At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Harrison got out, followed by his friends. They joined the other second year Slytherins and the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous Entrance Hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors. The portraits whispered excitedly from their frames as the noise level rose. Following the large group of Hogwarts students Harrison made his way into the Great Hall, the ceiling adorned with twinkling stars. He said goodbye to Hermione and Neville and walked to the Slytherin table.
"What the bloody hell is he wearing?" Draco asked looking repulsed.
"I think he dresses worse than Dumbledore," Cass wrinkled her nose.
Harrison looked where they were staring and saw Gilderoy Lockhart sitting at the staff table between Professors Snape and Sprout; he was wearing bright turquoise robes with a matching hat adorned with a gold trim.
Harrison looked at the man incredulously. "He looks like a fairy."
The second years snickered as McGonagall walked in leading the first years.
Harrison didn't even bother listening to the Sorting Hat singing its song, he was too busy observing the new first years. Most of them looked scared or nervous, and a few looked like they were going to either throw up or pass out. The only one who looked unfazed was Luna who was staring happily at the enchanted ceiling.
"Ackerley, Stewart," McGonagall called.
A short boy with brown hair ran up to the stool.
"RAVENCLAW!"
The Ravenclaw house broke into applause and Stewart rushed to the table with a huge grin. Harrison clapped politely for the boy as McGonagall called the next name. Several names later the first person Harrison knew was called.
"Bletchley, Eliza."
A petite girl with straight brown hair wearing a green bow in her hair bounded forward.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Eliza walked over to loud cheers from the Slytherins and received a hug from her brother Miles. Slytherin soon received two more students, Sebastian Carrow and Natasha Chambers.
"Creevey, Colin."
A hyper boy who looked no older than nine ran up to the stool and jammed the hat on his head.
"Mudblood," Leo murmured.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
After several names Dawson Dagworth was sorted into Slytherin and a few minutes later so was Noah Gibbon. After watching several more students get sorted William Jugson joined the house of snakes.
"Lovegood, Luna."
Harrison watched as the blonde practically floated up to the stool. He could hear whispers from every table except the Slytherins, he heard his name but ignored them.
"RAVENCLAW!"
Harrison clapped as Luna walked to the Ravenclaw table.
"That's not surprising," Daphne pointed out. "She's smarter than your average seventeen year old let alone eleven year old."
Harrison nodded as he watched Luna take a seat beside Hermione. He wasn't in the least bit surprised Luna was in Ravenclaw, he had been almost one hundred percent sure that's where she'd end up. She had a sadistic side that would've worked in her favor in Slytherin but she didn't care about being cunning and Gryffindor was certainly out. She might've found her place in Hufflepuff because she was loyal but it wouldn't have worked since her loyalty was to the dark.
Half an hour later Slytherin had welcomed Titus Macnair who took a seat next to his sister Violet as well as Sophia Montague, Jackson Mulciber, Annabelle Rowle and Oliver Rivers. Sophia waved to Harrison from her seat between her brothers Abraham and Graham, he waved back with a kind smile causing her to giggle.
"Someone has a crush," Blaise teased quietly.
Harrison sent a silent stinging hex at his friend who hissed and narrowed his light blue eyes.
"That was uncalled for," Blaise said quietly.
"No it wasn't," Harrison said dismissively.
"Weasley, Ginevra."
Ginny slowly walked up to the stool and saw down looking nervous.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
The Gryffindor table burst into loud cheers as the now relieved looking red head went and sat by Ron.
"As if a Weasley would be anywhere else," Blaise snorted.
Harrison saw Ron whisper something into his sisters ear and they both turned to look at the Slytherin table. He ignored both of their gazes and instead looked at Percy who was watching his two youngest siblings with disapproval. He decided last year that Percy would make a good ally but he didn't do anything to make it happen. He smirked as he pictured the looks on Ron's and Ginny's faces if he was to go dark. From the Weasley twins Harrison gathered that Percy cared about power and his future more than anything, he sounded more like a Slytherin than a Gryffindor. He decided to think more on it later after writing to his father.
Harrison watched as the empty plates on the table filled with food. He piled carrots onto his plate before Pansy could then added a piece of glazed chicken and some brown rice.
"Can you believe Dumbledore hired Lockhart to teach us defense?" Odette Warrington asked from across the table.
"He's practically asking for us to die," Ophelia said.
"No, he's asking for his precious Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs to die," Anastasia Zabini corrected. "Those of us with a proper upbringing know how to defend ourselves."
"At least he'll be nice to look at," Lillith Vaisey pointed out.
Violet rolled her eyes. "It doesn't matter what he looks like, the man is completely daft."
"And besides why would Violet want to look at Lockhart when she has Evan," Anastasia smirked. "Just because he's graduated now doesn't mean we won't be seeing him in the common room."
Violet pursed her lips and turned away from her best friend.
"Won't he get caught?" Ophelia asked worriedly.
"No," Violet answered. "Filch doesn't know about all of the secret passages."
Harrison turned away from their conversation and looked down at the table in time to see dinner replaced with dessert. He watched as Blaise piled on some of everything before grabbing a piece of raspberry treacle tart. Harrison ignored everyones attempt to start conversations with him instead he listened in on everyone else's.
"I hear there's a new broom coming out next summer," Flint said from down the table.
"Father told me one of his investor friends helped to fund the project."
"I can't believe a Hufflepuff was made head girl," Geneva Carrow said scathingly. "It was supposed to be me."
"He asked me out, can you believe it?" Dahlia Blishwick wrinkled her nose. "He actually thought I'd say yes."
Dahlia's friends laughed as she tucked a strand of silky black hair behind her ear.
"NEWT Defense is going to suck hippogriff dung with Lockhart teaching," Morgan Chambers complained.
"I know," fellow seventh year Callum Warren griped. "It's going to be all self study if we want to get an outstanding."
"Gemma Hopper told me that the older Gryffindors are pissed that the youngest Weasley boy and his friends managed to make them in the negative points already," Catarina Urquhart informed her fellow sixth years.
"She said she walked in on two fifth year Ravenclaws having sex on the train," Ebony Clayworth said, not troubling to lower her voice. "But she didn't say who they were. My galleons are on Candice Wright and Steven Maple. Everyone knows they're the biggest sluts in Ravenclaw, not that I can blame Candice for wanting to shag his lights out."
Harrison suppressed a snort as the desserts disappeared and Dumbledore stood up. The hall fell silent as everyone turned their attention to the headmaster. Harrison exchanged a significant look with Draco, Blaise and Leo. As soon as Dumbledore's speech was done they were going to make Ron regret having woken up that morning. Their plan wasn't what Harrison would call diabolical but it would scare the pants off the red head and there would be no way to trace it to them.
"Now that we have all enjoyed a lovely meal I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Just as they did last year, Dumbledore's eyes flashed to the direction of the Weasley twins who in Harrison's opinion looked way to innocent. "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. Finally, I would like to introduce you all to your new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Gilderoy Lockhart."
Professor Lockhart stood and smiled while all of the hall, sans the Slytherins, cheered loudly, Harrison along with his fellow Slytherins just politely clapped, having all pegged him as a fraud. Harrison could tell every girl in the hall, minus the ones at his table, were infatuated with the idiot, goes to show that people will believe anything they read and like his father always says, 'being charming will get you everywhere'.
"Bloody fairy," Blaise muttered.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore.
As Dumbledore waved his wand to conjure a ribbon to spell the words Harrison focused on Ron. He pulled his magic into him and closed his eyes, he moved his arm subtly as though he was stretching and silently sent a spell towards the red head. It was a dark spell Harrison recalled reading in a book over the summer, he had never been so thankful for his almost photographic memory before.