Chapter One: Top of the Heap

The scarlet train was the focal point of the crowded platform. It seemed to radiate energy off of the metal, drawing people in. The scene surrounding was full of families wishing each other well, friends greeting each other, and mothers attempting to give one last kiss to their children before they went off for another year of school. Excitement crowded Platform 9 ¾ like a fog.

One family among them were the Potters. James Potter, his wife Lily, and their three children Harry, Benjamin, and Laura. Harry was the oldest. He was skinny and lanky like his father. In fact, he looked just like James except for the emerald green eyes he got from his mother. Benjamin shared the build and messy hair of his father, but had the same facial structure of his mother. He was entering his fifth year. Laura had red hair with brown eyes. She was the youngest and entering her fourth year. Each of the Potter children were very eager to start their new year. Harry seemed to be the most excited. He was officially at the top of the school. The shiny head boy badge on the front of his robes seemed to designate him as king. Harry wasn't really sure the reasoning behind his appointment. He had inherited his father's enjoyment of causing trouble.

"Harry, dear! Give your mother a kiss!" said Lily, grabbing the teenager by the arm as he attempted to rush off and hop on the train without the usual mushiness. Harry yelped at the forceful tug. "Gentle mum!" he said, turning to give his mother a sloppy kiss on the top of her head. Harry wiggled himself away from her grasp. "I have to go patrol. I'm a man of responsibility." he said, winking at his mother. He clapped his father on the back said goodbye, kissed his mother again, and set off.

Once inside the train, Harry squeezed through the mobs of chattering students to the compartment where he would check in the prefects. He slid through the door crack to see the new Head Girl Hermione Granger already marking off names on a piece of parchment. He sidled up next to her, and attempted to contort his face into a look of authority. He knew Hermione would probably do most of the work in the pair. She was the top of the class, and had been telling everyone else what to do since she set foot on the Hogwarts Express her first year. She was a natural for the position.

During Harry's first year at Hogwarts, just seeing the face of Hermione Granger made him want to be sick. She was easily the most disliked person in the school. However, as she had aged she became more tolerable. The two of them had struck up a friendship of sorts. They weren't inseparable best friends or anything of the sort, but they didn't fight anymore. Ron, Seamus, and Dean attempted to keep Hermione Granger as far out of their life as possible, but Harry and her would study in the library every once in a while. She did know her stuff after all.

The new prefects all sat in a row. Some looked self-important, others indifferent as if the position was inevitable. Some of the students had polished their badges. Harry could see his face in the metal with dimensions of a fun house mirror. He turned to his new partner in crime. No, crime wasn't the word was it? He turned to his new partner in leadership. "Everyone accounted for?" he ask, leaning to peak at a impeccably organized list. "Yes, and I would have been done more quickly if you had shown up earlier." she retorted, while tracing the list with the tip of her quill. "Would have," Harry said, "But I couldn't get away from my mum fast enough. She hates goodbyes." he chuckled to himself.

Hermione eyed the prefects one by one, her mouth opening to give what Harry assumed would be a speech on responsibility. "You all know that being prefect is a huge responsibility." she began, Harry smiling at his very true prediction, "You are all expected to uphold school rules and discourage any wrong doing. Do not lord over the underclassmen. Make sure rules are followed. You have been given a very special position. Please do not abuse it." she finished. Harry reckoned she had spent time over the summer perfecting the short speech and was sure at one time it was much longer.

One by one the prefects filed out, most of them looking eager to retire to compartments with their friends and snack on cauldron cakes. Harry was one of these. Hermione, however, looked to be spending the entire train ride peaking in on compartments making sure no havoc was wrecked. Harry turned to her and offered her a smile. "Gonna be one hell of a year, huh?" he asked. "Not on my watch." Hermione replied, returning the grin. Their paths then separated as Harry found the compartment filled with his friends.

"OI! Look who's here!"

As soon as Harry stepped into the compartment his ears were met with the voices of his friends. Some reached out to slap him on the back. The whole compartment was in an uproar of mirth.

"Hey look! It's the head honcho!"

"Head boy!"

"Don't put me in detention, HB!"

"Gonna scold me, Harry?"

Harry laughed along with them, plopping down next to a familiar freckled face. His best friend Ron Weasley grinned at him. "Looks like you fell into the footsteps of dear old Percy." the red head joked. "Not quite." Harry replied, smoothing a stray hair out of his face. "This year is Quiddich first, fun second, and school and head boy duties tied for third."

"Ah, Quiddich Captain and Head boy. You've got a lot on your plate Harry." said the only girl in the room, a red head sitting next to Dean Thomas. Ginny Weasley smiled at him. Harry was already making his team list in his head. Ginny would of course get a chaser position. Ron would be keeper. The rest was up to the trails. He hoped the rest of his friends flew well. Quiddich would be a constant party.

At that moment, the plump woman with the tray of sweets stopped at their compartment. She didn't even have time to ask if anyone wanted anything before the group of teenage boys rushed towards her, shouting out what they wanted and shoving coins in her hands.

The food cart lady left considerably richer and the boys dug into their hoard. Very few words were exchanged as they ate. Once in awhile one would exclaim when they ate a bad Bertie Botts every flavoured bean. Ginny Weasley watched them with a bemused expression. Her only buys were two chocolate frogs and a cauldron cake. She was eating slowly. Although she was clearly wrapped around Dean Thomas, Harry couldn't help stealing a glance. Ron would kill me he thought. Ron wasn't a fan of Ginny's relationship with Dean. Since they began dating a year previously, Ron had acted in a cold manner towards Dean. This worried Harry. Harry, Ron, Seamus, Neville and Dean had once been an inseparable team. They were like brothers only better. Now it seemed like little by little they were breaking apart. Ron and Dean barley spoke. What if they began to take sides? Harry pushed the thought from his mind and concentrated on his food.

Sometime after the food was gone and everyone had played several rounds of exploding snap, Harry noticed that the sky outside was getting darker. Harry swept his hair back, knowing that in a few minutes time he would be arriving at school. Neville was the first to voice this out loud. "Almost here!" he shouted, pointing a pudgy finger towards the dark window. "Ready to be king, Harry?" Ron asked sheepishly. Harry grinned. "I'll do the best I can."

As the group walked out of the train, chattered in their horseless carriages, and finally found themselves in the giant decorated Great Hall, Harry felt like something about this year was going to be different. Sure, he was Head Boy, and was following in the footsteps of his father who was Gryffindors golden boy, but something about this year seemed like it wasn't going to be all about Quiddich, Fun, Head Boy duties, and school work this year. It seemed like something was brewing around him, something unstoppable, something darker than the starless sky above him.

And as Bellatrix Lestrange put signed her name on a piece of parchment addressed to someone called The Dark Lord, she smiled to herself, because something dark was brewing indeed.


A/N: So, nothing super juicy yet. This chapter is mainly just a description of Harry's life without Voldemort. Drama will be coming soon, I promise. Reviews are love. I'm going to post a opinion question for each chapter, so here's the first. It won't necessarily impact the story, but it's cool to hear what reader's think.

If Hagrid was not expelled from Hogwarts, how do you think he would end up?

Hope youse guys liked the chapter. 3