To say it felt slightly odd for the Hogwarts students to file into the Sphinx Club room immediately during the year was somewhat of an understatement. As you arrived from the train to Hogwarts you tended to develop a bit of a routine. You found your friends in the entrance hall if you hadn't ridden together on the train, then made your way to the Great Hall, sitting at your table whilst you waited for the start of the year feast. Such was burned into your muscle memory from your second year on, that the idea of going anywhere else was simply unheard of. Yet, on this day, the Sphinx Club, in its expanded glory, made their way between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor towers to the club room that was so often filled with the laughter and study that defined the Sphinx Club.
Harry sat Fleur on the couch, holding her hand as the veela shook lightly with nerves. "Mon dieu, 'Arry. I did not believe this sorting would make me feel such… anxiety." Fleur stated, her tone wavering a bit as she sat with him.
Harry rubbed at her back a bit. "It's okay Fleur. Sorting won't be that bad. No matter what house you are in, you'll have friends. Hufflepuff has Susan and Hannah, Slytherin has Daphne and Tracey, Gryffindor has Neville, Lavender, and Parvati, and Ravenclaw has me, Hermione, Padma, Luna, and Cho. You've got friends. You won't be alone. Not to mention I'm sure you'll make friends with your year-mates. I don't really know anyone from your year besides the Weasley twins, but I've been told they're nice. There's also their… well I think they're dating the twins in Alicia Spinnet and Angelina Johnson. They'd be in your year in Gryffindor. I'm sure Cho knows the girls in the year above her in Ravenclaw well, so she can introduce you there. Hufflepuff was Cedric's house, and they know you were his friend, they'll welcome you in with open arms." Harry tried to encourage.
"I see you are not pushing me into the house of the snakes as I recall." Fleur said, a small smile on her face.
Harry chuckled as he continued rubbing her back. "Caught me out there… yeah, I don't have much positive experiences with the Slytherin students outside of Daphne, Tracey and Astoria, barring the fact that I've met Theodore Nott and he seemed normal. Everyone else is… not very nice that I've met. I'm sure there are good ones, but I just haven't interacted with them." Harry said apologetically.
"I'm sure there are… but all the same I believe I shall attempt to avoid them." Fleur said, looking off for a second. "Do you believe they will see me as a creature?"
"I hope not." Harry said, his eyes narrowing a bit as his gaze focused towards the door, as though staring down to the dungeons. "I can't control their thoughts, but I do know that no one worth being around would see you as a creature. You're a person, maybe not 'human' but a person nonetheless. You have every right to be here, and no one will tell you otherwise."
"I just… I feel so worried. Beauxbatons… there were Veela there, a history of them attending. I had support, people who understood my struggle because they felt it too. I worry I will not find this here." Fleur said, letting her anxieties burst forth from her body.
"You have people here who understand your plight… maybe not as a Veela, but as a non-human." Harry said, smiling. "Professor Flitwick is part-goblin, I don't know how much, but he certainly looks the part. Hagrid is half-giant. They're also some of the most wonderful people I've had the pleasure of meeting since I came here to Hogwarts. You know Flitwick wouldn't ever take someone treating you badly because of your heritage sitting down, not only because it's wrong, not only because he probably experienced it himself, but because he's a friend of your father, because he cares about you. He asked how you were doing all the time once he learned I was trading letters with you after we met at the first dueling tournament. He's going to be ecstatic that you're coming here for the year."
Fleur's smile grew at that, and she leaned into Harry, wrapping him into a warm hug. "You truly know how to make me feel better, mon amour." She kissed him, which earned a whistle from the doorway.
Lavender stepped in with a smirk on her face, Susan following close behind. "The others should be coming soon. Just having difficulties locating everyone. Neville and Hannah found Ginny, and they're on their way up now. Parvati went with Padma and Hermione to find Cho. Shouldn't be too hard to find her. Daphne and Tracey are grabbing Astoria, and that should be the whole club here." She said, her hand on her hip as she glanced over. "Probably best to break up the PDA before Dumbledore gets here. Not exactly something you want the headmaster seeing."
Fleur flushed a little bit. "Thank you, Lavender." She said, as she brushed down her blouse and skirt. She made a couple inches of distance between herself and Harry, though still sat with him on the couch. "I do hope it does not take the others long."
"They'll be here before you know it." Harry said, shooting a smile at her. "We'll put a hat on your head, and it'll tell you where you are sleeping for the school year."
"It does sadden me that it is not with you." Fleur said, looking down with a flush on her face. "I have grown quite used to feeling your arms around me during the nights sometimes."
"My my Harry… sleeping with them now, are you?" Lavender teased. "Well Fleur, there's always here you can cuddle up with him. Or the common room if you're in Ravenclaw. I know Gryffindor's common room always has at least one couple napping on the couch together."
Harry just chuckled and let Lavender's teasing wash over him. Living with his girls, especially Daphne and Padma had really immunized him to the teasing about his relationships, and short of being caught in a particularly amorous situation, he didn't think there was TOO much that would make him blush like he used to.
That didn't stop Daphne or Padma from trying, mind you, but it was getting harder for them.
After a few moments though, more of the Sphinx Club filed into the room. Harry took a moment to look on in satisfaction as his friends piled in. What started initially as just a small study group had really blossomed, growing into a group of friends that transcended not only the barriers that had formed between the houses, the years between them, and even the boundaries of the school during the previous year. Here they were not Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors, or Slytherins, here they were Sphinxes proud, majestic, and studious. What had initially started as just himself and Hermione had blossomed, now standing fifteen strong in this room, plus the four who had either graduated or returned to their home countries. Ivan, Marianne, Cedric, and Viktor might not be present to see Fleur be sorted, but he knew without a doubt they were here in spirit, supporting their friend as she took this step in her life.
Professor Dumbledore, flanked by Professor Flitwick entered the room. In Dumbledores hands sat the ancient, rugged, ugly piece of headwear that was the sorting hat, it's wrinkled leather visage looking around. "Oh, goodie. Get pulled out of my drawer for the sorting and the first thing I see is a bunch of students I already sorted. My first pick not good enough for you?"
"Not quite." Dumbledore spoke to the hat, as he sat it down on a table. "We have a special circumstance, we have a student coming in from another school, and we must know what house she will spend her year in."
The Sorting Hat grumbled, turning on the table to reexamine everyone in the room. "Ah, the Veela then. Very well, I'll do what I must. Mr. Potter, place me on her head, such that I may ruminate on what is stored within her mind."
Harry raised an eyebrow at that, but with a nod of approval from Dumbledore, lifted the hat from the table and placed it upon Fleur's head. "Don't be nervous, the hat won't steer you wrong."
"You're quite right I won't." The hat said, as it finally sat itself upon Fleur's blonde locks.
Harry could hardly control his own nerves as he watched the hat's quizzitive expression shift occasionally as it sat upon Fleur's head. Harry knew that Fleur contained many of the traits that defined the houses. Her bravery, loyalty, and intelligence were exceptional enough to land her in any of the three houses they deemed as safe enough for her, and Harry knew she'd eventually do well, wherever she ended up.
As seconds stretched to minutes, those present realized they were seeing a hatstall, a nominally rare event in Hogwarts. While one could expect perhaps one slightly delayed position per year, and Harry's first year had contained several, it was still an oddity. Sometimes years would go by between hatstalls, and those who caused them typically went on to become rather exceptional wizards, so perhaps it was no surprise that Fleur was experiencing one herself. Fleur was already an exceptional witch, notable in power, ability, and knowledge. Her dueling tournament wins were not merely handed to her, nor entirely the result of just her dedication to her training, which was commendable. She had natural talent, natural ability. The kind of talent that would make her great. The kind of talent that already had. Fleur, even now as a student, was a more powerful witch than many adults Harry had met.
"A stubborn one this is. Loyalty and courage to spare, but a sharp wit is what one finds here. Better be, Ravenclaw!" The Hat spoke, and Harry couldn't help but crack a smile, as a cheer came up through the room from the Ravenclaws in attendance, including their Head of House.
"Welcome to the house of the ravens, Ms. Delacour. I hope you'll feel quite at home there." Flitwick said, unable to contain the grin on his face.
"I suppose this is not much of a surprise." Dumbledore chuckled as he removed the hat from Fleur. "One of the many reasons we do not tell the students about sorting before they arrive at Hogwarts is the ability to influence the decision the hat makes."
"Don't talk to me like I'm some weak willed ball cap, Albus." The hat spoke indignantly, wiggling in his hands. "My decision can only be influenced between good options. It just happens to be the students most likely to try, are the ones who have the most options."
"Quite. Now, I believe I should make my way quickly to the great hall. Minerva will be rather cross if I force her to handle all of those proceedings." Dumbledore said with a chuckle. "I shall see you all at the feast." With that, the Headmaster walked out of the Sphinx Club room, his heeled boots clicking against the floor as he left.
The Sphinx Club, alongside Professor Flitwick, were not far behind him, Harry taking Fleur's hand as they all made their way to the great hall, ready to witness both the sorting of the new first years, as well as the beginning of year speech.
The new first years didn't take long to sort at all, not a single hatstall in the year, and even the longest of them only took a minute. The thirty seven new students slotted themselves into their new houses, taking the customary seats towards the end of the table closest to the teachers. Harry took a moment to try and memorize the faces of the new first years. He was a prefect now, and part of that meant that he needed to be available for the newcomers if they needed help. Ravenclaw seemed to be lacking in new students this year, only having seven, four girls and three boys. He hoped they wouldn't find themselves lonely in the coming weeks. While Harry's relationship with his roommates was good, he wasn't as close to them as most Hogwarts students were with those they shared their dorm with. Harry's social circle had become so full with the Sphinx Club, that he simply hadn't had the social bandwidth to expand it to include his roommates that much. In some ways, Harry was disappointed in himself for that. He knew his roommates were good people, they'd never made him feel excluded, and went out of their way to invite him to whatever they had going on if he wasn't otherwise occupied. Harry had taken them up several times, but not incredibly often. Maybe Harry would try and be more present with them this year. He'd have to spend more time in the common room due to his prefect duties… maybe that would be a good place to start.
Harry was pulled out of his musings as Dumbledore cleared his throat, the sound reverberating through the great hall in a way that simply HAD to be magically augmented. All eyes turned to the headmaster, who smiled broadly at the gathered student body. "To our first years, I bid you welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and to the rest of us, I bid welcome back! Traditionally, I would save my speeches until after the feast, but I believe they will be sufficiently short this year I can say them beforehand and not leave anyone too hungry." A chuckle emanated from Dumbledore, which was met in kind by the assembled students. "I bid my traditional warnings, the Forbidden Forest is, as it's name suggests, forbidden to students, as some of the older students should be well aware of. Harry glanced around, seeing a few Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs in the upper years flash a few shades of red. It seems he wasn't the only one having some odd adventures during his time at Hogwarts. "Argus Filch has also imparted to me, for what he assures is the four hundred and sixty second time that there is to be no spell slinging in the hallways. Also forbidden is a rather extensive list of items one may find on his door; it seems to grow by the day!" Dumbledore chuckled. "Beyond this, we have a change in staff for this year. Please allow me to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor: Sirius Black!"
From the great double doors of the great hall, Harry watched his godfather, as well as Lupin appear, waving as they made their way down the middle aisles, arriving at the podium Dumbledore stood at, on either side of him. "Professor Black is quite experienced in matters regarding Defense Against the Dark Arts, having utilized them many years ago during the war against he who must not be named." Dumbledore said, as he stepped aside to allow Sirius to speak.
"That's certainly correct, I was in the process of starting my auror training when the first war started, I had dropped out of the training to be a more active participant. While I have a very firm grasp on the concepts of Defense, I will admit I have no experience in teaching, as such I have requested and been approved a teaching assistant, one many of the older students will be familiar with, one Remus Lupin!" Sirius said, his voice amplified by the same magic that Dumbledore used.
Harry was quite shocked to see Sirius and Remus here… but he supposed he probably shouldn't be. Sirius was, of course, broadly qualified to teach Defense, given both his time spent fighting during the first war, as well as his family's expansive history of BEING the Dark Arts one needed to defend against. He really understood the material, and Remus was so far the best Defense teacher Harry had had at Hogwarts. Sirius choosing to be a teacher was certainly odd, but if the conversations he had overheard during some of the less exciting Order meetings were to be believed, there were few qualified individuals left in Britain willing to take the position. Dumbledore had already been desperate enough to hire the fraud Gilderoy Lockhart, and had needed to ask Alastor Moody for a personal favor to teach last year, even if the man had been secretly replaced by Barty Crouch Jr. Sirius was both qualified for the position, and not someone to let something like a supposed curse stop him. Harry also imagined this was a way to be close to him, should some danger arise from Voldemort during the year.
Harry always felt safe at Hogwarts, but with his uncles watching over him, he felt that extra little bit safer.