Chapter One: But the books - must be wrong!
I don't anything Harry Potter at all. J.K. Rowling does.
Harry didn't pay much attention to the other inhabitants of Number Four, Privet Drive, during his last month with the Dursleys. He was sure, however, that they were very frightened of him, as they had stopped speaking to him at all. Harry didn't mind their neglect, as it was better than their usual treatment and it gave him the opportunity to read his school texts in peace.
Harry named the snowy owl he'd been given Artemis, after the goddess of the hunt, and tended to her as she flew in and out of his opened window while he studied late into the night, eagerly absorbing all of the material he knew he would depend upon in school. Harry couldn't wait to learn magic, and he couldn't wait to leave Privet Drive.
Harry knew that in order to get to the train station, he would either need a ride or some money. As he didn't want his family to know about the small fortune held underground in Gringotts, in late August, Harry decided to approach his uncle to ask for a ride.
As the young wizard ambled down the stairs, his cousin squeaked and ran into his room, slamming the door behind him.
Nonplussed, Harry saw Uncle Vernon in the living room and carefully walked over to where he was sitting.
"Uncle Vernon?"
His uncle turned to him and paled slightly as his eyes rested on Harry.
"What is it?"
"I need to be at King's Cross and I was hoping if you would give me a lift."
Harry grew anxious as Uncle Vernon stared at him. After several minutes, he nodded and left the room.
As Harry let out a breath, he realized that he needed to start packing.
The next morning, Harry was left alone standing in front of a group of people with flaming red hair. As Harry moved to approach them, a girl with a head of bushy brown hair bumped into him.
"Oh, sorry, I was looking for my parents. Are you alright?"
"Yeah, sorry about that." said Harry as he got up.
The girl gasped as Harry brushed his hair out of his eyes.
"I know who you are. You're Harry Potter."
Harry rolled his eyes and said, "Please keep it down, last time people heard that they wouldn't let me move for twenty minutes."
She nodded, and with a grins, said, "Well, Mr. Secret, I'm Hermione Granger. Can you help me find my parents. I went to the bathroom and lost them."
Harry smiled and said, "Of course."
Hermione smiled back at him.
As they looked around, Hermione asked, "Do you know what House you'd like to be in?"
Harry replied, "Either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. How about you?"
Before Hermione could answer Harry's question, the two kids were stopped adults who turned out to be Hermione's parents.
"There you are, Hermione. We've been looking for you. Who's this?" asked Hermione's father.
"This is Harry Potter, another first-year here. He was helping me look for you."
As Hermione and her father talked, Hermione's mother was staring at Harry, making him slightly nervous.
Hermione noticed her mother's odd behavior and asked, "Mum, are you alright?"
"Yes, dear. I was just thinking about something."
As Harry looked thoughtful, Hermione's parents started hurrying them towards the platform.
Harry and Hermione boarded the train as it started moving. Before Hermione could say good-bye to her parents, the train started picking up speed.
Hermione looked upset as her parents flashed past the window. Harry, unsure as to what to do, offered the girl a hug, like he'd seen Aunt Petunia do for Dudley when he was upset, as she looked about to burst into tears. As he was about to pull away, Hermione pulled him closer and clung to him tighter.
"Are you okay, Hermione?" asked Harry, concerned.
Hermione sobbed into his shoulder, "I'm going to miss them so much, Harry."
Harry held her and stroked her back as he would pet a cat, to soothe her. Harry resisted the temptation to scratch her behind the ears, as he had a feeling she might not respond well to that.
After a while, Harry and Hermione, still clinging to her new friend, looked for an empty compartment.
As Harry lifted Hermione's and then his luggage into the designated rack, Hermione looked eager to start conversation. "Harry, what's your favourite subject?" she offered, wondering just how much magic her new friend had already studied.
Harry thought for a moment. "I like our history book, because it's fascinating, but I'm interested to learn about potions, because it sounds like it'd be useful for research, or being a doctor."
Hermione grinned, "So you've only studied our texts? But what's it like being a wizard? Have you gotten to do loads of magic as a kid? It seems so interesting -"
Harry cut her off with a wince: "I wouldn't know, since I only just found out a month ago I could do magic. Well, beyond accidental magic anyways. I get the feeling that my Aunt and Uncle don't really like magic, and I'm pretty sure they can't do it."
Hermione frowned. "But the books - must be wrong," Hermione switched gears, not wanting to further upset her new friend. She didn't push the matter, something for which Harry was grateful. "I like transfiguration best, because…"
After an hour or two, there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"
Harry jumped up and looked around for Mars Bars, but noticed that there weren't any. Instead he got some Cauldron Cakes and Licorice Wands.
Hermione stared at Harry as he went back into their compartment.
"You're going to share, right?" she said with a smile on her face.
Harry grinned back. "Of course."
After an hour, there was a knock on the door of their compartment, followed by round-faced boy who walked in.
"Sorry, but have either of you seen a toad at all?" asked the boy.
When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me."
"He'll turn up," said Harry.
Hermione looked torn as she wanted to help the boy, but didn't want to leave her friend by himself, something to which Harry remained entirely oblivious.
The boy left as the train entered a tunnel.
"Why was your mother looking at me?" asked Harry.
Hermione stopped in her attempt to get one of her books and said, "I'm not sure."
As Hermione got her book and sat down to read it, three boys entered the compartment.
A pale boy looked straight at Harry and said, "The name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
Hermione giggled at the way Malfoy introduced himself.
Malfoy looked at her and said, "Think my name's funny, do you? Who are you, by the way?"
Hermione and Harry looked at each other as Hermione said, "Granger, Hermione Granger."
At this both Harry and Hermione started laughing.
Confused, Malfoy looked at his friends, who looked just as befuddled.
"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter. Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents."
Harry paled as Hermione glared at Malfoy.
Before anything else happened there was a knock on door, which opened to reveal a pair of twins, both with flaming red hair.
"What's going on here?" asked the one on the left.
"Why, George, I believe that these Firsties have to learn about the initiation, don't they?"
As Malfoy looked at his friends in fear, both twins winked at Harry and Hermione.
"Let's see there 5 of them and only two of us, hmmm."
"I know, let's go get Lee."
"We'll be back."
As soon as they were gone, Malfoy and his cronies fled from Harry and Hermione's compartment.
Harry and Hermione looked at each other as the twins came back.
"So what was going on?"
"We heard Malfoy from our compartment."
The twins looked at Harry, who still looked a bit pale.
Hermione spoke up. "They were talking bad about Harry's parents."
Both twins immediately had angry faces.
"Looks like-"
"A bit of-"
"Pranking is about-"
"To commence."
As they looked at Harry, both twins smiled and said, "Harry, there's nothing to worry about. He wasn't the nicest person you'll meet. We'll teach him not to mess with you, alright?"
Harry looked at them and smiled.
The twins saluted at Harry and bowed at Hermione before leaving the compartment.
"They seemed nice." said Hermione.
Harry nodded as he noticed the train was starting to slow down.
"We should change."
Hermione nodded and left the compartment so Harry could change.
A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."
Harry stepped out so Hermione could change into her robes. As she joined Harry, the train slowed down and stopped. As they attempted to get off of the train, people kept pushing into them.
Finally, they stepped onto a tiny, dark platform. Hermione noticed that Harry was shivering, so she got closer to him.
As they stood there, they heard a voice say, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"
"C'mon, follow me. Firs' years follow me!"
"He's a huge man." said Hermione as they saw who was guiding them.
The man had a long, shaggy, mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.
As Hermione kept holding onto Harry, they were stumbling as they followed the owner of the voice down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Hermione snuggled into him as they passed by the trees.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the man called over his shoulder, "Jus' round this bend here."
The First Years looked impressed as the narrow path opened onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
"No more'n four to a boat!" said the man as he pointed to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.
Harry and Hermione were followed into their boat by the round-faced boy and another redhead.
The man shouted, "Everyone in? Right then, Forward!"
The boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake. Around halfway there, Hermione asked, "Are you still cold, Harry?"
Harry smiled and said, "A little bit."
Hermione held onto him tighter as the first boats reached the cliff.
They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.
They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around a huge, oak front door.
The man raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
So I just adopted this fic from Smoshfan777. Thank you so much for letting me play in your world. Reviews are always appreciated. I hope you enjoy the story!