Secrets To Keep

The Feast

Once all the students were there, the Sorting Hat began its song.

One Thousand Years Ago This Story Starts
There were four sorcerers with strong and wise hearts.

Bold Gryffindor from wild moor.
Fair Ravenclaw from glen.
Sweet Hufflepuff from valley broad.
Shrewd Slytherin from fen.

They had a dream, to teach all that they knew
Witches and wizards came far and it grew
'Tile a castle stood tall by the shores of a lake
And a thousand years later, the magic remains.

Old Hogwarts Sorting Hat sing me a song,
Speak in my head, tell me where I belong. And when things look bad and there's no where to run
Unite all the houses and we'll fight as one.

Everyone clapped as the Hat's folds closed once again.

Minerva clapped for silence, as Filius made his way to the stool, and began calling names. "Addams, Joanne!" Was a small, red haired girl, with a pixie cut, who took barely anytime before becoming a Slytherin, whereas "O'Malley, Kelsey!" Was a tall, blonde, long haired, Ravenclaw, but sat for three minutes.

Several more names, like, O'Malley, Lucas, who was an instant Gryffindor, and Torres, Cepheus was a Hufflepuff, we're sorted, and Harry looked over at his friends, who waved. He subtly waved back.

Finally, the last name was called. "Zhang, Damiana." She was small and scrawny, with dirty blond hair to just above her shoulders, and hazel eyes.

Harry couldn't see the girl wince when Filius said her first name.

Nevertheless, she let the hat be plopped onto her head, where it sat for several minutes.

Everyone looked around curiously, when the hat yelled, "RAVENPUFF!"

Harry leaned closer to Pomona and asked, "Is that possible?"

She shook her head. "I...don't know. It's never happened before."

Minerva stood up, quieted the murmurs, and took the hat off the girl's head. "Excuse me!" They wouldn't quiet down, so she used the Sonorous spell to make her voice louder. "QUIET! Now, Miss Zhang shall choose which house she is put in. Miss Zhang?"

The poor girl, everyone's attention on her said, "Um, R-Ravenclaw."

She then walked to the table, while Minerva sat back down, making another announcement. "Students, I have a few announcements! The Forbidden Forest is still forbidden, not that you'll all mind that rule..."

Several students snickered.

"Also, as you have likely noted, we have a new professor! Professor Potter, please stand."

Harry stood, but blushed when several people wolf whistled. He was sure he'd heard someone yell, 'Hottie' from Pomona's chuckle and repeated mutter.

"I would like to change Hogwarts for the better, thus, there is a, suggestion box, on my office door. You may bring any problems or concerns to your Head of House. Speaking of them, they each should have a speech for you. So I call Professors Sprout, Flitwick, Slughorn, and Potter to take my place."

Pomona cleared her throat. "I am the Head of House for Hufflepuff, if you didn't know. I am always available to talk. Hufflepuff may not be looked at as valuable or the 'best' house, but we Puffs are amazing people. For one, the Common Room is right next to the kitchen." They laughed. "But, we're also very loyal, caring, and great people. Depend on us. Thank you, have a great year."

Filius spoke in his squeaky voice. "I am Professor Flitwick of Ravenclaw house. We are only looked on as smart, or 'nerds'. We are not. We have trouble with homework, learning, we might not have good grades...But we are creative! Imaginative! Inventive! We are not what people think we are, we are better. Be proud if yourselves Ravens."

Slughorn huffed and puffed for a minute before he started. "You may not like us Slytherins, but we are good people! We can be very insecure, secretive, 'mean'. But we are, to protect ourselves, because if we don't, who will? From the moment you join our house, you will he ridiculed, shamed, spat on. Please, don't be shameful of your house. Just think of all the puns you can make with the name. Thank you, I'm going to 'Slyther out' now." He winked.

Harry took a deep breath before beginning. "I'll be honest, my school years here weren't the...calmest." he, and many others laughed. "But, but, my family is with my house. My real family...my real family is Gryffindor. Of course, over the years, Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's have become family too, but Gryffindor gave me a family. They backed me up, because although Hufflepuff's are widely known for being loyal, anyone can be loyal.  It every Gryffindor fits the 'stereotype' but I do, a lot. I jump into situations without thinking, I've been brave, what I'm trying to say, is, you don't have to change yourself to fit in with your house. I've seen cowardly Gryffindors, but I've also seen incredibly smart ones. Smart, Loyal, sneaky, I've seen and heard stories of Gryffindors that weren't brave, and just be yourself and accept who you are. If anyone, from any house, or from the staff, needs to talk, come find me."

"Thank you Professor Potter. Thank you to all the Heads! Now, eat!" Minerva cried.

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Harry sighed as he ate.

Minerva sat by him. "Your face is still red." She laughed.

Harry rolled his eyes, and said dryly, "Haha."

"It was a good speech."

Harry shrugged. "I didn't even remember the one I wrote! Well, Kreacher wrote it, I just told what to...anyway, do you think you could teach me something over the summer?"

"What is it?" She asked suspiciously.

Harry fidgeted under her gaze. "I'd like to be an animangus."

She nodded. "Come to my office the first Hogsmeade weekend."

Harry grinned. "Great, thanks!"

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Did you like it?

What do you think Harry's animangus should be? I like the idea of a cat tbh. Let me know!