Hannah Abbott was bored. The eight year old girl was lying on the bed in her new room, in her new house, in a her new town. You see, her Muggle father had gotten a job transfer, forcing the family to move from their apartment in London, all the way to Surrey. Of course, this meant she had to leave her friends behind and 'make new ones'. Except every Muggle that met her could feel something different about her, plus her bouts of accidental magic that she was still prone to. All these things added up to her staring at the wall on her bed. She'd already unpacked and organized the room, so now she was just waiting for the torture that would begin on Monday known as a new school.
Sitting up and clutching her pillow, she turned towards the wall of crayon drawings she had made over the years. Of course, she threw out every 'drawing' that was just scribbles, leaving just the ones she liked. Her wall was covered corner to corner in pictures of brooms, Quidditch, wizarding shops, what she thought Hogwarts might look like, and various other things that had to do with the witch side of her family.
"Hannah, are you still sulking?" her mother called up the stairs.
"Mum, I was not SULKING," she protested.
"Then why don't you go outside and play. It's a beautiful day, today," her mum shouted.
"Because none of the Muggles like me!"
"Hannah Abbott, stop sulking in your room and go outside and play! That is an order!"
"Yes, Mum!"
Grumbling, Hannah put her pillow back and got her trainers out of the closet. Slipping them on, she shuffled down the stairs and out the door, to the front lawn of Number 13 Privet Drive. She stood for a few moments, before remembering that there was a playground down the street. Running at a sprint, she reached the playground in a few minutes and found it empty, which may or may not have been a good thing. Sitting down on one of the swings, she started to push herself back and forth with her feet.
After several minutes of sitting on the swing and staring at her feet, she looked up to see a boy in glasses and clothes several sizes too big running to hide in a clump of bushes. He was soon followed by a gang of much bigger and tougher-looking boys.
"Keep looking. The freak can't be much farther from here. Maybe that girl's seen him. Hey, you, have you seen a scrawny kid with stupid glasses?" the leader, a very chubby and spoilt-looking boy, asked.
Hannah just stared at the gang of bullies with her arms crossed and chin out for several seconds. "Yes, I have seen him. No, I'm not telling you where he went. If you do find him, I will punch you with no fear of retribution, for what would your parents say if you hit a girl, even if she hit first? And in case you're wondering why I would punch, I'm not very much a fan of bullies. Now, are we done talking to each other?"
"Nobody talks to me that way!"
"I just did. Whatcha gonna do about it? Run to mommy? Or be a coward and hit a girl? Or maybe, just maybe, be nice for probably the first time in your life and leave the kid alone?"
The boy's face went through several expressions, before he huffed and left, his gang following him. After she sure they were gone, she turned to the boy in the bushes.
"You can come out now. The bullies are gone. I'm Hannah Abbott. I just moved here. What's your name?"
"Harry Potter," the boy answered. Hannah froze in place and didn't move for about thirty seconds, before her eyes darted up to his forehead, widened, and she grabbed Harry's wrist and dragged him down the street.
"Wait, where are we going?" Harry asked.
"My house, of course. My family would love to meet you. Obviously, they won't tell anyone, because why would you disappear for seven years if you weren't hiding, probably from Death Eaters? My dad's Muggle, but Mum's a witch. I'm half-blood, of course. You're half-blood, too aren't ya? Pretty sure my books said your father was Pure-blood and your mum was Muggle-born. That true, Harry? But why are we talking about blood, that doesn't matter. What matters is your Harry bloody Potter and you're being bullied." Hannah continued in this manner all the way down the street, not letting a very confused Harry get a word in edgewise. Once they reached her house, Hannah threw open the door. "Mum! I'm home! And I've brought the Boy-Who-Lived with me!"
"What's going on? Why are you talking about witches and wizards?" Harry asked.
"You don't know anything?" When Harry shook his head no, Hannah just gained a determined look on her face. "Then I'm gonna teach you all about your heritage."
{~X~}
That day led to more days, which led to weeks and years. Hannah became good friends with Harry and was known at the school to protect him fiercely. Her parents agreed to keep his location hidden, but did what they could to improve his life, despite the fact that Petunia never agreed to let them adopt him. Hannah taught Harry all about the Wizarding World, as well as how to defend himself. She punched Dudley on three occasions and Piers Polkiss on two defending Harry. The Abbotts insisted they become Harry's regular babysitters, treating the boy like a son. Harry's home life never really improved, but considering how little time he spent in his home, it was alright. It came to a head one day when a letter marked with a wax seal and a return address in green ink arrived at the Dursley house.
Following what they had decided the best course of action would be, Harry shoved the letter in his pocket and, once breakfast was over, sprinted to Hannah's house. He didn't even knock, instead just opening the door.
"Hello?" he called. "Anyone home?" He was answered by the sound of someone rushing down the stairs, before being swept up by a blond blur.
"I saw the post owl. Did you get the letter?" Hannah asked.
"Of course. So this means your mum can take us shopping for our supplies now?"
"Yep. She said she's really good any day, so let's get her."
Hannah and Harry walked into the living room, where there was a door leading to a basement. Rushing down the stairs, Hannah slid on her socks around the corner, where her mum kept her magic study and potions lab.
"MumMumMumMumMum!" Hannah yelled.
"Hm? What is it?" her mother asked, looking up from her book.
"Harry got his Hogwarts letter! Can we go shopping for the supplies now?"
"Has he spoken to his aunt and uncle about it yet?"
"No, ma'am," Harry answered. "Not yet."
"Well...it's not like they can do much to prevent you going anyways. How soon can you be ready to leave?"
"Now?" Hannah asked.
"Let's give it about fifteen minutes," her mother replied, marking her book and standing up. "Can you be ready in fifteen minutes?" All Hannah did was grin.
Fifteen minutes later, the trio stood in front of the fireplace. Somehow, Hannah had managed to completely change outfits into a pale yellow shirt, khaki shorts, and trainers, as well as get her hair brushed and into their signature pigtails, all in the span of ten minutes.
"Are we going by Floo, Mum?" Hannah asked.
"Yes, my dear. Why don't you go first, so Harry isn't all alone when he inevitably gets mobbed?" Mrs. Abbott asked.
"Okay, Mum." Hannah grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and stepped into the fireplace. Throwing the powder, she yelled out "Leaky Cauldron!" and was gone in a flash of green flame.
"Now, Harry, dear, it's your turn. Be careful when you get there, for when people notice you, they will all be coming to greet you. Make sure not to lose Hannah."
"Yes, Mrs. Abbott," Harry responded. Grabbing his own handful of powder, he stepped into the fireplace and repeated Hannah.
Stumbling out of the fireplace, he noticed Hannah had moved herself so he could hide behind her. He kept himself well-positioned, so that he looked merely like a regular boy who was particularly shy, he waited until Mrs. Abbott came out of the fireplace. Straightening himself, he took one of her hands, while Hannah took the other. It took just a few moments before someone cried out "Bloody hell! It's Harry Potter!"
The group was soon facing a line of people wanting to meet the famous Harry Potter. The line was full of thank-you's and it's-an-honor's, lasting a good twenty minutes, as more patrons would come into the tavern and join the line. Deciding it had gone on long enough, Mrs. Abbott placed a hand in front of the line.
"I apologize for cutting this short, but we must be going. My daughter and Harry must get their supplies for Hogwarts now," she stated, taking the children and leading them into the back. She muttered to herself as she located the correct brick and tapped it with her wand, opening the way to Diagon Alley.
They walked across the alley to the impressive marble building at the end. Realizing it was Gringotts, the wizard bank, Harry's brow furrowed as a worrying thought came to him.
"Mrs. Abbott, how will I pay for my supplies?" He asked. "I haven't any money."
"Not to worry, Harry. I will pay for your supplies this year. Later this year, you can claim the key to the Potter vault from Headmaster Dumbledore. Then, if you absolutely feel you must, you may pay me back. But, only if you feel you must. Remember, you're like a son to Thomas and me," Mrs. Abbott answered.
"Okay, Mrs. Abbott."
After an indeterminate amount of time, during which Harry decided he would never go on a rollercoaster and Hannah miffed the goblins by throwing up, they found themselves back at Diagon Alley.
"Let's go to Madame Malkin's first, so we can get you fitted for your robes," Mrs. Abbott decided. "I know what you're thinking, Hannah, and we are getting the wands last."
"But, Muuuuum," Hannah whined," I want to get my wand noooow."
"No."
"But-"
"No."
"Fine."
Madame Malkin's was empty when they entered, so they were out pretty quickly, new robes in tow. They bought what was known as simply 'The First-Year Package' at Flourish and Blott's, which included everything except whatever was the curriculum for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Naturally, they bought the DADA book as well.
The other supplies were all bought very quickly, as well. They made a quick stop to Eeylop's Owl Emporium, where they bought a fuzzy brown owl that Hannah decided to name Henry, after Harry shot down her original idea of Fluffles. The group soon stood in Ollivander's wand shop, where the group was greeted by none other than the creepy man himself.
"Well, well, which of you is going first?" Ollivander asked. "No volunteers? Well, then I suppose it shall have to be ladies first. This way, Miss Abbott. Hold out your wand arm."
After a series of seemingly useless measurements and a pile of wands that didn't work with her, Hannah found herself with a wand measuring 10 ¾ inches, made of rosewood and dragon heartstring.
After an interesting exchange where Harry became owner to the brother wand of Voldemort, the three left for home. Mrs. Abbott dropped Harry off with a warning that, should the Dursley's attempt to prevent Harry from going to Hogwarts, they would meet the receiving end of a hex. And so Hannah Abbott and Harry Potter waited for September 1st, when they would start the adventure of a lifetime.