"You're welcome," Harry replied, before continuing. "The whole house division thing is subjective anyway..." Hermione nodded in agreement, while Neville and Susan looked confused.
"How so?" Susan asked.
"Well, what do the four houses represent?" Harry questioned rhetorically. "You have Gryffindor, which espouses bravery and daring. You have Ravenclaw, which values intelligence and curiosity. You have Slytherin, which promotes cunning and ambition. And you have Hufflepuff, which champions hard work and loyalty." The duo nodded. "Now, I know we've only just met, but if I was to study you two and learn all about you, I reckon I could probably make a case for putting you in any of the four houses. I imagine that the split is made less by what traits you have, and more by what traits you value." Hermione nodded.
"Absolutely," Hermione agreed, "take Harry and I for example." She smiled at her best friend and boyfriend. "Harry is very smart and able to pick things up quickly, so he could fit in Ravenclaw."
"Hermione, meanwhile," Harry countered, "is an absolute genius who loves learning, also meaning she would fit perfectly into Ravenclaw." She blushed at the compliment.
"Harry is extremely loyal to his friends," Hermione continued, "almost to a fault, making him a good candidate for Hufflepuff."
"Likewise, Hermione is perhaps the truest and most loyal friend I have ever known," Harry retorted, grinning at her blush deepening, "making her an model Hufflepuff."
"Flatterer," Hermione accused, and he chuckled. "While its perhaps not his strongest trait, I have seen Harry display remarkable cunning while I've known him, making a good fit for Slytherin."
"And Hermione has an unparalleled shrewdness and cunning," Harry responded, "making her unmatched when it comes to planning and scheming, thus making her an ideal contender for Slytherin."
"And lastly, I know for a fact that Harry is very brave." Hermione remarked. "I've seen him charge into danger enough for that," she rolled her eyes as he grinned in reply, "making him the quintessential Gryffindor."
"Hermione is of course forgetting," Harry began innocently, "that when I do charge recklessly into danger, she is right along with me diving in head first!" He chuckled as the rosiness of her cheeks increased. "Likewise, making her a perfect Gryffindor." The duo chuckled at their mutual teasing.
"The point is that most people could fit into any of the houses," Hermione summed up, "so they must take the traits you value most into account." Harry nodded in agreement.
"So," Harry took over, "have a think about what traits you value most as a person. That will give you an indication what house you might end up in." Susan and Neville nodded thoughtfully. "Of course, if you wanted to be in a specific house, you probably need only ask..."
"Ask?" Susan retorted. "Ask who?"
"The Sorting Hat!" Hermione replied brightly. "In Hogwarts: A History, it says that the split into the school houses is done by a magical artefact, the Sorting Hat. By all accounts, the hat seems to be intelligent and able to converse." Neville frowned in reply.
"So...what difference does that make?" He asked, unsurely.
"If something can be talked to, Neville," Harry answered, "it can be reasoned with. If you want to be in a specific house, just ask the hat. If you believe you should be sent there strongly enough, I'm sure the hat would listen to you."
"Wow," Neville murmured, "I never thought of it that way." He smiled at them. "Thank you both, I feel a bit better about it now!" Susan nodded in agreement.
"Me too, thanks!" Susan chirruped, before looking thoughtful. "I'm assuming you two have been friends for a while, right?"
Harry and Hermione, as they had many times in the past and would long continue to do, looked at other and shared a silent conversation about what to say. After only a moment, Harry nodded slightly to her.
"We've known each other for years," Hermione answered honestly, "we don't live that far from each other, Harry in Surrey, and I in Sussex, and we met outside of school." Harry nodded.
"Yeah, we've been friends for a long time," he added, "but we had to keep it quiet." He winced. "My...relatives aren't the nicest sort, and my cousin and his gang would try and stop the other kids from being my friend..."
"And I had pretty bad bullies in my school," Hermione said, continuing the narrative, "who were determined to harass and ostracise me...just like Harry. We kept our friendship a secret, to stop them ganging up on both of us."
And with that they had believably established their close friendship and bond, with just enough truth to make it plausible. Not that they expected anyone to pry closely into why they were already such good friends, but it was good to be prepared.
"Well," Susan said, hesitating slightly, "I'm sorry you had to go through that. At least you had each other, though!" She smiled, before seeming to shrink into herself. "I...I've always struggled to make friends. That's one of the reasons I've been looking forward to going to Hogwarts. I'm hoping I can finally make some friends..." Neville ducked his head and nodded embarrassedly.
"Me too," Neville murmured in agreement.
The hearts of the duo went out to Neville and Susan. They hadn't realised just how lonely and friendless some of their classmates had been the first time around. If only things had been different. Sharing a look of determination, Harry and Hermione nodded at one another. This was something they could fix right now.
"You don't seem to be doing too badly on the friend making front," Harry replied, drawing looks of confusion from the two. "It seems to me, that you've just made two." He looked at his best friend and girlfriend. "Right, Hermione?" She smiled in reply.
"Absolutely!" Hermione exclaimed. Slowly, two wide smiles grew across the faces of Susan and Neville.
"Really?" Susan squeaked excitedly. They nodded in reply.
"Really, really!" Hermione answered. "Harry and I are here to make friends too, after all!"
With that said, the foursome eagerly began to get to know their new friends. After briefly peeling off to change into their robes, they returned to their compartment and bonded. The conversations and time flew by as they chatted, and by the time they were arriving in Hogsmeade Station, their friendship was sealed. As they were preparing to disembark, Harry paused before looking to his best friend and girlfriend.
"Hey Hermione, when you were looking for Neville's toad," Harry asked curiously, "did you try summoning it?" Hermione stared at him, mouth agape, before slapping herself on the forehead.
"Oh, I'm such an idiot," Hermione lamented, making Harry chuckle. Drawing her wand, she cleared her throat and incanted. "Accio Neville's toad!"
In short order, Hermione's outstretched hand was graced with a large and ancient looking toad. The toad appeared to be rather disgruntled at having its latest bid for freedom abruptly ended. His owner, however, was thrilled.
"Trevor!" Neville exclaimed, taking the amphibian from Hermione's hand and thanking her profusely. Susan, meanwhile, stared in shock at Hermione at the fact she successfully summoned anything at all.
"Isn't that a fourth year spell?" Susan asked, surprised.
"It is, yeah," Harry replied, smiling, "but Hermione here likes to read ahead." She rolled her eyes at his teasing and huffed.
As the foursome disembarked from the train, they were greeted by the imposing sight of Rubeus Hagrid, holding a large lamp at one end of the platform.
"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!" Hagrid voice boomed, making more than a few of the new students jump in fright. Upon seeing Harry, Hagrid smiled and waved. "All right there, Harry?" Grinning at his friend, Harry nodded and quickly introduced Hermione, Susan, and Neville to the Hogwarts groundskeeper.
Once all the first years had been gathered, Hagrid led them along a path away from the station, and down to the edge of the Great Lake. The four of them quickly commandeered one of the boats, and they were soon making their way across the glassy water.
As they travelled, the beautiful and imposing sight of Hogwarts Castle came into view, and Harry felt a wave of nostalgia. The ancient fortress looked beautiful in the moonlight, its many candlelit windows twinkling in the night sky. It was a stark contrast from the last time he had seen the school, reduced to nothing more than a smoking ruin filled with death. He shivered, and pulled his robes tighter around himself.
'It won't happen this time,' Harry thought to himself, trying to chase away those dark thoughts, 'I won't let it.'
Having noticed him deep in thought, and knowing him well enough to realise what he was thinking, Hermione took his hand in hers and squeezed it softly. Drawing his gaze, she smiled at him reassuringly, and Harry almost thought he heard her reply in his mind.
'We won't let it.' Harry smiled in reply and squeezed her hand back.
At long last, they found themselves stood in the anteroom outside of the Great Hall. Hagrid handed off the students to the newly arrived Professor Minerva McGonagall, who proceeded to give her speech about the school houses to the new students.
Soon enough, the doors of the Great Hall opened with a groan, and they were led inside to the front of the chamber. Harry smiled broadly at the beautiful room as they entered. The chamber was bright and cheerful, filled with the laughter and light smattering conversation of children. The fireplaces were roaring with flame, while the enchanted candles bobbed around and over their heads, making the hall feel warm and inviting. The enchanted ceiling was showing a clear and sparkling night sky, the stars above glowing beautifully.
"I'm home," Harry murmured to himself quietly.
Glancing around, he saw Hermione looking up at the ceiling with bright, shining eyes, and a warm smile. He smiled too on seeing her obvious delight to be back in the castle. A thought suddenly crossed his mind, however, and he grinned mischievously. Leaning closer, he tapped her on the shoulder.
"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside, you know," Harry whispered to her, matter-of-factly, "I read about it in Hogwarts: A History."
Initially startled that he'd spoken, a look of amused outrage grew across Hermione's face as she realised he was quoting her. Blushing at the memory of her needlessly spouting off facts, and seeing him grin at her mischievously, she rolled her eyes and lightly whacked him on the arm.
"Prat," Hermione accused softly, fighting a smile, and he chuckled in reply.
It was at that moment that Professor McGonagall carried the tatty and crooked Sorting Hat over to the stool, and sat it down. As she stepped to one side, a hole appeared along the brim and it broke into its yearly song.
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (although I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The song of the Sorting Hat was met with wide applause from all the tables, and the new students. As Harry clapped, his thoughts turned to the sorting. Would anything be different this time around? He thought it unlikely. They hadn't changed much yet, after all, certainly nothing that would affect the students of Hogwarts.