The House of Snakes: Book One

The Sorting Ceremony

It was only a few moments after Professor McGonagall had left that shouts of anger and frustration broke out. Turning towards the source, Harry found himself face-to-face with a ginger haired boy with more freckles than Harry could count.

"So, it's true then! What people were saying on the train! You're Harry Potter aren't you?" The boy was smiling eagerly in Harry's face, and when Harry took a step back the boy stepped forward, still in Harry's face.

"Do you really have, you know, the scar?" He whispered the word scar much in the same manner Draco had whispered on the boat, as though he would get in trouble for saying such a thing, his eyes darting up to Harry's forehead and staying locked on. Harry glanced around at the students around him, all of whom were staring back with vary degrees of excitement.
Harry didn't know what to say, so he tried to back up again but the boy followed again, staying uncomfortably close, even daring to try and reach up for Harry's forehead before someone shoved in between them.

"Shove off, he's not an attraction you can stop and gawk at," Draco Malfoy had his nose up in the air so that he was looking down his nose at the boy despite being a few inches shorter.

"Oy, no one asked you!" the boy shoved back at Draco, knocking him backward into Harry who caught him before they both could fall over. "Who do you even think you are, shoving me around like that?"

Draco straightened himself with a huff of anger. "I'm Draco Malfoy," the boy snorted back a laugh, and Draco's expression soured, "Oh, think my name is funny do you? There's no need to ask your name, my father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, tatty clothes and no sense of respect to others," Harry frowned at the boy's rude words, about to butt in when the Weasley boy let out a loud scoff.

"Your father? Everyone knows you can't trust the word of a Death Eater!" Harry didn't know what that meant, but the reaction was instantaneous. Draco had frozen in front of Harry and a large portion of the group had let out a collective gasp. "You'll end up like him no doubt, pining after You Know Who just like your stupid father," he turned to Harry now, but Harry wasn't looking at him, instead he was watching Draco's face. He looked very much like he was about to cry, but amazingly, his face cooled into an unreadable expression that startled Harry. "You'll soon find out that there are Wizards who are no good, Harry, you don't want to go making friends with that sort, and they'll stab you in the back as soon as the moment arises. I can help you," Ron stuck out his hand, and Harry narrowed his eyes at him. He had managed to take care of himself for eleven years with the Dursleys, he's more than capable of taking care of himself now.

"No thanks, I can take care of myself," Harry grabbed Draco's elbow, turning them both away from the gob struck boy towards the back of the group near the door. Hermione and Neville followed, both casting glances back towards where Weasley was still standing. As Harry was making his way towards Draco's group from the train, he could only solidify one thought in his mind: he would not be in the same house as the Weasleys. The twins had been incredibly rude, and while they seemed fun, Harry could tell they were trouble, and whatever their younger brother had said to Draco had hurt the boy deeply. He wouldn't be in a House with a bunch of bullies and troublemakers.

The girl from the train, Pansy, wrapped her arms silently around Draco's arm that Harry wasn't holding when they reached the group. She laid her head against his shoulder, saying nothing. The dark skinned boy from the same compartment stuck his hand out to Harry, who took it after a few moments. Shaking his hand, the boy then gestured around the group.

"I'm Blaise Zabini, this here is Pansy Parkinson, Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, and of course you already know Draco Malfoy," Harry shook each of their hands as they were introduced. "I hope to see more of you, Harry, you see like an okay bloke." Harry smiled at Blaise, but any further conversation was cut off as Professor McGonagall entered the room once more.