Chapter Two: Ride to Hogwarts

King's Cross Station, London – September 1st, 1997

Harry would have loved to take a bit more time to think about what exactly it was that he had just done, but unfortunately the time displayed on the clock behind Mackenzie firmly reminded him that the train was soon to depart.

Gently taking Mackenzie's shoulder (and ignoring her all too telling flinch as he did so), Harry quickly explained how one got onto the hidden platform before leading her through the barrier and then hustling her across the crowd-packed platform. Harry had just barely managed to lift Mackenzie's battered suitcase off the platform and onto the train with them as the conductor let loose with the final whistle. It actually turned out to be an opportune time for the two to seek out a compartment as most of the students were waving to their families as the train began to pull out of the station, leaving the corridor relatively empty.

Allowing Mackenzie to lead the way, Harry gently guided her along the carriage while he pulled her suitcase behind them. "Go ahead and let me know when you find somewhere you want to sit and I'll put your suitcase up on the rack for you."

A quiet 'yes, sir' was the only reply he got as Mackenzie began glancing into compartments down the length of the train. They continued from carriage to carriage and Harry noticed several compartments that looked to house only two or three other first year-looking children, but the young girl in front of him passed them by. He was about to say something, given that they were now in the last carriage, when Mackenzie finally stopped and stepped into a compartment. Harry followed her in only to find that it was completely empty.

I should have known she would look for an empty one. Harry thought with an internal sigh. Didn't I do the same thing my first year?

Harry turned toward his young companion (ward he mentally corrected himself). "Are you sure this is where you want to sit? I imagine we could find some other first years if you wanted some company."

Something flashed across the young girl's face as she looked at him through her dark-brown hair. Whatever it was, it disappeared too quickly for Harry to interpret.

"This is fine." Was all she said.

"Okay, if you're sure." Nodding his head to her, Harry began lifting her suitcase up towards the luggage rack. "I'll just put this up here then. Did you want anything out of it?"

"No, sir."

"Alright." Once the suitcase was tucked securely way, Harry made his way towards the compartment door. "Is there anything else you need before I go?"

Mackenzie opened her mouth and closed it promptly before looking back at the ground. After another moment of silence, her quiet voice reached Harry's ears. "Will you… will you stay with me?"

Harry paused with his hand on the compartment door. Of course she would want him to stay, what had he been thinking? Harry had been so wrapped up in thinking about the prefects meeting he and Padma were supposed to lead and trying desperately hard to avoid thinking about the fact that he had all but adopted a first year that he hadn't even considered what would be going on in Mackenzie's head at the moment. He hadn't even asked her if she was okay with him taking custody of her. Hell, he wasn't even sure that she understood what had happened.

I'd have thrown a right wobbly if something like that happened to me without my approval. But then again, maybe not if someone had taken me from the Dursleys.

It only took Harry a second to recover before giving Mackenzie the warmest smile he could. "Of course I will, I'm not sure what I was thinking. You and I have some things to talk about don't we? Just let me send a quick message."

"You will?" Mackenzie looked up in surprise only to let out a giant gasp as a bright slivery light filled the compartment. Where a second before the compartment had been empty save the two of them, it was now filled by a large, mostly opaque stag sporting a great-big set of antlers.

Harry chuckled and mumbled a few words that Mackenzie couldn't hear before the ghostly animal nodded its head and stepped out of the compartment, passing right through the closed door.

"What was that!?"

"That is called a patronus. It's created with the Patronus Charm and I can use it to send messages." Harry was rather pleased with his ability to silently conjure the magical construct and was very thankful that Kingsley had taken the time this past summer to teach him how to use it to send messages.

"Can you teach me?" Mackenzie was now looking at him with open hope and curiosity shining in her eyes. Harry was taken back at how much different she looked now than when she timidly tried to hide away.

"Yes, I will." Mackenzie gave a small gasp as though she hadn't expected him to say yes and Harry felt his heart break just a little. "But it takes quite a bit of magical power and control, so it will have to wait a couple years for you to strengthen up before you're able to do it. Once you're in your third year, if you still want me to, I'll make sure you know how to cast it."

Mackenzie's face faltered a little bit at the knowledge she would have to wait so long, but her excitement at the prospect of learning the spell was still apparent. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

"Mmhmm." Harry nodded. "But right now, I think we have more important things to talk about."

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Out in the corridor students scrambled to avoid the imposing form of Prongs as it made its way down the line of carriages.

The last of the prefects had just made their way into the first compartment and Padma was beginning to wonder where Harry was when Prongs' large antlered head appeared through the closed doorway, causing several people to start violently.

"Hey, that's Harry's – ." The rest of Hermione's statement was cut off as Harry's voice filled the compartment.

"Padma, I'm sorry but a situation has come up with a first-year muggle-born student. I'm going to stay with them until they get settled down. I'll make it up to you and give you the details later."

With his message delivered, the glowing form of Harry's patronus faded away, leaving the compartment greatly dimmed. Padma simply gave a small nod and turned towards the two dozen students crammed into the large compartment with her.

"Well then, I guess we can get started. I want to –."

"Wait, we're going to start without him?" Normally Hermione wouldn't interrupt the Head Girl, but seeing as she was still a bit miffed at Padma getting the position over her, she was willing to make an exception. "Harry should really be here; he's the Head Boy. And what if he needs help? We should probably adjourn until the situation is resolved so we can assist him."

After it began to look like Hermione wasn't going to stop, Padma raised a hand. "Hermione, I'm sure everything is fine. If Harry needed help, I trust that he would have asked for it."

Hermione's facial expression clearly displayed how little she agreed with those sentiments. "I'm not so sure. You haven't known him for as long as I have. He doesn't really ask for help."

Again Padma gave a small shrug. "I've gotten to know him pretty well over the past month, and even if he won't ask for help, I have faith that he can handle whatever it is. He is the Head Boy after all."

Hermione didn't look as convinced, but gave a small nod and didn't say anything else. Turning back to the other prefects who had just been watching the by-play quietly, Padma began her speech again.

"As I was saying, I want to introduce myself to those who don't know me, I'm Padma Patil and I was in Ravenclaw House…."

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Mackenzie's expression immediately fell and she went back to staring at the floor. Before Harry could even begin to figure out what had caused this rapid change, her quiet voice again reached his ears. "I'm sorry, sir."

"About what? What's wrong?"

Mackenzie gave a small sniffle, clearly trying to hold back tears. "I'm sorry that Mr. Filch dumped me on you. I'm sorry I'm a burden."

"Hey, don't say that. No one dumped you on anyone. Come here, sit down." Harry quickly remove his suit jacket and took a seat on one of the benches, pulling Mackenzie down next to him. She flinched rather violently at his touch, but he gently tucked her under his arm and held her to his side. "Was Mr. Filch that man you were with at the train station?"

"Yes, sir." Mackenzie gave another sniffle as Harry contemplated the similarities between her Mr. Filch and Filch the caretaker at Hogwarts. I'll have to warn her about him.

"Well, I can tell you right now that he clearly wasn't a nice man and if he said that you were a burden, it was an obvious lie. I am more than happy that I rescued you from him."

While Harry wasn't sure what part of her statement did it, no sooner had he spoken than Mackenzie lost control. Her body shook with loud sobs as tears ran down her cheeks. Harry pulled her in tighter to him and she quickly burrowed her face into his chest. After casting several locking and silencing charms on the compartment door, Harry simply sat there and held her, rocking her slightly while he whispered soft reassurances to her.

He normally wasn't any good with crying girls, or emotional people in general, but this was something he could relate to – finding safety and relief after years of stress and fear.

They sat there for some time before Mackenzie was able to calm down. Eventually her sobs quieted and the wet spot on his vest ceased spreading. It wasn't long afterwards that Harry was beginning to wonder if she had fallen asleep when she spoke up.

"Are you really a lord?"

Harry couldn't help but to chuckle softly. His quiet laughter shook his body and Mackenzie unconsciously tried to bury herself deeper into his embrace. "Actually yes, I am. I guess I haven't even told you my name yet, have I?"

"No, sir."

"I'm sorry about that. How rude of me." Harry chuckled again at the fact that he actually got to introduce himself to someone who didn't know anything about him. "My name is Harry James Potter, and I did indeed inherit the title 'the Earl Black' from my godfather."

Harry could hear her softly repeating his name before she suddenly jumped back away from him. Without meeting his eyes, she turned her head and looked back at the floor. "I'm sorry, sir."

"About what?" Harry, completely perplexed at what had happened couldn't keep his confusion from coloring his voice.

"Your suit. I ruined your suit." Mackenzie gestured towards his chest and the large wet spot there. Mackenzie whispered several more apologies and scrunched herself up as small as she could. For someone with Harry's past, it was clear that she was bracing for either a physical or verbal blow, perhaps both. Harry again felt the tinges of anger stir deep inside of him.

"Hey, look at me." Harry waited for her to turn towards him, the uncertainty obvious in her eyes. "It's no problem. I can spell it clean again – just watch."

Slowly, so as to not frighten the girl further, Harry pulled his wand and made a circle and sweeping motion around and across the wet area on his chest. "Exaresco. See, no harm done."

And indeed, the moisture was wicked cleanly out of the vest, leaving no evidence behind. His calmness and magical demonstration appeared to be enough to ease Mackenzie's fears and her eyes quickly lit up with the same curiosity and wonder that she had shown after he cast his patronus.

"Was that a cleaning charm? I read about them in the charms book, but I don't recognize that one…."

And with that, she was off. Regardless of how downtrodden she had been with her living situation, she was still filled with the childish wonder in regards to everything magical that Harry remembered feeling his first time on the Hogwarts Express. Hopefully she would be able to enjoy the innocence of magic for longer than he had.

With a mental promise to himself that he would do all he could to preserve the wonder and joy practically radiating from his young charge, Harry began explaining the details of the drying charm he'd just used. From there they spoke a bit more about the Patronus Charm and several other spells that either she had read about or he'd brought up. Harry was glad to see just how excited she was about learning magic and he could definitely see her going into Ravenclaw.

His comment as such led to him explaining about the house system, the sorting, and Hogwarts in general. They continued to talk until the trolley lady stopped by and Harry took the opportunity to purchase a little bit of everything for Mackenzie to try. Once the trolley lady left, Harry resealed the compartment door. "Dobby."

With a crack, Dobby appeared in the compartment with them. Harry almost shook his head in exasperation as he thought again about how Dobby had ended up in his service. The enthusiastic house-elf had waited all of a minute after Harry left Gringotts on his seventeenth birthday to find him. Now that Harry was head of his houses he was able to take on house elves, which Dobby had promptly asked him to do. It took more time to negotiate salary and time off (Harry always wanting to give more and Dobby asking for less) than it did to actually bond the elf to House Potter.

Mackenzie gave a great gasp as Dobby appeared and Harry allowed them to both stare wide-eyed at each other in curiosity for a moment before coughing to get their attention. "Dobby, I'd like for you to meet Miss Mackenzie Lynn Williams. I've taken her on as my ward, that is to say I'm currently her guardian. I'd like you to listen out for her just as you do for me. Mackenzie, this is Dobby, he's a house elf that works for me and if you need anything just call his name."

Dobby nodded enthusiastically towards Harry and then bowed lowly towards Mackenzie. "It be honor to serve the Miss Kenzies. Young miss must be great witch to have the great Harry Potter as her guardian."

If her wide eyes were anything to go by, Mackenzie clearly wasn't sure what to make of the situation. Harry could certainly understand where she was coming from, thinking back to his own first encounter with the elf. After taking a moment to chuckle, Harry thought it best to rescue Mackenzie from the elf's attentions.

"Dobby, can you bring lunch for the two of us. I've just bought some sweets, but I think it best to have a filling meal first." Harry had looked over his new ward and was more than a little concerned at how small and underweight she seemed to be. She reminded him too much of himself from six years previous and that thought continued to make him uncomfortable.

With a quick 'yes, sir Master Harry Potter, sir', Dobby popped away and then back again, but this time with two trays loaded with food. He'd barely been gone for a second and Harry was almost afraid to ask where Dobby had gotten two ready-made meals. After making sure they each had everything they needed, Dobby popped back out again to help prepare Hogwarts for the students' arrival.

Harry explained a little more about his unique relationship with Dobby and about house-elves in general, but for the most part the two sat and ate in silence next to each other - their trays resting on their laps. Once Harry was convinced that Mackenzie had eaten enough and then an additional portion or two (when did I turn into Mrs. Weasley?) he brought out the sweets he had bought for them to share.

He'd just finished explaining the dangers of Bertie-Botts Every Flavored Beans when Mackenzie's mumbled voice reached his ears.

"What was that?" Harry asked, turning to look at Mackenzie. He was a little concerned that she was still looking rather apprehensive about everything and was timidly facing the floor.

"Thank you," she repeated. "For becoming my guardian. You didn't have to, 'specially with not knowing anything about me. I was… I was afraid I was going to get kicked out and have nowhere to go."

She sniffled again trying to hold back more tears while her words tore into Harry's heart. He quickly set aside their lunch trays and the remains of their sweets before pulling her onto his lap. He was lightened to notice that she didn't resist at all this time, but rather burrowed into him.

"I knew plenty enough about you. I knew you were going to Hogwarts and I knew that Filch fellow was obviously a cruel man." Harry said, repeating his sentiments from earlier. "And I knew that you were in a situation very much like the one that I was in when I was your age."

"Really?" She looked up at him, her eyes wide in surprise.

"Yes, really." He nodded and after a moment's silence looking out the window, he began to tell her about his time growing up with the Dursleys. "My parents died when I was just a year old…."

The more he spoke of his early years, the more relaxed she grew. Harry was overjoyed and crowed internally when he was able to make her laugh at the trouble he had gotten into because of magic. He continued to make her laugh and she continued to lose more of her shyness as he told her of his, Ron, and Hermione's adventures at Hogwarts. She begged him to tell her more stories about the school and teachers, and of course, the classes.

Harry watched with delight as she came further and further out of her shell. He had been so afraid that she was as broken as he had been at her age, but even if she was, like him she now had the chance to grow and heal.

Some time later she had closed her eyes and fallen asleep - the movement of the train, the excitement of the day, as well as the heavy lunch had exhausted them both. As he held her sleeping in his arms Harry found himself wondering what everyone's reactions would be to him taking on a ward - not that he cared overly much what people thought. He had impulsively done it, true, but he wasn't going to feel regret for acting as he had. He wouldn't have been able to forgive himself if he had left her there - that man had been killing her in a sense, taking away her spirit and breaking her down a little more each day.

Even so, not for the first time since he had signed those papers he wondered if he was going crazy. He had no experience raising children, not that she really counted as a young child or needed much raising. But still, she had many of her formative years ahead of her still and would need a guardian of some sort to look out for her. With any luck, she wouldn't have to grow up quite as quickly as he had.

The fact of the matter was that he had almost no experience with kids. Sure, he was around younger kids at school, but like at any school, the older kids tended to ignore the younger ones.

And she was a girl! An almost teenage girl, which meant she would be dealing with… feminine… things… in the next couple of years. Not to mention bras and knickers! How was he supposed to deal with that?!

I guess that's what Aunt Andi and Mrs. Weasley are for. Harry thought to himself. I don't even want to think about what happens when she starts getting interested in boys.

She was rather pretty, he thought, taking another moment to study her. She had dark auburn curls, with an occasional lighter red strand glistening in the afternoon sun. Her eyes were a pale brown. She had no freckles to speak of, with clear, pale skin. She was small for her age, and Harry had no doubt it was from the abuse and neglect she had suffered at the orphanage.

"Don't think about that, Harry, not right now." He muttered to himself, knowing that thinking about 'Mr. Filch' and the other adults at the orphanage would only make him angry. Instead, with a couple flicks of his wand, Harry transfigured his suit jacket into a blanket and conjured a pillow for Mackenzie to use. After making sure that she was settled comfortably on one of the benches and casting a spell to alert him if she woke up before he got back, Harry slipped out of the compartment as quietly as he could.

"Dobby."

With a crack the elf was next to him in the empty corridor looking just as excited to serve his 'master Harry Potter, sir' as he always did.

"What can Dobby be doing for the great Harry Potter, sir?"

Harry grinned and shook his head at the elf's antics. For all of his effort, Harry knew that he would never be able to convince the elf to just call him 'Harry'. "I wanted to thank you for lunch, it was delicious."

"Yous is very welcome! Dobby being happy to serve the great Harry Potter and his Miss Kenzies!" Dobby's head appeared to be at risk of flopping off with how violently he was nodding.

"That's great Dobby." Harry said with a wide smile as he pulled the folded sheaf of paperwork he'd taken from Mr. Filch out of his back pocket. "I was wondering if you could take this Ted Tonks? It's the guardianship paperwork for Mackenzie, and I want to make sure it's sorted quickly and correctly. If he has any questions, let him know to contact me."

"Yes, sir, right away sir!" With that Dobby clenched the paperwork tightly in his hands and disappeared with another crack.

Shaking his head again, Harry stepped back into the compartment he and Mackenzie were sharing. He couldn't imagine there was much more than an hour or so remaining before their arrival at Hogsmeade, so he removed his school robe from the Mokeskin bag that had been a seventeenth birthday gift from Hagrid. Hanging it from the luggage rack, he quietly pulled down Mackenzie's suitcase, pursing his lips at its shoddy condition. The insides weren't much better. Everything was clearly second-hand, and there were several items on the school supply list missing. It was obvious that the orphanage either wasn't able or wasn't willing to provide Mackenzie with the funds she needed for school.

Luckily that wasn't their responsibility anymore and Harry told himself that the first weekend he had free, he would take Mackenzie down to Hogsmeade to buy the rest of her things. Shoving the well-worn textbooks aside, Harry pulled out an even more worn robe. It appeared to be Mackenzie's only one, and it was far from good shape, but with a couple of flicks of his wand, Harry was able to make sure that it was at least clean, warm, and wouldn't fall apart on her.

This done, Harry gently coaxed Mackenzie awake. Smiling at her befuddled state, Harry directed her to the bathroom down the corridor so she could freshen up and change into her uniform. Once she was back and looking much more awake, he told her of his plans in regards to getting her proper school things and that until then she could use what she needed of his. Harry did his best to convince her not to be embarrassed about what she had or to feel bad about him spending money on her.

"Remember how I told you I'm an Earl?" Harry waited until she looked up at him from where she'd been staring at the floor. "Well, my godfather gave me quite a bit of money along with that title, so I have more than I could ever spend on myself. And if I can't use it to buy my ward some nice school things, then what can I spend it on?"

The following tackle-like hug took Harry by surprise but he was again overjoyed to see Mackenzie working herself further out of her shell. Their embrace was interrupted by the magical speaker announcing they were ten minutes away from Hogsmeade station.

"We're almost to Hogwarts." Harry told her as she stepped back from him and settled nervously on the bench. "You can get off with me but I'll have to stick around the station to make sure everyone makes it off and into the carriages for the older students. You'll go along with the other first years down to where Hagrid will be waiting. I'll make sure you make it to him and then he'll take you all across the lake to the castle where you'll wait a little to be sorted."

"Will I see you at dinner?"

"Yeah, but you'll have to be sorted into a house first. I also promised some of my friends that I would sit with them tonight." Harry gave her an apologetic grin. "If you're sorted into Gryffindor, you can come sit by me during the feast. If you're in another house, I'll track you down before you leave the Great Hall after dessert."

"I hope I'm not in another house, 'cause then I won't get to see you." Mackenzie said as she looked down yet again.

"Sure you will. As Head Boy, I'll be rotating at what table I sit at for meals, so you'll likely see me fairly often. We'll also have the weekends and evenings to see each other, too. So no worries. Everything's going to be fine. I did want to tell you, though, that I think it would be best if you didn't tell anyone about our connection just yet."

Because he'd been in her same position once and had known to expect it, Harry easily caught the look of betrayal and embarrassment that crossed her face. With the warmest smile he could manage, Harry crouched down in front of her and gently lifted her chin with his hand.

"Remember that I told you I was kind of famous in the magical world? Well, I'm actually really famous, but not everyone likes me. There are some people out there who want to hurt me."

"From that rebellion you said ended this summer?" Mackenzie was back to looking at him with wide eyes, but there was still some hurt in her expression.

"Yes, from the rebellion. If people find out that I'm your guardian, it's not a big deal, but I'd rather you have a chance to settle in and get used to things without dealing with the trouble that comes along with being associated with me. I'd also feel a lot better if I knew that you were safe because people didn't know you're my ward. It's not because I'm ashamed of you or don't care about you, but because I'm afraid that people will hurt you to hurt me."

After a moment of silence where they simply stared into each other's eyes, one trying to convey sincerity and the other looking for it, Mackenzie finally relaxed and gave him a smile. "I understand."

Harry gave a relieved smile and quickly hugged Mackenzie to him, happy to notice that she returned the embrace warmly. They waited a few more minutes for the train to come to a complete stop in the station before throwing their robes on and getting ready to disembark.

"All right, come along then." With another few flicks of his wand, Harry undid all the charms he'd put up on the door and walked out of the compartment, smiling when she slipped her hand into his larger one.

He sent her down the platform to where a smiling and waving Hagrid stood with the other first years and began directing students off the train and into the waiting carriages. Between moments of accepting more congratulations and shaking hands, Harry found himself amazed at how protective he felt of Mackenzie, even after only a few hours of knowing her. Hermione was right - he did have a 'saving-people thing'.

With a bright smile, Harry decided that he wouldn't change that for anything.

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AN: The spell "Exaresco" came from "The Complete Encyclopedia of Wizarding Charms, Hexes, Jinxes, and Spells By: ME" found on the Harry Potter Fanon Wikia ( .com) and originally appeared in the Alexandra Quick series written by Inverarity ( /u/1374917).

Also, some of the train ride is somewhat similar to that found in "The Little Child To Lead Him" (see Ch1 AN), but I really liked the way the author described the trip and I wanted to do my best to preserve the same feelings that they invoked when I first read it.