanced back at his own table, he saw Draco eying her. He rolled his eyes.
Then it was time for pudding. There was ice cream, fruit cakes, custard… but Harry didn't care. After that, it was time for Dumbledore's real speech, which Harry found to have nothing to do with anything. He let his eyes wander as pretty much everyone seemed to be listening to him, except for him, Draco and, oddly enough, Hermione.
Harry closed his eyes and wondered what his common room would look like.
Xxx
As it transpired, the Slytherin Common room was down in the dungeons, under the lake. Harry sat down and chatted with Draco for an hour. Eventually, when everyone had left, Harry sat down and wrote a letter.
Dear Dad,
I got to Hogwarts safely, you may be angry but I was sorted into Slytherin. I could not bring myself to be sorted into Gryffindor. I made a fake friend in the form of Ron Weasley, one of the blood traitors. Hermione was sorted into Ravenclaw. As I thought, she is incredibly bookish. Interestingly, she did not pay attention to Dumbledore's speech at all. Draco's doing well
Weather's horrible,
Harry.'