Summary: Harry Potter goes to his first year at Hogwarts and is sorted into Slytherin! He becomes best friends with Draco Malfoy, after a little bullying of course, and learns to stand up for himself in what he considers to be his new home. Snape is a git, naturally, until he finally sees the error of his ways, which won't be for a while.

Chapter 1

Diagon Alley August 1st:

It was a bustling day in Diagon Alley. Witches, wizards, trolls, hags and other indeterminate species strolled down the paved walkways in a crowd that seemed almost overwhelming. There were vendors left and right, and even some in the center. It was mass chaos that was completely at home in the wizarding world: a place of magic, which was considered to be chaos defined.

Within all of this turmoil, one little boy, or not so little as he might exclaim, was patiently waiting for his robes to measured for his stay at his brand new school. This boy, Harry Potter, was very unlike other boys his age. As he waited he did not fidget, he was not loud, and he showed almost no curiosity to the outside world while under the sharp eyes of an adult.

Harry Potter stared at the ground as the nice Madam Malkin bustled around him humming to herself, her tape measure flickering around ears, his mouth, and even up one nostril! It was mildly disturbing, this magical world, but a reprieve from the cookie cutter hell of the Dursleys. Right now, anything, even a large amount of uncertainty, would beat that.

He wondered who that blonde haired boy had been. When Harry had walked into the shop with Hagrid, his escort for the day, the boy had been waiting for his robes to be finished. He also was unlike other boys his age. He also did not fidget and was not loud, but he was different from Harry in that he had held himself upright in a pose that simultaneously made Harry want to copy him and smack him senseless. Very confusing, that.

He had asked Harry a question while they both attempted to balance on the ridiculously tall stools, but before he could answer a man that looked to be almost an exact copy of the boy had taken him out of the shop.

Maybe he'd meet him at school.

King's Cross, September 1st:

Like Diagon Alley, King's Cross was just as busy. It had been an overwhelming experience for Harry, who had grown used to the quiet of the Dursleys and the near isolation at his primary. Mustering up the courage to not only slide through what he'd assumed to be a solid wall, and then to fight his way through the crowd to the train had taken almost all of his energy.

He wondered if he really wanted to go to this school if the magical world was always this scattered. But, if he didn't, well, what else could he look forward to? Day after day of chores, and other things that mad his life miserable and oh so mundane? He'd already taken the first big step. Might as well at least attempt to stick it out.

Harry sighed dismally as he sat in his empty compartment at the very back of the train. All of the others had at least had one occupant, and he desperately needed to regroup after facing the crowd. Absently, he adjusted the robes he'd thrown on as soon as the door was shut. It wouldn't do to look out of place after all. He wanted to start this journey right.

He gazed outside the window and watched as mothers and fathers hugged their children and gave them last minute reminders. He started to search the crowd for the blonde boy he'd met at Madam Malkin's, but gave up when he realized that the movement of the crowd prevented it. Shame. He should be able to meet him at the school still.

As he sat alone, he anxiously wondered if someone would disturb his newfound piece. Harry was relieved when the train began to pull out and no one had tapped on the door. As the London countryside began to flash by, he pulled out a textbook and attempted to prepare for his true introduction to the magical world.

Hogwarts:

Hogwarts was intensely beautiful, a fairytale castle that Harry had only ever thought about in his dreams. With towers, battlements, banners flying in the wind, beautiful stain glass windows on one floor, regular on the next, it was something that Harry could not believe. In fact, it was a dream that he had always believed could never happen to him. He vowed to make the most of it.

Stepping off the tiny boat with three other first years, Harry paused in place to gaze at the edifice in awe, his eyes blazing in the evening light. It almost seemed impossible, as if he could just touch it and it would all disappear before his eyes.

Vaguely, he noticed the other first years stopping to do the same, their excited voices traveling in the wind. Briefly, Harry turned his eyes from the castle to gaze at the grounds, which seemed to stretch on forever. Some part of it ended in what looked to be a forest, while another ended in a vast lake. Truly, he had never seen a place this large.

"Come along, first years!" Hagrid called the biggest person that Harry had ever seen in his life. He'd heard a few third years wondering if Hagrid was actually a giant, but they had never decided if he was full, half, or just pretending.

When Hagrid had rescued him from that rickety old hut on a rock to bring him his Hogwarts letter and escort him to Diagon Alley, Harry had felt so tiny. He knew that he was shorter than average, but this man made him feel like a baby. It was an odd sort of feeling that Harry would rather not feel at all.

As all the others formed a line and began to follow the large man, Harry dutifully fell at the end. As they walked, one of the other first years whose arrogant stance resembled the blonde boys was going on about "the other wizarding schools that were much more sophisticated than this one." He wondered why the other boy was not at one of those schools then if they were so much better.

It seemed as if no time had passed before they were standing in front of the ancient castle. The front doors loomed in front of them, even larger than Hagrid. Harry scowled, careful to keep his expression hidden from the others.

I wonder if everything here will make me feel tiny, he wondered.

The sound of the knocking upon the front doors echoed in the still night. The too still night, Harry noted, for even though they were not far from the nearby forest, there was no sound coming from it.

It is as if the forest is waiting for something. Something important.

As they waited, Harry looked down at his bright shiny new shoes, his first pair ever, and the worn steps below them. Harry wondered how many other first years had stood in this exact same spot over the years. Slowly, the doors opened, revealing a large chamber with several hallways leading off it.

As the first years walked into the chamber, Harry saw a very stern-looking witch with steel-gray hair pulled into a tight bun, dark brown eyes that seemed somehow soft when they glanced his way, and a face only partially lined with age, as if she reached middle age and decided to end the process there.

She, like the first years, was wearing black robes, which only made her seem much taller than the students. Especially Harry. Gee, whine much, Harry? Get over it already!

Great, even his conscience liked to mock him.

"Now," the witch stated. "I am Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor, one of the four houses of Hogwarts. In a moment, you will be sorted into Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin. Take heed and remember that your house will be your home for the next seven years.

Also, remember that it does not matter which house you will be sorted into, all houses are equal," she finished sternly, eyeing the first years who were nodding emphatically, hoping that she had finished her lecture. "Now, line up children. Make sure your robes are straight. Good? Follow me, then." The witch opened another set of doors, which lead into a large hall packed with students.

There were four long tables that stretched from one end of the hall and ended right before the head table, which held the professors of the school. Harry, at the last of the line, followed the other first years as they walked down the middle aisle before stopping a few feet from the professors.

Eyes wide, Harry gazed at the candles floating in midair above each table, and then turned his eyes upward to gape at the ceiling. He gasped in delight as he noticed that it looked exactly as the sky had looked outside. "I heard that it is bewitched to reflect the current weather," a girl was saying in a bossy voice.

"Wonder what that hat's doing there?" a red head with far too many freckles pointed out. Harry stood on his tiptoes at that in an effort to see, but was blocked by another student in front of him. He was about to ask one of the other first years to move when the entire hall suddenly quieted, as if told to by some invisible signal.

The silence seemed to stretch for eternity, especially with the eyes of the entire student body on the first years. Harry was about ready to duck down and find some hole to crawl into, when someone started to sing. It was not a very loud voice or a good one either; just one suited for the purpose of singing in the Great Hall.

As the song continued, Harry took the opportunity to watch the other students. He noted that at each table, the reactions were different. Some waited patiently, others had their noses in books, and still others were talking softly with friends, while the final table was giggling madly at something in the center of their table. Frankly, Harry was afraid to ask about the last one.

All too soon, the song was over and Harry was surprised when the students shifted enough to see a small, raggedy hat sitting on a little stool. That was it? A hat? Okay, he knew the wizarding world was different, but really…A hat?

Clearing her throat, Professor McGonagall snapped open a roll of parchment. "Let the sorting begin," she declared somewhat dramatically, before reading the first name on the list.

"Abbot, Hannah!"

A tiny, but still bigger than Harry, blonde haired girl timidly scampered out of the middle of the first year cluster, her shoes making squeaking sounds on the stone floor, and clambered up onto the stool. Harry brushed his hands down his brand new robes nervously. What was going to happen?

He watched as the hat was plopped unceremoniously on her head, almost covering her eyes. Craning his head around the cluster of first years, who were now whispering excitedly, Harry watched, squinting quite a bit with the effort, as the hat seemed to deliberate.

After a long moment, the brim on the hat opened wide, shouting "HUFFLEPUFF!" A table nearby burst into riotous applause, while the rest of the hall offered up almost mild applause for the first year. As soon as the hat was removed from her head, Hannah stumbled over to the table, where she was received merrily by the other Hufflepuffs.

And so the sorting went. After a time, the crowd thinned enough that Harry could stand up straight and watch as MacMillan, Ernie was sorted along with the rest. He dreaded when it would be his turn. What if the hat did not sort him? What if he was not good enough for the school? What if they had made a mistake by sending him all those letters?

The person who wrote all those would definitely be upset. Harry knew that he would. After all, even writing one very long essay for his other school always made his hand hurt. He couldn't really imagine the effort put into those. What if…?

"Potter, Harry."

Distantly, Harry noticed that the entire hall had gone silent. Nervously, he broke out into a cold sweat. It was his turn. Taking a few steps forward, he looked up into the eyes of the stern professor. Somewhat impatiently, she motioned for him to hurry up, so he clambered up onto the footstool.

That was a bad idea, really, because now he could see the hundreds of pairs of eyes that were staring at him. Then they disappeared into darkness as the hat covered his head. "Hmmm," a voice sounded in his ears, nearly making him fall off the stool in fright. "Let's see what we have here."

"Um, excuse me?" Harry asked timidly. "But, who are you?" "Who am I?" the hat asked in an offended tone. "Why, I just sang a song, that took me a whole year to compose by the way, telling you exactly who I am and what I do."

Harry swallowed and attempted to placate the Sorting Hat. "Well, you see…I was kind of nervous. And I listened to it, but I did not really understand what you had to do with it." "Well," the hat sniffed. "I suppose that is all right then," the hat said in a comforting tone.

"I am the Sorting Hat. I was given this job by Godric Gryffindor, one of the four founders, shortly after the school opened." "Wow," Harry said, impressed. "You've been alive for a really long time." The hat sniffed. "Of course. Now, let us see where I should put you."

Suddenly, Harry saw memories begin to flash before his eyes. He saw the time when he was really little and he was locked outside in the rain during Dudley's fourth birthday party. He saw the first time his uncle used the belt…The first time he used his fists…

On and on it went until Harry was practically gasping for air. Soothingly, the hat hugged him close, sending waves of warmth through his mind and relaxing him little by little. "I am sorry child. I did not, for a second, think that it would frighten you so badly. Now," the hat said softly. "I promise my brim is closed. I will not tell anyone of your past unless you wish it, alright?"

Harry nodded, eyes squeezed shut in an effort to ignore the pain those memories evoked. Alright then," the hat stated, cheerful once more. "Let's see. Hufflepuff would not be a good place for you, I fear. You are loyal to a fault, but it is not your primary quality.

Hmmm…Ravenclaw would be a good choice, if you thirsted for knowledge sunrise to sunset. No, not for you, eh? Maybe Gryffindor with all its' bravery? No, you do not recklessly run headlong into danger. You do seem more focused on protecting yourself…

Then there is Slytherin. Do not be fooled by what you have heard, Slytherin is a home to all who need it. And I must say that I can see many qualities in you that Salazar Slytherin prized in his students. What do you say?" Harry blinked, surprised. "You mean I would fit in there?" he asked incredulously.

The hat chuckled. "I dare say you would! So, let it be SLYTHERIN! Oh, and just so you know," the hat whispered, "the letters are written magically. Welcome to the wizarding world." Blinking, Harry looked up into the face of Professor McGonagall, who had removed the hat and looked shocked beyond belief.

Harry vaguely noticed that no one clapped for him, and as the whispers began to rise he felt the dull flush of shame creeping onto his face. "Ma'am," he asked tentatively. "Where do I sit?" As soon as she pointed to a table against the far wall, Harry made his way quickly to it, his legs shaking.

When he finally collapsed into an empty seat next to the other first years, no one spoke to him and instead eyed him with varying looks of curiosity and slight disdain. Harry looked down at the empty gold plate in front of him and wondered if they kicked people out on the first day. He apparently had already made a muck of it, after all.

Maybe Hogwarts would not be his home after all.

End Chapter 1!

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Note: I will be revamping all of my chapters before adding a new one in a few weeks. Please stay tuned and let me know what you think of the changes!!! Also, please check out my new story, In the Cupboard.