it's nice to have a friend
They got off the Hogwarts Express and the gamekeeper, Hagrid, led them to the school in boats across the Black Lake.
They were all given lanterns to hold and see the school. Harry and Ron sat across Hermione and Neville as they all sailed through the dark waters.
There was a huge building on the side of a cliff, a splash of light against the deep darkness of the waters.
The place looked like a palace, a giant fortress by a lake standing out against the night sky. He gaped at the sight in front of him, no idea how any place could look so magical.
He'd been to Gringotts with mummy and dad once but the wizarding bank was nothing compared to the sight before him.
"I heard the stairs are magical and move on their own!" Hermione exclaimed from the crowds.
They entered the school and indeed, the staircases moved on their own. It made quite a bit of work and Ron almost fell over if Harry hadn't caught him by the collar and nearly tumbled over himself.
When they reached the Great Hall, a room so huge that the word 'room' was an understatement, a stern woman stood in front of the stairs in a pointed witch hat and a long green dress.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All of the first-years, before you begin, you must be sorted into your houses. The houses are-"
"Trevor there you are!" He heard a familiar voice as he saw a round-faced boy with buck teeth pick up his toad.
The woman gave him a firm look he whimpered under before continuing, "The houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw. While you are here, your Hogwarts house will be like your family."
They all gathered in the Great Hall where all of their names would be called alphabetically for them to sit and be sorted.
"What house do you reckon you'll be in?" Ron asked.
"I don't really know how the sorting system works, so I don't really know." Harry answered.
He didn't mind what house he was put in, although he was secretly rooting for Gryffindor. He admired their courage and honour. If he didn't get that, he hoped to be in the same house as Ron, he was friendly.
"I'm not sure which house I'd want. My family's been in Gryffindor for ages. All of my brothers are from the house as well." Ron remarked.
"All my family's Gryffindor too, but I have so many siblings so I bet that would change." Harry replied, deep in thought.
"My mum and dad thought the same, albeit with more disappointment. I think they're quite happy with how all five of my brothers ended up in gryffindor."
They waited patiently for their turn. The Sorting Hat burst out into a song that was applauded by all before it began sorting the students.
There were alot of students before them. Susan Bones, Hufflepuff. The Granger girl, Gryffindor.
The list went on. He was getting good at ignoring the hushed whispers around him.
His mother founded the most famous wizarding newspaper company in Britain and his father used to be a popular chaser, so he was bound to get attention.
But Merlin, this much attention? Weren't there muggleborns and people living under rocks that would completely ignore him?
He was minding his own business, talking to Ron when a kid with platinum blonde hair and two other kids behind him came upto him.
"Harry Potter, right?" He grinned in a weird way, like he was about to dissect all his organs and sell them or something.
"Uh, yes, last I checked." He replied. How the kid knew his name, he didn't know.
"I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." Oh, he was pretty sure this was one of uncle Padfoot's old nephews.
He didn't really keep in touch with any of them except one of his elder cousins. Harry didn't really know much about it.
Ron coughed to try and hide his snickering behind him and Draco glared at him.
"Think my name's funny, do you? There's no need to ask you yours. Red hair, freckles and a hand-me-down robe? You must be a Weasley." He gave the boy a withering glare before turning to Harry.
"You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." Draco chided in a posh accent and offered his hand to Harry.
Harry seethed with contempt as he kept his hands away from Malfoy, "I think I can tell the wrong sort myself. Thanks." He told him off as coolly as he could manage.
Who did he think he was? Going about insulting people's families at eleven like a bigoted little slug. There weren't any families that were better than others, according to Harry.
Nobody's family defined them. He learned that from uncle Sirius. Everybody was different and everybody was allowed to be different.
Malfoy's eyes widened and he stared angrily at him. Harry glared right back.
Clearly, he was not used to being told no. But before he could say anything, his name was called to the Sorting Hat.
Draco went up to the hat, it barely touched his head before yelling, "SLYTHERIN" in a voice that could be heard all the way back home. Well, he knew a house he didn't want to be in.
The sorting ceremony went on and eventually Harry's name was called.
"Potter, Harry." Mrs. McGonagall, as the green-dressed woman called herself, announced.
She looked at him with a flash of what looked like acceptance. Like when you see something and go 'this might as well happen, although I don't want it to.' She probably had his dad as a student.