Second part, here we go
Word count: 1244
There was no other way to describe it; the Great Hall was magnificent. Thousands of candles lit the vast space and the ceiling was velvety black with stars.
"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside," Hermione whispered in his ear. "I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."
Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool was a pointed witch's hat. A rip opened like a mouth and began to sing.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," McGonagall said. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause —
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
As Susan Bones went up next, Harry looked around at the tables. He saw Ron's brothers sitting at what he guessed was Gryffindor. Millicent Bulstrode went to a table on the opposite side. Slytherin, where he'd make his real friends if he took the hat's words as the truth.
But he already had two of them, and Hermione had just been called. Where would she go? Gryffindor? Ravenclaw? Those were the houses she had mentioned.
But neither was called. "SLYTHERIN!"
The Slytherins looked stunned as Hermione headed for their table. She didn't pay any mind to the sneers sent her way.
A few more people went up, including Neville Longbottom, who became a Gryffindor.
Draco Malfoy, a blonde boy with a pale, pointed face, went to Slytherin before the hat even settled on his head.
There weren't many people now. After "Perks, Sally-Anne," Harry was called.
Ignoring the sudden increase in whispers, he stepped forward and sat down on the stool, the hat sliding over his eyes.
"Hm," the hat said. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either."
Harry gripped the edges of the stool.
"I see. You want to be with your friends. Very well. SLYTHERIN!"
Stunned silence met the hat's shout. Then Ron began clapping. Hermione quickly joined in, followed by the Slytherins. The Gryffindors gaped as Harry took a seat next to Hermione, disregarding Malfoy when he gestured to the chair next to him.
"We didn't get Potter!" Fred and George bawled, dramatically sobbing into each other's shoulders. One of them stopped for a moment to give Harry a thumbs up before continuing his sobbing.
Ron Weasley was the second to last person to be Sorted. He sat on the stool for a long time.
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted.
Silence reigned once more, but Harry and Hermione greeted Ron warmly as he sank into a chair. Harry grinned at Ron. "What do you know? You're the first Slytherin in your family!"
Ron grinned back.
Blaise Zabini, a dark-skinned boy with high cheekbones, silently took the chair next to Malfoy, finishing up the Sorting Ceremony.
Albus Dumbledore got to his feet, beaming as he surveyed the students.
"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!
"Thank you!"
The plates in front of the students suddenly filled with food.
The remains of the food vanished, and desserts took their place.
Harry helped himself to treacle tart and looked up to the High Table. His eyes locked with Snape's briefly before he winced and turned away.
The desserts disappeared in the same fashion as the main course, and Dumbledore got to his feet once more.
"Ahem— just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you."
With Dumbledore's speech coming at an end, the prefects began herding the first years out of the Great Hall.
The first year Slytherins followed their prefects through a door positioned right from the Entrance Hall.
The common room looked eerily like a dungeon and had a green tinge that enhanced the green furniture throughout. The walls were decorated with tapestries of medieval Slytherins and their adventures.
The prefects waited until everyone had filed in before speaking.
"Hi, everyone," the female prefect said. "My name is Gemma Farley, and this is Jackson Calder." She gestured to the male prefect. "Professor Snape is our head of house, and he will be speaking to you tomorrow morning about what he expects from us Slytherins. For now, you will find your dorms. Boys will follow Jackson. Girls, after me."
"I guess I'll see you tomorrow," Hermione said.
Harry and Ron bid her farewell and separated to follow Jackson.
"There are five beds in each dorm," Jackson explained. He spoke in a slightly softer voice than Gemma, but Harry had no trouble hearing him. "You may choose where you get to sleep, but unless there's a serious issue between you and another student, there is no switching dorms, so choose wisely."
Harry felt Malfoy's eyes boring into his head.
"Professor Snape has an announcement for you tomorrow morning as Gemma said, so be ready by seven. Good night."
The Slytherins murmured in reply and began splitting up to go to their new dorms. Hermione said a quick good night before following the girls away.
"Come on." Ron grabbed Harry's hand. "I want to see what the dorm looks like."
They picked a dorm and entered.
Each of the five beds had silk green hangings around them. More medieval tapestries covered the walls, and listening closely, Harry could hear the lapping of the lake water against the window.
Malfoy had followed them, along with two large boys. "I hadn't properly introduced myself," he said, not sparing Ron a glance. "I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
Ron coughed as if to hide a snigger. Malfoy looked at him.
"Think my name's funny, do you? Even if I didn't know yours, I'd be able to tell who you are. My father's told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."
He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."
He held out a hand to shake Harry's, but Harry just regarded him with narrowed eyes. "I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to have a good night's rest." He glanced at the two large boys beside Malfoy. "You and your buddies should, too."
Malfoy drew back his hand, his face going slightly pink. "I'd be careful if I were you, Potter. Unless you're a bit politer, you'll go down the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around riffraff like the Weasleys and that Mudblood and it'll rub off on you."
"Better them than you," Harry retorted.
Malfoy's face went even pinker. Unable to think of a retort, he whipped around and busted himself with getting ready for bed.
Satisfied that that was over with, Harry and Ron got changed into their pajamas and slid into their beds. Harry made sure to discreetly add charms to his and Ron's belongings to prevent anyone but them from getting in and slid into bed. If Malfoy tried anything, he would know.
There's the "twist" I mentioned: Draco not being Harry's friend. In pretty much every Slytherin!Harry fic, they become friends. Thing is... I'm not exactly a Draco fan, so... this happened.
There is no more coming from this fic. At one point, I would have loved to write more, but inspiration plummeted.
Edit 9/10: good news, I'm writing this, albeit with some differences.
Edit 12/21: I should have added this when I first posted, but it's called A Trio of Serpents.