Chapter 40 Sorting
The entire great hall applauded at Harry's sorting in Slytherin House with the greatest cheer coming from the Slytherin table. Harry took a moment to finally accept the situation before getting up and making his way to the Slytherin table to join his new housemates.
Even though the fact that there is a green snake crest on the right chest region of his robes instead of a golden lion bothered Harry but he didn't show it. Harry's mother clapped and smiled at him as he is going to the table but this smile felt a little forced, it seems that is he is not the only one who is bothered by his placement in the Slytherin.
As Harry sat down at the table his new head Professor Slughorn raised a glass as a toast to welcome him. Harry politely nodded accepting the potions professor's greetings. Lily Potter is Slughorn's favourite student and with all the attention that is placed on Harry, the potions professor is obviously delighted to have him in the Slytherin house.
Harry turned to the Gryffindor table and found Charlie looking at him with visible confusion on his face, the three of them always thought that they would be in Gryffindor together and now Harry somehow landed in Slytherin, so it's natural for his brother to feel confused and a little bit betrayed. Even still his brother nodded and clapped for Harry showing his support.
Harry felt a little better when he saw Ron and Neville sitting with his brother. Even if he is not there with his brother Charlie still has his friends, his brother won't find better friends than Ron and Neville.
Looking at Neville, Harry realised no matter how different the circumstances are some things don't change. Even though the people have labelled Neville as the boy who lived in this timeline it still didn't affect his core character, he is a little less shy this time but at his core, Neville is still the same sweet and caring boy with great potential who just needs to believe in himself.
Even Neville's parents who were attacked and had to spend seven years in a hospital bed still rejoined the Auror Department after a year of recuperating. After all, they are still the same people who put their life on the line to join the fight against Voldemort when most of the wizarding world was afraid to even speak his name, you can't just keep people like this down, they will just get up every time they fall and keep fighting.
Speaking of people not changing Harry noticed Tonks smirking at him from the Hufflepuff table. He almost forgot that this is her last year in Hogwarts. This time instead of her ever-changing colourful hair Tonks has black hair and grey eyes of House Black. Even her being a metamorphmagus is a secret, known only to close family members.
In this timeline after Arcturus Black retook control of House Black after his son's death, he reinstated Andromeda Tonks nee Black back as a member of House Black. That's why this Tonks in front of him is Nymphadora Tonks Black. Being raised as a black this Tonks is not clumsy because House Black obviously has ways to counteract the balance problems caused by being a Metamorhpmagus. But even still it is the same Tonks at her core, she is still a bubbly witch who is preparing to be an Auror.
While Harry was looking around his sister Rose's sorting is still going on, it has been a few minutes already but the sorting hat is still silent. As they were nearing the five minutes mark the sorting hat suddenly announced "Gryffindor".
Rose almost became a hat stall, but Harry was not surprised that it took the sorting hat this long to sort his sister. Even after knowing Rose for eleven years, Harry was still not sure between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor for Rose. She is obviously smart enough to be the best among the House of Ravenclaw but she also doesn't lack the courage of a Gryffindor. It seems sorting hat went with Gryffindor at the end.
Harry applaud with others as his sister made his way to the Gryffindor table and sat beside Hermione.
After the sorting ceremony is over the welcoming feast began, Harry silently ate the delicious food while the other Slytherin students would curiously glance at him once in a while but no one approached him directly. This is because Harry is using a little bit of magic to project an aura around him that very subtlety prevents others from directly approaching him.
Harry is casually eating his food but growing up Dorea Potter nee Black as your grandmother causes impeccable manners and etiquette to be ingrained in you at a fundamental level.
While eating Harry noticed Dumbledore observing him as the old wizard's eyes sparked with powerful magic behind his half-moon glasses. The headmaster is observing him with mage sight.
Mage sight as the name suggests is an ability that is only available to mages, and a mage is a wizard with such a vast amount of power and experience with magic that they can actually see the flow of magic in high enough concentration.
Voldemort's glowing red eyes and Dumbledore's sparkling blues are indications of them using mage sight. Using mage sight most of the magical objects, wards and even other wizards and witches don't have any secrets in front of mage.
Harry's eyes also glow when he uses mage sight creating the same haunting green glow of the killing curse. But Harry is not going to activate his mage sight in front of Dumbledore while the headmaster is actively observing his magic.
After observing Harry for a while the Headmaster seems satisfied by what he found. Harry has no problem with the Headmaster knowing the power of his magic, even in the last timeline he also entered Hogwarts with already ridiculously powerful magic but what Dumbledore can't see is that this time around he already has the control and skills necessary to effectively uses his magic.
After the feast and singing the school song was over Dumbledore gave the same announcement he did last time, but this time Harry noticed the glint in Quirrell eyes when the Headmaster mentioned the corridor on the third floor.
Harry has to give to Voldemort, even though he knows that the Dark Lord is there Harry still can't even find a trace of Voldemort on Quirrell's body. Don't worry Voldemort getting the stone will be the last of his worries when Harry is done with the Dark Lord.