Comfortable
I haven't written fanfiction for a while and decided to start again. Not with my previous story, that ship has sailed. This story is about Harry Potter feeling uncomfortable in his own skin, and took the steps to become comfortable. Gender Altered Harry. Dumbledore Bashing. Eventual Harry/{Secret}.
Chapter 1
The sun rose over the neatly trimmed hedges of Privet Drive. Lighting up the brass numbers mounted on the walls. One could argue that this neighbourhood was as normal as any other and on the surface it would appear that way. However if you would glance into 4 Privet Drive, you could see how wrong the initial statement was.
It was the mantle piece that hid the truth so well. More than decade worth of pictures and all portrayed a growing fat baby. It started with different coloured bonnets on the round boy and escalated to a blonde boy beating his father in a video game. Oh the joys of a modern family right? Wrong! In this house there were no signs of the other occupant, the starving boy under the stairs.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The boy woke suddenly from the tapping on his door.
"Get up!" a shrill voice demanded.
The boy felt around for his glasses. He found them on the side of the blankets and pushed them onto his face. Groaning he pushed himself up from the ground and made sure his shirt was tidy. With a sigh he pulled his pants up and exited the cupboard under the stairs before his aunt could rap on the door again.
"Tend the bacon and don't you dare let it burn, or you won't have meals for another week." The voice was threatening.
"I won't let it burn Aunt Petunia." The boy said in his softest voice as he let the bacon sizzle, his stomach growling in protest.
There were two sets of thunderous footsteps coming down the stairs just as the boy placed the bacon on the plates. Aunt Petunia pointed to the one corner and the boy obediently followed. He spared a look at the cat bowl before he sat down, it was empty.
The boy closed his eyes and thought long and hard to try and get his mind off food. A shuffle of footsteps alerted the boy that someone was approaching. He looked down and braced for anything. Nothing came thankfully, until:
"Eat!" the boy opened his eyes and saw the scraps from the table in the cat bowl next to him.
"Thank you Aunt Petunia." The boy said before picking up a crust and slow began eating it. He chewed slowly trying to fool his stomach into thinking there was more than four crusts.
"Clean the kitchen and take Dudley's gifts to his room. When your done go to your cupboard." Aunt Petunia demanded.
The boy was done in just under twenty minutes and the bolts were fastened on his cupboard. A few minutes later the doorbell rang. The person on the other side did not know the boy existed. No one outside the house did in fact.
The boy silently crying over his empty stomach, locked in the cupboard under the stairs, is Harry Potter, the only person known to have survived the killing curse and know throughout the hidden magical world as The-boy-who-lived, only he does not know his own name, nor his status.
It was Dudley's birthday. That meant that The Dursleys would be out of the house for most of the day. The bolt on the cupboard opened and two cat bowls were pushed inside, one with stale bread, a surprise, the other with tap water. Harry thanked his aunt and listened to the door being locked.
Like most other times Harry sat there on the blankets staring at the door wishing his life was different, more comfortable. Harry pulled of his pants. He knew the source of his discomfort wasn't the clothing, it was his own skin, shrugging the pants helped, even if it was only a little.
Like so many times before, Harry was forgotten in the cupboard for a few days. Luckily he didn't eat all the stale bread at once. It was the start of the summer holidays and Dudley was out of the house with his friends. Aunt Petunia escorted Harry to the kitchen where there was a towel where his bowls usually was, and a bucket. It was time for his yearly bath.
Harry stripped down and knelt next to the bucket, waiting for his aunt to get the stool ready. She poured some of the scolding hot water over Harry's long hair and using a fowl smelling bar of soap she started washing the grime and dirt out. If one saw Harry outside of the cupboard his hair would've appeared black. However after the thorough cleaning one could clearly see it was dark red.
While Harry's hair was still wet, Aunt Petunia took a knife and cut a length away. She knew better then to cut it off, or even in a boy's style. It always grew back to the way it was, Lily's hair mocking her through her son.
More scolding water was poured over Harry's body and he was scrubbed raw from head to toe with the toilet brush. A year's worth of grime and dirt leaving his pale skin and rinsed of with the rest of the scolding water. Harry was dried and shoved back into the cupboard. A new set of Dudley's old clothed was thrown in after him.
Neither of them saw the yellowish parchment that flew into the cupboard. Harry only saw it when he pulled the shirt on over his head. The letter was clearly addressed to him. Harry often wondered how he was able to read and understand. There weren't any books in the cupboard. The letter read:
Mr. H. Potter
The Cupboard under the Stairs
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
Harry flipped the letter over and traced his finger over the Coat of Arms before snapping it open. With bated breath he began to read the message:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Was this a joke? Harry couldn't tell but he really wished that it wasn't. Harry sat pondering the letter until the cold of night washed over him. Pulling up a one of the blankets and wrapping it around him, Harry made the final decision. He got up and snuck out of the house, after pulling all his clothes on. He found an owl and smiled, he used some grease from the cupboard's hinges to write the message:
Thank you for the offer and I honestly hope that this isn't a joke so I accept. I won't be in the cupboard anymore. I'm walking to London tonight.
Giving the owl the letter Harry started walking to the outside of the town. From there he'll figure out how to get to London. The owl took of and Harry braved the darkness.
It was morning when Harry fall over, his strength failed due to his malnutrition. He barely registered the hands picking him up and the feeling of being squeezed through a narrow tube. When Harry's eyes opened he was met by a white ceiling. Was this heaven? No heaven wouldn't smell this odd, this must be some place else, maybe Hogwarts?
"Son, don't move." Harry was suddenly wide a wake and panicking, but he still obeyed. "That was a stupid thing you did, trying to walk to London while you were starving."
"W-where am I now?" Harry was scared.
"St. Mungo's Hospital," The person said. "You were lucky that you passed out in front of my home. We were able to bring you here."
"A-am I in trouble," Harry asked again. The man smiled sadly.
"No, you are not in trouble, not from me. I assume you received your Hogwarts letter not to long ago." Harry nodded. "Then it is safe for me to say this. Your magic is the only thing keeping you alive."
"I… I don't understand sir." Harry said confused.
"Ah yes. I apologize, my name is Ted Tonks. I am a wizard. My wife and I brought you here. No one else knows you're here by the way, mostly because I don't know who to contact."
"I… I ran away sir." Harry looked down. "When I got my letter." Harry said then whispered very softly. "Aunt Petunia would hurt me again if she knew."
Ted pretended not to hear the whisper. A healer walked in and politely asked Ted Tonks to leave. The idea made Harry visibly relax. Something Ted instantly noticed. It did hurt him a bit, but he understood. Harry was little more than a pet in the house he lived in. He didn't need Legilimency to see the evidence. Maybe he could get Dora to visit Harry.
Harry sat in the hospital bed smiling from ear to ear. It had been a week since he was taken to St. Mungo's and his malnourishment had slowly been cured. This morning he received a letter that someone would meet with him to do his shopping. It he also figured out what his name was and that today was his birthday. Not even the uncomfortable clothes could get his mood down.
"Are you ready Mr. Potter?" Harry squirmed but nodded enthusiastically.
As they left the magical hospital, Harry was surprised it was in a shopping complex. The stern witch next to him was the Deputy Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall. Harry tried not to look at the pretty dresses as he passed them, but he found himself staring quite a few times, so did Minerva McGonagall. Her face may be stoic, but her heart was breaking for the young boy.
It was a pleasant walk to the dinky pub that appeared out of nowhere. McGonagall decline an offered drink and lead Harry out back. She counted some bricks before tapping a stone with her wand. Harry frowned wondering if couldn't she see the light on the brick?
Minerva McGonagall led Harry down the road to a tall white building. There they proceeded to a free counter and waited for the creature to acknowledge them. After checking the key, he called out for another called Griphook.
Griphook took them through the doors and whistled for a cart. The ride was more than Harry could handle. It didn't make him sick, no, it was pure pleasure he felt. They reached their destination. Griphook got out and placed the key into the fault. The door opened and smoke dissipated. Griphook said that only goblins could open the doors safely, so Harry assumed that these creatures were goblins.
Griphook handed Harry a pouch, the symbols on the sides glowing like the brick. And then Harry saw it. Inside the vault there were stacks of bronze coins, heaps of silver coins and mountains of golden coins. Harry originally just wanted to fill the bag but the coins kept falling and falling, always full but always empty.
"Mr. Potter the bag has an untraceable extension rune array on it. You could load all the Galleons, Sickles and Knuts in here and still have place left." Minerva McGonagall said with mild amusement. Harry blushed as red as his hair at this.
"Sorry ma'am, I'm still knew to magic, I didn't know." Harry pulled the strings of the pouch tight and put it in his pocket.
Just as they reached the cart Harry swore he saw a giant swoop past them. On the ride back Minerva McGonagall explained how the wizarding currency worked and how the exchange rate worked. When they exited Gringott's Harry had 500 Galleons, 200 Sickles and 50 Knuts to his name. He also had some muggle money, £ 1000.
Minerva McGonagall led Harry through Diagon Ally, purposely avoiding the robe shop, saving it for last, she had a theory she wanted to test. They got all of his supplies and a generous helping of potions ingredients, before they made their way to Ollivander's Wand Shop.
Harry was ushered into the shop first a small bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop. Harry noticed that the bell only rang for him. He assumed that it was because he didn't have a wand yet.
"Ah yes, the young Potter finally." Mr. Ollivander said in greeting. "It is odd, you look almost exactly like your mother, save for the eyesight I suppose. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. 10 ¼ inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."
"I didn't know that sir." Harry said looking down.
"Not to worry. I doubt you would know that, seeing their untimely demise. Now your father was tricky in the end he settled on a mahogany wand, 11 inches, pliable, a little more power and excellent for trans figuration. Well I say your father settled, but it is actually the other way around. You see, the wand chooses you."
"The wand chooses me? I don't understand sir." Harry asked not liking the silver eyes staring into his soul.
"The nasty scar on your stomach was made by another wand I sold. I am quite sorry to say that, 13 ½ inches, yew, a powerful wand, very powerful." Harry was backing away now. "But enough of an old fool's reminisce, could you hold up your wand arm please."
Harry wasn't sure what that meant and just lifted one of his arms. A small tape measure began swirling around him, measuring very odd angles and combos until Mr. Ollivander gave the word.
He brought a box to Harry and handed him the wand. Nothing happened and Harry couldn't see the magic in the wood tuned to him. Mr. Ollivander pulled the wand back instantly. This continued for about an hour with no luck.
"I wonder," Mr. Ollivander said pulling a wand from the shelf Harry could see the magic burning on it, but it felt evil.
"Not that one sir. It feels harmful." This caused the unblinking man to blink, "Most curious."
"Sorry sir?"
"I once met an old man who was able to see and sense magic. He enchanted my eyes to allow me to see the best combination for wand cores and woods. Would you like to come to the back and choose the wand, one that feels right?"
Harry hesitated but eventually walked around the counter and climbed the ladder to the one wand that he had his eye on since he walked into the shop. He pulled down the box and handed it to Mr. Ollivander. The old man checked the wand and gently pulled it out handing it to Harry.
"Oh Bravo," Mr. Ollivander said as the wand glowed with magic and released a conjured bird. You must be the first since Morgan Pendragon to choose a compatible wand. It is curious however that your wand is exactly like your mother's. This wand was made from the same tree and the same hippogriff."
They left the shop 7G lighter but Harry was smiling. His wand was exactly like his mother's. He was exactly like his mother except for that one thing. Harry unconsciously felt his pouch he should have enough. Minerva McGonagall sat them down for a light lunch, as per the Healer's order, at the ice cream parlor.
After lunch they made their way to Madam Malkin's robe shop. Minerva McGonagall kept an eye on young Harry's reaction to the shop. She saw his face twist in the male section so she called him over. She was looking at a set of new robes for herself. Harry's face relaxed, but he was trying not to look at the other clothes in the female section. Madam Malkin approached them. After sending Harry to the back, Minerva McGonagall held Madam Malkin back.
"He is uncomfortable being a boy." She said in a low whisper. "I am going to talk to the St. Mungo's healers and see when we can administer the potion. He needs female clothing."
"Highly unorthodox, but I will be discreet. Is it going to be a full wardrobe or just a few sets of robes?" Madam Malkin asked.
"Just the robes, I'll take him to muggle London for the rest."
Madam Malkin measured Harry before she took one of the Hogwarts robes and threw it over his head. She pinned it as she would any other first year girl's not that Harry would know the difference judging by his current clothes. After magically altering the clothes and enchanting them she placed it in a trunk that could be shrunk by a tap of a wand. She hid the other feminine clothing for Hogwarts under the robes.
As they left The Leaky Cauldron, Minerva McGonagall didn't return Harry to St. Mungo's directly. They walked through the shopping complex and covertly she pulled down some girl's clothing from the shelves. Harry was far too busy enjoying the clothing isles to notice.
They returned to the abandoned store and walked through the enchanted entrance and straight to the recovery room Harry would still be in for the next month until Minerva McGonagall would escort him to and onto the platform. She called the healer while Harry got on the bed to take the malnourishment potions.
"Have you noticed something odd with young Mr. Potter?" She asked the healer. The healer gave her a knowing look.
"She had asked us the question already." The healer said. "As such we couldn't do administer the potion before she had her wand. The wand, as you know, brings out the magical potential for stronger potions."
"Very well, I have bought Mr. Potter some clothing." Minerva McGonagall said. She turned to Harry. "I will be here at the end of the month, 9am sharp."
"Farewell Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, ma'am, and thank you for today."
"You may refer to me as Aunt Minerva, or if that is too informal for you, Prof. McGonagall. My full title is such a mouthful." Prof. McGonagall smiled. "See you soon, Miss Potter."
Harry sat in the dark room watching the Mediwitch brew the potion he would soon take. The potion's Polyjuice base was ready in a few weeks. Harry was not allowed to watch them make that part, but the last three ingredients were to be added just before his own hairs were.
The ingredients to make the spell permanent were very rare. Harry gave them 80G to purchase them which earned him the right to see them added to the mix. The ingredients were: Chimaera fang 30G each; Dragon egg shell 20G and lastly a Manticore sting 30G.
The bubbling muddy potion turned bright silver before the Mediwitch asked Harry to pluck a few of his hairs. She added the hairs and the potion turned the same red as his hair. The Mediwitch poured all the liquid into a bottle which cooled it instantly.
"Now you'll have to drink the potion all at once." The Mediwitch said. "I have never brewed the potion myself but I heard that it tastes rather nice, like a honey version of the person, unlike Polyjuice which tastes like a muddy version of the person."
"Um, how shouldn't there be some girl's hair in the potion?" Harry asked interested.
"Oh no." the Mediwitch laughed. "You see the Chimaera fang is used to determine your gender and you don't want to look like someone else, only a girl version of yourself." Harry nodded to that logic and drunk the potion as fast as he could.
There was a tickle sensation over his body. This was followed by heat lots of heat. Harry's body burst into flames, yet even as his skin and organs melted from his body, he only felt warm. There was a crack as Harry's ribs fell and turned into dust, a new set forming in its place. The rest of Harry's skeleton shifted slightly before his muscles, organs and skin grew again.
Physically Harry didn't look very different than before, maybe a little softer? It was just one more day and then Harry would be off to Hogwarts for the next couple of months. The Mediwitch handed Harry his, no her, new clothes and escorted her to the observation room. They had to make sure the spell didn't to any damage. Harry, or rather Harriet-not-yet-shortened, slept comfortable for the first time in forever, that night.
The next morning Harriet woke up early and stuffed the last of her possessions into her trunk and for the first time tapped her wand on the trunk. She felt a tug at her magic and saw a glow on the runes that shrunk the trunk.
The Mediwitch that helped with the potion checked up on her and cleared her. Harriet was then led to her primary healer and after a quick scan, she was released. Harriet waited in the hospital lobby for Prof. McGonagall.
"You look lovely, Harry." Prof. McGonagall commented as she arrived exactly on time. "I do need to warn you though many people believe you are the boy-who-lived. St. Mungo's corrected your certificates, but was still stories for the last decade."
"I don't want to be called Harry anymore." Harriet said firmly. "I was thinking of maybe Hattie, no Yetty."
"As I recall a conversation with your mother at one time, she wanted to name her daughter Petunia." Yetty pulled a sour face. Prof. McGonagall gave a smile. "I thought so, I believe your second name was changed to Lily?" Yetty nodded.
They left St. Mungo's and headed towards the Kings Cross station. There they met with a few other families. Yetty guessed they were muggle-born. Yetty stood next to a bushy haired girl and listened intently to Prof. McGonagall.
"Now, since you are all new to the wizarding world, you should know that not everything is always as they seem. This wall for example, it is solid to non-magical folk, but a witch or wizard's aura makes it insubstantial, allowing you to pass through. Any questions?" the bushy haired girl's hand shot up. "Yes Ms. Granger?"
"I was just wondering, if a non-magical holds onto a witch or wizard, will they be able to pass through?" Ms. Granger asked, her voice sounding bossy.
"A good question, very well thought out. The answer unfortunately is no. A magical Aura, no matter how strong, cannot penetrate a non-magical." Yetty's hand shot up next.
"Yes Ms. Potter?" Prof. McGonagall nodded towards the boy-turned-girl.
"Does it use the same runes as St. Mungo's?" Yetty asked.
"St. Mungo's has similar magic, but not the same a non-magical can enter without the aid of a witch or wizard." Prof. McGonagall looked over the assembled people then sighed.
"There are two words that would most likely pop up during your time at Hogwarts one I should hope more than the other. These words are 'Muggle' and 'Mudblood'. Now the word 'Muggle' was popularized by the great wizard Merlin. The term means outsider, in the wizarding world we use it for non-magical people. 'Mudblood' is a very foul word for someone with non-magical parents, it basically means dirty-blood." Ms. Granger's hand shot up again. Prof. McGonagall nodded in reply.
"How can a non-magical have a magical child?"
"A very interesting question, but we can merely speculate. You see there are 'Squibs', a child born to two magical people, who is born without magic. We believe that muggle-born children come from them, generations later, but this ancestry cannot be tested.
"Now I want each of you to bit your parents a farewell and walk straight at this wall between platforms 9 and 10. I will meet you all on the other side once I lifted the notice-me-not charms."
Yetty didn't have anyone to greet she stood to one side. She wanted to go last, to thank Prof. McGonagall.
"Hello, where is your trunk?" Yetty turned to the sound of the voice. It was the bushy haired girl.
"Hi, I got a runed trunk, it is in my pocket."
"Neat, I'm Hermione Granger, what's your name?"
"Harriet Potter, but I prefer Yetty, nice to meet you."
"That's odd. Are you a non-magical, I mean a muggle-born?"
"No, my parents were both magical. I was raised by my muggle family." Yetty looked at the confusion on Hermione's face trying to link the dots. "Yes, I am the Harry Potter. My full names are Harriet Lily Potter. I don't know why my parents shortened my name to Harry though, as it's not very girly. I guess the wizarding world went wild when they started calling me the-boy-who-lived."
"Yes, I can see the assumption. Would you like to go onto the platform with me, my parents are dentists you see and they could only drop me and help me get my trunk and everything down." Hermione smiled.
They made their way to the wall when Yetty stepped aside to thank Prof. McGonagall. They made their way onto the platform, waiting for the others to show up. The Hogwarts Express was a beautiful scarlet train. There weren't any people on the platform yet so the two girls had free reign on which compartment to pick. They chose the very last and would walk there as soon as Prof. McGonagall excused them.
"Gather around," Prof. McGonagall said when she got on the platform. "This is the Hogwarts Express. It is a magical train like a few others, it is always stationed on platform 9 ¾, except when it is moving to and from Hogwarts when school starts and ends. There is another magical platform for long-distance travels between magical villages. It is located on Platform 7 ½, it is the only other magical train approved by the Ministry of Magic. As soon as the Aurors, magical police, arrive I will be taking my leave. As Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts I have some things to do. However I will be meeting you at Hogwarts for the sorting ceremony. Once on the train you are free to use magic. Also upon reaching Hogwarts you should all be in your robes. It is essential in the sorting ceremony."
McGonagall just finished her speech when there were some popping noises. Yetty assumed these were the Aurors popping in. Prof. McGonagall gave them all a smile before she disappeared with a pop. Yetty and Hermione made their way down the length of the train and into the last possible compartment. As soon as their trunks were inside Hermione insisted on getting into robes right away.
"We might not get a chance later you see." Was her reasoning, Yetty couldn't fault her.
Hermione had an ulterior motive for getting Yetty in her robes. She read all about Harry Potter and wouldn't believe that so many adults could make the same mistake. As Yetty took of her pants Hermione saw the unmistakable flat service of Yetty's swimsuit's crotch. Wait what?
"Why are you wearing a swimsuit?" Hermione asked.
"Um, I am kinda shy, and dressing in a loo doesn't sound too appealing so I thought that if I wore a swimsuit I could get dressed even if there were boys in the compartment." Yetty answered.
"Why didn't I think of that? It is such a logical idea." Hermione shrugged.
Satisfied that 'Harry' wasn't a boy in disguise Hermione took her own clothes off and dressed in the school uniform and robe. It also helped that Yetty took off the swimsuit when she had her skirt on, and Hermione got a brief glimpse underneath the fabric.
Soon the platform outside became bustling with activity. Hermione glanced outside to look at the magical families and what they were doing. She also noted the assortment of pets. Then something came back to her.
"Yetty, what exactly is St. Mungo's?"
"It's the wizarding world's hospital here in London." Yetty said not catching the wince Hermione gave.
"Were you there for some reason before?" Hermione's voice was barely a whisper.
"Since the week before my birthday." Yetty answered carefully not liking where this was going. "Before you ask the next question please note. Not all non-magical people are kind and caring like your parents."
"Why were you there, I won't tell anyone." Hermione was biting her lip.
"Malnourishment and mana-poisoning," Yetty said. "I was treated like an animal by my relatives, my uncle and cousin never spoke a word to me and thankfully never touched me. If I behaved I was allowed to eat, every time I did accidental magic I was banished to the cupboard under the stairs without any food and sometimes no water. The food I did manage to get was leftovers thrown into a cat bowl. My magic formed some kind of protection in and around me and kept me alive, but magic isn't supposed to be used that way so it started poisoning me."
Hermione gasped.
"The healers flushed out the poison and slowly got me nourished. Then there was the other thing that I won't tell you just yet." Yetty finished.
The train eventually started moving and the girls got into fooling around with spells. They both read through the entire list of school books and could compare notes. Everything was well until the compartment door swung open shortly before lunch. It revealed the sneering face of an arrogant looking boy with platinum blond hair. Behind him were his bodyguards.
"Where is he!" the boy demanded. The two girls just blinked. "Where is Harry Potter?"
Hermione was about to answer, but a stern look from Yetty stopped her.
"I don't care for your attitude, as you can clearly see there are no boys in this compartment." The boy glared at the redhead, he wanted to make a Weasley comment but this girl clearly didn't wear hand me downs.
"Mudbloods!" The boy stormed out.
Hermione was confused she turned to Yetty.
"Why didn't you tell him you were 'Harry' Potter?" she asked clearly confused.
"He doesn't deserve to know. Besides he reminds me of my cousin. My cousin might not have spoken to me, but he did hurt me quite a few times." Yetty pinched her nose.
The door at the very back of the train opened and a rather old lady exited with a cart full of delicious smelling treats.
"Anything from the trolley dears?" the lady kindly asked.
"No thank you, I really don't like sweets." Hermione said sadly, Yetty thought it had something to do with her dentist parents.
"I'll take some of each," Yetty smiled, "Oh and some water and juice please, I need plenty of liquid."
The total came to 1G, 5S and 2K. Yetty offered Hermione some and after careful consideration, Hermione settled on a pumpkin pasty. Yetty tried some of each of their assortment, usually just a bite or two and placed the rest in her trunk. Hermione noted this but didn't comment.
"Have you seen a toad?" Yetty blinked she didn't hear the door open.
"Sorry but no," Yetty said with a smile. "Our door was closed for most of the ride. When did you last see it?"
"Just after Malfoy came in and asked if Harry Potter was sitting with us." Neville recalled. Yetty had a bad feeling.
"Arrogant boy with platinum hair that kinda looks like a ferret?" Yetty asked. Neville nodded. "I think one of his bigger friends might've taken your toad. When they came here one kept looking at his pockets."
"What?" Hermione asked, she prided herself to see what others missed, how could she miss that?
"You know Hermione, the taller of the two boys, the one with curlier hair." Yetty answered, "He was standing further back than the other one."
"Crabbe." The round face boy supplied. Yetty looked back at him. "Oh sorry, my name is Neville Longbottom, Crabbe and Goyle were with Malfoy when Trevor disappeared."
"Neville, there should be professor or adult in the first compartment. Maybe you could ask them to help you get your toad back from Crabbe. I want to help, but currently neither Hermione nor I would stand a chance against them, we were raised non-magical." Yetty said. She noticed Hermione wanted to object but logic was on Yetty's side. "I'm Yetty by the way, and this is my friend Hermione."
They arrived at the station as the evening drew near. Neville was able to get his toad and came to thank them personally. A booming voice sounded throughout the train asking them to leave their trunks as is.
When they got of they were greeted by a giant of a man. He called the first years and led them to the black lake.
"No more than four to a boat." He said, his voice sounded muffled.
Yetty and Hermione got in a boat with Neville and a red haired boy with a long nose and loads of freckles. He clearly liked the sun more that it liked him. They glided across the lake and underneath the castle to a private dock.
Yetty stopped Neville from leaving the boat without Trevor, again. They climbed a long staircase ending at the door to Hogwarts castle. Hagrid gave three loud knocks before handing the first years over to Prof. McGonagall.
"Welcome first years," She greeted them. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the great hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. I suggest you wait out here and smarten yourselves up a bit, I will be with you momentarily." She gave a pointed look and Ron, the redhead from their boat, and Neville, who somehow managed to get his robe tied under his ear.
Yetty's eyes burned from the magic around her. Couldn't anyone else see this? Yetty stood against the wall talking to Hermione and ignoring the glares they got from the obvious pure-blood idiots. She felt it suddenly and ducked very low pulling Hermione with her. Not even a second later a gathering of ghosts floated over them.
"What? Who are you then?" a ghost with a ruffle-neck tunic asked the first years.
"New student how lovely hope to see you in Hufflepuff my old house." A fat friar greeted happily.
They then continued talking as if nothing happened, something about peeves. Yetty didn't really listen to them at this point. Moments later Prof. McGonagall came to fetch the first years and led them to the front of the great hall. There was a very old hat on a stool waiting for them. A rip appeared and the hat started to sing:
Oh, you may not think I'm pretty
But don't judge on what you see
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me
You can keep your bowlers black
Your top hats sleek and tall
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be
You might belong in Gryffindor
Where dwell the brave at heart
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart
You might belong in Hufflepuff
Where they are just and loyal
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw
If you've a ready mind
Where those of wit and learning
Will always find their kind
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!
Yetty didn't much care where everyone was sorted even if she tried to memorize them all. All that mattered was the ones that would share her dorm, Lavender Brown, Fae Dunbar, Hermione Granger and Parvati Patil. Yetty took a deep breath as Sally-Ann perks was sorted into Ravenclaw.
"Harriet Potter!" Prof. McGonagall called out. Yetty stepped forward actually feeling the eyes on her. She found solace under the sorting hat's dark embrace.
"Right then," a voice sounded in her head, "You are an interesting one. It would've been quite difficult to place you if the outside didn't match the inside. There is a lot of potential inside this head of yours, but where to put you?"
"May I provide an argument?" Yetty thought back.
"You may." The hat seemed amused.
"I won't fit in Slytherin, they are too bigoted and underhanded, not to mention they would bully me. Hufflepuff, according to your lovely off-key song, are for the honest and just. Since my body used to be male I don't exactly fit that description." Here the hat chuckled. "I love to read and learn, but I'm not the studious type."
"Yes, I have noticed as much, therefore I would've placed you, anyway, in…"
"Gryffindor!" the hat shouted to the hall.
Yetty thanked the hat and made her way through the cheering crowd.
AN:
I got this idea after reading several like it, but one stood out above all: Red Headed Stepchild by sfjoellen: s/9037058/1/Red-Headed-Stepchild
Thank you for getting me to write again