Chapter 3:

"Hurry up! We're going to be late!"

He inhabitants of Potter Manor were in a flurry; Daniel had forgotten to pack his trunk the previous night, Lily was hurriedly cooking breakfast and packing Daniels trunk, James accidentally fell down the stairs while trying to levitate the said trunk and trying to get dressed at the same time, and Kaneki just stood there staring at it all. It was actually quite amusing to watch.

After 20 minutes of rushing, they finally got everything packed and loaded into the car. The car had been magically expanded on the inside, and there was plenty of room, though they didn't need it. Kaneki was surprised they didn't get pulled over by the police, as he was sure James was going over the speed limit and crossed several red lights. He vaguely wondered if he had even gotten his drivers license.

The car finally stopped, and Kaneki stopped fearing for his life as he stepped out of the vehicle. He hoped he never had to go into that thing again.

"Quick, quick, only 3 minutes left."

One by one, they all ran into the wall of platform 9 and 3/4. They boarded the train just as the whistle blew, with Lily telling Daniel to write at least once a week.

Kaneki headed off to find a seat, and found an empty compartment at the very end of the train. Dumping his trunk at the foot of the seat, he sat down with a sigh. He had honestly thought the ride would be more interesting, what with going to a magic school and all, even if he had read 'Hogwarts, a history'.

The ride turned out to be more interesting than he expected, actually. 10 minutes into the ride, his brother and a red head (who he thought looked like a Weasley), entered the compartment.

"Merlin's beard! Finally an empty compartment," Daniel said, glancing behind distractedly.

"Bloody, hell! What did you do with your hair?! It's white!"

At the sound of his friend's voice, Daniel turned back around to take a proper look at the compartment.

"Oh...hi..." he waved awkwardly. He hadn't really talked to his brother much, (at all), and couldn't even remember him much. He always seemed odd and distant, and he had never once laughed, smiled or cried as far as Daniel could remember. He nudged Ron with his foot, but the other just didn't seem to get it.

"Is your hair natural? My mum mentioned something about 'dying' your hair. So is your hair dead?"

"No, it's natural."

"Oh..." Ron's ears turned pink. "Um...could we sit here?" he asked, changing the topic.

Daniel could've smacked him. Now he'd have to endure a whole train ride with his brother he hardly knew. It'd be a bombardment of awkwardness.

"Sure," Kaneki gestured to the empty seats.

"M'name's Ron, Ron Weasley, and this is Daniel Potter." He paused for a second, as if waiting for him to say something. When he didn't, he looked disoriented for a moment before asking, "And you?"

"I'm Harry Potter," Kaneki replied with a hint of amusement (that no one really caught).

"Potter?!" Ron exclaimed disbelievingly.

Daniel decided to step in before the situation escalated. "This is my twin brother, you may not know of him, as he isn't the most sociable person."

"..." Ron was still gaping, looking from Daniel to Kaneki (Harry), then back at Daniel, then Kaneki, and so on.

"But...you don't look anything alike," Ron said, after he finally regained the ability to speak.

"I know, but not all twins are born alike, you know."

"K..." Ron still looked disbelieving.

Kaneki just sat rereading the book he had brought in Diagon Alley as the two talked about chocolate frog cards and Quidditch. At least he had discovered his brother wasn't as stupid as he first thought. The ride was fairly dull, until a certain blond haired ferret and his two guards stepped in.

"Is it true?" he said. They're saying all down the train that Daniel Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," Daniel said, a tad defensively as his parents had warned him all about the Malfoys.

"This is Crabbe and Goyle," added the pale boy carelessly. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

At this, Ron gave a slight cough, which seemed to cover a snicker.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

He then glanced at Kaneki. "No idea who you are though. Who're you?"

"Harry Potter."

Malfoy faltered for a bit. "As in the twin brother of the boy-who-lived? My father told me a bit about you. Never thought it was real."

He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter." At this, he glanced purposefully at Ron. "You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Daniel's, but Daniel didn't take it.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks."

A pink tinge appeared on Malfoy's cheeks.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go and find yourself on the wrong end of a wand. If you hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys, it'll rub off on you."

Both Daniel and Ron stood up.

"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" The prominent Malfoy sneer was now upon his face.

The fight probably would have escalated if Kaneki didn't decide to step in.

"I'm surprised a Malfoy would resort to muggle dueling," said Kaneki who apathetically, glancing at Crabbe and Goyle. "I would've thought they were above such lowly actions."

Malfoy turned pink again. "Well, I have no intention to fight like a muggle. But it seems as if we've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."

A loud crack filled the air. "I highly doubt you'd know how to actually fight, Malfoy. I suggest you leave now before you end up with some broken bones," said Kaneki threateningly, though still carelessly, cracking his index finger.

Malfoy seemed to become paler than he already was, which was quite an accomplishment. "My father will hear about this," Malfoy snarled as he gestured for Crabbe and Goyle to follow them. They nearly ran out.

"Blimey! How did you do that?" Ron asked incredulously.

"I didn't do much, I just threatened him a little."

"But- you just made Malfoy nearly pee himself!"

Kaneki just shrugged and turned back to his book. The other two eventually settled down again and began talking about wizard's chess. There was an incident about a lost toad, but the rest of the ride was uneventful.

The train skidded to a halt as the whistle blew, and students began stepping out of the train.

"Firs' years, firs' years! Over here!"

They boarded small boats across the river, and finally got their first sight of Hogwarts. There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

Once they stepped out of the boat, Hagrid knocked three times on the giant castle door.

The door swung open at once, and a stern faced, tall, black haired witch in emerald robes stood there.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid. "Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. It was even more impressive than it was described in 'Hogwarts, a history'. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling depicted the enchantment of a starry night sky and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

The first years followed Professor McGonagall across the stone floor and into a small, empty chamber off the hall. She then gave them a speech which seemed well practiced, and Kaneki assumed this was the speech given every year.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

As she left the chamber, nervous whispers filled the air.

"How do you think they'll sort us?"

"I heard you had to take some sort of test."

Kaneki just stared around at the walls. He wasn't particularly worried, as he doubted they would have to do much on the first day, especially as there were muggleborns who were completely new to magic. He was a bit distracted, as he smelled something familiar in the air, but couldn't quite pinpoint it.

Several people behind him screamed, and he turned around to see ghosts floating in through the wall. Ghosts. People who were dead but still among the realm of the living. How was that even possible? Could the people that were already dead come back to life too?

Kaneki didn't have much time to think, as Professor McGonagall had returned.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

They entered the Great Hall, and all eyes were upon them. Professor McGonagall silently placed a worn, dirty hat upon a four legged stool. Were they supposed to wear that?

For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth -- and the hat began to sing:

{insert sorting hat song}

The hall filled with applause as the hat bowed to each of the four house tables and went still. Relieved whispers filled the air, as the only thing they seemed to have to do was try on a hat.

Professor McGonagall steeped forward, holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink faced girl stepped forward.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted.

The sorting continued, until finally, "Potter, Daniel."

The hall filled with whispers.

"That's the boy-who-lived."

"Can't believe he's attending Hogwarts."

Daniel actually looked nervous as he strode to the stool. After several minutes, the hat finally announced, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The cheers and applause was deafening. When the hall finally quietened down, Professor McGonagall continued.

"Potter, Harry."

Renewed whispers once again filled the hall.

"Potter?!"

"As in, the brother of the boy-who-lived?!"

Kaneki stepped forward calmly. He was honestly quite annoyed with the whispers and disbelieving stares. Was it really that unbelievable that Daniel Potter was coming to Hogwarts and that he had a brother? The magical population were more like sheep than he had originally thought.

Ahhhh...Harry Potter...What's this? Kaneki Ken?

Kaneki panicked slightly, and was about to tear off the hat when-

Don't worry, everything I see is confidential. I can't tell anyone even if I wanted to.

Despite calming down, Kaneki still had doubts about not ripping the ancient artefact to pieces.

Your life was certainly quite the tragedy...ghouls...I've heard about that...not the slimy ones, I mean your kind. I've seen them floating around in some minds...

'You have?! Do they exist in this world as well?!'

I'm not quite sure...they just recently appeared in the back of people's minds...I'm not even sure they noticed...but on another note, it's my job to sort you. Before your change, I'm fairly sure you could've been in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. Now...you could be in Slytherin...definitely not Hufflepuff, you're loyal, but only to those who are loyal back. Besides, you'd scare the living daylights out of them. Gryffindor...no...your not careless enough...It's either Ravenclaw or Slytherin...

You have ambition...though it may have diminished a bit...you value knowledge, but wouldn't seek it as much as you did before...perhaps...

"SLYTHERIN!"

Kaneki took off the hat, still pondering about ghouls, while the hall sat in stunned silence. A Potter in Slytherin? All were in Gryffindor for generations!

At the Slytherin table, some scooted away, as if afraid of being contaminated, some glanced at him suspiciously, while some just outright ignored him. Kaneki shrugged. He preferred it this way.

The sorting continued on, "Thomas, Dean." "Turpin, Lisa." "Seta, Tom"

The person looked awfully familiar. Kaneki squinted. He didn't know when his eyesight had started deteriorating. Must be the Potter genes. Back to the person, he had dirty blond hair and brown eyes.

Kaneki froze. Could it be...Hide?!

P.s:

Which house should Hide be in?