"Has everyone prepared their test for tonight?" Dumbledore asked, eyeing the four Heads of Houses over his half-moon spectacles. His hands were clasped tightly together, propping his chin up.

"Of course, Headmaster. Everything is prepared and ready," Minerva replied, swirling her glass of scotch. The ice clinked against the smooth surface, the sound nearly driving Severus mad.

"Oh I hate having to do this to those poor children," Flitwick sighed sadly, wiping his glasses on his robe.

"I know what you mean, Filius," Sprout said. "But it is for the best."

"They must be prepared," Severus growled from his spot in the darkened corner. "They need to be ready for whatever happens. If even one of them is not..." he didn't finish his sentence. He didn't have to.

"I understand where you're coming from, Severus," Minerva said sharply, and downed the rest of her liquor with one gulp. "But maybe we can make it a bit easier? They are only first years. They haven't had time to practise. They don't have a grasp on magic like the others. They've only read of theories. Too many children have been turned down because of these tests-"

"If they don't know and can't perform, then it's their fault," Severus snapped, interrupting her. "Their parents have been informed, they should have informed their children and taught them at least the basics. It's not our fault if they decided to keep it a secret from them. We will give their tests tonight like we have for the last ten years. If they have a problem with it, they can always get back on the train." His tone warranted no more arguments, and Minerva glared at him over her glasses.

"On a brighter note," Sprout said, eyeing the rivaling Head of Houses warily, "I hear Harry Potter will be in this batch of first years this year."

Severus crossed his arms and glared at his shoes. Potter. He knew something felt off about this year.

"I do hope he makes it. It would be a shame to turn him down," Flitwick squeaked. Minerva nodded.

"His parents were very talented. I wouldn't hold any worry for him. I'm sure he will be fine," Albus said, his eyes twinkling.

"Not unless he is in my group," Severus muttered darkly.

Minerva snapped her head in his direction. "Severus Snape! Don't you dare fail that boy just because of a grudge! You will give him a chance just like every student, and you better judge him fairly!"

Who says I ever do things fairly?, he thought, but he didn't voice it out loud.

"Besides, he may not even be in your group. It is decided randomly every year," she added haughtily.

"And if he is in my group?" he egged on.

Severus felt a sense of slight amusement as he watched Minerva's face go a slight shade of maroon.

"Promise me you won't use your grudge against James Potter to be biased. If you do, Severus, I swear to Merlin, I will use my powers a Deputy Headmistress to their full extent. Do you understand me?"

He gave a mocking sneer in her direction. "Cross my heart," he purred.

Although I wouldn't hold out much hope, Minerva dear...

+=====+

This was it. It was finally time.

Harry looked around him in awe. The brick wall that he had previously gone through was still spitting out multiple people, each one looking completely different than the one before them. The train whistle blew, steam flying high. The excited chatter from the people around him swirled around Harry, and a sense of giddiness enveloped him.

He spotted the red-headed family that had helped him and he slowly made his way over. The twins from earlier were bent in front of someone, looking like they were whispering to the smaller red-headed boy. As soon as one spotted Harry, he shot up and waved him over.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Potter! The one and only Chosen One! Haven't seen you since a good five minutes ago," the twin said, clapping him on the back.

"Um, hi," he replied sheepishly. Hedwig gave a soft hoot from her cage.

The other twin moved away from his younger brother, who was looking slightly relieved to have the attention drawn away from him.

"What brings you over to the side of the Weasley's?" he asked, a mischievous grin slowly spreading.

"Um, I-uh-"

"Fred, George! Quit messing with that young boy and start putting your things away on the train!" yelled their mother. She gave a small wave at Harry, then pointed towards the train angrily, giving Fred and George a pointed look.

"Good luck," one of them whispered in his ear as they passed.

Good luck? What was that all about?

The youngest walked over to him, holding out his hand. "Hey there. I'm Ron Weasley. Are you really Harry Potter?" was the first thing he said.

Harry took his hand, mentally rolling his eyes, but the kid seemed nice, so he supposed it didn't matter. "Yeah," he replied, and pushed up his bangs to show his scar.

Ron's eyes widened. "Bloody hell!" he breathed. He looked like he had just met a celebrity, which in a sense Harry supposed he had.

Harry shrugged. "Don't get too awed," he said. "I'm just Harry."

Ron cracked a grin. "Well then, Just Harry, we have to get on the train and find a compartment before it leaves. Here, I'll help you with your things."

They managed to get settled on the train five minutes before departure. Ron slumped against the seat, looking exhausted. "That was the most work I've had to do in a while. And that includes de-gnoming the garden," he said.

Harry said nothing, since he had no idea what de-gnoming the garden meant. He really hoped it didn't mean tossing those little statues around. Instead, he just nodded like he knew what he was talking about.

Ron reached into his bag and pulled out a brown paper bag. "Want a sandwich?" he asked, holding out the offered food. "It's cornbeef."

Harry hungrily reached out and took it. He hadn't had anything to eat besides that piece of toast he nicked that morning. "Are you sure?" he asked before he took a bite.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Mum always forgets I hate cornbeef."

With that, Harry dug in. He was in the process of licking his fingers clean of mayonnaise when there was a knock at their compartment door.

A bushy-haired girl was standing in the doorway, looking slightly sheepish. "Is it okay if I sat here? All the other compartments were full."

Harry wasted no time in patting the seat beside him, but Ron looked more reserved.

"I dunno," he said. "What's the password?"

"Password?" the girl parroted.

"Just ignore him," Harry said, and the girl smiled and sat down next to him. "He's just being a brat. I'm Harry. What's your name?"

"Hermione," the girl replied. Ron looked a little taken aback at being called a brat, but he extended his hand out to Hermione.

"I'm Ron," he introduced.

Hermione barely shook his hand. "Pleasure."

When the trolley lady came, Harry spent nearly half his money on the sweets. Ron looked like he had just struck gold when Harry piled the candy next to him. Hermione looked a bit reluctant, but grabbed a licorice wand.

"I can't wait to see what Hogwarts looks like. I've read all about it, but I've always wanted to see the real thing. I wonder if the Great Hall will look as stunning as it's described," Hermione said dreamily. "I hear that's where we get sorted."

"You know," said Ron as he took a large bite out of the head of a chocolate frog, "my brothers, Fred and George said something about a test in order to get sorted." Chocolate chunks flew from his mouth, and Harry wiped them away from the seat, a look of disgust plastered on his features.

"Fred and George? Weren't they the twins that I saw on the platform?" Harry asked. He recalled the way that one of him had whispered

Ron swallowed, making a pained face as it went down rough. "Yeah."

"A test?" Hermione interrupted, looking slightly worried. "The book I read never said anything about a test!"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't worry too much about it, Hermione," Ron said. "Knowing those two, it's just a bunch of hooplah. They're known for saying stupid things and not meaning them. Watch, it'll be just like your little book says. We'll get there, and we'll...well...I don't know what exactly happens. But I can tell you it's not going to be a test."

I sure hope so, Harry thought. He looked down at his wand, which was clutched tightly in his hand. If there was a test, Harry had no idea what he would do. The Dursleys took away his books and wand as soon as he got home from shopping. Harry had barely enough  time to hide his Galleons, or else who knew what would have happened to that as well. Because of his stuff being locked away, Harry hadn't been able to have access to information like the rest of his peers. If there was a test, there would be no doubt that Harry would fail.

Hermione was flipping frantically through a giant book, the pages nearly ripping as she turned. Her tongue was held between her teeth as she read, her eyes barely having time to skim over the page before she flipped again.

"Here!" she announced. "It says students will be sorted by an old and very magical hat granted life by Godric Gryffindor. It will be placed on your head and it will determine based on your qualities which house you will belong in." She looked up at Ron. "So your brothers were lying. There's no test, unless you count the hat as a test, but I doubt it."

Harry relaxed against the seat. So he didn't have to worry.

"See, I told you," Ron piped up. "Just a bunch of hooplah."

"U-um," a nervous voice piped up. Harry swerved his head to see a boy with messy brown hair standing nervously at their door.

"Oh, what now?" Ron muttered.

"Have you seen my toad?" the boy asked. "He's small and green and he answers to Trevor. I-I lost him and I can't find him anywhere."

"Nope, haven't seen him," Ron answered rather rudely.

"Ron!" Hermione chastised. She turned back to the boy. "I'm sorry. I haven't seen him. But would you like me to help you find him?"

The boy looked shocked that someone would be willing to help him. "Oh! Um, if you wouldn't mind. Thank you so much!" he exclaimed.

Hermione smiled warmly. "It's almost time to get off, I think, so we better hurry. You two better get dressed," she said to Harry and Ron.

"Yeah, yeah, okay, Mum," Ron said, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

When the train came to a stop not long after, Harry had just put the finishing touches on his tie. He couldn't get it straight, so he just tucked it in his shirt and hoped for the best. Ron just left his undone, not even bothering to tie it.

Hagrid's loud, bellowing voice reached his ears as soon as he stepped out of the train. "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

A small group shuffled towards Hagrid, who was holding up a lamp up high. "Alrigh' All first years, gather roun'! Put all yer pets if ya have one over here next to me! They will be safely transported to the castle along with yer belongins!" yelled Hagrid in front of them.

The shuffling of a hundred or more feet could be heard as the first years did as they were told, the hoots and meows of their pets barely hearable as they were quickly jostled around.

Harry picked up Hedwig's cage and followed the small crowd of students towards Hagrid. He placed her next to a bright orange cat, who gave a small hiss at his owl.

Hedwig gave a small hoot as she was placed down, giving Harry wide eyes. He stuck his finger in her cage and stroked her white feathers.

"Don't worry, girl," Harry said soothingly. "It'll be fine. I'll see you later once I'm inside, alright? Just be good for Hagrid." She nipped his finger in understanding, and Harry quickly stood up and hurried back to the boats, where Ron and Hermione waited.

They picked a boat, and managed to step in without losing their balance. Ron nearly fell in, but Hermione caught his arm with her quick reflexes.

He gave her a grateful look. "Thanks," he said.

Hagrid must have spotted Harry's friendly face in the lake of boats, because he stomped his way over.

"How ya doin', ‘Arry?" he asked as he plopped rather ungracefully down in the rickety boat. Water sloshed inside, soaking Harry's robes and shoes.

"Fine, Hagrid," Harry semi-lied, giving a forced smile. Well, he could have been better without the water, but that wasn't his fault.

"Tha's good, tha's good," Hagrid commented. He patted the side of the boat, and it lurched forward an inch.

"Onward!" he bellowed.

Lights dangled in front of Harry and the other boats. The giant castle of Hogwarts loomed ahead, and Harry could see lights from the high windows as they shone down on them, their twinkling reflecting in the inky water before them.

"This is so cool," Ron whispered as he looked. His eyes shone nearly as bright as the lights before them.

"I know. I can't wait to see what it's like inside," Harry said.

For some reason that Harry couldn't quite figure out, Hagrid gave an odd sideways glance at the two when Harry said that. Before Harry could think of a reason why, they had to duck as they passed under an opening of a large rock, and then before he knew it, the castle came closer and closer and they were hitting ground.

Five figures greeted them as they stepped off the boat. The tallest one, an old man with a very long beard, who Harry instantly recognized as Albus Dumbledore from his chocolate frog card, stood smiling next to a very stern looking witch dressed in dark maroon. A short, chubby woman dressed in yellow stood beside a man dressed in black that looked like he would bite Harry's head off if he so much as spoke, and a man Harry mistook as a child at first glance stood beside the tall stern woman, who was looking at them over her spectacles. Dumbledore stepped forward, his hands clasped firmly together in front of him.

"Greetings, young ones! And welcome to Hogwarts!" he spread his arms wide in a welcoming gesture, a blinding smile present and a twinkle in his eye. The students shared a confused glance. What was this? Where were the other students? Was this their sorting?

"I have many things to say about this place, things you will hear once you all get sorted and settled into your house. But I am getting ahead of myself here. That is neither here or now." He clasped his hands together in a clap that echoed throughout the yards, silencing those who whispered behind their hands in confusion. Dumbledore's eyes lost their twinkle as he spoke again.

"Before you step forward into Hogwarts, you must all first do something very very important. Something that, if done correctly, will shape your future at this school. If not done correctly, well....it is not my place to say. Before I spoil anything and make you all even more confused than you already are, I will leave the explanation to one of my colleagues here. Before I get off of my soapbox--that is what the Muggles say, right, Minerva?" He turned behind him to the stern-looking woman, who nodded and shared and exasperated look with the dark man to her right.

"Great! Before I get off of my soapbox, I have one last thing to say to you all: Good luck, and I hope to see you in the Great Hall. Professor Snape, if you please."

He stepped back, motioning to the evil-looking man to take his place. Professor Snape stepped forward, eyeing them all with a sneer, his lip curling upwards as his dark beady eyes scanned them all one by one. His sneer seemed to deepen if anything as they landed on Harry.

"Before the Second Wizarding War, students would just come and go as they please. But that time has gone, and you all must be prepared for what may come, or else we would not have to do this," was how he started his speech. All eyes locked on him.

"This is a time of great importance. The war may have already passed, but that does not mean danger has gone down. We need students who are able to hold their own in case of an emergency, who are able to perform to their best abilities to step through and lead the wizarding world to a better time. Only they may pass through and join the ranks of the other students." His eyes narrowed and got harder.

"How many of you have read through your school books and understood at least some of the theories?" he asked

Harry was among the maybe five people who did not raise their hand. He gulped.

"Good. Most of you, then. It is now time to put those theories to practise. Before you step foot into Hogwarts, all of you will be tested. These tests are not for the faint of heart, and you will have to use your own wits and strength in order to get through. If you have read your books, then you will have very little problems. If not, well, good luck. There are about a hundred or so of you, so there will be four groups of twenty five. Each group will go with one of us. As your name is called out, go to your corresponding teacher. Once everyone is in their group, the testing will begin. Each group will have a different test, as to not warrant cheaters."

One brave soul risked raising a hand. Snape barely glanced in the boy's direction.

"What?" he barked.

"Um, what happens if we fail our test? Will we get to retake it?"

The three teachers behind Snape shared a pitying look. Snape's lips tightened to a small line.

"You will be expelled on the spot."

Shocked looks stared back at the man and silence rang loudly in their ears. The boy who asked the question gaped, his eyes wide.

"But-"

"Silence!" Snape growled, and the boy snapped his mouth shut with a whimper. He took out a roll of parchment from his sleeve. "I will begin the roll call. When I call your name, come stand next to me."

Harry shifted nervously as the names of those around him was called. The boy who lost his toad on the train--Neville, as Harry learned--was called, and he looked like he was going to pass out as he tripped towards the professor. Hermione's name was said, and she gave Harry and Ron a nervous look before stepping forward. She was number twenty-four. There was only one person left to be called for his group...

"Harry Potter!" Professor Snape snapped out.

Shakily, Harry walked to where the other students stood. He stood beside Hermione. Snape rolled up his parchment and turned towards the small group.

"Follow me."

Harry looked behind him to see the woman dressed in yellow beginning to roll out her parchment. He locked eyes with Ron, who mouthed "good luck" and stepped forward when his name was called.

Snape led them far away from the others, past a hut and a giant field that had huge hoops to the looming forest. Harry could hear things stomping inside. Howls and cries echoed out to them. Harry heard a deep growl to his right, and he shrank into Hermione. It certainly was a stark contrast to the happy-go-lucky air that was present at the boats and train. He suddenly wished he was back there.

Snape stood in front of them, nearly blending into the dark forest behind him.

"This year, it is my turn to use the forest for my test. You will have one hour, and if you can survive then you will have a chance of passing."

Harry's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

What?

Neville was shaking so much, Harry could clearly hear his teeth chattering from where he stood. Hermione stood rooted to the spot, eyes fixed on the man before them. Harry could see her gears turning in her head as she tried to process what he had just said.

"I will put you in five groups of five people. There will be a draw on which group goes first. Inside this forest I have placed a small, square maze. Inside that maze there will be a group of creatures that you must fight off. There will be no killing of course. Just stunning, if possible, although I highly doubt it."

His words did nothing to ease those students in front of him. Each looked about ready to bolt any second.

"Oh, for Salazar's sake!" Snape groaned once he saw the fear still imminent on their faces. "They're not deadly creatures. There won't be any werewolves or dragons, you dunces! The most dangerous thing in there is a Blast-Ended Skrewt! Merlin..."

Harry had no idea what a Blast-Ended Skrewt was, but it didn't sound pretty. Or safe, judging by the name, but the answer was enough to put at least a few of them at ease.

"You will be timed. You have twelve minutes for each group. That equals an hour. Each group will go in five minutes after the other. If you do not complete the maze within that time limit you will fail. There will be no arguments." He eyed them all darkly.

"This is a free-for-all. That means it's fend for yourself. If you want to risk your neck by helping someone else, then be my guest, but don't expect any bonus points. You may use whatever you have read in your books at home if you are able. At the end of the test I will judge you based on your performance. If it is up to my standard, you pass and you will continue on to the castle to be sorted. If you fail, then you must leave." His last sentence was spoken sharply, leaving no room for arguments or protests.

He waved his wand and a large glass bowl materialized in front of them. He reached in and pulled out a small slip of paper.

"Diggles, Granger, Potter, Smithe, and Longbottom, you will be group five. You will go last," he called out, and a large green five appeared on their robes. Harry nearly wept from relief. He wasn't going first. He got to watch, got to figure out what to do. Plus, he had Hermione. She seemed really smart. She would help a lot. She'd know exactly what to do...

Four more times names were called out. Harry gave a pitying glance to the group that was labelled one. They certainly didn't look happy about it. Once all the groups and orders had been named, Snape made the bowl disappear.

"On the count of three, group one will go first. One, two..."

BANG!

Group one jumped at the noise, but took it as their cue to go. Harry watched as one by one, they were swallowed by the inky darkness of the forest. He gulped, gripping his wand tighter in his hand. It was only a matter of time before he had to go. He stood beside the member of his group, watching, waiting...

+======+

Severus started the timer as soon as his wand let out the bang. The soon-to-be first years rushed into his maze. A magical screen blinked into existence in front of him and the small group that was left, allowing them to see inside the forest maze.

The first student came into view, followed by a small group of gnomes. Severus gave a small, almost pitying tsk. Alone, the gnome was practically harmless, but together, fueled by the other's excitement, they could easily be a problem, especially for one that didn't know much magic. A gnome ran behind the boy, nearly tripping him. He fell face-first into the invisible wall instead, and the students still outside gave a groan. It did look like it hurt. But that wasn't Severus' problem.

Another member of group one came into view. She took one look at the boy surrounded by garden gnomes and decided he wasn't worth her time. She dashed ahead, past the gnomes only to smack into a dead end. Severus could see blood smear on the invisible wall and the student grabbed at her newly broken nose. She held out a hand to steady herself and used it to guide her slowly out of the dead end.

A third student made it nearly to the middle, before he was dragged back by a swarm of Doxy's. He pulled and fought back, and even smacked one or two with his wand, but it only resulted in him getting bitten or his hair pulled. Certainly no progress being made.

After five minutes had passed, his alarm went off.

"Group two, go," he instructed, and they shot off like rockets. Hopefully this group would be better than the first.

+=====+

Harry watched on the monitor as groups two exited the maze and three finally made their ways on screen. Only one more left and then it would be him. He wasn't ready, not at all.

"Hermione, do you have any idea what to do?" he asked.

Hermione was studying the screen floating in front of them, her eyes darting between the students shown. One was banging against the invisible maze wall, surrounded by what looked like weird blue fairies. There was no sound, but Harry could tell he was screaming "Help me!" as the blue fairy things tugged at his hair and robes.

"So far, it seems that the creatures are only located in certain spots. Gnomes are at the very beginning of the maze, then it's the Doxys in the middle. Blast-Ended Skrewts and Bowtruckles are scattered randomly throughout the end. But then again, it seems the maze is constantly changing as each group goes in, so that may not be of help..." She continued to mutter underneath her breath, low enough to where Harry couldn't hear her.

Well that certainly helped him none. He continued to watch the screen, and the alarm went off again. He closed his eyes in dread as group four ran in. There was only five minutes left and then it would be his turn.

He couldn't do it. There was absolutely no way. He was going to fail, plain and simple as that. He didn't know magic. He certainly didn't know any way to get rid of those creatures. He didn't have time at the Dursleys to read or prepare.

Harry's heart skipped a beat. The Dursleys. Oh, God. If he failed, he would have to go back. They hated him enough as it was. If he had to go back, they would never let him hear the end of it. He would be ridiculed for the rest of his life. He couldn't even pass a test. What did that say about him?

His hand shook. He couldn't go back. He couldn't. His eyes blurred as he looked up at the screen. Someone was near the end of the maze. They were throwing sparks at a Blast-Ended Skrewt, but it kept advancing, it's odd, lobster-like tail going off in clouds of smoke. Facing up against a Skrewt certainly looked more appealing than dealing with the Dursleys. But if he didn't figure a plan soon, then it was definitely the Dursley route.
The sound of the alarm was muffled as it rang, his ears refusing to hear it.

"Group five, go."

Oh no.

The other members of his group rushed ahead, but Harry still stood there, rooted, frozen. Hermione looked back at him in worry, but with the time slowly ticking closer to the end, she had none to lose. She turned back reluctantly and continued into the maze.

"Potter, what are you doing?" Snape growled at him. "Do you want to fail? Or do you think you're too good for this maze? Go, you dunderhead!"

He barely heard the professor. The dark forest taunted him. He couldn't do it. There was absolutely no way. He was stuck. His body refused to move...

"GO!"

That snapped him out of his trance. He sprinted forward, his legs jittery and shaking, and Harry felt a sense of dread as he felt himself pass through the magical barrier. The leaves closed the opening behind him, trapping him in a tortuous maze and he knew then there was no turning back. Whatever came, whatever happened, he was going to have to deal with it.

Almost instantly, he was swarmed by gnomes. Their tiny little hands clung to his robe as he tried to wade his way through. He kicked one and it went sailing into a wall. He heard it's little squeal of pain as it collided.

"Get off of me, you little buggers!" he growled. He whacked one with his wand, and little sparks shot out. He waved his wand again, sending more out. They shrank away from the sparks, but soon, they began to get more courageous. They continued to advance, until Harry was surrounded at every turn.

"Harry, over here!"

Harry looked up from the gnomes to see Hermione slightly ahead, motioning her way, her wand spitting out short bursts of blue flames. One gnome ventured too close, and he ran away squeaking as his head caught on fire.

"How are you doing that?" Harry asked and he managed to get close.

"It's supposed to keep a constant flame going, but I don't have a great grasp of the spell yet," Hermione replied.

"It's good enough!" He reached forward, grabbing her hand and pushing it in front of them, catching another gnome on fire.

They rushed forward. Harry smacked into an invisible wall on more than one occasion, earning him broken glasses. Hermione kept her sputtering flame on constant, which drew away the gnomes.

"Ouch!" Harry yelled. His foot was knocked out from under him, and he went tumbling down. He spotted something green hopping quickly by, followed by a pair of frantic feet.

"Trevor!" he hear Neville call out. "Trevor come back here!"

Harry painfully sat up. "Trevor?!" he said incredulously. "Neville why is Trevor here? You should have left him with Hagrid!"

Neville spun around. "I forgot!" he hissed. "Help me catch him before he gets away!"

"Neville, we're supposed to be taking a test right now! Not playing hop scotch with a bloody toad!" Harry shouted.

"He's my pet! I can't lose him!" Neville pleaded.

"Ugh! Fine!" Harry groaned. "Hermione, you can go ahead. I'll stay and help Neville find Trevor."

"I'm going to help," Hermione said, which shocked Harry.

"What? Hermione, you're taking a test! At least one of us can pass. Just go! I'll find Trevor," Harry argued.

"No, I'm staying. I found him once, I'll find him again."

"What is wrong with you people?" Harry muttered under his breath, but didn't argue further.

"Here, Trevor, Trevor!" he called out, feeling ridiculously stupid. Oh, he was glad he was in the last group. He didn't know how he would feel if there were twenty or so kids watching him flail around for a freaking toad.

Something nipped at his ear, and he quickly spun around only to see nothing there.

"Neville, did you throw something?" he asked.

Neville gave him a confused look. "No. Why would I?"

Harry opened his mouth to answer when something caught his eye. Trevor was being lifted up by a large Doxy. His frantic ribbits caught Neville's attention, making him go into overdrive.

"Trevor!" he yelled and sped towards the blue fairy.

"Neville, no!" Harry shouted, but Neville didn't hear him. The brown-haired boy threw a rock at the Doxy and the sharp object smacked it square in the chest.

That was the wrong move.

The Doxy let out a loud earsplitting screech. Harry covered his ears and ducked to the ground. He could have sworn his ears were bleeding. A loud ringing began in his ears, and it slowly began to drown out the Doxy's screeches. Beside him, barely audible over the noises, Harry could hear crackling and the sounds of breaking glass as the invisible wall began to split. More and more Doxys appeared, each one screeching, each one louder than the one before it.

The wall Harry that was beside shattered, sending little wisps of magic in the air, and he could hear Hermione shriek. Harry dared to glance up. Doxys swarmed over them in a sea of blue, more coming into the maze now that a wall was down. The wall was beginning to mend itself back together, but it was too slow. Doxys of all sized flew in, one right after the other.

Harry felt multiple tiny little hands grab ahold of his robes, and Harry realized with a start that he was being lifted. He struggled against their clutches, but the fairies seemed to know what they were up against. Their hold tightened if anything, and Harry seriously hoped there wasn't a roof to the maze as he continued to sail higher and higher, or else he was in serious trouble.

"Hermione!" Harry yelled. "Help!"

Hermione looked up from her crouched position, and her face went white when she saw Harry steadily rising.

"Harry!" she screeched.

"Do something!"

She scrambled across the dirt, grasping frantically at blades of grass, searching for her wand where it had fallen. The stuttering blue flame extinguished when it left her hand, leaving them in total darkness save for the light illuminating from the moon and the faint lights still glowing between the trees from the castle.

She finally found it, holding it up with a small "Ah-ha!"

He could feel his hair begin to flatten, and his struggling increased. Shoot. There was a roof. Of course there was."Hermione!"

She mumbled something, swishing her wand high in the air and bringing it down with a flick of her wrist. Harry felt something tingle over his body, but nothing else happened.

"Wingardium Leviosa, Wingardium Leviosa..." she was saying over and over, continuing the wand movements. Nothing was happening. Why wasn't anything happening? Sweat began to pool at his nose, and it dripped to the ground low below.

These things are strong, Harry thought, kicking his feet against the constant tugging. His head was now slowly getting crushed. He could hear giggling from the Doxys as Harry winced. They didn't seem to be bothered by the roof.

"Wingardium Leviosa, Wingardium Leviosa, WinGARdium LeviOsa!"

The tingling sensation was back, but full force this time, covering Harry's entire body. He was taken from the Doxy's hold, floating down, down, away, feather light. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he grabbed Hermione roughly by the arm and sprinted as fast as he could, away from the little blue devils.

He spared a quick glance over his shoulder, past the brown bush that was Hermione's hair flowing as she ran. He could make out the tiny forms of the Doxys zooming towards them, anger very much apparent on their small faces. Harry quickly sped up his pace, and faintly he could hear thuds as Doxy after Doxy hit an invisible wall that shifted behind the duo. Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

His relief was very short-lasting however, as he realized he had absolutely no idea where they were going. He felt phantom hands--or was it branches?--snag at his robes, making him stumble in his steps. Hermione pushed him forward, shooting small blue flames everytime she thought she had seen a creature, illuminating their path in short, brief flashes.

They came to a screeching halt when Harry, literally, tackled into Neville, who had apparently went ahead while Harry and Hermione was dealing with the Doxys.

"Neville, what are you doing?" Harry groaned as he spat grass and dirt from his mouth. "Why were you just standing there?"

"I thought I saw Trevor go this way," Neville answered, brushing dirt from his arms.

"And the reason you were standing there like a doof was...?"

"There's something there. I can hear it." He pointed to the darkness in front of them with a shaking finger.

Harry had no idea what "it" was, but he certainly did not like the sound of it.

"The whole point of this test it to face creatures, Neville. Stopping because you heard a noise is a sure way to get yourself a failing grade," he snapped. Hermione shot him a look for his slightly hypocritical attitude, but Harry didn't care. He was already tired of the stupid maze with the stupid Doxys and stupid gnomes, and all he wanted was to get out with a passing grade so he wouldn't have to see the Dursleys for another nine months.

"I...I don't...I can't...," Neville stuttered.

"What about Trevor, Neville? You came all this way just for him. There's no reason you can't continue now. You don't have far to go. If all of us help, we will be through and still make it out in time," Hermione said.

Neville glanced at the two of them, uncertainty very evident in his face.

"If all of us work as the same time, we can make it," Hermione promised. That's exactly what Harry was thinking before he got attacked by the Doxys, and look how that turned out; but he didn't say that out loud. Instead, he gave a nod to Hermione and Neville and tightened his grip on his wand, hoping upon hope that his stream of sparks would be enough to drive away whatever creature was no doubt just feet away.

He gave a deep breath and said, "Hermione, can you shine some light?"

From the rustling, Harry had a slight inkling of what he would see, and sure enough, once the blue flames shone ahead, Harry's worst fears came true.

At least ten fully grown Blast-Ended Skrewts blocked their path, reaching from one end of their path to the other, each of their creepy spider legs twitching just inches from Harry and his friends. And right in the middle, looking as if he didn't have a care in the world as he hopped along, was Trevor. Harry could have killed that bloody frog.

Neville lurched forward, as if he was going to grab Trevor from the horde in front of them, when Hermione grabbed his arm back.

"No. He's hopping closer to the back of the group than the front," Hermione said. "We can try and sneak around them and grab him on our way out."

Harry couldn't see how they were going to sneak around them, but he kept his mouth shut and inched forward slowly, trying hard not to touch any of the squirming creatures.

He held his breath as he gently stepped over them, tiptoeing across the path. He accidentally bumped one, and it scurried forward a few inches, jumping into it's neighbor. He released a relieved sigh when the Skrewts did nothing.

The were halfway around now, Trevor just out of reach. Neville reached forward, stretching his fingers as far as he could, Hermione holding him back by his robes so he wouldn't fall into the Skrewt's way. He managed to snag the elusive toad, fingers brushing against the small, slimy body. Trevor gave a short ribbit of surprise as he found himself suddenly in the air and no longer planted on the ground.

"Gotcha!" Neville yelled triumphantly.

"Good, you got your toad. Now let's get out of here," Harry said.

Neville placed his pet in his pocket and took one step forward. A warbled squeal of pain made each of them stop in their tracks. They looked down, and by Hermione's stuttering light saw a foot planted firmly on one of the lobster like tails. Neville gulped, and slowly inched his foot off of the appendage.

As soon as the foot was off, the Skrewt attacked. They shrieked, and stumbled back, but not before a small torrent of flames singed their robes.

"Their attacking!" Hermione yelled, holding her wand in front of her, hoping the flames of her wand would be enough to draw them back.

Harry knocked one away from his arm by jabbing it repeatedly in the face with the butt of his wand. It fell to the ground and skittered around them. A blast of fire exploded from it's butt, propelling it forward.

They continued to swarm, creeping forward on their spindly legs. Harry was taking the brunt of the attack, having managed to slip his way between the monsters and the other two. Another blast of fire found its way to Harry's robes, and he flailed his arm madly around, hoping to put the fire out.

"Go!" Harry yelled at Hermione and Neville. "I'll hold them off! Hurry!"

Hermione kicked one in what appeared to be the face. Her hair flew wildly as she whipped her head around. "But, Harry!" she protested.

"I'll be right behind you! Just go!" Sweat poured into his eyes, blurring his vision.

Hermione gave one last look to Harry before shoving Neville ahead, away from the Blast-Ended Skrewts.

A few tried to follow his friends, but Harry blocked their path. He kicked and squirmed, making little headway through the blasts of flames that blinded him at every turn. He held out his wand.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he tried, swishing his wand the way he had seen Hermione do. The Skrewt that he was pointing at fle away a few inches, but otherwise the spell did nothing. He continued to fire the spell, only soaring a few away.

The largest Skrewt founds its way to the front of the pack, directly in front of Harry. It turned around, the tail held high, and Harry could see the beginning of a flame begin to come forth. Quickly, he did the only thing he could in those few seconds; he sent out a large wave of sparks.

That was the wrong thing to do. The flames caught hold of Harry's magic, sending them roaring directly to Harry. A large explosion flared in his vision, taking hold of his robes and arm. A large flash of pain engulfed him and he screamed.

Harry flew back from the blast, smacking against the invisible wall. His arm burned fiercely, and he could feel a trickle of blood flow down his head. His head pounded repeatedly, a ringing noise apparent in his ears, making him groan. He barely managed to get a good feel of the damage before his eyesight began to swim. Darkness tunneled his vision, and the last the he saw before it consumed him completely was a Skrewt, scurrying down the path towards the exit.

Snape's black boots came into view and he looked up. He was looking down his nose at Harry, a small sneer clearly visible even in the dark.

"Mr. Potter, what do you have to say for yourself?" his oily voice asked.

Harry's heart sank at the words. He didn't make it. He screwed up. He was heading back to the Dursleys after all. He took too long, and now he was in trouble. He looked behind him, and flinched as a Skrewt smacked into the wall nearest him.

"I don't-I...what?" Harry slurred, finally looking back at the professor.

Snape's sneer deepened. "Let's see...you broke my maze, you are the last one out of the maze--even that boy Longbottom made it out before you--and it seems you have lost your wand. Pitiful."

Harry could only pant as he stared at his professor, eyes beginning to swim and sweat falling down his chin.

"Accio Potter's wand!"

Harry's wand came sailing through the maze, clanking down right beside him on the grass. He didn't even bother to pick it up.

"You are lucky you are still here," Snape said lowly. "You made it out with barely a minute left." A clock blinked in front of him, showing Harry exactly that. "Your actions could have cost you a passing grade. Was it worth it?"

"The others made it, didn't they?" Harry managed to choke out. Tears of disappointment started to form, but he pushed them back. He didn't know if he failed or not. There was still a chance he made it. Slim, but still there.

"Not because of your actions. You were just another obstacle in their way," the man replied icily. Harry's breath stuttered.

"Get up and go with your other classmates to the healing area. You need to get that burn checked out before it gets more serious," Snape instructed.

Harry struggled to his feet, and he needed Snape's hand in order to keep his balance. Hair stuck to his forehead, and he blew it out of his vision as he looked up at the older man.

"Did I pass?" he dared to ask.

Snape was quiet for a long moment before turning away. "That is yet to be determined. Go to Madame Pomfrey and get healed. Your results will be announced later in the Great Hall."

Harry stood staring at the man's retreating back as he headed to the castle. He groaned as another spasm of pain shot through his arm and he gripped it tightly.

He managed to find his way to the front of the castle, where there were stretchers and portable beds scattered. Students took up nearly every one, and Harry spotted Ron sitting on the edge of one, a leg propped up on pillows. An elderly lady, who Harry could only assume was the Madame Pomfrey that Snape had mentioned, was bustling around the forty or so students, either waving her wand or giving them disgusting looking drink.

Harry hopped onto the bed beside Ron. "Hey," he said, and carefully moved his arm beside him.

"Hey yourself," Ron replied, wincing as he jostled his leg to look at Harry. He spotted Harry's torn sleeve and the burn that lay underneath it and hissed in a breath.

"How'd you get that?" he asked, motioning to it with his chin.

"Blast-Ended Skrewt," Harry said.

Ron pointed to his leg. "Tripped on a root."

Harry snickered, and Ron pouted.

"It was dark, give me a break!" he tried to explain, but Harry wouldn't let him hear the end of it. They sat giggling for a long while before they managed to bring themselves to stop. Slowly, the fear of passing or failing slipped from his mind. For now, he was happy. He was just having a normal conversation with his friend. There were no tests, no sorting, and definitely no Blast-Ended Skrewts.

"What did Professor Snape make you do?" Ron eventually asked.

"We had to fight creatures in a maze in the woods," he replied, shrugging like it was no big deal.

Ron's eyes nearly bugged out from his head. "What? Really? Sprout just had us locate different items while wading through the lake and "fight off" invisible air things that she conjured up. There were some real creatures, but it was mainly Flobberworm looking things, so they weren't that dangerous. Man, you certainly got the short-end of the stick."

Harry scoffed. "Tell me about it."

The red-headed boy looked around, making sure they weren't being watched. He leaned forward, closer to Harry's bed. "You want to hear something really messed up?" Ron asked, his voice low enough only to where Harry could hear it.

Harry, genuinely curious, raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"We have to do this every year."

Harry's eyes nearly bugged from his head. "What?!"

Ron nodded. "Yeah. I heard it from a kid in my group who has an older brother in Hogwarts. Apparently there's a test at the end of the year for second-years and up to take instead of their end of the year exams to see if they have memorized what they learned. I don't know if they get expelled or not like this one--they may just get held back--but I hear it gets harder and harder each year. They're doing it for the protection of the Wizarding world they say, so we will have people who are able to fight, but I just think the Ministry is a bunch of whack-jobs."

"The Ministry?"

"Oh, yeah. All of this is the Ministry's idea. You don't think Dumbledore would be insane enough to do this to students, do you? The Ministry is just fearful of another Dark Lord attack, so they're preparing us to fight just in case it does happen. You heard what Snape said before. There's still danger out there. Any one of them could turn into a Dark Lord, and that's what the Ministry is afraid of."

Harry whistled. "Wow. That really is messed up." And if I pass, then I'll have to do this over and over again. The thought made his head swim. But if he managed to pass this one, he was sure with training under his belt there would be no problem for the next ones.

"What about the students who are leaving?" he asked.

Ron shrugged. "The kid didn't say anything about them. But I think they have to take another one in order to graduate. Otherwise I think they just fail them and they have to re-do their final year. I think I may have heard Percy saying something about it to Mum. I just didn't understand what it was about then."

"What about us? What happens if we fail? We wasted all of our time with supplies and such, wouldn't it be a waste if we fail and have to throw them away?"

"I don't know. I think that we have to-"

Madame Pomfrey came around to Ron just then, who took a drink of what looked like discolored hot chocolate to Harry. It apparently tasted like it like it too, if Ron's grimace told him anything, but it did it's thing, because not twenty seconds later, Ron was up and leaning on his broken leg.

"It's fixed!" he shouted happily.

Madame Pomfrey gave a small smile at Ron's joy, then turned to Harry.

"Let me see what's wrong with you, dear," she said. Harry thought it was rather obvious by the tear on his sleeve and the blistering red on his arm, but he didn't say anything as she waved her wand and a list appeared before her.

"Oh, dear, oh dear. You have many injuries, Harry, did you know that? But most seem to be in the process of healing or are already healed, although a few will definitely need to be examined."

A thoughtful look passed her features, and she looked at Harry curiously. "How did you get these?" she asked.

Harry could feel his face turn white. "Um, I-uh...school bullies?" he replied, his answer sounding more like a question. There was absolutely no way he was going to divulge information about the Dursleys. Not here. Not in front of everyone.

She eyed him, no doubt hearing the lie for what it was. "In any case," she continued, brushing the subject away. Harry silently breathed a sigh of relief, but he knew the subject was far from being over. "Those will have to be looked at later if you pass. I'll definitely have to have a conversation with your Head of House. But it seems for now the main problem is with that nasty burn on your arm and that bump on your head."

"Blast-Ended Skrewts," Harry said. Madame Pomfrey nodded in understanding.

"Nasty things, they are. I have no idea why Severus even considered putting those in there. Fully grown, too! He knows the trouble they can cause," she muttered angrily.

She reached into her robe and brought out a jar. She spread the salve on his burn, and he flinched away from her touch, but instantly a wave of relief washed over him. His arm began to cool, and a pleasant tingling sensation took the place of the burning. Harry could feel himself relax, and he leaned back into the pillows.

"Oh, no dearie, don't relax just yet. I still need to do something about that nasty bump." She sat Harry up, and he followed her orders, albeit reluctantly. He felt too relaxed. Sleepy, almost. He had trouble staying up as she gently rubbed more cream over his head, and did something with her wand. The headache he didn't even know he had slowly went away along with the bump.

"Wow," he said, blinking. Madame Pomfrey gave a slight chuckle.

"Magic is a wonderful thing, isn't it?" she said.

"Oh, yeah." Harry gave a smile at her as she went on to the next student, but it fell as soon as she was out of sight.

It'll only be a great thing if I pass, he thought. But that was yet to be determined. His heartbeat slowly rose as he was faced with the realization that he could be back on the train within the next hour.

Someone ran into him, nearly knocking him down. "Oof! What the-"

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked, and Harry winced as his hearing went away for a few seconds.

"Hermione! What are you doing?" he asked, managing to get her off.

"Oh, you're okay!" she said, sounding relieved.

He brushed off his robes. "Yeah, now that Madame Pomfrey healed me. Where were you?"

She pointed to the entrance to the castle, where the rest of the first years were standing. "I've been waiting there for a good twenty minutes."

"Really?" he said, keeping up with her pace. "When did you get out of the maze?"

Hermione looked a bit sheepish as she answered. "Around five or so minutes before you. I realized you weren't behind me when I looked back, but it was too late and Professor Snape wouldn't let me go back and find you. So I had to go over there and wait. I'm so glad you made it," she said.

"I made it, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I passed. I barely made it out of there before the time ran out. I'm probably going to fail," he said sadly.

Hermione looked at him, incredulous. "Don't talk like that, Harry! You did great! If it wasn't for you stopping that Blast-Ended Skrewt, I or Neville wouldn't have made it out!"

Harry didn't mention it was Neville and his stupid toad that got them in the trouble with the skrewts in the first place. And the Doxys. Harry shuddered at the memory, but he kept quiet. He didn't want to get in an argument right then. Besides, he had more important things to worry about.

The large oak doors slowly opened and the four teachers walked out again. The stern woman walked forward, an air of authority surrounding her making even the other teachers take a step back.

"Before you step through these doors and find your results, I would just like to congratulate all of you. You all did your very best to complete the tests as quickly and efficiently as possible, so for that I give you all points. But there were a few who did not meet our expectations. Those names will be called out shortly. But for now, I would like to go ahead and give my normal welcoming speech," she said.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. My name is Professor McGonagall. For those of you that pass, this will become your new home for the next seven years. For others, you will have your chance next year to try again."

The boy who asked Snape the question earlier gave a sigh of relief. Judging by his reaction, Harry suspected he didn't do very well. Harry was silently relieved as well.

"Hogwarts is made up of four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. During these years here, these houses will become your family. You will have classes with the rest of your houses, sleep in your dormitory and spend your leisure time there. You will gain and lose points for your house and by the end of the year a winner will be announced. That winner will have the pleasure of receiving the House Cup. I hope each of you becomes a credit for whichever house you may belong to."

The three teachers behind her straightened, and Harry suspected they were the Heads of Houses.

"Once we walk through these doors, all eyes will be on you. The students have seen your progress through your tests as well and have had a hand in determining your grade, since they have all suffered through these trials time and time again through the beginning and end of their years and know what to expect. Do not be disappointed with your result. I expect all of you to behave in a timely manner. I want no disruptions. These test are for your own good and for the safety of Hogwarts and the Wizarding World. If you have a problem with your results, I suggest keeping your opinions to yourself. We have a few minutes before we must enter and while final points are being tallied up, so I suggest you make yourselves as presentable as possible." She eyed their torn, wet, and dirtied robes with distaste, although Harry didn't know why. It wasn't their fault they got dirtied up. They made the students take the tests.

Harry quickly brushed the dirt off his robes and tried to cover up his tear as best as possible. His glasses were a lost cause. They were cracked beyond belief and it was a miracle he was able to walk without knocking into things.

The other three teachers stayed in their spots while McGonagall went back inside. The stood like guard dogs in front of the door. Harry thought it wouldn't be too hard to knock down the short one, and he snickered slightly at the image.

Snape's head snapped up, almost as if he heard something. "Come along, now," he called. "The results have been finalized."

McGonagall appeared at the door again, and Harry followed his group as they were lead in the Great Hall.

"Is everyone ready?" she asked at the doors to the Great Hall.

About as ready as I'll ever be, he thought. This was it. This was the moment that would make or break him. He took in a huge breath of air and stepped through the doors.

He had no time to awe and admire the grand Great Hall as whispers and murmurs reached his ears and his eyes were drawn to the front. Four large screens like what Snape had made were floating in the air above each table, flashing and replaying each student's movements during their tests. Harry felt a bit uneasy seeing the replays. He saw himself being lifted up by Doxys in one of the screens and winced. Of course the whole school had to see.

All eyes were on them. The entire student body and the teachers were watching their reactions. Harry saw some place coins in other's hands, losing bets and winning some. Harry ducked his head down when he saw some point in his direction. A few snickers reached his ears.

Dumbledore was standing at the very end of the aisle. The four Heads of Houses went to either side of him, flanking the Headmaster.

"Congratulations on getting this far," he said, his voice booming over the hall. The four screens blinked out of existence, and the murmuring of the student body quieted.

"Now is the time that you will either become a member of the Hogwarts family and help us achieve greatness for the future..." His spectacles flashed as he looked at all of them, and he paused for effect. "Or you will leave."

Harry gulped. He felt like his heart was about to beat out of his chest.

"This is a new era for you. Be excited! You could help shape the future for the wizarding world!" He smiled warmly at them, as if he wasn't talking about them getting kicked out of school before they got a chance to start.

"Each of you have shown wit, bravery, loyalty, and cunning during your performances. That has all been taken into consideration as your group leaders and the student body has decided your results. I wish you all the best of luck."

He clapped his hands, and McGonagall brought a three legged stool with an old hat sitting on it to the front. That must have been the hat Hermione was talking about on the train, Harry thought.

"The teachers will call you out by groups once again," he continued. "One by one, you will be told if you pass or fail. If you pass, you will continue on to be sorted. If you fail, take your things and head back to the train. Let us begin."

McGonagall went first. She unrolled her parchment, standing in front of the hat.

"Draco Malfoy!"

The skinny blonde boy Harry had met in Diagon Alley stepped forward. He looked unafraid as he went to stand before his teacher.

"Upon closer examination of your performance that I have created, both I and the student body has decided that you, Draco Malfoy..." she looked at him from over her glasses, awaiting a reaction.

"...have passed. Congratulations. Your actions of cunning and wit had deemed you worthy to pass through and become a part of Hogwarts. You may now step forward and be sorted."

A smirk tugged on his lips as his results were announced. He went and sat on the stool and the hat was barely placed on his head before it screamed out Slytherin.

Harry's heart was beating faster and faster. The Slytherin table cheered as their new member strutted forward and sat down.

It seemed Malfoy was the only person from his group to pass. Everyone else gave out incredulous shouts as their failing grade was announced. One by one, more and more names were called out from each group, maybe twenty passing. By the time it came to Snape's turn, Harry was shaking in his boots. More than half his class had failed. It was only him and twenty four more people to go. He squared his shoulders and looked forward. He wasn't going to back down, no matter the results. He'll just have to deal with whatever Snape decided.

"Dilland Smithe," he called, and the boy from Harry's group walked forward.

"Upon further examination of your performance of the test that I have created, both I and the student body have decided that you have failed," he said.

"What!?" Dilland shouted. "But I was the first one done! I got through your stupid maze the quickest!"

Snape's cold glare did nothing to stop the errant boy from yelling and causing a ruckus.

"You have shown cowardice and lack of skill during your performance. You refused to put any skill you have learned from your books into action, and as such you have avoided your problems and ran away. Just because you were the first one done out of your group means nothing. Gather your things from the corner and head back to the train. Better luck next year. Maybe then you will show more maturity as well," he sneered. His voice dripped venom.

Smithe's face turned a deep red from anger. He stomped his foot, trying to crush Snape's toes underneath his boot.

Snape's eyes flashed in warning and he leaned forward. Harry could see some of the older students look at the boy with awe. Some were giggling behind their hands at his stupidity.

"I would suggest, Mr. Smithe, that you remove your foot, or I will be forced to remove it for you," Snape growled.

Smithe seemed to take the warning into consideration, because he slowly removed his foot, but his face continued to have it's deep red color. Harry suspected it was more from embarrassment than anger now.

Smithe twirled on his heels and stomped down the Great Hall. He grabbed the cage that held the orange cat that hissed at Hedwig and his trunk. The large door slammed loudly behind him. Snape straightened. He cleared his throat, and the air went back to the way it was as if nothing happened.

Neville, surprisingly, passed, along with Hermione, which surprised Harry none. Both went to Gryffindor for their bravery. Only twenty-one people were left. Five of them failed. Harry was shaking in his sneakers.

"Harry Potter."

Much like he had when Harry escaped the maze, Snape was looking down his nose at him as Harry made his way forward. He looked over the man's shoulder instead of looking him in the eye. He just couldn't look into those eyes. He knew what he would see, and his chest clenched.

No, don't think like that...You'll be okay...You'll be fine...Just wait...

"Upon closer evaluation of your performance of the test that I have created, I, along with the rest of the student body, have decided that you, Harry Potter, have..."

Harry gulped. It suddenly became harder and harder to breathe. His vision began to swim, and he barely heard when Snape announced his results.

"...passed my test. Congratulations, Mr. Potter."

Harry's eyes widened. He stared at Snape, incredulous. What? He passed? He could stay? Giddiness began to replace fear, and near hysterical laughter began to bubble up, but he quickly clamped it down.

"You have shown courage, wit, loyalty and perseverance during your test. Despite a few...hiccups...along the way, your actions of saving your fellow classmates and helping them in a time of need has granted you access and deemed you worthy--in the eyes of your older classmates--of becoming a student of Hogwarts and a hope for the future of Wizardkind. Congratulations. You may continue on to be sorted," he said. And was it Harry's imagination, or did Snape give a small half-smile as he nodded towards the stool? No, it couldn't be. He was seeing things.

His legs shook as he walked to the stool. He felt light-headed. He plopped down on the stool, nearly falling, as exhaustion washed over him and the nerves left.

The hat was placed on his head. A deep voice played in his ear, telling him of his accomplishments and those to come. He told him of his traits and where he should belong, and the place his family would bloom.

As the hat shouted out the name of his house, and as the students clapped and cheered as he made his way forward, he couldn't help but look behind him once more to Snape.

No, it wasn't his imagination. The half-smile was plain and clear as day. Harry sat down at his table, and finally, for once in his life, he felt like he belonged. No matter what happened next year, or the year after that, he knew with certainty that his journey was just beginning, and there were certainly more things in store, for the better or for the worst. And surprisingly, he was okay with that, even if the methods were messed up.