Chapter Text
The room buzzed with chatter and laughter, students talking excitedly amongst themselves, teachers making polite conversation, all on the upcoming school year. Of course, people always gossip and talk, eyeing the incoming first years and guessing what house each will be in, but this year was particularly noteworthy.
Harry Potter, boy-who-lived, defeater of you-know-who was somewhere amount the crowd of gawking first years. Teachers and students alike stole glimpses at the children, some even outright staring hoping to catch an impression of the savior of the Wizarding World. Everyone's attention was soon diverted though to a hat perched on a stool that proceeded to open its mouth.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hermione contrary to popular belief was NOT in love with books.
She loved them of course fiction, non-fiction, historical, biography, and being a witch only opened up so many more books for her to read! But she did not want to marry them as said by Mary Lyn who would often at school trip her while she was reading taunting, “Oh Miss Hermione Granger, though you won’t be keeping that last name for long given how close you are to that book!”.
No Hermione was not in love with books, in fact as she stood staring at the magic all around her, at the teachers perched up high above all the students, and the ceiling reflecting the night sky itself she couldn't help but feel lonely. She had commented on the ceiling knowing from Hogwarts: A History that it was enchanted but no one had paid her any mind.
It seems they all already had made groups and she just like always was the odd one out. She couldn't help but think that maybe (maybe) she would be happy to give up books if only to be able to talk to someone about the interesting magic of the ceiling.
“Granger, Hermione!”
Hermione squeaked having been startled from her thoughts. A bit embarrassed (though thankfully no one seemed to notice her inattention) she hurried forward and sat down on the stool as the sorting hat was placed on her head.
“Well, well a very intellectual mind I see.”
Hermione blinked startled by the voice but delighted all the same ‘Oh wow, you can speak in my mind! I thought it was just a charm when you sang! I’ll have to research more into it but-’
‘Yes, yes you can do that afterward but for now, where to put you, Ravenclaw certainly has your ideals, oh but such a fierceness you have in you perhaps Gryffindor.’
‘I… which house could I get…’
‘A friend! Well, I see, a close friendship of loyalty and happiness. I see a drive to also work hard and stay true to your beliefs.’
Hermione blinked already connecting the dots at the description he was laying out in front of her. ‘Do you mean-’
“Better be… HUFFLEPUFF!”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Harry contrary to some people's (the Dursleys) popular belief was not a freak.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t just the Dursleys who seemed to have this mindset, every neighbor seemed to either ignore him or give him the side eye, and kids picked on him or seemed bluntly fearful of him (courtesy of Dudley).
When Harry first sat on the train fear started to ebb at his excitement as he began to think about his life at the Dursleys. What if it was just like back at his old school? He’ll mess up somehow and people will turn sour, the bullying must be even worse than on Privet Drive if a simple flick of your wand (or umbrella) could give someone a pig's tail!
His fear started to slip away when Ron came into his compartment. He never got on with someone so well, sure he couldn’t understand a lot of what he was saying, but Ron unlike the Dursleys seemed more than happy to explain Quidditch and houses. Harry began to feel his hopes rise even if he makes no other friends at least he has one which is more than he could say that he had on Privet Drive.
At least that was until the hat had suggested Hufflepuff.
Harry was already nervous walking to the front of the room eyes on him, everybody whispering.
‘All you got to do is get into Gryffindor’ Harry thought to himself
‘Mum and dad were in Gryffindor how hard could it be.’
Apparently very hard.
‘No I can’t be in Hufflepuff!’
He recalled Ron’s statement on if he himself were to ever be sorted into Hufflepuff. Not to mention Granger was sorted into that house and Ron didn’t seem to want to be anywhere near her.
‘Ah I see your predicament, I do understand your concerns but Hufflepuff is a kind and welcoming house. You are bound to make life-long connections and I believe you would be happy there’
Harry bit his lip, it was tempting but… Ron was his first friend he didn’t want to lose him after barely knowing him for a day.
‘Harry if you are to be true friends it won’t matter what house you are in, if he is not friends with you solely based on your house it was a friendship that was bound for doom.’
Harry sat, becoming mindful of how long he had been sitting on the stool, he sighed. The hat already aware of his defeat sat up straight.
“HUFFLEPUFF!”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ron unlike popular belief was not dumb.
Sure he can be a bit of a blockhead sometimes like the one time when he decided to borrow his older brothers Charlie’s broom and crashed it (he can still his Mum’s yelling ringing in his ears sometimes) but he knew a lot more than people thought.
Though he was shocked when Harry was sorted into Hufflepuff
‘Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, a duffer!’
But the shock of that was overshadowed by the look on Harry’s face of fear as he walked toward the Hufflepuff table glancing almost panicked at Ron. Harry was scared, not of being in Hufflepuff but of what Ron would think. This thought hit Ron shocking him much more than Harry’s sorting ever could.
Harry Potter the guy who single handily took down a dark wizard was worried about what hand-me-down nobody Ron was thinking! But why Hufflepuff, maybe even Ravenclaw would've been better.
Ron thought about his upcoming years at Hogwarts, being just another Gryffindor Weasley, not smart, funny, or talented.
He thought of Harry who traded his candy with him for a luke warm sandwich.
These realizations and thoughts swarmed through his head as the sorting went on, till finally,
“Weasley, Ronald!”.
“We don’t even need a sorting everyone knows Weasley’s go in Gryffindor.”
Ron didn’t look in the direction of the voice he kept his head high walking toward the stool with a grim determination only stealing a quick glance at Harry’s worried-filled face.
‘Ah, another Weasley well I know just where-’
‘Hufflepuff’
‘What was that?’
‘I want to be in Hufflepuff, should be in Hufflepuff.’
‘Oh, should you now?”
‘Harry is in there alone, he needs me.’ The hat didn’t seem convinced. Ron quickly added. ‘I mean who knows maybe Hufflepuff is actually a secret front for an upcoming dark wizard, Harry would need someone on his side.’
‘...I see. Already quite loyal to someone you just meet. Willing or perhaps more than wanting to give up the family tradition.’
Ron shrugged, ‘At Least it's not Slytherin’
The hat was silent for a moment and Ron was worried it would just plop him in Gryffindor with the rest of his redheaded family but then the house opened its mouth.
“HUFFLEPUFF!”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Harry was shocked watching as Ron walked over and plopped down beside him flashing him a grin.
“But I thought…” Ron shrugged looking down trying to act casual though his ears were turning red, “Couldn’t leave you alone with Granger.” Though Harry noticed Ron getting a bit downtrodden by the stares of other people including his siblings.
“What about your family?”
Ron shrugged again glancing behind them at the Gryffindor table, “At least Ginny will probably be excited, want me to tell her all the secrets of Hufflepuff after hearing ‘bout only Griffndor for so long.” He turned back to Harry “Plus you should be more worried ‘bout yourself. People are staring like you grew a second head or something.” Harry grimaced but before he could dwell on it the last kid who was sorted sat down and the headmaster was rising to his feet.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The atmosphere that night was ecstatic. Whispers spread throughout the Great Hall “Harry Potter in Hufflepuff, Hufflepuff!”- “Yeah but that Weasley kid. The Weasley’s have been heard to been in Gryffindor since Hogwarts was founded!” Speculation and theories about the two odd sortings spread throughout the great hall, not even knowing it was soon three Hufflepuffs that would clog up the gossip halls not just for a night but for years to come.