Parseltongue- Harry speaking ; snakes speaking

'mind talking/ communicating'

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"Hey guys," Harry mumbled when he approached the Hufflepuff table early Sunday morning.

"Harry!" Susan, Hannah, Hermione, and Neville cheered. 

"Where were you?" Hermione cried. "We haven't seen you since last Friday!" Harry sat down and the Weasley twins immediately started piling his plate with food.

"Twins!" he said. "I won't be able to eat this much!" But they just ignored him and put the plate in front of him. Draco, who was next to him, huffed. Harry groaned quietly. "Come on Malfoy, you aren't back to being mad, are you?" Draco just kept on reading his book. The others were sniggering.

"Dear Harrikins-,"

"-Our dear Draco will definitely, most absolutely-,"

"-will continue to ignore you." Fred finished. 

"Remember what happened at lunch on Friday?" Neville asked, laughing.

Flashback:

Harry dragged himself with Neville behind him to the Great Hall to meet up with his friends. Harry was excused from his classes and got to stay with Neville until he was allowed to leave. Luckily, it was just before lunch and he knew all his friends had a free period right now.

As Harry neared the doors, something started to feel...off. Deciding it was probably nothing, he opened the doors and followed in after Neville. Bad mistake.

There, standing in the middle of the hall, was a fuming Draco Malfoy. His head was down, and he seemed to be radiating cold energy off himself. And for the first time in a very long time, Harry was scared.

Slowly, Draco raised his head. Harry wished the ground would sallow him up when those steely stone eyes looked at him. It was even worse when he started to speak.

"Potter, how nice of you to finally join us." It was so cold that Harry shivered from it.

"Um...Hi Draco, something wrong?" That was definitely the wrong thing to say, because something was absolutely the wrong. 

"Something wrong? Of course something is wrong, you twat!" Draco yelled. Harry flinched a bit from the loudness, but it went unnoticed. "What are you, a Gryffindor? Did you get dropped on you head as a baby? Or are you just plain stupid? Do you know what that move could have cost you? You could have broken your neck! Then what would you do, huh? I..." 

Draco continued on rambling, but Harry stopped listening after the first few lines. He had put on a blank mask, but inside his eyes were as wide as saucers. It sounded like Draco...cared? But that's not true, is it? Harry was pretty sure nobody cared for him. Then what was this? What was this warm feeling in his chest? It was kind of similar to the one on the day he met his familiars, but it was also different from it. Harry decided to ignore it and tune in back to the speech.

"-Why on earth would you do that?" Draco asked, out of breath and face red.

"Well, um, it was Neville's and he is my friend. Plus, I needed to do something. And, I guess I wasn't thinking. It just sort of happened."

"It just sort of happened. You are a Slytherin, and they think before they act. Honestly, I think you belong in all houses. I mean, you are as stupid as a Gryffindor-" "Hey!" many of the lions shouted. "-a bookworm like a Ravenclaw-" There were many grumbles on this from the eagles. "-and a bloody cinnamon roll like the Hufflepuffs!" There were huffs from the badgers.

"Actually...I do..." Harry said, looking at the floor. Draco just stared at him.

"Of course you do," he grumbled. Then he stalked to the Slytherin table, sitting next to Pansy and Blaise. Though of course, he rejoined them a few minutes later, sitting a bit far from Harry.

Flashback End

"I'm sorry Draco, I didn't mean to get you so upset. I promise the next time I'll think before I act," Harry said, looking up at him. Draco sighed and put his book down, looking at Harry. That was a mistake. He wanted to stay mad for a bit longer, but when he looked into those sad green eyes, all his anger washed away.

"Apology accepted." He was awarded with the biggest smile anyone had seen on Harry's face, which was not very big. He smiled back and continued on reading.

"So Harry, what are you planning on doing today?" Susan asked.

Just as Harry was about to reply, an owl came fluttering towards him. He took the letter after ginning it some food, finding it from the headmaster.

"Who's it from? What does it say?" Hermione asked. Harry frowned.

"It's from Professor Dumbledore. He requests me to see him after breakfast ends." He looked up and asked,"But where is his office anyway?"

George answered, "It is where you see the gargoyle. Pretty fancy, if you ask me. But we don't know the password. He changes it every fortnight." Harry hummed.

"I'll ask Professor McGonagall. She is the deputy headmistress, isn't she? So she most likely knows what it is." He got up and turned to his friends. "I'll see you guys later." With that he headed to the teacher's table, where McGonagall was getting to leave.

"Um, Professor McGonagall?" Harry asked quietly.

"Yes, Mr. Potter?" she replied.

"Professor Dumbledore asked me to meet in his office. Can you escort me there?" McGonagall gave him a small smile.

"Of course, child." With that, both walked to the headmaster's office in silence. On the way there, Harry asked, "I'm not in trouble, am I?" McGonagall thought for a moment and answered,

"No, I don't think so. There haven't been any complainants, and you are a wonderful student." Harry gave her a small smile, the teacher returning it.

Finally, they reached the statue.

"Lemon drops," McGonagall said. Then she stepped aside, waiting for him to enter. Harry took a step forward, then hesitated. He shyly asked,

"If it isn't too much trouble, can you accompany me? I don't know what he needs from me, but I don't feel very comfortable being in a room alone with him." The teacher just nodded and followed him up the spiral of stairs. Once they got to the top, Harry knocked and was given the permission to enter.

The room was filled with weird-looking machines and more. It took up most of the space, making it look like a workshop instead of an office. It was nothing like McGonagall's office, which was neat and in order. There were portraits surrounding the room, looking at Harry curiously and whispering. They seemed to be the old headmasters. Dumbledore was sitting on his desk with his hands folded on top of it. There was a phoenix on a stand next to him, grooming his feathers. On a shelf rack, there was the Sorting Hat, who was apparently snoozing.

"Harry, my boy!" Dumbledore exclaimed, his eyes twinkling immensely. Harry suppressed a shudder when the old man's magic covered him. It didn't feel very good and safe. "So nice to see you. Lemon drops?" He asked, offering him a bowl. Harry shook his head no. He then turned to McGonagall. "Thank you for escorting him. You may take your leave now."

Harry mentally scowled. "Professor, if it is not too much trouble, please let Professor McGonagall stay. I asked her to accompany me. And in the book Hogwarts: A History, it states that if I want someone to come with me, they are permitted to stay until they leave themselves or I ask them to." He added an after thought, "And I do not know you very well, so please refrain from calling me your boy." 

The twinkles died down a little, but nevertheless, he nodded. The phoenix cooed and gently flapped over to land on Harry's shoulder.

"This is Fawkes, my familiar. He seems to have taken a liking to you." Dumbledore said. Harry smiled slightly when he felt the bird's magic wash over him, but frowned when he couldn't help but feel something was wrong.

Harry then asked, "Why was I requested in your office, Headmaster? Am I in trouble?" Dumbledore smiled at him again, then answered.

"No, you are not in trouble. I just called you here about your sorting. You see, I think you were sorted into the wrong house." Harry frowned.

"Why do you think that, Professor?" he asked.

"You see, you were supposed to be a Gryffindor. I believe the Sorting Hat made a mistake, so I called you here for a resort."

McGonagall, who had been quiet the whole time, suddenly said, "But that's barbaric, Albus! The Sorting Hat has already made its decision, and I highly doubt his House will change in a week's amount of time."

"Oh come off it, Minerva. I'm pretty sure the Sorting Hat made a mistake. Come now, lad." With that, the headmaster got up, and woke up the Hat.

"Huh-wha-what is going on?" the Hat grumbled.

"We need a resort for Mr. Potter here," Dumbledor answered merrily.

"Oh, Harry Potter...the Slytherin. Hmm...And why does he need a resort?"

"Well, I think you misplaced Mr. Potter. So, I ask for a resort." Without giving the Hat a chance to speak, he placed it on Harry's head.

Old fool, the Hat grumbled. I still stand by what I said. Though you can be placed in any other house and come out just fine, you will get a real home in Slytherin.

The two stayed quiet for some time, when Harry asked, So, what's your name? I'm sorry for being so rude the last time. The hat chuckled and shooed his worries away.

No need to apologize, dear. My name is Alastair.

How were you made?

Well, I was originally made to be the replacement of Godric Gryffindor, who was awful at making choices. It was meant to be a joke, but in the end, I decide where each kid goes to. They talked for another minute or two before Alastair called out, SLYTHERIN!

McGonagall removed Alastair and put him back on his shelf, giving Dumbledore the 'I told you so' look. There was no twinkle in his eyes now, and he had a worried expression on his face.

"But still, I think it would be best if he was put into Gryffindor. This is for his well-being too. The Slytherins might attack him.

"Professor Dumbledor, not meaning to be rude, but if the Slytherins wanted to attack me, they would have done so a long time ago. Plus, I like being in Slytherin," Harry said, not unkindly.

"But wouldn't you want to be in the same house as your parents?" This was a low-blow, even for Dumbledore. McGonagall's eyes flashed and she said in a dangerously cold voice,

"Harry can keep their memories in another way. Though he is a Potter and looks like James, you should not forget he is his own person." With that, she turned to Harry and gave him one of her rare smiles. "Don't worry dear, you are you and no one else. It doesn't matter if you are in Gryffindor or in any other house." She turned back to Dumbledore, talking coldly. "If there is nothing else, we shall be taking our leave." With that, she turned around and Harry followed her out after saying goodbye to Fawkes leaving Albus Dumbledore contemplating what went wrong and the previous headmasters shaking his head at the man in front of them.