Not Slytherin, not Slytherin! Harry inwardly repeated, though he knew it would do no good. It was not like the Sorting Hat could hear him or anything.

He watched enviously as “Abbot, Hannah” was sorted into Hufflepuff. Why couldn’t he just get sorted right away? The wait had to be more agonizing than the results could possibaly be.

Visably shaking, Harry watched the other students get sorted. That Granger girl was in Gryffindor- ugh, the one house that he had hoped for more than any other just happened to have that know-it-all.

When his name was finally called, Harry felt as thought the world had been muted. The noise around him turned into a simpe buzzing, though he heard an accosonal “Did she say Potter?” and “Why, it’s Harry Potter! It’s really him!”

As Harry pulled the hat over his head, his silents pleas of not Slytherin were slightly quited, and replaced by a second worry. What if I’m not really magic? What if I don’t get sorted at all- what if the hat just sits on my head and I have to go back to the Dursely’s?

The thought of the Dursely’s made Harry’s nervousness increase enough to get rid of the chorus of not Slytherin, wich had still remained at the back of his mind.

He was so terrified that the hat speaking into his ear didn’t even surprise him.

Harry managed to make sense of the words, though the buzzing still filled his ears. “Not Slytherin, eh?” The hat asked.

Harry shrugged. Being put in Slytherin would be better than going back to the Dursely’s. “Put me i-in an-any house th-that you think I-i will belong in.” A chorus of protest errupted in the back of Harry’s mind, though he chose to ignore it.

“Are you sure, Potter?” The hat whispered. Harry thought for a second. Could all Slytherins be bad? Would being in Slytherin make him evil? Would it be better than going back to the Dursely’s?

Finally, Harry nodded, determined. He wouldn’t be hit anymore... he wouldn’t be hurt anymore...

But when the hat shouted “SLYTHERIN!” he knew there must be disapointment and shock on his face.

He felt his eyes go wide, and his thoughts started racing. I take it back! I didn’t want you to put me in Slytherin! I just didn’t want to go back!

Bu Harry managed to controll himself. He couldn’t stop the shaking, and his face must have shown an enormous amount of anger, but he couldn’t emberas himself like this.

Suddenly, he realized something was wrong. Instead of cheering, there was whispers, frowns, glares- it seemed Harry was hated. Why? He just didn’t want to go back to being abused- not that they would know, of course.

Just as he thought of this, the Slytherin table errupted with cheers. The whispering was drowned out and Harry’s heartbeat slightly slowed. He had been accepted. He wouldn’t have to go back. He wouldn’t have to go back!

Though, another part of Harry’s mind argued back You can’t be thinking this is okay... they could change you!

Harry shuddered, and realized just how long the walk to the Slytherin table was. Angling his head down, showing his shame, Harry took one step, then two. What was he going to do?

***

By the time the sorting was over, Harry felt he could’ve been classified as insane. You don’t have to go back to the Durely’s! His mind celebrated, before another section screamed, at the cost of your own life! At the cost of what makes you, well, you!

Wait- what made him, him? He had really only done chores... worked hard in school... suffered? Did he even have a personality?

Of course, don’t be an idiot, Harry told himself. Hang on to that personality, Harry. Hang on to it.

“Harry Potter, in our house,” a first-year girl said. Her face seemed almost pug-like, and she had short dark-brown hair framing her face. “I can’t say I expected it, but I’m glad.”

“Because I’m famouse?” Harry asked, surprising even himself. “This is what it’s all about, it’s all because I’m famouse....”

“Wh-what?” The girl asked, confused. “I don’t really under-”

“It’s fine,” Harry tole her. “I don’t understand either. I was forced the live in the fizzin’ muggle world all this time- and now I’m pretty much in another world. A world where I’m famouse...”

Harry wondered why he was saying all these things, but his mind was still battling... and apparently his sanity had been the first casulty.

The girl looked at him curiosly. “That would be hard, I suppose.” She sounded empathetic, but Harry knew she was only saying this because he was, well, him.

Harry lifted his head up from the table. He didn’t know he had set it there in the first place, but this was all so confusing... “I just want to be normal,” he said sudden;y. “Just treat me as thought I was a normal person.”

The girl looked surprised at this, though she quickly shrugged it of. “Okay, then- I’ll treat you normal.” Her empathetic eyes turned stone cold, and she added “As soon as you stop acting like an idiot. I can’t treat you normal if you don’t act normal- and normal people don’t act like... like this.”

Harry gave her a surprised glance, before shifting his attention to the plates set infront of him. He nearly gasped in shock- they were now full of food.

“What, never knew about the self-filling plates?” Harry turned his head, and two seats away, sat Draco Malfoy.

“You,” Harry muttured.

“Well, duh,” Draco responded. “There was never a doubt that I would be in Slytherin. Though I thought after that little display earlier you would’ve been put in Gryffindor- ahh, such a pity you weren’t. I don’t want you ruining our reputation!”

“It’s not like I asked to be put in here,” Harry argued deffensively.

“Well, you should have,” Draco snorted. “Anyone with half a brain should be able to tell this is the best house.”

Harry didn’t know what to say.

“Oooh, did you finally realize it was true after I slammed the knoledge in your face?”

“Actaully,” Harry muttered, trying to rid himself of his rising anger, “I thought it would be a better idea if I didn’t make enimies on my first day. I mean, anyone with half brain would be able to realize that.”

Several of the students around him gasped, but Harry pretended not to notice. Instead he turned his attention to the mountains of food infront of him, and filled his plate- though not as much as he would have if he had been put in any other house. For some reason, being in Slytherin made him self-concious.

That must mean the rumers were true.

Harry then realized that he would rather be abused- abused by the Durselys- rather than hurt someone else. Why couldn’t he have been put in Gryffindor? Or Ravenclaw? Or even Hufflepuff?! He knew that this would be the worst year of his life.

Hermione stared along with everyone else as the Sorting Hat placed Harry Potter in Slytherin. It seemed so... unreal. How could the hero of the Wizarding World be placed in what she often thought of as ‘The House of Villians’?

It was far to unrealistic- it had no logic, no sense. In fact, when she had met Harry earlier that day, he seemed far to kind to be in Slytherin. Not that she would stoop low enough to call all Slytherins evil- though saying “most” were seemed like an under-statement.

Many people around her started murmuring. Hermione shushed them, muttering about respect. How dare they disrespect anyone like that! All he had done was... was... get put in what was considered the “evil” house. Okay, maybe they did have a right to be confused- but not to disrespect someone like that! Harry Potter could have saved their lives when he defeated Voldemort!

Hermione shook her head, and turned slightly to watch Harry’s reaction. His eyes were wide, looking both shocked and fearfull. His mouth was slightly open is shock, and he was shaking incredibaly hard. Harry’s face was red with embarasment, and his eyes slowly turned to sad.

He angled his head down as the Slytherin table started cheering, and he walked with a slight drag in his step. His eyes looked almost haunted.

Hermione wanted to keep watching, but she couldn’t. The Sorting continued, and it was her duty as a student to watch respectfully.

As soon as the Sorting was over, she turned her eyes towards Harry to watch him- Hermione needed to understand why he was put in Slytherin, of all houses. If there was anything she feared more than death, it was not understanding something. What good was she if she didn’t know everying? It was the only thing she was good for, after all. Not that her parents truly cared- they expected nothing less than brilliance from her.

Hermione quickly angled herself so that she could see Harry. One girl seemed to be- dare Hermione geuss it?- flirting with him. Not that Hermione knew much about flirting... But after a few echanges from words, the girl rolled her eyes and seemed to say something similar to “Get a grip.”

He then seemed to be arguing with another boy- a blonde one, who seemed to be the very definition of a Slytherin styriotype. After a small amount of arguing, Harry said something that made him back off. Many of the Slytherins looked quite surprised. Hermione was just wondering what he had said, when someone poked her in the side.

It was the Ronald boy from the train. “Aren’t you gonna eat something?” He asked, though it sounded more like “Uhran’t ’oo gonno et somefink?” due to the fact that his mouth was full.

Hermione rinkled her nose, and scooted away, ever so slightly. “I would, if you didn’t just make me loose my apetite.”

She then turned to the golden platters, now full of food (she had read about this!) and helped herself to some potatoes anyways. She must keep her strenght up- after all, lessons started tomorrow!

Smiling as she thought about learning new spells, spells more complex than the ones she had already perfected, sounded so amazing- nothing could distact her.

***

It was only when Hermione was following the Prefects (something that she herself would love to become one day) up to the Gryffindor Coomon Room, did she remmeber Harry. As she glanced towards the Slytherins, she saw that he was walking, head-down, towards what must have been where the Slytherins lived.

The only person who didn’t give him a wide bearth was that girl Hermione had seen him talkin to earlier. Percerliar- she had yelled at him, and now she once again seemed to be flirty.

Hermione made a mental note to learn how to understand this, too- she didn’t understand anything about having a crush, since she had never had one.

Great- now she had two missions, that would take quite a bit of time and energy- on topics she knew nearly nothing about, but she had to know. Hermione gave a dreamy sigh, reminding herself that this would take research, something she had always loved.

So what if this was hard? She hadn’t had a true challenge in over a year- this was an amazing experiance, and a spectacular oppertunity!

Harry followed the Slytherin prefects down to the dormitory, with his head down in shame. What would everyone else think? What would Ron think? He had seemed so kind... and what would Hagrid think? Hagrid had been amazing- what if he thought that Harry was some sort of traitor?

Most of the Slytherins tried to keep a distance, almost like Harry was carrying some sort of disease. That’s probably what they thought- almost like he was put in Slytherin, but then caught some sort of un-Slytherin virus.

The only one who walked close to Harry was the pug-faced girl whom he had sat nect to during the feast.

“I haven’t told you my name, yet, have I?” She asked, though she did not give him enough time to answer. “I’m Pansy. Pansy Parkingson.”

“Right,” Harry muttured awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.

“You seem quite,” the Pansy girl stated. “I never expected you to be so... well, like this.” She raised her eyebrows, expecting an answer.

Harry looked up at the girl, staring at her curiosly. She seemed a lot nicer than so many other students, though considering her- their- house, she was probably- obviously- using him.

“I suppose you’re right- I should be more... exited. This is better than going back to the Dursely’s, after all.” Harry didn’t really realize that he had said the wrong thing untill he heard Pansy’s response.

“The what?” She sounded confused- and slightly discusted. Harry didn’t want to explain about living with the Dursely’s, it made him far too emberassed.

Luckily, someone infront of them fell through the steps, and Pansy forgot about their conversation.

“I should have warned you about the illution-step,” the prefect guiding them said. “There are many of them in the school- though I’m sure you know. Slytherins do tend to be pure-bloods, after all. I’ll warn you if we come across any more.”

As they walked down another flight of stairs, Harry saw the ground only a few feet away moving. “What the heck is happening?” Harry screamed.

“Moving staircases, of course,” the prefect responded, giving Harry a funny look. “Your gardians did tell you about this, right?”

Harry felt himself going red. “It’s just... just so sup-suprising to see in real life,” he explained. His words weren’t necasarily a lie, even if he had known about this before-hand, he probably still would have freaked-out. Did that make him pathetic?

No wonder he wasn’t put in Gryffindor.

***

The Slytherin Common Room was... err... there was no word that could completely explain it. A soft green glow seemed to fill the room, calming Harry. The green furniture and banners were nearly as calming, while the silver around him seemed to give the room a perfect amount of brightness. Yet the banners weren’t what really caught his attention. What really caught his attention was the skulls.

Harry tried not to shiver as he listened to a prefect speak. “Welcome to the Slytherin Common Room. The boys Dormitory is over there,” he gestured to the left, “and the girl’s is over there,” he added, flicking his hand to the right. “There is a restroom branching of from each dormitory, for you and your roomates to share. Sleep good tonight, everyone. Tomorrow you will start classes- and you’ll also get a full list of school rules.”

Then another older student, one with a badge saying "Head Girl," on it spoke up. "Hang on a second, we need to tell them the Slytherin law," she announced. Most of the students looked bored, as thought this was drilled into them. It probably was, actaully.

"The Slytherin law," another prefect said, coming forwards, "is very simple. The fights in Slytherin stay in Slytherin- we must stand united. The other houses hate us, with Ravecnlaw as a mostly neutral exeption. The Gryffindors, however, are against us, and the Hufflepuffs are Gryffindor followers- meaning we must be united."

"And," the head girl added, "if you are going to break the rules, do all of us a favor and don't get caught. All the teachers here are looking for an exuse to knock of points. Dismissed."

That really worried Harry. He would have to be "united" with that Malfoy jerk and his idiot cronies?

As he walked up to the dormitory, however, all his worry vanished. There was a huge bed for each of them- four poster beds, wich were twice as big as the bed he had slept in before. Each bed had a nightstand, holding a silver lantern, a clock, and a cup of water. Every bed had silver metal just above it, with a name carved into it. One of them had his name!

Harry knew, right then and there that he rather be a Slytherin than back at that... that prison. That’s what the Dursely’s house had truly been.

Maybe this made him a coward- maybe that’s why he was not a Gryffindor- but Harry did not care. At least, that’s what he told himself.

The back of his mind didn’t listen, infact it kept calling Harry all sorts of nasty names, but that was okay. This was not so bad.

Harry feel asleep smiling, even though all the Slytherin boys seemed to hate him.

Draco inwardly cursed at Harry Potter. He had waltzed over to the Slytherin table, sat down, called Slytherins jerks (even though he was one himself, the idiot) and now he was ignoring everyone else. Not that Draco wanted to talk to him- he doubted Potter’s idea of a conversation would hardly be more intelligant than Crabbe’s or Gole’s.

But maybe, just maybe, Harry could end up being a source of power. If Draco aimed his bludgers right, he could use Harry to control the school- at least, all the students in the school. All he had to do was shape Potter up a bit first, and Potter was such an idiot that it couldn’t be too hard.

Aah, yes, Draco would be the Slytherin seeker soon, as well as the most admired student in the school. All it would take is a bit of cunning- and he had tons of it as a Slytherin. This couldn’t be that hard...

Draco sighed as he sat down in the Great Hall right next to Idiot Potter, and forced himself to speak kindly- even though this dispicable creature didn’t deserve that.

“Hello, Potter,” Draco murmured, trying to make his eyes look polite, harmless... anything for the power he wanted.

“Er... hi,” Idiot Potter replied, quietely. He glanced up from his plate of food to meet Draco’s eyes before looking down again.

Draco could not beleive it- Potter was acting self-conscious. That slight show of emotion proved that Potter was not quite as idiotic as he had presumed. It also made Draco wonder how, with all magic and hidden thoughts in mind, Harry Potter was in Slytherin. Slytherins were confidant, and proud- not quiet and self-concious. Unless Potter’s house placements were what caused this behavior- though why would the Sorting Hat place someone in a house they hated?

Pushing back his questions, Draco managed a small smile. “Everything’s going good for you, I presume?”

The Potter Boy seemed to suspect something at that. He had looked up, eyebrows raised.

“Yes,” Potter replied. “Everything is fine.” The boy than added something that Draco could not quite hear, though he caught the words “better” and “before.”

“What was that last part?” Draco asked quickly. What was Idiot Potter admiting to? Was he saying that... he didn’t mind Slytherin? Or maybe he was just to ashamed to admit it. He shouldn’t be ashamed! Harry did not know how amazing their house was...

“None of your buissness,” Harry said quickly, his eyes darting nervously. Ahh... so it wasn’t that he liked Slytherin, it was just better than something else.

“But it is my buissness,” Draco responded rapidly. “We are in the same house... meaning that we are, say, required to be ‘freindly’ with one another- do if there is anything troubling you, you must let me know.”

“I don’t know who you think you’re kidding, but it’s not me,” Harry muttured. “It’s quite obvious that you don’t care about me- you only care about what you can get from me.”

Draco did his best to hide his surprise. Either Potter was better at reading emotions than he had thought possible, or Draco was not as good at lying as he thought. Both of those options would have horrible outcomes, but it did not matter.

Soon Draco would control the school- and then maybe he could finally get the attention from his father that he had always been denied.

Who did that Malfoy boy think he was kidding?

Okay, that was obvios. He though he was kidding Harry- even though all Harry heard coming out of his mouth was failed attemts at manipulation.

There was no doubt about it- everyone just wanted his power, his fame... his life.

But they did not know what they were asking for. They did not know what Harry went through- not that Harry cared. They were all evil anyways.

He sighed as he ate his last bite of toast, and wiped his mouth carefully with the paper-napkin in front of him. He would not make a fool of himself. Not infront oh these jerks that he would have to spend most of the next seven years with!

Harry shook his head before heading back to the common room. They had been instructed to do so before class, to learn rules and whatnot. Harry hastily walked back, following a few second years. How they nagivated the moving hallways and remembered to jump the vanishing steps was behond Harry.

Once Harry was back in the common room, he stood far in the back so that no one would stare. He was thankful when the head-of-house, Proffesor Snap- no, Snape- came in to tell them all the rules, that happened to include “Don’t drive flying cars to school” and “Don’t follow spiders anywhere.” Those rules seemed quite silly, though they must be there for reason.

When they were dismissed, Harry inched along to get to his first class, Charms, but the professor called him back. “Potter!” He had shouted.

Harry inched forwards nervously, his head down. “Yes, professor?” He asked timidly, his whole body shaking. Something about Professor Snape demanded repsect, and not in a good way. In a, well, how could Harry explain it? The professor scared him.

“Why were you not in the front, mister Potter?” The proffesor asked. “Do you find rules bellow you?”

“Er...” Harry muttured. “I didn’t know I was supposed to be up front. I’m sorry...”

Professor Snape’s face looked shocked- but only for a few seconds. “Anyone should have been able to asume that the first should be up front.”

“I-I’m sorry, sir,” Harry murmured, risking an upwards glance at Snape’sneer. “I should have known...” Harry’s voice got slightly quiter as he added “The staring just made me uncomfortable.”

“What exactly was that last bit?” Professor Snape had more trouble keeping his face emotionless this time. His shock lasted quite a bit longer.

“Um... I said ‘The staring just made me uncomfortable,’” Harry spoke just loud enough to be heard- and quiter would have been disrespectful, and the same would have been true for any louder.

“Is that so?” Professor Snape asked curiously (not that his curiosity showed). “Well, next time ignore the staring and use common sense, Potter.”

“Y-yes sir,” Harry stuttered nervously.

Snape raised an eyebrow in suspicion before awkwardly gliding away. Harry shrugged it of, and grabbed his books before heading to Charms.

Pansy, of course, walked with him, rambling on and on. “I never knew Harry Potter would be in my year, and I always thought you would be a sort of goody-two shoes, but you’re here now, in my year and house! I bet all the Gryffindors are mad, they probably thought you were one of them, but you are better then them, of course... Slytherin is the best house, obvi-”

“I think you’re getting Slytherin confused with Ravenclaw,” a voice inturupted Pansy. “While Slytherins are known to be powerful, if you have no brains, you have no life.”

“Are you saying I have no brains?” Harry asked.

“What a brat!” Pansy exclaimed.

“No!” the Ravenclaw girl exclaimed. “I was just, well, making a point. I just have an above average amount of pride for my schoolwork.”

“Who even are you, you weirdo?” Pansy snarled.

“I. Am. Eva Brooks!” The blonde girl before them anounced dramatically, her blue eyes sparkling. “But, if you want you can call me Eva ‘Books’ since books rhymes with my last name, and I am a total nerd...”

“Why did you call yourself a nerd?” Harry asked curiously. This girl was different than everyone he had met so far- she did not hate him for being a Slytherin, or want hime to be, well, evil. She seemed funny, too.

“I’d tell you, but I have to get to Charms in, let’s see, three minutes or I’ll be tardy...” the girl responded. “See you later, Harry, Pansy!”

Eva then turned around and began to walk away- though maybe she was not quite walking. Her movement was bouncy and happy, almost like a skip, though still controlled.

“Hey, Eva, wait up!” Harry called out. By the time he reached the eleven-year-old Ravenclaw he was gasping for breath, but he still felt oddly happy. “Pansy and I have Charms nexts, too. Maybe we could walk there together...”

With a knowing chuckle, Eva nodded happily. “Sure, why not?”

Suddenly Pansy popped up from behind Eva. “Harry, why on earth are you talking to this mudblood?” Pansy exclaimed.

“A what?” Harry asked, confused.

“The word ‘mudbllod’ is a cruel name for a mugleborn,” Eva said almost calmly, with narrowed eyes. “It means dirty blood- but I don’t agree with it. I feel that a true ‘mudblood’ would be someone who cones from a dark, Voldemort-supporting family who completely agrees with their family’s unjust morales.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Pansy demanded, while Harry winced. That was kind of rude, but Pansy had been rude first.

Harry looked back in forth between the bickering girls nervously. He agreed with Eva, but he did not want to make the fight worse. Besides, both of them were very freindly. He intervened the only way he could.

“Stop, stop, stop,” Harry tried desperatly to look confidant as he stood inbetween the girl. “Now is not the time- class starts injust over a minute!”

“Oh gosh, you’re right!” Eva exclaimed. “Follow me!”

Harry imediatly began to run after his new freind, while Pansy called “Stop! Stop! Ugh, fine, Harry- don’t come crying to me when she leads you off a cliff!

Harry raced after Eva, who led him to to the third floor. “Charms Corridor!” Eva shouted exitedly, pointing towards a singe. “We’re almost there, Harry!”

“Yeah, almost...” Harry muttered awkwardly. “Hey, look, that door’s open! That must be the class...”

The two charged into the classroom just as the bell rung.

“I-is this Charms?” Eva asked, gasping for breath. Harry noticed how she kept a constant smile, even while finding it hard to breathe. How positive!

“Yes, this is Charms,” a short man called from the center of the room. He sat on a stack of five books to see over the desk he was sitting at. “Take a seat,” he added, gesturing to bleacher-like desks circling around the room.

Eva and Harry imediatly found two chairs in the back of the room next to a few Ravenclaw boys.

As they sat down, the one on the right began speaking. “You must be Harry,” the boy murmured interestedly. “I’m Terry- Terry Boot.”

Harry nodded politely. “Nice to meet you, Terry.”

“Anyways, Harry, why did it happen?” Terry asked exitedly. “Why were you put in Slytherin?”

“I-” Harry starte, but he was cut of by Eva. “That’s none of your buisness, Mr. Boot,” she said, her voice sounding both harsh and polite at the same time. “Besides, we should be listening right now.”

Once again, Harry winced. He was grateful that Eva stood up for him, but she could have at least let him talk!

Terry sighed, and the three students turned to face the teacher.

“Welcome to Charms,” the professor anounced. “I am Professor Flitwick, the teacher for this class- as you could have assumed. As today is the first class, late students will not be punished...”

He went on to do rolecall, and Professor Flitwick paused at Harry’s name- though he pretended not to. It was really kind of odd to be this famous- in Harry’s opinion. He went from a hated child to a celebrity.

As the class went on, Flitwick taught them about the wand-lighting spell. When he asked if anyone knew the indacation for it, Eva raised her hand so fast that she nearly knocked of Harry’s glasses. Instead of being mad, Harry gave a small laugh before raising his hand a bit timidly.

“Potter?” Professor Flitwick decided.

“Isn’t it l-lumos?” Harry’s answer was more of a question, but it still got a nod from the tiny Professor.

“That is correct,” the proffesor congradulated Harry. “Two points to Gr-Slytherin.”

Suddenly, the class was interupted as Pansy Parkingson walk in. When she saw that Eva and Harry were already there, she glared at them. After echanging a few words with Professor Flitwick, she sat down next to Malfoy while looking pointedly at Harry.

The message was clear: You could’ve had me or her, and you chose her.

Harry frowned at that. He did not mean to choose anyone! I’ll tall Pansy later- but, no. Pansy is worse than I thought... I suppose she’d force me to choose anyways, and that is... a singe of just wanting me. Not to be my freind, but more so my fame. Harry sighed as he pondered this idea. Well, I have chosen Eva, I geuss. But it’s Pansy’s own fault.

***

After Charms, Harry dragged through History of Magic, a very boring class with the Hufflepuffs. Most people just ignored him, or in other words, fell asleep. Harry managed to stay awake and take notes, though his handwriting was horrible and his details were breif.

Not that it mattered. His noted had always been very similar in primary school; Harry always had to fear his cousin aproaching.

Harry was thankful it was now lunch time- even if everyone ignored him more. It was hard to get to luch, but he managed to get there by following some older students.

Harry sat down, helping himself to pork chops and mashed potatoes. Just as he assumed, everyone ignored him while Harry pretended not to notice.

Just as he was about to get up, with a good ten minutes to get to class, a girl sat down next to him.

“Hello, Harry,” she said politely. “I’m Daphne Greengrass. I can’t help but notice how much you scorn at our ways...”

Harry shrugged. “I just don’t understand all this discrimination.”

Daphne sighed, shaking her brown-haired head. “Everyone always calls this discrimination, but it’s not. We may be a little rude to muggleborns, at times, but that’s because we can’t marry muggleborns, or even half-bloods. The number of pure-blood wizards and witches are dwindling, and if we all marry muggleborns there won’t be any left before long.” Daphne paused, looking into Harry’s eyes. “I can tell you don’t really beleive all this. That’s okay. Just don’t insult opur veiws, please? It’s rather rude.”

Harry nodded, giving Daphne a small, shy smile. “I understand,” Harry reashured his house-mate. “It makes since, even if I don’t entirely agree....”

“I knew it,” a voice startled Harry. “You’re all evil... evil little-”

Harry spun around frantically. “Ron... you don’t underdstand...”

“I understand perfectly!” Ron snarled. “You’re evil, just like every other person in your house!”

Eva Brooks, who was walking past, stopped and glared at Ron. "You know what, Weasely?" she growled. "I don't think that being in Slytherin makes people evil. I think people treating Slytherins like they're evil is wh-"

"You don't understand," Weasely snarled, while Eva crossed her arms. "They have always been evil!"

"As long as the styriotypes were there," Harry said calmly. "And anyways, if you're just going to argue, you should leave."

"Fine!" Ron growled as he stormed away. It took all of Harry's energy as he slumped in his seat.

"Have a nice day, Harry," Eva said with a nod before walking away, the Slytherins glaring at her.

Harry sighed. So much is his life sucked.

Harry barely made it through the week. On the train ride, Ron had been his best freind. Now, he hated him. Which is exactly why yoy should never call someone your best freind after just meeting that day.

Harry spent all his time that was not in classes reading and working on homework and reading his textbooks (as he had nothing else to do)- none of his peers, other than Eva, a girl named Hermione Granger, Daphne, and Daphne’s friend, Tracey Davis had said a single, true, kind word to him. If Daphne and Tracey’s kind words could even be called true; almost everyone expected him to become the next Dark Lord, and they were trying to get a head start in getting protection. However, unlike Parkingson and malfoy, these two were kind and polite.

He was releived when it was Friday, and when he silently sat down next to Daphne and Tracey (he rarely spoke with them; their company just made him feel less alone), his joy was hightened by the letter that fell on his lap.

Dear Harry,

I heard that first years have Friday afternoons off. If you aren’t to busy, would you like to come down to my hut for tea? Send your reply with Hedwig.

-Hagrid

So Hagrid did not hate him for being a Slytherin? Thank goodness. Hagrid had been... his first true freind.

Harry quickly wrote that he would love to come, and added a quick thank you. Daphne pursed her lips beside him.

“Yes?” Harry asked.

“I didn’t say anything,” Daphne responded, her smooth voice slightly irritated.

Harry shook his head. He knew Daphne would react like this. She was reasonable, and nice enough, but she just seemed to think she was oh-so-great...

***

Harry nervouslt walked to potions, knowing that he would have to spend the whole morning with the Gryffindors, Slytherins, and Professor Snape- all of whom seemed to hate him- was absaloutly horrifying.

He entered the potions room, glares following from ever direction. Harry wanted to flee, but instead he followed Eva’s advice- he held his head high and pretended that he did not notice their whispers.

A small glance around the room proved that Daphne was not there yet, so Harry sat at an empty table at the back of the room. The Gryffindor’s whispering itensified.

Harry caught a few snatches of it. “Why isn’t he sitting with his evil little freinds?” “Is everyone so scared of him that they won’t even let him sit near them?”

Harry sighed, his hands twitching as thought they longed to grab his own throat. He stared at all of the people around him, who had once been exited to meet him. His gaze fell on Ron, who was sitting silently- glaring at him.

Though, glaring would never be strong enough to describe the pure hatred in Ron’s eyes. After looking into the horrible gaze of his blue eyes, Harry nearly burst into tears.

Oh, how different his loathing eyes were from the sparkling, joyful eyes of Eva. They were both blue, but they filled him with such different emotions!

Harry’s eyes began to water, but he did not let anyone see. He just pulled out his potions book and bent over it, reading the facts to numb his fears, and hiding his tears by bending as far over his book as he could.

“May I sit here?”

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin when he realized that someone was talking to him, and kindly, too. It was that Hermione Granger girl, the girl who had did her homework with him and Eva a on Wednessday! While Harry had originally thought of her as annoying, he was now extremally grateful to her. “Yeah, er, go ahead,” Harry murmured happily.

Suddenly, his cheerfulness dropped. What if Hermione had sat next to him just to make fun of him? But Hermione just pulled out her own potions book, and read it as well.

_____________________________________________________________________

Hermione stared at Harry while she faked reading. He looked nervous- no, wary. His eyes looked slightly glazed, as hought they were wet, and his eyes seemed slightly pink. Had he been crying? Of course he had. That was the only reasonable explanation for wet, red eyes. The only problem was why he was crying.

Hermione’s imediate answer was the glaring and whispering from the students around them, but Hermione knew that the most obvious solutions were very rarely actaully the solutions.

Maybe- Hermione’s train of thought was cut of as Proffesor Snape entered the classroom.

_____________________________________________________________________

Harry imediatly closed his book as Snape entered the classroom. Hermione did the same, while Daphne aand Tracey, who had just arrived, sat up straighter at the next table over.

Proffesor Snape started out the class with rolecall, just like many other teachers. However, unlike the others, Proffesor Snape did not see the need to treat him like the rest of the students, this Professor treated him worse.

As he read aloud Harry’s name, Snape sneered, saying in his quiet, but attention grasping voice “Aaah... our new celebraty.” Several Gryffindors an Slytherins laughed. Harry was pleased to see that Ron did not laugh, but after another glare from the redhead, Harry’s joy disapeared.

Not knowing if the professor wanted a responce or not, Harry just shrugged, not really wanting to be famous.

Snape continued with the attendance, before giving an incredibily attention-capturing intraduction. Harry thought they would then go on to teach them about potions, but instead Snape turned his attention to Harry.

“Potter,” he said, sneering, “Do you know what I would get if I added the powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?”

Harry looked at the ceiling for eleven long seconds, thinking hard before simply saying, “I do not know, Sir.” He glanced around nervously, seeing that Hermione’s hand was waving high in the air.

Snape gave Harry a truimphant glare. “Your fame isn’t everything, is it Mr. Potter? How about we try this again- where do bezors come from?”

Harry once again thought while staring at the ceiling- he knew this, if only he could just remember... “It is a stone,” he answered nervously, “That comes from the belly of a goat?”

“Correct, Potter,” Snape sneered, and by his face Harry could tell he wished that Harry had not been correct.

_____________________________________________________________________

Serverus stared at the Potter boy. It was surprising that he knew what a bezor was, but not as surprising as him being in Slytherin.

Perhaps the brat would not be as horrible as James had been, but Serverus’s hopes were not high. His emotions towards the boy were far to complicated; they were full of hope that he would be like Lily, hatered for Jame’s son, and the urge to protect Lily’s young, possibaly innocent, child.

Honestly, Serverus did not like him much more because he was in Slytherin, considering the look on Potter’s face when he was sorted. He was probably just like his father, but even more cowardly! Though something in his eyes was so different from his father’s. They were not arrogant, they were almost haunted- not that Serverus Snape would ever admit that.

There was no way that Dumbledore would let his Golden Boy live in a home like, well, like his. But Dumbledore made a lot of mistakes, including letting him stay at home. Serverus Snape’s lip curled. He would treat the boy neutraly, for now.

Harry was walking out the the hut in which Hagrid lived, Eva skipping merily on his right. He had invited her to come with him, and Eva had said yes. (Actauly, her exact words were “I would love to! It would be such an edjacational experiance, and loads of fun!”)

When they knocked on the door, a dog imediatly started barking. Harry froze for a second, shaking, remembering when Marge’s dog, Ripper, chased him up a tree, but when Eva gave his hand a quick squease, he landed back in reality, where Hagrid was dragging the dog back, and saying, “Harry, glad ya could make it! And who might this be?”

“That’s Eva, Eva Brooks,” Harry replied steadily, as thought he had not just been trembling is fear. “She’s in Ravenclaw, and probably my best friend.”

“Eva, huh?” Hagrid asked. “Well, cerm righ’ in, the both of ya, I made tea and some cakes fer ya!”

Once they were sitting down and sipping on tea and trying to eat Rock Cakes without breaking their teeth, Hagrid said “Ya know wha’, Harry? I think I owe ya an app’lgy. I gave ya the wrong ’pinion ’bout yer house, but not all Slytherins are bad. Yer proof of that yerself, I suppose.”

“Th-thanks, Hagrid,” Harry murmured, smiling.

“No pr’blem, Harry,” Hagrid replied with a smile. ”’Nyways, how was both of yers first week?”

Both Eva and Harry shrugged; Harry had mad enimies out of most Gryffindors from his house placement, and most of Slytherins for being friends with Eva and socilizing with Hermione, while Eva had been critisized by Slytherins for being a muggleborn and by Gryffindors for being Harry’s friend. Still, there was positive things about their stay too, so they both said “Good.”

“I’m learning so much!” Eva squealed delightedly. “I never even knew magic existed; even though when all of my missing items teleported to me I started to suspect that. But now I get learn and do magic, and I already am doing so much, and it’s just... great!”

Harry and Hagrid chuckled.

“I’m glad to finally have freinds, even if I don’t have a lot,” Harry added simply.

And the tea went on like that for another hour before Eva and Harry happily left, weighed down with a few rock cakes- they had a decnt taste if you could chew them!

As they left Eva turned to Harry and asked seriously “What happened back with Fang? Are you okay?”

“I-it’s nothing,” Harry replied hastily, though not hastily enough to seem suspicous. “I just, uh, met this really bad dog one time, and, well-”

“It’s okay to scared Harry, and not like dogs,” Eva said kindly. “Anyways, it’s almost time for dinner, and we have these rock cakes- what do you say we put these where Weasely, Finnigan and Thomas always sit?”

“Brilliant,” Harry agreed. “And we won’t even have to use magic-”

“Making it untracable!” They finished together as they walked hurridly to dinner, dropping the cakes off at the Gryffindor table before going to their respective seats.

And, finally, “OWE!” Ron screamed from the Gryffindor table, causing everyone to stare at him.

“What is it, Mr. Weasely?” Mcgonagal asked Ron sternly.

“The food- it’s hard- I think I chipped a tooth!” Ron whined.

“Then go to the Hosptal Wing, chop, chop,” Mcgoniagl ordered, before turning her gaze to Fred and George Weasely. “Detention boys, tommorow night at seven in my office.”

“But this wasn’t us-” Fred cryed.

“For once,” George added.

“Of course it was, who else would it be?”

“Uh, well, proffessor,” a handsome fourth year Hufflepuff spoke up, “I mean no disrespect, but before Fred and George have never denied doing anything, so maybe it was not them?”

“Potter!” Snape snarled. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“Wait, you think I did that?” Harry asked. “I was sitting here the whole time, ask ayone!” Many would be surprised at how good of an actor Harry was, or maybe not, considering his house.

“Inocent until proven giulty, Minerva, Serverus,” Dumbledore told the two teachers quietly. After a bit of murmuring between the staff, Dumbledore spoke again. “Your detention has been canceled, Mister Weasely and Mister Weasely.”

Both Eva and Harry gave a small sigh of releif; neither wanted anyone to take their punishment for them, even if they wanted to avoid punisment themselves.

Harry was very nervous about flying lessons, not that he would admit it. He was not that nervous about flying; him, Eva, and Hermione had all poured over Quidinch through the ages, and there was bound to be plenty of other kids who had never ridden a broom before. What worried him was being around both Gryffindors (who hated him even more now, since they suspected that he had been the one to put the rock cakes on their table) and Slytherins.

Harry walked down to the pitch with Hermione, whom Harry was starting to consider friend, even if she could be a little bit of a know-it-all, and they found broomsticks at the edge of the Quidinch pitch to claim their own brooms. They were later joined by Neville Longbottom, but everyone else was avoiding him like the dragon pox.

When Madam Hooch came out and gave eveyone the order to tell their brooms “UP!” Harry was one of the only ones to get it right on his first try, and then helped Neville and Hermione, who were both struggling. Honestly, Harry did not know what was so hard about controling the broom, but he supposed that the two Gryffindors just lacked confindence. Though, Ron, who was bragging endlessly about his flying, had his broom hit his face, so maybe there was something more to it.

Soon, they were tasked with flying a couple of feet into the air, though Neville somehow managed to fly before he was supposed to, and loose control of his broom, so that he kept flying higher, and higher, and higher...

But Harry remembered how he had willed his broom up earlier, and tried to get some control over the broom in the air. Down, down slowly, you got this, there you go, Harry thought as the broom stopped rising and then slowly started floating towards the ground.

As the broom started to fall, Harry felt himself grow weeker and weaker; he seemed to be shaking, but there was pure consentration writen on his face. As Neville landed safely on the ground, Harry fell to his knees, shaking.

“Someone get him to the hospital wing!” Madame Hooch shouted, before adding quietly, “And, Harry, fifty points to Slytherin for saving the life of your peer.”

***

When everyone left class and found that Slytherin had fifty more points, no one was surprised, at least not until a third year Hufflepuff said that they had just gotten out of potions with the Ravenclaws- meaning that Snape could not have been majorly favouring his students.

That is when Neville, Hermione, Tracey, Daphne, a couple of Gryffindor first year girls, and Blaise Zabini, a nuetral first year Slytherin boy, started explaining how Harry Potter, whom everyone though was a future dark lord, had saved Neville.

Eva had smiled at that story, turned to face Ron, and said, “Ha, I told you so,” before dragging Neville and Hermione off so that they could make cards for Harry.

So, by the time Harry woke up, at around six, Harry woke up to find his nightstand full of ten cards and five boxes of sweets, as well as Eva, Hermione, and Neville standing over his bed, each holding a homemade card.

“Thanks for saving my life, Harry,” Neville croacked solemly as soon as he saw Harry’s eyes flutter open. “I knew that the rumors about you could not be true, with how nice you were before then, but now the whole schools knows how great you really are.”

“Yes, Harry,” Hermione agreed, biting her lip nervously and looking at Harry with a face that showed consern, but also looked like she was trying to figure him out. “Neville’s right- everyone admitted you were decent.”

“Even Ronald Weasley did!” Eva agreed happily.

“Uh, wow,” Harry murmured in surprise. “I was not expecting that- but I suppose that’s good, even if it gives them all another thing to whisper about.”

“What are you three doing here?” a stern looking woman in a nurse uniform exclaimed. “I said you could deliver your cards, and then leave! Now I find you talking to Harry! Out I say, out!”

The three misfits who came to see Harry turned and fleed, thankful to have avoided detention (Eva and Hermione because they wanted to be the best students they could, and Neville because he had granphobia).

“So you’re awake, Harry,” the nurse said more calmly, turning to Harry. “Come here now, let me look you over, and then you can go back to your friends, okay?”

Turns out, when he went looking for his friends (his first stop being the library), Harry did not run into them, but instead, Ronald Weaseley.

“So you saved someone’s life,” Ron asked. “That’s nice I guess- you aren’t totally evil yet. But you are a Slytherin, so... I bet you can understand why I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Yep,” Harry replied. “You’re a coward.” He then turned away, not entirely sure why he said that.

“You may leave now, Harry,” Madame Promphry told a fidgeting Harry. “Your head of house wants to see you.”

Harry nodded mutely, and wondered what on earth he could have done to earn Professor Snape’s anger.

However, once he got to the Potion Master’s office, Harry saw Professor Snape looking slightly exited, and there was already another student there- a fifth year boy whom had been one of the prefects to give the speech at the begining of the year.

“Took you long enough, Potter,” Snape growled, and Harry nodded, murmuring an apology. “Well, Potter, the news of what happened during flying lessons has reached the whole school.” Harry’s heart started beating faster- did he do something wrong? Would he be punished? Of course he would be punished- he wa a freak who could not do anything right! He was horrible, and aweful, and did not dserve to li- “Potter, this is Marcus Flint, captain of the Slytherin Quidinch team. I will let him explain why you are here.”

Harry nodded mutely, still scared, but realizing that if the other student was there, not because they were a prefect, but because they were Quidinch Captain, he might not end up starving for the next few days!

“Well, Potter,” Flint spoke, “Like Professor Snape said, I am captain of our quidinch team. I heard about what happened outside, and I wanted you as a reserve.” Harry’s eyes widened in shock. He was being rewarded! Other than a couple of points for his house, he had never been rewarded for anything! “Do you know how to play quidinch?”

“N-no,” Harry stuttered.

“Well, I suppose we can work around that. Come on.”

So, that night, Flint taught Harry everything he needed to know about the flying sport, and Harry tried out every position. It turned out, he did not evn need directions on how to fly- he was already a natural! He even managed to catch the snitch, an odd little ball that flew around and whatever team’s Seeker caught it ended the game and got one hundred and fifty points, in five, ten, and eight minutes- a really awesome score!

He had started out that day as one of the most hated people in the school, but ended it as a hero and reserve Seeker.

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“Congradulations, Harry!” Eva squealed as Harry told her the news on Saturday morning. On weekends, people often sat at other tables, so that morning, Eva had invited him, Hermione and Neville to that table. It was the perfect place; the Ravenclaws were the most neutral house, and second most unbiased, after Hufflepuff. (Though a chinese girl in maybe her second year seemed to be glaring at him.)

“Are you sure you should be telling us that?” Hermione asked, confused. “We are from different houses, after all.”

“Flint doesn’t care,” Harry shrugged. “Besides, uh, none of you really seem interested in Quidinch anyways, and I don’t think you would put our friendship at risk just for a game.”

“She might, though,” Neville whispered, nodding his head in the direction of the chinese Ravenclaw.

“Yeah, probably, if she overhears us” Eva agreed. “Cho Chang is the reserve Seeker for Ravenclaw and would do anything to get a higher position, not to mention the fact that she hates Slytherins!”

“That’s just perposterous!” Hermione exclaimed. “She is too biast to realize that every house has good and bad people, and she herself, well, you said she would do anything to become the real seeker? Anything? Honestly, she probably plays more dirty that Harry ever will.”

Eva and Neville nodded in agreement, and Harry’s face reddened slightly.

“Thanks, Hermione,” he murmured, loving the feeling of elation his stomache. The feeling of having friends, and belonging!

“No problem,” Hermione said simply.

“Well, what should we do now?” Eva asked. “The weather looks nice- we can go and hang out by the lake. I wonder if it’s against the rules to climb the trees.”

“No, it’s not,” Harry told Eva, remembering the long list of rules Snape had told his house. “Though I don’t think I’ll climb any,” he added as an afterthought- after being chased up a tree by a viscous bulldog, climbing them loses it’s entertainment.

“I can’t,” Neville murmured. “I have a potions essay...”

“You can do it outside!” Eva suggested. “That way we can all work on homework together- I still have to study for Transfiguration on Monday.”

Neville’s face lit up, and at that moment, everyone was anjoying the experiance of having friends. All exept for one.

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Eva Brooks was delighted when she saw Neville’s face lit up- it was a warm, happy tingling feeling in her stomache. She had friends, real friends, and had not messed it up yet!

It’s only a matter of time, a little voice inside her whispered, and Eva tried to disagree, she really tried, but she just could not.

You only befriended Harry because of his fame, making him lose Pansy Parkingson as a friend in the process. You made a mess of everything, and then dragged Neville and Hermione into it, making them into targets for everyone. It is all your fault.

Eva gripped her arm tightly, holding back tears. Maybe it would be better if she just left her friends- it was selfish to hang on to them when she knew she would just mess everything up again.

No, I won’t give them up! Eva insisted. It’ll break their hearts, and since I got them into this mess, I will get them out!

Yeah, sure, whatever helps you sleep at night.

Still, Eva speed-walked out of the Great Hall, laughing and joking with her friends, never giving any indication of her internal battle to her friends.