Harry Potter:Flashforward

As agreed, the next morning the three - instead of moving to their right upon entering the Great Hall and sitting at the Gryffindor table - moved to their left and made their way across to sit at the Slytherin table. Most Slytherins watched them come with no small measure of curiosity. Only a small few looked at them with some level of malice.

Seeing her friend, Tracey, had already arrived; Daphne hurried over and gave her friend a hug with both girls making a bit of a squee sound. Once they broke apart, Daphne indicated a few vacant spots to sit opposite. And Harry and Hermione took seat.

Most Slytherins were simply surprised when the three sat down; but, held their tongues. It was only Malfoy who spouted off.

"What do you think you're doing, Potter?" he half-snarled.

"I think I'm sitting down about to partake in breaking my fast, Malfoy," Harry calmly replied. "Why? What did you think I was doing?"

"This isn't your table!" the blonde haired boy shot back.

"Au contraire, Malfoy. Due to the bond, this table most certainly is my table; just as it is Miss Granger's and Miss Greengrass's," Harry disagreed. Harry gave a quite pointed look at the other boy and said, "The law is quite clear on this."

Before Malfoy could verbally retaliate, Daphne cut in and said, "Did you know Harry was supposed to be in Slytherin, Malfoy?"

Surprised, the boy replied, "No. So, why isn't he, then?"

"Because of your attitude on that very first day, Malfoy," replied Harry. "If you hadn't behaved the way you did towards me, I would have been a Slytherin. I begged the hat not to put me in Slytherin... when it said it was going to... just because you were placed in it. That's why my sorting took so long."

That earned the boy quite a few scathing looks from his housemates, especially those in the upper years who overheard. It was a pity he never noticed.

"You? A Slytherin?" he sneered. "Dumbledore's golden boy?"

"Yes; me," replied Harry, serving himself a breakfast. "If you'd had a surname that came after Potter... such as, I don't know, Spungen or something... then I'd not have argued with the Hat, and we'd have ended up dorm mates."

Harry had the attention of many of those at the table within hearing distance, by then. "But, I must say, I'm actually quite surprised you weren't sorted into Gryffindor; or, possibly, Hufflepuff."

"And why is that?" the boy sneered.

"Your flat-out, unwavering loyalty to your father... clearly demonstrated when you often say, 'When my father hears about this'... clearly demonstrates strong Hufflepuff traits of commitment to family. And the fact you can't help yourself, at times, in coming over to the Gryffindor table and spouting off without, apparently, thinking about what it is you're doing, screams Gryffindor courage and a penchant for leaping in with both feet before thinking things through.

"Really, Mister Malfoy; even after three years you still haven't figured out you're being both brash and just a little foolhardy in doing so? How many times have you done that and found yourself losing points for your House and serving detention? How much worse would things have been if your godfather, Professor Snape, wasn't there to bail you out of trouble? It's clearly a failed strategy; yet, you keep doing it. That does not a Slytherin make. Nope; that's a Gryffindor."

Harry could see quite a few of those who were sitting at the table, not saying a word, and looking between themselves. He was making them think about it. Even Crabbe and Goyle were looking at each other and thinking. Malfoy, though, was looking furious. Harry wondered when 'Mount Malfoy' was going to erupt.

"And what would you know of it, Potter?" the blonde snarled.

"I told you, I was supposed to have been sorted into Slytherin," Harry replied almost off-handedly. "I used my cunning to pay attention. I listened, and learned; before I acted. How else do you think I was able to find the Chamber of Secrets? The only time I don't do that, is when you come over and attempt to goad a response out of me. And I'm smart enough to recognise that's a failure on my part; my temper.

"However, I know it's a weakness with my character. I accept it. But, I plan on doing better regarding that this year. Part of that was unloading myself of the baggage that is Ron Weasley." Indicating Hermione and Daphne, he continued, "These lovely ladies, I have no doubt, are more than willing to smack me about if I don't learn to deal with it."

Daphne snorted. "You've got that right."

"But, I am smart enough to listen," Harry smiled back.

Surprisingly, though he sat there fuming, Malfoy didn't retaliate.

"Take a look around you at your housemates, Malfoy. They're listening in and not saying a word," Harry continued. "They're being cunning in gathering information without offering any of their own. They're learning at no cost to them. That's being Slytherin."

"And what do you get out of it?" he sneered.

Harry smiled. "I get your whole house to start thinking differently about me. I've got them all wondering whether or not I really am Dumbledore's 'Golden Boy', as you put it. Or, is it all an act? I've got them all wondering about whether or not you, on that first day, cost them having Harry Potter in their House. And, by the way I'm talking, I'm demonstrating just how cunning I can be; which, in turn, demonstrates how much of a Slytherin I actually am. I'm disproving previously held misconceptions about myself.

"And, finally, I'm using your Gryffindor'ish penchant to jump in and spout off as my personal foil to pass that information to them. Really, I thought it was quite a Slytherin thing to do. Don't you agree?"

Malfoy finally figured out that shutting up was the wisest course of action he could take, and refused to respond any further. And Harry returned to his breakfast.

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