The Sorting
As the train came to a stop, Harry, Draco, and Hermione all filed off into the Hogsmeade station. There was a lot of noise but over the crowd Harry could hear "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" Hagrid shouted.
Harry smiled and reminisced. He just couldn't believe he was back at his beloved Hogwarts again. He walked over to the half giant. "Hey Hagrid!" He greeted.
"Harry! How yuh doin'? Did yuh get to the platform a'right?" He asked giving Harry a suffocating hug.
When Harry was finally released he smiled and replied, "I'm good. Yes, I got there okay. It wasn't too hard." Harry silently added that it was odd that Hagrid "forgot" to tell him about the platform, but was now asking him if he found it. It was strange but Harry decided to think about it later. Once Hagrid had collected all the first years, they headed toward the boats.
"No more than four on a boat." He told them. Harry and the crew-regrettably including Ron-got in the boat. The boats started moving across the Black Lake.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec" Hagrid called.
"Wow!" Many exclaimed as the castle came into view. The three time travelers recalled the last time they rode the boats to Hogwarts. They smiled as the remembered the wonder they felt.
Draco suddenly had an idea. "I heard there's a giant squid who eats children on their way to the castle. I also heard it prefers redheads." He whispered behind his hand in Ron's direction.
Ron went wide eyed and then squinted at the young Malfoy. "I'm not gonna fall for that one, Malfoy." He spat confidently, eyeing the water, and scooting closer to Hermione, whom he was sitting next to.
"I'm just saying what I've heard, Weasley." He bit back, all the while throwing a smirk at Harry. Harry giggled, but covered it with a cough. Hermione gave the boys a disappointing look, but bit back a laugh as well. For the rest of the ride, Ron stayed nervously quiet.
Finally, they had arrived at the castle. Hagrid led them to a hall with a stern looking woman in front of a pair of large doors. The woman had on green, fitting robes and wore a tight-lipped smile.
"He'e yuh go, Professor McGonagall!" Hagrid called to the woman.
She smiled and replied. "Thank you, Hagrid." She looked around at the first years, "Welcome to Hogwarts! The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes your own.
"The sorting ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
Her eyes swept over the crowd once again stopping momentarily on Neville Longbottom's cloak (which was fastened incorrectly), on Draco's superior posture, and on Harry (whose hand had subconsciously flown up to flatten his hair).
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."
The professor slipped through the double doors and vanished.
"How exactly do they sort us?" someone asked.
Ron answered quickly, trying to seem smart, "My brothers told me you have to fight a troll"
The three who had already done this scoffed. Hermione opened her mouth to correct him, but Draco beat her to it.
"That's preposterous! Why would they make a bunch of children fight a dangerous creature? It's obviously only some sort of test or observation to see which house will best fit us" Draco drawled, trying to act as if he didn't completely know. Harry and Hermione shared a humorous look when Draco said, 'make a bunch of children fight a dangerous creature'.
Ron glared at the young Malfoy. "What do you know Malfoy. Plus, why do you even care, we all know where you're going." Ron seethed, mad that Draco had made him look foolish in front of Harry Potter.
Draco decided to ignore him. All the sudden the ghosts came from the walls. After talking to the children, they retreated and Professor McGonagall came out to retrieve the children.
They all walked into the Great Hall and most were astonished by the ceiling, which was charmed to look like the sky outside. As they reached the front of the Hall, Professor McGonagall placed a stool down in front of the first years. On top of the stool, was the old, raggedy, Sorting Hat. The Hall was silenced as the Hat started to sing.
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So, put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
As the hat finished the Hall erupted into applause
"See Weasley, it's only a mere hat." Draco informed Ron, who had made his way beside Harry.
"Sod off, Malfoy" Ron said distastefully. Harry and Draco smirked to each other.
Professor McGonagall rolled out a piece of parchment and started calling out names.
"Abbott, Hannah." A girl went up and the hat was placed on her head. Only seconds later the hat announced
"Hufflepuff!" The Hufflepuff table erupted into applause.
Then it went on like that. Name after name.
"Bones, Susan- Hufflepuff; Boot, Terry- Ravenclaw; Brocklehurst, Mandy- Ravenclaw; Brown, Lavender- Gryffindor; Bulstrode, Millicent- Slytherin; Crabbe, Vincent- Slytherin; Finch-Fletchley, Justin- Hufflepuff; Finnegan, Seamus- Slytherin…" That's not right Harry thought.
Finally, Hermione was summoned to the front.
"Granger, Hermione" the professor called. She walked up warily, just as she had last time. Harry was curious, 'Why should she be nervous? It's just a hat, and she already knows what's about to happen. She really is "keep things the same". About a minute later the hat announced "Gryffindor!" The house in question erupted in applause as everyone did when they got a new member.
Then it went on again, "Longbottom, Neville- Gryffindor; MacDougal- Slytherin; Malfoy, Draco."
Hearing his name called, Draco haughtily stepped up on the platform and sat on the chair, only barely, expecting to get up right away. The Hat was placed on his head and he awaited its decision.
"Hmm…. Interesting, I thought you would be an easy one to sort, you are from the Malfoy line, aren't you?" the Hat asked. Of course, I am! Draco thought back. "Just checking…. you are very different than any Malfoy I've sorted. Time travel? Not new information, but you? Sacrificing your own comfort for the wizarding race? You're more Gryffindor than you could possibly imagine. There is still ambition, sly, cunning, and self-preservation, but I think it will be best for you to be in GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat announced before the boy had time to argue.
The whole hall went completely silent. Draco was paralyzed in fear. Professor McGonagall nudged the boy off the chair. Draco, being shoved slightly, stumbled to gain his balance. Draco looked back at the professor.
"There has to have been a mistake. I don't belong there. The Hat made a mistake!" Draco told the Professor warily, but persistently.
"There has been no mistake, please sit down at your respective table." The professor said sternly but gently. Malfoy dragged his feet and hung his head in defeat. He sat down and the professor called more names.
"Moon… Nott… Parkinson… Patil… Patil… Perks… Potter, Harry." She called out.
"Did she say Potter? Harry Potter?" Whispers could be heard through the crowd.
"The Harry Potter," another said.
Harry gave a glance back to Draco, who was sitting next to Fred Weasley with his head lying on the table, until it perked up upon hearing Harry's name called. He smiled encouragingly at Harry, but quickly turned back into a frown. Harry sat on the stool and the Hat was placed on his head.
"Difficult, another time traveler, I should have known. Hmm… Courage, plenty of that. Great mind, yes, wonderful even. Loads of talent-My, you will be great. Slytherin would do you quite well…." The hat wondered
"Not Slytherin! Not Slytherin!" Harry thought.
"Not Slytherin, you say? Hm, then it will have to be GRYFFINDOR!" the Hat shouted.
The whole Gryffindor table stood up in cheer. Harry jauntily made his way to his house table.
"WE'VE GOT POTTER! WE'VE GOT POTTER!" the Weasley twins chorused.
Harry sat beside a very nervous Draco. "Are you all right?" he asked.
Draco looked up from his hands, "My father will hear about this!" Draco moaned.
"You're really going to call him down here just because you're in Gryffindor?" Harry asked, thinking Draco might not have changed.
"No. I mean, Father will be furious." He answered. Harry looked at Draco with a sad smile.
"It'll be okay" Harry assured. After the excitement wore off, the Sorting continued. Ron was sorted in to Gryffindor just as he had before, much to the consternation of the time travelers. After it was done Dumbledore stood up at the podium and said a few words. The meal commenced and after being starved all summer, Harry loaded up his plate a mile high. Draco, who was very nervous, nibbled, but didn't eat more than a bite or two of food. Harry thought for a bit why Seamus would be in Gryffindor one time and Slytherin the next, but only considered it for a while before going back to feasting. When the feast was done, they followed Percy back to the common room, said goodnight to Hermione, and went up to their dorms. Harry and Draco picked beds right next to each other, while Ron picked the bed directly across from Harry. Harry and Draco talked and decided to concern themselves with the whole Quirrelmort thing later, and went to bed.