"Do not worry, I cannot speak of what I see to anyone but you, and no one else can hear us, so long as you just think your questions," the hat assured him. "And may I say that you have very nice mental shields! Far superior to any of the other children I've sorted in the last couple of years who've also learned this discipline. The young man who taught you did so quite well. And yes, you're right, I don't need to sit on your head to see your thoughts. Though it helps."
"That's really neat," Harry said, feeling a bit excited. "You must have seen so much history!"
"I have, though sadly much of it comes from the memories of children, and they don't have the most reliable thoughts," the Sorting Hat sighed. "But based on that statement alone, I could say you'd fit in well with the Ravenclaws. Though not as much as Hufflepuff. Your loyalty to this 'Edward' fellow is admirable. Though since it's to just one person, I fear that Hufflepuff is not the best house."
"Can I not be put in Slytherin?" Harry inquired. "Is making requests something I can do?"
"Why not Slytherin? You would do great in there. You have a thirst to prove yourself. A hunger to be appreciated. And though the fame does not appeal, you do want the power to control your own destiny. Slytherin would let you cultivate all of that."
"Perhaps, but… I don't want to give up being a nice person to achieve what I want," Harry replied, and the Sorting Hat sighed again.
"Such a shame how far Salazar's legacy has fallen," the hat murmured sadly. "It will have to be someone else who manages to bring light back to that dreary darkness. Very well, then. In light of that, there is only one House that fits such drive, determination, and courage. GRYFFINDOR!"
The hat was whipped off his head as cheers erupted from the red-colored table, and a pair of red-headed twins shouted "We got Potter! We got Potter!"
His robes gained a red highlight and he quickly joined Hermione and Neville at the table, and waited for Ron to join them.
His prediction came true and Ron was one of the last to be Sorted, and he joined the House of the Lion with his siblings and friends.
And then, Dumbledore stepped up and began speaking. Harry couldn't focus on his words all that much, however. He vaguely heard something about a forbidden forest? Or was that a corridor on the third floor that was off-limits?
The reason he couldn't concentrate was the hook-nosed, greasy-haired man sitting at the professor's table that was glaring at him from across the hall.
His scar tingled, and Harry hid the urge to glower and just threw up even more mental shields before avoiding making eye-contact with the man. The odd feeling persisted, however, but it faded when food popped up and the man stopped glaring.
"Harry? You alright?" Hermione asked when she noticed he wasn't eating.
"Who's that man over at the table with the greasy hair?" Harry asked one of the older students nearby, who also had red hair.
"That is Professor Snape. He teaches potions, and is the Head of House for Slytherin," the boy said.
"He's also a right prick who takes points from us for even the smallest thing," another red head, one of the twins, claimed, leaning in.
"Fred!" the older boy hissed.
"I'm George, and you know I'm right, Percy," the boy said. "Snape's a git and it's better if the Firsty's find out now, instead of later during class."
"That's a shame," Harry muttered in disappointment. "I really liked potions."
"Potions? You've brewed them before?" Hermione asked in surprise.
"Yeah, Edward taught me how," Harry explained. "It's one of the few things he was able to show me."
"I thought he was a squib?" Ron asked, confused. "How can he brew potions? Don't you need magic for that?"
"Edward said that all things have magic. Even muggles have a tiny amount. Squibs can't use a magical foci, but they can still brew potions, so long as you don't need to use a wand for it. The magic of many potions comes from the magic within the ingredients, not the brewer," Harry said. "Honestly, potion making is a lot like cooking and chemistry. As long as you know what you're doing, you shouldn't have any problems."
Percy, the twins, and a couple other older students all shared looks with each other, some of which were pitying.
"Snape is going to eat the poor boy alive," someone muttered under their breath.
After dinner ended, Percy and another prefect led the Gryffindor First Years up to the dormitory. The password was uttered before a portrait of a fat lady, and then they all entered. Some rules were given, but Harry was just feeling tired, and when he finally got to his bed, it didn't take him long to get ready to sleep.
As he drifted off into Dreamland, a smile slipped on Harry's face. He was free! He didn't have to go home to the Dursleys for a long time.
No matter what happened, nothing going forward could possibly be as bad as those past ten years!
....
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