Running

Chapter 9

"Before you do, I want to check, are you going to tell Professor Dumbledore about us?" Harry had been concerned that all of his work would be for nought, and the second he and Hermione were sorted the Headmaster would immediately be alerted of their plans and an ultimately darker timeline would begin.

"I am not obliged to. I will admit, of all the Headmasters I have seen grace this school, this one I have developed the least attachment to. Should your efforts go according to plan, I will not be unhappy." Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "However, should he ask me directly about you, I will have no choice but to tell him." Though the thought of that unsettled Harry, the chances of it happening, he hoped, were minimal. Things would turn out fine.

"Now then," the Hat began again, "Before I announce your House, it appears you are not aware of your titles; that is excluding those of Potter and Black."

Harry was shocked. In Wizarding Society holding even one lordship was incredible, never-mind two from Ancient and Noble Houses, and still, there were more. And why would the hat know about them?

"The way I determine which houses are best suited to which wizard is not simple, Mr Potter. It is not purely based on thoughts, memory or personality. The kinds of beliefs your family fosters in you are important, that is why it is so common for families to have multiple people from the same house." That made sense to Harry, how else would all the Malfoys be Slytherins or all the Weasleys as Gryffindors? "Exactly. But further still, I look into your magical core. The very source of your magic, and what drives it. Be it ambition, compassion, greed, curiosity, and the list goes on. When a wizard achieves one status or another, it binds to their core - it certainly helps to prevent any false claims or misidentification. Through this, I can see what Houses you belong to, and what Houses you lead." Harry took a moment to digest it all. Learning the inner mechanisms of the Sorting Hat had not been on the agenda for the day.

Taking his silence as permission to continue, the Hat listed, "You have defeated Thomas Riddle multiple times, however, your first defeat of him, at the age of one, was when you first earned the title of Lord Slytherin. Technically people were right in suspecting you were the Heir of Slytherin, though of course, not in the way they thought. Your lack of extended family on your paternal side means that you have also inherited from your the title of Lord Gryffindor. Neither of these titles has truly been honoured as they should be in a long while. Lords and Ladies of any houses of Hogwarts have not been seen for some time. If you so pleased, it wouldn't be surprising if you could take ownership of Hogwarts."

Taking a moment, Harry allowed the information to sink in. He held so much power, not only magically but politically too. He'd never cared much for politics. He'd mostly wanted to settle down and live a quiet life - out of public view. He wasn't sure how much sway he'd even have as a child, or if he had any reason to use such titles at this stage, but, he supposed, it didn't hurt to have them. Political power in the Wizarding world was one of the strongest powers you could have, it would have to come into use at some point.

"Another thing, I'm sure you're very much aware but you should beware of the Weasley family this time around. I believe the Headmaster assumes I spend the rest of the year asleep. He freely talks in front of me about his plans. The Weasley woman is a devout follower of his and they very much plan to make you an Honorary Weasley™, as if they don't have enough children already. They're still trying to determine whether or not to potion you as of yet."

"They are? Wouldn't it be easier to just put something in my food and let that do all the work?"

"They are willing to wait and see if you are simply drawn to that family. They expect, due to your lack of loving familial connections in childhood, the first people to open their arms to you would be the people you immediately bonded with unconditionally. The best thing for you to do is steer clear unless absolutely necessary."