The Darkening of Your Soul

Chapter 6

Three soft claps echoed through the otherwise silent hall. It was Neville, who quickly stopped clapping when he realized he was the only one applauding. Handing the hat back to McGonagall, Harry hopped off the stool and smiled up at his former Head of House, who looked rather like Harry had just smacked her in the face with a dead mackerel. Harry didn’t think he’d ever seen her look quite so gobsmacked before. He gave Neville a little wave and a shrug, as if to say ‘what can you do about that silly old sorting hat’, and then he walked towards the Slytherin table as if he wasn’t at all upset with his sorting. He ducked his head a little, pretending to be a little overwhelmed by everyone’s quiet attention and he quickly sat down beside Theodore Nott and opposite Pansy Parkinson.

McGonagall finally snapped out of it and called the next student. Harry offered his fellow Slytherins a warm smile and then pretended to watch the Sorting while he really used the opportunity to look at the teachers and see how they were faring.

Snape’s eyes were narrowed, mouth pinched, as if he was convinced that Harry’s sorting was just one big prank he had thought up. No surprises there. Beside him sat Quirrell, without a turban, but also without any hair on his head. Harry wasn’t sure if the man had always been bald or not, or if it was a consequence of having hosted Voldemort for a brief time. Other than that, Quirrell looked healthy and whole and he wasn’t paying Harry any attention.

Dumbledore bore a genial smile but his blue gaze was sharp as he stared at Harry. Smiling back, Harry kept his expression friendly and his body language a little shy and after a few seconds diverted his attention back to the sorting where Ron was sent off to Gryffindor. Soon after Blaise Zabini slid into the seat beside Harry and Dumbledore got to his feet to announce dinner in his own ridiculous way. Food appeared and students started chattering while they piled their plates high with the many delicious dishes.

“This must be a shock, Potter,” Malfoy said from where he sat beside Parkinson. “You must be disappointed to find yourself a Slytherin.”

“Why?” Harry replied pleasantly as he reached for the plate of sausages to serve himself one. “I heard Slytherin is the greatest of all Hogwarts Houses. Are you claiming it isn’t?”

Malfoy sputtered as his cheeks burned red. “No, of course I’m not saying that.”

“Then I don’t see the problem,” Harry said, helping himself to some mashed potatoes. Next to him both Zabini and Nott took sips of pumpkin juice to hide their amused smiles.

“But your parents were Gryffindors,” Parkinson said, her upturned nose wrinkled as if talking to Harry somehow disgusted her.

“And I never knew my parents so I don’t see why that matters. I’m my own person.” Harry shrugged and took a bite of potatoes. They were good, but not as good as Kreacher’s. “I thought I might end up in Ravenclaw since I love learning,” he added after he swallowed. “But the hat decided this suited me better so here I am, same as you.”

“What subjects are you interested in?” Nott asked him. He had a soft voice and quiet demeanour and Harry didn’t think he’d ever exchanged a single word with him during his previous life. Or had ever heard him speak at all for that matter.

“Lots to be honest.” Harry sipped his pumpkin juice, glad he got the opportunity to present himself as a studious, eager student right from the start. He still planned to use a study group to make allies across all Houses, his surprise Slytherin sorting hadn’t changed that. “Defence, transfiguration, charms, definitely those three. But I’ve also been reading about runes, warding and enchanting and they seem really interesting as well.”