Draco's Time

AN: yay the sorting. This should answer most of your questions.

Chapter 4 the sorting

When the train stopped the two boys waited for Longbottom to find them from changing into his robes in his original compartment and the three of them got into a boat with a boy Draco recognized as Dean Thomas. This boy was also an appropriate friend for Harry, not someone who was a best friend, a trusted friend, but someone who had a level head and hadn’t ever succumbed to rumor’s in the other time.

They introduced themselves and since Thomas was a halfblood who didn’t know the Malfoy name or the Potter name, there was no awkward gawking.

Draco spent the time after McGonagall’s departure as a calming influence to the three boys around him. He couldn’t let on to knowing about the hat but his laughter at the absurdity of The Weasel’s troll claim calmed the others down.

He was nervous. The direction his plans would take was determined by this sorting, but he would not lower himself and show it. Sometimes even Slytherins take risks, of course they are calculated and there are multiple backup plans unlike a Gryffindor risk, but they do take them.

He didn’t pay attention to many names, just enough to notice Granger went into Ravenclaw, he spared a moment to wonder if it was her desire to be with her friends from the train that got her into Gryffindor last time, and that Longbottom became a Hufflepuff so when his name was called it took a moment.

Harry squeezed his arm briefly for luck and Draco strolled up to the hat, outwardly unconcerned. He caught his Uncle’s eye and nodded in return to Severus’ acknowledgment.

He remembered that his sorting the first time was so quick because he had been certain of his choice for that house. He hoped the hat would give him a moment to convince it this time.

He sat on the hard stool and his vision became obscured by the hat. Curse his 11 year old body.

After a moment of silence he frowned at his stupidity and lowered his occlumency shields.

Sorry

Ah Mister Malfoy, it has been some time since a child of your age....Ah I see a time traveler…Oh! One who has been to the beginning how fascinating, you have been given a hard task young one.

Yes, you could help if you wanted.

Laughter... Oh Mister Malfoy how could I help.

I’d like to get into Ravenclaw.

Oh? Not Slytherin. I see here that was your last placement.

I wouldn’t be trusted as Harry’s friend then.

Yes I see the desire for that. It is overwhelming. Yours is a truly timeless and romantic love Mister Malfoy. You could help the Slytherin house a great deal if you stayed there.

I know but Harry…

Right well then.

RAVENCLAW

The silence made Draco shiver as he took off the hat. His first quick glance was at Harry who was beaming at him. The next was at his Uncle who nodded but his face was troubled. Draco checked himself, sure to show no uncertainty, and the Ravenclaws began clapping.

He sat at the table across from Granger who was facing Gryffindor, and turned from the others to watch the rest of the sorting.

Harry followed Longbottom into Hufflepuff. Draco blinked repeatedly. Well that was unexpected.

When he caught Harry’s eye across the tables, Harry nodded towards a relieved looking Longbottom.

Perhaps Harry did belong there if he was willing to sacrifice their planning for a blubbering idiot like Longbottom. He smiled at his friend in exasperated fondness, uncaring that its direction at Harry was obvious.

“Well what have you to say for yourself!”

Draco frowned at the unprovoked hostility from Granger until a light went off. She was still hurt by his words on the train. She must have thought that as a know-it-all she would fit in better in Ravenclaw and since he was here too he should apologize for being a hypocrite. She was about to get a wake up call.

“I am sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Draco ignored her further attempts to get him to apologize in favor of filling his plate.

“Excuse me I am talking to you!” she nearly shouted.

“You’re excused.” Draco said with no expression.

She huffed and a few of the older students around them chuckled.

Throughout Grangers odd actions, Draco had been watching Harry and was pleased to notice that the Hufflepuffs seemed to be more curious about him as a person then as a savior or celebrity. Maybe his sorting there was an unexpected blessing.

“I am trying to say you should apologize!!”

Draco blinked repeatedly at Granger and then finally said, “Are you still talking to me. Well then I apologize, you should have noticed I’m not interested.”

He realized he was crossing a line when an older student raised an eyebrow. He sighed.

“Listen, I have no idea what you’re yelling about, but I’m trying to eat.”

“I’m not yelling!” she shouted and Draco smiled gently at her.

“Alright dear, here have some food, there you go.” He reached over the table to help her eat and she slapped his hand away.

“ooooh. How can you be so horrible?” Tears welled in her eyes and Draco sighed again. Harry would not appreciate him making Granger cry even if he didn’t know the reason.

“Alright Merlin, what is wrong with you? What am I supposed to be apologizing for?”

She sniffled and shook her head. One of the older students supplied the answer with a grin.

“She thinks you should apologize for saying she was a know-it-all since you are one two.”

Draco huffed, “Is that all? Listen. I will not apologize because you were being insufferable, and I was correct. You were hounding my friend about his honest mistake as if you were the end all be all of spell casting. You’re just a first year like us. I’d like to see you cast an Accio that could pull ten objects from different directions on the first try.”

The older students turned to him curious and Draco answered their unasked question absently. “Harry Potter.”

They all nodded as though they should have known and Draco wondered if he was setting his friend up, but then decided that it would do Harry good to have expectations of greatness based on his current actions rather then the ones he’d supposedly done as a babe.

Draco ate the rest of his dinner in peace while watching Harry. Their eyes met often over the table and each time they would smile at each other. Draco could tell from the occasional glance at his Uncle that Severus was getting flustered by the interaction. He would ask to see him to explain.

The Ravenclaw dorms were in the west side of the castle. The entrance was a door at the top of a tightly winding spiral staircase that led up from the fifth floor. The prefect that led them stopped outside the door and a bronze knocker the shape of an eagle asked a riddle.

What can run but never walks,

has a mouth but never talks,

has a head but never weeps,

has a bed but never sleeps?

“You must answer a riddle to get into the dorms; if you answer incorrectly you will have a chance to defend your answer. If the knocker does not accept your reasoning you will have to wait until another student comes and answers correctly. Who can answer this one?” The prefect asked.

Draco waited, he thought it was easy but it could have been because he was truly 19 instead of 11. When no one answered he spoke up.

“A river”

The prefect smiled and the knocker said, “Correct, well thought out.” and opened up. Granger glared at him and rushed past him into the common room.

Draco shook his head. It would be interesting having her as a dorm mate.

The common room was just like the Slytherin one but for a few changes. It was decorated in the house colors, blue and bronze wall hangings. But the blue carpet had bronze stars on it instead of little snakes. It was much more open and airy. Draco could see the woman’s touch in the domed ceiling and graceful arched windows. There was a life sized statue of Rowena Ravenclaw instead of a portrait of Salazar Slytherin.

There were bookcases, tables, and chairs in the common room and the prefects instructed the first years to gather on them.

Draco remembered that his Uncle had showed up for an impromptu discussion on house pride and propriety. Draco wondered if this would be similar.

“Welcome to Ravenclaw house. We pride ourselves on wit and brains but do not let book learning replace your common sense. Remember that there are all kinds of knowledge and we appreciate all forms in this house.

Here in Ravenclaw Knowledge is power and the more you know the more power you have. You are competing with each other and your year mates for knowledge and power.”

Draco nearly swallowed his tongue. It sounded like Ravenclaw was more cutthroat then even Slytherin. In Slytherin it had been the house against the world; here they were segregating the students completely. Draco could already see the first years around him shifting apart. Did this house have no loyalty?

“That being said, you should remember that knowledge can be traded. Here it is currency. If you want help on something you do not understand, then you will need to find someone who can help you and will trade that knowledge for something you know of equal or greater value.”

There were a few other things like that; they each had their own rooms, better for studying in privacy, and what curfew was.

As Draco trudged up to his room he reminisced that this explained a great deal of his interaction with Ravenclaw’s. They were the worst gossips, not because they couldn’t keep a secret, but because another’s secrets were simply weighted less then their own. If they could get knowledge in return for gossip then that was better then giving up something that could be used for something better.

Draco cast a multitude of privacy spells on the things in his room; it would be just like a Slytherin upper year to get one up on a first year by putting charms in their rooms, maybe the Ravenclaws would too. He cleaned it out and was very pleased he did.

Two listening spells and a two way spell on the mirror over the desk.

He warded his room and secured his belongings before falling asleep to thoughts of Harry.

An: i hope this was what you expected. THe story will slow down a little now I think. There are some details that I'll need to go over to put the plot in. Let me know what you think. also I've decided to put review replys here at the end. I hate that you can't reply to reviews on this site.



flariesbjsk88

Good. I will.



bloodsoakedninja

Thank you
Zee and Moiira

We’ll I wouldn’t want you to have to think up something dredful so I will continue it..;)



Kayla Kodai

Thank you. I am glad I could hook you.



thrnbrooke

I am very happy you review every chapter. I love it when I can see a devoted reader and hear your thoughts








Veracityrules

I’m glad you like it.



SaintLaithche

Thank you very much. You flatter me.






CondemnedForLife

Thank you. I’m flattered to know you like all the stories.



Canadian Ginger


I’m very honored to have been the one to introduce you to Drarry. I try and keep Draco as in character as I see him, hard with a gooey center. I’m so flattered you prefer this to the original, though it wouldn’t be possible if cannon hadn’t occurred here too.



aoe


What a compliment! Thank you so much. I do plan on continuing it, in fact I have the whole of first year completed so…