Freak twitched slightly when the hat was dropped down onto his head. The hat obscured his vision, and sent him into darkness. He had been expecting the punishment for hours now. After all, he had had candy on the train. Had talked to other people.
And had ridden on the train.
It was only a matter of time, before he was punished. He knew the rules. He understood the rules.
So, Freak was not all that surprised at his eyes being covered. He had had something good happen. That meant that the punishment had to be extra. SIR would sometimes cover his eyes when something extra had to happen.
Oh my.
Came a voice from everywhere and nowhere. A warm, comforting voice that filled the darkness. Freak twitched again, as he wondered what new punishment this would be.
I'm not here to punish you, Potter. I'm here to sort you. I'm the Sorting Hat after all.
Freak felt his face fall into a frown, before he quickly wiped the expression away. Hopefully, the adults had not seen it. He knew the rules.
The voice seemed to sigh.
You have the most cunning mind I've ever seen, old Salazar would have been drooling to get his hands on you. Of course, you would have to have had a cunning mind in order to have survived your childhood.
Freak, suppressed a shudder. He did not want to be in a house with Malfoy.
I'm afraid you're quite right there, Potter. Slytherin wouldn't be good for you. Cunning though you are, there's no ambition in you at all. You live in the moment, and have no ability to plan ahead; not that many of your peers are in much better shape, but most at least understand the concept of tomorrow. Now, Helga would have wanted you, after all, you desperately need some loyalty in your life.
Again, Freak had to fight to keep his facial muscles relaxed. He was already in enough trouble. There was enough that had happened to him, that he was to be punished for. A flickering concern for OWL washed over him. He had to be able to take care of her, so hopefully, his fingers would not be broken this time.
That said, you don't really have any loyalty. You've never experienced it, so you wouldn't know how to give it. And your mind, oh, how that's a quick thing. I can see your thoughts as they flicker back and forth. You'd have made Rowena proud. I can positively hear her crowing over you, and the quickness of your thoughts.
Freak could not help the twitch that wracked him that time. He knew the punishments involved in being smart. He still remembered the one time he had tried to teach himself his letters. When SIR and MA'AM found out, he had been tied to the banister and beaten. While not the last time, that had been the first; and the entire time, they had yelled and stormed and demanded that he, being a freak, was not allowed to know his letters or his numbers or anything else.
Unfortunately, you've never been taught to use it. Now, for Godric's old house. I was his hat, you know. And bravery you have. You'd have to be brave in order to have lived your childhood. In truth, surviving that might be the bravest thing I've ever seen in my nearly thousand years of sorting children. But, you have no fear. Not a single ounce of it. Sure, you are brave, but you also are fearless-and those are not quite the same thing.
Freak closed his eyes, and the texture of the darkness changed. This was not something he understood. He should have been punished by now. Where was the belt? Where was the fist? Why were they just waiting?
I told you, Potter. This is not a punishment. I'll be sorting you where you need to go. You'll need the nobility of Godric's house, hopefully that will be the trait that you pick up the most. Of course, you'll need every once of bravery you possess when it comes time to face the facts of your childhood. When that truth comes out. You could have been great in any of the houses, but I think you'll do best in...
The voice spoke, but this time it was not constrained to just the darkness. It's gentle tenor echoed out, and came back, tingled his ears, even as it filled the darkness with decision and import.
"Gryffindor!"
The hat was pulled off of Freak's head, and he blinked in the sudden light. He could not help but flinch at the stern woman who was standing so close, with the hat in one hand and a piece of paper in the other.
Three tables of students were politely clapping, while the fourth and last were going wild with cheers. Two older students, were dancing in place as they sang out "We got Potter!" over and over again.
He stood from the stool, and went to that table. He knew it was the Gryffindor one because everyone sorted earlier had gone to that table. His eyes flickered from one student to the next. There was the bushy-haired girl, and the Indian girl, as well as a boy who had spoken with a dense, Irish accent. Next to him, was the boy who had been looking for his toad.
Finally, he slipped into the first open seat, one which was across from the boy with a toad, and right next to the Indian girl.
The Deputy Headmistress coughed; her voice echoed in the hall as the students calmed down and fell silently. Once they were all settled, she continued calling names, and dropping the hat on the various students. Just a few were left before the sorting was over.
Then the Headmaster stood up. Freak watched this man, knowing that since he was the Headmaster then that meant that he would be the one to punish him like SIR. He figured that the Deputy Headmistress would be the one to punish him like MA'AM did. He suppressed as shiver as he glanced around the hall. He still had not been punished for the candy on the train; but maybe that was why dinner was not on the tables yet. Maybe he was supposed to go down and cook for everyone now that he had been sorted.
Then the Headmaster finished his few words, even as a few of the new students gave out nervous laughs, to the few words the old man had said.
There was a wave of power and the tables groaned as they were suddenly filled with food.
There were platters of meats: kippers, rollmops, smoked salmon, black pudding, lamb, collops, haggis, and something that was big and roasted, either beef or venison. Large platters of potatoes, smoking hot, with little pots of butter next to it. Some type of bean in flour and butter, clapshot, curly kail and what appeared to be orange mashed potatoes. An occasional wheel of cheese was to be found, as well as a number of small loafs of bread; some appeared to be made from rye, while others looked to be made from barley.
Freak's stomach growled as he looked back and forth at all the food that was presented before him, and he used one of the words that SIR would often use, but which would get him the belt if Dudley used. He could not help but frown as he glanced towards the staff table.
The rest of the students were piling their plates full with food. Freak just watched, even as he thought of this new type of punishment. He was certain that he'd rather have his fingers broken, even if it would make it harder to care for OWL than have to watch everyone else eat while he did not get to. At least SIR and MA'AM would lock him into the his Cupboard or his new bedroom before they ate.
Finally, the boy with the toad noticed that the his plate was empty. "Hey Harry?"
Freak blinked twice before he remembered that Harry was what Hagrid had called him as well.
"Yes?"
"Why aren't you eating?"
By this point, the rest of the Gryffindor first years, and a few of the older students had noticed, and were watching. Freak paid this no attention.
"Because it's Sunday."
The other boy frowned, and scratched his head. "Is that because of some religious thing?"
"No." Freak said as he shook his head. "It's just Sunday. Freak's aren't allowed to eat on the weekends. Only every other school day. Or every third day during the summer."
Silence emanated from the other first years. It was an almost visceral thing. One heartbeat. Then two.
Finally, it was broken by the girl with the bushy hair. Freak liked her, she had fixed his glasses. "What? What did you say?"
Her voice was shrill, and almost panicked. It cut through all the conversations at their table, as well as the conversation at the Hufflepuff table. In fact, Freak noticed that most of the others students, and even some of the staff were watching. For a moment, Freak hesitated. He was not supposed to talk about this when not at the place where he slept. But Hagrid said that he would sleep here for a while; for whatever length of time a term was. And the train ride had taken almost seven hours, so it did not make sense that they would be able to go back and forth. So, with that, he decided that this could be talked about here.
"I'm the Freak. I'm only allowed to eat every other school day, and every third evening during the summer. Since school has started, and I ate just yesterday, I'm not allowed to eat today. Those are the rules. I've already broken enough rules that I expect SIR to want to break all of my fingers this time. Hopefully, SIR won't tie me to the banister and use his belt."
By the time he had finished speaking, the entire Great Hall was silent, and appeared to be staring at him.
"Tha... that's.. barbaric! It's illegal! Why didn't the teachers at primary help you? They're supposed to be watching for that!"
Freak's face twitched as he tried to process some of her words. He only recognized a few of them. "I'm a Freak. Freaks aren't allowed to go to school or to learn things like their letters and numbers. Freaks are only good for doing the cooking and scrubbing floors."
There was a sudden crack from the staff table. The Deputy Headmistress was standing in her place, while the Headmaster was sprawled backwards. His large, throne-like chair was toppled over and one of his slippered feet was now resting on the staff table.
"I told you, but you didn't listen. And do ye hear what James and Lily's son is describing as his life? The worst sort of muggles, I said, but would you listen to me? No! I'll bet you never even checked on the lad? You claimed to be his magical, guardian, and he ended up abused by the worst sort of muggles! I'll be taking his guardianship, and you'll not fuss or complain one bit about this, Albus! Are we clear?"
Freak looked around, and noticed the number of horrified faces.
Before he could respond, the bushy-haired girl had changed seats and was now next to him, and then she and the Indian girl had him wrapped tightly in their arms. He tensed up for a moment, fully expecting this to be some sort of new punishment. But the two girls just held him. After a moment, he relaxed and realized that whatever they were doing was comforting and comfortable.
END.