~April 12th, 2093~

Looking back it’s hard to recall why it happened. Details have long sense become fuzzy as the years slip away like melted butter. All that is remembered is that it did happen and Hogwarts would never be the same. All the persons involved have long sense passed. It rarely feels like time has passed in this hallowed castle. Multitudes of children pass through her doors wearing the same robes, carrying the same books. Today marks the hundredth anniversary of what became known as the Great Swap of 1993.

Nothing has changed. Yet, everything has changed. A closer glimpse at the current crop of young witches and wizards would hint at the long ago event. Black robes gleam in the candle lit halls, raven material with one thing missing.

~April 12th, 1993~

*Gryffindor*

The pounding of feet hitting concrete thudded and then came to an abrupt halt. The Portrait swung herself open and closed in seemingly one quick motion as a blur rushed through.

“Am I safe?” the blur, revealing himself as Neville Longbottom, questioned. He blinked owlishly around the large room and gazed at two figures.

“Yes, Neville. Who was it this time?” one asked as she went up to the out-of-breathe boy.

“Dunno, bunch of Slytherins, I guess.” He tugged on a stray lock of hair.

 “Aren’t they always to blame?”  jibed a raven-haired thirteen year old.

                                                                *Meanwhile in Slytherin*

A small for his age child sat quivering in a high-backed chair. A female prefect stood beside him, awkwardly patting him on the back. “What happened this time Les?”

“All me and Tumbler were doing was playing gobstones in the Great Hall honest! And then some Ravenclaw student came stole them away, said we’d stolen them from a friend! But we didn’t!”  The sandy colored child shook. “Then, they turned on another kid at a different table and threw that Leg Locker Jinx on him! But, but the stupid Ravenclaw made it look like we did it and we didn’t! I don’t want to get expelled, I can’t get expelled or my Pop will be really angry!”

Jack cut in “We didn’t do anything to that boy, however, I can’t say anything about the ‘Puffs'’ brooms!” The Prefect, Sarah, only rolled her eyes. Those boys, particularly Jack would be the death of her yet.

                                                                  *At the same time in Hufflepuff*

“Ugh, I HATE those Gryffindors!”  A boy moodily stormed past some of his friends who were sitting in a circle holding hands.

“Skittery, don’t you know hate’s a bad word?”  A blond haired teen asked him.

“And ya’ interrupted our “People for the Peace of the Entire World Meeting!”  A short boy huffed.

“Oh great, someone get me a Time-Turner, I somehow traveled to USA in the 1960s!” Skittery muttered.  He threw his book bag into a corner.

“Ok, I’ll bite. What’s got you so glum-n-dumb?” The boy who informed him of the interrupted meeting asked.

“Some stupid Gryffindor hexed our team’s brooms!  Now they spark red and gold flames and write “Gryff is better than the rest!” 

                                                *While in Ravenclaw…*                               

“Did you get those Gobstones back?” A curly haired teenage boy asked his friend. The friend nodded while he fiddled with his glasses. He took the aforementioned stones and handed him to the other boy.

“Here you go David.”

“Thanks! Let me just put them in my pocket.” He proceeded to stuff the stones into his cloak pocket and his eyes widened. “Uh, Specs?”

“Yeah, Dave?”  the bespectacled boy replied.

“Remember that “hideaway charm” I was practicing?” His friend nodded, “well...” For once the normally talkative boy had nothing to say as he held up a bag of gobstones to the addition of the ones Specs had given him.

“You mean, I’ve scared some little kids over your mistake!?!?”

                                *Teachers’ Lounge*

All four Heads of House sat gazing at various mirrors. “Shouldn’t the students have realized by now that we can monitor everything that happens in the common rooms?” Minerva shook her head.

“Please Minerva; you’re talking about the same students who think that a Bezoar is the same thing as a Gobstone!” Severus shook his head, over the years he’d seen many idiotic answers on tests, but still that was one topped the list.

The tiny professor, Flitwick spoke up. “Well Gents and Ladies, I believe that it’s time to enact Section G Paragraph One Million and One Subparagraph Ten Million Line Fourteen Hundred and Six.”

                                *The Next Morning*

It was a Breakfast like any other however it would soon become a Breakfast talked about for many years.

A sound that sounded suspiciously like a muggle cannon sounded from the Staff Table and Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat. “Students and Staff I have been informed of certain difficulties between Houses and that your Heads have had enough. From this moment until Sun Up tomorrow, certain of your peers will be members of another House. Walking in someone else’s shoes as it were.”

An excited murmur rose from the crowd of students and Dumbledore held up a hand to stall it. “The list of students who will be interchanged to another House is as follows:

Tumbler Child from Slytherin to Ravenclaw

Harry Potter from Gryffindor to Slytherin

Neville Longbottom from Gryffindor to Hufflepuff

David Jacobs and Specs NolastName from Ravenclaw to Slytherin.

Skittery Unknownname and Racetrack Higgins from Hufflepuff to Gryffindor

Please, aforementioned students take your seats at your new tables. Your new Head of House will be by to give you a new timetable.

                *A few minutes later at the Slytherin Table*

“Ah Potter, so glad to see you in my House.” Snape smirked at the Boy Who Lived. The hook-nosed professor smiled when the raven haired boy gulped. A timetable was pressed into his hands and the student lost no time in looking down.

“So Lightening Freak, you're ours for the next week!” Draco smirked his hands balled into fists.

Harry glanced up and took in Draco’s fight stance. “Hit me, I dare you” He yawned as if he weren’t scared in the least.

“Malfoy.” Just the one word had the child sitting at attention. “I don’t want to see you picking a fight on any of our family!” A boy slammed a decorative cane down in emphasis.

“Yes, I understand Spot. Sorry Potter” Draco swore the last name but didn’t say anymore.

“Thank you Spot.” Snape purred as he walked away from the table. Harry returned to reading his time table.

“New Students please meet me in my office at the first Break in the Day. Sincerely, Professor Snape.”

                                *The Next Evening*

*Gryffindor*

“Wow, I can’t believe it. I’m still alive! "I thought I was a goner!” Harry collapsed onto a sofa in front of the Gryffindor Fireplace.

 “I thought he was going to kill us, but he offered cookies! And they weren’t even poisoned!” Harry marveled.

“Yeah, who knew that Slytherin was a family?” Neville shook his head.

“What about Draco though? “ Harry pondered as he watched the embers float down into the ground.

“He must be the Family’s Black Sheep!”

“Say, you had an issue with Slytherin; I wonder why you didn’t get sent there. Hufflepuff sounds up your alley!”

“Ha not bloody likely! I’d rather spent a night in Slytherin! As for Hufflepuff is ‘I Spent a Month There One Night!”

“Oh sure, they couldn’t have been that scary I mean they are Puffs for Merlin’s Sake!”

“Ha you weren’t the one they forced into a stupid peace lovers meeting. I thought they were going to start singing Kumbaya!

                                    *In Conclusion*

A strange thing happened though after the select students walked in another’s shoes. Students began to intermingle and even become friends. It wasn’t long before the badges from robes disappeared and then Houses were more accepting of others. One thing did remain though, a slight fear of the Hippies in Hufflepuff.