Disclaimer - The world of Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling and various publishers. I make no claim to ownership.
A/N: Thanks as always to my beta Vettesr for helping to get this in decent shape. As usual, any errors are my responsibility.
Chapter 2: Sorting Things Out
A severe looking tall black-haired witch in emerald green robes opened the doors. Harry thought she looked like someone not to be crossed.
"The firs' years Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.
"Thank you Hagrid, I'll take them from here."
She pulled the door wide and they got their first look at the inner chamber. It was so high that the ceiling was barely visible. Great torches lit the entrance. The chamber was larger than the Dursley's house. There was a magnificent staircase leading to the upper floors. A doorway to the right led to the Great Hall, where the murmurs of hundreds of voices could be heard.
Wow, Hermione, have you ever seen anything this huge?
No Harry, although I read about it in `Hogwarts, A History'.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," McGonagall said. "You will be sorted into your houses before the banquet begins. The houses will be like your family while you are here. Points will be awarded for your triumphs, points will be taken away for any rule breaking. At the end of the school year, the house cup will be awarded to the house with the most points. The houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin." She then led them into the Great Hall.
Harry had never seen such magnificence. Thousands of candles floated in the air and the ceiling reflected the sky. Four long tables ran the length of the hall and were occupied by hundreds of students. At the head of the hall, another table was contained the professors with the Headmaster at the center.
Professor McGonagall stopped them in front of an old four-legged stool with an ancient looking hat on it.
"Form a line and when your name is called, sit on the stool and place the hat on your head and you will be sorted into your house."
Harry was very nervous, he was afraid that the sorting hat would tell him that he didn't belong there and he'd be sent home. Hermione was muttering spells under her breath, and Ron was nervously hoping that he didn't have to fight a troll, as Fred had told him.
As they watched, a tear near the brim in the hat opened and the hat began to speak:
"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 top 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 of 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 folk 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!"
Professor McGonagall called out the first name:
"Abbott, Hannah." A pink faced girl with blond pigtails left the line, sat on the stool and put the hat on.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat, and the girl set the hat back on the stool and ran to the Hufflepuff table where they warmly greeted her.
"Bones, Susan." A nervous girl with long brown hair sat on the stool.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again.
"Boot, Terry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Brocklehurst, Mandy!" also went to Ravenclaw, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first Gryffindor.
"Bullstrode, Millicent," became a Slytherin.
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Harry was getting worried now. He was always picked last at school, since nobody wanted him to be on their team. Maybe they'd send him home, admitting they'd made a mistake sending him the letter.
"Granger, Hermione!"
Hermione ran up and put the sorting hat on.
"Curious," a small voice inside the hat said. "You don't seem to be complete here. There's part of you missing. Where's your other half?"
"Other half?" whispered Hermione, nervously. "I'm not sure what you mean."
"You've bonded with someone. Well never mind, he'll turn up. Meanwhile, where to put you? You'd be good in Ravenclaw, You have a superb mind, but I see daring and nerve there as well. I know!"
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted.
Hermione shakily made her way to the Gryffindor table to cheers and clapping. Bonded, she thought, what does that mean? The hat must mean with Harry!
Harry? I hope you get sorted into Gryffindor as well.
Harry looked at Ron, "It sure took a long time with Hermione."
"I dunno," replied Ron, "at least I won't have to fight a troll like the twins said. Wait `till I get them alone!
Hermione, I missed what the Hat said to you.
I think you'll see when it gets to you. Try to be sorted into Gryffindor.
"Neville Longbottom!"
The hat took a long time with Neville, but finally shouted.
"GRYFFINDOR!" and a shaky Neville made his way to the Gryffindor table.
Several more students were sorted before Professor McGonagall called out:
"Malfoy, Draco!"
Malfoy swaggered up to the hat and barely put it on when the hat shouted,
"SLYTHERIN"
Ron turned to Harry and said, "I figured that's where the git belonged."
Several more first year students were called before it was Harry's turn.
"Potter, Harry!"
Whispering and murmurs broke out in the hall and all eyes fell on Harry.
Harry made it to the stool, knees shaking with tension. He donned the hat and a small voice spoke in his head.
"Ah, so here's the missing half! I was afraid I'd have to call the Headmaster over for a conference if you didn't show up."
"Wha…What do you mean?" whispered Harry.
"Why you're the other half of course."
"I don't understand. What other half?"
"Why the other half of you and Hermione Granger of course," said the hat.
"Excuse me?" Harry asked. Harry's jaw dropped at this bit of information. "How can that be?"
"Why you've magically bonded! Didn't you know?" said the hat.
Harry felt faint, he knew something magical had happened on the train, but was unprepared for this! Bonded, he thought, as the word sank in, just what does that mean? The implications were starting to sink in. I've got to talk to Hermione!
"I've put your other half in Gryffindor, so even though you'd do well in Slytherin, you'll need to be with your other half," said the hat.
"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat at last, and Harry staggered to the Gryffindor table and sat beside Hermione.
"I need to talk to you privately, as soon as possible," he told Hermione.
Hermione winced and gave him a meaningful look, nodding nervously. She had heard everything the hat and Harry had said. We seem to be able to talk to each other without speaking, she thought to Harry.
Harry thought back: Yeah, I only caught parts of what you were thinking before, now I can hear it all. This is really spooky.
Meanwhile, a great cheer arose from the Gryffindor table when they learned that Harry Potter had been sorted into their house.
"We've got Potter! We've got Potter!" The chant rose.
After everyone had settled down, the remaining first years were sorted.
"Ronald Weasley!" McGonagall called, and Ron walked up and put the hat on.
Ron was sorted into Gryffindor, much to his relief, and sat on the other side of Harry.
After the sorting was complete, the Headmaster spoke. "Before we tuck into the Feast, there are a few announcements to make. The Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students. Also, the third floor corridor is out of bounds to all students who wish not to die a most painful death."
There was complete silence for this.
"Mr. Filch has posted a list of banned substances on his office door. With that, let the feast begin," finished the Headmaster, smiling.
Harry had never seen such an abundance of food! After sampling a little of everything, he decided that this was the best dinner he'd ever had. The Dursley's had never allowed him to eat like this. Treacle Tart became his favorite desert. He caught odd tastes when Hermione had something different than him.
Suddenly, about twenty ghosts drifted into the hall. Harry had never seen a ghost before and it startled him.
A ghost with a ruff drifted by and Harry's hand went right through it. It felt like he had doused his hand in ice water.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service, resident ghost of Gryffindor tower."
"I know who you are," said Ron. "You're Nearly Headless Nick."
"It's Sir Nicholas, if you don't mind."
"Nearly Headless? How can you be Nearly Headless?" asked Seamus Finnigan.
"Like this," and he flopped his head sideways off his ruff. His head seemed to be attached by a small sinew to his body.
"Urgh, that's disgusting," said Hermione.
Jerking his head back onto his body, Sir Nicholas drifted off.
Harry looked up to the head table and saw Professor Dumbledore give him a wink. Looking over the head table at the rest of the professors, he noticed Professor Quirrell, whom he had met in the Leakey Cauldron pub, talking to a rather nasty looking man. The man looked at him with a vicious glare, and Harry's scar burst with pain. Clutching his head, he looked away.
At the same time, Hermione felt a sharp pain in her head and turned to Harry. "Harry, what is it?" she asked.
"I dunno," he replied, "I just looked at that professor and my scar hurt. Who is that professor sitting beside Professor Quirrell?"
"My head hurt too," said Hermione.
Percy replied, "That's Professor Snape, he teaches Potions, but it's really Quirrell's job of Defense Against the Dark Arts, he wants."
When the feast was over, the prefects led the first years to their respective house common rooms.
Dumbledore intercepted Harry and Hermione and asked them to accompany him to his office. Percy gave a startled look, but continued to lead the first year Gryffindors up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room.
Harry and Hermione looked at each other, wondering what they had done to merit the Headmaster's attention.
Both felt their connection re-establish itself, only stronger this time. Harry could actually hear Hermione thinking I wonder what's going on, he can't know that we've bonded can he? He could also feel her emotions give a lurch, as she realized she could feel him in her head as well.
Harry still couldn't believe that he could hear her thoughts! I've got a girl in my head, he thought, is this what the Sorting Hat meant?
Hermione, hearing his thoughts replied. I'm sure this is what the sorting hat meant. Otherwise we wouldn't be hearing each others thoughts. But what exactly does bonding mean?
They shortly arrived at a gargoyle and Professor Dumbledore whispered a password. The gargoyle sprang aside and a circular escalator started moving. With Dumbledore leading the way, they traveled up to his office. It was a strange office, with many strange silver instruments, and a colorful bird perched on a stand.
The headmaster tossed some floo powder into his fireplace, said `Professor McGonagall,' and stuck his head in the green fire. "Could you come to my office right away please?"
Conjuring up a pair of chairs, he bade them be seated.
McGonagall stepped out of the fireplace seconds later. "What is it Albus?"
"I have two of your students here: Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. You should be here for this," he said.
"Harry, Hermione, this is your head of house, Professor McGonagall."
Addressing them, he said, "I want to welcome you both to Hogwarts. I know this may seem a little unusual to you both, but something very strange has come to my attention. Several hours ago, I felt a profound disturbance in the magic surrounding the school. Kind of a shock wave that traveled out from the interior of Hogwarts. My phoenix, Fawkes, trilled and I knew it wasn't just my imagination. The sorting ceremony seemed oddly long for you two, so I decided to check further. I could ask the Sorting Hat, but perhaps you two might enlighten me.
Harry started to speak, and at the same time, Hermione spoke. A confused expression formed on both their faces. "I… We… That is…" they both said at the same time.
"Perhaps Harry could start," Dumbledore said softly.
"When we were on the train, Hermione entered the compartment I was sharing with Ron Weasley. She introduced herself and shook my hand. A kind of shock went through us, and we both felt strange. It was a wonderful feeling, as if we had connected somehow. I caught parts of conversation and glimpses of myself in my head. As soon as I shut my eyes, the image went away.
Hermione nodded, confirming this, and looked bewildered.
Hermione took over. "When I sat to be sorted, the Sorting Hat asked me where my other half was. I had no idea what it was talking about, so it stated that I'd bonded with someone, and sorted me into Gryffindor."
"Ah," said Dumbledore.
Harry continued, "When I sat to be sorted, the Sorting Hat stated that it had now found the missing half. I had no idea what that meant and told the hat so. The hat replied that I had bonded with Hermione, and proceeded to sort me into Gryffindor as well."
"So," the Headmaster continued, "The pair of you have formed a magical soul bond with each other. This is very unusual and has never been seen in ones so young, and not in that way. Is there anything else?"
Hermione replied, "We seem to have strengthened the bond since the sorting. I can now see what Harry sees more clearly, and hear and feel what he feels. During the feast, his scar hurt, and I felt it too! Professor, how and why has this happened?"
The Headmaster replied, "I'm not sure, Soul Bonding is very rare and hasn't happened in over a hundred years. Usually it occurred when a couple was deeply in love, and wishes to share everything. A ceremony took place that sealed the bond. It has fallen out of fashion, since it commits the two bonded people to each other forever. When one dies, the other usually follows in a short time. In any case, the spells to create it were lost a long time ago. This seems to be a special case: and formed spontaneously. Nothing in current knowledge accounts for it."
"Harry, what do you feel toward Hermione?" asked Dumbledore.
"I'm not sure, Professor, I really like her; certainly I feel very close to her now. It's a wonderful feeling but it'll take awhile to sort out everything."
"Hermione?" prompted the Headmaster.
"I… I feel that I've known him forever, Professor. It's a comfortable feeling, and as Harry said, I feel close to him, drawn to him even."
"Children, this seems to be the initial stages of the bonding. The bond should grow stronger and will also affect your magic. Usually the effect is to increase the power of each person. Together, you two could be unusually strong as the bond progresses."
"How long does this stage last Professor?" Hermione asked.
"It used to take several years to progress; I'm not sure in your case. Certainly not right away. Harry, Hermione mentioned that your scar hurt. Tell me about that."
Harry answered, "When I looked up at the head table. I was looking at Professors Snape and Quirrell. Suddenly my scar hurt until I looked away."
"For now, I think we'll monitor this and see if any other phenomenon occurs. I'll have Professor McGonagall escort you to your dormitory."
***
"Professor," Harry asked McGonagall, as they walked to the Gryffindor dormitory. "What do you make of all this?"
"I'm not sure Harry. Certainly it will create an unusual situation in the classrooms. Being able to read each other's thoughts will make it hard to determine how to test you individually. On the other hand, it should speed your and Hermione's learning considerably. You'll each have to be tested on each subject separately, but I don't see any problem with that. Emotionally, a problem may arise, since you each share the others emotions. That could be difficult for you both to handle."
"I'll be here for you whenever you need someone to talk to."
"Thank you Professor," they both chorused.
"Here's you dormitory, the password is `Caput Draconis,' good luck."
The fat lady in the portrait swung aside and the pair climbed into the common room.
"Harry, we need to talk," said Hermione.
"I agree, but where?" replied Harry. "It isn't exactly private in here."
We could talk in our minds, but it might look weird if we sat and stared at each other.
They looked around to a full common room. Everyone stared at them, and Percy approached.
"What did the Headmaster want with you two?" he asked.
"Sorry Percy, that's personal and private information," Hermione replied.
Percy spluttered a bit but finally chose not to pursue it further.
"We'll talk tomorrow Harry," Hermione suggested. "I'll find us a private place," she whispered.
Percy told them where their rooms were and left.
Harry's trunk was by his four-poster bed. Compared to his cupboard under the stairs at the Dursley's, it looked to be the height of luxury.
Ron was already sitting up in his bed, eager to find out what happened. Neville was closely paying attention as well. His other roommates were Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan, but they hadn't come up to bed yet.
"Well, let's hear it," demanded Ron, "what did the headmaster want with you and Hermione?"
"I'm not sure what I can tell you yet, Ron," Harry replied guardedly. "The Headmaster is still researching what happened on the train and with the Sorting Hat."
"The Sorting Hat? What did the Sorting Hat say?" queried Neville.
Oops, thought Harry, I didn't mean to say that! Hermione, we need to talk about this before I open my mouth and put my foot in it.
"Sorry, Neville, the hat had a little trouble deciding where to place us is all."
This seemed to placate Neville, but Ron looked at Harry suspiciously.
"Sorry guys, I'm really knackered, I'm ready for sleep," said Harry. "I'll see you in the morning."
With that, he prepared for bed and closed the curtains on his four-poster bed. Sleep would not come to him, however, and he lay awake trying to figure out the events of the day. Eventually sleep overtook him and he dreamed pleasant dreams that contained a pretty, bushy haired girl with beautiful soft chocolate brown eyes, and a ready smile.
***
Hermione, for her part, headed straight to bed, without saying much to her new dorm mates: Parvati Patil, and Lavender Brown.
She also lay awake thinking. Best check out the library first chance we get. Hogwarts: A History should be a good place to start. There must also be some books on Soul Bonding. Harry is really nice; his green eyes are really beautiful. I think we'll be good for each other.
A faint thought drifted across her mind that she took to be Harry's. He's dreaming of me. He thinks I look pretty and he likes my eyes! She blushed at the thought. This could get interesting.
Finally, she also fell asleep dreaming of Harry.
***
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