Chapter 7 - The Sorting Hat Redux
(A/N - Bellatrix's 'slight change' is revealed. Hopefully it won't be too much of a surprise. By the way, from now on, I am intentionally skimming over things that are already covered in JKR's writings to this point. I am only going to be including the differences in this time loop as necessary, or else I will be writing for years. Besides, I'm sure you're already familiar with the original plot!)
"Now, form a line," a stern looking witch was saying, "and follow me." As they entered the hall, Harry heard that bossy girl say something about some history book she had read. <How boring…she must be a know-it-all, too. Well, I'll try to stay clear of her as much as I can. She's probably deadly dull. I wonder if one of those…houses they told us about has one for brainy types. I agree with Ron, just as long as I'm not in with her, I'll be happy. Now that Slytherin house sounds…interesting.> His scar twinged pleasantly again, and he had a warm feeling come over him. <Maybe I'll get to be in that one.>
He was now staring at a funny looking hat on a stool. Before too long, the hat was actually singing something about each of the houses. <Slytherin is for cunning folk, that doesn't sound too bad. Cunning means skilled and ingenious, doesn't it? I wonder why Ron didn't want to be in that house?>
By this time, they had started the sorting and, one by one, the first year students were joining their classmates at the four tables in the hall. Harry noticed that the Slytherin table seemed to have students with the best looking robes; and, with a few noticeable exceptions like that Bulstrode person <Millicent? I would have sworn she was a bloke…>they seemed to be better looking, at least to his eyes. Most of them seemed to have sleek, blonde hair, very well barbered or styled, although there were a few with dark hair like his but none quite as messy. He noticed that Malfoy boy just sitting down after being sorted. He remembered him from Madam Malkin's and on the train. <I'll bet he's someone good for me to get to know. He looks pretty popular over there. I'd better be a little nicer to him. I was rude on the train today when I didn't shake his hand. Maybe I'll get a chance to apologize.>
"Potter, Harry!" Professor McGonagall's voice interrupted his thoughts. <Well, here goes! Wonder how this works?> he thought as the hat was placed on his head.
"Hmm..." said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult…very difficult…wait a minute, what's this? Slytherin? I definitely see that you have Slytherin here in your head…almost as strong as that Malfoy fellow I just sent over there. Slytherin will help you on your way to greatness, boy, no doubt about that - okay with you? Fine, then, let's get you into SLYTHERIN!"
As the hat shouted this to the hall and he ran off to join his new friends, his scar no longer tingling at all, Harry failed to notice the shocked look that appeared on two people in particular at the head table. Both the Headmaster and a dark haired young witch at the end of the table appeared ready to jump up to demand that the hat try again, but then, realization crossed both of their faces and they sat down, exchanging knowing looks at each other.
However, there were two at the table who were also reacting somewhat out of character. Professor Snape, head of Slytherin House, and Professor Quirrell, DADA teacher, were very interested in what had just happened. Snape, in particular, had, for the first time since he had heard that Harry Potter was attending Hogwarts, a slight smile on his face as he realized the implications of Harry's house assignment. And Quirrell, seated next to him wearing a new turban, had an expression that changed from one of fear and revulsion to one of utter satisfaction, as if he were of two minds on the subject of Harry Potter's sorting.
Harry, meanwhile, had taken a seat at the Slytherin Table that was right next to Draco Malfoy. "So, Potter, what was it you were saying on the train about being able to tell who the wrong sort are for yourself?" the pale blond-headed boy smirked. "Well, either you're the wrong sort yourself, or you might want to reconsider what you said."
Harry smiled apologetically, and said "I'm really sorry, Draco. I realized after I said that to you that I was wrong in not shaking your hand when you offered it to me. Can we just start over? I mean, today has been a busy day and I haven't been myself since I got up this morning. I'm sure there are lots of things that I don't know about the Wizarding World with my background, and I'd like to ask you to help me learn what I need to know. Deal?" he finished, with a grin, extending his hand in friendship.
Draco paused for a moment, not quite sure how to take this change of attitude. Then, the true Slytherin that he was raised to be came out, and he positively glowed. "Sure, Potter. I'll be glad to help you learn what you need to know. What is it that the Muggles say? 'Show you the ropes…"
At those words, Harry's mind flashed to a thought of him being bound by ropes coming out of what looked like a wand, but it quickly disappeared. "Thanks, Malfoy. Now, why don't you introduce me to your friends here?"
Draco did just that, and Harry met the friends that Draco had grown up with and played with his whole life. "Potter, meet Gregory Goyle, Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, and Vincent Crabbe."
Once again, as he heard that unfamiliar name, a fleeting image of a large man with a baby's head entered Harry's consciousness, and was gone. <Why is it that I keep on seeing weird things when I hear these stranger's names? I don't even know any of them, but it's almost as if I DO, somehow. I'll have to ask Draco later - maybe it is part of being a Wizard.>
By this time, Harry noticed that the person he assumed was the Headmaster had finished saying some strange words, and the next thing he knew, there was food piled on his plate and on the table. <Wonder if those words he said were a magic spell? I'd love to be able to learn that one! I bet that Weasley boy would, too. He seemed to be quite hungry on the train. Wait a minute, wonder where he ended up - I wasn't paying too much attention after I came over here.>
He looked around, and saw a red-headed boy looking anxiously back at him from the Gryffindor table. When Ron noticed that Harry was looking at him, he quickly averted his eyes, but Harry could have sworn there was a flash of sadness in them as he did so. Ron immediately involved himself in a conversation with three other red-headed boys at the table, and Harry assumed that they must be the three brothers Ron had mentioned on the train. <Oh, well, I guess he'll be happy there in Gryffindor with his brothers. That's probably for the best. By the state of their robes, it looks like they're all a bit poorer than my housemates here, and it might make Ron upset if he found out how much money I have.>
Before he focused his attentions on the feast spread before him, he noticed that the bossy girl he had shared a boat with coming to the castle was seated by herself, eyes wide at the feast before her, but quite alone. <Wonder what she did to scare everyone off?>, he thought, for she was the only one he could see at the Gryffindor table that wasn't involved in a conversation with their neighbors. <Probably started quoting something from that history book she mentioned before and everyone must have thought she was mental! Funny, I almost feel sorry for her for some reason. I do know what it is like to be ignored at school, don't I? Well, she'll just have to figure it out on her own, I guess.>
Any further thoughts of that nature were interrupted as he was startled by the appearance of a scary-looking ghost, wearing blood-stained robes, sitting on the other side of Malfoy. For some reason, Harry thought that Draco was quite unhappy with this turn of events, and Harry realized that he probably would have felt the same way if the situation were reversed. "That's the Bloody Baron!" he heard someone at his table whisper behind him. "He's the Slytherin House Ghost!" Harry noticed that there were ghosts at each of the house tables, and the one at the Gryffindor table seemed to be able to pull his head off partially. <What a strange place this is! Nearly headless and blood-covered ghosts, food magically appearing, talking hats…wait till I tell Dudley! Maybe I can give him some nightmares!>
When Harry and the rest of the students had finished their desserts, the Headmaster (Dumbledore, he remembered from the Chocolate Frog Card he saw on the train) stood up to make some announcements. They didn't make a lot of sense to him, something about a forest being forbidden to all pupils, to not use magic in the halls <Well, since I don't know any yet, I guess I'm safe!>, Harry thought with a grin), and then something about Quidditch trials <Oh, that's what Ron was going on about on the train. Hmm, wonder what that's like? But, it's only for second year students so I guess I'll forget about it for now.>
Dumbledore then said something that seemed like it was a last minute change to his prepared remarks. "I would like the faculty and staff to be aware that the note I sent to you all concerning the restrictions on the right-hand side of the third-floor corridor has been rescinded. Recent events have come to light that make those precautions unnecessary, as other arrangements have already been made."
Professor Quirrell at the head table seemed to take special notice of this announcement, which fact was, in turn, noticed by Snape seated next to him.
Dumbledore continued. "I have one more announcement to make before we adjourn. Many of you returning students, especially the older boys, I see, have noticed an addition to our staff this year. At the last minute, Hogwarts has been most fortunate indeed to engage the services of Miss Harmony June Puckle. Miss Puckle has recently completed advanced studies at a private wizarding school in Canada, and is well-qualified to be the Assistant Professor of Charms. She will be working with our esteemed Professor Filius Flitwick and will also assist him in his duties as head of Ravenclaw house. Miss Puckle's area of expertise is working with first-year Muggle-born students who have a slight disadvantage coming to Hogwarts, having not been exposed to magic up to this point. Any first-year students, especially Muggle-born ones, who feel that you could use some extra tutoring, please sign up with Miss Puckle during your first scheduled Charms lesson or notify your Head of House. As for you older male students, especially those who are having trouble keeping their eyes in their sockets, may I remind you that teacher/student relationships of any kind are not allowed at Hogwarts." Dumbledore added this last with a twinkle in his eye.
It was true, many of the sixth and most of the seventh year male students at all four tables were obviously interested in the strikingly pretty new teacher. A few scattered comments began to be heard above the crowd noise, such as "…why do the First years have all the luck…", "I'd sure like to have HER teach me a few things I don't know…" and "I know why she's teaching charms…she's already charmed me!"
Harmony, whose hearing was quite fine, thank you, began to blush slightly as she heard some of the more suggestive comments coming from the Slytherin table in particular. She, however, was interested in only one occupant of that table, a small, skinny, dark-haired boy with a scar on his forehead. <Oh, Harry!>, she thought with a stifled groan, <why did you have to end up in Slytherin? What did they do to you to make this happen? I've got to talk to Albus as soon as possible so we can get to the bottom of this.>
Harry, who had seen the new teacher when she stood up during her introduction, began to notice that she seemed to be looking at him for quite a while, as was Professor Quirrell whom he had already met at the Leaky Cauldron. He returned her gaze, and his scar twinged strongly. "Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.
"What's wrong, Potter?" Draco said to him. "Did you eat so much that you got a headache?"
"N-nothing. I'm fine." Harry replied.
Professor Dumbledore then started leading the student body in what he said was the School Song, and then dismissed them to their respective dormitories. Harry followed along with Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle as they went with their Prefect to the Slytherin Common Room. When they got to the entrance, the prefect told them the password ("Pure-blood, as always!") and escorted the first years to their room. There, he met another first year boy named Blaise Zabini, who seemed to not care for the fact he was in the same room with Draco, especially.
Harry went to sleep quite rapidly, and found himself having a different dream than he had ever had before. In it, Professor Quirrell's turban appeared to change into a snake-like creature with glowing red eyes, and then it called him by name. "Harry," it hissed, "welcome to your destiny! My home has always been in Slytherin, and now yours is also. You will be greater than you can ever imagine, now that you have joined with us." Harry, for the first time since he had been sorted into Slytherin, felt slightly uneasy at this. He had never cared too much for snakes, and now he was being welcomed by one as a brother. Before he could dwell on this too much, he fell into a deeper sleep and stayed that way until morning.