I Understand

The Last Sorting Ceremony

Draco Malfoy scoffed. Of course all the returning 8th years would be sharing a table, and dorms. He hadn't really read the letters he had gotten over the summer, but he knew the basic information that each had enclosed.

He knew that all of them would be sharing classes, dorms, a table, and would not be able to play on their quidditch team. He hadn't cared enough to read why. It just meant he wouldn't have to do anything more than pass his classes and his N.E.W.Ts. 

Of course he had always been 2nd in grades, only under Granger, but now he didn't feel like being above everyone else, he just wanted to be average. He also had no reason to try that hard, no one was breathing down his back to be perfect, and that was one of the only good things that would come out of this year.

Draco felt free to be himself, as long as everyone left him alone.

But he could feel the eyes on him from all around the Great Hall, he tried ignored them. Why play into their hands, if they really wanted to hurt him, they would, and he wouldn't be able to stop them. Wouldn't want to stop them. No amount of taunting or confronting could change that.

Granted he hadn't bullied many people, only those near Ever Perfect Potter. That had been his job, more or less. During the first 4 years, it had been to keep an eye on him. After that, it was to watch him. Learn everything he could about him. Memorize his schedule. Know who he talked to, when he talked to them, and what the conversation was about. 

That had been difficult, since he wasn't exactly friends with Potter and most of the time couldn't get close enough to hear without being noticed. But Draco had his ways, and thus, he learned everything he could about The Boy Who Lived. Which was really interesting, because sometimes he would mention something under his breath about Potter, and no one knew how Draco knew. 

Like his birthday, his favorite dessert, his favorite color, and how he didn't like strawberries.

A stream of nervous 1st years crowded into the Great Hall. There were twice as many, since last year very few had been permitted in to Hogwarts. So this held the 12-year-olds who should have gotten in, and the new 11-year-olds.

McGonagall, the Headmistress, sat the Sorting Hat on a stool in the middle of the front of the Great Hall. Usually the Sorting Hat lively ripped open it's mouth and sang a new song about the houses. But this year, it slowly opened and smiled.

"Hello young witches and wizards. Welcome to Hogwarts!" He boomed, then continued.

"What a wonderful day. A new sorting ceremony under way, and I have a few things I would like to say... First I want to remember, those who can on longer sit with us. Let us take a moment to remember them, whom gave their lives for us that awful night. Secondly I would like to thank those who fought, with every tooth and nail, to grant us this day. And lastly, I would like to add, as the Sorting Hat, I do not have a house, but I have a school. So I would like everyone to know, that a house does not define you. I only separate you because I am told to. We all share a school, we sleep under it's roof, we are one big house. So it does not matter, which house I put you in, do not let it define you." He finished, it almost seemed as though he was looking around the hall, the way the wrinkles looked like eye brows.

And McGonagall read the first name, and one by one, everyone was sorted. Everything was the same. Except, now when any house was called, everyone applauded.

It had started when the first kid was called, a thin boy with curly blonde hair and small face, was sorted in to Slytherin. At first it was only the Slytherin table that cheered, and some 8th years, then, something unusual happened. Harry Potter, the Pride and Joy of Gryffindor, stood up and cheered. Soon, his friends joined in. Then the entire Hall was cheering for this new Slytherin. 

Within 10 seconds, Harry Potter had changed the school again. Of course he did. It was Harry Fucking Potter, the savior. He was perfect in every way, everyone was falling over themselves to listen to him. 

They were all like sheep without a single thought of their own, Draco thought. But even he found himself clapping for the Hufflepuff that was sorted next, and for the Gryffindor that bowed as she got off of the stool.

Maybe Draco could survive this year.

~*~*~*~*~

Harry didn't know why he did it. But he remembered his sorting ceremony. He remembered being cheered for, then he remembered that people also booed. Funny thing, to boo a 11-year-old about something out of their hands. So he stood up and cheered, as if the little boy had been sorted into Gryffindor. Then everyone joined in, and the little boy blushed and smiled so wide, Harry thought his face would split open. Even the professors clapped. A step toward unity. That was what everyone needed anyway.

When the sorting was finally over, Harry's throat felt soar, but he felt a twinge of happiness. He had brought the school closer, and that meant, maybe, this year would be better than his first, and that was all he could hope for.

Then McGonagall silenced the room. "A few start of term announcements," her voice rang across the squirming body of students that could barely wait for the feast. "The Forbidden Forest is, as always, forbidden," she paused and looked at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, a smile playing on her lips, "for all students unless escorted by a professor or myself. I would also like to tell all the 8th years to wait for me after the feast to escort them to their dorms. Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus, never tickle a sleeping dragon, you may not like the outcome. Let the feast, BEGIN!" She boomed and the golden plates magically filled with many meats, vegetables, and desserts. It never stopped amazing Harry every time they filled on their own, even though he knew it was just the house elves in the kitchens. Harry immediately thought of Dobby, and smiled sadly.

Harry enjoyed the feast more than he thought he would. Not that he ate a lot, just that it felt so normal, and he needed that. He watched as Ron stuffed his face, and Hermione chastised him for having no manners. That was normal, and it was good. He listened to laughter and the buzz of conversation, that was normal and good. All the little things, they made the feast enjoyable.

Everyone was is a lively, cheerful conversation when the plates were cleared and prefects escorted everyone to their dormitories. And just like they had been told, the 8th years stayed behind to wait for the Headmistress, who was talking to the professors. 

Then the professors walked out and Hagrid winked at Harry as he passed. McGonagall walk briskly towards them, and motioned for them to stay seated. She looked at each and everyone of them before crossing her arms and smiling at them.

"Thank you all for coming back. I know this is highly unusual, and many of you probably had not wanted to return after everything, but I am glad you all did. I would like to tell you all, that I am proud of everyone of you, and that I could not have a better group of students. We have been together for 7 years. Threw thick and thin, and we all have a story to tell. So, I would like to tell you, my office is always open. If you need to talk, or have a question about these weird times, the password is Lemon Drop." McGonagall smiled again, and wiped a tear away. Not many people had seen McGonagall cry, but everyone knew she had looked around the group and seen, counted, and missed all the people who could not be here. "Now," She had regained her composer, "follow me to your dorms." She briskly walked off, and everyone jumped up and joined her.

Harry walked slightly behind Ron ad Hermione, and he silently went through the names of all that had passed, either the day of the Battle of Hogwarts, or before. It was a long list, and he was saying names until he fell asleep in a new dorm, which happened to be the Room of Requirements. Unlike when DA met here, it had been turned into a dorm, girls rooms on the left, and boys on the right, with a common room in the middle. Within each side, they were separated by house. One large room for each, with the perfect amount of beds that each needed.

Even though it was a new place, it felt almost normal, and that was all he needed.