Author's Note: Okay this is my first foray into Harry Potter Fanfiction. Pairings are undecided at the moment but will most definitely not be slash. I'm leaning towards Harry/Susan, but I am open to pretty much all heterosexual pairings so if I receive a large portion of reviews asking for a specific pairing I will most likely follow that route. Also, I do not mean to offend anyone with my description of Asperger's Syndrome or the fact that Harry has it. I, myself, have it and I am doing my best to put some of the struggles I have experienced in my own life into Harry's life. It is necessary for Harry to develop the way I want him to in this story.
Also, I intend no bashing of any character in this story. I am just trying to portray the characters how I think Harry would view them. Take it as bashing if you will, but I don't mean to.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story but the plot. Also, the Jedi Apprentice series is real and I highly suggest it for any fan of the star wars series. Not the greatest series, but a solid one nonetheless.
Chapter 1
Books equal knowledge. Knowledge equals power. Power equals control. And I crave control. -Harry James Potter.
A young boy of eight years old sat in the back corner of a classroom with a thin paperback novel entitled "The Threat Within" by Jude Watson. It was part of a Star Wars series called Jedi Apprentice. In these novels, the young boy followed Obi-wan Kenobi's growth from a brash young padawan, to a calm and collected Jedi Knight. The books also followed the relationship between Obi-wan Kenobi and his master Qui-Gon Jinn. The two had started off on rocky ground at first, but had gradually become as close as father and son. The reason for their relationship starting off so badly, was because of Qui-Gon's first apprentice, a Jedi who had turned to the dark side by the name of Xanatos. Surprisingly, Xanatos was the young boy's favorite character in the series. The Dark Jedi carried himself with charisma and arrogance, yet also emanated power. And that is what the young boy found he liked most about Xanatos, power.
The young boy had started reading the novels earlier that week and was on the eighteenth book already. It had surprised his teacher when she found out how fast he had read the books and she had promptly tested him to discover that he was a speed reader. The young boy could read around eleven hundred words per minute. He was not the fastest speed reader ever recorded, the fastest being able to read four thousand and seven hundred words per minute, but he was decent enough to read most books in a day or two.
The young boy had messy black hair and vibrant green eyes. He was quite small for his age, but this just made him less of a target for people to pick on. The young boy wore overly large clothes, hand me downs from his overly large cousin. He also wore a pair of glasses that gave him a bug-eyed look. His personality was different from most eight year olds, something that many of his teachers had noticed ever since the young boy had started school. He was unusually quiet and always had his nose in a book. When asked why he read so much, one of his teachers had reported that he had replied,
"Because they are so much better than real life."
The young boy's name was Harry Potter, a top student despite his guardian's attempts to deter his learning process. Harry would always change his grades on his report card before showing them to his guardians, the Dursleys. The Dursley's were some of the most hideous people anyone could ever meet. Petunia Dursley, Harry's aunt on his mother's side, was a horse-faced gossip who was considered by many of her neighbors to be slightly insane. Vernon Dursley, Petunia's husband, was a whale of a man with the personality of a blow hard. And then there was the one Harry hated the most, Dudley Dursley. Dudley was the reason that young Harry had no friends. The fat boy tormented Harry whenever he could and did his best to dissuade anyone who wanted to be Harry's friend.
Young Harry craved friendship, yet he also found people his own age to be quite annoying. They were so loud and never obeyed the teacher. Did they not realize that he was trying to read? How could he read when everyone else was screaming? The screaming also overloaded young Harry's brain at times to the point that he would just curl up in a ball and cry. For unbeknownst to the Dursleys, but known to the teachers and Harry, Harry Potter had Asperger's Syndrome. The teachers had wanted to tell the Dursleys, but Harry had begged and pleaded that they not tell them.
Asperger's Syndrome is a high functioning form of autism that causes many different symptoms. It differs from person to person. In Harry's case, there were many of the common and some uncommon symptoms. First and fore mostly, Harry was a social outcast. Not just because of Dudley's bullying, but also because of the fact that nobody liked Harry. Harry was always so much smarter than those around him and they felt stupid whenever they talked to him. Another symptom of Harry's Asperger's Syndrome was obsession. Harry was obsessed with Star Wars and did his best to learn everything he could about it. From the science labs of Kamino to the sprawling cities of Coruscant, young Harry knew everything there was to know about the Star War's Universe. Another obsession Harry had was the manga series Naruto. He loved how powerful the ninja could become in the series. His favorite character was Sasuke Uchiha, a powerful ninja who was also one of the primary antagonists in the series. Sasuke had many abilities, but his strongest ability was his Sharingan eyes, a bloodline limit that allowed him to cast illusions with just his eyes and to copy any other technique he saw. The Sharingan also allowed him to shoot a black fire called Amaterasu that burned whatever the caster focused on until it was destroyed .
One other symptom Harry had was a sensitivity to sound. Too much sound could overload his brain to the point that he would break down. This was why he was currently curled up with a book in the classroom. He could not handle going on out to the playground.
Just as Harry was finishing up the book, he heard his teacher come back into the classroom. Great, he thought sarcastically, That means that the kids will be back in soon as well.
Young Harry's thoughts were interrupted as the teacher came over to him and asked,
"Are you enjoying your book, Harry?"
"Yes! It is awesome. I love how Obi-wan is focusing on the lightsaber form Ataru, but I know in the future he will be focusing on the form Soresu..."
The teacher, a young woman by the name of Miss Jackson, just smiled at the young boy's enthusiasm. If she was honest, she would say that Harry was her favorite student. The young boy was polite and generally did his best whenever it came to his studies. Few children his age had his level of maturity, for which she was somewhat saddened. Children were not supposed to grow up as quickly as Harry had.
The rest of the school day past by slowly for Harry. The teacher was teaching them basic addition, but Harry had already mastered this subject. He had read ahead in his book and had studied the math for several hours until he had understood the concepts. As he sat in his seat, young Harry though about his life.
Why do the Dursleys and people my own age hate me? I know I am different, but am I really a freak like the Dursleys say? Well if I am, then I consider that a good thing. I don't want to be normal. I want to do great things and change the world! I just wish I had some sort of special power like the Force. It would be so cool to shoot lightning from my hands! Or be able to force push someone out of my way! That would be so awesome!
"Harry, are you paying attention?" Miss Jackson asked kindly.
"Yes, Ma'am," Harry responded quickly.
Two Years Later...
Harry curled up into the cupboard that was his room. This was the first time Vernon had ever truly beat him. Harry had forgotten to change his grades on his report card before showing them to the Dursleys. The fact that Harry had completely outclassed Dudley had driven Vernon into a fit of rage. The elder Dursley had beaten Harry until he was stopped by his wife. Petunia had seen the rage in Vernon's eyes and knew that the male Dursley had intended to kill young Harry. Petunia would not have cared about Harry's death, but she also knew that if Harry died there would be hell to pay.
Harry cried as he held his blanket close, the same blanket that had been wrapped around him when he was placed on the Dursley's doorstep. Sometimes, Harry could swear that he smelled the scent of his mother on the blanket. Who cares if they were drunks? At the very least they would have been better than the Dursleys...
Harry woke the next day completely unharmed. He was quite surprised by this, but chalked it up to the many weird things that had been happening to him recently. For example, during class the other day he had turned the teacher's hair blue. How he did it Harry did not know, but he knew enough not to tell anything to anyone.
"Boy! Go get the mail!" Vernon said angrily when he saw Harry completely unharmed.
"Yes, Uncle Vernon," Harry said dejectedly as he ran out to grab the mail.
Harry reached into the mailbox and pulled out the mail. He quickly scanned through it to see if there was anything for himself, highly unlikely he knew, but you never know. He was surprised when he found a piece of parchment with his name on it.
To: Harry Potter
Number 4 Privet Drive
The Cupboard Under the Stairs,
Little Whinging.
Harry quickly hid the letter in his pocket. On the outside he was calm, but on the inside he was a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. How did they know I live in the cupboard? Is it a prank by Dudley? No, he is not that smart and how would he get his hands on a piece of parchment?
Harry put the mail on the table and quickly went to the bathroom where he knew he would not be disturbed. He opened the letter and was quite surprised at its contents.
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
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
sets of plain work robes (black)
plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
Harry was dumbfounded. This was either the most elaborate prank he had ever seen, or he was a wizard. Okay, Harry thought, I need to prove this. I need to get a hold of an owl and send it to Hogwarts or whatever to confirm that this is real. Where could I find a magical owl? Wait, doesn't Mrs. Figg have an owl? Could she be a witch? If anybody is a witch it is her!
Deciding upon a course of action, Harry quickly wrote a letter to Hogwarts and literally ran to Mrs. Figg's house next door.
Harry knocked on the door and happily waited for her to come to the door. If this letter was true, he did have some sort of special power. Magic! Almost as good as if he had the Force! The door opened and there stood Mrs. Figg.
"Hello, Harry," she said with a smile.
"Um, Mrs. Figg, I know this may sound weird, but could I use your owl to send a letter?"
Mrs. Figg smiled and said, "Of course."
Harry looked at her for a moment with suspicion. What if she was the one who sent the letter? What if this was a true prank? Harry certainly hoped not. His hopes were getting high and he knew he would be devastated if this all turned out to be a prank.
Harry attached his letter to the Owl's leg and was happily surprised to see the owl fly off.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Minerva McGonagall, had a tight lipped expression on her face as she read the letter she had just received.
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Harry Potter and I just recently received my "Hogwarts Letter." Let me begin by saying that if this is a prank, I will most assuredly call the police for stalking. If this is true however, could you please send someone or a letter explaining this new world? I have never heard of magic (other than in fairy tales) before. Can you actually do magic? Or are you some weird cult who believes you can do it?
Now for my questions about this new world if this is indeed a real world and not some prank. Is wizardry hereditary? Were my parents wizards? If so why did they die in a car crash? Certainly magic could defend against something as simple as that?
Also, what kind of jobs are available in this world? Can you use a degree from Hogwarts in the real world? What are all of these weird subjects you teach? Is there not any basic classes like math or English? If not, how can you expect to ever advance in the realm of sciences or even understanding the basics of magic? How does magic exist? Where does magic come from? Also, are there any wizards or witches who are famous in the "real world?" Like was Albert Einstein secretly a wizard? I would very much appreciate it if you answered these questions in a letter or sent someone who could explain this world to me.
Thank you very much for your time,
Harry James Potter
Minerva McGonagall had never been more furious with Albus Dumbledore in her life. The poor boy knew nothing about magic whatsoever! He even thought that his parents, James and Lily Potter, had died in a car crash! The absurdity of it all!
The transfiguration Professor quickly got up from her desk and walked down the halls with a fury that sent the paintings gossiping. As she was walking she unfortunately bumped into Filius Flitwick, the Charms Professor.
"Goodness Minerva! Is everything alright?"
"No, it is not! Read this!"
Filius quickly read the letter she had handed him and felt himself grow pale. Harry Potter, son of one of his favorite students, Lily Potter, knew nothing about magic! It would have been laughable if the situation had not been so grave. Filius knew now why the Transfiguration Mistress was so upset. He would not be surprised if she end up hexing the ancient Headmaster; however, to prevent her from doing anything disastrous, he figured it would be best if he came along to provide a cool head.
The two professors walked briskly towards the Headmaster's office. When they reached the gargoyle guarding the office, Minerva angrily said
"Jolly Ranchers."
The professors entered the Headmaster's office and were surprised to see him feeding Fawkes a weird pie looking food.
"What are you feeding Fawkes this time, Headmaster?" Filius asked in exasperation.
"It is a muggle food that is quite popular. I believe it is called Pizza. Fawkes seems to like it," Dumbledore replied with a twinkle in his eye.
"Albus," Minerva began, "We need to talk."
"What about, Minerva?" Dumbledore asked seriously. He recognized the hidden fury beneath McGonagall's voice and prepared himself accordingly.
"Read this!" Minerva spat.
As Albus Dumbledore read the letter, the normal twinkle in his eyes dimmed. He looked up from the letter and said sadly,
"It appears I have made a mistake. I believe we must rectify this problem immediately. Filius, would you be kind enough to see to Mr. Potter. It appears that he will have many questions and who better to send than a Ravenclaw?"
"Of course, Headmaster. I shall floo to Mrs. Figg's house as soon as I can."
"Thank you, now I believe Minerva will have some choice words for me."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Harry sat in Mrs. Figg's living room surrounded by cats as Mrs. Figg gave him vivid descriptions of Hogwarts and what magic could do. After he had sent the letter, Mrs. Figg had asked him whether or not he had received his Hogwarts letter yet which led to Harry asking many questions. He had quickly come to the realization that this world was real. Mrs. Figg was not smart enough to create such a fantastical world. It was from Mrs. Figg that Harry learned that he was the Boy-Who-Lived and his parents had died defending him from Voldemort.
Harry felt an intense anger towards the Dursleys building. They had robbed him of not only his dignity by making him live in a cupboard, but also his heritage. Harry swore then and there that he would never let anyone control him like this again. He would take control over his own life. Just as he was about to ask Mrs. Figg about the types of magic, he was shocked to see a short man walk out of the fireplace. That cinched it, magic was real. The short man smiled as he saw Harry and quickly greeted Mrs. Figg before walking over to Harry and saying,
"Hello, Harry, my name is Filius Flitwick, Charms Professor at Hogwarts. You may call me Professor Flitwick or just Professor. Now I am sure you have many questions and I will do my best to answer them. Ask whatever you want."
Harry's eyes lit up in excitement. Knowledge would be his! Harry began by saying,
"Well, I have been talking with Mrs. Figg for the past three hours about everything in this world. She already told me about my parents and the Dark Lord, but she could not tell me much about magic itself since she is what you call a squib. So I'll start with a question I asked in my letter, where does magic come from?"
Filius chuckled as he recognized the enthusiasm in Harry's eyes and felt himself excited to talk about one of his favorite subjects.
"Magic, Mr. Potter, comes from life. It surrounds us and exists in the very air. However, magic also exists inside of us which allows us to control the magic outside of us."
"Kind of like the midi-chlorians in Star Wars?" Harry asked.
Filius despite not being muggle-born, or even fully human considering he was a half-goblin, knew what Harry was talking about. The Charms Professor had once visited a muggle-born's home and had been entranced by the movie the young witch had been watching. He had promptly sat down and watched all six movies in one sitting.
"Yes, Mr. Potter," Filius chuckled again, "Your comparison is surprisingly accurate. However only the most powerful of Wizards could do what the Jedi do without a wand, but then again, a wizard can do a whole lot more with his or her wand than a Jedi could ever dream of doing."
Harry smiled at the thought of being able to do more than a Jedi. He was then reminded of the question he was planning on asking Mrs. Figg.
"What types or branches of magic are there?" Harry asked.
"Well, first there is Charms, which I teach. Charms is a type of enchantment that causes an object or element to behave in a way that it would not normally act. For example, the Accio charm causes an object to come towards you while the Flamma Gelidus charm causes hot flames to do nothing more than make you feel a warm breeze."
"Fascinating," Harry said, "Are there any offensive charms that could be used in battle?"
"Yes, in fact most offensive spells fall under both the category of charms and the category of battle magic. For example, the Diffindo charm cuts your opponent while the Protego charm would defend against most attacks minus the Unforgivables."
"Mrs. Figg told me about the Unforgivables. Very dangerous from what I can tell."
"Extremely! And to be caught casting one would land you in Azkaban, the wizarding prison. Now onto the next branch, transfiguration. Transfiguration is the art of changing something into something else. There are two sub-branches in transfiguration: self-transfiguration and conjuration. Self-transfiguration causes you to change yourself into something else. Very dangerous for an amateur. Do not attempt this without a Transfiguration Master present. Conjuration, while less dangerous, is also harder. It is the art of changing nothing into something. Or to be more exact, the art of changing the air around you into something."
"Sound difficult," Harry said thoughtfully. If he could master these things, it would grant him so much more control over his life.
"Indeed. The next branch, while still magic, is not wand based. It is potions. Potions can be used for many things, from healing to poison. I suggest you study up on your potions before coming to Hogwarts. Professor Snape, the Potions Professor, is a very harsh taskmaster."
"I will definitely do that, Sir. Thank you for the warning."
"The next and final branch would be the Dark Arts. I will not go into those, but suffice to say, practicing the Dark Arts will land you into a heap of trouble with the Ministry of Magic."
Harry's felt his interest piqued at the thought of the Dark Arts. They sounded quite like the Dark Side in Star Wars; and Harry had always admired the Sith Lords, despite their losses against the Jedi.
"Um, how will I know if a spell is dark?" Harry asked innocently.
"Dark spells require intense emotions to use. A master of the Dark Arts is a master of his emotions. A master would be able to manipulate his emotions to where they were suitable for the spell he wanted to use. Another form of magic that many consider to be the Dark Arts, but really only skim the surface, would be the Mind Arts like Leglimency and Occulumency. Leglimency is the art of reading someone's mind while Occulumency is the art of protecting one's mind from Leglimency."
Harry felt anger at the thought of someone being able to read his mind and quickly decided that one of the first things he would learn would be Occulumency. I wonder if they have books on Occulumency, Harry thought.
"Well, as much fun as it has been talking with you about magic, Mr. Potter, I'm afraid I cannot tell you much more about it or else we would be sitting here for years. You will learn plenty about it once you go to Hogwarts. Now, let us go. You need to get your school supplies and I am going to accompany you. We do need to tell your guardians where we are headed however. Do they know anything about you receiving your letter?"
"No, sir."
"Well, lets go tell them then."
Harry cringed at the thought of telling the Dursleys. He would be beaten for sure. Filius noticed this look and felt anger at the Dursleys enter his heart. While he was not as skilled as Dumbledore, Filius had trained in the art of Occulumency and Leglimency. Deciding to risk it, Filius briefly scanned young Harry's surface thoughts and felt himself disgusted at the abuse the young boy had been through. Filius wanted to hex the Dursleys into oblivion, but knew he could not because of a conversation he had had with Dumbledore many years ago.
"Professor Dumbledore, you know Lily was one of my favorite students; surely you could tell me where Harry is, just in the event that something happened to you or Minerva."
Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a few minutes before deciding upon a course of action.
"I will reveal to you Harry's location, but I need a Wizard's Oath from you that you shall do nothing regarding Harry's living situation or life without my permission. In the event of my death, you shall be released from this oath."
"Very well, Headmaster," Filius agreed somewhat warily.
Filius and Harry walked over to the Dursley's house and rang the doorbell. The door opened to reveal a pudgy Dudley Dursley. The young bully looked at the Charm's Professor and scoffed.
"Finally found someone just as freakish as you are, freak!" Dudley said towards Harry.
Harry just cringed and thought of all the things he could do towards Dudley once he learned magic. Filius, however, had gone red in the face and in a manly voice completely unexpected from one so small said,
"Listen here you brat, call your mom and dad and we are going to have a talk. Now go before I turn you into the pig you are!"
Dudley laughed at Filius, but was surprised when the Master Dueler pulled out his wand, a nine and a half inch long wand with willow wood and a unicorn hair core, and promptly cast a spell,
"Tribuo sus Penis!"
Harry burst out laughing as a pig's tail grew from Dudley's butt. Filius smirked as he told Harry,
"You may have noticed that the language was Latin. Most spells are in Latin; although there are some in Gaelic and Welsh."
Harry nodded as he tried to contain his laughter. His laughter promptly died, however, when he saw Vernon approach. Vernon took in the scene before him, Dudley on the ground crying with a pig's tail and the freak and another freak standing right there. Vernon felt his face go red and ran back inside to grab his pistol. He was stopped, however, by a quick incarceration spell by Flitwick.
"There is no need to get angry, Mr. Dursley. I shall remove the spell from your son and yourself in a minute. Now, Harry and I are going to get his school supplies and he will be staying at a pub in Diagon Alley until school starts. You may rest assured that he shall be back in one year's time. If you attempt to harm him in any way when he returns, we will know and you will die a very painful death. Understood?"
Vernon wisely nodded and Filius motioned with his wand, releasing both Dursleys from his spells. Vernon continued to lay there, too scared to move, as Harry and Filius left.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Harry felt his eyes grow wide as he took in the sights of Diagon Alley. He could literally feel the magic in the air. It was like a pleasant hum in the background. However, all the noise in the background from the chatter of the wizards and witches caused his brain to start hurting. I will not break down! I will not let my Asperger's Syndrome win! Harry thought furiously. He would not show any weakness!
Harry felt his brain begin to pound and he knew he was going to break down, but then the strangest thing happened. The magic in young Harry's body began to soothe his mind. It was like cool water was being run through his brain, washing his mind of all the stress the noise caused. Harry felt himself relax for a moment and instinctively knew he would never have another breakdown because of too much noise again. It would still irritate him of course, but not to the extent that he would break down.
"First," Filius, oblivious to Harry's internal battle and the victory that had just been won, said, "We need to get your money from Gringotts, the wizarding world's bank. The Potter family was quite rich so I am sure we will have plenty of money for your shopping today."
Harry smiled at the thought of having his own money. Money would allow him access to places and dreams he would otherwise not be able to achieve. The two walked into Gringotts and Harry shivered as he read the inscription on the wall:
"Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned,
beware Of finding more than treasure there.''
Harry and Filius walked up to a goblin and explained that they were there for Harry's money.
"Does Mr. Potter," the goblin said disdainfully, "Have his vault key?"
Filius pulled the key out of his pocket and the two wizards were quickly taken down to Harry's vault. Harry entered the vault and was amazed at how much gold was there. He already knew about Galleons, sickles, and knuts from Mrs. Figg. He estimated that there was around a hundred thousand galleons in his vault. Filius said,
"This is just your trust vault until you graduate Hogwarts, once you graduate you will have access to the full Potter Vaults. From what I understand, the Potter Vaults contain a lot more gold than this and hundreds of books on spells and spell theory."
Harry felt himself disappointed at the thought of not being able to reach those books until he graduated, but quickly dismissed it for something to think about in the future.
"Now onto Madame Malkin's..."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Harry felt himself growing extremely tired. They had visited every shop including the book store where Harry had bought himself not only the basic school books, but also some advanced books that talked about battle magic and using transfiguration in combat. He had also bought several advanced books on potions such as Most Potente Potions. Filius had been wary about letting Harry buying that one, but Harry had quickly persuaded Filius with his skills of manipulation.
Manipulation; Harry was adept at it. He was not polite to adults or studied because he actually wanted to. He did it because he knew it would get him ahead in the world. He knew it would give him more control. Well, not consciously anyway, but subconsciously, Harry was a manipulator.
The two wizards were onto their last stop, Ollivander's Wand's. As soon as Harry walked into the store, he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Something was creepy about this place. He was about to leave when he heard someone come up from behind him.
"Greetings, Mr. Potter! I have been-"
"Can we please just get my wand?" Harry asked in exasperation, "It has been a very long day and I am eager to go to my room and sleep."
"Of course! Of course, Mr. Potter! Let's get right to it then shall we? Which hand do you write with?"
"My right."
"Very well then, try this wand..."
And so it went for a while. Ollivander would hand Harry a wand and then quickly snatch it away. Harry felt himself growing even more irritable. It had been a long day and he wanted nothing more than to find a copy of Shonen Jump and read the latest Naruto chapter.
"I wonder.." Ollivander said eventually, "Try this wand, Holly wood with a phoenix feather for a core."
Harry grabbed the wand irritably and was immediately surprised when the wand cracked right down the middle. Ollivander looked at the wand in irritation. Filius looked incredibly surprised, never had he heard of a wand breaking just from someone touching it. Ollivander broke the silence with a gleeful voice,
"It appears I shall have to make you a custom wand, Mr. Potter. It has been years since I have had to do that! Understand now, Mr. Potter, that to do this I will have to ask some very personal questions. So personal, that I am going to have to ask your escort to leave. Filius, if you please?"
Filius nodded and walked outside to an ice-cream shop. Harry felt himself grow a little nervous without the presence of the Professor but was pleasantly surprised when Ollivander offered him a chair.
"This might take a little while. For me to create a custom wand, I have to know the person I am making it for very well. So let us begin shall we? First question, what house do you believe you will be sorted into at Hogwarts?"
Harry crinkled his head into thought. Mrs. Figg had mentioned something about the houses but did not really go into detail.
"I don't know to be honest. What houses are there?"
Ollivander smiled as he began to give an explanation of the four houses,
"The four houses of Hogwarts are named after the Four Founders: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. The house of Gryffindor prizes courage and friendship. They are generally light wizards or witches who fight against the dark. However, they are not the smartest bunch. They tend to act rashly and without thought.
The House of Hufflepuff prizes loyalty and hard work. They are generally light wizards or witches as well. However, like Gryffindor, they are not the smartest or the most talented.
The House of Ravenclaw prizes intelligence and a desire to learn. They are generally gray wizards or witches who do not care for semantics and focus primarily on knowledge. However they are also so absorbed in their books that they generally do not have many friends and as such do not ever rise to much in the arena of politics.
The final house is Slytherin, which prizes cunning and ambition. They are generally dark or gray wizards. Many Slytherins believe in blood purity or basically the subjugation of muggles or muggle-borns. Another downfall of Slytherins would be that they can sometimes be too ambitious. Unfortunately, the Slytherin house is no longer what it once was. Many Slytherins are nowhere near as cunning as they should be. They are mainly made up of bullies who focus on blood purity; which is sad because while Salazar Slytherin did not want muggle-borns to enter Hogwarts, he did not believe they were inferior. In fact, it was only because of the persecution wizards and witches were facing that he did not want muggle-borns to enter Hogwarts. Quite sad really. Personally, I believe Slytherins have a bad rapport because there has not been a truly cunning or powerful Slytherin in a long time who actually wanted to better the world than destroy. I believe that if one Slytherin could change the views of their house to what Salazar truly intended the world would be a much better place."
Harry listened with rapt attention as Ollivander described the houses, both their good points and their bad. As soon as Ollivander finished, Harry thought for a few minutes before saying,
"I think I would be a Slytherin. I have ambition and cunning."
"Very well, now what is your opinion on the Dark Arts? Don't worry, whatever is said here between us stays between us."
"I find them fascinating from what I have heard so far. To have that type of control over people would be very beneficial to me."
"Hmm, next question, what is your opinion on love?"
Harry thought for a few minutes before saying,
"I believe everyone has a soul mate out there and once you find that person you should stick with them. I believe love is a choice. Once you choose to love there is no going back. Even if you don't "feel" it, you should still choose to love."
"Very Hufflepuff of you," Ollivander said with a smirk, "Next question, do you have any disabilities? Sometimes that can affect the wand you need."
Harry looked at Ollivander suspiciously, only himself and his teachers knew about his Asperger's Syndrome. Surely it could not hurt to tell one more?
"Um, I have Asperger's Syndrome."
"Ah, that should explain why the Phoenix wand cracked. Phoenixes are creatures of healing. The feather in the wand was trying to get out and heal you. Unfortunately, even the most powerful of Phoenixes could not heal a mental disorder."
Harry shook his head,
"I am who I am. I would not change myself at all."
"Very well then, I think I can safely say what wand will fit you best. I believe an eleven inch ash wand with the blood of a vampire will work nicely!"
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Harry laid in bed that night reading his potions books. He was tempted to go to Knockturn Alley, but knew he would probably end up getting raped or something in that dark alley. Perhaps in a few years? The day had gone by nicely, albeit irritatingly. It had take around five hours at Ollivander's before he got his wand. He had felt a thrill of delight pass through him as he held the ebony wand. It felt like it was perfectly attuned to his magic.
Harry was currently staying in a room Professor Flitwick had rented for him at the Leaky Cauldron. Harry liked the half-goblin and could not wait to start his charms class.
The next few days past by in a blur for Harry. Harry never left his room unless it was to eat. He spent the rest of his time reading and re-reading his school books. So far he had read all of them and was now doing his best to commit them to memory. He could safely say that he knew the theory behind most of the magics he was going to be learning fairly well. He only hoped he would do well when it came time for the practical work.
Finally it was time to head to Platform 9 and ¾. Harry waited outside the wall with his trunk. He felt himself feeling very wary of just running at a wall. Cautiously, he walked up to the wall and put his hand through. Satisfied that his hand had gone through, young Harry walked onto the platform and grimaced as he heard hundreds of children yelling and screaming. While he would not have a break down, that did not stop him from feeling intense irritation at the children. Harry lugged his trunk onto the train and entered into an empty compartment. He pulled out a book and began to read.
Some minutes into his reading, he heard the door open and felt irritation at not being able to alone anymore. Sure, Harry desired friends, but not to the point that he would give up reading to spend time with them.
"Hey, all the other compartments are full, can I sit here?" asked a pale red head.
Harry felt his irritation hit its peak at the lie.
"Liar. There are hundreds of compartments on this train. Go find another one!"
"But, but, your Harry Potter!"
"Yeah, I noticed, now bugger off!" Harry said angrily.
The young boy angrily walked off, mad that his plan to befriend the boy-who-lived had failed.
Several hours past, and Harry was once again interrupted as a bushy-haired girl and a pudgy, but not overly so, boy opened the compartment. The girl asked,
"Have you seen a toad named Trevor? Neville here lost him."
Harry looked up from his book and then back down on the book. The spell didn't seem that hard...
"Accio Trevor!" Harry said with a quick thrust of his wand.
He heard several squeals as a toad flew through the corridors. Neville let out a cry of delight as Trevor landed in his arms. The Longbottom Heir quickly and profusely thanked Harry and then they left, leaving Harry to the comfort of his book. He had noticed that the bushy-haired girl had not given her name. She seemed quite jealous after he had performed that spell.
Another hour past without event, and then the door opened to a young boy and his two minions, who vaguely reminded Harry of Dudley.
"Hi, I'm Draco Malfoy and this is Vincent and Crabbe. Your Harry Potter, I heard what you did to that Weasel, the red head earlier. Want to be frien-"
"Get out, I'm reading," Harry said. He knew a pansy when he saw one and had no intentions of being friends with an inbred aristocrat who could barely put on his underwear by himself.
"But-"
"No buts, get out before I hex you," Harry said calmly.
"Ha, you can't do mag-"
"Rictusempra!" Harry said with a twirl of his wand.
The hex hit Malfoy and he fell to the ground laughing. Vincent and Crabbe were about to attack Harry but they were both hit by the tickling charm. Harry quickly shut the door and sighed. Back to his book.
The rest of the ride past without any interruptions. As Harry left the train, he saw a giant of a man yelling out,
"Firs' 'ears! Firs' 'ears o'er 'ere!"
Harry felt his growing head ache bloom as he tried to make sense of the giants words. It seemed the man wanted Harry to follow him onto a boat across the lake. Very well, Harry thought with irritation.
The boat ride was fairly quick, but Harry felt himself amazed at the size of the castle. The First Years reached the end of the lake and quickly entered into the hall. They were all standing around nervously until a Professor named McGonagall entered the room they were waiting in. She said,
"Welcome to Hogwarts. 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 called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. I will return when we are ready for you."
Harry sighed as he heard the rest of the first years begin to chatter. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead in an effort to stave off his headache. His headache was promptly forgotten however, as several ghosts entered the room where the First Years were waiting. He watched in amusement as the ghost talked among themselves and to the students. Finally it was time.
Professor McGonagall came into the room and led them out into the main hall. She told them to stay put as she walked up onto the dais where there was a chair and a hat. She said to the hat,
"You may begin."
And the hat began 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 folks 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!
Harry nearly felt himself faint at the absurdity of it all. A singing hat would decide his future? Absurd!
"Abbott, Hannah!" McGonagall called.
And so it went, several students were called and sorted. Harry just zoned out until the Hat called his name. He felt a prickling at his scar however, and looked up to see a Professor with a turban staring intently at him. He also noticed a man wearing all black robes staring at him with curiosity as well.
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Severus Snape did not know what to make of young Harry Potter. The boy at first looked exactly like James Potter, the insufferable bastard. However, when Harry looked up at him, Severus nearly fled. Lily's eyes. He could never hate Lily's eyes. But then how could he not hate the spawn of James Potter?
Severus thought long and hard and finally decided that he would let the Sorting Hat choose. If the boy went into Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, he would treat the boy liked he had dreamed of for years, with hatred deserving an insufferable Potter. But if he went into Slytherin, highly unlikely, or Ravenclaw...
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Harry wanted to ask the black haired man what he was thinking, but before he could give it much thought, he heard his named called. He walked up to the chair and sat down.
"Ah, what do we have here?"
"Don't do that!" Harry nearly said out loud.
"Sorry, Mr. Potter. Now where to put you...my, my, you have some courage, but it is not your primary trait...and you have intelligence, but intelligence is just a means to an end for you...oh goodness, you have Loyalty yes; you do not trust easily, but once you do you are as loyal as Helga Hufflepuff herself...And my! Ambition and cunning in spades...Where should I put you, young Mr. Potter...Hufflepuff or Slytherin?
The Hat was silent as he listened to Harry's input. Finally it said..
"Better Be..."
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I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I am doing my best! I should have the next chapter up within a week or two.