"Dudley Dursley!" The crowd grew silent as they anticipated the student emerging from the crowd, but it took another minute of processing before the boy was ready to emerge, giving Harry one more look of feigned confidence to hide his anxiousness. He puffed out his chest and plastered a confident but pleasant expression on his face before walking towards the stage. He felt eyes following him as he sat down on the old chair, and had the smelly hat placed on his head.

'Smelly?' He heard a voice come out of nowhere. 'I suppose you can't expect a hat to stay fresh for hundreds of years.'

"What?" He said aloud in response, yet it felt different to the voice speaking to him, almost like it was his own thoughts. It took him a while to realise it was the hat speaking to him, an absurd thought.

'Yes, child. Anyways, back on track... I see many different houses in you, yes...' It paused it seemed in thought, 'You are fiercely protective, and brave. You would do well in Gryffindor, yet it doesn't seem right.' Dudley nervously awaited the decision in silence. 'You can be a cunning and meticulous individual if you are given the opportunity, and I think this house will help you to achieve this-'

"Wha-" The boy started, "It must be SLYTHERIN!" The hat yelled, interrupting him. It didn't take long for the musty hat tk be removed from his head and for him to be gently pushed in the direction of the table who were clapping loudly for him. He glanced once more back at Harry, offering a small nod before walking towards the seat on the table which had been cleared for him.

Many more students were called upon and like clockwork, Dudley clapped for everyone after they were announced, and one kid in particular strutted over to a seat near himself with confidence after being announced part of Slytherin House.
"Draco Malfoy, pleasure to meet you all." He went around shaking everyone's hand until he reached Dudley, tilted his head in confusion for a moment before sticking out his hand for him to shake. "First year too?" He asked. Dudley nodded, taking the hand and shaking it quickly as he heard Harry's name being called out, though it didn't seem to matter as Draco also seemed curious.

"Harry Potter!" Harry was almost shaking by the time his name was called, the blood rushing in his ears masking the sound of gasps from around the room. He ignored everyone around him, not noticing their gobsmacked faces, and quickly approached the seat hoping to get this over with quickly and join Dudley over in Slytherin. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like the universe was on his side today.
'Harry Potter, an interesting young mind indeed. Slytherin eh? That could be swell, but... it seems you need to learn some independence, and some bravery. You need to become one in your own.' He didn't even attempt to interrupt the monologue, but didn't like how the Hat was speaking, surely he would be placed with Dudley?

"GRYFFINDOR!" The sound echoed in his ears, masking his devastation for only a few moments. The roar of the crowd was distracting, all he wanted to do was go sit next to his brother. He stood up from his seat, Professor McGonagall stood nearby. He walked quickly towards Dudley, noticing all the seats next to him were taken, the other boy looked as lost as Harry felt, and he slowed when he almost reached the table he was sat.

"Mr Potter, Gryffindor is over there." Professor McGonagall said, guiding him towards the faces of the smiling Gryffindors and away from his family. The Weasley's welcoming him next to them in an act of twisted fate from the universe. He was sure his face looked like thunder as he sat in a seat which allowed him to overlook the Slytherin table.

On the other hand, and older and significantly more greasy man seemed stunned in his seat, though his face failed to show any kind of emotion. There was simply no way he had managed to overlook the fact that the small child in Duagon Alley was in face Harry Potter and not some random first year. It made sense why he recognised the Dursley boy, since he had been informed that Harry Potter had been placed with a Vernon and Petunia Dursley as a small baby; yet Severus had failed to discover that this year was the year that Harry Potter himself was joining Hogwarts this year. Severus rubbed his temple and closed his eyes with a long sigh, knowing this year would be a long year.