Resistance

Chapter 2 - Love

The Malfoys and the Potters were standing together at the front of the train station. The adults were smiling as their children talked excitedly among themselves and waved to others who passed by.

"Isn't it lovely how there are only real wizards here today?" Lucius commented.

"Yes, it is," nodded James. "It was awful how those filthy half-bloods and not to mention mudbloods ran around when we were here."

Lucius smiled. "Thank the Lord that our children don't have to suffer through that."

"I do," James' mask was perfect. "Every day."

They chuckled.

The women, in the meantime, were fusing over the two boys.

"C'mon Mum!" protested Harry. "It's going to be alright. Really! I won't die of hunger during the ride if I won't take the sandwich!"

Draco sniggered.

"What are you laughing about, young man?" Narcisa schooled her son. "You're taking one too."

"Mum!"

"No. No excuses. You're both taking them."

Both Harry and Draco sighed and rolled their eyes, knowing it was to no use.

At that moment a man brushed past Lily, almost knocking her off her feet. Harry caught her at the last moment.

"My goodness, Lily, are you alright?" Narcisa asked her friend, concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Harry," she smiled at her son.

"No problem, Mum."

"Did you see who it was?" asked Narcisa.

"That was Peter Pettigrew, if I saw right," Lily glared in the direction he disappeared to.

"I don't see why you hate him so much," commented Narcisa calmly. "After all, it was thanks to him that you saw the right way at the end."

"Yes, but once a traitor, always a traitor, if you ask me," answered Lily. "I have a sneaking suspicion he'll betray us again."

"One can never be too cautious."

The boys listened to the conversation intently, finding these new details about their parents' co-worker fascinating.

A whistle sounded to signal to all the children they should get on board.

Narcisa and Lily kissed their children and Lucius and James patted them on their backs, wishing them a good year and telling them to have fun, in between all the schoolwork.

Once on the train, Harry and Draco found an empty compartment and made themselves comfortable. About ten minutes into the ride Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe joined them.

The four of them played exploding snape through most of the ride since Gregory and Vincent were rather stupid and Harry and Draco couldn't discuss their own business in front of them.

The sweet cart, when it came, got Vincent and Gregory busy and away from the compartment.

"So, did your dad give you any last minute advice yesterday?" asked Harry.

The previous day, Harry was asked to leave early, before his parents came home, so he was very interested in hearing what happened.

"Oh, you know - 'You-Better-Be-In-Slytherin-Or-Else-!' speech," answered Draco. "Did yours tell you anything?"

"A weird We-Don't-Care-What-House-You-Get-Sorted-So-Long-As-You're-Happy. I never heard that one before."

Draco nodded. "Weird. Anyway, what do you think would be the worst option?"

"Hufflepuff," answered Harry.

"Really? Not Gryffindor?" Draco looked surprised.

"Of course!" Harry looked at him, surprised. "Hufflepuffs don't even have a spine and they're stupid. Only mudblood-lovers go there."

"You know, when you put it like that," Draco paused. "You're right, given the choice of Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, I'll choose Gryffindor too."

"Let's not talk about that," said Harry somberly. "It's depressing. Slytherin rocks and there's that."

Draco smiled and was about to reply but Vincent and Gregory came back and further conversation was impossible.

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After pulling into the train station, on the platform *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"First years! First years over here!" called a rusty old voice. A man stood with a great torch to the side of the platform.

"That's us," whispered Draco and he, Harry, Vincent and Greory headed towards the man.

The man was short with dark hair and eyes. He looked intimidating, but neither Harry nor Draco were scared. After growing up with the top Death Eaters in your house, one found it hard to be frightened by common people.

"Everybody here?" barked the man. "Good. Now follow me."

The man led them through a narrow passage. It was very dark and Harry could hardly see the person in front of him. They walked in silence, except the occasional sneeze from someone towards the back.

"In a few moments you'll see Hogwarts!" called the man, not turning around. "Now, carefully, come here."

Sounds of astonishment came from all around Harry, but he was unimpressed.

Draco leaned close to him. "The castle near Dublin is way better," he whispered.

Harry nodded his agreement.

They were standing on the shore of a big black lake. On the other side, on top of a huge rock stood the castle, with its towers and big windows that tried to outshine the very stars.

"Four people a boat," ordered the man, gesturing to a whole fleet of small boats moving gently in the water. Draco, Harry and Gregory got in one, and when the man saw Vincent wanted to sit in their boat as well, he promptly stopped him and told him he should sit with him.

Draco and Harry exchanged amused smiles.

"Ready?" the man called after everyone were sited. "Then forward!'

The boats moved as one and glided across the smooth surface of the lake.

The rest of the ride was uneventful, except maybe when someone slipped on one of the stairs and glided all the way down and straight into the water. They had a good laugh over that.

Now, they stood in front of the great oak double doors that marked the entrance to the castle. The man knocked on them three times.

The doors opened and behind them stood a tall man. His robes were of dark purple. He looked like he was going to curse the lot of them on the spot.

"Professor Kashey, here are the first years," the man informed the professor.

"Thank you Radagast," the professor's tone suggested that his mere existence was unworthy of him. "I'll take them from here." Prof. Kashey led them to a side room from the apparent entrance hall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," he said. "In a few moments the Beginning of the Year feast will start. But before you go and sit by the tables you are to be Sorted. As you all know, from the moment you get sorted and until you finish your education here, your house will be like a second family to you. You will eat, sleep, study and spend your free time with your fellow housemates.

"During the year, you will be given points for academic achievements and other deeds, points will be deducted for any breaking of the rules. At the end of the year, the house with the most amount of points will win the House Cup.

"I do hope you will not be a complete disappointment to your house." The professor's eyes swept over someone at the back of the group.

"Probably the person who fell into the water," thought Harry, suppressing a snigger.

"Wait for me here," the man finished and went out of the room.

"So, it's good luck then," Draco smirked. "Pray you don't get into Gryffindor while you can."

Harry glared at him. "Not funny."

"I think it is," answered Draco.

"Real mature, Malfoy," Harry rolled his eyes.

"And anyway," continued Draco. "I have orders from my dad to be your friend no matter what house you'll be sorted into."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding!"

"Nope. But if you get into Hufflepuff I can't promise you anything."

Harry chuckled. "Don't worry. If I get Hufflepuff I won't stay friends with me."

They both laughed softly at that.

"Why do you think your dad told you that?" Harry asked finally.

"I don't know," Draco shrugged. "It'd be very weird if you and I won't be in the same house, though."

"Yeah." Harry's eyes looked around the room and stopped at a bunch of ghosts floating in the corner. "Pathetic."

"Hm, isn't it?" agreed Draco.

Prof. Kashey reappeared. He told them to form a line and follow him.

Harry stood in front of Draco and behind a redheaded boy. They went back to the entrance hall and through another set of doors. They were now in the Great Hall, as it was called. There were four long tables and another one behind them where the teachers sat.

The first years were led between the tables and ordered to stand alongside the stuff table, facing the students behind the four long tables.

On a stool, just in front of them stood an old wizardying hat. Everyone watched it intently and after a few moments a tear near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and the hat broke into song.

You may not know that I have a brain.
Given to me by four of fame.
To sort you all where you belong.
So listen now as I speak my song.

Perhaps in Stubborn Gryffindor you belong.
Where those of thick head and hide will throng.
They WILL stick their noses where they are not needed.
Though to the clever ones they have never heeded.

Or maybe to plodding Hufflepuff you will be ceded.
No matter much you would have pleaded.
For there is where the thickheads go.
There the hard work line to tow.

Perhaps in Ravenclaw you belong I trow.
Like any smart-alecky Jane or Joe.
There you can study until you turn blue.
And think you are squeaky and brand new.

But Maybe clever Slytherin is just for you.
Where the ambitious finds friends tried and true.
There you can learn how to gleefully win all you can.
They will show you how to develop a clever plan.

So as you can see, if you would become a woman or man.
Put me on your head, and sort you I can.
Careful now, lest your courage begin to wane.
Put me on and I will sort you all, just the same.

The moment the hat finished the Great Hall erupted with applause. The hat bowed to each table, its mouth disappeared and it fell silent.

Prof. Kashey made a step forward. He had a long roll of parchment in his hands.

"When I call out your name step forward, sit on the stool, put the Hat on and after it sorts you, you may join your housemates," he said. "And we start - Abott, Hanna."

A girl with white-blond hair stepped forward. Her face was red, either from nervousness or shyness, Harry couldn't tell. She put the Hat on and it slid down to cover not only her ears but also her eyes. A moment passed and then -

"Hufflepuff!" shouted the Hat.

Harry tuned the Sorting down in his head and concentrated on what his father told him the day before.

"I know everyone tells you that Slytherin is the best house there is," he had told him. "But, you have to know that the other ones are not so bad as well." Here he paused. "Especially Gryffindor."

Harry couldn't phantom what his father could mean by that. Surely he didn't want Harry to be in Gryffindor, or did he?

Harry's thoughts were brought to a halt as the professor said, "Malfoy, Draco!"

The Hall went silent for a moment and then Harry saw people cringing their necks to look at Draco as he gracefully put the Hat on his head and sat on the stool.

Even a moment didn't pass before the Hat shouted; "Slytherin!" and the table on the far left of the Hall erupted into cheers.

A few more names and it would be Harry's turn. He felt nervous. He really didn't know which house he wanted to be.

But he didn't have much time to decide, since Prof. Kashey called out his name.

He stepped out of the line, walked strait to the stool, put the Hat on and sat down.

It was very dark, since the Hat covered his eyes, and quiet. And then, he heard the Hat speak, just like his mother told him it would.

"Hmm," said the Hat. "Not easy, not easy at all. Lots of courage. A good mind, I see. Talent - yes, without a doubt. A nice thirst to prove yourself, and - oh my, your parents were Gryffindors, were they not?"

"Yes," thought Harry. He couldn't decide what the whole thing meant, but he thought he should play along.

"And play along you shall," the voice of he Sorting Hat chuckled in his ear. "You want to go in your parents' foot steps, don't you?"

"Very much so," answered Harry inside his head.

"Very well, there's only one place I could put you," and the next thing it said was a shout to the whole student body. "Gryffindor!"

Harry suppressed a groan, took the Hat off, put it on the stool and walked to the Gryffindor table.

He didn't notice the cheers and the claps on the back as he sat by the table. He couldn't believe he got sorted into Gryffindor, Gryffindor! He knew Draco was sneering without looking up.

A moment later the redheaded boy who stood in front of him during the sorting sat beside him.

"Hi," he said.

Harry groaned, put his elbows on the table and his head in his hands. "I can't believe this!"

"Sorry," the boy backed away. "Didn't mean to upset you."

"You're the son of the Minister of Magic, aren't you?" another unwanted person joined the none existing conversation, this time it was a girl. She had shoulder length brown hair and brown eyes.

"Yes, I am," answered Harry shortly.

"Wanted you to be in Slytherin and when he finds out he'll kill you?" she continued with a carefree voice.

Harry looked up. "No, why did you assume that?"

She shrugged. "You looked like it's the end of the world."

"It is, I will never hear the end of it now."

"From who?" the redhead tried to participate in the conversation again.

Harry didn't answer. He couldn't have even if he wanted to. A man Harry knew as Severus Snape stood from a chair in the High table.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," he said facing the students. "Before we begin our feast, I want you all to stand in honor of our Lord."

Everyone stood and there was a complete silent throughout the Hall.

"And now, we can begin our feast," Severs sat down and so did everyone else. Food appeared on the tables.

At first, Harry tried to concentrate on eating. He regretted not eating his mum's sandwich on the ride. But the people around him took it as their personal task not to let him.

"So," said the girl in front of him. "Who is it that's going to taunt you 'cuase you're a Gryffindor?"

"Draco," Harry said without thinking.

"Malfoy?" the redhead almost chocked. "That sliming -"

"Will you shut up?" Harry had had enough. "We're clearly not talking to you and you're extremely lucky all the teachers are here, 'cause if they weren't your own mother wouldn't have recognized you after I was done."

"Boy, you should be in Slytherin," said the girl, a little astonished.

"Tell me about it."

She sighed. "You know, you really shouldn't be mean to everyone because of something you have almost no control over. My name's Iris Leto, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you, Iris, I guess," said Harry. "And you know my name already, don't you?"

She laughed. "Yeah, I do."

"So, help me with the names of the teachers, will you?" asked Harry. "I only know Snape and that Kashey guy.'

"Oh, yes, Kashey is Head of Slytherin. He teaches Potions. To his right sits professor McKay, she teaches Herbology, Head of Hufflepuff. To her right there's Agudista, Head of Ravenclaw, teaches Charms. On Snape's left side is Pavel; he teaches transfiguration and Head of our House. He's really nice, well at least sometimes. Professor Phaea, that's the one who sits on the far left side, teaches Dark Arts and I think that's it."

Harry nodded and then realized something. "Wait, you're not a first year, are you?"

Iris laughed. "No, I'm a second year, actually."

Harry continued to talk to her through the rest of the evening, and even speared the redhead, whose name was Ron Weasley, a few words. From the corner of his eyes, though, he noticed Draco glaring at him.