Chapter 5
The train ride came and went so fast, the trolley witch arrived and the four had lunch together, and were joined soon after by some other passengers. The first was a short boy who lost his toad, who ended up coming back with a bushy haired girl who was also rather rude.
“Have you seen Nevill’s toad, its gone missing?” she asked, interrupting the conversation that was filling the car moments earlier. The four boys had been showing eachother their new wands from Olivanders when she threw the door open, and seeing this she gasped, “Are you doing magic, can I see?” Harry turned to the others with an incredulous look on his face.
“Well, first we haven’t seen a toad. We already told Nevill that when he asked. Second we were just showing each other our wands, not doing magic. Third, it was rude of you to open the door and interrupt our conversation the way you did. Usually it is polite to knock, or at least say excuse me before interrupting the conversation in the room. Now if you would please leave, That would be lovely." Harry said in a polite tone, even though inside he felt itchy and irritated that she didn’t have the common decency to even apologize for her fou pax. Instead she turned red and stormed out of the compartment and slammed the door behind her.
“Jeeze, rude.” Harry let out in a sigh. The other boys looked at him funny before returning to their original topics.
Later the twins from the second hand showed up, knocking on the door and entering with permission.
“Ah, harry. It is simply splendid to see you again.” said fred
“Yes, positively wonderful.”
“Messers Weasley, purveyors of chaos, it has been some time. May I introduce to you my new friends Draco Malfoy, heir Malfoy, Greggory Goyle, heir Goyle, and Vincent Crabbe, heir Crabbe. My friends, this is Messrs Fred and George Weasley.”
“A Pleasure to meet you, young friends of mischief.” said George
“Indeed, quite a treat.” agreed Fred.
“Um, Hello.” Draco said looking rather bewildered, glancing from Harry to the twins. He was rather flustered it seemed. Harry shook off his rude behavior since he has been well mannered the whole train ride. He must just be shocked to meet some of Harry's friends.
“How may I help you, twins of terror?” harry asked
“We have come on rather uncouth business, it pains me to admit.” Fred said with solemnity
“Too true, we wish to ask about a rumor involving yourself,” said george.
“Ah, ask away my friends, I will be happy to confirm or deny this rumor and put your curiosity to rest.”
“My thanks, young mischief,” said george.
“It has come to our attention that your surname is in fact Potter, the one credited with the downfall of the dark lord.” Fred said, looking to Harry in eager anticipation.
“It is true, though I am afraid I cannot recall what occurred that night. I suppose that the true credit should be given to those that perished, as I was a mere babe, unable to perform such feats as have been laid at my feet.”
“Ah, we see.” said Fred, nodding his head.
“Then we must apologize for our ignorance, and give our condolences on the passing of those on that night. We commend their bravery and magical prowess.” George finished for his brother.
“There is nothing to forgive, for it was not known, and I thank you for your heartfelt words. Go in peace, and wreak havoc in your wake.” Harry said in a silly sounding pompous farewell. The twins bowed and left the compartment, leaving Harry to look back to his new friends. They were looking at him as if he had just grown a new head.
“What was that about?” Draco asked in complete confusion.
“Oh, we were just messing around.” to which all three shook their heads and laughed.
Soon the conductor spoke throughout the train, announcing that they would arrive at Hogwarts shortly. The four changed into their robes and smartened each other up a little while the train slowed. Harry shrunk his trunk and pocketed it, not willing to leave such an expensive and important item in the hands of people he didn’t know. He finally settled Tom in his extended pocket before joining his companions.
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The boat ride was freezing, but well worth it in Harry's opinion, since the view of the castle was breathtaking in and of itself. He could feel the brush of the wards, the tingle of warmth as they passed over his skin. The giant squid was quite the shock to some of the first years, as the boat containing the red haired boy, the bushy haired girl, and the timid boy from earlier, tipped over in their fright. The giant squid just righted the boat, and lifted the three soggy forms back into their vessel. Harry had to try very hard to not laugh at their misfortune.
The group soon reached the shore in a little underground harbour that led to a great many stairs. They climbed them up to the castle, ending at a large set of double doors taller than even Hagrid, who took a moment to pound his fist on one.
The door opened to a stern witch with greying hair pulled tightly into a bun and velvet robes the color of emeralds. She ushered them inside to a small antechamber where she explained the rules of the school as well as their sorting. Harry barely paid attention, just ready to get on with it as he was. He was pulled out of his reverie as shrieks sounded from the other side of the room. Apparently, some ghosts had spooked one of the students.
McGonagall reappeared and led them into the great hall, lined in two rows. When the doors opened, there was a collective hush that went through the great hall, all the students craning their heads to see their new classmates, and the teachers watching from above on the head table. The group was led in a parade down the center of the hall to a old looking hat, who broke out in song about the hogwarts houses. By now Harry's patience had worn thin, he was tired, hungry, and ready to be sorted. Several students went to Griffindor, namely the red haired boy, the bushy haired girl, and a few others. The timid boy went to Hufflepuff, as well as a blonde and a few other girls, only one other boy. The Ravenclaw students were sparse this year, with three girls and one boy being sorted there, and the rest going to slytherin. In total there were six Griffindors, five Hufflepuffs, four Ravenclaws, and seven slytherins- Harry being the seventh.
When the hat met Harry's head, he heard a voice talking to itself. It told of how Harry would be great in Slytherin, how he could meet true friends and grow into a great leader. Harry thought to the voice that he was happy with that. The hat seemed to pause, as if waiting for a change of mind, but Harry stayed silent, the hat shouted out his new house.
The applause that was there for every student, was irritatingly absent in the wake of Harry's sorting. Even the slytherin students got a modicum of cheer from their surrounding classmates, who on principle feared and loathed them in equal measure.
The feast was grand, even if Harry couldn’t eat as much as everyone else. It wouldn’t do to hurt his stomach and possibly throw up on his first night. Throughout the feast he felt stares on him, mostly from other students, and one particular teacher in black robes who Harry learned was his new head of house. When Harry met his eyes, there was a slight pressure. He broke eye contact as his scar gave a vicious twinge, the pressure leaving and his teacher looking decidedly pale. He chalked it down to a possible headache, or a new mystery. Harry was just barely keeping his eyes propped open as the student body were dismissed to their beds for the night. Harry happily followed Draco and his perpetual shadows to the bowles of the school. There was little to mark the passage they took, only the little snake inscriptions at the bottom of the walls, so Harry figured it was best not to get lost.
“I am Gema Farley, The fifth year female prefect for slytherin house.” she introduced herself, she broke off to give the little snake inscribed into the wall the new password, ‘pureblood’, before entering the common room.
“Professor Snape is our head of house, and the potions master.”
“Thankyou Farley, for that concise introduction. I am indeed the potions master here at hogwarts, and as such I have little time for foolish whining. The prefects are more than capable of handling your first night worries, I expect not to be disturbed due to nightmares, homesickness, or simple matters that can be resolved with their help. I will meet with the house every friday evening after dinner to go over the week, and there I will take the time to address petty squabbles, oversee duels, and offer advice on any number of subjects. If you ever are called to the headmaster you are to get me, do not be alone with him.” he broke off to look at harry specifically, before returning to his rather impressive speech, “ This school is not kind to those in slytherin, I expect you all to put up a united front outside these doors. Do not go anywhere alone, do not let a fellow snake get hurt, and do not get caught.” he stressed his final four words, looking at harry again. It was almost as if harry had set off some troublemaker radar is his professor’s mind. Harry knew well enough not to get caught.
“That is all.” snape said, the prefects calling the first years to attention so they could hand out room assignments.
“Potter, a word” he said, passing him and heading into a shadowed alcove.
“Hey professor, what can I do for you?” he asked, flashing his most innocent smile.
“Your blocks are off, I can smell your creature.” he said without preamble, not buying his innocent expression for a second.
Harry’s face became stormy, “you knew about my blocks!” he didn’t raise his voice, this was a private conversation after all. His exclamation came out as more of a hiss, which made his teacher shrink back in an almost unnoticed flinch.
“Only on your creature, so as not to inherit too young. Why, where there other blocks?” his words turned more worried, but harry took a deep breath.
“We should take this someplace else.” was all harry said, gaining an approving nod from the head of slytherin house.