Due to Bill's explanations and discussing the subject with Hermione, Harry knew exactly where to go and what to do at the train station on the 1st of September. Unlike Hagrid, the person who had helped Hermione with her first shopping had given her very detailed explanations and instructions. Harry would have felt lost without them.
He had given Selma her last "Harry time" the previous evening. She was sad to have to part with him, although they had both known from the start that this time would come. She still hugged him tightly after their talk, just before going away. "I'll always remember you," she told him.
"And I will fondly remember you," he said.
Harry and Hermione spent the night together, as was their habit since starting to bond. Hermione returned to her parents in the morning, for them to escort her to the Hogwarts Express, as they had planned since before she met Harry. Selma couldn't bother Harry in the morning, as she was also getting ready for the new term and needed to hurry to school.
After spending a month in London, he already knew his way around the Underground and was able to arrive early at Kings Cross station without resorting to fading, despite first stopping at Paddington station to collect his stuff and then repack it neatly for the road. Subtly using some Elf magic was very helpful. Hermione arrived almost at the same time.
"Where should we sit?" he asked her.
She took a good look at the train and the platform. "I think that a place where we can see most of the platform would be nice. We may even identify some families, based on what we've read."
They chose to sit in a compartment near the end of the train, allowing them a better view of the platform. From that vantage point, they saw practically everything. Two Indian girls, who seemed to be twins, said a tearful goodbye to their parents; the snotty blond boy whom Harry had seen at Madam Malkin's was given last-minute instructions by his blond parents, who looked haughty and quite insufferable – by now they were quite sure he was Malfoy; a tall, dark-skinned boy looked a bit lost; a plump, timid boy was nodding vigorously as an old stern woman talked to him. Harry wondered if the boy understood even half of what was said to him, yet he was quite sure this was the Longbottom boy. Two girls walked together, giggling softly. One was blonde and the other had dark red hair. Harry was sure they were close friends. He didn't know who the blonde was, but the redhead seemed to be Bones. These were all his age, or close to it. He also noticed some older boys and girls, who seemed content to meet friends they had missed during the vacation.
The platform became almost empty after the train blew its horn. Just then, another redhead family came in. The plump mother was herding a small girl, a boy about Harry's age, two older twins and another boy, older than them. "The headmaster said he would be lost and need our help, but he's nowhere to be found," the woman huffed.
"He may have got help from somebody else," one of the twins suggested, but his mother didn't seem to hear.
She turned to the younger boy. "Make sure to find him and befriend him, as the Headmaster requested. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Mum." The boy seemed less than eager to cooperate but knew what was expected of him.
"Why can't I go too?" the girl whined.
"Patience, Ginny. You'll go next year and become his beloved girlfriend. We can't let The-Boy-Who-Lived date just anybody."
Both Harry and Hermione heard this quite clearly, despite the redheads being a car away, at least. Harry frowned. He didn't escape one kind of prison to let himself be led into another. While the redheads seemed familiar – they resembled Bill and were probably his family – Bill had warned him about them. He knew he should be cautious at least of the youngest boy and that girl – whenever she came to school.
Hermione also frowned deeply. Harry was unsure what she thought, but he already knew she felt quite possessive of him, first – because he was still her only friend, and second – because of the bond. He knew she didn't like the idea of that boy becoming a friend just because he was told so. Well, she was his only friend too. He moved his hand closer to hers, just as she did and their fingers entwined, making them both relax a bit.
The train started moving as soon as the last redhead mounted. A few minutes later, somebody opened the door to their compartment. The redhead boy looked around and his gaze paused on Harry's scar before he spoke. "I can't find any free compartment. May I join you?"
Harry felt like telling him outright that he was lying but decided that caution was the order of the day. "The places are not reserved. You may sit on any available bench."
The redhead didn't mind the less-than-welcoming comment. He sat down opposite Harry and Hermione. "I'm Ron, Ron Weasley. Who are you?"
"The young lady at my side is my very good friend Hermione Granger. My name is Harry Potter."
Ron's fake surprise was not convincing at all. "THE Harry Potter? The-Boy-Who-Lived? I wanted so much to meet you."
Harry managed to refrain from grimacing, just barely. "I suppose that's me. At least that's what I was told."
Despite his reluctance, Harry cooperated when Ron started a conversation about the Hogwarts houses and their merits – or lack of. Although not quite a friend, he didn't want to alienate Ron too much, especially since there was a chance they would end up in the same house.
–..–
Bill had refrained from telling Harry the details of the sorting, but he told Harry enough for him to reach some conclusions. The sorting must be quick, as all new students were sorted before the welcome feast. That meant it was also simple, at least for the students. It couldn't contain any elaborate mission and a simple one could not test one's potential very well. Therefore, it must be something magical and simple – like some of the spells he'd read about with Hermione. Still, knowing the facts didn't help much to relax him. Like all other new students, he was agitated and tense, not sure where he would be sorted or with whom. He hoped he'd end up in the same house as Hermione. They had become very close friends since they first met, and he didn't want to lose that friendship. He wasn't yet sure how the bond affected that.
Hermione was also very nervous. Her hand searched his and grabbed it tightly as if this contact could reassure her. In a way, it did, as both Hermione and Harry felt their nerves lessen, once their hands held each other. Harry wondered in the back of his mind if this had any special meaning, yet he couldn't really think of this or anything else, as they were all urged to come in front of the whole school for the sorting.
Harry paid only minor attention to the sorting, concentrating on the good feeling he was getting from Hermione's hand. He heard some names but paid no attention. Abbott… Bones… Brown… Crabbe… Finnigan… And then, Granger.
Hermione looked frightened. Harry tightened his hold on her hand. "It will be alright. I'll do all I can to be sorted to the same house as you."
She flashed him a brief smile before letting his hand go and walking to her sorting. Harry tried to send his reassurance to her, to help her feel more confident.
From what he had already known about the houses and from his acquaintance with Hermione, he was sure she would be natural for Ravenclaw, yet she was also very brave. He hoped that whatever house she would be sorted to, he would be sorted to that house too. The hat stayed for quite a long time on Hermione's head, and then it shouted, "Gryffindor!"
Harry was not surprised. Thinking back, he could see that bravery was quite a dominant trait of his friend. Had she not approached total strangers just to learn some more? Had she not gone alone on the train to London, and then to Diagon Alley? Only a brave girl could act that way. He felt proud of his bond mate.
Hermione removed the hat, looking relieved. She flashed Harry another smile and then walked to the Gryffindor table. Harry thought he saw a minute smile appear on the stern face of Professor McGonagall. It was so short that he would have missed it had he blinked.
Other names followed: Greengrass, Longbottom, some more, and then Malfoy. The snotty blond marched forward and was quickly sorted to Slytherin. As both Crabbe and Goyle had already been sorted into that house, Harry decided it was not for him. With these three there, he could not possibly enjoy his stay at school. Not even the presence of that Greengrass girl, who looked quite beautiful, could change his mind.
It didn't actually matter. With Hermione sorted to Gryffindor, no other house could do for him, he was sure.
Before he noticed, they were at P: Parkinson, Patil and Patil, and then Potter. Harry stepped forward, feeling suddenly very small, as the hat slid down, covering his eyes.
"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes — and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting… So where shall I put you?"
Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, 'Not Slytherin, not Slytherin. I want to be with Hermione.'
"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that. But then, your loyalty to your friend could just as well put you in Hufflepuff — no? But then, you could never do very well on your own without your bond mate at your side. Well, if so — better be GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily towards the Gryffindor table, where Hermione was already smiling widely at him and beckoning him at her side.
Harry approached the table, where Hermione was already making room for him. She grabbed his hand, just like before, and suddenly everything seemed to calm down. They watched leisurely as the last students were sorted. Not unexpectedly, Ron was sorted to Gryffindor, like the rest of his brothers. Luckily, he found no free seat near Harry, who was sitting between Hermione and Neville. Harry was glad to have been spared Ron's company, at least for the duration of the feast.
With the sorting over, food appeared on the table. It made Harry aware of how hungry he was. He still made sure that Hermione got enough food before taking care of himself. While not particularly thinking of table manners, both ate very politely. A few seats farther along the table, Ron Weasley was eating as if he had not eaten for weeks, overfilling his plate and then his mouth. It disgusted Harry. He noticed that Hermione also refrained from looking in that direction, and so did Neville.
A house elf popped near them, addressing Harry. "Mr Potter, the Headmaster wants to see you in his office soon after the feast."
"I don't know where that is. Can anybody show me the way?" Harry thought that although he didn't know the way, he knew quite well why he was asked there – to tell where he had been during the last month, maybe to be even admonished for acting the way he had.
"Tippy can lead you. I'll come here as soon as the feast is over," the house-elf said and vanished.
Hermione seemed worried. "Why does he want to talk to you?"
"The house elf didn't say, but we can safely assume that it is due to me not spending last month with my relatives." He then grinned. "He probably didn't notice that we two are so close, or he would have called you as well."
Hermione looked at the head table. She could see the headmaster watching Harry with a pensive expression. She wondered why he was so concerned about her friend.