Rejection and Acceptance

Dumbledore strode quickly and efficiently down the hall and towards his office. He did not glance back to see if anyone was following him, he knew they were, both because he was the headmaster and because his magical wards so informed him of it. As headmaster, he was warned by the school when people were in the same room as him or following him. As he stopped in front of the gargoyle he spoke.

"Lemon drops." And the gargoyle jumped aside to allow the four bodies entrance before it hopped back into place again. Once at the top of the stairs Dumbledore assessed all three students standing dutifully before him.

"So, I find there are many things going on here that I do not know about. I wish to have the truth, and nothing BUT the truth." Dumbledore announced. "As such, you shall all be answering my questions seperately. First Mr. Potter." With a flick of his wand, the other two boys were encased in silencing spells so they could not hear anything that went on between Harry and Dumbledore.

"Alright Harry, would you care to tell me what has been happening?"

"Well sir, it started because of Draco Malfoy..." Harry started but was interupted by his mentor.

"I thought you were starting to get along with Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore's eyes widened in shock.

"Yes sir, see, well..." And then Harry explained, from Malfoy tripping him in Diagon Alley and the meeting on the train, to keeping it a secret from Ron and Hermione, to not standing up for Ron in potions class and all the fights ever since and how he was becoming friends with Draco, but how his two best friends in the world refused to be his friends as long as he was friends with a Slytherin. He told how he tried to enter his dorm but they were magically warded against him and he couldn't figure out how to break the ward so he went in search of Snape, and how Snape had gotten Draco to allow him to sleep in the same dorm. He told of how he wore Draco's clothing and Ron had noticed and brought the notice of everyone else as well. He told him of the many glares he had received from his housemates and how he found it so unfair. He told of the accusations, the rumours that had been spread around, and then he told of how he had snapped at the red-head and then the spell Ron had shot at him and how it had missed and caused more and more students to fet into the fight since they had gotten hexed and were itching to fight back. And then finally he was finished and waited for Dumbledore to speak.

"Alright then Harry, I believe you." Dumbledore announced. "However now I must talk to these other two students." And with another wave of his wand, Harry stood enclosed in a silencing spell while Seamus Finnigan stepped forward.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

"Well then Mr. Finnigan, what have you to say about the warded doors?" Dumbledore asked gravely.

"Well sir, I didn't really mean to. It's just so complicated. It seems really stupid now that I think more about it though." Seamus admitted.

"Most mistakes do young man. Please, how did you come to the conclusion of warding Mr. Potter out of a room that was as much his as yours?"

"Well, Ron came up to me around eight o'clock that night. He knew Neville and Dean wouldn't help him I guess, and he started talking to me. We were just talking about random nothings at first, but then he started talking about Harry, and how Harry was changing. We've all seen how friendly Harry became with Malfoy and it's not normal. Well, it wasn't normal for before you know. It wasn't the Harry we knew." Seamus mumbled.

"People can change, can they not young man?" Dumbledore asked over steepled fingers.

"Well, yes sir, people can change. However, I suppose it was just a very little more than that at the same time. You see sir, Ron insisted that the rumours were true and he'd soon have complete and utter proof. There was a ravenclaw student with a found camera sir and he had almost figured out how to develop the pictures that had been burned a bit or destroyed with the smoke. He told me Malfoy had gotten to Harry with a spell or potion and we didn't know what could happen. Draco might have gotten Harry to hex us or something in our sleep and we would have been powerlesss to stop him. I mean it's really stupid right now, I admit, but it's just that at the time, whispering in a corner I guess it just felt like nothing could be more true no matter how hard we might have tried... you know?" Seamus begged the headmaster to understand what he meant and how he felt.

"Yes Mr. Finnigan I suppose it could. But I hope you don't feel that excuses you from your actions?" Dumbledore asked gravely.

"No I suppose I should have been a mite smarter." Seamus admitted.

"How did you ward the door with Mr. Weasley anyway? I was under the impression from your teachers that you haven't learned those spells yet."

"Well Ron knew the spell sir. I don't know how, but it had to be performed by two people, and was very hard to undo. That's all I truly know sir." Seamus admitted.

"Very well. I must speak to Mr. Weasley now." Dumbledore said, and he sent Seamus back into his silent bubble as he called Ronald Weasley forth with a wave of his hand.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

"Well Mr.Weasley, I have talked to both Mr. Seamus and Mr. Potter and now it is your turn. What have you to say for yourself and your part in these events?" Dumbledore asked with a grave frown.

"Harry was under some sort of spell sir. I swear it was the only way, or maybe it was a potion. I don't know but that is the ONLY way Harry would have turned against his two best friends. Harry HATED Malfoy until Malfoy tripped him in Diagon Alley. He must have poisoned him or something. It's not normal sir, you MUST do something. It's illegal to do this is it not?" Ron answered passionately.

"Did you not think, Mr. Weasley, that perhaps Mr. Potter simply decided to try and see if being friends with Mr. Malfoy was possible?" Dumbledore asked softly.

"It's not possible sir. Mr. Malfoy is too terrible. Harry has refused to be friends with Malfoy since the train to first year. He listened to that foul Malfoy spout foul namse to us all. He called Hermione a MUDBLOOD! There's NO WAY Harry would turn his back on his friends like that!" Ron insisted.

"Do you not think that WE, the Proffessors of would know if something like this happened?" Dumbledore asked Ron, curious to know how little esteem he had for the Proffessors.

"He's a Slytherin sir. He's sneakier than anyone and I wouldn't put it past Snape..." Ron was interuppted.

"Address him as Proffessor Snape, you are at school." Dumbledore admonished.

"Yes sir." Ron answered chastised. "But I wouldn't put it past Proffessor Snape to have helped Malfoy to give Harry the potion." Ron still spat the names of the Slytherin. "They're probably trying to make him some sort of Slythindor." Ron sneered.

"Right well how about if I were to cast a few charms to prove to you Mr. Potter is under no influences. With Mr. Potter's permission of course." Dumbledore proposed.

"That might be alright." Ron agreed doubtfully.

"Very well." With a last wave of his wand, Dumbledore released the other two teens. "Mr. Potter, would you permit you to do some scans to prove to Mr. Weasley you have not been put under any influences to change your thoughts or behaviors."

"Sure." Harry agreed and stood still in order for the spells to scan him and prove to Ron that he was truly changed. He hoped that Ron would accept the change and be his friend again.

"I can't believe it!" Ron bit out and jumped as far from Harry as possible. "You're a traitor! A traitor to your own house!" He snapped.

"No I'm not!" Harry snapped. "I'm growing up which is more than I can say for your childishness!"

"ENOUGH!" Dumbledore barked. "Sit." The boys sat, Ron and Harry as far from each other as they could get. "Regardless of your feelings, your actions in the Great Hall were VERY much against school-conduct. You shall be punished of course. Mr. Finnigan you shall lose ten points for helping to bar a roommate from entering his room. You Mr. Weasley shall lose twent-five points. Mr. Weasley you lose fifty points for attacking a student un-provoked truly and causing such a fiasco. As well, for being the instigator of said event, you shall have a month and a half of detention with Filch. Seamus and Harry, for participating in the hexing in the Great Hall you shall both serve two weeks of detention. You Mr. Finnigan with Proffessor McGonagall and you Mr. Potter with Proffessor Snape. I hope it will teach you all to stop fighting. ESPECIALLY in the Great Hall. Return to the Great Hall." Dumbledore dismissed them.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Harry soon learned that everyone who had participated in the fight had received some sort of punishment. Draco Malfoy had been given two weeks of detention with Proffessor Snape as well. Filch was much happier than normal because he had thirty students or more who had detention with him, so his cleaning was being done especially fast, and he got to order them around for an hour a day, two on the weekends.

Hermione, and many others who had tried to get the helpless away and stop the fighting like Percy glared at the students who had participated. Regardless of any reasons they had, each and every student had lost five points apiece and few people were happy.

That same day, after all the excitment was the first detention for all students. Harry and Draco talked about what they could do to avoid a repeat of the previous night and that same day.

"Have I ever told you the sorting hat almost put me in Slytherin?" Harry asked Draco offhandedly.

"Really?" Draco gasped.

"Yeah, but I had met you and thought you were a right prick and Ron has told me how bad Slytherin house was and everything. I begged the Sorting Hat NOT to put me in Slytherin, so he put me in gryffindor." Harry admitted shyly.

"That's perfect then... The Slytherins have come to like you, we'll ask to get you to be re-sorted!" Draco said excitedly.

"You think that would work?" Harry asked a spark of hope in his eyes.

"Can't hurt to ask. Come on, we'll ask Proffessor Snape what he thinks and if he can help us!" Draco smiled jumping up. He grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him towards Proffessor Snape's office.

"Proffessor SNAPE!" Draco called. "We need your help sir!"

"What in BLOODY tarnation could you POSSIBLY want. Besides, didn't I set you two to scrubbing cauldrons in my classroom?" Snape demanded.

"Of course, but we have something more pressing right now sir. Harry is scared to return to his house. He doesn't know what will happen if he does." Draco cried eagerly.

"Well it's not like I can do anything." Snape snarled.

"Sure you can, you can ask Dumbledore for him to be re-sorted!"

"No one has EVER been re-sorted." Snape rolled his eyes.

"I was almost sorted into Slytherin sir." Harry mumbled shyly. "I'd like a chance to see if it's possible for me to get a chance with the sorting hat... I want to see if it might re-sort me, since I had been so scared to be put into Slytherin, but I think the sorting hat put me in the wrong house. Couldn't you please ask for a re-sorting. I'm sure if you told Proffessor Dumbledore how I demanded the house NOT put me in Slytherin might get him to allow me to be re-sorted." Harry pleaded.

"I'll see what I can do." Snape sighed as he was assaulted by two thirteen year old pleading gazes.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Snape sent a message to both McGonagall and Dumbledore asking for a meeting in Dumbledore's office immediately. Getting there he stood at the doorway and regarded his colleagues a moment before entering fully into the room.

"Well Severus, we're here, what have you to say to us?" McGonagall asked bluntly.

Snape rolled his eyes and answered. "I have been asked to perform a service for a certain student. A certain Gryffindor, which is why I invited you McGonagall. This student is in your house but is begging to be allowed to be re-sorted."

"Impossible! It has NEVER be done before!" McGonagall insisted turning red.

"He has informed me that he was almost sorted into Slytherin except for his demands otherwise, which he has come to realise was a mistake." Snape drawled.

"I won't stand for it!" McGonagall insisted.

"He is SCARED to return to his own house, Minerva. He believes quite stringly that his housemates, if not his dormmates will turn on him violently. Would you prefer for this child to spend the rest of his years in the hospital wing, if he doesn't just drop out?" Snape demanded.

"Have him come here Severus, he shall try on the hat and we shall see if there was a mistake. If not he will have to deal with being in his house." Dumbledore sighed.

Snape waved his wand and sent a spell through the walls to reach Harry, and within moments Harry came running through the door, Draco hot on his heels.

"You called sir?" Harry panted.

"Yes, sit." Snape drawled.

"Harry Potter, you wish to be re-sorted?" McGonagall demanded with a gasp.

"Yes Proffessor. Not that I don't like Gryffindor, it's just, with everything that happened I am afraid of what might happen if I stay in my current house." Harry hastened to explain.

"Ready Mr. Potter?' Dumbledore asked holding the hat on top of his head.

"Yes sir." Harry whispered, and the hat descended.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~
The Hat.

"Well, we meet again." The sorting hat mumbled in Harry's ear.

"Yes." Harry whispered. "You told me once I would do well in Slytherin."

"So I did, so I did and you would." The Sorting Hat admitted.

"I want to be re-sorted. Please." Harry begged.

"Don't you enjoy Gryffindor? You thought Slytherin was the worst of the worst." The hat spoke.

"Yeah, and I used to be happy, but now I'm so scared. I don't know what will happen if I stay in Gryffindor. I want to be in a house that will stand by me and I don't think Gryffindor can give me that." Harry admitted.

"But you think Slytherin can, eh?" The sorting hat asked as it continued to rifle through his memories and thoughts.

"Yes, they already did this morning. Not even one of themfought against me this morning, even though I know they probably don't ALL like me."

"Yes, I can see this. But what makes you think a Gryffindor can become a Slytherin. Do you think I make mistakes?" The sorting hat asked in his ear.

"I hope you made one just in my case." Harry admitted hoping the truth wouldn't get the hat mad at him. "You told me I'd do well, and now that I know what the houses are truly like I agree with you. I hope you only put me in Gryffindor because I begged for it."

"Hmm..." The hat answered non-committally.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

Standing in the office, watching Harry with the sorting hat on his head, Draco was very worried for his newest friend and ex-nemesis. He really wanted to be in his house. It was taking so long and he was getting fidgety. He knew this because Snape turned and glared at him for it. It wasn't a Malfoy-like thing to do.

The wait was killing him. It never took this long, not ever on the first time. Snape didn't know whether he wanted Potter in his house but he was getting worried now. He wanted this interminable waiting to end. He glared at Malfoy when he started fidgeting, thankful that the young boy moved first and allowed him to move slightly.

Minerva stood absolutely still. She understood Potters reasons to want to change houses, but she couldn't help feeling betrayed. Her emotions were so conflicted that she didn't know if she should hope Potter succeeded or failed in this newest of endeavours. All she truly knew was that she wanted this waiting to end finally.

Dumbledore watched stroking his beard. He knew that he looked calm and collected and the stroking of his beard allowed him to beat away the need to fidget. He didn't know what he wanted to happen. He knew however that if he was not re-sorted into a new house he would have to do something to ease the boy's fears.

Everyone stared at the hat for five minutes. Then ten, twenty at the end of twenty-five minutes the four people staring at the boy with an over-sized hat were convinced that nothing would ever move again. The hat ALWAYS shouted out a house within five minutes, ten minutes at most.

"SLYTHERIN" The hat finally shouted and the four jumped in shock at the sudden shout in an absolutely silent room. Then Draco shouted exultantly as Harry pulled the hat off his head.

"You're a Slytherin!" Draco shouted happily, doing a happy dance around Harry.

"No I'm not." Harry cut into his merriment.

"WHAT?" Draco demanded flabbergasted and the three Proffessors also stared at him.

"Was changing houses not what you were after?" Snape drawled insulted.

"Of course, but I was Gryffindor first, and so always. I am a... Gryfferin." Harry laughed.

McGonagall's heart swelled now that she knew he would always consider himself part of her house despite being in a new house now.

"The house-elves shall move your things tonight." Dumbledore announced. "Follow Draco to your room in the dungeons and then you may return one last time to Gryffindor tower and tell them the news. After that there will be a new password however I do believe."

*AN* Well, I did know that would eventually happen... So close to the start of the school year though, hmm. Well, we shall see what happens soon XD

Aya-chan: As was said earlier, thanks so much for your help.

Crazy Pedantic: Well I hope it was more clear, Hermione would never be in such a fight. She was helping get younger students get out of the way of the crossfire. And no, they're not shagging (though as they said, they are both 21 now, so they DO insist on it sometimes now.) Hope you liked what happened, and btw the girls DID notice. It's some circular way of saying that they did... Learned it in english class XD I don't think you were patronising, just helpful and encouraging. Btw, I hope you agree with Draco's suggestion to be my betta! e-mail me!!!

Nat: come up with a nickname you twit.

Nat, mrequecky, Madame de Coeur, Akira_Kushrenada_Merquize: I am so glad you guys like my story.