Chapter Text
“Hufflepuff!!!”
The silence that met this statement was all consuming – he wasn’t even sure anyone was breathing it was so quiet. Nervous, wide green eyes glanced wildly about, as if waiting for someone to come and drag him away for doing something unexpected (yet again) and freaky. It was when his eyes swept to the far left that he saw a sandy blonde boy stand up and smile at him, motioning him over.
After that, applause from the whole table – the whole table!! - seemed to rock the stone floor as he hopped off the chair (which seemed much taller for him than anyone else). With a trembling smile and a fierce blush, he made his way to the table decked out in yellow and black. The upperclassmen were on their feet and cheering wildly, which just made him turn even redder as more attention was focused on him.
It was almost enough to drown up the terrible silence that the other three houses were still sporting. Glancing up at the large table where all of the teachers were seated, he took note at all of the shocked faces – and the two happy ones. A small man with a thin mustache on his face and small, square glasses who raised his cup at Harry when he caught his eye, and a plump, grey-haired older woman with a beaming smile on her face. She winked at him and waved him off in the direction of the table losing their minds.
Several of the new students were staring at him with a mixture of confusion and horror. With a single glance, Harry had managed to capture the entirety of the new students and gauge their responses. The red head who had been searching for a compartment on the train was sneering at him, but he looked confused too which made little sense to Harry. The boy who had been looking for his toad on the train was smiling at him though and managed a small wave to him that Harry returned with a blush. The girl that had been with him was staring at him, and he didn’t like it. It was like the stares that the teachers would give him, like they were trying to figure out what was wrong with him.
Then there was the blonde boy he’d met in Diagon Alley, in the robe shop. The one who’d acted so much like Dudley that he’d frightened Harry at first. He was staring from the Slytherin table with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. Then there were most of the other students, all looking like Harry was some kind of weird freak for being a Hufflepuff, though there were a few that were smiling at him. One boy, a black boy with a scar through his left eyebrow smiled and nodded at him, like he had always known that Harry belonged in Hufflepuff or he knew something Harry didn’t. He smiled back and waved like he’d waved at the boy with the toad and got a blinding smile in return. He knew that most of the school was expecting him to be in Gryffindor like his parents but…they were so loud! And pushy and constantly talking. They made him nervous. All he wanted to do was learn as much as he could and be unnoticeable. It made so many things that much easier if he were invisible.
After that brief glance to look at everyone else he continued on his way to the far table, blushing the entire time at all the ruckus they were making.
He reached the boy who’d gotten to his feet – third year Cedric Diggory – and was pulled under his arm. Still blushing, Harry looked down at his hands for a moment before glancing up at the older boy through his long lashes. He was looking for any kind of frustration, anger or irritation with having to be stuck with Harry now after spending so much time with him on the train, but all he saw was a beaming sort of pride and affection. Cedric grinned at him and gently squeezed the smaller boy’s shoulder and then ruffled the perpetually messy hair.
“Come sit here with us, Harry. We don’t bother with that whole sitting by years thing. Besides, you know all of us already, yeah?” The gray-eyed boy said to Harry, smiling gently at the obviously overwhelmed Firstie.
Harry glanced up at Cedric with a timid smile and sat down next to his friend, careful not to sit too close to the stranger on the other side of him – Cedric had already proven he was safe, and he didn’t know the dark haired boy to his right. Strangers were never to be trusted, but he trusted Cedric and his family – they’d helped him already and they didn’t even know him!
“Hey, Harry! Your badge changed already!” A blonde girl across from him – Mercedes Madley, he’d met her on the train – said, pointing to the badger and colors already embroidered onto the robes he wore.
He looked down in surprise, and a look of astonished awe and glee was stamped on his expressive features as he looked up at Cedric. He belonged to the Hufflepuffs now! He had a place with these people, which meant that he wasn’t too weird or odd to be with them!
“Yeah, Har, looks like you’re stuck with us now. Whatever will you do now?” Bernard Zeller said as Harry turned his attention to the burly, black haired boy he’d also met on the train.
Suddenly, the boy to Harry’s right scooted over and two first years plunked down beside him. Ernie MacMillan – who he’d seen being sorted and the girl that Cedric had sent Harry to at the boats, Susan Bones. Ernie, a blonde, blue eyed young man, stared at Harry for a moment before smiling slightly and nodding as if in approval.
“I hear the Puff’s are going to have a party tonight for all the Firsties!” Chimed Susan Bones, her tawny brown eyes glittering with glee as she smiled around Ernie at Harry.
“Really?” Harry asked softly, turning to look up at his self-appointed mentor.
“Sort of,” Cedric admitted quietly as the rest of the sorting continued and the table managed to keep a quiet din as they clapped boisterously for every other Firstie sorted – even if they weren’t a part of their house. “All of the Hufflepuffs gather in the common room and we have a meeting. The House Elves often give us some snacks and things ‘cuz we’re so close to the kitchens.”
“House Elves?” Harry asked softly, frowning at Cedric in confusion.
His comment made those closest to him turn to stare at him quietly before noticing that Harry was blushing and attempting to crawl under the table with all the attention and turning back to the sorting. Cedric leaned over and whispered softly to Harry.
“They’re the real caretakers of the castle – they make the food, keep the castle clean, and do the laundries. That sort of thing.”
“Oh…” Harry said softly before looking up at Cedric with an endearing frown on his face. “But…I can do those things myself. They don’t have to, ‘cuz I can do it.”
Cedric looked at Harry and smiled slightly, even as his mind raced at the thought that this was a seriously independent eleven year old.
“It makes them feel useful,” Ernie explained, overhearing the whispered conversation and leaning in to Harry. “They need to serve people to be happy, and here they get a lot better treatment than they do with some Wizarding families.”
“Oh.” Harry said, his eyebrows furrowing for a moment before nodding. “It’s like when I do the gardening at home, even though I’m supposed to. It makes me feel better, right?” He asked, glancing at Cedric, who nodded with a soft smile.
“If it makes you feel better, then that’s good.” Was all he said before the last person was sorted (Zabini, Blaise – “Slytherin!”).
Harry glanced up at that and caught the glance that the black boy gave the table and caught his gaze. He smiled at him and clapped a bit louder than he had been for the others being sorted, because the boy had seemed to support him when Harry had been sorted. In return, the black boy nodded regally and went to the green and silver table to sit next to the blonde boy. Turning his attention back to Cedric he whispered softly.
“What now?”
“Now,” Cedric said just as quietly, “Headmaster Dumbledore will make a speech, and then we’ll eat. After that, we’ll all go to the dormitories together and get settled.”
“What about our things?” Harry asked, frowning as he thought that when they took their trunks away that the students would have to grab them before they left.
“They’re automatically put into the common area when you’ve been sorted. Then you choose your roommates and get settled. Every year after that they’re automatically sent to the room you chose and put in front of your bed.” Cedric said before Dumbledore stood and made his way to the podium.
“A real bed?” Harry whispered softly, so softly that Cedric almost missed it.
But he’d heard it. And when he whipped his head around to ask Harry what he meant, Dumbledore began his speech. And then the food appeared.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Cedric could see the gaping expression on Harry’s pale face. As if he’d never seen that much food ever in his life. He glanced over at Mercedes and caught her look of concern and nodded his head slightly. They would keep an eye out on their newest flock, and particularly this little lamb.
Surprisingly, Harry seemed to take a little bit of everything, including greens and vegetables. Granted, his portions were obscenely small compared to other students, but he seemed to delight in the food. Curling his arm around his plate like a shield, he waited for everyone else to begin eating before he dug in.
“Wow, Harry, slow down,” Cedric laughed softly, putting his hand on the dark haired boy’s shoulder. “It’s not going to disappear, you know.”
Harry glanced at him warily, before nodding his head slightly and slowing his pace down a little. It wasn’t much, but it was less likely that he’d choke now. He made small, little pleased noises with each new flavor of food put in front of him and though he ate very little in comparison to others, he seemed to be quite full.
Soon enough, desserts were over (Treacle Tart being both Harry and Cedric’s favorite which made many of the older students giggle at the obvious adoration Harry had for Cedric), Dumbledore stood up. So involved in his sweet, however, all Harry managed to catch was the end part of it.
“-Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death.”
Wide green eyes snapped up to Cedric’s slightly skeptical gray, before the older boy shrugged.
“Who knows what they have up there, Har. But, don’t worry. We’ll keep you safe. Not as if you’ve any classes up on that level yet, and we’ll teach you all the little secrets to get around those moving staircases.”
“M-moving…staircases?” Harry stammered slightly, looking a little pale at the thought.
How was he to get anywhere if the stairs moved? What if they dropped him?
“Sometimes Hogwarts gets bored.” Mercede’s commented with a supportive smile at Harry. “I think she just wants someone to pay attention to her, is all.”
“Oh.” Harry said softly, before frowning at the remainder of his treacle tart.
This was just so confusing. He still expected to be told there’d been some kind of mistake and he was to be sent home immediately before causing any further embarrassment.
“Come on, then. Off to the dormitories.” Cedric said, putting a few tarts into his robe pockets, winking at a slightly horrified Harry and helping Susan to her feet like the gentleman he was.
“Are they really in the dungeon?” Ernie asked, tilting his head back to look up at Cedric as he got to his feet.
“Dungeons?” Harry asked, immediately picturing the worst.
“They are, but they’re quite comfortable. They’re actually over by the kitchens, rather than in the deeper parts where Slytherin dorms are.” Cedric caught the suspicious look on Harry’s face, and smiled, reaching out a hand for the boy to clasp. “Come on. We’ll take you.”
Cedric and Mercedes were the only ones who noted the flinch Harry gave at the movement of Cedric’s hand. Both of them filed it away for later.
~<@>~
When the Hufflepuff House was all in their common room, Harry tucked quite closely to Cedric’s side and still clenching the broader hand in his smaller ones, Madam Sprout came in beaming at all of her students.
It should be noted, that unlike many of the other teachers at the school, Madam Sprout and Professor Snape were two of the few who took an exceptional interest in their students. Since their houses were looked down upon for various (and often silly) reasons, it stood to reasons that their students might need a little more care and attention than the others. While Severus offered a rather stoic shoulder, Pamona was mothering and gentle with her students and cared a great deal about them all.
However, both Severus and Pamona, while on opposite ends of the spectrum in care and attention, understood one great concept about their respective broods. Hufflepuff and Slytherin children were, most often, victims of abuse from home. Both teachers took immediate, swift action on it, and kept a watchful and slightly doting eye on their children.
Even if it wasn’t wholly apparent.
“Children! Welcome to Hufflepuff!” Madam Sprout said cheerfully, raising her hands in welcome.
The lights on the chandelier and in the fireplace brightened and it seemed as if fairy lights danced all around the books and sitting areas. One thing that could be said about the Hufflepuff house that no one knew, was that they were often the closest to Magical Nature with their gentle and unsuspecting ways. So many of the creatures that one read in stories and studies, were drawn to them. The fairy lights, were in fact, simple pixies. Not the Cornish variety, no, but the French. Dainty, colored tiny creatures that loved to play and cause gentle mischief. The first years delighted in them, awed and so careful.
The Hufflepuff common room was outfitted with large, plush furniture, couches and settees, large, surprisingly full bookshelves lined the walls and warmth emanated from every corner and texture. Their colors were displayed proudly, in pillows, curtains and throw blankets, but not in a suffocating way.
“My name is Madam Pomona Sprout. I’m your head of house throughout your stay within Hogwarts. I don’t want any of you worrying about anything trivial, now. We Puffs stick together and take great care of one another in many ways!” Pomona began, sitting on a padded stool in front of the fireplace and facing her children. “Every First Year is assigned a mentor, some of you may have to share one, but there’s never more than three to a mentor. It’s expected to become close and friendly with your Mentor, I encourage it! If anything is the matter, you fear you don’t understand the material in class, you miss home, or something is wrong, you tell your Mentor immediately. They in turn will tell me. If you don’t get along with your Mentor, please let me know so I can find someone that suits you. It would truly be a horrid way to spend your seven years with a Mentor you despise, right?”
After waiting for the initial nervous titters and giggles to die off, she smiled brightly.
“You will room three to a room, these will be your roommates all your school life. There’s no fighting, no stealing, no cheating and certainly there is no destroying of another’s property. We Puffs will show a united front outside of the commons. If there is a fight or you don’t get along with a fellow Puff, there’s mediation and there are steps that can be taken to make certain that there is harmony in our rooms. Never hesitate to say something if there’s something wrong, dangerous or frightening to you, either to your mentor or to me.
“Now…are there any questions?”
“How do we contact our families?” Came from a shy Firstie, and so began the rather long Question and Answer session that was common in the beginning of every year.
After all the questions that were put to her were answered she looked at every student in turn and smiled. These were the children she’d never have, and she cherished every one of them.
“Now, I do have your schedules here with me, I want you to take them and make certain that you understand them. If you don’t want to take a class that’s on there, you have a week to tell me so that I can change it. I’ll warn you now, that Puffs are picked on and ridiculed outside of these walls – we’re seen as slow and often times cowardly. Don’t be surprised if a Gryffindor tries to bully you in some way. Stay with your buddy and if it becomes physical, certainly defend yourself! Many teachers will try to teach you as if you cannot comprehend what is being put to you – I urge you not to let this get to you! All of you are capable of great things! Did you know that Ms. Amelia Bones, head of the Auror Department, was in fact a Hufflepuff?? It’s true! I want you all to work hard on your studies, and try not to let Professor Snape get you down. He strives to challenge everyone, but sometimes his way of challenging students is seen as demeaning and cruel. That being said, let’s assign your roommates and Mentors and I’ll leave you to it! My office is through that door-“ Pomona stood and pointed to her left, where a doorway was framed with leaves and flowers carved into the stonework stood. “So if there are any questions your Mentors can’t answer, don’t hesitate to come and get me.”
With that, she assigned Mentors, roommates, passed out schedules and watched as her children laughed and talked amongst themselves. She caught a few glances from the upper classmen, nodding in the direction of one child or another and made certain to memorize the names of the children indicated. These were children she’d have to take a special interest in.
Cedric Diggory caught her attention, and glanced at the dark headed boy that was practically glued to his side. It seemed her intuition was correct in assigning Cedric as Harry’s Mentor as the boy was almost clinging to the elder boy, his wide green eyes not even hidden behind the awful glasses on his nose. However, when she caught Cedric’s gaze again, he stared at her meaningfully before it rang in her head. Cedric was giving the signal that Harry was one of those Special Interest cases.
Oh dear…Harry Potter had been abused and if the slightly panicked look on Cedric’s face was anything to go by, it was enough to cause major concern. She answered his look with a nod and caught his slight sag of relief. She’d get more of the story out of him later on in the evening when the upper classmen Mentor’s reported to her.
~<@>~
“-So you’ll be fine once he starts his class. It’s only three times a week, but I know he’s going to ask these types of questions. I want you all to study these sheets before going to bed tonight, okay?” Cedric waited until all three boys nodded at him solemnly. “Then you should be set. We already went over your other classes, so you’ll be just fine. Don’t think twice about asking me anything either. You know I don’t mind.”
“Cedric…” Cedric looked at Harry in surprise as he spoke hesitantly. “Did you mean it?”
“Did I mean what? What I said on the train??” Cedric replied, kneeling down so that he was eye to eye with Harry who sat on his bed (the bed that he’d not left since he first entered the room and claimed).
Harry nodded slightly, a blush staining his cheeks.
“Of course I did. Here, let me show you.” Again, he held his hand out to Harry, who barely flinched and took it, hopping down from the bed.
As he lead Harry to the door, the dark haired boy glanced back at his bed as if to make sure it was still there before following Cedric out the door.
From there, Cedric led him down the hallway, took two rights and opened his own dorm room door.
“I sleep right here, Harry, that’s my bed. If you need anything, you come to me. I don’t care what time it is.” He was determined to protect Harry from whatever he feared; he’d never had a little brother, but it seemed that Harry had claimed him as his big brother. All in one day!
“Okay…” The serious little face lit up though after a moment before a string of babble escaped. “I’m going to go and take a shower – a long one – and brush my teeth and go lay on my very own bed!! This has been the very bestest day ever!”