Harry Potter the Fullmetal Wizard
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the world of Harry Potter, or any and all official characters from the Harry Potter series itself. J.K Rowling, the woman behind the series, owns this genre along with other companies and whatnot that help make this series enjoyable in the world. I do not own anything from the Fullmetal Alchemist series such as the automail prosthetics, or any characters from the anime/manga given places in the world of Harry Potter. The series itself is owned by Hiromu Arakawa. All I own is any form of Original Characters that show up as filler.
Author's Note: This story original comes from Everybody Loves Luna!, and I just couldn't let that one die out as a simple oneshot (although as far as anybody realizes, I have YET to upload this to said collection fic). I didn't plan to make a full story of it but... the ideas began to generate and before I knew it, here I was writing away. It's more or less a compilation of seven years of Harry with automail limbs, characters from Fullmetal Alchemist in the world of Harry Potter, and the creation of automail from the anime/manga series having an existence in the muggle world that replaces today's prosthetics that we all have knowledge of in its current state. I wonder how this story overall will fare amongst the populace.
Here's the start. Enjoy reading.
No one understood how Harry ended up all the way in Devon, but nowhere close to Ottery St Catchpole. Concerned about this sudden change of address, Dumbledore asks some of his colleagues to go out to the Muggle World and find out what was going on. Minerva McGonagall discovered that Vernon and Petunia Dursley were caught abusing their nephew, and upon further prodding discovered they were imprisoned for child abuse and attempted murder. Of course, this occurred in 1984 and apparently well known among the muggles how Vernon was caught crushing the right arm and left leg of their nephew using his car in an abandoned lot (that became a super market today) by an off-duty officer driving home from the local office. And after she returned to tell Dumbledore this (while screaming and shouting at him for nearly fifty minutes), this is where she was.
She was at some residence located outside Ottery St Mary. The muggles called it Ottery St Mary, but as far as the wizarding world knew it was Ottery St Catchpole. Strange. Henceforth, the place where Harry Potter now resided was a muggle home with muggles that had no clue that magic really existed. Minerva knocks on the front door, while looking at the impressive garden of various flowers surrounding the front residence, and two more surrounding two apple trees. If the place was home to muggles then she would have a great detail of explanation; as if she was visiting another muggleborn residence.
"Hold on, I'm coming," spoke a woman's voice, one that was oddly familiar to the Hogwarts Professor.
The door opens and Minerva gasped softly.
"Selena?"
"Oh! Minerva, hello," Selena Lovegood greeted her old Transfiguration Professor.
"Selena... I thought you lived near the Weasleys," Minerva said.
"We did but a spell gone wrong and... well it destroyed the Rook. But I have plenty of money from my investments in the muggle world, especially the things Lily shared interests with so we bought a new home in a better area and larger lot. So, what are you doing here Minerva? I would have believed you have some muggleborns to visit. It's getting close to the year, right?"
"Yes, but unfortunately one of the letters addressed gave us this address, for a Mr. Potter."
"Oh, Lily's son. A shame what happened."
"May I come in...? I..."
"Sure. Come on inside."
She opens the door wider to allow the old woman inside.
"Knowing my daughter, she should be with Harry right now."
"You adopted him?"
"Yes," she said, closing the door and inviting them to her living room, "it was all over the muggle news. I'm surprised no one in the Wizarding World knew. I only found out because like Lily, I too share a healthy interest, and keep up with today's world. That and I have a TV..."
The two said nothing, the silence a bit deafening.
"So, I'm guessing you wish to know everything, right?" Selena asks.
"Yes," Minerva replies softly.
"He was completely withdrawn. They had to amputate part of his left leg that was completely crushed like toothpaste, and his entire right arm. Even if he did go to Hogwarts, he would have been extremely challenged and confided to a wheelchair."
Minerva wished she could leave and just go rabid on Dumbledore's old winkled face in her Animagus form.
"And even if someone in the magical world learned of this, as far as today goes, there's never been a potion that would help a wizard or witch completely regrow a limb; they'll simply just replace the missing limb with a wood replica like Alastor had with his leg."
"Mum, we're home!"
"Harry took too long mum, so it's his fault!"
"No it wasn't! You wouldn't stop ogling those automail parts like a cat in heat."
CLANG!
"OW!"
"Harry! Luna! Stop fighting! Take your Automail parts in the shop then come here and greet our guest!" Selena shouted, before she turns back to the professor with her motherly smile again, "sorry about that." She laughs politely.
If this was an anime, beads of sweat would be dripping down the back of McGonagall's head at this moment.
"What is this automail you spoke about?" Minerva asked.
"It's an ingenious invention by the muggles," Selena explained, "Automail is the common term for automotive armored prostheses. The first terms for automail came into creation around the end of World War II, and during the following Cold War. It is devised as a sort-of motorized battle armor originally when the first creation of automail came into existence, but eventually became advanced enough to double as artificial body parts for amputees, soon replacing the use of normal artificial limbs made of plastic and at the time, basic stiff electronics."
"I see... honestly, I don't understand much of how metal can be an effective replacement limb," Minerva confessed.
"Most of Europe's Wizarding Society as a whole is collectively ignorant of the muggle world. It's a shame since from what I learn we're behind the times if we compete against North America, or even Japan."
The sounds of two kids quickly running from the "shop" prompted them to stop their discussion. Selena smiles to her children. Luna was wearing a midriff open navy vest, a black shirt that looked to be a size larger for her frame and she took to wearing a Ravenclaw blue bandana on top her head. She had on a pair of knickerbockers that had extra side pockets, and brown sandals. And for some unknown reason to Minerva, with a pair of gloves on her hands, Luna carried a large metal craft thing. It was the boy next to Selena's daughter that pained her. James and Lily's son...
He looked almost like James, right down to the same framed glasses James wore that brought out the brilliance of his emerald green eyes, the messy and unruly "a comb cannot tame me" black hair, and looking just like James in every similar way. Although, the hair was longer than James, and about the length of Lily's which was currently tied into a braided ponytail. His green eyes were just a haunted reminder to the woman of two former students she cherished. Harry was wearing black pants with a brown belt, thick black boots with dark red soles, a sleeveless black shirt, but he was wearing an open forest green, long-sleeved, hooded coat which the tail comes down to his upper calves, with black and white trims.
"So how much did you spend?"
"Uh... close to 829 thousand, 828 thousand."
Selena sighs, but then smiles. If she was right, if converted to the U.S. Dollar, it was close to 1,324. "Alright. At least you didn't go overboard like last time."
Luna blushed at that.
"Mum, who is she?"
"Well, she's from Hogwarts, Harry. She came here because of the letter, remember?"
"Really? But why? I know much about magic after you adopted me from those people."
"True, but apparently the majority of the wizarding world never knew about... well, you know..."
Harry frowns but nodded regardless.
"Harry... you certainly look like your father," she said, "but your eyes are like your mother's."
"I know. Mum told me everything about my family," Harry said.
"Harry... I'm so sorry," she blurted out.
"Whatever. That other family deserved what they got," Harry said with a bitter tone, "so, why are you here for professor?"
"Pardon me. I'm Minerva McGonagall, the Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts, and Deputy Headmistress."
"Well, welcome to our home then," Harry greeted the adult from the wizarding school.
"We came here because... you originally were living with your relatives but..." she saw Harry's eyes darken at the mention of the bastards that nearly killed Harry, "but, we were surprised you were living in Devon and with the Lovegoods when I knocked on the door. We assumed you were living with a muggle family."
"Better them than anyone else. Selena and Xenophilius were very kind to me, and showed me love that those freaks never given me."
"Harry," Selena warned softly.
"Sorry mum," he says.
"Well... your mother told us that you were given artificial muggle arm and legs to replace what was taken from you. We... I'll admit we never knew muggles could do such. The closest we ever have for limbs was mostly for legs, peg legs and made of stiff wood. Arms were harder to make, even if enchanted with magic runes."
Luna smiled. "It's not hard creating automail, although you'd have to have a full understanding knowledge of automail creation, as well as bio-mechanical engineering. I've always been a smart girl, and when I learned about automail, I wanted to help Harry get automail so I learned all I could. I am officially the youngest automail mechanic in Europe, next to the late automail mechanic Francis Tucker. I had a teacher help me the first time, but I still go to Ms. Winry Rockbell for tips now and then."
"But how can muggles make them work as if they were a real limb?" Minerva questioned the girl.
"Well, linked directly to the nervous system, an automail prosthesis does not usually require an external energy source so to you guys we did not use magic whatsoever because we don't want muggles to know and everything, and can be moved at will like a natural appendage, taking electrical pulses from the nerves to power and regulate the various electric motors and pneumatic actuators inside. Automail limbs are generally made with a full steel skeletal frame layered with steel armor-plating to protect the various wires and intricate machinery inside; however, contemporary technological advancements have allowed certain automails to be comprised of other materials such as carbon fiber, fiberglass, chrome, copper-nickel and aluminum alloys, so as to be less cumbersome and more durable than steel in abnormal conditions."
Luna smiled cutely, and Harry could see that while their mum understands half of it (and their father would need it broken down in simpler forms), the Transfiguration Professor was totally confused. And the more she (Luna) explained about what automail was, and the specifications to how one becomes an automail mechanic, the Hogwarts professor was only wondering just how ingenious and advanced the muggle world was when all they can do regarding missing limbs was use inanimate parts of wood mostly for the legs only; with arms it was much, much, harder, even with magic.
"Show them off Harry," Luna finally said, breaking off her long discussion on automail. Harry shrugged and moves his right hand from the pocket, showing his hand was a cold metallic tint. With a fluid grace, he takes it off first with the right sleeve and then easily allows it to slide off his left arm. The coat is clutched in his left hand, and on the back of the coat there was a type of insignia or image but in the ruffled folds of the coat, it couldn't be seen clearly. But she was more focused however on the exposed right arm. He stood slight sideways to show off his right arm, and she nearly gasped. It was as if young Harry was wearing a part of a suit of armor but more decoratively than the normal plate mail of the many suits of armor at Hogwarts. But unlike the suits that have a dull metallic rusted tint, Harry's had a brilliant shine to them, almost like polished dark silver.
"Harry's automail is precious. It's helpful so it survives in hot climate temperatures, but also able to withstand colder climates so there won't be any lag or frost build-up in some of the parts. This would be important for him to survive well since mum always told us how cold the winters get over at Hogwarts. And of course, general examination and maintenance is required to check on the oil levels in the arm, the electrical components that help. Of course, the types of metal that are used in Harry's automail are those that magic will have an extremely hard time to even attempt to enchant, so his arm and leg will be able to move properly inside a saturated area like Hogwarts."
"When we finally got me my automail the first time, it took me only a year to fully recover from the surgery."
"Normally it's three years, but Harry was a medical miracle for his recovery time to cut down to just a mere year," Selena explained, "He's mentioned in medical books regarding automail."
"So is there a reason or their visit, or can I get on with Luna taking my limbs off so she can do maintenance?"
Selena turned to the old woman.
"No. No need. I expect to see you in September."
Harry nodded, before leaving the room, and Luna followed the boy.
As soon as the door is heard slammed shut, Minerva turns back to Selena.
"Albus believed Harry was kidnapped so it's the reason we're here."
Selena frowned. "He needs to worry about the upcoming school year. Although, I do expect Harry to be a bit challenging against his peers, regarding how half his childhood was with THOSE people..."
Selena then smiled a bit.
"Anyway, tell Albus that Harry's fine; Xeno and I raised him just like how James and Lily expected him to, and I expect whatever he has of Harry's things owled to us, including the Trust Fund key the Potters had set-up for their son. And let him know of my displeasure of how he ignored their wills when they were killed by that dark bastard... okay?"
She gave her the look. Minerva nodded, before she left the residence, returning back to Hogwarts with a simple pop of Appartion. Selena sighs.
"Honey? You okay? I heard all from the kitchen," Xenophilius spoke as he entered the room.
"Yes dear, I'm fine. I expect Albus to try some things, but I'm prepared."
Xenophilius nods and hugs his charming wife. "We were the ones James and Lily trusted in-case anything ever befell them."
"And with Sirius falsely imprisoned for crimes he never did, it's up to us to save them."
Meanwhile, in the shop, Harry was laying in the small bed that was bolted to the wall by sturdy steel frames and a double leg frame structure. His right arm and left leg had been detached and on the desk, Luna tinkering away with a screwdriver on the hand.
"I wonder how many at Hogwarts ever heard of automail, aside some muggleborns."
"Not many, I reckon. They're too lazy to explore the world outside their own little bubbles of isolation," Luna replies, lifting the screws out one by one.
"I just hope to not get mugged when we go to Diagon Alley tomorrow to shop."
Luna smirked. "Don't worry, Fullmetal. I'll be sure to bat the girls away for you."
Harry chuckles. "Fangirls are scary."
"When you get your wand tomorrow, I'll start calling you the Fullmetal Wizard."
Harry manages to pop himself up into a sitting position. "Harry Potter, the Fullmetal Wizard... has a nice ring to it," he comments with a grin.
=-0-=-0-=
With Harry's long dreadlocks keeping his scar cleverly hidden, no one bothered them as they explored Diagon Alley. Overnight, Dumbledore had indeed relinquished the key to Harry's trust vault. Of course, when they visited Diagon Alley, it was a couple of weeks until the end of the first week of August, which they decided to go shopping for Harry's supplies. After business with Gringotts, and a gathering of needed spending, they went to get all he needed on the supply list. They were at Flourish and Blotts at the moment.
"Hurry up Harry," Selena called to her son.
"I know, I know," he says from his place, picking up the Invisible Book of Invisibility, surprising Mr. Blotts.
But as he headed to the front desk with the books he got, he bumped into a young girl his age.
"Oh sorry, I didn't see where I was going!"
"No, it's okay. I wasn't paying attention."
The girl looked up, her honey eyes looking to the boy with deep green eyes, and black messy long hair, mostly pulled into a ponytail.
"Sorry, but I am in a hurry. You look to be a First Year so I'll hope to see you on September 1st. Bye."
And off he went to get the books purchased, before soon leaving with a woman with light blonde hair and silver eyes. They were on their way to Ollivanders. Hermione wondered who that mysterious but nice boy was... she hoped to meet the boy when she heads off to Hogwarts in September. For now, she had a lot of books to check out.
The rest of August went off without any glitches or interruptions, aside the occasional at-home stuff, automail tune-ups, and helping Xenophilius with his printing press for The Quibbler. On September 1st, Harry was boarding the Hogwarts Express beyond Platform Nine and Three Quarters. The family arrived to the train station in London very early to beat the morning traffic rush. Harry found a nice compartment in the back, practically next to the caboose (which he discovered was off-limited to students as it was the car were the Trolley Lady resided with the on-board snacks). His trunk was set off to the side and Hedwig, his new owl; she was perched on the top seat's rail having been let out of her cage.
He had explored the train before he chose his place to sit for the ride. You see, some of the train compartments were open areas with the seats all comfortable and made of a lush evergreen cushion padding lined against the windowed walls; some were a two-way hallway with doors leading to closed off compartment rooms. Others, like his area of the train, had their four-person seats facing one another with gold-plated handle bar holders bolted to the top the ceiling for those who'd stand (although, who would want to stand?). And there were the occasional car that was designed for using the loo of either gender.
"I wonder how great Hogwarts is going to be," Harry told Hedwig, who made a responding noise to her master.
"Hm... wish Luna was my age, that way we'd be going together. All I can hope is once I explain my automail, she can come on weekends or when I need emergency repairs."
"Prek," Hedwig says.
Harry made a noise of agreement. Ever since that day when he visited Diagon Alley for the first time, Hedwig was attracted to him. She had literally broken out of her cage, and flew out of the shop disrupting some of the other avians in the shop (while scaring a couple of kids) before flying right towards Harry, and landing on his shoulder. On that moment, Harry felt a spark of a connection begin to form. Later investigations indicated it was a familiar bonding. So in a sense, Harry is capable of understanding Hedwig, and converse with her. She was of course a very smart owl. Probably smarter than the other owls in the shop, and she had a beautiful coat.
He lifted his right arm up, before making a deft motion with his hand, and then smoothly grasps a wand that popped out. He grabs hold with his left hand, and flicks it softly, producing a cascade of sapphire, emerald, and ruby sparks.
"Curious indeed how these things happen..."
"And what is curious about my wand?" Harry inquired, looking upon the wand Ollivander was wrapping up for him, a Holly wand at eleven inches with the core of a phoenix feather.
"The wand chooses the wizard, remember... I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter... After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great."
"Luna was a genius incorporating a mimic of that spring-loaded wand holster into my automail we got while at the Ollivanders Wand Shop, so I can secretly hide my wand in it, or even a second one. Hehehehe... she's so smart. So Ravenclaw..."
Hedwig nods.
"A second seen one wouldn't hurt though, if only to fool."
He then sheathed his wand back into his automail arm's wand compartment, before hearing the door slide open. He quickly covered his arm up and acted nonchalant whilst opening the book he took out earlier.
"Excuse me," spoke a ginger-haired boy, "mind if I sit here? Some of the other compartments are packing up."
"Sure. I don't mind."
The boy smiled and dragged his trunk with him, closing the door before he sets it down next to his.
"Thanks mate. I'm Ronald Weasley."
"Charmed to meet you, Ron. My name's Harry Potter, from Devon, England. It's a bit of a long way from London to board the Hogwarts Express."
Ron gaped.
"You're Harry Potter? Blimey!"
"Yeah," he says with a slight dismissal. Selena did warn him that he was a bit of a famous celebrity all because he had somehow defeated Voldemort trough unexplained magicks. Although, he never believed it; while magic may have protected him, he had an inkling it was because his parents sacrificed their life in trying to protect his, that he only survived that otherwise fatal encounter when he was but a baby. If only he knew how right he was that Lily sacrificed her life to protect his. A Mother's Protection, a Mother's Love...
"So you are really Harry Potter? The Boy-Who-Lived?"
"So my mum tells me," he said.
"Your mum?"
"Yeah. Selena Lovegood. She and Xenophilius adopted me as their son," he said.
"You lived with the Lovegoods? My mum and dad thought they moved away after their old home crumbled down after some freak magic act gone wrong."
"Oh they did, just farther outside Ottery St Catchpole, in a bigger home completely muggle, and larger yard."
The Weasley boy couldn't believe his ears. "Blimey... I lived near the Boy-Who-Lived," he whispers to himself, just as a squeak is heard and a fat ugly-looking rat with balding problems popped out of his robe pocket. "Say, uh... do you... uh, you know... have the scar?"
"Hm? Well... somewhat." He brushed his bangs back to show off the lightning bolt-shaped scar, "it healed a bit over the years, but it's still there... I don't mind it much. Luna says it makes me look cool. Heh."
"Wicked," Ron whispers again.
Soon, the train leaves the station, and is billowing forth towards Hogsmeade, in Scotland. The ride there was relatively quiet, aside some curious students that were peeking through the doors at him. Of course he assumed it was from his little celebrity thing Selena told him about. The snack lady came by, and Harry bought a lot of candied goods, and shared them with Ron who didn't like his corned beef and cabbage sandwiches his mother made for him (Harry traded some of his chocolate frogs with Ron for the sandwiches, ditched the cabbage out the window, and just age the meat sandwich only). It wasn't until around much later into the train ride to Hogsmeade, when the compartment door opens. In walks a girl with frizzy bushy long hair, and familiar honey eyes. But with the girl, was a boy with short hair with a slightly chubby look.
"Excuse me, have any of you seen a toad here?"
Harry lowers his book. "Nope. Never saw one here, although I can summon it if I knew its name?"
The girl blinks, recognizing the face that looked to her. "Hey! I remember you! From Flourish and Blotts!"
Harry grins. "And I remember you, the cute girl from the bookstore."
Hermione blushed a bit at being called cute.
"So, what's this toad's name?"
"Trevor," the boy replies.
Harry slipped his hand up into his sleeve, and quietly ejected the wand out before pulling it out. A flick, and swishy motion, and Harry enchants, "Accio Trevor the Toad." Nothing... until a croak is heard, and the boy turns around just in time to catch his toad. The boy smiles.
"Wow! Thanks!"
Ron was amazed himself, as was the girl.
"Wow! That was a really good spell. I know a spell too. My brothers taught me it."
"Really? I'd like to see," Hermione requests.
Ron took out his wand and took out his sleeping fat rat, named Scabbers. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow. Turn the stupid fat, rat yellow." He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.
Harry made his hn noise, before saying, "I have the feeling your brothers may have tricked you."
Ron's ears turned pink. "I'll bet it was," he said angrily, "Fred was having me on!"
"That's awful!" replied Hermione, "It's hard enough to learn magic without being lied to. That's why I always read about spells before using them, which I guess you also read your books."
Harry chuckles. "The spell I used earlier, it is a bit easy for me to use although for newcomers it may take awhile to properly cast it..." he smiles, "so, forgive my manners. My name's Harry Potter."
"Harry Potter? Oh, I read much about you!" she exclaims. "You were in Modern Wizarding History, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."
"Doubt it. Whatever books had my name in them is absolutely fake, made-up, washed-up fanfiction, claiming they met me when I lived with a loving family in the muggle world. Also my mother also says to never judge a book by its cover. That and I was interested to see what lies people made about me." He then chuckles. "I read one where I was trained to be some Dark Wizard Catcher since the age of two... which is quite stupid. There must be laws against creating a human weapon. Another claimed I am capable of controlling dragons with a wiggle of my fingers."
Here, he wiggles his fingers in such a way a certain somebody would imitate when stating something about requiring a crossbow, an hourglass, three goats, and someone learning how to play the trumpet.
"Another I heard is I somehow created the strange crater on the moon that the rock formation on its surface resembled some muggle's chin who goes by the name Jay Leno. And my personal favorite was I'm Merlin reincarnated..."
"But..."
"Trust me. If you read anything about me, most are lies. All I remember from that night is a flash of a green light and the cries of my birth mother dying... please don't prod. So, what are your names?"
Hermione blushed, and willed that blush to go away. "Oh! Uh, I'm Hermione Granger."
"I'm Neville Longbottom."
"Hello then, Hermione, Neville. Want to join us? I bought plenty of goods from that trolley lady with the snack cart."
"Sure, but we'll get our things first." Hermione then tugged on Neville's arm. The two left, and returned five minutes later with their trunks. Once they got comfortable, the door opens again. A boy with slick platinum blond hair walks into the compartment, flanked by two chunky-looking brutes.
"I heard Harry Potter was on the train."
"That'd be me," Harry says with a wave, never looking up from his novel he was reading.
"I see your not what you are, hanging out with... this crowd. You should be able to do better for yourself, Potter," the boy said, "Hanging about with blood traitors – you won't get far at Hogwarts hanging about with them."
"Bugger off, Malfoy."
Harry looks up from his book to a boy who looks like he's used too much peroxide in his hair. The boy was glaring at Ron.
"Who asked you, Weasel? You look like a poor excuse of a pureblood," Malfoy said, making Ron scowl.
"Slimy snake."
Harry shakes his head, and resumes reading. "Isn't Malfoy the French meaning for Bad Faith?" Harry questioned, attracting Draco's attention.
"You'd be careful of who you insult, Potter, or you'll end up like your parents."
Harry looks up from his book again, before with a quick swing, broke cartilage in the boy's nose making him bleed profusely.
"Bugger off, peroxide. I'll befriend who I wish to, and right now, your name alone says bad faith."
The two brutes looked ready to swing their fists, but they stopped when Harry ejects his wand right into his gloved hand, and pointed the tip of the wand right at them.
"Leave. My friends and I believe you have another place to go."
Malfoy says nothing, but simply storms out of the compartment, followed quickly by his two brutish friends. Harry chuckled as he charms the door to slam shut, and pockets his wand back into his sleeve again.
"Blimey! That was awesome," Ron exclaims.
Harry smiles. "I don't like bullies, and he pegs me as one. So, who was he?"
"Draco Malfoy. His father was a Death Eater, but after the war he got off free claiming he was under mind control. He's going to be a Slytherin, and they say all Slytherin is evil."
"Now I don't know about that. I mean how can an eleven year old be evil? No one can be evil. Only someone who is tormented, maybe... but that boy does have that... feeling of distrust. You're only evil if you murder and steal, or so that's what dad says."
"He's bad news, his family," Ron said.
Harry shrugged.
"I'm sure to be careful." He then closes his book and gets up, saying he was heading off to the loo, before leaving the compartment. There he saw Draco trying to get the blood to stop flowing from his broken nose. The two brutes glare at him but he ignored them as he walked past them and a couple of others that crowded Malfoy, and into the next compartment.
=-0-=-0-=
"Firs' years!" shouted Hagrid for all to hear as Harry and his three new friends made their way off the train of the Hogsmeade Train Station. Hedwig was put back into her cage before they had disembarked.
"Hi, Hagrid," said Harry enthusiastically as they caught up to him. He remembered the giant of a man back in Diagon Alley. Rubeus Hagrid, the Groundskeeper of Hogwarts. It was when he bumped into the giant man in Gringotts. The man was... eccentric when he was introduced to the man. Yeah...
"Hiya, Harry. So, who are yer friends?"
"These are Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Ron Weasley. They're first-years, too."
"It's good ta meet ya," he says to the three students.
"Where'd you meet him?" Neville asked Harry in a soft whisper.
"At the bank. He's a nice guy, really. He's the Groundskeeper at the school," Harry explained, while Hagrid rounded up the rest of the first years. The older students got rides in what looked like horseless carriages.
Soon, they were off following the giant who carried a large lit lantern down a dark path by the woods. It was mostly quiet aside some children chatting animatedly about what Hogwarts was like. Eventually, they reached the end of the forest, and at the edge of water were boats reside.
"Now, you'll have ta get in a boat. Ya four can share." He then raised his voice for the other first-years to hear, "No more'n four to a boat."
The four got into the boat, followed by others pairing off. Neville felt a finger tap his shoulder, and Hagrid smiles holding out Trevor.
"Your toad slipped from ya pocket, lad."
"Thanks," he replied, keeping a better hold on his pet.
"An' we're off!"
The boats magically push off the shoreline and as a group, moved across the dark waters.
And there, the children all got their first view of Hogwarts, its lights decorating the castle and lighting its many windows. The clouds were few and far, and the stars twinkling brightly in the night air. It was an enchanting sight to behold. Murmurs of amazement and awe spread amongst the many cheery children, while some kept quiet in their wonderment of the castle with its many towers and turrets. A travel to some underground channel with vine growth, and they emerge to a rocky shoreline. Neville nearly lost his toad again getting out, had Harry not catch it again for the boy. The path before them was lit with lanterns. They climbed stairs into the castle proper where they were met by Professor McGonagall. She explained about the houses and points while leading them through the castle, and then told them they were to wait in the adjacent room she took them into until she came for them. She looked pointedly at Neville, whose cloak was crooked and Ron who had dirt on his nose.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
As they waited, several students got spooked when some ghosts appeared, in a debate about someone named Peeves. They went off, floating through the walls when McGonagall returned.
"Now form a line, and follow me." Off she took them to the Great Hall.
Minerva McGonagall noticed Harry and wondered what she should do. He was the only student who wasn't wearing the uniform or the school robes. However, she said nothing. She remembered when she met him at the Lovegood's home, and saw the muggle prosthetics they called automail, replacing his missing right arm. She never saw his left leg, but she didn't need to see that it was as metal as his arm. The students though, were already waiting for the first years when they were brought in. They were told to wait as she went on ahead. Harry looked around, spying the clouds that made up the ceiling. The candles floated on their own, lit up and shining their golden lights.
"Those liars," he heard Ron mutter behind him, "they said I'd have to wrestle a troll."
Harry watched as the Professor place a stool in front of them and a rather raggedy wizard's hat. He was astounded when the hat twitched, the rip near the brim opened, and the hat began to sing:
Insert Sorting Hat Song from Harry Potter and
the Philosopher's Stone here... Yes, you read that
right; in most stories it's nothing different therefore
it's all the same. I'm too lazy to copy/paste the same
song as described in the books. Moving on now...
As the Sorting Hat finished its song it wondered if there would be any truly interesting students this year. The muggleborns were by definition, more interesting, as they seldom had preconceived notions of where they belonged. The ones perceived as half-blood, would be a mix to decide or think on, while the hat will no doubt be amused by some of the notions those who say are purebloods would demand as if he or she knew it all. Then again, it couldn't say the same for all; all in all, another year, another gaggle of kids to sort away. And so, the sorting began, alphabetically, with Abbott, Hannah, going to Hufflepuff.
Professor McGonagall would list off each first year, and he or she would sit upon the stool, and get sorted to Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. The girl that Harry met earlier when he went to find the loo, Daphne Greengrass, went to Slytherin. Their eyes met briefly before she broke her gaze and took her seat at the green and silver table next to her friend, Tracey Davis. Hermione was in Gryffindor, and soon Neville joined her. Although, there was a bit of a humorous moment when he ran to the table in a hurry, with the hat still on his head...
The brat Malfoy and his two goons all sorted to Slytherin in a breeze. But soon all eyes were on him when Professor McGonagall says aloud, "Potter, Harry."
The whispers emerge quietly amongst the students, as Harry walked up confidently and with no signs of nervousness.
"Ahem... Mr. Potter, I still see you never took to wearing your uniform," she stated.
"My apologies Professor, but I have read in the guidelines while mandatory, as it's merely the introduction to Hogwarts, considering the current time, we'll simply head to sleep after."
Minerva stared at Harry, before she nodded slightly.
"Of course, Mr. Potter. Let us continue. If you will, Mr. Potter..."
With a grin, he sits down on the stool, and took off his green coat. Soft gasps rose in the air as his automail arm was exposed to all the students in the building, and the faculty. With the many floating candles offering its enchanted light in the Great Hall, they twinkled softly on his polished automail arm. Minerva, already having knowledge of it, as did Dumbledore (upon returning back to the castle that day she visited him and the Lovegoods) she simply sets the hat on the boy's head.
I wonder how things would have been, Minerva thought to herself, if your parents had survived... then you wouldn't have those metallic limbs, and you wouldn't have been abused by Petunia and her horrible husband...
The Sorting Hat however was able to share his thoughts with Harry.
Ohohoho... Mr. Potter... I will say that you are officially the first European magical to have ever entered Hogwarts, and be grafted with the muggles' automail. But amongst the muggleborns and very few half bloods in the student body, you're one of many that do have the knowledge of what automail entrails.
You are the Sorting Hat?
Indeed I am. I'm more than just a mere thinking cap, as I explained in song.
I see... may I call you Alastair?
You may. Centuries since my creation, and never was I given a name. I was simply known as the Sorting Hat. Now the, I see that you will be a difficult person to sort.
How come, Alastair?
Well, for instance, your cunning brings forth a quick reaction when you think on your feet, and your ambition to prove those who feel like life is not worth living after accidents leaving them crippled is of Slytherin trait. However, you hold smarts. Not only book smarts, but you hold a small bit of street smarts, as the muggles call it. Regardless, a trait to Ravenclaw... next, you hold a loyalty to your friends, including your sister Luna and her family after they took you in and took care of you as if you were their blood, is an honorable trait with Hufflepuff. The courage you hold steadfast against the unknown, especially when after your operation in grafting automail to replace your right arm and left leg, is a trait with Gryffindor. You, Mr. Potter, will have the Founders themselves fight to keep you in his or her house.
Mum always did say I was a very interesting child after they adopted me, and I gained my automail... Luna though I have to thank. She was the one that learned of it. She did all she could to learn all there was about automail.
Yes, and she is your automail mechanic. You care for her deeply, and always cherish her support. Hm... Mr. Potter, truly I am having a difficult decision in sorting you, therefore, I will allow you to choose where you wish to go to.
I wish to be with my friends in Gryffindor... My new friends I made while the train traveled towards Hogsmeade.
Gryffindor, huh? Very well... you, Mr. Potter, will be a very interesting seven years in Hogwarts. And, dare I say, bring a different view to the students themselves, since you exposed your secret. If you are able to, come see me in the Headmaster's Office. Let us chat again sometime.
Of course, Alastair...
The Sorting Hat grins, before shouting aloud, "GRYFFINDOR!" just as Minerva was about ready to take the hat off to see what was wrong. Boy did she jump. Some were a bit impatient with wanting him sorted right away, like one Severus Snape.
"Professor," Harry spoke aloud, turning to face her while throwing his coat over his shoulder, "he prefers the name Alastair the Sorting Hat." With his free hand, he takes Alastair off his head and hands it to her, and walks towards his friends, sitting between Hermione and Neville.
Gryffindor Table finally cheered that they gained Harry Potter in their house, however amongst the cheers and the loud applause, half of them were questioning Harry's metal right arm, as he sat there quietly sharing soft smiles to Neville and Hermione. At the Teacher's Table, Dumbledore in his golden throne-like seat gazed at Harry's automail.
So that is the automail Minerva told me about. He smiles, as he used his wand to create some sparkles, and informed the woman to resume the sorting. She did. Harry, I am so sorry for my mistake. It is one I am going to right one of these days. But, I have no doubt James and Lily wouldn't mind you being raised by the Lovegoods.
The sorting resumed, although now Dumbledore had a name plate to change later tonight. The last of the students were sorted, with a boy named Blaise Zabini sent to Slytherin. Ron was able to join Harry at Gryffindor, with the rest of his brothers who crowded him.
Harry, I am glad you never let that horrible incident with Petunia and her husband change you, was Dumbledore's last thought before he stands up.
Minerva took the stole and hat away, as he spreads his arms as if to encompass the entire room. "Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"
He sits back down, and in a whirl, various foods littered all five tables, and everyone clapped at the wonder before sitting down to eat with their new housemates and new friends they may have made while on the train.
Harry found some of his favorite foods to enjoy, such a mashed potatoes with a small dollop of salt, pepper, and a slice of stick butter, a slice of meat pie, a half breast of a roasted turkey, among some mixed vegetables, baked beans, and he took two buttered bread rolls. The drink however he didn't like and had it vanished to refill with a goblet of grape juice. As he ate, he was aware of a few eyes looking at him... or rather, his automail. And those eyes were from those whom may have never gone to the muggle world, or never heard of automail.
"Yes?" Harry said, a bit annoyed.
Some of the students looked away and returned to eating and talking to others away from him. Hermione however continued to stare at his automail arm.
"Harry... you never told me you had this."
"You never asked."
She flushed a bit.
"I mean... the only way you could have automail was losing your arm in an accident..."
Harry sipped his juice.
"Not just my arm," he said after a minute of quiet, "I also lost my left leg from the knee below. My former caretakers were deemed unfit to take care of me after my accident and hospitalization. I grew up in a better home, with Selena and Xenophilius Lovegood, and their daughter Luna, whom adopted me. They also got me my automail."
He takes this moment to take off his gloves, showing off the metallic silver glint of his right hand.
"Is this magic?" one of Ron's older brothers questioned. He assumed he was Ron's brother because the older boy had the same ginger fire red hair as Ron.
"Huh? No. Automail has been around since the end of World War II. Muggles created automail."
"Muggles created this? With no magic?"
Hermione, a muggleborn, nodded. "It's true. I've read much on automail. It was created to be the replacement to plastic and older prosthetic limbs. Today's automail is much more variable than the old full steel frames. Most automail today can be comprised of other materials such as carbon fiber, fiberglass, chrome, copper-nickel and aluminum alloys."
"Mine is a mix of various metallic alloys because mum told me how cold the winters can be here in Hogwarts, so mine was crafted out of metals that won't develop frostbite and keep my arm from operating even in sheer cold climates, or hot climates. In fact, my sister Luna crafted my leg and arm to survive in extreme hot and cold temperatures."
"Luna? She made your arm? Isn't she like ten years old?"
That was from Ron.
Harry chuckled. "She's very smart. Maybe smarter than her own good... she is definitely Ravenclaw material when she comes to Hogwarts next year."
The dinner went off well without any more questions, as Harry began to meet other students near him. Deserts came and passed, Harry having enjoyed two full slices of pumpkin pie with a generous dollop of fluffy milk crème. Soon, the food and drink vanish when everyone had their fill. Dumbledore stood once more.
"Ah, there is nothing like a wonderful feast to fill our stomachs."
He chuckles softly in amusement.
"Now then. I have a few starting term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older pupils would do well to remember that as well."
His eyes flashed towards the Gryffindor table. Two ginger-haired twins grin to one another and snicker in a mischievous manner.
"I have been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. He also has a list of banned items on his door he wishes to have checked out. Quidditch trials will be held the second week of term so anyone interested in playing for their house teams, second years and above, should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year; the third floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
Some murmurs echoed here and there, and Harry questioned why the Headmaster would state something like that. He never saw the other professors' looks gazing about while keeping fixed looks. He looked at a quivering man who wore a turban, and suddenly he felt a twinge of pain in his temple. But as soon as he broke his contact from the turban-wearing man, the pain subsided.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" He flicked his wand and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which raised high above the tables and twisted itself snakelike into words. "Everyone pick a favorite tune, and off we go!"
Harry covered his ears but it did little good the resulting cacophony gave him an instant headache. As the song finally came to an end, Harry wanted to clap that it was over, but didn't. Personally, he believed it to be a strange but silly song... silly and also insanely odd.
"Ah, music," the Headmaster said, wiping his eyes, "A magic beyond all we do here! And now bedtime. Off you trot!"
Everyone stood as the professors exited out a side doorway. Students wandered off, while Prefects of each house began to do their duties, and called towards the first years of their house. Harry crowded with Hermione, Neville, and Ron as they joined the other firsties. The Gryffindors split from other student groups, to a corridor where they stopped in front of a portrait with a woman in it. Her portrait name was entitled Fat Lady. With the password given, the Gryffindor Prefect explained the rules of Gryffindor House, and then told the first years to go to their assigned dorms and get some sleep.
Harry discovered that he would be dorm mates with Seamus Finnigan, Neville, Dean Thomas, and Ron. Harry merely hung his coat on a coat hanger rack he took out of his trunk's storage space next to his bed nearest the window.
"Hey mate, why's your arm made of metal? Is it magic?"
The question came from Dean, and Harry turned his head briefly.
"No. It's completely muggle. It's called automail, and I lost my arm in an accident along with my lower left leg. They crafted me a replacement arm and leg, and I had surgery to graft the limbs into place. I always have to get them replaced as I get older, grow taller and whatnot. My arm and leg are proportionally correct to my current height and weight."
"How'd you lose your arm and leg?" Seamus asked.
Harry had stopped in the middle of unbuckling the belt of his pants, before slowly removing the belt.
"That's too personal..."
"Hey, sorry."
"It's okay... I just don't like to talk about it much," Harry said, and remained silent as he puts his belt and pants away, leaving himself in just his boxers.
Without his pants on, the other boys can see the metal that made up his lower left leg. And seeing his automail right arm, Seamus and Dean, both half-bloods, were reminded of what the muggles called robots. They of course said nothing as Harry climbed into bed, and closed the bed curtains around him. Sleep was easy for him to grasp, although it took his dorm mates awhile longer to get theirs. The questions they had been on Harry's metal limbs, and this incident he didn't want to talk about. Of course, by tomorrow morning, there would be all sorts of rumors of how "Harry Potter gained silver limbs".
Some of them would be ruder than others...
And thus is the start... what do you think?
I hope it's nice for reviews. Although, I have to rant for a bit: checking over, I am not surprised to see some of my sentences in the manager being all and reform the sentences that get squeezed like that. Kind of pisses me off. I hope I am NOT the only other author who's had this annoying problem. I also have been experiencing problems such as my bolds and italics being eaten up.
On June 22, 2012, I edited this chapter to correct mistakes and spelling errors. While I appreciate the critics telling me how much I sucked you didn't have to be so rude about it.