"Firs' years! Firs' years ov'r 'ere!" Harry heard Hagrid's voice and it wasn't long before he spotted the man, his large form towering over the other children. Waving to him, Hagrid returned the gesture with a smile. "Into th' boats. Two t' a boat!"

Harry moved to get in, and he could see Draco and Ron doing the same.

"Hey!"

"Back off, Weasley, I'm going with Potter."

"No way, Malfoy!"

Harry sighed as he stepped up. "Decide who's coming with me or I'll go and sit with someone else entirely. Look, Hermione and Neville already got in a boat." Harry pointed to his other two friends.

"Wand-Potion-Parchment, winner goes with Harry." Draco said quickly.

"You're on."

Harry saw them place a hand out, beginning to chant together. It didn't take long before Harry realized they were playing rock-paper-scissors; it must be some sort of magical version.

Draco stuck out his finger as the chanting stopped, with Ron holding his thumb out with the rest of his hand closed in a fist.

"Wand dispels Potion! I win!" Draco cheered as Ron scowled. "Fine, Malfoy. But I'll win next time."

Ron went off to get in another boat while Harry climbed into the boat with Draco. "Muggles have a version of that too. It's called Rock Paper Scissors, though." Draco seemed amused at the revelation.

Finally, after everyone got into boats, Hagrid clapped his hands. "Onw'rds! To Hogwarts!"

The boats started moving across the inky darkness of the lake as Harry peered over the side. "Hogwarts: A History mentioned that there's merfolk in the water. Think we'll see any?" Harry asked, not taking his eyes from the water as the boat moved.

"I hope not. My father says they're nasty creatures." Draco sniffed. "They have wicked bites as well, according to rumors."

The soft splash of water echoed across the lake, reverberating gently as the boat glided through its calm surface. After a second, Draco lowered his voice. "Potter, be careful around the Weasleys. They're blood traitors. They joined against the Dark Lord in the last war."

Harry looked up from the water. "Huh?"

"There are families who fought for the Dark Lord and fought for the side of magic, and then there are families who betrayed him and magic itself by fighting against him. The Weasleys are one family who spit in the face of our traditions. The Longbottoms did as well, but because they're one of the Eight so they can't be blood traitors."

"But didn't Voldemort kill my parents?" Harry saw Draco flinch at the name then shook his head.

"There had to be some reason for it. He'd never waste the blood of magicals if he didn't need to."

Harry rubbed his chin. "But that makes no sense. How many magicals did he kill in the last war? Hagrid told me it was a lot."

Draco shifted, uncomfortable from the statement. "I-I don't know the exact amount…"

Harry nodded with a thoughtful look upon his face. "Tell you what, Draco. You get me a list of those that Voldemort and his followers killed and total them up to see how many died from their direct actions. Then, list the deaths of those who died from their indirect actions. After you total it up, we can talk about this more. Okay?"

Draco's mouth opened but Harry cut him off. "I'm willing to listen, but I want to have evidence in front of me. That's the reason why I want you to research. If you can prove that Voldemort avoided killing magicals then I'll agree with your point."

Draco seemed pleased at Harry's acceptance, closing his mouth and giving a nod as the boats glided across the water.

As the boats turned, Harry's breath caught in his throat. Looming above the lake was a magnificent castle, its towering spires bathed in golden light. The windows shimmered with warm firelight, casting flickering reflections across the water. The very air around the castle seemed to hum with magic, thick and alive, while the lake beneath them sparkled as if enchanted, the water becoming impossibly clear the nearer they drew to the castle. Every ripple in the surface gleamed like stars, as though the castle's magic had spilled into the lake itself.

"Wicked." Harry and Draco both said as the boats drew closer to the magnificent castle.

"Watch yer heads!" Hagrid's called out in warning of the a vine-draped overhang coming up ahead. The students each ducked when the vines passed over them. As they did, Harry saw a small dock behind the vines where the other first years were getting out of the boats to the safety of land.

Leading them up a long stairway, Hagrid soon brought them to a massive pair of double doors. Harry heard him counting each of them as they walked up.

"Seventeh… seventeh one… and that's all o' em, Pr'fess'r McGonagall!"

As he spoke, Harry suddenly saw an old lady appear as if by magic in front of the doors. "Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here." The old woman's voice was curt and stoic, cutting through the evening air like a knife.

Hagrid nodded and left. The students all got closer to hear what McGonagall had to say, crowding around the base of the massive stairway leading into the castle.

Suddenly, a group of pale ghosts walked through the doors. Several of the children screamed, and Hermione huddled behind Ron and Draco. "Oh, the new firsties! Welcome!" A rather posh-looking ghost spoke up, a sword at his side.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff. That's where I went, you know." A rather rotund ghost in monk robes commented as he floated past them.

McGonagall remained unperturbed as she took out her wand, releasing a sudden bang of noise to silence the frightened first-years. Harry could see the same magic, ordered and structured, push from the wand tip as she cast. Harry could feel it; this was undoubtedly a spell. Did all spells cause the magic of a person to become ordered? Harry focused his gaze on Professor McGonagall, looking closely at her magic. It felt wild and free, but also had a bit of order and substance to it. It felt like a median between Harry's magic and the magic of someone like Draco.

"Settle down now, children." Slowly the conversations and whispers petered out, and McGonagall continued. "Through these doors is the castle of Hogwarts, where you will be spending the majority of the next seven years of your life. Within these hallowed halls, you will learn mystical arts, magics old and new, and far more. Before you can begin your time at Hogwarts, however, you must be Sorted into one of four Houses."

The other first-years were all excited, whispering amongst each other. Harry heard Ron whispering to Neville. "My brothers say we have to fight a Troll. Do you think we'll be allowed to do it as a group?" Harry snickered at the redhead's comment, before the whispers once more died down.

After a second to allow everyone to stop talking once more, the professor continued. "Indeed, your House will be your family while you stay in these halls. You will live together, eat together, and learn together. There are four houses: Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor, the last of which I am the Head of House."

Harry listened closely as Draco nudged him with a grin. Ron, Hermione, and Neville had moved to join them, as McGonagall continued. "I wish to express further that your House is your family. You will look out for one another and help each other. Now when your name is called, make your way to the stool in front of the Great Hall and sit upon it."

The first-years murmured in awe as the massive doors creaked open, revealing the grandeur of the Great Hall. Five long tables stretched before them—four lined up for the students, while the fifth, raised slightly on a platform, was reserved for the teachers. The ceiling above mirrored the night sky, flickering with starlight, and the floating candles cast a warm, golden glow. As Harry scanned the tables and caught glimpses of the teachers seated at the far end, he suddenly felt a dull throb in his forehead. Ow... a headache now? he thought, wincing slightly at the unexpected pain.

As his headache gradually subsided, Harry shifted his focus to the enchanted ceiling above. Watching closely, he realized it wasn't just a reflection of the night sky—it seemed to shift and reshape, as if the magic itself was constantly adjusting to mirror the skies outside. Clouds drifted lazily, and faint stars twinkled in the distance, the ceiling adapting to every subtle change in the atmosphere. The sight was mesmerizing.

"Just like my book said!" Harry muttered to himself with a grin just as Hermione piped up.

"The ceiling matches the sky outside. It was mentioned in Hogwarts: A History."

Harry froze, his train of thought coming to a screeching halt. He never expected anyone else to have read Hogwarts: A History—let alone everything, like he had. His eyes widened in surprise. "You've read Hogwarts: A History too?" he asked, astonishment lacing his voice.

Hermione's eyes sparkled. "I thought I was the only one to read the books we were assigned early! How far did you get?"

Harry couldn't help but feel embarrassed, rubbing the back of his head. "Uh... I kind of read it four times."

Hermione's cheerful attitude turned into a pout. "I only read it twice. No fair!"

The look on the girl's face made Harry snicker. "Well then, you'll have to read it a third time before I do."

Hermione playfully shoved Harry as the large group of firsties waited at the side of the room. An old, white-haired man brought a ragged and tattered old hat up to the stool McGonagall mentioned, setting it down upon it. Once the hat touched the stool, it seemed to come alive, suddenly starting to sing and making several other first-years gasp, including Hermione.

"Hogwarts welcomes all of you
Back to its ancient hall
And once more reminds you
That together none shall fall.

Four Houses stand before you
Each one with their special skill
And each one is special
They aren't run-of-the-mill.

First is cunning Slytherin
The House of Guile and Dreams,
Artful, Sly, and Devious,
Though they are not always what they seem.

Second is proud Hufflepuff,
the House of Hard work and Loyalty,
They spend each day striving to become
The best that they can be

Third is stoic Ravenclaw,
the House of Mind and Wit,
They work their way through the world
To make sense of it.

And finally, plucky Gryffindors
who are always Brave and Bold
They seek the thrill of adventure
Despite what they are told.

But hear me, young children
For you should carefully listen.
The four of them are each unique
But the truth does hide within.

Each of us have these traits
From all four houses true.
And remember that no matter what
Your House should stand with you.

But those who treat my warning
As some silly old song
Remember my words when you find
Those who've been hidden long

Now we come to the very end
Of this old hat's song of sorts;
Always remember this:
You are students of Hogwarts!"

The Sorting Hat finished its song to a round of applause from the students. The white-haired old man held up the hat once more as Professor McGonagall stepped forward. She took the hat from him and positioned herself beside the stool. A list floated into view next to her, and after glancing over it, she read aloud the first name with clear authority. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A frightened looking girl made her way up, sitting into the stool. McGonagall placed the hat upon her head. The hat was still for a moment, as unmoving as a regular hat before it spoke up. "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff table, identifiable by its bright yellow and deep bronze banners, erupted into cheers and applause. Hannah beamed as she made her way to join them, her smile growing wider with each step toward her new housemates, who welcomed her with warm claps and friendly grins.

One by one, the students began to get sorted. Harry whispered to his new friends. "Well, seems that sorting is… a little more interesting than I thought."

Ron huffed. "I was just telling Neville that my brothers told me that you'd have to fight a Troll. Of course the gits were lying." Harry could see a bit of disappointment in Ron's face. Had the boy wanted to fight a troll? Draco and Harry laughed as Neville grinned.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the boys she was saddled with. "Of course, they wouldn't have us do anything so dangerous!"

"Well anyways, you guys see how big those tables are? Do you think they're going to fill them with food?" Ron asked. His eyes flicked over each of the tables almost longingly.

Harry looked at them as well before another young boy was sorted. The boy hurried over to Ravenclaw to join his fellows as Harry responded to Ron. "They are pretty big. I think so. I mean, I heard someone say it was meant to be a feast."

"Wicked." Ron grinned. Harry wondered curiously if he didn't get much food at home, but kept it to himself as a familiar name was called.

"Granger, Hermione!"

"Oh, there's your name. Good luck, Hermione!" Harry grinned at her. Hermione gulped and gave Harry an appreciative half-smile then headed to the stool.

As the hat was lowered on her head, Harry could see the hat freeze for a second and then begin talking to Hermione. However, Harry could see the hat and Hermione both just sitting there. It seems like the hat was enchanted for privacy.

After around five minutes, the hat straightened up, shouting to the room. "RAVENCLAW!"

The blue and onyx-colored table was more subdued, offering polite claps as many of its students remained engrossed in their books, reading by the soft glow of oil lanterns placed at the center. Harry couldn't help but wonder if he might be placed there, too. With his newfound love of reading, it seemed like the most natural fit—a house full of people who appreciated books as much as he did.

Hermione gave a quick wave to Harry and the others before making her way to her house's table, settling into a seat with an eager smile. The sorting ceremony carried on, name after name being called as the students made their way to the stool. Harry scanned the room, noticing there were still at least fifty more kids waiting their turn. Some were bouncing on their heels with excitement, their eyes wide with anticipation, while others looked pale and nervous, clutching their robes anxiously. A few seemed outright miserable, their faces drawn with worry as they awaited their fate under the Sorting Hat.

Harry, Neville, Draco, and Ron started to discuss their thoughts on each of the houses. Neville said he would probably end up in Hufflepuff, and Draco mentioned once again that his goal was Slytherin. Ron was dead set on becoming a Gryffindor, leaving only Harry who was unsure of where he'd go.

Their conversation was cut short when the name "Longbottom, Neville!" was called.

Neville audibly gulped and made his way to the stool. Harry could see the hat freeze for a second, and then start speaking as well. Neville's eyes widened for a bit, then he shook his head hard enough to nearly send the hat flying off his head.

A few more minutes of talking, and the hat seemed to take a deep breath as the enchantment ended. "Excellent. HUFFLEPUFF!"

Neville looked momentarily puzzled by the enthusiastic cheers from the Hufflepuff table, his brow furrowing in uncertainty. However, buoyed by their warm welcome, he shyly stood up and made his way over, casting a quick wave to Harry, Ron, and Draco before he joined his new housemates.

"I wonder why the hat took a little longer than usual for him and Hermione." Harry asked as he looked at his remaining two friends. Draco shrugged.

Ron crossed his arms. "Who knows. Maybe he's asking them what they're going to eat at the feast." Ron grinned at Harry, obviously joking around.

Harry grinned at the joke and gave Ron a bit of a shove. "Prat." The grin on his face made it obvious it wasn't serious.

A second later, they heard, "Malfoy, Draco!"

Draco took a deep breath. Harry could see him straighten up a bit as he walked out with practiced grace. Making his way through the hall, he sat down on the stool.

Just like Hermione and Neville, the hat froze for a second before the conversation began in earnest. Harry was plagued by curiosity once more, wishing he could hear what it was saying. Draco, however, was snow-white. His complexion was as pale as if he had been told that his father had disowned him.

Harry could see the sheer terror in Draco's eyes as the hat continued to speak, its words seemingly unending. Ignoring the hat's attempts to finish whatever it was saying, Draco shook his head fervently, panic etched across his features. The hat appeared to sag under the weight of their conversation, its brim drooping slightly as if sensing Draco's distress. For what felt like an eternity, a tense back-and-forth ensued, with Draco shaking his head repeatedly, each rejection growing more desperate. After ten long minutes of indecision, the hat finally straightened up, ready to make its pronouncement.

"Very well then… SLYTHERIN!"

The green and silver table erupted into applause, and Draco's initial fear quickly melted away. As the color returned to his face, he dashed over to the Slytherin table, casting a quick nod in Harry's direction as he went. A few Slytherins glanced at Draco with raised eyebrows, whispering among themselves in hushed tones, their expressions a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

A few more children went up. Harry noticed that one of them was a rather stiff-looking boy named Theodore Nott who had the same air as Draco due to being a Pureblood. He was quickly sorted into Slytherin. A young girl after him was sorted similarly, going by the name of Pansy Parkinson.

"Potter, Harry!"

The entire hall fell into a hushed silence as Harry gulped, sensing the sudden tension in the air. "Good luck, mate," Ron whispered from behind him, his voice barely above a murmur as Harry stepped up to the stool.

Sitting down, Harry felt heat rise to his cheeks under the weight of all those eyes on him. He caught Hermione's gaze, her thumb raised in encouragement and a wide grin lighting up her face as she watched him intently. Letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, he felt the hat slide down over his eyes, shrouding him in darkness.

In that moment, a surge of magic coursed through him, and Harry felt two spectral beasts roiling within, pressing against the brim of the hat as if eager to be acknowledged. "Ow! Oh dear, another heir. Would you please tell your family magic that I am not attempting to intrude upon your mind maliciously?" The voice echoed inside his head, the pressure intensifying as it made itself known. Simultaneously, a powerful pulse of magic reverberated through him, sending his stomach flipping upside-down and leaving him momentarily breathless.

"Oh, um how do I do that?" Harry winced as he held his stomach.

"Concentrate. Pull your magic into yourself. Your magic is quite strong, and it's making your family magic even stronger." Harry took another deep breath and did as the hat recommended. He felt his magic, and pulled it inside. It seemed to accept him, like a dog being told to come into a house.

After a moment, the hat seemed to relax. "Ah, there we go. My, isn't that interesting? You would be a good fit in all of the Houses, you know. You have cunning and guile; both loyalty and a desire to work hard. A love of knowledge and a deep bravery that compliment each other. Most of the time, the choice is between two or three houses. You will be quite a difficult placement."

"Really? Well, I wouldn't mind going in Slytherin. I do have some big dreams." Harry said. Of all the houses, Slytherin seemed like the one that would suit him most.

"Indeed. Of the four, I believe you'd fit well there. Though, I have something I would like to tell you. A small bit of advice. Neutrality can only go so far before you are torn apart by opposing forces."

Harry was about to ask what that meant when the hat shouted, "Better be… SLYTHERIN!"

The entire hall suddenly went deathly silent as Harry stood up. Cheers and clapping could be heard from the Slytherin table, but the other three were deathly quiet. Harry was glad he wasn't in his fox form, or his ears would be folded back. Had he done something wrong?

Suddenly, a tall red-haired student leapt to his feet at the Gryffindor table. "That can't be right! Someone must have hexed the hat!"

Another Gryffindor jumped up, indignation written across his face. "There's no way Potter is a filthy, conniving snake!"

Like cracks in a dam, chaos erupted throughout the hall. Students shouted over one another, their voices rising in a frenzy as the air thickened with tension. Harry felt the weight of their gazes, aware that it seemed as if spells could fly at any moment.

The older man at the front of the hall, with wispy white hair that glimmered in the candlelight, stood up, raising his wand calmly. Without uttering a word, he cast a spell that generated a deep, resonant tone, reverberating through the Great Hall. The unexpected sound cut through the chaos, drawing every student's attention and gradually silencing the uproar until a hush fell over the crowd.

The white-haired man then nodded to Harry. "Go ahead to your table, my boy."

Harry nodded and he hurried over to the Slytherin table, where Draco made room for him. "I told you that we'd be in Slytherin together!" Draco grinned.

Theodore Nott spoke up from across the table, "You hex the hat, Potter?"

Harry shook his head. "No, but I did talk to it. It said that-"

Draco suddenly clapped a hand over his mouth. "Never talk about what the hat said! It has access to your mind and magic. it's very personal. Never ask or tell anyone about what it said, ever." Draco said, punctuating the final word.

Harry deflated a little, but then nodded. Draco removed his hand after Harry did so. "Well, I didn't hex it. It put me there because it wanted to." Harry shrugged.

Nott didn't seem to truly believe him, but he shrugged. Pansy, however, leaned forward. "You know both your parents were staunch Gryffindors, right?"

Harry responded with a shrug of his shoulders. "So?"

The entire table, along with a few older students, startled at that. Nott, leaning back in his chair with a raised eyebrow, broke the silence with a sly grin. "Well, Potter, you certainly seem to be... interesting, that's for sure." As the sorting ceremony progressed, students were called up one after another. Harry's eyes darted back and forth, absorbing the unfolding spectacle, until finally, he heard the familiar name ring out: "Weasley, Ron!" A wave of excitement surged through him, and he leaned forward, eager to see how his friend would fare under the scrutiny of the enchanted hat.

However, unlike the others, the sorting hat took half a second before it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

McGonagall muttered under her breath, the muted sound quiet enough that Harry could only just barely hear her. "Heavens above. Not another Weasley. I hope he's like his older brothers, not the twins."

Ron grinned. He started to wave to Harry, but stopped midway. Instead, he hurried over to his table. Harry was a bit disappointed, worried he had done something to make Ron angry. Then again, Gryffindors hate Slytherins. He probably didn't want to get bullied by his housemates for having a Slytherin friend. Rationalizing it to himself, Harry's disappointment quickly disappeared.


Once the final student, a young boy named Blaise Zabini, was sorted into Slytherin, Harry made his way to Professor McGonagall, eager to speak with her. He approached just as she tapped the Sorting Hat with her wand, causing the enchanted hat and the stool to vanish in a puff of smoke.

"Yes, Mr. Potter?" McGonagall asked and looked down at the black-haired boy. Her gaze locked on his eyes, partially hidden by his glasses.

Harry reached into his pocket and took out a paper. "Here's the pet permission slip you wanted from me, Professor."

"Oh! My goodness, your eyes are just like your mother's." McGonagall said, accepting the paper as she spoke.

"You knew my mother, Ma'am?" Harry asked.

"Of course! I taught her Transfiguration when she was in school, and I was both your Mother and Father's Head of House as well."

"Oh! I didn't realize. Um… could you perhaps tell me some of their school times, later?"

McGonagall's gaze turned soft at Harry's request. "Of course, Mr. Potter. We can discuss it after your first lessons tomorrow." Harry beamed in response as he nodded one final time.

"Would you like to see my pet, Ms. McGonagall? She's beautiful, and Hermione says that she's probably my familiar. I wanted to ask you about familiars and about some food for her, too."

"Of course, Mr. Potter." McGonagall smiled, though her smile quickly turned into a startled look when a large serpent's head peeked from Harry's collar. Amber had moved herself so only McGonagall could see her.

"Say hello, Amber."

The large serpent flicked its tongue at the stunned Professor, who blinked in surprise before finally collecting herself. "Mr. Potter… you have a?"

"A snake, yes. She's been my friend for a little while now. It's why I needed the permission sheet."

McGonagall looked a bit apprehensive for a second, before finally relenting. "Very well, but if it bites or attacks anyone, then you'll be responsible for it. It could even cause you to get expelled if her bite is serious enough."

Harry looked somewhat worried, looking at Amber as he nodded. "Yes, Professor."

"Now, Mr. Potter, go ahead and join the other Slytherins. The Headmaster's speech is about to begin." McGonagall nodded to Harry curtly before moving to take a seat at the Head Table.

Harry sighed; she hadn't even said where he could get some food for Amber. It looked like she had been too worried about his snake. Mentally shrugging, he moved back to the Slytherin table and noticed a teacher with long black hair peering at him quizzically. Harry didn't think the man had seen the snake, but the way he was looking at Harry made him worried.


-Author's Notes-

And another chapter down, continuing Harry's little group. Plenty of new friends, but also some walls being made between them. Can Harry break through the house divide and keep his friends cohesive? Only time will tell.

This Thursday, I'll be releasing a beta'd version of this for easier reading, thanks to my Beta, Angie. I'll release it alongside Chapter 10, but I wanted to get this out for you guys even if it's a rough and basic format.

Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, not me!
Chapter Edited on 10/17/2024