Hermione reached at Hogwarts. She felt a sudden feeling that she had reached her home after a long time. Hogwarts had not changed at all. It still stood in all its glory above the cliff, fore looking the Black Lake. The place looked exactly the same. It did not seem to her that a war had occurred, killing a lot of people in its duration.
She also saw that all of the Eighth years, as McGonagall dubbed it, had not bothered to wear the uniforms at all. They were not students, much like honorary members. They did not need to obey all the laws that might have usually applied to the students of Hogwarts. They could leave for Hogsmeade any day. They could go to Dragon Alley on weekends. Diagon Alley had been repaired and rebuilt and also was renamed as Dragon Alley.
McGonagall was proudly sitting in the middle chair formerly occupied by Dumbledore. But, Hermione noticed that she did not have that aura of confidence that had always made Hermione look up to her in respect. It was almost like she was scared of something.
"Last year had been hectic to almost all of the Wizarding World. The war has taken its toll on each of us in a way or other. But this year all of the Eighth years would be resorted. There were so many students who had proved to us that they can change into someone who do not have the slightest of similarities of their older self.", she gave a pointed look to Malfoy at this statement, and sat back down.
Snape continued, "So this year students who have arrived to complete their seventh year will be resorted, meaning that there is a possibility of them being changed into other houses or may remain in their own houses."
Professor Sprout came in with the stool with the Sorting hat perched on top of it. She took out the ornate parchment which contained the names of the eighth years to be sorted today. She prepared to read out the names.
In a matter of seconds,
"Harry Potter".
Harry stood up from the Gryffindor table and walked up to the head table. He plopped down on the stool and put the sorting hat on top of his head.
The Hat spoke aloud, "Harry Potter, you have shown great courage, ambition, intelligence and hard work through the years passed. The boy who was scared about being put in Slytherin, has indeed fallen heads over heels in love with a Slytherin, though she is not there here. So, this year, you are going to Slytherin."
Harry flushed scarlet and walked over to the Slytherin table where the only available seat was next to Malfoy.
**Harry's POV**
I blushed as I walked over to the Slytherin table where I saw that the only seat was the one near the devil Draco Malfoy. He did not smirk the infamous Malfoy smirk at me when I sat down near him, instead he smiled at me, a heart-warming smile.
I do not know why I felt relieved on seeing him smile at me, but I do know that I shuddered on seeing some of the Slytherins sneer at me in disgust. Whatever I do to save the world, I would still be the scrawny haired, knobbly kneed Potter to them.
By the time I had thought about all these, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville and Parvati had been resorted. Ron stayed in Gryffindor and Luna moved to Gryffindor, Hermione moved into Ravenclaw and Neville and Parvati moved into Hufflepuff. I wondered how the stream of my thoughts had vanished, I saw that Malfoy had been called to be resorted next.
I felt an odd sense of panic cover me as he walked up to the Head Table. Suddenly, I knew why. He was the only one who smiled at me when I was sorted into Slytherin, he was the only one who did not seem to hate me in the whole of Slytherin house. I felt a stab of fear, what if he got sorted into another house, what would I do to escape from the hoard of Slytherins who looked like they would love to kill me that moment.
He sat on the stool, gave me a reassuring smile and put the hat on his head. The Sorting Hat seemed to take a lot of time in choosing the house which Malfoy belonged to.
Suddenly, the Hat started talking like it had been in my case. I did not understand why it had been like that. But when the Hat started speaking, I knew the reason.
"Draconis Lucien Gabriel Chamonix Severus Sirius Black Malfoy, an interesting name. And an interesting life too. Hated by everyone, rejected by the one who could have saved you from bearing the dark mark,", I blushed at that.
"A pure soul which was compelled and tortured to join the Dark. A spy to the Order of the Phoenix since you were 11, giving secrets from the inner circle of He Who Must not be Named. The most talented magical creature since Merlin himself. A brave, loyal, intelligent and ambitious soul, you are the perfect man. Now, I know what you want to ask, you want to help Harry Potter, such a noble soul, is very rare, my dear child. For the very first time the Sorting hat has become unable to give an answer. You are more noble than a Gryffindor, More ambitious than a Slytherin, more loyal than a Hufflepuff and nothing short of a genius for a Ravenclaw. So I am deciding that you can remain in Slytherin, if you can remove the permanent glamour on your face, masking your true beauty."
There were mutterings like, "how can he get more gorgeous than that?" and a horde of happy sighs from the girls.
Malfoy blushed and took off the hat, and concentrated not unlike the look Tonks had when she was about to change. suddenly, he changed, and became more attractive,if that was even possible. He came back to the Slytherin table and sat down near me.
Professor Sprout now took out the Parchment containing the first years, she called,
"Eve Mantell".
The girl came up before I could notice her properly and put the Hat on her head and waited. After a moments deliberation, the Hat gave its answer "Slytherin".
She put the hat back on the stool and raced down to our table and jumping up to climb on to Draco. When he turned with the child, I saw none other than Draco Malfoy in woman features, and he gave her a smile, not the smug smirk, not a cocky smile, a genuine smile. Malfoy sat down with the girl in his lap. He fed her from his own plate, all the while smiling and listening to her talking a mile a minute.
All other students were sorted in a matter of seconds. Slytherin got 10, Gryffindor got 10, Ravenclaw got 9 and Hufflepuff got 11 students.
Finally, the food on the plates vanished and they were sparkling clean once more. McGonagall stood up from her seat and cleared her throat.
"Dear Students, Welcome to another fantastic year at Hogwarts. A year in which we can live peacefully without being afraid that Voldemort is going to jump out from behind a dustbin and do you in."
The students laughed at that.
"We have a guest at our Welcome Feast this year. most of you would know him. Can I have the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt."
The dark skinned wizard appeared on the podium. He graciously swept his long hair out of his face and told, " Students, you do know that the battle has taken its toll on everyone, directly or indirectly. There is a very pressing problem being faced by the wizarding world now, our population has decreased to less than 50% and we are forced to create a Marriage Law, to stop the extinction of the magical creatures between ages 17and 30."
"The female students would be subjected to the sorting hat which will declare the most compatible person. However, we are giving a little advantage to the students. you spouses would be chosen from Hogwarts only. The first one to be sorted is Hermione Granger."
YOU ARE READING
The Forbidden Fantasy
Fanfiction" I wanted the mark. But I used it for good reasons." "Oh." She does not believe that he has changed. He is hell bent on making her believe.
