As they stepped down onto the platform, it didn't take long to notice Hagrid wasn't there. A lantern came swinging towards them and by its light they saw Professor Grubbly-Plank. "First years line up over here, please! All first years to me!"

"Where's Hagrid?" Harry asked out loud.

"I don't know," shrugged Ginny, "but we'd better get out of the way, we're blocking the door."

"Oh yeah..."

Ginny became separated from Harry and Ben as they moved off along the platform and out through the station. Harry kept looking around, worriedly searching for Hagrid.

"It's okay, Harry," he told him. "I bet he's just got a cold, or something."

"I hope so," he muttered. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"They're probably doing prefect stuff..."

They continued walking across the dark platform, and reached the road outside Hogwarts station, where the many horseless stagecoaches that always took the students above first year up to the castle were.

"What?" gasped Harry, startling Ben.

"What?"

"Look at that!" he pointed at the carriages.

"Why are you surprised?" wondered Ben. "We've known they were horseless for years..."

"But... But they're not horseless anymore."

Ben blinked. "Are you alright?"

"Don't you see them?"

"See what?"

"Those... things," he stammered, frowning.

"What are you talking about?"

"They're thestrals," announced a female voice behind them. Ben gasped in realisation. Marina's eyes were fixed on the exact same spot Harry was pointing at.

"Oh," said Harry, dropping his finger, and not looking too excited about the girl's arrival.

"Hey, Marina... How have you been?" asked Ben.

"Alright, I guess... What about you?"

"Same."

Marina smiled at him, and he returned the gesture, approaching Harry, who was holding Boots in his arms, since Ben was already struggling enough trying to keep Snowie from jumping off his. He was tickling the cat between her ears, making her purr.

"I heard you've become a prefect," said Ben, realising he had been staring at Harry and Boots for too long.

"That's right," she nodded. "I'm really glad... Ernie was saying that he thought it would've been better if there were three Hufflepuff prefects this year, since we lost Cedric last year..."

Ben bit his lip so hard he suddenly sensed the taste of blood.

He pretended to want to have a better look of his cat. Harry glanced up at him, and he could instantly tell that the mention of Cedric had hurt him as much as it had to him.

"Where's Pig?" asked Ron, appearing all of a sudden.

"That Luna girl was carrying him," answered Harry, turning quickly. "Where d'you reckon-"

"-Hagrid is?" finished Ron. "I dunno... He'd better be okay."

"Malfoy was being absolutely foul to a first year back there," said Hermione, emerging from the crowd. "I swear I'm going to report him, he's only had his badge for three minutes and he's using it to bully people worse than ever... Where's Crookshanks?"

"Ginny's got him," answered Harry. "There she is..."

Ginny came, clutching a squirming Crookshanks. "There you go."

"Thanks," smiled Hermione. "Hello, Marina, by the way."

"Hey," she smiled back. "That's such a beautiful cat."

"We both know it's not true," commented Ron.

Hermione ignored him. "Let's go find a carriage before they all fill up... You're coming with us, Marina."

"I haven't got Pig yet!" complained Ron.

Luna appeared holding Pigwidgeon's cage in her arms; the tiny owl was twittering excitedly as usual.

"Here you are," she said. "He's a sweet little owl, isn't he?"

"Er... Yeah... He's all right," said Ron gruffly.

Hermione was already heading off toward the nearest unoccupied coach, taking Marina with her, after smirking at Ben.

"Does she really think Marina's my girlfriend?" asked Ben in a whisper as soon as Ginny joined both girls on the coach.

Ron shrugged. "Well, she doesn't know about you tw..."

Ben ran after Hermione and Marina, sitting on a corner of the coach. Harry and Ron exchanged a couple of words with Luna before joining them, too, with the black-haired boy's eyes fixed on the front of it.

"What's a thestral?" he asked, only for him to hear.

"A magical creature. It's in that book you gave a couple of years ago, remember? I've never seen one... Thankfully."

"Why?"

"They're supposed to be omens of bad luck. You can only see one if you've seen death."

Harry went pale. "Oh."

"What's wr... Oh. I'm sorry."

———————————————

The doors from the entrance hall opened, letting a long line of first year students, led by Professor McGonagall, in. Ben waved at Alycia when she walked past him and his friends, and the girl stuck her tongue out at him.

The buzz of talk in the Great Hall faded away. The first years lined up in front of the staff table facing the rest of the students, and Professor McGonagall placed the stool carefully in front of them, then stood back.

The whole school waited with bated breath. Then the rip near the hat's brim opened wide like a mouth and the Sorting Hat burst into song:

"In times of old when I was new

And Hogwarts barely started

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted:

United by a common goal,

They had the selfsame yearning,

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

"Together we will build and teach!"

The four good friends decided

And never did they dream that they

Might someday be divided,

For were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffndor?

Unless it was the second pair

Of Huffepuff and Ravenclaw?

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such friendships fail?

Why, I was there and so can tell

The whole sad, sorry tale.

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those Whose ancestry is purest."

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose Intelligence is surest."

Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those With brave deeds to their name,"

Said Hufflepujf, "I'll teach the lot, And treat them just the same."

These differences caused little strife

When first they came to light,

For each of the four founders had

A House in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so,

For instance, Slytherin

Took only pure-blood wizards

Of great cunning, just like him,

And only those of sharpest mind

Were taught by Ravenclaw

While the bravest and the boldest

Went to daring Gryffindor.

Good Hufflepuff she took the rest,

And taught them all she knew,

Thus the Houses and their founders

Retained friendships firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears.

The Houses that, like pillars four,

Had once held up our school,

Now turned upon each other and,

Divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school

Must meet an early end,

What with dueling and with fighting

And the clash of friend on friend

And at last there came a morning

When old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out

He left us quite downhearted.

And never since the founders four

Were whittled down to three

Have the Houses been united

As they once were meant to be.

And now the Sorting Hat is here

And you all know the score:

I sort you into Houses

Because that is what I'm for,

But this year I'll go further,

Listen closely to my song:

Though condemned I am to split you

Still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfill my duty

And must quarter every year

Still I wonder whether sorting

May not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

The warning history shows,

For our Hogwarts is in danger

From external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her

Or we'll crumble from within.

I have told you, I have warned you...

Let the Sorting now begin."

The hat became motionless once more; applause broke out, though it was punctured, for the first time in Harry's memory, with muttering and whispers. All across the Great Hall students were exchanging remarks with their neighbors.

"Branched out a bit this year, hasn't it?" said Ron, his eyebrows raised.

"Too right it has," agreed Harry.

"It should pursue a singing career," commented Ben.

They laughed under their breaths, as Professor McGonagall lowered her eyes to her long piece of parchment and began calling out names.

"Abercrombie, Euan!"

A small, terrified-looking boy walked forward. The hat considered it for a while, before the rip near the brim opened again and shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindors clapped loudly, and the sorting continued.

"Are you nervous about Alycia?" Ron asked Ben when it was the V's turn.

He nodded. "Yeah, but not as much as I would've been if it wasn't for what happened. They won't be able to do anything to her if it goes wrong."

"I hope she's a Gryffindor," commented Harry.

Ron looked like he was about to make a joke, but he had a moment of clarity and remained silent.

"I think she's more of a Ravenclaw, personally," said Hermione thoughtfully. "She's very smart."

"Walker, Alycia!" called McGonagall.

Alycia stepped forward, calmly, her face full of determination as she walked up to the stool. She put the hat over her hair, which she had tied back in a hairstyle similar to one Audrye used to wear when she was younger, and sat very straight.

Her eyes widened in surprise for an instant, letting Ben know that the hat had begun speaking. He tensed up, leaning forward to get a better look. The hat was taking a bit longer than usual, and Alycia's face started showing signs of worry, until it finally spoke again.

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherins began cheering, and Alycia looked dumbstruck. Her jaw dropped for a second, but she didn't hesitate before standing up, and going back to her decisive expression. She scanned the Gryfffindor table, searching for Ben on her way to the Slytherin one. As soon as their eyes met, he did his best to cover how surprised he was. He smiled at her, tilting his head forward, making sure to let her know that everything was okay.

She sat down while "Zeller, Rose" was called.

"I bet my parents will be glad when they find out," Ben told his friends in a whisper.

Rose Zeller was made a Hufflepuff, and Ben saw Alycia clapping loudly for her. He wondered if she was someone she had met during the train ride. He hoped so.

There was a bittersweet sensation in his heart. He was glad she had been made a Slytherin, because it took away any sort of possibility of her parents doing anything to her if she turned out to be a Gryffindor, like him. It meant she wouldn't have to go through what he had to, and it brought him a deep sensation of calmness.

However, on the other hand, even Alycia being a Slytherin would add to his parents' anger about him not being one, too. Was it selfish of him to think of that? He didn't know. He didn't even know if it made sense. He had always kept, very hidden, very deep down, the hope that he wouldn't be the only Walker on Gryffindor.

Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet, stretching his arms wide. "To our newcomers," he beamed, "welcome! To our old hands... Welcome back! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"

There was an appreciative laugh and an outbreak of applause as Dumbledore sat down, and food, as usual, appeared out of nowhere. Ron was glowing in happiness.

"Merlin, I was so hungry..." he commented.

"When aren't you?" retorted Harry.

Ben placed his fist over his mouth to cover his chuckle as Ron nudged Harry, making him smirk, letting out a laugh.

He was so pretty when he smiled.

Anyways.

"What were you saying before the Sorting?" Hermione asked Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, aka Nearly Headless Nick. "About the hat giving warning?"

"Oh yes," said Nick. "Yes, I have heard the hat give several warnings before, always at times when it detects periods of great danger for the school. And always, of course, its advice is the same: Stand together, be strong from within."

"Ow kunnit nofe skusin danger ifzat?" mumbled Ron.

"I beg your pardon?" asked Nearly Headless Nick politely, while Hermione looked revolted.

"Swallow, Ron," instructed Ben.

Ron gave an enormous swallow and said, "How can it know if the school's in danger if it's a hat?"

"I have no idea," shrugged Nearly Headless Nick. "Of course, it lives in Dumbledore's office, so I daresay it picks things up there."

"And it wants all the Houses to be friends?" asked Harry, looking over at the Slytherin table, where Draco Malfoy was holding court. "Fat chance."

"Well, now, you shouldn't take that attitude," said Nick reprovingly. "Peaceful cooperation, that's the key. We ghosts, though we belong to separate Houses, maintain links of friendship. In spite of the competitiveness between Gryffindor and Slytherin, I would never dream of seeking an argument with the Bloody Baron."

"Only because you're terrified of him," frowned Ron.

He gasped. "Terrified? I hope I, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, have never been guilty of cowardice in my life! The noble blood that runs in my veins-"

"What blood?" asked Ron. "Surely you haven't still got..."

"It's a figure of speech!" said Nearly Headless Nick, now so annoyed his head was trembling ominously on his partially severed neck. "I assume I am still allowed to enjoy the use of whichever words I like, even if the pleasures of eating and drinking are denied me! But I am quite used to students poking fun at my death, I assure you!"

"Nick, he wasn't really laughing at you!" apologised Hermione, glaring at Ron.

Ron, whose mouth was once again full at an exploding point, said the wise words of, "Node iddum eentup sechew."

Nearly Headless Nick took a deep breath, and rose into the air, straightening his feathered hat, and swept away from them to the other end of the table, coming to rest between the Creevey brothers, Colin and Dennis.

"Well done, Ron," Hermione snapped.

"What? Haven't I got the right to ask a question?"

Hermione shifted on her seat, and they both went silent. Ben glanced at Harry, and looked away before he had the chance to notice. When all the students had finished eating and the noise level in the hall was starting to creep upward again, Dumbledore got to his feet once more. Talking ceased immediately as all turned to face the headmaster.

"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," said Dumbledore. "First years ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students... And a few of our older students ought to know by now too. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door."

"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

As students began clapping politely yet not very excitedly, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ben exchanged worried looks. How long was Hagrid going to be gone?

"Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the-"

"Hem, hem!"

Dumbledore stopped his speech, and spun around, looking at someone from the Staff table. Ben stretched out his neck, because he couldn't see anything, and his eyes rested on a short woman with mousy brown hair up in a bun, and decorated with a large pink bow that matched the rest of her outfit. Harry had previously referred to her as Dolores Umbridge.

The woman had gotten to her feet, and was walking up to Dumbledore, intending to make a speech. "Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, "for those kind words of welcome."

Her voice was irritating. It was way too high-pitched to even seem real. "Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. "And to see such happy little faces looking back at me!"

There wasn't, in fact, a single smile directed towards her.

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"

"I'll be her friend as long as I don't have to borrow that cardigan," Parvati whispered to Lavender, and both of them lapsed into silent giggles.

Ben glanced over at Ron, and they both made a gesture at once that indicated they agreed with Parvati. They covered their mouths to stop their chuckles from being heard.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the Wizarding community must be passed down through the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished, and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching."

Professor Umbridge paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members, none of whom bowed back.

"Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation..."

"Please someone slap me if I fall asleep," pleaded Ben in a whisper.

"I'll gladly do it," smirking Ron.

"Thank you, Ronniekins, always so helpful."

"Of course, Walkie Talkie, that's what friends are for."

"Wow, it's been years since you last called me tha-"

Hermione gave them both very stern looks. "Will you two shut up?"

"Don't tell me you're actually interested in this?" Harry, who was grinning at his two friends' interaction, raised his eyebrows.

Hermione ignored his question.

"...because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgement. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness, and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."

And she finally shut up.

Dumbledore stood up. "Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," he said, bowing to her. "Now- as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held in the first week of October..."

"Yes, it certainly was illuminating," whispered Hermione.

"You're not telling me you enjoyed it?" gasped Ron. "That was about the dullest speech I've ever heard, and I grew up with Percy."

"I said illuminating, not enjoyable," remarked Hermione. "It explained a lot."

"Yeah, such as the fact that DADA classes are really about to become my most hated subject," commented Ben.

"It sounded like a load of waffle to me," said Harry.

"There was some important stuff hidden in the waffle."

"Was there?" asked Ron blankly.

"How about 'progress for progress's sake must be discouraged'? How about 'pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited'?"

"Well, what does that mean?" insisted Ron, impatiently.

"I'll tell you what it means," she explained gloomily. "It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts."

There was a great clattering and banging all around them; Dumbledore had obviously just dismissed the school, because everyone was standing up ready to leave the Hall. Hermione jumped up, looking flustered.

"Ron, we're supposed to show the first years where to go!"

"Oh yeah," nodded Ron, pretending to know, although it was obvious he had forgotten. "Hey... Hey you lot! Midgets!"

"Ron!"

Ron and Hermione walked up to the group of first year students. Ben turned awkwardly to Harry, who was scanning the crowd, looking very tense. He looked around, too, and didn't take long to notice what was bothering his friend; people kept staring at him.

"Let's go, Harry, don't worry."

Harry obeyed without a word, and they both left the Great Hall. At first, the whispers were just that, simple whispers, but some people were even starting to point at him. Ben would've really wanted to snap at some of them, but he knew all Harry wanted was to get to their dorm without any trouble, so they simply rushed upstairs.

"Ben," he called, nervously. "Can we not go the usual way?"

"Sure."

So they took a couple of shortcuts, and it didn't take long for them to leave the crowd behind.

"Did you see what happened with that boy?" asked Harry, as soon as they arrived in an empty corridor.

"What?" he asked, stopping. "Who?"

"I don't know, some first years from Gryffindor. They were staring at me."

"They were probably surprised at how handsome you are."

Harry looked away, his cheeks tinting red.

"They seemed terrified. Like I was some kind of monster... They've probably heard what the Prophet's been saying about me."

"I'm sure people will soon find out the truth, and they'll realise the Prophet's bullshit," he assured. "But, for now, don't worry, okay? We're with you, like last year."

"Thank you," he said weakly.

Ben approached him a little, to adjust the collar of his shirt. In truth, it didn't matter, he would take it off soon anyway when he went to bed, but this way he could get closer to him without raising suspicions.

———————————————

Harry and Ben were joined by Neville as soon as they realised they didn't know the password to the Gryffindor Common Room. But, luckily, the boy had already memorised it; it was the same as his new plant.

Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan had reached the dormitory first and were in the process of covering the walls beside their beds with posters and photographs. They had been talking as Harry pushed open the door but stopped abruptly the moment they saw him. Harry clenched his jaw for an instant.

"Hi," he said, attempting to sound casual as the three of them walked inside.

"Hello," greeted Ben.

"Hey, Harry, Ben," said Dean, who was putting on a pair of pajamas in the West Ham colors. "Good holiday?"

"Not bad," muttered Harry. Ben pretended he hadn't heard the question, since he didn't feel like lying. "You?"

"Yeah, it was okay," chuckled Dean. "Better than Seamus's anyway, he was just telling me."

"Why, what happened, Seamus?" Neville asked as he placed his Mimbulus mimbletonia tenderly on his bedside cabinet.

Seamus did not answer immediately; he was making rather a meal of ensuring that his poster of the Kenmare Kestrels Quidditch team was quite straight. "My mum didn't want me to come back."

"What?" Harry stopped umbottoning his shirt.

"She didn't want me to come back to Hogwarts."

Seamus turned away from his poster and pulled his own pajamas out of his trunk, not looking at Harry. Ben gazed at Seamus, who was looking quite embarrassed.

"Why?"

Seamus did not answer until he had finished buttoning his pajamas. "Well," he said in a measured voice, "I suppose... Because of you."

Harry blinked. "What d'you mean?"

"Well," said Seamus again, still avoiding Harry's eyes, "She- Er... Well, it's not just you, it's Dumbledore too..."

"What are you trying to say?"

"She believes the Daily Prophet?" spat Harry. "She thinks I'm a liar and Dumbledore's an old fool?"

Finally, Seamus looked at him. "Yeah, something like that."

"Seamus, what the-" Ben was cut off by Harry angrily throwing his wand down onto his bedside table.

He was looking furious as pulled off his robes, stuffed them angrily into his trunk, and pulled on his pajamas. "Good night, Ben," he said, starting to pull the hangings close around him.

"Look... What did happen that night when, you know, when Cedric Diggory died, and all?"

Ben breathed in, sharply.

"Don't you dare ask me about what happened to Cedric in front of him!" he exclaimed, signalling to Ben.

"It's okay, Harry..."

"No, no it's not."

"I just wanted to know-"

"What are you asking me for, then?" Harry retorted. "Just read the Daily Prophet like your mother, why don't you? That'll tell you all you need to know."

"Don't you have a go at my mother," snapped Seamus.

"I'll have a go at anyone who calls me a liar."

"Don't talk to me like that!"

"Don't you talk to him like that, either, then."

"He's the one who started it-"

"I'll talk to you how I want," added Harry, enraged. "If you've got a problem sharing a dormitory with me, go and ask McGonagall if you can be moved, stop your mummy worrying-"

"Leave my mother out of this, Potter!"

"What's going on?" Ron had appeared in the doorway.

"He's having a go at my mother!" yelled Seamus.

"What?" frowned Ron. "Harry wouldn't do that- We met your mother, we liked her..."

"That's before she started believing every word the stinking Daily Prophet writes about me!"

"Oh... Oh, right."

"You know what?" said Seamus heatedly, casting Harry a venomous look. "He's right, I don't want to share a dormitory with him anymore, he's a madman."

"That's out of order, Seamus," said Ron.

"Out of order, am I?" shouted Seamus. "You believe all the rubbish he's come out with about You-Know-Who, do you, you reckon he's telling the truth?"

"Yeah, I do!" he announced.

"Then you're mad too." Seamus looked at him disgustedly.

"Yeah? Well unfortunately for you, pal, I'm also a prefect!" Ron reminded him, jabbing himself in the chest with a finger. "So unless you want detention, watch your mouth!"

Seamus glared at him.

"Anyone else's got a problem with Harry?" Ron asked aggressively. Nobody said a word. "Good."

A/N: i bet not many people expected alycia to be a slytherin 

also i'm still surprised at the fact that pretty much everybody who answered to my question on the previous chapter said they kinda ship ben and draco lmao

well hope you enjoyed!!