Written By: Kari Tryk

Based On: The Harry Potter Series

Rating: T - Language, Sexuality, and Graphic Violence (If graphic horror or romance, gay or straight, is offensive to you as a reader, this is your warning.)

Summary: Like all Hogwarts students, Finn and Charlie are in awe at the moment they arrive. As they make friends, and enemies, they are thrown into a plot that no one believes. And to make it worse, Finn must now finish his days as a werewolf.

Spoiler Possibilities: Setting takes place several years after Voldemort's fall.

Author's Note: I suppose it's finally happened. I have been sucked into the trend. Needless to say, I had been wanting to write a suitable fanfiction to the Harry Potter world for more than ten years now, but I never felt my ideas would be worthy. Until I went about a week thinking up a character and unable stop, I started writing it down, along with some side characters and the works. With mild collaboration between my story and a friend's, thus follows the account of Finneus Rowland and his years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Fun Fact: This fanfiction also intertwines with KGaki's The School Years of Rhys Elwyn. You should check it out, yeah?

"Harry Potter" Universe and Associated Settings/Characters © J.K. Rowling

Rhys Elwyn © Raquel Hernandez

Chapter 1

Diagon Alley was particularly warm that day, although the sun was hiding behind an array of gray clouds. It was a bit more humid than Finn would have liked, but he didn't care. His heart was racing too rapidly for him to care about something as ridiculous as the weather. He was clutching an already wrinkled envelope in his hands, practically wringing it into dust as he walked between his parents down the cobblestone street.

"I think robes would do best first, what do you think, dear?" his mother said.

"I want my wand," Finn said insistently. His father, Augustus, let out a chuckle.

"In time, son, relax. When I was your age, I picked robes first," he added, in agreement with Finn's mother, Amelia. "Do you know why?"

Finn's hazel eyes looked up at him curiously. "No. Why?"

"Because you always want to do the boring stuff first," he explained, pointing at Finn with a smile.

"Why?"

"Well, if you do all of the fun stuff first, then there's nothing to look forward to, is there? All that's left is the boring stuff."

As Finn thought it over, he supposed it made sense, but that didn't stop his stomach from tingling at the thought of finally having his own wand.

"Your father has a point, love," his mother said with a smile. "And look. Madam Malkin's is just there."

Finn followed her eyes as she looked a few shops down, his eyes struggling to read the wards carefully painted over the windows, as it was too far for him to see. Not to mention he had difficulty seeing over the heads of the other witches and wizards wandering about the alley. The idea of picking out clothes was so dull that he already felt himself whining. He let out a sigh through his nose as he continued to clutch the envelope he held, which had been nearly ripped to shreds when he had tried to take it from his mother while she was opening it for him.

It had been his letter of acceptance to Hogwarts, the school he had dreamt about since he could remember. His father had always told him stories of what it had been like when he had attended, and he couldn't bear the thought of having to wait a whole other week before he could finally board the train that would take him there. He was excited beyond imagination, so excited in fact that the fear of being overshadowed by the hundreds of other students hadn't even occurred to him yet. For now, he relished the simple joy of knowing there was a place where he could do as much magic as he could dream of. If only he could get his hands on a wand.

They stood to the side as a father stepped out of Madam Malkin's with a young blonde haired boy, who was staring through a pair of oval glasses. He held a package that seemed too large for him, but he smiled at Finn as he passed. Finn smiled back, but paid little more attention. While he listened to his mother discuss his stature briefly with the squat old woman who smiled kindly at her, his father strayed off to the other side of the small shop, eyeing a cloak that was displayed by the window.

Finn had no interest in a new wardrobe, but was polite to Madam Malkin as his mother had taught him, smiling when she asked him to stand at odd angles while she measured his arms, legs, chest and stomach. She wrapped him in various fabrics and tapes while he gazed out of the window at the shop. He spotted an ice cream parlor just across the street, and felt his mouth tingle for a taste. He realized how hungry he was, and looked for his father while his mother stood, her hand pressed under her chin thoughtfully while Madam Malkin worked.

"Dad," he said quickly. His father turned around, and dropped the hem of the cloak he had been assessing.

"Yes?"

"Can we get some ice cream?" the eleven year old asked, his hazel eyes hopeful as he looked back at the window.

"Sounds good to me, what do you think, Amelia?" his father asked, looking over his son's thick dark brown hair.

"I think it should be taken in a little more at the feet," Amelia suggested, staring at the silver haired woman's work.

"I was thinking the same, my dear," Madam Malkin smiled, the side of her mouth full of pins as she tucked a piece of fabric.

"We'll go as soon as she finished," Finn's father promise, putting a hand on his head.

"I want chocolate," Finn said excitedly, "With chocolate chips."

"Sounds like a bit much," Amelia said, raising an eyebrow at her son.

"If he gets a stomach ache, he'll learn," Finn's father shrugged, winking at his son.

Another fifteen minutes went by, and Finn felt his feet started to ache from standing in the same position. His arms were tired from being lifted and dropped more than five times. Finally, Madam Malkin pulled her work off of his shoulders and laid it out on her front desk.

"All done, dear," she smiled, "You have more patience than most boys I've had to fit today."

"Really?" Finn asked.

"Oh, of course. The boys are always so squirmy. The girls I hardly ever have a problem with," she said with a smile at Amelia. "Come back in a few minutes and I'll have these all done for you."

"Thank you," Amelia smiled, following her husband and son out of the shop. They had already rushed into the ice cream parlor. By the time she found her way through the line and stood behind them, she heard Finn say something about rats.

"Should I get one, dad? I read that they're really smart. I'd like one."

"Absolutely not," Amelia insisted, "Why in the world would you want a rat?"

"Why not?" Finn asked.

"Let the boy choose his own pet, Amelia," her husband said softly. He took three ice creams from the teller and led the other two back outside, handing the double scoop of chocolate chip to his son, and the lemon to his wife. She smiled at him gratefully and watched as Finn practically stuck the whole treat in his mouth.

"Well, I'm all right with him choosing his own pet," she agreed, "But rats are quite useless, aren't they? An owl would be more practical."

"But you already have an owl," Finn protested, "If you send me letters, you can send him, and I just send him back. Aren't owls more expensive, anyway? What about a cat?" he added quickly to his father. "I read that kneazles are really smart, smarter than rats, and he could protect me, too! They get big, don't they?"

Amelia rolled her eyes with a laugh as they all stood and ate, taking care to stay out of the way of other shoppers. After a few minutes, she crossed the cobblestone street and stepped into Madam Malkin's shop to retrieve Finn's new robes. When she came back out with them, Finn's father was explaining the houses of Hogwarts to him, in a very brief summary.

"But if I'm not sorted now, how am I supposed to know if I have right robes?" Finn asked, looking at the wrapped package his mother now held. She finished her ice cream and then tucked the package under her arm comfortable. Finn had the impression that his parents knew what house he was going to be sorted in, and the emblems were already sewn onto his robes. Yet, for whatever reason, he wasn't allowed to see them until he was told when he arrived at the school.

"One of these is your winter robe," Amelia explained. "You have your three plain robes for your uniform, and when we pass by the apothecary, we'll find you some of those gloves they were asking for on that list of yours."

"The colors of your house are added to your uniform when the Hat decides where you belong," his father shrugged.

"And your robe isn't the only part to your uniform, dear," Amelia offered, "There are shirts, and pants, and sweaters as well."

"That's a stupid way to do things, it makes no sense," Finn declared.

"I thought Madam Malkin called him patient earlier?" Augustus said curiously.

"Must have misheard," she smiled. "Come on, let's go find your books."