“WHAT is going ON in HERE?” Professor Minerva McGonagall asked in a shout as she ran back into the room after hearing the commotion.

“You're not going to believe it!” One of the other girls that had been frightened said and pointed to the wall. “It was GHOSTS! They flew through the wall and attacked us!”

“Harry saved us and sent them away!” Another girl said. “I don't know what spell he used, though.”

“Saved you?” Draco asked, then he laughed. “He just saved you from the castle ghosts!”

A bunch of other students laughed, too. They couldn't understand why anyone was scared of ghosts.

“What is wrong with you people?” Harry asked them. “They're GHOSTS! Goddamn GHOSTS!”

“Yes, they are.” Minerva said, her voice even sterner for Harry's cursing. She didn't berate him for it, though. “Some have been in this castle for hundreds of years.”

“WHAT?!?” Harry yelled and stared at her. “You can do magic! Cast a spell or something and get rid of them!”

Minerva gave him a particularly angry look. “Calm yourself and start thinking clearly.” She said. “Would we have anything at this school that could harm a child?”

Harry opened his mouth to say yes, since he literally saw how people reacted to the ghosts, himself included, then Hermione let him go and wiped at her eyes.

“Yes.” Hermione said to the professor and several students gasped. “It's all in 'Hogwarts, A History'.” She said. “Many times there have been dangerous creatures inside the castle that attacked students and lots of students have been hurt and even killed during events like...”

Minerva sighed and held a hand up to stop her. “That's enough Miss Granger.” She said. “You are lucky that you are not in a House yet, or I would have taken points from the both of you.”

“But, she's right!” Harry said loudly. “I read that book, too! Lots of people have...”

“Hush, Mr. Potter.” Minerva said and glared at him as she ignored all of the whispers and chattering that saying his name had started. “You have harmed the stately beings that have been granted refuge inside the castle walls. Do not rouse my ire any further.”

Harry squinted his eyes at her. He was very tempted to ask how he could harm a ghost by pushing it, then decided that was exactly why she told him to be quiet first. If he spoke now, she really would reprimand him.

“We are ready for you in the Great Hall.” Minerva said to everyone. “Form a line and follow me.”

The first years sorted themselves and followed her in a line, which didn't make sense, until they entered the Great Hall and saw that it was nearly crammed full of students. Completely silent students.

They were all staring at them and Harry was surprisingly immune to their gazes. He was just too angry at being told off for defending himself and Hermione to care about the stares, then he was told to be quiet and wasn't allowed to explain that no one had told him that ghosts were real.

How else was I supposed to react to learning that? They're goddamn GHOSTS! Harry thought, angrily. The first chance I get, I'm going to the library to find out what's up with them and how to get rid of them. He glanced at Hermione behind him. I know she will help me look.

Some of the other first years were making admiration sounds at the ceiling and Harry didn't bother looking up as he ignored them, too. He already knew the ceiling was enchanted to look like the outside.

“Why is that one kid carrying his trunk?” Someone whispered loudly into the silence.

“He was supposed to let the house elves take care of it.” Someone else responded.

The stern witch led the first years towards the long table at the back of the room, where some very eclectic people sat. Harry knew from reading 'Hogwarts, A History' that they were the teachers for the school. He frowned a little, because if they were the only teachers, how in the world did they teach seven years of students and still keep the classes separate?

They gathered into a group in front of the whole hall and the stern witch placed a wooden stool in front of them. On that stool was a ratty old pointed wizard's hat. It was in tatters, worn in places and frayed, covered in patches, and was very dirty. Harry thought that Aunt Petunia would never allow such a thing into the house and would shriek when she saw it, just like she did when she saw Hagrid's book.

Everyone's attention moved from the first years and to the hat. Harry knew what was coming, thanks to the brother and sister pair of second year Hufflepuffs that he had met on the Knight Bus. That thought made him look over at the tables and he wondered where they were as the hat started singing its song. The flags hanging above the tables told him what Houses were which tables, so he looked at the Hufflepuff one. There were too many similar robes and faces for him to find them.

Harry gave up looking, just as the hat stopped singing. Everyone except the first years gave it a round of applause, since no one had told them to do that.

Professor McGonagall stepped close to the stool and held out a long piece of parchment. “When I call your names, you will put on the hat and then sit on the stool to wait to be sorted.” She said and looked at the list. “Abbot, Hannah!”

A blushing girl with blonde pigtails in her hair stepped forward, put the hat on and sat down. The hat slipped down over her eyes and several people laughed.

“HUFFLEPUFF!” The hat yelled and the Hufflepuff table erupted in applause. The girl hopped up and put the hat on the stool, then practically ran to her House table. The next girl was a Hufflepuff as well, then there was a Ravenclaw and another Hufflepuff, all met with applause and cheers, except for the girl sorted into Slytherin. They were calm and collected and greeted her with subdued enthusiasm.

That reaction had gotten Harry's attention. Compared to the other tables that hugged, pat on the back, and in some cases assaulted their new House mates, the Slytherins seemed to just accept them for who they were. Of course, he knew from the Hufflepuffs that they were usually bad apples and caused trouble for others, and yet, they acted superior. Harry didn't understand bullies and why they liked hurting those weaker than them.

Harry had been lost in his own thoughts for so long that he had missed it when the professor called his name. He felt an elbow in his side and looked to see the boy he loaned his comb to, who pointed.

“Potter, Harry.” Professor McGonagall said again, her voice dripping with irritation at him for making her repeat herself. The entire room fell silent as Harry walked over to the stool. The thoughts of putting the dirty hat on was a bit repulsive, especially after all of the other heads it had been on, then he smiled as he flicked his wrist and deployed his wand.

The professor, the teachers, and every single student gasped as Harry used the clothing maintenance spells he knew on the hat. It took several minutes for Harry to finish performing the spells, verbally of course. When he was done, a bright blue and sparkling hat, that looked brand new, sat on the stool. It had small yellow shooting stars scattered over its surface and to everyone's surprise, those stars actually moved!

“Now that's a proper wizard's hat.” Harry said and picked up the hat, put it on his head, and sat down on the stool. The hat fit his head perfectly.

“Hmm. You've got guts.” A voice said in his ear. “Not many people would dare to clean up a castle relic like that in front of the whole school.”

I didn't want to put you on with you so dirty. Harry thought. I guess I've spent too much time cleaning things to let you stay that way. I hope it's okay.

The voice chuckled. “No one else ever thought to clean me before and I doubt anyone would want to dirty me up again.” It responded. “Now, let's see about your House. Hmm... difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. A willingness to learn is good. You have talent, oh my goodness, a lot of talent. I also see a thirst to prove yourself. So, where shall I put you?”

Not Slytheryn. Not Slytheryn. Harry thought.

“Not Slytheryn, eh? Are you sure? You would fit nicely there. You could be great, you know. It's all in your head. They could help you on the way to greatness.”

I know, I saw how they treat their chosen family. Harry thought.

“Yes, that's right. They respect a person's space... well, their own people's space. Everyone else can sod off.” The hat chuckled. “Old Salazar liked the pure blood ways more than the average wizard.” It said. “Hufflepuff would give you long lasting friendships. If you want to learn for learning's sake, then Ravenclaw is for you.”

That's all? Harry thought, a bit surprised. I thought all the houses were equally great?

The hat laughed. “That's what mediocre wizards tell everyone.” It said. “Only two Houses have produced any significant wizards in the last three hundred years.”

Harry didn't even have to think about that. Griffindor and Slytherin.

“Right you are. The best of the bad and the best of the good.” The hat said. “So, which do you want to be?”

M-me? Harry asked. You want me to choose?

“You'll be stuck with it for the rest of your time here.” The hat said. “Do you want to be coddled and smothered in Hufflepuff? Study all the time and never do anything in Ravenclaw? Be reviled for consorting with evil, just because you're in Slytherin, even if you never do anything bad? Or do you want to shine brightly and take your place among the most outstanding wizards of your time?”

Harry sat there and frowned at the descriptions. You are intentionally leading me to Griffindor.

“The headmaster asked me to.” The hat said. “Also, you showed everyone that you are willing to do things no one else has done by cleaning and fixing me. You are more Griffindor now than most of the Griffindors are, and you are not even in the House yet.” It chuckled. “Nice work on the train, by the way.”

Thanks. Harry thought.

“So, shall I say it or do you want to tell me something else to say?”

Harry thought about it. He seriously thought about it. His eyes roamed over the tables and the eager, and in some cases greedy, faces on the students. He could tell that Slytheryn, Hufflepuff, and even Ravenclaw wanted him very badly. The Griffindors? Their faces were only expectant and patient. They weren't urging him to choose them. They sat there and waited to see what he would choose.

When he saw Hermione's face, she was almost shaking in anticipation. Harry looked at her lips and she mouthed the words 'it let me choose!' and she had been sorted into Griffindor. That was the key, Harry realized. Choosing.

I won't abandon my friend. If she chose Griffindor, then I want to be there with her. Harry thought.

“I better make this official then.” The hat chuckled in his ear, then he spoke out loud to the eager audience. “It has to be... Griffindor!”

The entire Griffindor table erupted in shouts and applause as they jumped from their chairs and congratulated each other. “We got Harry Potter! We got Harry Potter! We got Harry Potter!” Most of them chanted as they danced around.

Harry took off the hat and placed it gently on the stool, gave it a pat, then walked over to his House.

Hermione gave him a tight hug and held on for several moments, then she let him go. “You chose, too.”

Harry nodded and she beamed a smile at him, took his hand, then they sat down together at the table.