I apologize for how terribly long it took to get this chapter up. Real life is crazy right now. Won't bore you with the details, but thank you for your patience.

There is a direct quote from the book in this chapter. The introduction for potions in the book is just too awesome not to include.

Originally, there were going to be chapters on breakfast from the student's point of view. However, I thought it would be overkill. I will add them as deleted scenes if anyone expresses interest. They are not written as of now, but I do know exactly what happened at each table that morning.

Again this chapter is not beta-ed, so I am sorry for any mistakes. If you find any feel free to point them out.

Chapter 8

Thinking

"Speaking."

Harry walked to the dungeon classroom laughing with his two friends. The room was circular in appearance. There were tables that could fit four people comfortably lined up in two rows, starting just to the right of the door and stretching to the front of the room. Beyond that, there was a blackboard, currently devoid of writing, and a desk with paperwork in an orderly manner. Between the two sat a door that most likely held potion ingredients, since there were none visible in the room.

"You really think you will be able to beat Malfoy?" Neville was skeptical. He knew that Malfoy was Professor Snape's godson, and was sure that he had as much, if not more, training than Harry did from the potion master.

Harry was still smiling as he answered, "Honestly, I'm not sure. But that doesn't mean I'm going to let him know that." His smile had turned to a smirk as he finished his explanation.

Neville smiled and shook his head. Hermione was looking between them confused. "If you don't know if you can win, then why did you accept his bet?"

"It would be worse to ignore the open challenge than to lose the bet. Right, Harry?" Neville was smiling knowingly at Harry, who was blushing.

"Exactly," Harry looked from Neville to Hermione, "Call it rules of engagement. If I turned down the bet I am admitting that I think he is better than me. If I accept and lose I can do so gracefully."

Hermione shook her head, but smiled at Harry, "I understand that, I guess."

As she finished speaking, Draco, Blaise and Ron came into the room. They were talking quietly to each other smiling and laughing. Draco spared a glance and a smirk at Harry as the rest of the class filed in behind them. All the students found seats and set about getting their parchment, quills, and books from their bags waiting for class to start.

Severus entered the room and closed the door loudly with a wave of his hand. All the students quickly went silent and watched as their professor walked between the rows to the front of the class. Severus spoke quietly, but his voice seemed to carry through the dungeon. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses," he paused and looked around the classroom, letting his words sink in before continuing, "I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death."

All the students were listening with rapt attention to their quiet professor. "Before I can teach you that, you must first learn how to properly prepare your work station and ingredients. That is where we will start today."

The professor explained the difference in caldron and stirrers composition. As he spoke notes began to appear on the board behind him. The sound of quills scratching was the only sound aside from his voice. "As much as the items you use matter in creating a proper potion, preparing the ingredients is more tedious and potentially more devastating to your potion if done wrong. The practical portion of today's class will be to follow the directions to set up your work station and make ready the ingredients for the Cure for Boils."

The list of needed ingredients and directions on how they were to be prepared appeared on the board behind Severus. "Each table is to work together on this first potion, so one person from each table please come collect the necessary items and begin your work. You have one hour left of class. Use it wisely." The door between the blackboard and the desk opened to reveal a storage closet filled with everything they would need for their class.

As Harry made his way to the storage closet to collect things for his table, he saw Draco get up from his table as well. "Scared, Potter?" Draco smirked as they gathered what they needed.

Harry returned his look in earnest, "you wish." The boys split ways to return to their tables and get started.

Harry explained each step to his partners as he cut the ingredients and set them aside.

"How do you know all this, Harry? It hardly seems you need this class." Hermione was awed at Harry knowledge and patience as he explained things.

Harry blushed slightly at the complement, "Well, I made this potion before. Professor Snape has tutored me for a while."

"He tutored Draco, too," Neville said reminding Harry about the wager he had made.

"I'm sure he's had more lessons than I have, seeing as Professor Snape is his godson."

The explanations and conversation continued companionably for the next several minutes as Harry finished preparing the ingredients. When he finished he called Professor Snape over, who was leaving Draco's table. "Very well done, Mr. Potter. However, Mr. Malfoy did finish before you." Severus smiled at Harry, who was smiling as well. Severus was proud of both of them honestly

"I'm not surprised." Harry had known that it was likely that Draco would win.

"You are all free to leave, see you at lunch." With that dismissal Severus went to walk around the room to help other students and the children gathered their things to leave.

Making their way out of the dungeon Harry and his friends saw Draco and his group a little ahead on the stairs. Harry looked at his group, smiled and called out to Draco. "Malfoy, good job in potions."

Draco turned with a smug smile, "Thank you. I see you weren't far behind. Though that does mean I won." His friends had stopped, and had the same look as Draco. He was being cocky and he knew it, but having just beat Harry he felt entitled.

Harry shook his head, Flaunting, I knew he would do that, doesn't make it any less annoying. "Yes it does. And as such, you have one demand."

"And I will let you know when I decide what that demand is Potter," Draco's smile never wavered. He had already come up with many ideas, but he knew this would be a card he held on to for a while.

"I'm sure you will." Harry smiled at the Malfoy heir and walked past with his friends in tow. "Remember, it must be within castle rules, Malfoy." This was called over his shoulder as he walked out of the dungeon into the entryway.

"What are you going to have him do?" Ron asked as Harry and his friends disappeared.

"I have a few ideas," Draco had a calculating smile, "but I'll let him sweat it out for a while."

Blaise smirked at Draco, "Keep them on their toes?"

The look in Draco's eyes made both other boys glad they were not Harry Potter in that moment. "Always, Blaise. Never show your hand, and always keep them guessing." Draco laughed at his friends faces. Blaise and Ron laughed with him and they continued out of the dungeons. "We have about half an hour before our next class, want to head out to the lake for a while?" Draco much preferred to be outside when he had the chance. The others shrugged and they left out the front doors and made their way to the lake.

Since class was still going, there was nobody else on the grounds at the moment. The sun was reflecting off the still lake making it look like a mirror. The trees around the lake swayed very slowly in the soft breeze. The boys sat under one of the trees that had several large rocks around it in a circle. Some students before them must have moved them over to use as seats, because the likely hood of nature making such a perfect sitting area was very slim.

Draco and Blaise were talking about something they had done over the summer when they noticed that Ron wasn't talking anymore. He was staring across the lake not seeming to see anything on this plan of existence. The boys exchanged a look and Blaise motioned at Ron slightly with his head. Draco sighed, "Everything ok there Ron?"

Ron started and looked at his friends. Can I call them friends? He was starting to doubt his sorting again. The night had been ok and the morning with Draco and Blaise had been fun, but it wasn't supposed to be like this. His family was always in Gryffindor. What will his family say when he isn't? And he wasn't in just any other house; he was in Slytherin. He had always thought of them as the enemy, of sorts. They were dark wizards. He knew dark didn't always mean evil. There were dark wizards in every house, it was just an affinity, but every evil wizard that he could think of was dark. He had always thought that when he came to school he would get sorted into Gryffindor, help his brothers with their pranks, and play Quidditch on the house team. Now though, now everything was different. He was sorted into Slytherin. His brothers hadn't said anything to him about it yet, but he knew it was just a matter of time. They were probably waiting to see how their mom reacted before doing anything. She would probably be supportive outwardly, but he just knew she would be disappointed. She was always so happy when his brothers wrote home and said they had been placed in Gryffindor. He didn't want to tell Draco and Blaise that he used to see them as the enemy, but he knew he had to tell them something. "I'm just wondering what my mum is going to say about me being in Slytherin."

Draco knew they would have to have this conversation eventually, but he thought he would wait to hear from Ron's mom before saying anything. He also knew there was a lot more to what Ron was thinking about than just worrying about his family's approval. His reaction to the sorting was too strong for that to be the only issue at work. He had been thinking about how to broach this subject all morning. He could be supportive and tell Ron that it doesn't matter what happens he will always have the support of Slytherin, but Ron knew that already. He could make Ron tell him what else is bothering him, but that might set him off rather than reassure him. He could also give platitudes rather than really dig into this issue too deep for the moment. "You just wrote to her this morning. I'm sure you will hear something at lunch. You told me that she is a loving mother. I am sure that she will love you no matter what house you are in."

Ron rolled his eyes, "I know she will love me. I just don't want to disappoint her."

Blaise looked at Ron confused, "why would that disappoint her? I know that your family has always been Gryffindor, but if you are happy and you do good in classes, I can't see that she should care all that much which house you are in." Draco shot Blaise and heated look as he was sure his blunt attitude would probably set the ginger off.

To Draco's surprise Ron laughed causing him to look at him with the same confused look Blaise was giving him. "You don't get it. My family has always been Gryffindor. Not only that, but you know there is a stigma attached to our house. There are a greater number of dark wizards in Slytherin than in any other house. While dark doesn't mean evil, evil usually is dark. And since there are so many in one house a lot of those that turn evil come from our house. My family really buys into the whole "Slytherin is evil" thing." Ron's face was red from laughing more than anything else. He hadn't planned on telling them that much, but if he didn't he wasn't sure they would understand. If they didn't understand, then they would probably keep asking questions, and he was already done with this topic.

Realization shown in Draco's eyes as he finally understood what had caused Ron's reaction last night. "Did you think that we were all evil? Like we would sit up in the common room and plot how to take over the wizarding world all night or something?"

The red that blazed on Ron's cheeks showed that he had thought exactly that. "Well not really. I mean, the thought had crossed my mind. It's just that Gryffindor and Slytherin have had issues for generations and since as far back as I know everyone has been Gryffindor. We even marry other Gryffindors or people from other countries and we have never had friends or family friends that come from Slytherin. You guys all keep to the Old Ways and most of your families are upper echelon. That is something my family isn't and never will be. I'm ok with that, but it does kind of put me on the outside looking in, ya know?" He didn't have to say anything about his second hand or maybe third hand clothes and books, it was already in the air.

"You would be surprised to know that not every Slytherin is rich. It isn't about having everything; it's about how you carry yourself. You present yourself confidently and you don't ever show when things bother you. You let other people think whatever they want and you believe in yourself. It's not what you have; it's how you act. You act like you are the top dog. You show the world what you want them to see. Last night Sev told us that we aren't Hufflepuffs because we don't wear our feelings on our sleeves; this is what he meant. You just have to have the right attitude around everyone else. The reason you don't really see many Slytherins with others even after school is because we only show our true feelings to very few people. Most of the time the lasting bonds of childhood that make it into the future are forged in trust and shared experiences, and unlike most houses we have a lot of politicians-in-training. That means we are learning even now how important it is to keep our true feelings to ourselves." Draco could tell that Ron was taking in everything he was saying and trying to make it fit with the vision that he had of Slytherins all these years.

"So what you are saying is that Slytherins aren't evil they just lie to everyone?" Ron was smiling at Draco. He did understand what Draco was saying. He was trying to help him find a way to fit in and not worry so much about his family's history or lack of money.

It was Draco's turn to roll his eyes, "We don't lie to everyone."

"Yeah, just everyone outside of our house," Blaise chimed in and started laughing.

The other boys joined in as the bell sounded around the castle to let them know everyone else was being release from class. They stood and started making their way to their next class. Ron was still worried about what his family would think about his sorting, but he did feel better about his future in Slytherin. He would never have the money and things that his housemates had, but he may find a way to fit in here anyway.

I planned on having this up before the end of the month. Thirty minutes late isn't too bad. I hope to have the next chapter up by next week, but my husband will be coming in from work for a bit this week so it may be the week after before I can get it up. If there is anything you wish to see happen leave me a review or send me a private message and I will do my best to see it added. I know where I want all the books to go, but I am not above suggestion.