Warnings – This will eventually be SLASH. There will also be child abuse and neglect, and probably a bit of swearing. Not sure what else will happen quite yet, but most likely at least one more thing that needs a warning.
Disclaimer – JKR owns all, we are merely borrowing her characters and screwing around with her world.
A/N: Still Raven here. In this chapter we get the train ride, a meeting with Draco Malfoy, and the sorting. Thank you to all who reviewed, it really made us happy! Review again please, it motivates us. Yup, it truly does! Also, if there is anything you wish to see in here, tell us in a review and we'll do our best to include it. So go read, and don't forget to review!!
Harry was woken early by the house elves in order to pack. He carefully piled both his own text books and the ones he had 'borrowed' from Sirius into the trunk, leaving Sirius' first year books behind. They took up nearly half the entire thing. Next he put in a layer of clothing to pad the rest of his supplies. His cauldron went on top of the layer, with more clothing filling the spaces beneath and around it. His most precious potions supplies were carefully placed in the cauldron and padded with an old robe he had long outgrown. Most of these ingredients were not on the supply list, instead they were given to him by the house elves, or slipped into his purchases in the apothecary without letting Sirius or James know. A small box filled with potions Harry had made went in next, followed by his other supplies and finally his robes.
Harry left his bag out of the trunk and filled it with a few necessities. A set of robes for when he got on the train and a small bag of money he had been saving for most of his life. Whenever he found loose change he would keep it, and James had grudgingly handed over a handful of galleons and sickles. He also placed a few books in his bag. His new Defense and Potions textbooks, as well as their fourth year counterparts which Harry was currently reading went into the bag. He also carefully placed a few potions into the bag. He didn't think he would need them, but they would be helpful if anything did happen.
Glancing around furtively, Harry pulled out his old wand and placed a weightless charm on his trunk and bag. He knew neither James nor Sirius would be so kind as to help him with it, and he was incredibly skinny and unable to easily carry such a large amount of books. When he heard James shout for him, he rushed to the entrance hall of Grimmauld Place.
"Hurry up and get in the car." James said. Harry refused to call him father because they had more or less abandoned him. Harry easily placed the trunk in the boot of the car and held Nevermore's cage on his lap.
Where are we going, young one? Nevermore asked. Harry carefully cast a silencing charm around him and Nevermore with his old wand up his sleeve. He knew if he used his old wand no one would suspect him, but if he used his new wand he would be expelled. He didn't want James knowing of this little talent just yet.
To my new school. I will be taught magic there. Harry answered.
But do you not already know magic young one? Nevermore asked.
Yes, but I am not supposed to. I must go to school and graduate before I will be allowed to use magic. They want to make sure I know how to use it properly. Harry said.
Well that is a stupid rule. You are born with it, yet you are not allowed to use it unless they say so? Nevermore said, ruffling his feathers.
It's to keep us safe. They don't want anyone accidentally letting the Muggles know magic is real. If they were to find out Wizards and Witches still lived they would either be frightened and try to kill us like they did in Salem in the late 1600's, or constantly bug us to solve their problems. Harry reasoned.
I suppose it seems reasonable. Nevermore said.
"We're here. Just walk through the barrier between platform 9 and 10." James said. Scowling slightly Harry pulled his trunk out of the boot of the car and wheeled it towards the platform. James immediately drove off. As Harry approached the barrier he saw a family of red heads disappear through it.
You do know you are about to walk straight into that barrier, correct? Nevermore asked.
Yes. Harry said calmly.
Okay then. Just so long as you know that. He said, slightly nervous. Harry had to fight not to laugh at the small squawk Nevermore gave as they neared the wall only to pass right through it.
You could have at least told me it was an illusion. Nevermore cawed disgruntledly.
But where's the fun in that? Harry said. He quickly stashed his trunk on the train and took Nevermore and his bag off to find an empty compartment. They settled into a compartment near the back and Harry quietly read, occasionally saying a few words to Nevermore.
After about an hour of travel the door to his compartment slid open to reveal a young blonde boy with aristocratic features. He was already wearing his Hogwarts robes, the same as Harry. The blonde quickly looked him over, taking in his position curled up on the seat, his feet shoeless and tucked under him, book open in his lap, and a cage holding a stately raven sitting next to him.
"And who might you be?" The blonde asked, a bit of a sneer forming on his face.
"Potter, Harry Potter, and you are?" He asked.
"Are you related to Jonathan Potter?" Draco asked, awe in his voice. Harry sneered.
"Yes." He said coldly.
"I never knew he had an older brother." Draco mused. Harry sneered even more.
"Because they don't want anyone to know about me, now kindly remove yourself from my presence before I do it for you." Harry said. He hated when people brought up his so called family. Jonathan was nothing more than a show-offy brat, too spoiled for his own good, and too used to getting everything his way because he was the Boy-Who-Lived.
"I'm Draco Malfoy. I did not realize family was an offending subject to you." He said, ignoring Harry's threat. "I merely was looking for a place to sit that wasn't full of mudbloods."
"And I suppose you would have been off to find another compartment if my name wasn't Potter?" Harry asked.
"You are not a mudblood." Draco stated.
"Ah, but Lily Potter is. Now shoo before I contaminate you with my un-pure blood, Blondie." Harry said, returning to his potions text.
"Actually, I think I like it quite well here, thank you very much. I'll just stay." Draco said, sitting down across from Harry.
What is wrong young one? Nevermore asked.
Not here. Harry whispered, not looking up from his book. Nevermore gave a small squawk of discontent but was quiet for most the rest of the ride. When the food cart came around Harry bought himself a small treat, feeding part of it to Nevermore.
"You know, it isn't really good to feed birds human food." Draco said.
"So?" Harry said, still slightly annoyed at the boy for bringing up his family. But he put up with his presence, as he reasoned most people would recognize the name Potter, and since he was a Malfoy he could prove to be a strong ally.
"What's his name?" Draco asked.
"Nevermore." Harry answered.
"What kind of a name is that?" Draco asked.
"It's from a poem by Edgar Allen Poe called 'The Raven.' You know, 'Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary…'" Harry said.
"Yes, I know the one." Draco said. "What are you reading?" Draco asked. Harry propped the book up so Draco could read the title for himself.
"Schoolwork already?" Draco asked.
"I happen to like potions." Harry said. Draco never answered, and the rest of the ride was spent in silence, for which Harry was thankful. On the platform he finally shook Draco, but once they reached the boats he and two large boys who looked like bodyguards followed him into his boat. They set off towards the castle and Harry couldn't help but be amazed at the sight.
The large man that had met them at the platform lead them up to the castle where they were met by a stern looking witch. She introduced herself and led them to a small room to wait in for a moment. She soon came back and gave a small speech including how they would be sorted and what the different houses were. She then told them to form a line and led them into the Great Hall. Harry listened halfheartedly to a bushy haired witch whisper something about the ceiling being enchanted to look like the night sky before a stool and a hat were brought out and placed before the crowd of first years. It sang, the muggle-borns were amazed, and McGonagall began to call names.
Harry watched dispassionately as the students were sorted. The bushy haired girl went to Gryffindor, which surprised him slightly as he had thought her a dead-ringer for Ravenclaw. Harry idly wondered what house he would go in. He knew his parents would be disappointed if he didn't make it into Gryffindor, but he honestly didn't want to be in that house. The Gryffindors seemed like a judgmental bunch, judging by his parents and Sirius.
He wondered if perhaps he would be in Ravenclaw. It wouldn't surprise him with his love for books and all. Hufflepuff definitely wasn't for him. Perhaps Slytherin? He knew if he was to go into that house he would be even more hated by his family. He suppressed a shudder as he thought of Sirius getting even more violent during his drunken rages just because of his house.
Draco Malfoy was sorted into Slytherin the second the hat touched his head, and then there were only a few names left before his own. Finally, Potter, Harry! was called. He immediately heard the whispers start up. 'Potter did she say?' 'Potter as in Jonathan Potter?' 'Is he related to the Boy-Who-Lived?' were among the many whispers. Harry scowled as the hat dropped over his head.
"Hmm…my my, you are a difficult one. Plenty of courage I see. Hmm…a deep hatred to your family, along with…sorrow? Well, we don't need to go into that right now. Oh yes, a large thirst to prove yourself. And oh my, such power. Is there any where you wish to be, young Harry? from what I see you can belong in any of the houses." a voice on his head asked.
"It does not matter to me. I would like to be among people like myself." He answered.
"Well then, better be…SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted. Up at the head table Severus Snape nearly spat out the pumpkin juice he had just sipped. A Potter? In his house? Impossible!
Harry gracefully made his way away from the stool in dead silence. He lifted his chin a little more as h neared the Slytherin table. Belatedly they began to clap for him, and a few people gladly welcomed him. He ended up sitting across from Draco Malfoy.
"Well done Potter. Unexpected, but well done. Welcome to the house of the snakes." After that Dumbledore made his speech about the forest and the third floor. Some people laughed at the threat, but none of the Slytherins did. Never laugh at a death threat. After a wondrous feast one of the prefects led them down to the dungeons and through a maze of corridors until they stopped at what seemed to be a blank space of wall.
"This may just look like a blank wall, but there's a guard if you know where to look for it. Right here, about halfway up the wall, there's a snake carved into the brick. This is the entrance to the Slytherin commons. The password is parsltongue." The female prefect explained, leading them all inside.
Harry surveyed the room carefully. There were many straight back green chairs and several sofas made out of what looked like dragon hide. The stone walls of the dungeon room looked almost silver, and there was a deep green rug covering the floor. The rest of the room was done in silvers and greens. The common room was fairly circular, and there were seven doors placed evenly along the walls.
"The first year dorms are through the first door on the left, girls to the right, boys to the left. Since we're in the dungeons we can spread out more, so there's only two to a room, almost like a college dorm. You'll be sharing a room with the same person all seven years, so I suggest you learn to get along. Each room has it's own bathroom. You're names are on the doors. Don't leave yet, out head of house, Professor Snape, will be in shortly to give a speech." The male prefect informed them. they didn't have to wait long.
"Welcome to Slytherin first years. As members of this house I expect you to hold true to Slytherin standards and behavior. Keep your grades up and do not loose points. We have won the house cup for the last seven years and I would like to continue that tradition. As Slytherins, there will be a certain amount of hatred towards you from the other houses. We do not need that hatred to carry over into our own house, especially outside of this room. When you see a fellow Slytherin in trouble, stand up for them. At least be tolerable of the others in the house, and do not start fights among yourself. As your head of house, my door is open to anyone who needs help. You are dismissed." Professor Snape informed them.
The first years quickly shuffled through the door with the number on it in silver. Inside they found a long hallway lined with doors. Girls names were on the right, boys on the left. Harry went past a few doors before he finally found his name on the last door. Crabbe and Goyle shared the first room while Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott shared the second room. Harry sighed slightly as he noticed he shared with Draco Malfoy. At least they already knew each other, and he already knew family was not Harry's favorite subject.
Harry walked in to find two beds, one in the corner to the far right against the opposite wall, and one in the corner to the left on the same wall as the door. There were two wardrobes and two comfortable looking green armchairs. The beds were large four poster beds made of ebony with deep green hangings and silver tie-backs. The comforters were green while the sheets were silver and some pillows were green, some silver. Harry saw Nevermore perched on the bed in the opposite corner, to the right, and moved over to him only to find he was asleep. Harry stroked him softly as Draco entered the room and then began to get ready for bed. Both went to sleep without another word to each other.
