Heroes at Hogwarts

five | exchange students and houses

harry

"Whoa, whoa!" A voice beneath Harry called out. There was someone laying spread-eagle underneath Harry...who was sitting on the boy's back.

"Sorry!" Harry stood as quick as he could, but only managed to smack into someone else trying to help him up, and fall right back down onto the boy. "Sorry," he mumbled again.

"Potter, what are you doing?" McGonagall was standing among the group Harry had crashed into. "What's the rush?"

"Sorry, Professor. Um, quidditch, that's right, and I'm trying to find Hermione to let her known we'll be gone," he told her. 

McGonagall raised her eyebrow, but didn't mention the fright in Harry's voice, if she'd caught it.

"Here, let me help." A girl Harry hadn't seen before was standing next to his professor, her hand outstretched. Harry took it gratefully and hoisted himself up. She then turned to the boy on the floor and pulled him up also.

He rubbed his back, and Harry winced. "Sorry about that."

"Do people usually come barreling down the staircase around here?" He asked, looking up the large staircase.

Harry blushed. "No. I was clumsy." He turned to the professor, but realized McGonagall wasn't the only one around. Dumbledore, Sprout, and Snape were standing among a crowd of five kids Harry had never seen before, all holding small bundles of school uniforms and colored ties. Four boys and a girl were looking at Harry with curiosity, like they expected him to do something extravagant. He'd gotten used to people looking at him like that. Ever since he came to the wizarding world, the folk he saw in the streets would stare like he'd taken Voldemort out as a one year old that slept through the whole thing. 

"So...you're all new?" He asked, turning to the professors for an explanation. People didn't just move in once the year started, and certainly never as sixth years. These kids had to be at least his age.

He got his explanation from the blonde boy standing on the outside of the group. "We're exchange students, from America."

"I was about to come looking for you, anyway, Harry. I was wondering if you could show them around?" Dumbledore gestured around the school. "There is just so much to see, and we professors have all got things to do."

Harry nodded, "Sure, Professor," but he regarded the green tie in the black haired boy's bundle with hesitation. "That's alright."

"I thought you had quidditch?" Snape droned out. He stared blankly at Harry.

Harry shrugged. "There's always time for quidditch. I can tell Ron and Ginny I'll meet them another time."

"It's settled then!" Sprout patted Harry on the back. "Thank you, Potter, I think I'll head back to the greenhouses, Dumbledore."

Harry just nodded at the kind woman and turned to the others, only to see five people eyeing him with interest and the fleeting backs of three professors.

"Um, hi, I'm Harry Potter," he said. The look of interest didn't die down, but there wasn't a flicker of recognition in their eyes. Harry smiled. American exchange students that didn't expect him to take down Voldemort and meet them for tea afterwards like everyone else? He could get used to their company. "And I'm a Gryffindor."

"Hazel Levesque." The girl smiled. She had dark skin and even darker hair and reminded Harry immensely of Hermione, but this girl had a storm in her eyes and she regarded Harry with suspicion, contrary to the bright smile she wore. "I'm a Hufflepuff, so is Will."