Moody limped over to his seat, nodding at the headmaster as he did so. Harry noticed Dumbledore's eyes staring suspiciously at the sky, before he went back to his meal. Harry privately noted that he would have to do his best to control his wandless magic when in the presence of the headmaster. It would not be ideal for Dumbledore to learn of him being a Mage.
Ron grumbled loudly as he stared at the plate before him, his stomach following his lead seconds later.
Thankfully for Ron and his stomach, the first years walked in with McGonagall just ten minutes later, with Hagrid having been just a few moments earlier. They were all soaked from top to bottom, and one of them was even wearing Hagrid's ginormous coat. A few slipped over the wet floor, something that earned the older students a glare from McGonagall.
Harry soon learnt that the student wearing Hagrid's coat had been Dennis Creevy, Colin's younger brother.
"If he's anything like his brother, you'll have to make sure he doesn't get his hands on your schedule." joked Dean, earning laughs from Seamus and Ron, as well as chuckles from Neville and Harry. Hermione shook her head slightly, a disapproving look on her face.
She was likely about to reprimand the group on their rudeness, but was interrupted by the Sorting Hat, which burst into song.
"I thought the song was different when we were sorted." said Harry, clapping with the rest of the hall once the Sorting Hat's song had ended.
"It's different every year." whispered Hermione, her eyes glued to Professor McGonagall, "Something which you might have known if you stopped looking for trouble."
"I don't go looking for trouble, it finds me!" Harry defended as Baddock, Malcolm was sorted into Slytherin.
"The kid looked like a Slytherin, that's for sure." Ron muttered darkly, glaring at Baddock as he took his seat at the table, "Can't have a snake contaminating the rest of us, that's for sure."
Hermione's mouth dropped open in disbelief, remaining open for a few seconds before she began a whispered argument with Ron about being rude to first years. Harry only caught a few random lines from their conversation, however, as Ron's words had reminded him of something.
I'm the Heir of Slytherin.
"He's just a little boy, Ronald, there's no need to be rude to him!"
I could probably go into the Chamber of Secrets without having to worry about getting attacked. Not that the basilisk is alive to attack me, but that's beside the point.
"You know how snakes are, Hermione! You can't be all nice to them, or they'll bite you from behind!"
There's probably something I could use down there. There's no way that Slytherin's fabled chamber is just a giant snake pen. Maybe I could -
"So what if most Slytherins are trouble? He's just arrived here, you haven't even met him!"
"Will you two please shut up!" hissed Harry angrily. The three Gryffindor chasers, the fourth years, and a few of the older students all turned towards Harry's voice. Both the brunette's and the redhead's eyes widened drastically, before they quickly quieted. They each turned back to the Sorting Hat, who had just sorted Whitby, Kevin into Hufflepuff.
"There are a few announcements to be held at the end of the feast." said Dumbledore, standing up from his throne-like chair, "But for now, we have only one. Let the feast begin!"
The plates before them all glowed, suddenly filled with any British food that could be imagined. Ron eagerly filled his plate to the brim, before stabbing his steak with ferocity. Those sitting around him slowly shifted away; his eating habits really were quite revolting.
Hermione stared down at her food, eyes narrowed. She inspected the dishes placed upon the other house tables, before speaking aloud.
"How can they make so much food? You can't transfigure something into food, and all the foods looks different, so it definitely hasn't been duplicated."
Nick, who had floated back in their direction, happily told Hermione about house elves, though he was shooed away by the rest of the Gryffindors. They all knew the look on Hermione's face, and were not all pleased to see what she would cook up now. Hermione quickly pushed her meal away from her, muttering to herself about slavery.
"Anyone taking bets on how long it'll take for her to start a House Elf Protection Act?" whispered Seamus, chuckling.
"Don't say that." warned Dean, "You know her, she'll go and do it."
"But they're house elves! It isn't slavery!" said Ron, through a mouth full of food.
"What species they are doesn't exactly change what it is, mate." said Seamus. Harry nodded in agreement, although his thoughts were still focused on the Chamber of Secrets.
He was really starting to agree with his initial thoughts. There had to be something more down there. Harry was fairly certain that Voldemort would not have continued returning to the Chamber of Secrets if it was just the basilisk's lair. There had to be something more, something of value that he could use.
Something that would finally allow me to be left alone.
The two people Harry wanted to leave him be more than anyone were Dumbledore and Voldemort. Harry was beginning to suspect that Dumbledore had been the one to have him delivered to the Dursleys' doorstep all those years ago. He certainly was the one returning Harry annually. He was beginning to see the cracks in the old man's kindly grandfather facade, something he did not at all like.
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