There was nothing like the first night of school. He still remembered his first feast at Hogwarts, and he imagined he never would forget. The journey across the lake was still one of his happier memories, all these many years later. Some had campaigned to change that tradition - especially some of the more uppity purebloods, claiming that the brief dip across the lake was entirely too muggle for their children to have to sit through. Albus always managed to win that fight, however.

As ever, the great hall looked wonderful. There was something about the start-of-term feast that made the ambiance of the place almost glow. The students, fresh out of their school holidays, were back for another year of learning - and mischief. Especially those Weasley twins. Secretly Albus had a bet on with Minerva that they would cause Snape's first grey hair before they left.

But this year was special like no other. And the reason for that specialty was currently timidly following the previously referenced head of Gryffindor House down the middle aisle of tables separating Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. His eyes had immediately spotted Harry - his hair was distinguishable even now.

He was a lot smaller than he remembered James being - although maybe Lily had something to do with that. Lily definitely had something to do with those eyes, a startling green that Albus remembered from that cold November night so many years ago. Said eyes were peering around the hall in what could only be described as childlike wonder. While he was walking alongside the latest addition of the Weasley brood to Hogwarts, he seemed to be listening in on a girl behind him every so often.

Albus continued to keep half-an-eye on the child as the sorting commenced. He did hide a smirk when the usual collective sigh emanated from the new students as it was realised that they would be sorted by a hat, and not something ludicrous like a troll, manticore or vampire.

Ahh, to be young again.

Finally, Minerva called out the name he had been waiting for. Harry Potter. The boy was, of course, legend. The-Boy-Who-Lived was the moniker that was settled on. Thats the reason that he had placed him with his relatives all those years ago. He had sometimes wondered whether he had made the right choice, but settled himself by knowing that Petunia would treat her own blood well. Hagrid had told him that they had apparently developed an aversion to all magic, and had not told the boy anything. It had caused Albus pause, until Hagrid had gone on to say that Harry was an extremely pleasant and friendly boy.

The hat itself looked as if it would swallow the boy up whole, he was so small. If that hat had been standard wizard-wear, the look would probably have been most comical. As he had with each other student, he felt the hat draw on the magics of the school to feel where he belonged. Not many people asked how the hat pulled off its magic. It was intent based, of course - if the student was averse to a particular house, it would not place them there. But what it looked for was the magic of the student, to see which house it was in tune with the most - much like the selections of wands. A curious bit of magic.

Dumbledore could feel the two dominant choices in the magic. Gryffindor & Slytherin. He gave a shiver at the implication. He hoped it was that Harry was just an ambitions child, and not something much worse. The knife was at a tipping point, he could feel it. Two very different paths for this child lay before him, both very different from each other. Not for the first time, he wished he had some sway in the Sorting Hat. To guide Harry on the path he felt was right.

Because Harry had lost enough already, and there were many more trials to come.

AN: One of the things that irks me about canon HP is that Dumbledore never really gets any justification. Especially in the films, which is where I think this manipulative 'I'm-out-to-inherit-the-entire-Potter-Black-Gryffindor-Perverel-estate' Dumbledore has originated from.
That isn't what you are getting here. This will actually be pretty much pure canon, but with the justification you get from Dumbledore's point of view.
If you like this, let me know! I'm also on Reddit as u/limegorilla, so if you have any suggestions or anything, feel free to send me something!