Reviews:

TimeTraveller-1900: She'll be one of his love interests.

BMS: I'm fine either way but I think it depends on the story, a story where Harry is raised by the woman who supposedly tortured his parents would have to have a very forgiving eleven year old Neville. As for Bella, she is a great mum, definitely not perfect though as we'll see later.

Mitkon2001: Honestly, fanfiction made Neville quite boring for me as he's just nearly always Harry's best guy, no matter the story.

n*****hater: You are most definitely on the wrong website, please get help.

SevenSpirits: You should have hopefully seen the updates to those stories by now, glad you're enjoying them.

Chapter 15 -

After what felt like a very long time, the train finally grinded to a halt, signalling that they had arrived. One by one, the students had all walked out of the train, dressed in their uniforms. It was quite dark as well, reminding them of how long their train ride had been.

"Whoa," Hydrus heard Draco whisper. "Look at the size of that guy," He said, gesturing down to a massively large man who looked to be more than seven feet tall with long hair and a massive beard. This giant who looked like he could probably eat the both of them and have room left over was calling over all of the first years. "He looks like he eats children."

"Looks like he's got a few inside of him already," Hydrus muttered before following the other first year children over to the man.

"Alright now," The large man said, his voice booming through the air. "My name is Rubeus Hagrid. All first years will now follow me, c'mon now." He told them before turning around and walking off with the children following behind him. A few minutes later they ended up reaching the edge of a dock for a massive lake, where there appeared to be dozens of boats waiting for them. "Alright," Hagrid spoke up. "Four to a boat." He said before climbing into the biggest boat there, his massive size ended up with him filling up the entire boat.

"I bet you a galleon that his boat sinks," Draco whispered to Nott.

"Promise not to sabotage him and you've got a deal." Nott whispered back.

"Deal." He agreed just before he and Nott joined Daphne and Hydrus in a boat.

"Has anyone lost a toad?" Hagrid asked, holding up a fat toad in his hand.

"Trevor!" Neville cheered.

"Who the hell wants a toad for a pet?" Draco snorted.

"Now," Hagrid said once everybody was in. "Forwards!" Seemingly on command, the boats all started moving forwards across the lake.

"You think it's true that there's a giant squid in the lake?" Daphne whispered to Hydrus.

"It is true," Hydrus nodded back confidently. "Mum told me, apparently you can see it from in the Slytherin common room."

"Cool," Daphne whispered just before they spotted the castle.

"Cool's an understatement," Hydrus blurted out as many of the other first years gasped.

The Hogwarts castle was every bit as magnificent as described, the ancient stone castle seemingly rose miles into the air, piercing through the beautiful night sky. The castle window lights combined with the shinning moon's rays bouncing off the lake and onto the castle made it look like something out of a fairy tail. This beautiful moment, one that would have been embedded into the minds of all of the students for years to come, was promptly ruined by a large splashing sound. Everyone's eyes snapped to the source of the sound, and spotted a boat in the back. On the boat was Ron, Hermione and Liv, though next to the boat was Neville Longbottom who had apparently fallen in and was now splashing about helplessly as he was apparently unable to swim. A great many students, including Draco, started laughing while Hydrus stared at Longbottom for a moment before shaking his head with disbelief.

"He's an idiot," Daphne rolled her eyes, causing Hydrus to snort.

"He's an apocalyptic dingleberry." Hydrus grunted just before a giant red limb reached out from under the lake. This limb, noticeably the same shape as a squid's leg, picked Neville up and put him back in the boat. "I knew there was a squid!" Hydrus cheered victoriously.

It was not too long before the students found themselves standing inside of the castle, they were currently standing in a hallway outside of what Hydrus believed to be the great hall, all of them waiting for further instructions. Hydrus and his friends were stood by the wall opposite the door, Hydrus took to leaning against the wall and amusing himself as he watched Draco deal with Pansy Parkinson. The girl, whose father was a friend of Draco's father, had seemingly gotten it into her head that she and Draco were soul mates, much to the discomfort of Draco who was looking slightly irritated by how much the girl seemed to enjoy talking to him. It probably didn't help matters that he had just lost a galleon to Theo.

Feeling someone staring at him, he followed the feeling and saw Neville Longbottom standing with Weasley, Granger and Cooper. While the other three were talking amongst themselves, the Longbottom heir was glaring at Hydrus. His glare wouldn't have had much impact on Hydrus on a regular day, the fact that he was still soaking wet most certainly didn't help matters.

"Longbottom," Hydrus spoke up. "Tell me, how did you get that wet look in your hair? It looks brilliant." He said, smiling sweetly at him.

"Shut up, Potter!" Longbottom hissed.

"Potter?" Another student asked.

"Did he say Potter?"

"That's Harry Potter?"

"My name is Hydrus Black," Hydrus said firmly but he already saw that damage was done as everyone was already staring at the scar on his forehead. Hydrus glared at Neville who was smirking back at him now. "You're looking far too happy for someone doing a passable imitation of a wet dog." Neville opened his mouth to respond when they found themselves interrupted by the sound of another voice.

"Forgive and let live, I say."

"My friend, how many more chances must we give him?" Another voice replied as two ghosts started floating into view. "I do think that...oh look, new students!" He said excitedly.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff, my old house," The other ghost said proudly.

"Enough, away with you," Professor McGonagall said as she walked into view, shooing away the ghosts before she turned to address the students. "Greetings to you all, for those who do not know, my name is Professor McGonagall. I am the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts, head of Gryffindor house and I will be teaching transfiguration." She stopped her little speech upon noticing the state of Neville, she let out a small sigh before waving her wand and drying him up in an instant. "In a moment," She continued. "We will be entering the hall where you will all be sorted and placed into one of four houses. Those houses will be Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While staying here your house will be like your family. Good behaviour will earn you house points, bad behaviour will cause you to lose points. The house with the most points at the end of the year will end up winning the house cup. Now, students, follow me." She ordered before flicking her wand, causing the massive doors for the great hall to open.

The students walked in, following Professor McGonagall. As Hydrus walked he made sure to take a good look around, the ceiling was enchanted to show the sky just like his room at home, there were what felt like hundreds of floating candles just under the ceiling. On the sides of the hall were torches fitted into the walls, four massively long tables spread up the hall from the door, obviously one table for each house. It took Hydrus a moment but eventually he was able to find Tonks sitting at the Hufflepuff house, she smiled brightly at him and gave him a big wave. He smiled back and sent her a wink before turning his attention forwards.

At the end of the hall was a large stage and on the stage was a very old looking stool and on top of it was what looked to be the oldest wizards hat in the world, it was a brown colour but Hydrus honestly wasn't sure if it had started out that way. Behind the stool was a large table where all the teachers were sitting, in the centre of the table was a golden throne and sitting on it was a man that Hydrus realised had to be none other than Albus Dumbledore. He was old as evidenced by his wrinkled skin and the whiteness of his hair. The hair on the top of his head looked to be quite long since it went down to his lower back, as was his beard which went right down into his lap. He had a big, crooked nose and twinkling blue eyes that were hidden behind a pair of crescent moon shaped glasses. He wore a large pointy hat that was the same colour as his robes, a garish red and gold combo.

The old man smiled, looking quite happy and frail, but Hydrus wasn't fooled. His mother him all about Dumbledore and how the muggle-loving man liked to appear to be nothing more than a kind old grandfather despite possessing three of the most valuable positions in magical Britain and being the defeater of one dark lord whilst leading the resistance against the last dark lord. His mother had also told him about Dumbledore's desire to take him away from her, something that neither of them wanted to happen.

"Now," Professor McGonagall said as she climbed onto the stage and picked up the hat whilst unfolding a scroll. "When I call your names then you will come up here and sit down on the stool so you can be sorted. Now, Abbott, Hannah." She called, a few seconds later a nervous looking girl with blonde pigtails slowly made her way up to the stage.

"We have to put a hat on," Hydrus and his friends heard Weasley say. "I'm going to kill Fred and George, they told me we had to fight a troll!" Hydrus couldn't help but roll his eyes at that, he doubted that most of them would even be able to fight off Bowie.

Hannah nervously sat down after turning around to face the entire rest of the school. As soon as the hat was placed on the girl's head, the hat seemingly came to life, developing a mouth and eyes from the creases that it had. It wiggled on top of her head for a moment before it opened it's mouth and bellowed out a single word.

"Hufflepuff!"

A bright smile appeared on Hannah's face and she stood up after Professor McGonagall removed the sorting hat, as soon as she was up everyone noticed her school uniform changing so she was now wearing a Hufflepuff yellow and black badge on her robes along with a matching tie. She quickly rushed over to the cheering Hufflepuff table while the other three tables politely clapped for her. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat before looking down at the scroll and pausing as she saw the next name, she took a moment before she spoke.

"Black, Hydrus."

"I'll see you in Slytherin." Hydrus whispered to Daphne before he started walking forwards. He walked with pride, his chest out and his head raised. All the while, the other students sitting at the house tables began talking to each other.

"Did she say Hydrus Black?"

"The duelling champion?"

"Isn't he actually Harry Potter?"

"That's the boy-who-lived!"

"It's still hard to believe that he's a Black now."

"Do you think he can really speak to snakes?"

Hydrus ignored everything they were saying and the way that he was being stared at by teachers and students alike before he stopped in front of the stool, he turned and gracefully sat down on the stool like it was a throne and calmly waited for Professor McGonagall to place the hat on his head. A couple of seconds later he felt the hat being placed on his head, it was heavier than he would have expected.

'Hmm,' A voice whispered inside of his head. 'Difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either, curious, inquisitive. But where to put you?'

'You're asking me?' Hydrus thought back.

'I would like to get your opinion on it. I see a bit of everything in you, Mr Black. You're extremely loyal to your friends and family, especially your mother. You're brave, obviously, how could you not be when you willingly participate in a duelling tournament at your age? Intelligence? We have plenty of intelligence in here, a very good memory, you value knowledge, especially about magic. Ambition? Oh, we've got a lot of that as well. You desire to be a great wizard, to impress your mother, prove your worth, add to the Black family name. Yes, you're got a lot of potential. You seek greatness, I can tell, and it is my belief that Slytherin will help you on your way to greatness, what say you?"

'I'll have Slytherin please,' Hydrus grinned in a way that would have reminded people of his mother.

'If you're sure.' The hat said, Hydrus couldn't help but feel like the hat was smiling.

"Slytherin!" The hat yelled out to the hall.

The Slytherin table burst into cheers as the hat was removed from Hydrus's head, Hydrus stood up and walked to the Slytherin table, sitting down comfortably before sending his fellow Slytherin's a nod. After a few tense moments the sorting continued, Hydrus watched as all of his friends were sorted into Slytherin while Weasley, Granger and Cooper were sorted into Gryffindor. Longbottom was also sorted into Gryffindor and Hydrus had no problems about laughing along with the rest of the hall when the pudgy boy had started rushing to the Gryffindor table, only to end up running back when he realised that he hadn't taken off the sorting hat. The final student, a dark skinned Italian boy named Blaze Zabini, was sorted into Slytherin.

"And now," Dumbledore said as he stood up. "I would like to say a few words before we become too busy stuffing ourselves with food. Those words are the following: oddment, oink, tweet, blubber, bumbershoot, titter, cleek, lollygag and finally, finifugal. Now, let us eat!" He said cheerily before sitting back down.

"Mother always said he was mad," Hydrus whispered to Daphne with mock sadness just before massive quantities of food suddenly appeared on all the tables, enough for all of the students with plenty left over. Hydrus started putting some food on his plate before he heard Daphne say something.

"Ew! That's so disgusting!" She said, sounding grossed out. Hydrus followed her eye direction and spotted Weasley sitting at the Gryffindor table and doing a passable imitation of a wild animal with the way he was eating. The boy took a chicken leg in each hand and took a bite of each before placing them on his plate and doing the same with two other chicken legs and then repeating that process again before snatching a handful of sweets and placing them next to his plate, all the while crumbs of food dropped from his mouth and onto not just his plate and table, but also his lap. "What a pig!" Daphne said in a disgusted voice before looking away.

"Father always said that the Weasley's were born in a bin," Draco replied from his seat opposite Hydrus. "Probably the first time he's seen enough food to fill up a plate. Maybe they'd have a lot more money if he didn't eat so much." Hydrus looked amused as he looked back at the Gryffindor table in time to see Weasley try and take a chicken leg from Cooper's plate, it didn't end up going well as Cooper slapped his hand away with one hand before punching him in the arm with the same hand and whispering something to cause the boy to pale and move back slightly before looking down at his plate.

Cooper shook her head before her eye caught the Slytherin table and she saw Hydrus staring at her, Hydrus raised a goblet to her and gave her a respectful nod. 'Well done,' Was the unspoken message, and a deserved one in Hydrus's opinion. She stared at him for a moment before raising her own goblet with an unspoken message of her own attached. 'Thanks.'