It was bright and early the next morning when Severus got up, the events of the previous night still ringing in his head.
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted.
There was complete silence as Minerva lifted the hat off of Potter's head. Then, the Slytherin table broke out in polite clapping, and Potter made his way there, sitting with the other first years.
Minerva called the next name, but Severus barely found himself listening.
Potter was in his house… the pure blind rage that came over him was suffocating. Someone, Severus didn't know who, was having a laugh at his expense. He was certain of it. James Potter was probably laughing at him from beyond the grave.
Well, no matter. Severus would interrogate the boy in the morning, and find out exactly who put him up to this. Then he'd do everything he could to make sure the boy was expelled for daring to join Slytherin.
Severus had spent the rest of the night carefully observing the boy, looking for a break in his mask, where he'd look over at Severus and grin mischievously, letting him know that he was in on the joke at Severus expense, just like his father.
But the boy only looked at him once, before looking away, and there was no mischievous grin like Severus expected. Instead it seemed that he had a headache. Strange.
Either way, Severus would get the truth out of him soon enough, and then the boy would be expelled, and all would be right in the world.
Severus found himself grateful that he actually had an excuse to break his normal schedule and confront the First Years first this year. Obviously, when Malfoy Senior had called requesting that he cover the First Years first this year, so that his son could get some extra sleep, Severus had been rather put out at the interruption to his schedule, but now it was a proper excuse for him to interrogate Potter.
When he arrived at the common room, Nathaniel Selwyn, the senior seventh year prefect, was waiting for him.
"All students are present and accounted for, sir," Nathaniel said pompously when Severus entered the room.
"Good," Severus nodded. "Lucius Malfoy, one of the governors of this school, requested that I cover the First Years first, so that his son could get some extra sleep. As such, the Seventh Years will have to wait."
"Very well, sir," Nathaniel nodded.
With that, Severus made his way to the group of First Years. It seemed they were in the middle of discussing Slytherin House security measures when he got there.
"As time went on and tensions grew,"The young Nott boy was saying. "the security measures were tightened, and the Heads of House have slowly steered the inner house tensions away from open conflict through wands and towards games of politics, to keep the house from erupting in violence like it did back then."
"That makes sense," the Zabini boy nodded. "Truthfully, I was actually somewhat concerned that I'd have to share a dorm with the rest of our year mates, but I think this system is much better. I certainly feel more secure just sharing a room with Potter."
"Surely there isn't open conflict in Slytherin anymore, is there?" the Greengrass girl asked with concern.
Nott frowned. "The last recorded incident was in 1976, but there were no deaths, thankfully."
"My Father said that he was involved in that incident," the Malfoy heir interjected. "Apparently, there was a group of Mudblood sympathizers that tried to take control of the Hammer, as the Prefects were using it every day on their dorms. They grabbed it and barricaded themselves in one of the dorms, and refused to come out until they spoke to the Head of House. After that, the Hammer was changed so that the Prefects could only use it with the Head of House's permission."
"What happened to the sympathizers?" the Moon girl asked curiously.
Malfoy shrugged. "They got detention, as far as I know."
"How was your father involved?" Zabini asked curiously.
"He was the Head Prefect at the time," Malfoy said smugly. "They managed to get an ally of theirs to get permission to get into Father's dorm, where they snatched the Hammer off of his nightstand."
He paused after that, looking reluctant to continue.
Snape chose that moment to interject himself. "If I recall correctly, they also strung him up to the ceiling and charmed his hair pink, Isn't that correct, Mr. Malfoy?"
The little group of First Years all turned to look at him in shock. It seemed they hadn't noticed his arrival.
"Er, yes sir," the Malfoy heir nodded quickly.
"Professor…" the Zabini boy said with a surprised tone. "We didn't realize that you had arrived. Farley said that you would give us our schedules last…"
Severus gave Zabini a rather dour look. "Normally I would, but Mr. Malfoy's Father 'requested' that I cover the First Years first this year so that Mr. Malfoy here can get some more 'sleep' on his first day…"
Zabini blinked. "I see."
Severus turned his attention to Malfoy. "Let me be clear, Mr. Malfoy. This is the only time that I will oblige you. Next year I expect you to be awake and ready on time. Am I perfectly clear?"
"Yes, sir." Malfoy nodded glumly.
"Very well," Severus nodded.
Severus then took his time to observe each of the First Years directly, committing their appearance to memory.
Then, at last, his eyes fell upon Potter, and what he saw there made his blood boil: Potter had obviously used the potions that Slytherins were supplied with by the Slytherin Alumni Fund to tame his wild hair and fix his eyes. His hair was slicked back, his face was free from the awful glasses he had worn the previous night, and his robes were new.
In other words, he looked every inch the proper Slytherin. He looked like he was right at home with the other Slytherins, and there was no part of his appearance that Severus could find fault with.
In fact, Severus realized, now that he wasn't wearing those horrible glasses, his brilliant green eyes were more prominent.
Lily's eyes.
Wordlessly, Severus summoned the First Year schedules and passed them out.
"Potter, a word, please," Severus whispered.
Potter jumped at being addressed. "Yes, sir."
Without another word, Severus turned and lead him to a more isolated part of the room, before casting a privacy ward around them.
Severus then turned and shot Potter with a harsh glare. "So, Potter, what have you got to say for yourself?"
Potter blinked with surprise. "Sir?"
"Don't 'sir' me," Severus snapped, his blood boiling over. "We both know you have no business being in Slytherin! Do you think you're having a laugh at my expense, joining my house?!"
Potter physically recoiled, taking a step back and staring at him with shock. "Sir… I don't even know you! How on earth could I be having a laugh at your expense?"
"Don't play the fool, Potter! I know the truth," Severus hissed, unwilling to hear any excuses. "Someone put you up to this, and I will find out who, I can promise you that, and when I do, I'll do everything I can to make sure you don't remain at this school!"
Potter glared at him angrily, his green eyes flashing.
"Well, Sir, if you must know, it was the Hat who put me up to this!" Potter said mutinously. "Before I even stepped foot in this school, everyone told me that Slytherin was the house of Dark Wizards, and you know what? They were right! If I had known then what I know now, I never would have agreed to go into Slytherin! So if you really think I don't deserve to be here, fine! I'll leave, and find some other place to learn magic! I'll pack my bags right now, and walk right out that door, Slytherin be damned!"
Severus wasn't listening, instead staring at those green eyes glaring at him furiously. Potter's words fell on deaf ears, because Severus didn't believe a word of it. James Potter would never willing leave Hogwarts, so Severus didn't believe for an instant that his son would either.
Glaring into those eyes that reminded him so much of Lily, Severus found that he couldn't resist: he had to know the truth.
With a quiet legilimency probe, Severus dove into Potter's mind.
It didn't take him long to find Potter's memory of the previous night: Potter happened to be thinking about it.
Peering from Potter's eyes, Severus observed the Sorting from Potter's point of view.
"So we've just got to try on the Hat!" the Weasley boy whispered from Potter's right. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."
Do we really have to try it on while everyone is watching? Severus heard Potter think. I don't really feel brave or quick witted right now. Maybe if there was a house for people who feel queasy… that'd be the one for me.
Severus frowned internally. This was what the boy had been thinking during the sorting? Really?
Minerva now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. Abbot, Hannah!"
Severus carefully observed the memory as students were sorted, paying careful attention to Potter's thoughts, but for the most part it seemed that he was observing the proceedings.
It was right around the time that "Bulstrode, Millicent" was placed in Slytherin that he noticed that Potter was feeling sick with worry.
This is just like when we were being picked for teams at sports, Potter thought. No one ever picked me because they didn't want Dudley to think they liked me.
The thought was linked to a memory, but Severus ignored it. It was the sorting that mattered, and he couldn't chase every threaded memory in Potter's mind.
A few more names where called for the Sorting, and it was when "Granger, Hermione!" was placed in Gryffindor that Potter began thinking something else.
Oh no… oh no… What if… what if I'm not chosen at all? What if I'm just stuck under the hat for ages, not being chosen, and then Professor McGonagall pulls it off and tells me there's been a mistake… and I have to go back to the Dursley's? That would be just horrible.
A moment later Potter steeled himself. No, I'm not going back there… not after everything that's happened… not after everything that Hagrid told me… I'd rather be homeless than go back to the Dursley's.
Potter then watched Malfoy being sorted, and Severus found himself wonder who exactly these Dursley's were, and why Potter seemed to hate them. Were they his guardians?
There were memories attached to those thoughts, but again Severus decided to ignore them. He needed to find out who exactly had put Potter up to the idea of being sorted Slytherin, but it seemed he would have to wait until Potter was under the hat to find out.
Severus was, however, starting to feel that something was wrong. There were no thoughts in Potter's head about Severus himself, no thoughts thinking of playing a joke on Severus, no thoughts of his father, and no thoughts of whom ever it was that had put him up to it. Hopefully, Potter would reveal whom ever it was when he was finally under the Hat itself.
Finally, after a few more people were sorted in Potter's memory, Potter himself was finally called.
"Potter, Harry!"
Potter steeled himself, shaking off his nervous jitters, before walking forward. As he did, whispers broke out all over the hall.
"Potter, did she say?"
"The Harry Potter?"
The last thing Potter saw before the Hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Then… Potter was looking at the dark, black inside of the hat.
Severus recalled his own sorting, and remembered that the Hat had spoken to him.
"Hmm," said the Hat's voice in Potter's ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes – and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting…. So where shall I put you."
Potter breathed out, still trying to get go of his nervousness. As Potter gripped the edges of the stool, the thought came to his mind… Not Slytherin, Not Slytherin.
"Not Slytherin, eh?" the small voice replied. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness… "
Severus reeled in shock: Potter had actually asked the Hat not to go into Slytherin? Just what was going on? Severus had expected Potter to beg to be placed in Slytherin, just so that he could play his joke on Severus.
Suspicious, Severus carefully examined the memory: there was no sign of tampering, no indication that Potter knew anything of Occlumency. Still, this memory had to be false. There was no way that Potter couldn't be playing a joke on him… could he.
Again, Severus examined the memory, searching for any sign of tampering… but there was none.
Frowning internally, Severus let the rest of the memory play out.
Greatness? Potter thought. I… could be great?
Suddenly, a memory played out in Potter's mind, and Severus found himself standing in Ollivander's Wand Store.
Ollivander was standing in front of Potter, and Hagrid was also in the room, standing off to the side.
"The wand chooses the wizard, remember," Ollivander said. "It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather – just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when it's brother – why, its brother… gave you that scar."
"I think we must expect Great things from you, Mr. Potter… after all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did Great things – Terrible, yes, but Great."
Severus paused the memory, reeling. Potter's wand shared a core with the Dark Lord's wand? What ever he had expected when he peered into Potter's memory, it wasn't this. He'd expected to find a hooligan who was playing a joke on him, not a young boy who was terrified out of his mind, thinking he could find greatness.
Severus realized suddenly that he had horribly misjudged Potter. Potter wasn't some prankster trying to pull a joke on him, he was a young child who was unprepared for the world he had found himself in, and here Severus was, accusing the boy who reminded him so much of his father that he was trying to prank him.
But no, Severus needed to be absolutely certain before he agreed with the idea that this wasn't a prank, so he let the rest of the memory play out.
Ollivander's shop disappeared, and Potter was back under the Hat.
If Slytherin could help me be great, like Ollivander said. Potter thought carefully.
Malfoy is in Slytherin. Could you really stand to spend the next seven years sharing a House with Malfoy?
That's a good question. I've only just met the other boy, but I can't stand him. He reminds me too much of Dudley.
But, on the other hand, am I really going to let someone I dislike, stop me from achieving Greatness?
What about Ron? Would Ron really want to be friends with a Slytherin?
A pit formed in Potter's stomach at the thought. I've only just met him, but… Ron seems like the first real friend I've ever had. Would he really give up on me if I chose Slytherin… if I chose Greatness?
If he did, he wouldn't make a very good friend, now, would he? If Ron turned his back on you because you chose to be Slytherin… then he was never really your friend, now, was he?
Potter frowned, uneasy.
"In Slytherin, you'll find your real friends," the Hat suddenly whispered. "Friends who will help you on your path to greatness, if that's what you choose."
Ron has yet to be sorted. If he is your friend, perhaps he could choose to follow you there…
Inner conflict resolved, Potter steeled himself and nodded.
"If you're sure," the Hat replied. "Better be SLYTHERIN!"
Severus watched the memory play out dispassionately… There was nothing that indicated that Potter was trying to play a joke on Severus himself. Instead, it seemed that he had allowed his fear of this new world he had found himself in steer him to Slytherin out of some foolish idea that he'd somehow achieve 'greatness' of a kind that Ollivander had spoken of…
In other words, Severus was a blind fool who had allowed his rage and resentment to color his opinion of a small child who hadn't even known he existed before he came to school.
Severus withdrew from Potter's mind. Only a few seconds had passed in the real world, and Potter was still glaring at him with righteous anger, with no indication that he had any knowledge that Severus had just rooted through his mind.
"Very well, Potter," Severus said carefully. "I believe you. You may return to your year-mates now."
Potter looked taken aback, before glaring at him again.
"Can you at least tell me why you hate me so much?" he asked challengingly.
Severus pondered the question. Perhaps the boy deserved the truth for how horribly Severus had misjudged and mistreated him.
"I don't hate you, Potter," Severus said eventually. "It's your father I hate."
Severus then swept off before Potter could ask another question, his thoughts buzzing with all the things that he had learned from Potter's mind.