What If...

The sorting.

Harry and Ron filed off the train with the other students.

  "Firs' years! Firs' years over hear!" A loud voice called
 

Harry ran towards the voice, knowing exactly who it was.

" 'Ello there Harry, who's yer friend?" A tall man with wild brown hair and a beard asked.

"This is Ron Weasley." Harry said happily.

"Well, pleasure to meet you Ron. Names Rubeus Hagrid. Keeper of Keys here at hogwarts."

Ron smiled awkwardly

"Hi." He said.

"Well, let's get to the boats!" Hagrid announced.

Once they reached the castle, they were led into a large main hall. Harry smiled, breathing in the familiar aromas. An ugly man with yellow teeth led them to a stair case.

They followed him into the grand entrance where he told them to wait before leaving them alone.  Suddenly, a door they hadn't seen before opened and a woman wearing long green robes and matching pointed hat stood before them. Harry smiled up at her.

  "I am Professor Mcgonnagall," She said sternly "In a few moments, you will walk through these doors and be sorted into your houses. They are, Gryffindore, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. While at Hogwarts your house will be your family, you will learn together, eat together, succeed and fail together. Points will be awarded to each house for extraordinary acts, any rule breaking will result in points being taken away." 

  "So it's true." A snooty voice said "Harry Potter has come to hogwarts. I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Ron snickered.

"Think my name's funny do you? No need to ask yours, red hair and a hand me down robe? You must be a Weasley." Draco sneered.

"That's not very nice." Harry said "you'll never make friends like that."

Draco looked taken aback.

"And who says I'd want to be friend with you,  Potter?" He spat.

"You walked up, introduced yourself and held out your hand for me to shake." Harry observed "friendly gesture."

Minerva hid a smirk.

"Whatever." Draco Snapped, walking away.

Harry shrugged.

"Just trying to help. From what my godfather says, the malfoys don't have the best social skills." He mumbled to Ron.

Ron laughed. Minerva gestured for the group to follow her into the great Hall. She set up a three legged stool and began calling out names.

"Hermione Granger." She called out.

The hat deliberated for a moment.

   "Gryffindor!" It called out.

Hermione ran to the Gryffindor table. She continued on for a while before...

"Draco Malfoy."

The hat barely brushed the top of his head.

    "Slytherin!" It roared.

She continued on. A few to hufflepuff. A few to RavenClaw. Several to both slytherin and Gryffindor.

"Harry Potter!" She called out.

The noisy great Hall went silent. Harry walked up and the hat was sat upon his head. It deliberated for a great while.

"Mmm. Ambitious. Cunning. A hunger to prove yourself. Perfect for Slytherin. However, you're wise. Smart.  Loyal and kind." It said to Harry. "You'd meet true friends in slytherin. Ravenclaw would suit you well too. There's a courage there as well, daring. You remind me of another student, years ago. I regretted his sorting. Better be...."

"Gryffindor!" It yelled out.

"Unite them Potter." It said silently before the hat was swiped off Harry's head.

Harry ran to the Gryffindor table as Minerva continued to call out names. Soon she reached the W's.

"Ronald Weasley."

Ron gulped, walking up to the stool.

"Another Weasley!" The hat yelled "I know just what to do with you....Gryffindor!"