Albus Dumbledore was feeling quite happy as he sucked on a lemon sherbet at the Head Table. Hagrid told him that the boy who lived was healthy, respectful, and seemed smart. That his aunt and uncle had done well by him which was good. Hopefully they hadn't spoiled him much, Albus was relieved they hadn't lived down to Minerva's expectations. He'd have been hard pressed to face his deputy if she found out he had by passed her guardianship, and they had. Not that Albus couldn't have worked that into his plans. He was anxious to see the boy himself but didn't want to draw too much attention to him yet.
He had been mildly concerned when Ollie had written and said there was some difficulty with the boy's wand. Even the Holly wand with a phoenix feather from Fawkes had not matched. Ollie had of course sorted it out. Albus figured that when Severus saw the custom wand he would put it down to Albus spoiling Harry instead of the necessity it was. He would have to keep a sharp eye on things. The stone being in the castle was sure to draw undesirable attention. But he needed a mysterious challenge to test the boy, how better than to hide the stone in a trapped maze in the school. He hoped that the boy had as much courage as his father and as much heart as his mother. He supposed he would find out as Minerva led the first years in.
He listened to the names and houses as they were called. Bones no surprise there. Goldstein he would have thought Hufflepuff. Ah, how nice Neville Longbottom in Gryffindor. Malfoy in Slytherin big surprise, not. Now finally the name he'd been waiting for Harry Potter. Why was the hat taking so long, it shouldn't take long. The boy was meant for Gryffindor and surely Molly had met him and helped him at the station. It was so fortunate Hagrid forgot that tidbit of information. Thereby allowing more influencing of the boy further towards Gryffindor. Albus had the measure of Ron Weasley and he was relatively sure that the boy would cozy up to Harry and influence him still further towards Gryffindor.
Meanwhile under the Sorting Hat. Harry and the Hat were having quite the discussion.
"Slytherin" Harry ordered the hat.
"Are you out of your mind young fellow? Slytherin is for people who want to prove something, and are usually willing to play fast and loose with the rules to do it. You understand manipulation and calculation. I must admit you are quite accomplished at it, you understand planning but you also have a moral code, most children there while totally loyal to certain ideals are not attached to law abiding behavior. No you are far better suited for Gry-"
"Put me in Gryffindor, and I swear you'll be in too many pieces to sort another student."
"Not Gryffindor hmm… You are a puzzle. Slytherin huh? Why? You could have so much more influence from Gryffindor. You are cunning I'll grant, quite the planner and not afraid to manipulate others, but you have such an determined moral code and I sense no strong desire to prove yourself. Not to mention all the enemies you'll have in Slytherin. I'm sorry I just don't see it. Hufflepuff, maybe? You are totally loyal to those you trust few though they are, no stranger to hard work, and unafraid to make friends… But you are not eager to trust and, therefore are no Hufflepuff… Not to mention with your determination to win and fierceness….I suppose you would eat them alive. Hmm… You are as intelligent as your mother, and have a mind Rowena herself would gladly claim… But Ravenclaw isn't right for you, you would terrify them. Too practical, and physical by half… Surely you see you have courage in such abundance, you are brave enough to combat even those you fear, and you are already a warrior at heart. Such a sense of right and wrong… Godric would be thrilled to have one such as you. It really is the best-"
"Not Gryffindor." Harry growled.
"Why not?"
"I am here because I have been given no choice. Almost my whole life has been living as others have chosen for me. They don't care if I am happy nor unhappy. Any happiness I have had came in stolen increments. My Aunt too has been denied that which would have made her happy. I'm not happy to be a puppet. By the same token neither am I unhappy to be here, because here I will have opportunities I don't have at my relatives. You say I am both brave and cunning, then let me be cunning enough and brave enough to thwart those that would control me. Slytherin."
"You do not want to be controlled by others, and I suppose you do lack the usual hardheaded plough ahead idiocy. But if I am to place you elsewhere you must show me what it is you want. I see… but the scope is so simple. You merely wish to have a happy, simple life and have love. That's not ambitious it's actually rather Hufflepuffish of you. I really can't see Slytherin as being the place for you. You are confident in yourself but not stupidly so; Slytherin house is marked by those seeking to prove themselves. Besides you already despise many of your potential housemates."
"Granted. But it is ambitious to want a simple life, when you have someone like Albus Dumbledore attempting to steer you into some grand, glorious, predetermined destiny. Glorious destinies in books inevitable lead to grand funerals so no thank you. Any house but Slytherin, and he will have grounds on which to maneuver."
"You have a point. And you do have a by stick or by carrot determination to win that won't quit. Not Gryffindor hmm, disappointing, but I guess it can be SLYTHERIN!"
In the silence that followed that pronouncement, it would have been possible to hear a pin drop.
Minerva was crushed the child of two of her all-time favorite students wouldn't be in her house. Severus Snape who had been sipping from his goblet sprayed wine across the table. Albus Dumbledore lost his famous twinkle and just blinked in shock. Harry removed the hat from his head and moved through the silence to the Slytherin table. The rest of the sorting happened in relative quiet as everyone tried to absorb that the Boy-Who-Lived was in Slytherin.
Harry started off the year using the map to learn his way around. He rapidly grew to appreciate it even more, as it allowed him to mostly avoid his fellow students. Harry was as used to poor treatment from others, but if he'd have been dark like so many of his schoolmates called him he probably would have committed violence by now. For some reason almost everyone took offense at his control was greater than their provocation so far. Someone had been pranking him since the second day of term. Given the red and gold he was sometimes turned he assumed it was some Gryffindors. And it wasn't just the other houses, no, even the students that were his housemates occasionally shoved him and called him names. Slytherin House had semi private rooms. Theodore Nott who was supposed to be his roommate had moved in with Blaise Zabini and Gregory Goyle because he didn't want to share with a halfblood or so he claimed. Harry knew he wasn't the only halfblood in the house so he figured it had more to do with the fact that Harry was the Boy-Who-Lived than anything else. Harry just shrugged and kept to his room in the hours he was required to be in the dorm.
Hedwig helped, he had no idea how but she had somehow found a way from the owlery to his room in the Slytherin dorms. As Harry looked at Hedwig, he couldn't figure out how she did it. She got to the dungeons every single day, no one let her in. Harry had finally pulled her perch from his trunk so she had a place in their room and supposed it was just as well that Theodore Nott refused to stay in the same room with him since owls were supposed to stay in the owlery. Taking her from the dorm back outside had become a nightly ritual.
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