A Trio of Serpents

5: A Surprising Sorting

Rowling had admitted to not being good at math, and the vagueness and inconsistency in the number of students that attend show this. So I'm going to go with the estimation of 600 students, which means there's roughly 20 new students per house. Which gives me an excuse to bring in my OCs because where else am I going to put them? In an original story? I wish.

Summary: The first years get Sorted.

There was no other way to describe it; the Great Hall was magnificent. Thousands of candles lit the vast space and the ceiling was velvety black with stars.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside," Harry heard Hermione say. "I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool was a pointed witch's hat. A rip opened like a mouth and began to sing.

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

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause —

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

Cheers erupted from a table as Hannah ran over. Harry winced slightly at the loudness.

As a boy with dark hair, Obsidian Amsel, went up next, Harry looked around at the tables. He saw Ron's brothers sitting at what he guessed was Gryffindor. The dark-haired boy went to a table on the opposite side, Slytherin, where one would make their real friends according to the hat.

But Harry already had one. Or was it two? Hermione was friendly enough. But she said Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were the houses she was interested in, and while he knew he could have friends outside his own house, it would limit the time they could spend together.

Yet when it was her time, the hat didn't call for either. "SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherins looked stunned as Hermione headed for their table.

A few more people went up, including Neville Longbottom, who became a Gryffindor.

"Malfoy, Draco!"

A boy with blond hair and a pale, pointed face swaggered up. Harry was instantly reminded of Dudley by his mannerism.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat called, barely even touching his head. Malfoy went to sit down between two large boys, his lip curling slightly upon seeing Hermione, who didn't look happy to see him either.

There weren't many people now. A pair of twins were Sorted into Ravenclaw and Gryffindor respectively. After "Perks, Sally-Anne," Harry was called.

There was a sudden increase in whispers, but Harry didn't look around as he stepped forward and sat down on the stool, the hat sliding over his eyes.

"Hm," the hat said. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. Perhaps Slytherin will do? No objections? Very well. SLYTHERIN!"

Stunned silence met the hat's shout. Then Ron began clapping. The Slytherins joined in, looking astonished but pleased. The Gryffindors gaped as Harry took a seat next to Hermione, disregarding Malfoy when he gestured to the chair next to him.

"We didn't get Potter!" Fred and George bawled, dramatically sobbing into each other's shoulders. One of them stopped for a moment to give Harry a thumbs up before continuing his sobbing. Harry snickered and turned back to watch the rest of the Sorting.