The Teacher's Son

Chapter 5

"Potter, Harry." Whispers flew around the room as McGonagall read off the name that everyone had been waiting for.

She gave her son the tiniest ghost of a smile as he nervously stepped forward and sat on the stool.

The Hall went silent.

Every house, except Slytherin probably, was praying that the 'great Harry Potter' would be told to sit next to them.

McGonagall became aware of a quiet murmur coming from Harry.

"Not Slytherin, not Slytherin." He whispered.

McGonagall raised an eyebrow. She had not considered that Slytherin would even be an option for her boy. He was such a sweet child, she knew he would never survive there.

"Better be... GRYFFINDOR!"

Minerva let a small smile twitch her lips upward as the house of the brave erupted in cheers. She could see the Weasley twins actually jumping up and down, cheering and waving their hats around.

Harry scrambled off the stool and walked quickly to his legs could carry him to sit down.

"Weasley, Ron."

The young redhead stepped up, looking pale.

McGonagall put the hat on his head and waited.

"Gryffindor!" The first response she saw was Harry leaping to his feet clapping.

The Weasleys are a good bunch. I'll have to owl Molly. Minerva thought as she continued the sorting to finish it.

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Harry and Ron listened to 'Percy the Prat', as Fred and George called him, explain the stairs as they moved up them.

"The password is 'Caput Draconius' right now." Percy called. "Do remember that, it will be important. If you get locked out of the common room, someone else will have to let you in."

"Oh no." Neville groaned from behind Harry.

"What's wrong?"

"I have a horrible memory."

"Don't worry, Neville, we'll help you out if you need it." Harry promised.

"Really? that'd mean a lot to me, Harry."

Harry grinned. "Of course, Neville."

The group began to file into the common room and Percy began to direct them to different dorms. "Get some sleep, tomorrow you will all have classes."

The first years all nodded and Harry snaked his hand into his pocket. The coin his mother had given him was still cold. She'd told him that she wouldn't call him tonight, but he still wanted to check.

With a sigh, Harry started up the stairs to his room.

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McGonagall sat down in her chair and sighed. It was her first night without Harry in the same area, and though the boy wasn't biologically hers, she still felt the sense of needing to know her son was okay.

Opening the top drawer of her desk, she carefully picked up the coin, debating whether or not to call Harry in.

"No." She finally decided out loud. Her son needed some time away from her. It would be healthy for him, and hopefully he'd make new friends.

McGonagall set the coin back in the desk and closed the drawer with finality. She pulled the drawer beneath it open and pulled out her lesson plan to check it over.

First hour she had Harry in her class. Hopefully he was on time.

She planned on doing the same thing she did every year for the first years.

Sit on her desk in cat form and wait until everyone was there before changing and beginning the class. It was also an added bonus if a student came in late, as they usually voiced something along the lines of 'She's not here yet, thank goodness.'

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"Minerva, you wished to speak with me about the sorting?" Dumbledore said politely from the door of her office.

"Yes, Albus, do come in." Minerva cleared her desk and waved her wand, pulling a chair over to the desk for the headmaster to sit in.

"Ask away."

"When Harry came up for his Sorting, he began to whisper 'Not Slytherin' at one point. Do you have any knowledge as to why he could have been a candidate for that house?" McGonagall asked.

Dumbledore pressed his fingers together in front of his face, considering his answer.

"Minerva, that boy is destined to be great. The Sorting Hat would have easily picked up on that. But I doubt the Hat actually planned on putting him in that house.

"Sometimes, it gives a contradictory house to the one the wearer would be in, to see the reaction of the child. If he or she vehemently refuses or pleads for it not to happen, the Hat will put them in the house they should be in.

"If the child shows interest in the house that they shouldn't be in; however, the Hat will oftentimes put them there, based off of their personality of wanting that house rather than their memories."

Minerva nodded slowly. "So, the Sorting Hat let Harry choose."

"Yes. And he truly is an extraordinary boy, Minerva. There was no doubt that he would end up in Gryffindor, at least, not among the staff."

Dumbledore stood. "I must be going, have a good evening, Minerva."

"Good evening, Albus."

[A/N chapter's finally up! Hope you enjoy, I'll explain the coins a little more later on]