Author's Note: It appears that the muse is liking this story. I've decided that this story will show what a normal year at Hogwarts is like without the big plot inside Hogwarts. Outside Hogwarts, however, there will be some results of encounters with the loving very big Dursley Family. This chapter, though, is a quiet chapter, not doing much more than setting the scene.

I decided to make a change to the sorting order to be alpha by first name instead of last name. I also created a sorting method with known characteristics of the 40 in Harry's class, that sorted everyone correctly when by last name. The system enforces an equal number of students but does not enforce an equal split of boys and girls. Then I resorted by first name and resorted everyone. It has resulted in a lot of different placements which should make things interesting.

I wish to thank the mailing list Caer Azkaban (now on groups dot io) and the Discord Survivors of Caer Azkaban for their assistance after yahoogroups ceased to provide enough services for many to keep using them.

Chapter Four

Harry stood with the seven who had shared a compartment with him, awaiting his turn to be sorted. He'd seen the first to be sorted, with Anthony Goldstein having put on the hat. Once the hat cried out "Ravenclaw" and the boy headed to the table with a blue runner on it, the first of Harry's new friends was called up to be sorted.

He was pretty sure that Blaise Zabini was going to end up in Slytherin, and the sorting hat did not disappoint him. Two more Slytherins followed, before Dean Thomas broke the trend and was sorted into Gryffindor. It looked like his friends were going to be in rival houses. Harry thought he could handle that, as long as he didn't end up in either house.

Draco Malfoy was up next, and if what Harry had overheard was expected of the boy, it should be a five second sort into Slytherin. It wasn't. Harry watched as the pale pureblood's face reddened. A minute, two minutes passed, as scowl developed on Malfoy's face. The suddenly, the hat cried out "Then it is Hufflepuff." The Malfoy boy looked like was going to reach up and strangle the hat, but Professor McGonagall lifted it out of his reach too quickly.

Ernie MacMillan became the second Hufflepuff, and then one of the two girls that had shared his compartment, Fay Dunbar, was called up to sit under the hat. Fay hadn't really cared what house she'd end up in, unlike Ron who expected Gryffindor. She spent longer than Malfoy under the hat though not with the same expressions. Her lips moved silently every once in a while, and it seemed like she was in deep thought. "Hufflepuff" was the cry from the hat, in three minutes.

Goyle went to Slytherin, and Abbott to Gryffindor, before Professor McGonagall cried out "Harry Potter!" Harry split from Hermione and Neville and sat on the three legged stool. McGonagall lowered the hat on him.

"Difficult, you are," the hat's voice echoed in Harry's brain. "You could very easily be sorted in any house, and do well in them. You have the bravery of Gryffindor, and your striving to be the best goes well in Slytherin. Perfect report card last term, that would indicate Ravenclaw. Never should I forget Hufflepuff, where your sense of fair play and the values that growing up in such a large family would make you fit quite well.

"Oh, I am so looking forward to sorting your sister Lily, and that little scamp of a cousin Brad of yours. Oh, and all those other magical children on your street. The next few years are really going to be a joy to work with. It has been a long time since a new magical community has appeared in Britain. But where to sort you."

"Put me where I would help the most," Harry thought.

"Oh, that does point to a house, and a house that may be a little more upset than normal this year. Do no neglect those friends of yours outside your house, but you will be needed and do well in..."

"Hufflepuff!" the Hat said out loud.

Harry jumped off the stool, and then high fived Hermione Granger as she walked up to be sorted. He received a similar high five from Fay before he found a seat beside her across from a seemingly upset and down Malfoy. Ernine MacMillan had sat further up in the upper years. Looking back up, Hermione was still under the hat. From the way her mouth was moving, it was obvious that she was having a long conversation with the Hat.

"I knew she was going to take a long time," Fay said after a minute. "That girl is so conflicted. I betting that she's arguing for Gryffindor, and probably getting the most information out of the hat regarding sorting that has ever been given. Not that anyone tells us how we're sorted, though my older brother broke the secrecy with me. I bet the Hat really knows a lot. There should be a book on that, I think I'll write one. I'm going to have to interview Hermione about this. Where did the Hat want to put you, Harry?"

"It said I could do well an any house, but I asked to be put where I would help the most, so he put me in Hufflepuff," Harry said.

Then to Harry's surprise, Malfoy spoke up. "I wanted to be in Slytherin, but it told me that I should be in Gryffindor, but I needed to be in Hufflepuff." His tone was flat, and there was a bit of roughness to his voice. "I deserve to be in Sytherin, and I am no Gryffindor."

"No, you're a Hufflepuff," a girl with a Prefect badge said. "You will come to know why you need to be one, and some day, you will even agree with that."

After five minutes, the Hat called out "Ravenclaw" and Harry raised his hand for another high five as Hermione passed and ended up sitting back to back with him at the Ravenclaw table.

"I'm Gabrielle Truman, fifth year female prefect, don't confuse me with my younger brother by eleven months, Gabriel, who somehow managed to get to be the boys prefect with me this year," the girl with long unrestrained brown hair said.

"Our parents are stupid when it comes to names," Gabriel said, from his seat across from Gabrielle. "Welcome to Hufflepuff, Justin. I told you you'd end up in my house, didn't I?"

"Yes," the boy with brown slightly curly hair said, as he took a seat next to Malfoy. "I guess that means I have to do that run in front of Windsor Castle."

"Gabriel," Gabrielle growled at her brother. "You're a prefect now, you shouldn't be betting people to go streaking by castles anymore."

"I didn't bet him to do true streaking, Sis," Gabriel said. "He just has to do it in his underwear with 'Eton is trash' written on the back of his t-shirt, at Christmas."

"As his older sister, Justin, I'm telling you that I will make certain he no longer requires you to do that. There will be a letter to father, little brother."

"I'm taller than you now, 'elle," Gabriel replied.

During the discussion, Harry had turned his attention away from the sorting, but now he returned it, in time for Jones to go to Gryffindor, Corner to Ravenclaw, and Bulstrode to Slytherin. Neville was up next.

The hat seemed to almost swallow Neville as McGonagall lowered it onto his head, going all the way down to the tip of his nose. Neville seemed to tremble for just a moment before sitting up straight. It took about two minutes, with Neville's body language conveying more determination, with his shoulders squaring up, and his hands suddenly clasping together in front of him, as the Sorting Hat said. "Right then, Hufflepuff."

Neville went down the other side from Harry, and took the empty seat across from Fay, between Gabriel and Malfoy. "Welcome to Hufflepuff," both Truman Prefects chorused.

"So, where did the Hat want to put you?" Fay asked. "Harry here could have been in any house, and apparently it considered putting Malfoy in Gryffindor, almost unbelievably."

"Well, it kind of told me to forget about what my Grandmother said, and think about myself," Neville said. "I could have gone to Gryffindor, and I think I would have begged for it, but once Harry was sorted here, Hufflepuff didn't seem so bad, so when the Hat got through discussing what made me fit in each house, I chose Hufflepuff. And the Hat said I was just a tad more Hufflepuff than Gryffindor anyway."

Someone had just been sorted to Ravenclaw, when he returned his attention to the sorting. He only knew that because the boy was sitting down next to Hermione. The Patil sisters were split up, not only in houses, but sorting, with Pansy Parkinson going to Slytherin between Padma to Gryffindor and Parvati to Ravenclaw. Then Roger Malone sat down under the hat.

"Oh, that's the boy who was playing the cello on the Express," Gabriel said. "Wonderful cellist, I hope he gets sorted into Hufflepuff, as we've got an opening in the Hufflepuff String Quartet."

"My brother plays the viola, the instrument for those not good enough for a violin." Gabrielle said, as she somehow pulled her violin out of her robes, played a couple sassy notes and put it back.

"Hufflepuff!" the hat cried out, and Roger Malone was swiftly added to the table on the other side of Justin.

Harry didn't really pay attention to Malone. Professor McGonagall had just called up "Ronald Weasley" to be sorted. He knew that Ron expected to be in Gryffindor, and expected it to be a matter of course. Somehow, Harry didn't think it would be, and as he caught Ron's eyes when the hat touched his head, he became certain of that. Ron's eyes went wide after a minute, and then a half a minute later, his head shook as if he was rejecting something. His eyes closed. The Sorting Hat seemed to press down on Ron's head at that. Then Ron's eyes opened, and he sat up straight. Ron nodded slightly, and the Hat finally announced. "Hufflepuff!

Ron headed right down the aisle between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Harry and Fay both turned and raised their right hands so Ron could high five them as he passed. To Harry's surprise, Hermione mirrored him. Ron slapped Fay's hand with his left, and then his left hit Hermione's hand right Harry's before he took a seat next Harry.

"So, not with Gryffindor with your brothers," Harry offered.

"At least it's not Slytherin," Ron shrugged.

"Hey, Slytherin is the be ... a good house," Malfoy suddenly said, for the first time not in the monotone which he'd used since he'd sat down.

Ron shrugged his shoulders. "My brothers said that all the evil wizards came out of Slytherin. After talking to the Hat, I might need to think about it more. It thought I was a little Slytherin."

"Why did it put you in Hufflepuff, then?" Fay asked.

Ron blushed a bit, before replying softly, "the way I talked to my sister before we left for King's Cross." He did not offer more.

Harry returned his attention to the sorting, where Perks and Finnigan ended up in Gryffindor, and Roper in Slytherin. Then Sean Cornfoot was called up and a minute later had a surprised expression on his face as the Hat announced "Hufflepuff"

Cornfoot almost stumbled to sit down next to Ron. "My father was right," he mumbled. "If only he could be right about his team willing."

Harry noticed that Ron was looking at Cornfoot with a bit of puzzlement, as if he just about to recognize something. He turned his attention back to the sorting, were Sue Li had just gotten sorted into Slytherin and Susan Bones was now sitting under the Hat.

Unlike many of those that Harry had watched get sorted, Bones sat perfectly still, her hands resting on her knees. She didn't look nervous, or especially confident either. Her sorting was the fastest that Harry had seen, with the hat barely spending any time on her head before announcing "Hufflepuff"

With a big smile, she pranced down the aisle between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. With a glance to Fay, Harry decided to raise his hand for a high five with the latest Hufflepuff, and to his surprise, Gabrielle turned to follow suit. Hermione nudged the boys beside her, and Bones ended up high fiving herself all the way down to her seat on the other side of Cornfoot.

"Welcome to Hufflepuff," the first year Hufflepuffs chorused as she sat down.

"Thanks," Susan said, turning to Cornfoot. "Sean, in Hufflepuff too. You know what this means."

"I get you into the locker room, after a game, with me," Sean replied.

"Wait, your father is Veritas Cornfoot? And you'd be the Crowning Cannon?"

"Love the team, hate the mascot uniform. It was cute when I was five, but I wish they'd see I've outgrown it."

"Kind of have to agree with you there," Ron said, before they turned to high five Terry Boot who had just been sorted into Ravenclaw. "Mum made one for me when I was six, and altered it until I was eight. Ginny's got it now, but I think she's decided to never wear it again, after the butter beer incident."

"That was your sister? I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't want to show her face at a Cannon's game again."

"Yeah, well ... she's not as much of a fan, so probably not."

Nott and Davis soon joined Slytherin, but not with the high fives that the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws had given. Then Vincent Crabbe was sorted into Gryffindor.

Harry could tell that the boy didn't expect that, as he trudged around the outside of the hall, to go to a seat at the end of the Gryffindor table. Less than a quarter of the way down the table, a red headed prefect put out his hand for a high five, and then two more Gryffidor carrot tops put out their hands, and then all the Gryfindors behind the followed suit. By the time Crabbe found his seat at the end of the table, he was smiling widely as his obviously unexpected new house welcomed him.

Wayne Hopkins was the last name to be called by Professor McGonagall, and it did not take long at all for the boy to be sorted into Ravenclaw. As the boy went down the row between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, neither house was willing to be outdone by Gryffindor, getting high fives all the way down, and a veritable chorus of welcomes to Ravenclaw echoed as he passed each group.

As soon as he sat down, applause broke out among the upper years, and did not die down until some minutes have passed. By that time, Professor McGonagall had made her way to her seat next to the Headmaster. She tapped her wine glass and two clear tones rang throughout the hall.

"Before we open the feast, a few start of term announcements," the Headmaster said. "As you may know, recent events have required us to seek out a new Professor. After a great deal of negotiating with their current employer, I am happy to announce that our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, William Weasley, shall be arriving tomorrow afternoon, after wrapping up a few last tasks for Gringotts."

Harry looked to his right, and saw Ron putting his hands on his forehead. "All I need now is for Charlie to be announced as Flying Profesor."

"Doubtful, Charlie just got out of Hogwarts last year," Gabriel said. "I don't think he wants to risk McGonagall's wrath so soon after ruining Gryffindor's chances at the Quidditch Cup by leaving a half year early. Not that the opportunity wasn't too good of one to pass up. I wouldn't."

"You're not working with dragons, ever, Gab," Gabrielle replied.

"... And a few last words. And here they are Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you."

And with that, a feast appeared on the table, with all sorts of food, some of which Harry had eaten before, and some he'd never even seen before.

"I've said it once, I'll say it again, our Headmaster is a bit mad. A genius, and tops in the world, but mad." Gabriel said, shaking his head. "Try some of the broccoli, Weasley. Vegetables are good for you."

VBDF

Dudley had warned Lily that her siblings would challenge her on her first night in charge. Harry had figured that it would be spread over several nights, and bet that Brad would be first. Lily had hoped that she wouldn't have that at all, especially since her mum had informed the whole family that she didn't want to hear any problems today. Mum's pregnancy was not making her feel good at the moment, so she'd retired to the parent's room with a glass of ginger water and a good book.

It appeared, however, that some of her siblings had not learnt the lesson of keeping everything calm and following orders when mum wasn't feeling well. It hadn't been hard to get Primrose and Noel to take their bath. She'd called them right at seven fifteen, just like usual, and sat on the toilet seat while the two undressed and took their bath, just like she'd done a couple times when Harry was sick. There was no playing in the bathtub. Baths were for getting cleaned. A brief inspection had occurred to make sure they'd washed correctly, before she let them put on their underpants and go down for their snack, which Violet was handling.

Iris, at six, was trusted a bit more, and no longer shared the bath with her brother Brad. If she shared at all now, it would be with Violet. She was actually waiting for the bathroom to be free. There was a bit of dirt on Iris's cheek that hadn't been there when Lily had gone up with Primrose and Noel. There was also a streak of dirt down one side of her outfit. "They're done?" Iris stated. "Good. You might want to see to Badley. Don't let him give you a good night kiss."

Lily knew that the removal of the R in Bradley's name was not a good sign. "What did he do?"

"Dad has him cleaning up what he tracked in," Iris said. "He's blaming Dennis. Something about Gnasher, a leash, and a squirt gun filled with cranberry juice, I think. Whatever it is, Violet is not looking forward to cleaning his shirt."

"This, I got to see," Lily said. "Bathroom is yours for the next fifteen minutes ... maybe a bit longer if I end up having Bradley shower." Iris nodded, as Lily passed her.

The moment she got downstairs, she found Bradley barefoot, only wearing his boxers, which appeared to have been dyed red and were soaked to his body. His hair was covered with a white powder. By the door was his jeans, which appeared to be ripped on one leg and had mud on them. He had a mop that which he was using to clean up a trail of mud."Don't ask, I'm not going to say," Bradley said. "Just .. you know ... I don't know what, but Dennis is going to regret what he did."

"I see ... and are there any others that were involved, like perhaps Godwin and Crispin?" Lily asked. Bradley tried not to show any reaction, but he was her little brother. "Brad, would you be talking to Harry?" Bradley looked up briefly with an expression of surprise. "Okay, Dudley was right. They thought the lid was off with Piers, Dudley, and Harry gone. That dog is worse than our aunt's ever were, and if I'm not mistaken you got hit by the mudballs too. Violet!"

"Yes Lily?" Violet said, leaning out of the kitchen.

"Make sure Brad takes a shower at least, and is really clean for a change," Lily said. "I'm going to make sure Colin is ready for his little brother ... but first, I think I need to talk to Porta. Someone forgot about their Kipling."

"Kipling?" Bradley said, as Lily went to the phone and dialed Number Nine. "What is Kipling?"

"Porta?" Lily said, the moment she heard an answer. "Please remind Godwin about his Kipling, as we discussed last Wednesday. Oh, has he come in?"

She could hear Porta over the phone state, "You just got a call from the Dursley's, little Win." She knew that expression would happen when Dudley made similar calls. She'd been at the Creevey's when Dudley had called about Dennis before. Harry, Dudley, and Piers called it giving fair warning. It never was done older sibling to younger sibling, and Lily was a good girl, so she'd never gotten a call from Piers. She'd seen both sides though. Lily hadn't expected to have to do this so soon.

She heard Godwin glup as she said "Godwin, you and I are going to talk tomorrow on the way to school, but first, a single verse to haunt your dreams, because I'm not the Big Boys. My reign as part of the Triumvirate is going to be different. Why?

"When the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride,
He shouts to scare the monster, who will often turn aside.
But the she-bear thus accosted rends the peasant tooth and nail.
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

"If you though because Piers left you and your friends would be getting away with things, think again. We're prepared to prove Kipling's poem. Have a wonderful night."

Lily hung up the phone, having not let Godwin sign off "Now, Brad, I need to know exactly what Dennis the Menace and his pals did, and I need to know it now, before I go handle him via window. I can threaten Godwin without knowledge, but Dennis requires it."

Brad gulped. "He thought I was the one that snitched on him with Mister Stone. So he sicced Gnasher on me. I ran but ended up having to go through the Watt's front garden, which they've dug up but haven't put the new plants in. Then I ran into Crispin and Godwin who dumped a bucket of this awful juice, soaking my clothes. That let Gnasher catch up with me, and he ripped my jeans. Dennis then pulled out his sling shot and shot me with a ball that burst into white powder when it hit my forehead."

"Good. Now do you want a shower or bath tonight?" Lily asked, already knowing the answer. So she looked around the hall and determined that Brad had done a passable job cleaning up after himself.

"Shower," Bradley replied.

"Okay, it looks like you've done here, so shower, and when you're done, report to my room for inspection," Lily ordered.

"Do I have to?" Bradley whined.

"What is your current streak of passed inspections with Harry?" Lily asked.

"Two," Bradley said quietly, looking down at his feet.

"And how many did Harry say you had to pass in a row?" Lily continued, her hand going out to raise Bradley's gaze so she could look him right in the eyes.

"Fifteen," Bradley replied, before turning around and heading for the kitchen door to the garage.

Lily smiled as her little brother headed to the showers in the back of the garage. Then she headed up to the room she shared with Violet. As it was a rather warm night, but already cooling from the hot end of Summer day, the window was already open, letting a cool breeze in. She could see that Colin was already in his bedroom, carefully placing his latest pictures in the portfolio file.

Colin had the photo bug, having received a camera from his Uncle J.W. for his last birthday, and had the use of the dark room that Mister Gallegher had created for his son Todd back in the 60s. He had one of the three drawers under his bed in the room he shared with his brother Dennis filled with his portfolio. His window was also open, and it appeared that he was actually expecting contact. "Lily! Ready to shakedown Dennis the Menace?" Colin said.

"Yes," Lily said, as she slid Dudley's black bathrobe over her shoulders. "Is the tape ready for tonight?"

"Yes," Colin replied, "Shall I get him?"

"Most certainly," Lily said, picking up an envelope and the letter opener that she'd prepared. It didn't take long for Colin to bring the other occupant of his bedroom to the window. She nodded to Colin, who pounded a mallet twice on the wooden window frame, actually causing Dennis to flinch at the sudden sound and the closeness of the impact.

"Here ye, here ye, the Court of the Youth of Privet Drive is now in session, Judge Lily April Dursley presiding in succession. The case of Dennis the Menace . vs the Crown thirty-five now sits before the bench." Colin announced.

"Dennis the Menace, you stand before this court to be arraigned on counts of bullying, destruction of attire, and conspiracy," Lily said, casually slitting open the envelope, making sure that it would glint in the light of the setting sun. "How do you plea?"

"Not guilty!" Dennis replied. Lily knew that if Dudley were presiding their wouldn't be such a plea. Same with Piers or Harry.

"You've entered a plea of not guilty to this court," Lily replied. "This is your right, though it may show some lack of remorse, that may be accounted for later. This court, however is a court of fact, and you shall be allowed to present your facts and defend yourself. However, it is late, so before we adjourn I must remind you:

"When the Nag the basking cobra hears the careless foot of man,
He will sometime wiggle sideways and avoid it if he can.
But his mate makes no such motion where she camps beside the trial
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

"The defendant is remanded into the custody of his older brother, and this court is adjourned until thirty minutes after the dismissal of school tomorrow, at which time we shall reconvene in normal session in the Stone Playhouse. Court adjourned."

Colin slammed the window shut, loudly, and his brother jumped back into his brother's arms. Lily watched as Colin managed to hold his next youngest sibling, saying something in his ears. There wasn't much difference between the nine-and-three-quarters-year-old and the eight-and-a-half year old. It looked like Dennis was surprised that his older brother was taking a hard line against him. Colin was sometimes a bit of a menace himself, but Colin was more of an annoyance as opposed to Dennis's more bullying nature. Lily would take Colin over Dennis any day.

There was a knock on Lily's door. "Enter," she said. She turned around as the door opened revealing Bradley, not dried completely, and with a head of hair that hadn't got wet.. "Brad, did you even duck you head under the water?"

VBDF

Fay Dunbar was quite stuffed by the time the Hufflepuffs reached their common room. She barely was able to keep her eyes open during the brief speech by Professor Sprout, and certainly wouldn't be able to quote a single word the next day. She had been able to get to know Susan Bones enough that they'd agreed to use each other's first names, like had been done with all those she'd shared a compartment with. When the Professor told the fifth year prefects to lead the first year boys and girls to their respective dorms, she had a very big yawn before they even entered the girls corridor. She wanted nothing more but to find her new bed and get to sleep.

"First Year girls are at the very end of the corridor this year," Gabrielle said. "I think you're the first year I can recall where Hufflepuff had only two girls in a year. Here we are. Wait, that can't be right."

That perked Fay right up, and it didn't take long at all for her to read the contents of the frame by the door. "First Years: Dunbar, Bones, Cornfoot, Weasley, Finch-Fletchley, Potter, Longbottom, Malone, MacMillan, Malfoy."

The door opened, and the female prefect strode through it. Fay and Susan stepped through the door right behind her. "Glad you could get here, sis," Gabriel Truman said from a seat next to the room's pot belled stove. "I've already contacted Professor Sprout and she's gone for Professor Flitwick. In the meantime, I've got the boys getting ready for bed."

"This won't work," Gabrielle said.

The room had five two-person alcoves down the side to Fay's left side, and down the other side was a sink alcove flanked by two toilet rooms then flanked by shower rooms. The closest alcove to the girl's entry way had a set of lattice work gates on them. In between each alcove were either some sort of seating or a desk. There were scatterings of rugs throughout the room, artfully arranged such that they appeared that they were causally tossed into the best possible spot.

"They're first years, put the girls behind the gates, some charms on one of the showers, and I think it will," Gabriel said, as Malfoy exited one of the shower rooms in a robe with still wet hair "We share a bathroom at home, after all." Malfoy crossed the room and entered the furthest alcove.

"You're my brother, and if we didn't have a house elf, I'd be demanding that we didn't," Gabrielle said. "Hello Professors."

"Gabbies," Professor Sprout said. "Miss Bones, Miss Dunbar, I sorry for the trouble. But it appears that the low number of girls in your year has caused a bit of dorm configuration issue. Fil, what do you think?"

"I think I see the issue," Flitwick replied, his wand tracing lines across the room. "There are hidden dividers between two and three, and three and four, but not one and two or four and five. The divider trigger is adjacent alcoves with different sex assignments. It seems that no consideration was made for two or less of any given sex."

He then cast something at the nearest alcove. A blue glow briefly surrounded the door. Flitwick cocked his head to the left, and cast again, this time getting a deep hunter green glow around the door. "Miss Dunbar, if you would touch that door and say the word 'secretum.'"

Fay stepped over to the first alcove and as she touched the open door she got her first glance at the alcoves. To each side of a window there were beds with a canopy dropping down from a center ring to drape against the wall and over the head an foot of the bed. The bedding was different colors depending on which side you were on. She decided she liked the one with blue and purple bedding with the lilac canopy best. She touched the door. "Secretum." The door changed from an open grid to a solid plank door in the arched opening.

"Now try 'patere,'" Flitwick said, as MacMillan exited from the same shower that Malfoy had, and headed to the same alcove, but only in a pair of boxers. The boy looked like he was about to fall asleep.

"Patere," Fay said. The door returned to the open grid door instead.

"I take back my statement about there not being a consideration for two or less of any given sex. It appears at least the for the females, there is," Flitwick stated. "The bathing areas and toilets have the usual charms on them, so as long as the door is closed, privacy and protection is assured, Pomona."

"Thank you, Fil," Professor Spout replied, as Ron exited the far shower still drying his hair with a yellow towel. Like MacMillan, he was only wearing a pair of boxers. "Boys! Out here please."

Ron came to a stop, as the others tumbled out of the other alcoves. Out of the nearest alcove, Cornfoot came out, his left arm still completing putting on the Chudley Cannon orange robe over his boxers. The next alcove discharged Finch-Fletchley in a black with light blue striped pyjama set that seemed to project expensive, as well as Harry wearing a navy robe tied at the waist with a white lion on the left breast. The next to last alcove had Neville, who wore a blue shirt with "Puddlemere United" written on it with a logo of a chaser about to throw the quaffle, just pulling up a matching pair of pyjama bottoms. Behind him was Malone who was still in his school uniform robes and had a cello's bow in his hand. Lastly an already half asleep Malfoy, closing his robe and MacMillan emerged from the last alcove.

Fay thought the boys didn't appear to be that bad, if you excluded Malfoy, and she could already tell that Ron wasn't going to be the neatest of dormmates. The towel that he'd been drying his hair with had dropped to the floor. To be perfectly honest, her judgement of Malfoy was due to her encounters with the stuck up scion at various social events, not impressions at school. It was really to early to judge anyone else as a dormmate.

"Boys, Girls," Professor Spout began. "It appears that we're going to have to live with the current arrangement of first year dorms in Hufflepuff. There is going to be some additional rules, however, and I reserve the right to change them if they don't work. First, the doors to the girls hall, and the girls alcove shall not be passed through by boys. I'm not entirely sure what protections have been placed, given that the hall slide isn't available on this end, and I don't want to find out.

"Second, when using the showers, they may only be shared by the same sex, and the doors shall be closed when they are in use. The doors shall also be closed for the toilets as well. Third, outside of your alcove and the showers, boys shall at least wear boxers. Finally, I shall expect respect among the sexes, no intimate contact. You're first years, so I'm not expecting it, but it bears repeating, do not abuse the trust I'm giving you by breaking these rules.

"I would try to move both girls out of this dorm, but the castle only provides exactly the right number of beds and rooms as needed. I expect you all to let me know if there are any issues what so ever, and I will attempt fix them. The prefects, especially the Gabbies, will be available to help, as well. Mister Truman, why are you grinning like that?"

"Just remembering last year's issue, third year boys dorms," Gabriel said.

"Right, amend that last rule," Professor Sprout said. "No intimate contact, even if you're the same sex. This is a dorm, not a brothel, and none of you are rooming with your betrothed either."

Fay had to wonder what happened last year with the third year boys. There had to be a story in that. But before she could gather the courage to ask, her Head of House said,"That will be all ladies and gentlemen. Lights out is soon, and I expect you all to have a good night's sleep, as you'll need to be in the Great Hall at seven tomorrow."

Ron groaned at the time, but Fay didn't have time to figure out why, as she headed to the girl's alcove. Based on where her trunk was, it looked like she was getting the one with blue and purple bedding with the lilac canopy. She quickly pulled out a fresh pair of panties and the pajamas she slept in, which happened to also be a lilac top with three buttons and a purple bottom. She kicked off her shoes and pulled off her socks, before heading across the main room to the unoccupied showers, just a few steps ahead of Susan.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Malone crossing as well to the boys shower, barefoot but otherwise still in his school robes. Susan closed the doors behind them, and without a word, spoken, but both with big yawns they undressed for their shower. It was a very comfortable shower, with exactly the warmth that she expected of her showers, not too cold or too hot. After several minutes cleaning with the provided yellow washcloth and some very nice honey scented soap, she rinsed off, toweled off, and dressed in her pajamas.

The main room was darkened by the time she and Susan finished their showers, but there was just enough light for them to get to their alcove. She closed the door, still in it's open grid form, and then slid under the warm covers for a good night's sleep.

VBDF

Severus Snape was actually a morning person. He was sure that very few people who knew him as a teen would believe it. During his teenage years he hadn't been one, but he'd reverted to one as soon as he had become a professor. It was why he generally did patrols Friday Night, it was the only way he'd be able to sleep in on Saturday, something he'd promised himself to always do once he was free of his father.

That didn't mean that he didn't enjoy a good cup of morning coffee with his point twenty fifth of a teaspoon of milk, stirred three and a quarter times. The aroma was perfect, and the extra stimulate even potent in the air. He'd made the cup himself, arriving at the Slytherin Common Room before the first student had woken up. He took a seat by the door and awaited the arrival of each student. It was a different method for him, but he wanted to delay his first encounter with Harry Potter.

He'd received a letter from Petunia shortly after the letters had gone out to the new first years, letting him know that Lily's child was coming for his first year. She'd even included a picture of him with Petunia and her oldest daughter, who was a spitting image of Lily. He'd been greatly surprised at that. Even more so when he'd discovered that she was the namesake of her aunt.

It was that picture that had caused him to take a good look at his past. Seeing what was in effect an image of a younger James and Lily with Petunia put him in a much more reflective mood. Oh, he still didn't like James Potter, but he could admit that he'd given as good as he'd got. With Harry Potter having been sorted in Hufflepuff, which was never a threat to his house, he wasn't seeing a reincarnation of James. James would have never been sorted into Hufflepuff. He was too much of a pureblood charging knight in shining armor, a shallow person. Hufflepuffs, he knew, had more depth to them.

Severus knew he'd probably have a few knee jerk reactions when he encountered the latest Potter, but it wouldn't be the same as it would have been if he'd been one of Minerva's lions. Pomona kept a much more even kneel with her badgers, though you were to put one of them past their limits, well only a fool angered a badger. Unfortunately, he had way too many fools in his house lately.

He'd been surprised when Draco had been sorted into Hufflepuff instead of Slytherin. It would not be easy on his godson not to be in Slytherin, but he would have to let Draco know that his door was still open. He'd probably need it once Lucius discovered his son's sorting. Malfoys had been sorted into Slytherin since the first sorting with the Sorting Hat. As a school governor, Lucius was probably going to make it a personal visit, and he was glad that he wasn't an involved head of house with that one.

As he got through the first tenth of students, Severus reflected that he wasn't exactly being bold at the moment. He'd heard what happened to the Dark Lord in the Leaky Cauldron, and seen Lucius's burnt arm, still in the process of healing a month later, when they'd encountered Harry Potter and the Dursley's. He didn't want to be the latest Death Eater to end up in with a burning arm.

A couple of fourth-years, Faustus McGee and his ever present best friend Fortuna Falstaff (don't ever say they were any more or less) entered, and rather than just stopping long enough to get their schedules, McGee spoke up. "Professor, I just heard that they found Augustus Rookwood in a muggle hospital. It seems he got struck by lightning on a rather clear summer day."

"I see, and what do they say that caused the suppose to be on work release Unspeakable to be smote from above?" Severus asked.

"If my sources are correct, he was last seen attempting to follow a certain family," Falstaff said. "You know the one, with the recent surprise sorting into Hufflepuff."

Severus considered the unsolicited information a moment, and decided that it might be advisable to spread a bit more information around. "To those that know Mister Potter, it is no surprise. I grew up with the aunt who raised him, a muggle true, but quite a hard worker believed in family unity. A recent letter that I received has acquainted me to the current circumstances of the family. Petunia has described her nephew as part of the glue that holds her family of eight children counting Mister Potter together. That suggested to me that as long as he did not fall into the regrettable Potter Family tradition of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff was most likely.

"However, a word to the wise, Potter in Hufflepuff is not an easy mark. He will not be easily shaped onto any path he does not consider, and his family will remain paramount in his thinking."

"And at Hogwarts, your house is your family," McGee stated. "We'll try keep the idiots in our year out of the way."

"You do that, and both of you will be prefects next year," Severus said. It was an easy statement. The current fourth year in his house was filled with more than its fair share of dunderheads. The only plus he'd found thus far was that their potions disasters usually ended up in sticky messes for detention uses than explosions.

It did not take long for the rest of his Slytherins to file through on the way to breakfast and the Great Hall. No Slytherin was dunderheaded enough to miss breakfast, and if there were someone that did miss it, there would be a good reason, like Miss Belladona's narcolepsy. Fortunately she'd completed her NEWTs last year, so he wouldn't be going into the female dorms to find out if she'd fallen asleep again.

Priding himself for finding a way to avoid the encounter with Potter for a while longer, Severus looked down at his own schedule. First class, First Years Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. He went to take another sip of his coffee. He'd already finished it.

There was only one conclusion, the world hated Severus Snape, and he was going to burn this morning.

The verses used in this chapter are from Kipling's "The Female of the Species." It is advisable to read and consider the whole poem.