The Gift Power by EnchantedUnicorn
Chapter 1
The Sorting
A/N: If you haven't read The 11 Gifts, please read that first!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Harry was at King's Cross Station, wondering where to go next. They had told him to go to 9 ¾, but so far, he had only seen station 9 and 10. He had no idea who to ask- Harry reckoned most of these people were Muggles.
"Hey, a bit lost, aren't you?" a red-haired boy said to Harry.
"Yeah. Do you know where 9 ¾ is?" Harry asked. He hoped that if this boy was a Muggle, he wouldn't question him about why he was looking for 9 ¾.
The boy didn't even bat an eyelid as Harry asked that question. He lowered his voice into a whisper. "You are a wizard, aren't you?"
Harry was shocked, and considered saying, "A wizard? Are you crazy?" but decided against it. Instead, he replied, "Yes. You know?"
The boy gave a quirky smile. "Yes, I am one! First-year, aren't you? Would you like to come with us?"
"Sure," Harry replied shortly. He trusted this boy, his instincts pointed that out very clearly.
The boy held out his hand. "Ron. Ron Weasley," he introduced.
"Ron," Harry acknowledged. "I'm Harry. Harry Potter," Harry returned, shaking Ron's hand.
"Bloody hell! You're the Harry Potter?!" Ron gasped, his eyes wide.
Harry really hoped this wouldn't be a common occurrence in the future. "So I am."
"You defeated Voldemort, didn't you? Do you have the scar?" Ron whispered.
"You mean this?" Harry brushed away his hair to reveal a lightning bolt- shaped scar.
Ron's eyes widened even more. "Wicked! An honor to meet you, Harry Potter."
Harry had expected stares, but not this. "Err… you are joking, right?"
"You defeated Voldemort! You're a world-wide hero!" Ron exclaimed.
"But I don't want to be hero. I want to be Harry. Plain Harry. Not Hero Harry. I wasn't the one who defeated Voldemort. Actually, it was my mother's sacrifice and another wizard's shield that protected me. After all, I was only one."
"I guess you have a point... Oy, Mum's calling me. C'mon!" Ron led Harry to a waving witch with red hair, surrounded by many other redheads.
"Wow! Is-" a tall, gangly boy started.
"-that Harry-" an identical one, save from some freckles, continued.
"-Potter?-" the first finished.
"Err… yes, I am Harry Potter," Harry confirmed. His eyes flickered quickly before the twins and seemed to study them.
A red-haired lady, who was supposedly Ron's mother, hustled over. "Fred, George, stop confusing Harry." She turned to Harry. "Forgive us Harry, these are the twins, Fred and George. And this is Percy," Ms. Weasley gestured to a tall and haughty boy. "Pleasure meeting you! I suppose you have already met Ron?"
"Yes, ma'am," Harry replied. He had taken immediate liking to this woman. She seemed like a warm-hearted person, unlike Aunt Petunia.
"Very well! You seem to be lost finding 9 ¾, aren't you?" Ms. Weasley comprehended.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Such a sweet boy!" Ms. Weasley ruffled Harry's hair passionately. "Well, this barrier here is 9 ¾. Do you get why?"
Harry thought about it. Of course, it is simply arithmetic! "Yes, ma'am," Harry said excitedly. "But how do we get to the station, ma'am?"
"Oh, dear, that's what puzzles so many of the firsties. What you do is you run through the barrier!" Ms. Weasley explained.
"Run… run through the barrier, ma'am? How can you run through a barrier, ma'am? Isn't it solid, ma'am?"
Ron winced. Ma'am, ma'am, ma'am. How many times did Harry call his mum ma'am already?
"It is enchanted, Harry. Let the others go first, you will understand. Percival!" Ms. Weasley called.
"Yes, Mum?" Percy rolled his eyes at the name.
"Don't be cheeky with me, Percival. Kindly demonstrate how to run through to barrier," Ms. Weasley said sternly.
"Yes, Mum." Percy, having all of his belongings, backed off, and darted towards to barrier.
When he got closer to the barrier, he didn't stop, Percy just kept up the pace, and he ran into the barrier and disappeared.
Harry's eyes widened. Ms. Weasley noticed, and asked, "Would you like the twins to go first, or you?"
"The twins, ma'am," Harry decided.
The twins smirked at each other, linked their elbows, and charged towards the barrier. "Yay!" they shouted together, before disappearing in the barrier too.
"Alright, Ron, your turn," Ms. Weasley commanded.
Ron gulped, but didn't want Harry to think that he was a coward, so he obeyed. Taking a deep breath, Ron ran towards the barrier, and disappeared.
"Harry dear?"
Harry nodded, and strode towards the enchanted barrier. Before Ms. Weasley could even say "Bye!" he had already touched the barrier and was brought to the Hogwarts Express station.
"How was it?" Ron asked.
"It was… wicked!" Harry replied enthusiastically, using the term that most wizards did.
Ron grinned and nodded. "C'mon, let's find a compartment to sit in." Ron dragged Harry to the train, and together, they boarded the Hogwarts express.
Harry and Ron find a nice and clean compartment to sit in. "So, do you know what house you are going to be in?" Ron asked.
"No, you?" Harry didn't understand why houses mattered, and why there was so much house rivalry going on. If Harry was sorted to Slytherin, he was pretty sure Ron wouldn't be his friend anymore. But why did it matter? Even if he was sorted into Slytherin, that didn't change what type of person he was. Besides, Harry believed that the houses were for fun and challenging competitions against each other, not a 'try to make an enemy' event.
"Well, my whole family is in Gryffindor, so I guess I will be in Gryffindor too," Ron shrugged.
Harry wanted to point out Ron's faulty logic, but before he had a chance to respond, a girl with bushy hair stuck her head in their compartment.
"Have you guys seen Neville's toad, Trevor?" the girl asked.
"Err… no," Ron responded.
This girl would probably be sorted into Gryffindor, for she dared to interrupt our privacy, Harry thought irritably.
But even so, Harry did not let his annoyance show. "Let me, try." I wish that 'Neville's' toad, Trevor, would appear in my hands. Harry intently stared at his hands.
Suddenly, a toad, which was presumably the 'Neville' person's toad, appeared in his hand. He felt his energy drain slightly, but ignored the tiredness.
"Oh, thank you! Neville!" the girl called.
A nervous boy scurried down the hallway. "H-Have you found Trevor?"
"Actually, he did," the girl admitted, jerking her head at Harry.
"Here you go… Neville?" Harry asked, saying his name for the first time.
He nodded. "Th-Thank you so much!" Neville cradled the toad preciously in his hands.
"Would you two like to sit with us…?" Ron started, before realizing he didn't know the girl's name.
"Sure! And I'm Hermione. Hermione Granger," Hermione replied, suddenly frowning. "I hope you are not prejudiced against Muggles?"
"Oh, no, we both aren't," Ron hastily assured, referring to Harry and himself. "I am Ron. Ron Weasley."
"Thank god! The Longbottoms aren't either, right Neville?" Hermione said.
Neville nodded. "We're blood traitors, as the other families call us."
Hermione grinned, and turned to Harry. "Now, I believe I didn't get your name yet, though you look very familiar."
"I'm Harry Potter," Harry introduced himself.
"Harry Potter?" Neville and Hermione breathed.
Neville paled. "D-Do you have the scar?" Neville whispered.
The same thing again, Harry sighed. But it would be impolite to refuse the request, even though it wasn't terribly polite of them to ask. Brushing away the locks on his forehead, he showed them the messy lightning bolt scar engraved on his head.
"Wow!" Hermione cried, awed.
Harry didn't know what to do, so he simply nodded. "So, do you two want to sit with us?" Harry changed the subject and repeated Ron's question.
They both nodded, and seated themselves. "H-Harry, how did you find Trevor?" Neville spoke, curiousity overwhelming him.
Harry shrugged. "I wished for him to appear in my hand."
"Wait… you wished for him to appear in your hand? But you didn't use your wand!" Hermione babbled.
"Professor Snape calls it wandless wish magic," Harry explained.
"Snape! That greasy git?" Ron said in a cold voice.
Harry resisted his instinct, which was to yell at his new friend, telling him that it was the professor who gave him the gift of wandless wish magic. "He brought me to Diagon Alley, and protected me when the Soul Suckers attacked. Besides, he is really nice to me. You should get to know him first, Ron, before saying insulting things at him."
Ron flushed. "Okay, sorry about that mate. You sound like my mother!" he added in the end, playfully.
"Harry, you can do wandless wish magic? Can you please teach me? Please?" Hermione begged.
"Well… it is sort of like a natural gift that you receive, and only those with strong auras and magic can manage it," Harry explained. At Hermione's disappointed face, he added, "But you can try."
Taking the same feather that he used previously, he set it on the table and said, "Try to make this feather float. Point you hand and it and think, I wish that this feather will float. Then picture it floating in your mind."
Hermione tried, but failed. Refusing to give up she repeated the actions, but the feather never budged. "Oh, well. I guess I can't do it." She tried to sound cheerful, but the look on her face said it all.
"It's okay, Hermione. Many people can't do it either, but I am sure you will do brilliantly with your wand," Harry assured. She seemed like a smart and very bright witch for her age.
Harry had just realized he wasn't supposed to share his wandless wish magic gift. "Sorry guys, but I have to do this."
"Do what?" Hermione said.
But Harry didn't bother replying, he was too busy concentrating and drawing upon his magic. I wish that Ron, Hermione, and Neville will forget that I can do wandless wish magic. He thought about the recent conversation they just had.
His magic responded to him, and in a flash, Harry's friends were completely oblivious to his ability. Satisfied, Harry slumped back down on the seat.
Hermione looked confused, and she asked, "What were we just talking about?" Harry smiled, glad that his wish had been granted, but sad that he had to do that to his new friends.
"We were talking about Hogwarts. Now, who knows where a bezoar is found…" Harry began asking questions concerning the subjects in Hogwarts, and Harry discovered that Hermione was very intelligent when it came to academic studies. He wouldn't be surprised if she ended up in Ravenclaw either.
"We better get changing," Ron said. "It is almost time."
All four of them hustled to change into their robes, and as Ron said, when they were finished changing, the train halted.
"Over here, over here!" a large man yelled.
"That's Hagrid," Ron informed Harry and Hermione, since Neville had left to find his other friend. "He is the gamekeeper here, and he is half-giant."
The three of them got on a boat, and sat together on a wooden plank. When all the students were on, the boats magically sailed towards Hogwarts.
"Firs'-years, ova here!" Hagrid boomed, waving his hands above his heads.
A group of students followed Hagrid as he led them a small stage in the Great Hall.
Harry was shocked by what he saw. Four long rows of tables, with plates and utensils placed neatly on top. There was also a table up on front, which was presumably the staff table.
Headmaster Dumbledore raised his hand for silence.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Here you will learn more about the wonders of magic, thanks to your professors! Furthermore, please welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Quirrell! May I need to remind you, that the 3rd floor corridor is off limits, and you may not go there under any circumstances! Let the Sorting Feast begin!"
The Sorting Hat was placed on a stool, and it sang:
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!
There was round of applause after the Sorting Hat finished singing, and the Sorting began.
"Hermione Granger!" Professor McGonagall called.
Hermione got up, and standing straight and tall, she strode over to the stool and sat on it. The Sorting Hat was placed on her head, and after a few seconds, it called, "Gryffindor!" Smiling, Hermione walked over to the Gryffindor table as the Gryffindors cheered.
"Ron Weasley," Professor McGonagall called.
Ron nervously walked over to the Sorting Hat and had the hat placed on his head.
Ah, another Weasley. Well, I know just what to do with you. "Gryffindor!"
Ron grinned, relieved that he had been sorted into Gryffindor like his family, and joined Hermione at the table. Well, I guess it does run in the blood, Harry conceded.
"Draco Malfoy!"
Draco haughtily strutted over to the Sorting Hat, and the Sorting Hat barely touched his head before it yelled, "Slytherin!"
"Neville Longbottom!"
Taking a deep breath, Neville walked over to the Sorting Hat and let it be placed on his head. It was kept there for a few minutes, and when the students were starting to get impatient, the Sorting Hat called out, "Gryffindor!" Neville looked relieved.
Hannah Abbot and Justin Finch-Fletchley were sorted into Hufflepuff; Dean Thomas, Lavender Brown, and Parvati Patil were in Gryffindor; Millicent Bulstrode, Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe, Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, and Theodore Nott were in Slytherin; and Padma Patil was in Ravenclaw.
Eventually, the last person left was Harry Potter. Huh, that's weird. Why the hell am I last?
"Harry Potter!"
The room grew so silent it was possible to hear a mouse scurrying on the floor, and everyone turned to stare at Harry with awe and respect as he walked up to the Sorting Hat.
Ah… Harry Potter, isn't it? Both your parents were Gryffindors, and you share a lot in common with them. But let's see… Gryffindor might fit you, you are brave and courageous, ready to sacrifice yourself and take risks… you are fit for Slytherin, for you will find cunning ways later on to defeat the Dark Lord… you can go to Hufflepuff, since you are a hard-worker and you will remain loyal to the light… you can be in Ravenclaw, since you find knowledge very important… Ah… I can't decide… well… the choice is yours, then, Mr. Potter.
Mine?
Yes, yours, Mr. Potter. Where do you want to be in?
Harry considered the choices he had for a moment, before deciding, Slytherin. That was the house Professor Snape was in, after all.
Is that really where you want to be in?
Yes? Harry thought uncertainly.
There is another house that you long for, and in the back of your mind, you know it.
Harry sighed. The hat knew everything, and it was undeniably true. Harry wanted to be with his friends, he wanted to be in the house of his parents. Gryffindor, Harry firmly chose.
Very well. This house will suit you the best. Better be "Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindor table erupted in cheers as Harry strode towards the Gryffindor table. He could hear the Weasley twins chant, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" and grinned at them.
"Great, mate!" Ron exclaimed, patting Harry on the back as he sat down beside him. "What took you so long?"
"Thanks, Ron. I got to choose which house I wanted to go in," Harry explained.
"The Hat was debating whether to put me in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, and it finally decided on Gryffindor," Hermione shared.
"Well, you are smart, Hermione," said Harry, before digging into his food.
Ron followed, and soon, everyone was filling themselves with the delicious food.
Up at the staff table, Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Snape about a particularly important subject .
"The Sorting Hat told me that one student was offered a choice in which house he wanted to go in," Minerva whispered hastily.
"That has never happened before! I presume it was Harry Potter?" Professor Snape guessed. Miracles always happen with him, so he wouldn't be to surprised.
Professor McGonagall nodded. "It was. Harry is really a unique boy."
At least he is in the house of his mother, though I wouldn't mind if he was sorted into Slytherin, Severus thought.
When the Start-of-Term feast was over, the prefects and Professor McGonagall toured the first years around the castle, explaining to them what subject is taught at each section. Then they were led to the Gryffindor Tower, and their dormitories, where they dropped off their belongings and were free to explore the tower for the rest of the day.
Harry was really looking forward to this school year. He was sure it was going to be an exciting one. And also, as his Gryffindor curiosity got the better of him, he wondered, what was hidden in the 3rd floor corridor? Why weren't they allowed to go there?
Harry brushed his thoughts aside. Curiosity kills the cat, he quoted inwardly. All that mattered was that he learned how to properly train to use his magic this year. With or without a wand, that didn't matter.
A/N: I edited these chapters based on the reviews, thanks a lot everyone! I would appreciate if everyone is patient with me through this story, I'm kind of new to this and I have a limited amount of time to write it.
I love reviews (*hint*), please no flames.