The Hogwarts Express and the Sorting Hat

The Hogwarts Express and the Sorting Hat

The day after his shopping trip, Harry had read the Ministry law book, alternatively, more accurately the laws on underage magic. After reading the laws, he had found several loopholes. For instance, the Ministry could only monitor underage magic in a Muggle house as they had no way to tell who preformed magic in an all magic house therefore underage Witches and wizards could get away with practising magic during the summer. And seeing as Harry was spending his last month at the Leaky Cauldron, he could use magic all he wanted and get away with it as the pub was absolutely riddled with magic users. He had of course tested this and preformed a simple charm, before he waited an hour for a Ministry warning owl but none came and Harry smirked knowing that as long as he was at the Cauldron or an all magic house he could get away with performing magic outside of Hogwarts.

Therefore, for the rest of the month Harry would practise Spells from his DADA, Transfiguration and Charms books. He was able to perfect five spells from each of his classes by the time September 1st rolled around and he was quite pleased with himself for it. Harry also had a different approach to his spell-casting; he would practise the wand movements one hundred times, without saying the incantation. He would then put his wand down and say the incantation one hundred times. Once he was sure he had perfected the wand-movements and incantation, he would pick up his wand and practice the spell one hundred times, by the time he finished, he had the spell perfected. He also visualised what he wanted to happen in his mind, which was a secret to casting spells, that they did not teach you that at Hogwarts wanting you to learn that part for yourself, Harry however had beginners' guides to becoming a master in his class subjects that, instructed that it was very important to visualise the spell as you performed it.

Harry had also gone back to the potions store in the Alley and purchased enough ingredients to practise the first five potions he would learn at Hogwarts. Surprisingly he had found that he was quite good with potions after reading Potions, how they work and A guide to becoming a beginner. He had found that after reading those two books and then rereading the instructions in the Hogwarts Potions book three or four times, he was able to brew perfect or near perfect Potions on the first try. And Harry was very glad that he did, because Tom the barkeep had informed him three days into his stay about how strict the Potions-master at Hogwarts was. Since Potions were among the most dangerous of Magic's, Harry was not surprised that the teacher was strict, as one wrong potion could potentially have fatal consequences.

He had also read his beginners guide to the Dark Arts book, though he had not practised any of the spells. He was quite fascinated with the Imperius Curse; a spell that gave the castor total control over their victim. Harry hoped to be able to perfect that spell as he wanted to use it on the Dursley's. Not to kill them but to have them withdraw their entire life-savings and hand half over to an Orphanage and the other half to him that he would then give to some charity in the Wizarding world. Now wouldn't that be poetic justice? After ten years of abuse at the hands of the Dursley's, Harry planned to ruin their entire lives beyond repair, Harry understood that you did not have to kill someone to utterly destroy them.

On September 1st Harry awoke with the sun as he had been doing for the past six or seven years. As he stood from his bed, he switched on his lamp beside the bed before he went into the bathroom to take care of his Moring business, once finished in the bathroom he re-entered his bedroom and began to dress in shorts, t-shirt and trainers before he crept out of his room and down the stairs as quietly as he could so as to wake any of the other witches and wizards who were staying at the pub.

"Morning Tom." Harry nodded politely as he walked across the pub towards the door leading to Muggle London.

"Morning Hadrian." Tom replied; he of course knew who Harry was and had informed him that he was very famous in the Wizarding world and Harry, not wanting the attention brought with being the Boy-Who-Lived had asked Tom to call him by his full given name at birth. Hadrian instead of Harry that way people would be less likely to connect him to Harry Potter and would thusly leave him to his own devices.

After stepping into the deserted Muggle street, Harry did a few warm up stretches before he began jogging around the block. He was able to jog around the block three times before he began to get winded after which he sprinted as fast as he could around the block once before he re-entered the Leaky Cauldron.

"Good Run?" Tom asked with a toothless smile as he handed Harry a glass of ice-cold water.

"Yes, thanks." Replied a breathless and sweaty Harry as he took the offered glass and downed the water in one go. Ever since Harry had gone for a run on his first morning of staying at the pub, Tom had had a glass of ice-cold water waiting for him.

"What will you be having for breakfast this morning?" Tom asked him as he took the glass back.

"Surprise me today Tom." Harry replied before he headed back up to his room where he then did his push and sit ups (25 of each) before using his very own, brand new dumbbells that he had purchased in Muggle London the day after he arrived at the Pub. Once he had finished with the dumbbells, He jumped into the shower allowing the hot water to wash away the tension from his workout.

After stepping out of the shower, Harry put on a clean pair of boxer-shorts before going into his room and over to the window and opening it wide, he then turned to his snowy owl that he had named Hedwig who was purchased on his bedpost.

"Fly to Hogwarts girl." He told her as she flew over to land on his shoulder giving his ear a gentle nip. "Take your time as it'll be a few hours before I arrive." He watched as Hedwig launched out of the window and into the morning sky. After watching Hedwig fly away for a few moments he turned back to his room and made sure he had packed everything before he dressed in jeans, t-shirt, turtle-neck jumper and trainers (all black) once he was sure he had everything he grabbed his trunk and Hedwig's cage before heading back down into the pub which had filled up with witches and wizards all having their morning meal.

"Thank you Tom." Harry nodded politely after Tom had brought him his breakfast over, looking down at his plate he found a full English breakfast that would have Vernon and Dudley watering at the mouth.

"Don't worry Hadrian, it's grilled not fried." Tom informed him after seeing Harry's raised eyebrow. He didn't know why but Tom knew that Harry absolutely hated fried food.

"Ah I'll let you off then." Harry replied with a slight smile that he only ever gave the kind old man who had looked out for him in the last month, everyone else either got a blank face or cold stare. He hated fried food for two reasons. 1 it was all Vernon and Dudley ever ate and he would die before he ever took after those two in body weight and 2 he had worked bloody hard to get his body in the shape it was and he did not want to ruin all the hard work by eating fried fatty foods. Grilled food on the other hand was drained of most of its natural fats, so he deemed them safe to eat.

Three hours later found Harry gracefully exiting the fireplace on Platform nine and ¾. Tom and the Flourish & Blotts book store owner Felix Blott, had allowed Harry too practise going through the Floo-network until he had it perfected and did not come shooting out onto his ass, the trick was to walk out of the fireplace instead of just stopping like most people do until they get the hang of it.

A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign on the front engine read Hogwarts express. Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowds. Harry pulled his trunk down the platform in search of an empty compartment.

The first few carriages already had students in them so he continued down the platform until he came to a compartment about halfway down the train that was thankfully empty. He lifted the cage into the compartment before grabbing his trunk, bending his knees slightly, keeping his back straight, and lifting the trunk to waist height. Even though the trunk was very heavy, Harry kept a blank look on his face. He stepped up into the compartment before heaving the trunk into the luggage rack. The few people who had watched him were impressed that he could lift a heavy trunk as though it was nothing. Harry was glad that he was able to get the trunk inside without having to ask for help as asking for help was a sign of weakness to him. After placing his trunk in the overhead rack he took a seat beside the window with his feet up on the seat opposite as he opened his book on a beginners guide to the mind-arts. He had only read a few pages before the door to his compartment opened and two girls stepped inside.

"Is it ok if we sit in here?" asked the shorter than the two girls, who had black haired girl and sparkling violet eyes and a slight smile on her lips, who Harry vaguely remembered from the robe shop in Diagon Alley.

"It's a free country." Harry replied in a monotone voice as he glanced at the two girls before he went back to his book ignoring the two girls as they dragged their trunks in after them and began struggling to lift them into the overhead rack.

"You could have helped us." The brunette girl pouted slightly at him as she took as seat opposite Harry in the middle of the bench as his feet were still up on the seat.

"I could've but I didn't." Harry replied not looking up from his book.

"I'm Daphne Greengrass." The black haired girl introduced herself. Harry ignored her as he continued reading.

"And I'm Tracy Davis." The Brunette introduced herself brightly. Harry ignored her too.

"Do you have a name?" Daphne asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"No my parents decided that I would not have a name when I was born." Harry said sarcastically still not looking up from his book. Instead of being insulted the two girls giggled at his words.

"So what's your name?" Daphne asked rephrasing her question.

"Hadrian." Harry replied still not looking up from his book and not wanting them to know he was Harry Potter.

"Have you got… what's your last name?" Daphne rephrased her question midway remembering that Harry was sarcastic when asked a stupid question causing him to smirk slightly.

"Pottus." Harry replied changing his last name slightly hoping that they would not work out his real name.

"Hadrian Pottus, you're Muggleborn then." Tracy asked curiously who was obliviously a Pureblood and did not recognise his surname.

"Halfblood." He replied as the train gave a lurch as it began pulling out of the station. "My mother was a Muggleborn and that's why you don't recognise my surname, I took hers instead of my fathers." Harry lied so as to throw them off even further.

"Who's your father?" Daphne asked after a moment of thinking it over.

"James Evans." Harry replied giving his father his mother's maiden name.

"Can we be friends?" Tracy asked with a slightly hopeful tone.

"I don't want nor do I need friends, sorry." Harry replied not sounding sorry at all.

"You don't sound sorry." Daphne pouted at him as he had yet to look up from his book.

"That's because I'm not, it was just polite to say I was." Harry replied as he turned the page of his book. Before either Tracy or Daphne could reply the compartment door banged open and Harry finally looked up from his book, a cold glare on his face. Even though he did not show it, the banging of the door had made him jump, reminding him of his uncle when he was in a rage. This is the absolute wrong thing to remind Harry off.

"Davis, what are you doing sitting with this Halfblood?" a blonde haired boy with a pale, slightly pointed face asked with a sneer as he gestured at Daphne completely ignoring Harry. Stood behind the blonde were two hulk sized boys that were at least twice the size that Dudley was.

"This Halfblood happens to be my friend Malfoy." Tracy replied as she glared at the blonde. "Not all Purebloods are inbred bigots like you and your excuse for a family."

"What did you say?" Malfoy asked trying to put a hiss in his voice but to Harry it sounded quite pathetic.

"You heard me you inbred bigot." Tracy replied a hard edge to her voice as Malfoy's cheeks pinked in anger.

You'll painfully regret that." Malfoy sneered as he turned to the hulking boys behind him. "Crabbe teach this blood-traitor a lesson." He ordered one of the hulks. The hulk, Crabbe, cracked his knuckles as he advanced menacingly into the compartment towards Tracy.

However the huge boy had hardly taken two steps inside the compartment before Harry sprang from his seat and punched him as hard as he could on the nose dropping him to the floor with a bust/broken nose as he howled in pain. Looking up Harry saw a shocked Malfoy and a scowling hulk of a boy whose name he had not yet learned.

"G-get him Goyle." Malfoy ordered in a less sure voice. The other hulk, Goyle advanced into the compartment and took a swing at Harry, who grabbed the incoming fist and twisted the arm painfully before he jabbed his fist into the boys nose three times as hard and as fast as he could, dropping him to the floor also with a bust/broken nose.

Faster than the other boy could react Harry grabbed Malfoy by the throat and pulled his face within inches of his own. He stared coldly into Malfoy's eyes for a full minute before he spoke.

"If I ever catch you setting these two on girls again I'll break your face wide open." Harry hissed coldly as he squeezed Malfoy's throat slightly to emphasize his point.

"My father…" Malfoy wheezed before Harry tightened his grip on his neck cutting off his oxygen and whatever he was going to say.

"Do not cross me Malfoy or you will painfully regret it." Harry hissed as the boys face started to turn crimson from lack of air. "I'll beat you so badly your grandchildren's children will feel it." He then shoved Malfoy away from him as he started to turn purple. Malfoy dropped to the floor clutching his throat, coughing and gasping in great gulps of air. The three boys managed to pull themselves to their feet after a few moments; Malfoy was still massaging his throat as Crabbe and Goyle were holding their noses.

"Leave." Harry menacingly growled at them. The three boys couldn't seem to get out of the door fast enough before they vanished down the train the same way they had come from.

"That was… wow… thank you." An awed Tracy said to Harry as he retook his seat after closing the door.

"You're welcome." Harry nodded at her as he relaxed back in his seat.

"For someone who doesn't want or need friends you sure acted like a friend just now." Daphne jokingly observed.

"I don't need or want friends but I hate bullies." Harry would never admit it but he had had a flash of Vernon coming at him menacingly when Crabbe had advanced on Tracy and he'd just seen red.

"Well thank you." Tracy said again in a normal tone of voice as she too relaxed in her seat, she had been scared witless when Crabbe advanced on her and would be forever thankful that she and Daphne had chosen to sit in Hadrian's compartment.

"If they give either of you trouble again let me know and I'll break their faces." Harry replied as he retrieved his book from the floor where it had fallen as he'd sprang from his seat.

"Sure thing Hadrian." Tracy smiled at him while Daphne nodded her agreement before the two girls began chatting amongst themselves, once again leaving Harry to his reading.

Hours later after the three had changed into their Hogwarts robes (Harry standing outside the compartment as Tracy and Daphne changed before Harry re-entered and began changing not bothered that the two girls were still in the compartment and blushing bright red at his almost naked, toned body, only his boxers hiding his most private areas, Daphne had openly stared at him) A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry stayed sat in his seat until everyone had exited the train before he jumped onto the platform at the back of students with Tracy and Daphne sticking close to him.

Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a booming voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!." Looking up the platform Harry saw a huge man. He was at least twice the size of a normal man and at least three times as wide. The man had wild, bushy black hair and beard.

"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years. Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Slipping and stumbling, they followed the giant of a man down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Tracy and Daphne were clinging to his arms mainly out of fear of the blackness on either side of them and to stop from falling, Harry would have scowled at them except for the fact that they had caught him when he misplaced his foot and almost fell face first, so he allowed them to cling to him without complaint.

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the giant called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here." There was a loud "Oooooh!" The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake.

Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" The giant called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry, Daphne and Tracy took a boat to themselves and were soon joined by a blonde haired girl who introduced herself as Blaise Zabini.

"Tracy Davis." Tracy replied with a bright excited smile that lit up her entire face as she shook Blaise's hand.

"Daphne Greengrass." Daphne said also with a bright smile and a hand shake.

"Hadrian." Harry said not even looking at any of the girls as he stared up at the castle.

"He's like that most of the time." Tracy explained to Blaise who had looked at her and Daphne for an explanation for Harry's behaviour.

"Everyone in." shouted the giant, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!" And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled the giant as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles; Harry helped the three girls out of the boats like a gentleman but otherwise didn't acknowledge them.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad." said the giant, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried a round faced boy blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, Oak front door.

"Everyone here. You there, still got yer toad." The giant raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there, who Harry remembered was called Professor McGonagall and was the transfiguration teacher, head of Gryffindor and deputy Headmistress.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said the giant.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." Finally the first years had a name for this giant of a man. McGonagall pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursley's' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringott's, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. They could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right -the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously. Daphne and Tracy clung to his arms once more in nervousness causing Harry to roll his eyes at their trembling hands on his arms.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slythrin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes lingered for a moment on Harry's, an unreadable expression on her face and yet Harry got the impression that she was fearful of him or a t the very least weary.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly." She then turned around and left the chamber.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses." he heard someone ask.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking." Daphne snorted at this as she relaxed slightly her grip on Harry's arm loosening.

Harry looked around and saw that everyone else looked terrified, No one was talking much except a bushy brown haired with large front teeth who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need.

Harry tried hard not to listen to her as he viciously squashed his own nervousness. He kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would be coming back in to lead them to the sorting.

Then something happened that made him jump about a foot in the air - several people behind him screamed.

"What the -." He growled spinning round to glare at those who had screamed almost in his ears. However as he turned around, he saw the last thing he expected to see in his life.

About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance -" "My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves. He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here." A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years. Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose." A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me." Harry got into line behind Tracy who was behind Blaise, with Daphne behind him who now had his arm in a vice-like grip, they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting.

These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.

The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He heard someone whisper. "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.

Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. He raised an eyebrow silently but otherwise gave no other reaction. Noticing that everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, he stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:

Oh you may not think me 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 cap 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 at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindor's apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuff's 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 folks 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!

Harry blinked in surprise as the seated students began to clap. That was it, they had to try on an old hat. "Really, really, really, REALLY." He thought to himself.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said.

"Abbott, Hannah!" A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause - "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

Harry leaned forward towards Tracy as Susan Bones went up to the stool and placed the hat on her head.

"You are before Malfoy, suggest to the hat to place him in either Hufflepuff or Gryffindor." He whispered in Tracy's ear with a smirk as she giggled; he then repeated the same to Daphne who snorted a giggle at him causing McGonagall to scowl in their direction.

"Davis, Tracy." McGonagall called a little while later and Tracy walked up to the stool placing the hat on her head. There was silence for a few moments as Tracy grinned brightly before.

"Slytherin." Shouted the hat causing the table on the far left to cheer loudly as Tracy took of the hat placing it back on the stool before she went over to join her new house mates, flashing Harry a thumbs up as she went, he smirked slightly back.

A few more students were sorted before McGonagall called.

"Greengrass, Daphne." Daphne walked up to the stool and placed the hat on her head, there was a moment of silence as Daphne too smiled like Tracy had before her and then.

"Slytherin." Shouted the hat. Daphne took of the hat, placed it back on the stool before going over to the cheering table, flashing Harry a grin and a thumbs up. More and more students were sorted until finally.

"Malfoy, Draco" was called and the blonde ponce went swaggering up to the stool before putting the hat on his head with a slight sniff. For over five minutes the hall was in silence, well some students muttered as Malfoy's face grew steadily redder until finally.

"GRYFFINDOR." Shouted the hat into the absolute shocked silence of the great hall.

"WHAT! I DEMAND A RESORTING." Malfoy screamed as he ripped the hat off his head while bouncing off the stool as though it had burnt his ass.

The shocked silence was broken as Harry gave a great belly laugh as he pointed at the angry blonde who spun round to glare at him.

"You did this." Malfoy shouted at Harry when he saw who it was.

"And how did I do that when I haven't even been sorted myself yet?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know but I know you had something to do with this." Malfoy shouted ignoring McGonagall who was telling him to go to the Gryffindor table.

"Well why don't you prove it." Harry's cold hiss was a whisper, yet everyone in the hall heard him clear as day as if he had shouted at the top of his lungs.

"I DEMAND A RESORTING AND HE BE EXPELLED FOR TAMPERING WITH MY SORTING." Malfoy shouted loudly however Harry could shout louder and did so before anyone could react to Malfoy's demands.

"GO SIT DOWN BOY! Roared Harry shocking everyone in the hall as he glared at Malfoy who turned white before he raced over to the Gryffindor table. "You may now continue with the sorting Ma'am." Harry said politely to McGonagall throwing everyone for a loop with his quick change in attitude.

The sorting continued with Crabbe and Goyle being sorted into Hufflepuff. There weren't many people left now. "Moon" "Nott" "Parkinson" then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and then, at last.

"Potter, Harry." He turned and smirked at Tracy and Daphne whose jaws dropped as he stepped forward. whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say."

"The Harry Potter."

Harry walked calmly up to the stool and sat down and went to place the hat on his head. However before the hat even touched his head.

"Slytherin." The hat shouted surprising him as he had not even put the thing on before it shouted his house, his must have been the quickest sorting of the ceremony if not the quickest in history.

There was a shocked silence as the Gryffindor's, Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's looked like someone had died before all hell broke loose at the Slytherin table as every member of the house jumped to their feet clapping widely, stamping their feet and cheering in triumphant. He placed the hat back on the stool before walking over to the Slytherin table where he was clapped on the back, his hand shook vigorously, hugged by various girls and Tracy and Daphne kissed him on the cheek. For over five minutes the Slytherin's cheered until McGonagall managed to finally get them all to calm down.

after everyone at the table had retaken their seats, Harry turned to smirk at a scowling Malfoy before he too took his seat.

He could see the High Table properly now. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized him at once from the card he'd gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Harry spotted Professor Quirrell, too, the nervous young man he had met while staying at the Leaky Cauldron.

Blaise Zabini took a seat across from Harry as McGonagall rolled up the parchment and took away the hat and stool.

"You didn't tell us you were Harry Potter." Tracy said to him accusingly with a smile on her face.

"Hadrian Pottus indeed." Grinned Daphne as McGonagall re-entered the hall.

"My full name is Hadrian James Potter." Harry smirked at them. "I didn't lie, just changed my last name slightly." Daphne and Tracy pouted at him.

Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! "Thank you!" He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.

End of chapter.

AN: I'll end it here as I'm starting to fall asleep at the computer ha-ha. How was it? Was it worth the wait? Please review with your thoughts and any good ideas you might have, you never know they may end up in the story.