Bruce Wayne and the Sorcerer's Stone

Chapter Two: Sorting Things Out

In the weeks before the start of his term, Bruce devoured the contents of the books he and Alfred had purchased while in Diagon Alley. As he neared the end of the last of his books, he considered asking Alfred to take him back to the bookstore, but decided against it. It was better to review and master the information he already had at hand. The boy concluded that if he studied hard enough, he would be as knowledgeable and competent about magic as children that had grown up in wizarding houses. It was a bit more of a challenge than one would normally expect of an eleven year old boy, but then, even before his invitation to Hogwarts, Bruce Wayne was hardly what could be called "normal".

To further his efforts, Bruce attempted to do some of the more rudimentary spells he had read about in the textbooks. It took some miserable failures during the early trials, but Bruce eventually found that he could levitate small objects and perform minor hexes and other spells. Of course, he was careful to do this outside - the last thing he wanted to do was upset Alfred. The man's gaze could be quite intimidating when focused upon a stubborn young boy whose foolishness had damaged some piece of furniture. At one point, Bruce considered using magic to see if he could finally master a bit of meal preparation, but then decided against it. After the infamous toaster incident of a couple years ago, and the following punishment that came from Alfred, it would probably be a wise decision to avoid the kitchen and all its contents.

Eventually, the awaited day did arrive, and Alfred drove the boy to King's Cross Station. They had arrived roughly twenty minutes before the train was due to leave. Bruce wanted time to find a car where he could be left alone, but he also wanted to be able to take a few minutes to observe the students and how they interacted. As the two Gothamites arrived at the station, Alfred enquired as to how they were going to find the purported platform 9 ¾.

"I imagine it will be hidden in some way - it would only make sense, given the emphasis they have on secrecy. We'll just look for what could be a hidden entrance." Bruce replied in a very confident tone.

"Hmph. In my day, getting to school didn't require a scavenger hunt." The Butler said in his deadpan tone of voice. When they made their way to platform nine, Bruce did indeed start looking for something out of the ordinary. Anything that could be a clue.

"9 ¾, 9 ¾,….." he muttered aloud, and then he took a look at the dividing barrier between platforms nine and then and something resembling a smile crossed his face.

"9 ¾ ….." he whispered, and then put his hand on the barrier and - sure enough - felt nothing.

"I found it." He said after turning to Alfred. He then took the trolley and pushed it right through. There on the other side he saw a great scarlet train, and above him was a sign with "9 ¾" written on it.

"My word." Was Alfred's exclamation of surprise after following Bruce to the platform. He quickly surveyed the situation and then spoke to his young charge.

"Come now Master Bruce, let's get you aboard." And with that, the two proceeded to load the luggage onto the train. Once they had finished, Alfred looked at the boy who had become such a cornerstone of his life.

"Do keep out of trouble Master Bruce.:

"I will Alfred."

"If ever you need anything, merely have that silly bird of yours deliver it to me. If I have to, I'll break down the doors to get you out." None of it needed to be said, but the Englishman felt that he had to say something before the boy left.

"Don't worry Alfred, I'll be fine."

"Yes, well….you had best be off then." The boy nodded and got on the train. As Alfred walked away, he was so engrossed in his thoughts that he nearly bumped into a red-headed woman that was scolding her boys. He was about to leave the platform, but decided against it. He would wait and watch the train pull out of the station, just in case something happened at the last minute. So wait he did, until the train finally pulled out of King's Cross and disappeared into the distance.


The focus of Alfred Pennyworth's thoughts had meanwhile settled down in an empty space away from the other students. He had opened up his textbook on the dark forces and became so engrossed in it that when someone asked if he could sit there, Bruce responded with the rudest "no" in his vocabulary, promptly scaring the boy off. A similar incident occurred when another boy came in looking for a missing toad. Again, Bruce responded with a rude "no" to the inquiry regarding whether or not he had seen the missing pet. It was several minutes later when Bruce heard a distinct "ribbit" coming from inside the room. Looking down, he saw a toad that had a bit of a lost look to it. Sighing to himself, Bruce picked up the toad and made his way down the train. He spied a bit of a commotion, but by the time he arrived, it was over.

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us." He heard a red-headed boy say. The boy looked ready to speak more when Bruce cleared his throat.

"I believe someone is missing a toad." He held the reptile in his hand.

"There it is! Well, this will certainly calm Neville down. Thank you." The girl who had spoken took the toad and headed down the corridor. Considering that his good deed for the day, Bruce turned and walked opposite end back to his car, but not before catching a glimpse of the two boys occupying the car he just left behind. He had the strangest feeling he should have recognized the one with glasses, but pushed it out of his mind, changed into his robes and waited for the train to arrive at the fabled school.

Exiting the train was something of a unique experience for Bruce. The crowd was absolutely thick with students going to and fro. After being bumped and jostled numerous times, he heard a loud, booming voice.

"First years! First years over 'ere" The speaker had to be the tallest man Bruce had ever seen. He was holding a large lamp and gathering the first years around him. Bruce followed him to the edge of the lake, where several small boats were waiting. The children got in, two to a boat. Bruce found himself next to a plump boy holding a familiar looking toad. The boy looked ready to speak, but a very cold look from Bruce put a stop to any desire for conversation. The boat floated on in silence, as both students found themselves thinking about what they would find in the castle up ahead, though each obviously had their own plans regarding how to deal with its possible contents.

Upon entering, Bruce immediately knew one thing about the school - it was a sight to behold. Growing up, he had been sure that no building could be as impressive as Wayne Manor, but he now found that Hogwarts, with its immensely high ceiling and large expanses, could give his ancestral home a run for its money. Entering an antechamber, he saw an elderly woman approach the group of intimidated newcomers. She identified herself as Professor McGonagall and spoke directly to them.

"You shall wait here until you are called to the sorting. I suggest that you prepare yourselves." The other children started talking to each other in excited tones. There were numerous whispers of performing spells, reciting information and even the possibility of fighting trolls. For the life of him, Bruce could not understand how that last proposal could even be considered by his peers as remotely legitimate. Eventually, the students were ushered into a large hall which had a raggedy-looking hat placed on a stool in the center. Bruce had a feeling the interestingly-placed bit of apparel had something to do with the process by which first years were placed in houses. Of course, the boy certainly was not expecting it to actually sing, but sure enough, the hat began reciting a song…..

Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends;
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!

A surprisingly rousing bit of music, considering it came from a piece of clothing that looked akin to something one would find at a garage sale. Yet, Bruce was deeply disturbed by the prospect that the Hat would able to read his thoughts. It seemed to him an almost completely unacceptable possibility. To allow an object with its own set of desires free reign to access your emotions…there was not telling what it might do with the information it gathered. He was so engrossed in his thoughts concerning the Hat that when the Deputy Headmistress began to rattle off the names of the students to be sorted it was not until, "Potter, Harry" that Bruce paid any attention to the actual placing of students in the houses. What concerned him about Potter was not so much the fame that the bespeckled boy carried with him, but rather the fact that he had been an occupant of the car Bruce had noticed on the train. Scolding himself for failing to recognize such an important figure, Bruce turned his attention back to the hat, waiting for his name to be called. Eventually, it was his turn and when the Hat was placed on his head, he immediately knew that it was an experience he did not like.

"Hmmmm….a tough one, you are. The toughest I've had in a long time. Plenty of courage, enough to make Godric extremelyproud. There's a mind with a thirst for knowledge that would make any Ravenclaw green with envy. A surprisingly strong sense of loyalty as well, but also…….something else. A deep, penetrating desire to prove yourself, to become master of your domain while using your cunning mind and a willingness to use almost any means at your disposal. The rage behind it is almost palpable."

Wait…how much do you know about me?

"Enough" was the Hat's reply. This was a response that made Bruce want to tear the thing off his head and bury it somewhere deep, where no one could possibly find it. After a properly painful interrogation, of course. Before he could make any kind of physical reaction, the Hat began again.

"Wait! I know nothing that can be used against you, so calm down. Ah…..I know now where you belong. Someone of your temperment and shrewd nature can only be in SLYTHERIN!"

There were a few claps as Bruce made his way to the table designated for his house. He sat down at the end nearest the teachers, giving himself some time and space to think. This was certainly an interesting situation the Hat had put him in - as a "Mudblood" he wouldn't necessarily have people's respect. Not that he cared in the least, but putting up and dealing with ignorant classmates could prove to be tiring in the long run. Then there was the fact that, as a Slytherin, he would immediately be distrusted by anyone in the other houses. It could make things needlessly difficult. Nevertheless, Bruce was determined to make the best of it. He would have to, considering that The Plan called for far more difficult tasks in the future. If he couldn't conquer Hogwarts, then he stood no chance at all of conquering Gotham. He mulled over this all through the feast until the Headmaster, a man named Dumbledore, stood up to address all assembled.

"Welcome one and all to another year at Hogwarts. I have a few start of term notices. First, I must remind all of you that the Forbidden Forest is exactly that – forbidden. In addition, the third floor corridor is out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to die a most painful death." Bruce could only wonder why such measures were in a school for children.

"And now, I would like to say a few more words. Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you." Considering that this was the legendary wizard that defeated the infamous Grindelwald and provided the only significant defense against Voldemort, Bruce was left feeling a bit disappointed. It was then he realized that Dumbledore was either a senile coot or incredibly clever. Bruce was not quite sure which.

The feast, at least for Bruce, passed in silence as there was no one who appeared interested in speaking to an unknown first year with a tendency to snap at people. The food was decent enough, but the newly-minted Slytherin could not help but miss Alfred's prize dinners. Eventually, the Headmaster announced that it was time for the students to retire. Bruce followed the rest as they made their way to the Slytherin dormitory, and stopped with the rest when the Prefect gave the password to get in.Once inside, the boycarefully studied the dormitory he would be spending the better part of the next seven years in. While the others were chatting about things he felt to be of no significance,he carefully circled the room, taking careful note of what was placed where, and the condition it was in. After this, he made his way to the designated sleeping area for the first years. He briefly considered writing to Alfred, but decided to wait until morning. Right now, all he wanted was to simply get some rest and prepare for the grueling task that lay before him.


Notes:

Well then...Slytherin. I'll bet none of you saw that one coming, now did you? Which is precisely why I placed our future Batman in with the 'house of the serpent'. I originally thought about putting him in with Ravenclaw, but later decided against it simply because I don't want to make things easy for our hero. What can I say? I'm a follower of the "hurts so good" style of writing and having Bruce in Slytherin seemed a surefire way to inject tension into the story. Or at least, as much as possible, considering that Bruce hasthe nasty habit of not giving a damn what other people think. A great personality trait, but murder for whenan authorwants to the character to feel shunned by his peers. It's kind of hard for the character to feel isolated and alone when he likes being isolated and alone.

As for the rationale of getting Bruce into a house notorious for dark wizards, I had to stretch it a little bit, but I think it works due to the various facets of his personality. He can be the Noble Hero at times (putting him in Gryffindor), and can also be the Great Detective (Ravenclaw), along with incredibly loyal...sometimes...(Hufflepuff), but he can also be a Scheming Bastard (Slytherin, of course) and at this point in his life, Bruce is looking for revenge more than anything else, and is not a terribly pleasant person to be around unless you're Alfred. As I hope I made relatively clear in the last installment, his primary motivation for attending Hogwartws was to learn about magic as a skill that could be used to help him on his mission, which is more a selfish motivation than anything else. If this were Bruce when he was, say, 25 or 30 years old, and had been a hero for a while, raising a couple Robins and so forth, he'd probably end up in either Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, but as it stands currently in the story I think his temperment puts him more in Slytherin. Don't worry, he'll still be recognizably Bat-er, Bruce by the time I'm done, which could bea long while, if I go ahead and write seven separate stories about a seven-year experience in Hogwarts. There are some scenes in my head that I'm dying to write...

As for Bruce using magic after graduation and while he's Batman...well, a lot can happen in seven years to change someone...