Chapter Two: Into the Fray
Harry headed to Gringotts with Lucius while Draco, despite his grumbling, went with Narcissa to get fitted at Madam Malkin's. Harry and Draco were roughly the same size, so Narcissa planned to buy twice the number of robes.
Harry was excited about going to Gringotts; he was finally going to have his own money to spend! Not that the Malfoy's hadn't provided for him spectacularly or anything; it was just that Harry still felt a bit uncomfortable living off of someone else's vault. Plus, he hoped to find out more about his parents.
"Good day, goblin. I am here to make a withdrawal from the vault of Harry Potter…" Malfoy said.
"Key?" the goblin asked grumpily.
"Yes, right here." Lucius fished a key from his pocket and muttered, "…managed to snag this from Dumbledore during the trial."
Harry smiled appreciatively.
"I am Griphook, follow me," a rather ugly goblin stated. After a short elevator ride, Harry was in front of vault number 712, and he noticed a very large man walking away in the distance.
"I think you misunderstood; we meant the Potter Family Vault," Lucius sneered.
The goblin rolled his eyes. "He can access that when he is fifteen, as his parents said in his will. This trust fund will be available to him until then."
"Mr. Griphook, could I please have a statement of my Family Vault, so I know how much I have?' Harry asked politely.
The goblin hesitated for a minute and then nodded.
"Politeness can be useful, as you have taught me," Harry said smirking after the goblin left.
The goblin returned and handed Harry a parchment.
Potter Family Vault
Total Value: 21, 409, 322 Galleons
Amount in coin: 12, 534, 686 Galleons
Amount in valuable items and jewelry: 5, 234, 656 Galleons
Amount in property: 2, 912, 276 Galleons
Amount in stocks and shares: 9,736, 101 Galleons
Amount in Potter Trust Account: 999,999 Galleons
Currently managed by: Sevthrak the Shrewd
"Holy shit!" Harry exclaimed. He hadn't been expecting a sum of that magnitude.
"Language," Lucius reprimanded. "I say, that is remarkable. It is a shame that I promised before the Wizengamot not to dip my fingers into your coffers. Congratulations Harry. This further exposes the injustice of Dumbledore's actions; there is no justification for putting a boy of your affluence in a filthy Muggle home."
"Yeah… I'm a bit anxious about meeting this Dumbledore guy. I'm kinda tempted to try out that Cutting Curse you taught us… only joking," Harry said.
"Good, because I have taught you better than to raise suspicion. If you arrive at Hogwarts and appear to be unstable, Dumbledore can say that your actions were the result of your Malfoy upbringing. Until you get more powerful, you will remain inconspicuous and neutral," Lucius warned.
"Yes, I understand. Umm, how many Galleons should I withdraw?"
"Goblin, we need a magical wallet keyed to the Potter Trust Account," Lucius commanded. "There that will allow you to take money from your account when ever you need it."
"Maximum withdrawal at a time?"
"No maximum. Add a fingerprint requirement for withdrawals," Lucius answered for Harry.
"Which type?" Griphook asked wearily, holding up many wallets.
Harry chose one made from soft, black dragon leather. "Thank you very much, Griphook. I appreciate your service," Harry said politely.
Griphook eyed him calculatingly. "Thank you, Mr. Potter. Here you go. Will that be all?"
"Yes," Lucius said, walking Harry to the elevator and exiting the building. As Harry got onto the elevator, he saw the hugest man he had ever seen approach the vault next to his vault.
They traveled to Madam Malkin's to find Draco and Narcissa waiting.
"How did it go?" Draco asked.
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Let's just say that the two of us together could buy Hogwarts if we wanted to."
Draco's eyes flew open.
"Ahem, perhaps not that much, but Harry's statement is not far off the mark," Lucius said.
"Here you are, Harry. Black Acromantula Silk robes and hats," Narcissa said, giving Harry a small bag.
"Thanks! Did you shrink them?"
"Yes, it is awfully ungraceful to carry a huge load of books and robes like that girl over there."
Harry eyed a girl with bushy hair and two very large front teeth, covered with metals and strange looking gadgets. She was carrying a huge bag full of books that was obviously straining her back. "A Muggleborn, no doubt. I believe those are braces."
"Narcissa, I must be going. Governor's meeting and such," Lucius said.
"Alright, I'll take Draco to the Magical Menagerie. Harry, it says here that snakes aren't allowed, so I would recommend you keep Vasuki hidden. I would suggest you leave him at home, but you two seem rather attached…"
"That's a good idea, thanks."
As they walked over, Harry noticed that the bushy haired girl seemed to be following them. They entered the shop and Draco began to look at owls. Harry wandered around and came next to the girl, who was looking longingly at a cat, but mumbling about an owl being more practical.
"Hello, I'm Harry Potter," Harry said, drawing himself up and extending a hand.
She whirled around. "Her-Hermione Granger. Oh my, I've read so much about you, Harry. You know, about how you--"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Everything you read was probably wrong, since I am the only one alive who knows what happened and I have given no interviews."
"Well, the book can't be completely wrong, can it?" Hermione blurted our indignantly.
Harry sighed. "Look, you don't know anything about me, so how can you tell me what I am. I believe that during introductions, it is custom for each participant to introduce themselves, not introduce the other person. Let's start over; are you looking for a cat?"
"Yes, that one that is a cross between a kneazle looks so interesting. Mind you, I just learned what a kneazle is today--"
"Muggleborn?" Harry interrupted, frowning slightly.
"Well, yeah…" Hermione said uneasily. "Why are you saying 'Muggleborn' so distastefully?"
"Never mind, it's not something that you would understand…"
"Why?" She shouted indignantly. "I'm just as capable of understanding something as you are! You can't just assume that--"
"I didn't assume anything. I just asked a question."
"And you practically spat the word 'Muggleborn'!" Hermione said angrily. "You have absolutely no right to suddenly be so cold and rude to me just because I'm Muggleborn."
Harry rolled his eyes. All he had done was ask if she was a Muggleborn. She asked him a question and he didn't want to give an answer because the answer was a painful one. What was wrong with that? It wasn't like he had insulted her…
The Malfoys had always said that the problem with Muggles was that they assumed they were better than everyone else. The Dursleys had beaten Harry because they assumed he was not a human like them, he had been told.
Harry remembered vividly the time he had asked Lucius if all Muggles were like his uncle and aunt. He then asked if that was the case, then why did nearly half of the magical population welcome Muggleborns with open arms.
"Now, Harry, what you have to understand is that the problem with Muggles possesses a subtlety that many less educated wizards do not understand. Some Muggles are evil, like your relatives, but some are benevolent. However, all Muggles share one thing in common; they believe that they are better than us, my boy. Muggles come into our world with their silly contraptions and toys and they think that because of their machines and elektristy that they are smarter than us. They think we are old fashioned and ignorant because they do not understand our way of life. They wish to tell us how to live and how to govern ourselves. They seek to lower the status of the Wizarding World to their level, but they see it as making reforms for the better. The power of the noble wizards, like you and I, is on the wane and we have the arrogance of Muggles to thank for it!" Lucius said heatedly.
Harry had never fully accepted Lucius's words, but that was because he never had any contact with Muggles to see for himself, not because he didn't trust him. "I have every right to speak to you in whatever manner I wish to. If I think that you're ignorant, then I will speak to you that way."
"You're the one who's ignorant… you think that just because you have magical parents you're better than me! That's not true, I can do any spell that you can do! See, I've got into Hogwarts, just like you," she said heatedly, her face red.
Draco sauntered over, an eagle owl in a cage dangling from his hand, drawling, "That's rich, Granger. You're coming over here and telling Harry Potter that you honestly think you're even comparable to him? C'mon Harry, we don't have time for any pathetic excuses for witches"
A tear was forming in Hermione's eye. "I am not weaker than any other wizard or witch, pure-blood or not!"
Harry snapped his fingers and did one of his favorite tricks. A sizzling wave of fire snapped through the air up to eye level and then return to his fingers, all in a fraction of a second. "Whatever you say, Granger." The cocky smirk never left his face. The fire may have been an illusion that he couldn't hold for more than a second wandlessly, but she didn't have to know that.
"Potter, for god's sakes, you were raised by Muggles! I cannot believe you are so cruel; you are practically Muggleborn yourself, not to mention your mother was like me!" Hermione said angrily.
Harry's froze, and forced himself not to react with emotion. "You know, I didn't insult you because you were a Muggle, believe it or not. That's Draco's department. I insulted you because you assumed you knew more about me than I do, right from the start. You've been living in your little Muggle home for ten years and now you think that because you received a letter you can come into our world and insult us? How dare you call me practically a Muggleborn! I came over here willing to give you a chance, but now I see Draco was right all along," Harry spat venomously.
"We'll be seeing you around, Granger…" Draco sneered. "Remember that it is not your place to make assumptions about real wizards, since you understand nothing of our world."
"I understand that you two are jerks!" Hermione shouted.
Harry noticed that someone looking like Hermione's father was coming over. "Let's go, Draco."
"Draco?" Harry asked. "Do you think I was a bit too mean to her… I mean, I didn't mean to make her cry, it just really struck a nerve when she said I had no right to speak to her in certain ways."
"No Harry, you had it right. I knew what you were doing; I was listening from behind the shelf. You were trying to see if everything my father said about Muggles was actually true, weren't you?" Not waiting for an answer, Draco continued, "And she reacted exactly how father said Muggleborns would. She got all uppity and criticized you. You see… Muggleborns just don't understand that they have no right to question our world. They have been living under a rock for ten years, and now they think that because they got a fancy letter by owl they are the same as us. Now do you see? Do you understand what father was trying to say?"
"I think I do, Draco," Harry replied softly. "I… I just had to give her a chance. But you were right. Honestly, who the hell does she think she is, calling me a Muggleborn!"
The boys spent their remaining weeks before school practicing spells while they had the chance. Lucius had taught them the Stunning Spell and Blasting Hex, which they practiced in the manor's endless backyard.
"Now boys, you will want to be very careful about showing your abilities to others. The Wizarding World needs to know that you are powerful, but never show them your full potential. There will be a time for impressing others, but for now, you want people to underestimate you. Don't get me wrong; I will be very disappointed should you fail to get the top scores in your year, but for now, no one needs to know that you are able to use any minor dueling spells, especially those that are potentially fatal, such as the Cutting Curse. Do you understand?" Lucius said strictly.
"I understand," the boys echoed.
"Especially you, Harry. You will be put under the microscope now that you are emerging from our secure home. Many people will seek to use you, and trust me; some of these people are experts at manipulation. I know you are no Golden Child, but you cannot go against anyone yet, be it Dumbledore, the Ministry, or the Purebloods, light or dark. So the best option is to not attract their attention until you are old enough to deal with them," Lucius said warningly.
Harry nodded; he had been given this lecture before.
"Very well then, let us continue. Remember, the Blasting Hex is one of the spells that are to be used in emergencies only. Accuracy is very important; there are certain areas where the hex can easily incapacitate someone, such as the kneecap or… other areas. Once I again I remind you that this spell can kill if used a certain way, so only use this spell under my supervision, or in an emergency. I have set up dummies, which you will practice on."
Lucius watched them, nodding his approval and trying to give equal amounts of critique and praise. Draco's spellwork was fairly good; he would be a good duelist when he got older, but Harry had the instincts of natural. He was very fast on the draw and his hexes traveled towards the target very fast. While Draco's spells were all of medium power, Harry seemed to be able to cast his spells with various amounts of magical energy based on his emotions. It pained Lucius to know that his son would most likely be Harry's sidekick instead of equal, but if the Boy-Who-Lived rubbish was true, then there was no shame in being second to the slayer of the Dark Lord. Draco had never showed much power in accidental magic as a child, but ever since Harry began to work with him, he began to show signs of being a true Malfoy and Black.
Lucius was no fool, he knew that the old ways were on the wane. Blood counted for less these days, no doubt a result of the great grandfather of Britain, Albus Dumbledore. The great families were losing control of the Wizarding World. Lucius knew he had to train Harry to be their rallying point. Harry would be a leader, spearheading the purebloods and worthy wizards against the tides of filth, cleansing the world of the grime that was snaking its way into the Britain's magical population. Lucius had first turned to the Dark Lord to lead Salazar's crusade, but the Dark Lord had failed miserably. When the time was right, Lucius would gather his crowd. Alliances would be made and a new faction would be created. In the mean time, Lucius would turn Harry into a leader fit to bend the purebloods to his will. The Malfoy's would be his right hand; his second in command. The first stage of Lucius's plan was already complete; raising Harry to detest Dumbledore, the Ministry, and the Dark Lord. This would lead Harry towards the purebloods, who would either join him willingly, or be coerced by the Malfoys. For now, Malfoy would continue to increase his influence and power in the Wizarding World.
"Very good boys, keep practicing. In one hour, you will come to lunch. After that, you will join your mother to learn more of pureblood culture and history," Lucius said, hiding a smile. Six years ago, he had a feeling that taking in Harry would be a nice way to snub Dumbledore by corrupting his golden child. He figured that if Harry proved to be weak, he could just get his hands on the Potter fortune and disown the boy. Lucius was wrong; taking in Harry had the potential for so much more.
And not only did the boy have potential, Lucius would be lying if he said he wasn't the least bit fond of the messy-haired brat.
The Malfoys and Harry entered Platform Nine and Three Quarters wearing their trademark swishing cloaks and expensive robes. Harry and Draco each had magical trunks that appeared to be elegant, black briefcases with silver engravings and buckles.
Many people stared and pointed at Harry, but Harry simply held his head high and ignored their awed looks.
"Good-bye… mum and dad," Harry said, smiling at the adults who he considered parents.
"We will be seeing you again at Christmas… son," Lucius said, patting Harry on the shoulder while Narcissa gave him a hug. "Make us proud."
Harry nodded.
"Good-bye Draco, we will miss you. You keep Harry in line, son," Narcissa said, hugging her son.
"Bye mum… this is embarrassing," Draco grumbled.
"Draco, remember what we have taught you. Know that first impressions are always important. That goes for you too, Harry. I trust the two of you will remind the world how a true noble acts. Farewell, boys," Lucius said grandly.
Harry eyed a number of red-headed children preparing to board the train, taking turns getting crushed by a plump woman.
Draco smirked to Harry. "Weasels."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Let's go, they are already staring at my scar; especially that little girl."
"She's blushing, Harry!" Draco remarked with a smirk.
"Watch this," Harry muttered. Harry stood tall and caught her eye, if only for a second. He gave her a wink, but then turned away.
"Good one," Draco said. "Talk about tomatoes…"
Harry rolled his eyes. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ginny looking around herself frantically, sure that the Boy-Who-Lived must have been looking at someone else.
"Hello, earth to Ginny!" Ron shouted. "I said good-bye…"
"Bye…" she croaked, her eyes remaining fixed on the train.
Meanwhile Draco and Harry found their own compartment. "Weasleys," Draco spat. "More children than they can afford. Look, second hand robes, scruffy pets… there as bad as Muggleborns. Although that one has a crush on you."
"No she doesn't, she was just looking at my scar…" Harry retorted.
"Then why did she bump into that trunk when you winked at her?"
"Whatever. Hey, now you have to wink at the next girl who sees you," Harry replied with a smirk. "Even if it is that Granger girl."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Who else do you think will be in Slytherin this year?"
"Well, didn't dad say something about Goyle and Crabbe's sons being our age?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, but we need better associates than those two lumps. Those two may be rich purebloods, but they're no smarter than Muggles."
"Well we will find out after the sorting, won't we," Harry replied. "Hopefully there will be a few more respectable wizards like us, right?"
Soon the train started and Harry saw the redhead running after the train. "Draco, if I get any love letters, I'm making you answer them."
"I'll direct them to father, who will arrange your marriage," Draco muttered.
"I'll direct Vasuki to your bed at night," Harry mock-threatened. "He might mistake you for a white, fluffy rabbit."
Draco paled a bit. "Well, then my godfather would have you expelled after he gave me anti-venom draught."
"You mean the Snape-guy?"
"Yeah. He's a bit weird, but dad says that he's a powerful wizard that has his nose in the right areas, whatever that means," Draco said.
The door opened, revealing two identical redheads and one smaller redhead. "Potter, is that you?"
"Weasley," Harry sneered.
"Yes, well, you see…" One twin began.
"We noticed you had the misfortune of being seated with a Malfoy. You see, some wizards are decent folk, but others, like the Malfoys, are evil and rotten to the core. You don't want to go associating with the wrong sort," the other twin began.
"Yeah, we can help there. Would you like to sit with us? I'm sure it would be better than sitting with that stuck-up git," the smaller one remarked.
"Oh, I'm touched," drawled Harry. "Would you care to explain why I should associate myself with dirt-poor, Dumbledore-worshipers?"
"What… how dare you!" the youngest one shouted.
Draco rolled his eyes. "Weasleys and their inflated sense of self-importance…" he drawled.
One twin looked venomously at Draco and moved closer.
"That wouldn't be wise… I might have to show you how exactly I slew Voldemort."
The smallest redhead nearly pissed his pants, but managed to croak, "I... you're a dark wizard!"
"Yup," Draco commented, rolling his eyes. "You've got us figured out. I bet we'll be expelled by tomorrow."
Master, can I eat their rat, I sense something strange about it Vasuki asked.
Harry answered negative and continued to sneer at the redheads. "What's your name, Weasel? Or did your parents get tired of thinking of new names and just assign you a number? Lemme guess… number five? Six?"
That seemed to touch a nerve. Ron was visibly shaking, obviously torn between his fear of Harry and his desire to plow his fist into Harry's face.
"Its Weasley to you, Potter. We were wrong about you, you deserve Malfoy!"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Thanks, I consider that a compliment. Are you jealous?"
"NEVER!" the twins shouted. "Potter, we'll be seeing you around. You'll get yours!"
"Wow, I'm scared," Harry said rolling his eyes. "Perhaps you can call up Voldemort and ask him for some advice? I'm sure he would tell you what works and what doesn't."
Draco was rolling over laughing, while Harry absently began to read a book, as if the Weasleys weren't even there.
The Weasley's ears turned red, but they could think of no response.
"Good bye. Oh, and you're welcome," Draco said in between laughs.
"For what?" Ron yelled.
"For entertaining me. Hey, come around once in a while, okay? We could use a good laugh once in a while," Draco said.
"Let's go, Ron, why the hell did you convince us to come over here… damn Malfoys and Potters," a twin muttered while leaving the compartment.
"That was too good, Harry. Did you see the way he reacted when you said His name?" Draco said.
"Uhh… I haven't heard you say Voldemort," Harry pointed out.
"Well, I can hear it and not react," defended Draco. "Okay… I'm going to do it… Vold…demort."
"Bravo," Harry remarked. "I can't believe the nerve of those Gryffindorks, coming in to our area and insulting you. You know, I'm getting sick of people assuming they can tell me who I am or how I should act."
"Speaking of that…"
The door opened. "Hello… err… oh, it's you two. Listen, have you seen a toad? Neville has lost one. I think I saw it come in this direction."
Harry didn't bother to look around his compartment. "No."
"Well if you see it…"
"Then we'll feed it to Harry's—ow!... uh owl," Draco concluded a bit sheepishly, rubbing his stomach where Harry has elbowed him.
"So Granger, read any good books lately?" Harry asked with a fake kindness.
"Well, I read a book about the First War that had a few quotes and accounts by Professor Dumbledore in them. HE said that you were a half-blood and nobody knew how you defeated the You-Know-Who and got your scar. It also said that you had been placed with Muggles! I was right! I don't understand why you try to deny it, it's not like there is anything wrong with being raised by Muggles--"
A nerve snapped inside of Harry. "First of all, you have no idea what Muggles are really like, having grown up in your cheery little cottage. Second of all, Professor Dumb wasn't there during the attack, so he doesn't know what happened. Third, no one asked for your opinion about my upbringing. I tried once again to have a reasonable conversation by asking about a comfortable topic, but no, you had to go on a ill-constructed rant about my childhood, despite the fact that only Draco's family could give a reasonably accurate account of my childhood. That's strike two, Granger. I suggest you leave before you strike out."
Hermione stood in silence for nearly a minute, shock written across her face. "I'm sorry, but you never gave me a chance! You automatically assumed that I was a uppity-Muggleborn!" Hermione angrily stalked off.
Two minutes later, there was another knock on their compartment sliding door.
"The loser caravan is that way," Draco drawled, not bothering to look up.
"Excuse me? I just wanted to have a word," a girl with honey-blonde hair said. "I heard what you said to the Weasleys; it was a bit harsh, but I had a good laugh. I'm Daphne Greengrass by the way."
"Harry Potter," Harry said, shaking her hand.
"Draco Malfoy. Nice to meet you."
"Everyone is talking about you two on the train," she stated.
"So you're here to get some first hand gossip?" Harry said sneering.
"No! I'll have you know that the Greengrass's are a old pureblood line. You have no reason to dislike me without even knowing me," she said heatedly.
"Sorry," Harry said. "We've just had a few unpleasant encounters today. So, what house do you want to be in?"
"Slytherin or Ravenclaw. I hope to be put in Slytherin, but if I get Ravenclaw it wouldn't be too bad, would it?"
"I suppose not," Draco said. "We will be Slytherins though, so I suggest you follow suit if you wish to hang out with us."
"Well, that is my first choice. I think I'd leave if I was in Hufflepuff, wouldn't you?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, the house for the weak and caring. Even worse than Gryffindors."
"Well, I'm glad we agree. My family has always been in either Slytherin or Ravenclaw. Have you two gotten a chance to study any magic?" She asked eagerly.
Harry glanced at Draco. "A bit."
"Oh, I've done a bit too. Not too much, but I'm hoping to get good grades this year."
Harry nodded.
"Do you have a pet, Daphne?" Draco asked.
"Yeah, I got this kitten, Felo" Daphne answered, holding up a black kitten. "Yesterday it caught its first garden snake. It was a small one though. That's a nice eagle owl, Draco, what's its name?"
"Tiberius," Draco said.
"How about you, Harry. Uh… I can call you Harry right?" Daphne said uneasily.
"No, you have to call me The-Boy-Who-Kicks-Ass," Harry said sarcastically. "Just kidding, you can call me Harry, Daphne. I'll tell you about my pet if you get sorted into Slytherin and I see that you don't have a big mouth."
"Umm… okay," she said. "Hey, can I ask you a question about uhh… your scar?"
"Shoot," Harry said.
"He might have you kill you if it's a bad question," Draco warned.
"Well… do you remember what happened?"
"A little bit. I have dreams about it. Voldemort killed my parents with the Killing Curse and then tried to kill me, that's all I remember," Harry said.
"So what you said to the Weasleys…"
"Was designed to make them wet their pants," Harry said smirking. "I think it worked, don't you?"
"Yeah," she breathed. "Our family really owes you, because the Greengrass family has always tried to stay neutral, but You-Know-Who was threatening us to join him."
"Uhh… you're welcome?" Harry said. "So you're family has never been one of Dumbledore's lot?"
"Never. I mean, we're not against Muggleborns either, but we're not for them. We dislike the Ministry too. Father has a seat on the Wizengamot, but aside from that, we just try distance ourselves from the different sides," Daphne said. "Umm, can I ask about your loyalties? I mean, I don't want to make any assumptions, but you seem to dislike… well, everyone besides purebloods, but your parents were staunch light supporters who were all for… you know, Muggleborns and stuff."
"Well, I side with whoever I think is the most competent and powerful. So far, the only families I am interested in siding with are the Malfoys and possible the Greengrasses. I'm not like my parents; I won't let Dumbledore or Voldemort brainwash me. So far, I plan to be grey. There's a few neutral families out there, but no strong neutral faction," Harry replied. "Oh yeah, thanks for not making any assumptions, you don't know how annoying that gets."
"No problem. My father would like you, I think. You're nothing like I expected. Everyone expects you to hate the Malfoys for 'kidnapping' you and to be Dumbledore's beacon of light," Daphne said.
"Well, then they're in for a shock," replied Harry.
Later that day the three kids were riding preparing to get onto a boat to the castle. Harry was approached by a huge man with a monstrous beard and a pink umbrella.
"Hello, 'Arry, oh it's so nice to see ye after all these years. You look just like yer dad! I remember ye when ye were this big," the man said fondly.
"Umm, do I know you?" Harry replied.
"Oh, righ', I'm Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts," the jovial giant said. His voiced dropped in volume. "I was there when… it happened eleven years ago. I picked you up from Godric's Hollow and dropped you off with the Muggles."
"Well, thanks Hagrid," Harry replied cheerfully, although his eyes hardened when Hagrid mentioned the Dursleys. "I assume you dropped me off on Dumbledore's orders, yeah?"
"Yup. He said it would be fer the best, Harry. You don't know how it tore at me to put you on that doorstep," Hagrid replied fondly. "Well, I live over by that hut. You come 'round an' visit now, if you're not too busy. I know ye'll be loving Hogwarts, best school there is! James and Lily were Head Boy and Girl, ye know."
"Thanks, Hagrid. I'll do that," Harry said, not sure if he would visit the man in the near future. On one hand, he could learn more about his parents, but Hagrid was obviously one of Dumbledore's men. How could you place a baby on a doorstep on Halloween in London? If Dumbledore had said to throw the baby off a cliff would Hagrid have done it? It was a miracle he hadn't caught pneumonia from being out in the cold…
Soon they were inside of the Great Hall, sitting down and preparing for the sorting. Harry noticed that he was getting a death glare from redheads of various sizes. Harry looked towards the head table to find Dumbledore looking at him discreetly, his eyes twinkling.
Master, break eye contact immediately! He is snooping around in your mind! Vasuki hissed.
Harry snapped his head to the side. Did he get in?
A little. He heard your thought about the redheads being angry at you, but nothing else. He also sent you a not-so-subtle picture of you in scarlet and gold robes. Your parents were smiling down on you and ruffling your hair, both wearing prominent scarlet and gold robes.
WHAT! Who the hell does he think he is, using my parents' death as a tool to force me into his pocket? That's a low blow… Lucius was right when he told me not to underestimate the level of Dumbledore's manipulations… Vasuki, can you keep him out?
I can misdirect him, but he truly wished to break in, I cannot stop him, especially if he has eye contact. MASTER! STOP LOOKING AT THE GREASY ONE! Vasuki screamed in his mind. Vasuki was writhing against Harry under his robe. The old one used just a soft brush, but the greasy one was actually probing. He is still trying, although I am able to misdirect him when your eyes are not connected. I am getting tired though, you must break line of sight soon. They are both powerful enough to attack your mind without eye contact.
Harry cursed under his breath. How dare they snoop around in his mind. What about Draco and Daphne?
I know not. Tell them not to look at those two. SHIT! We are being attacked by the turban man! Master they will all break in soon… NOW!
Harry's scar had just began to tingle painfully. He did the only thing he could; he slid under the table and let out a huge breath of relief while his head was obscured by the table and tablecloth.
"Harry, what the hell?" Draco asked bewildered. "All I asked was what you thought about that fourth year over there… she's not that ugly."
Good thinking, Harry. I have a very bad headache; I was about to faint; those three are all masters. This is very bad news. Vasuki stated. I will not be able to protect you until I get a good night's slumber. We have to work on your own mental defenses as soon as possible, although I do not know where to start. It would probably be a good idea for your friends to learn as well.
Thanks, Vasuki, I really owe you one. I can't believe they would pull that shit! Isn't there some law against invading other people's minds? Harry gave his snake, that was inside of his robes, a pat on the head.
I know not. All I know is that as your familiar, a mental attack has to go through me first. However, I would guess that the practice is at the very least frowned upon.
Those bastards! Vasuki, what do we do now? Harry asked desperately. The three bastards had undoubtedly noticed that he was under the table and would no doubt pounce on him as soon as he surfaced. Just wonderful; he had already aroused suspicion. Lucius wouldn't be pleased.
Dumbledore was now giving a speech about… oddballs and tweaking. Harry rolled his eyes; was the man completely senile? Dumbledore proceeded to introduce Professor Quirrel, a new addition to the Hogwarts staff, and say something about a painful death.
The Sorting is beginning. You will resurface when they are on 'P' and run to the cap. I think I can defend you for that short amount of time, although if the three of them all send strong mental probes, then I cannot help you, especially if you make eye contact. I think I will be able to protect you for a maximum for five to ten seconds.
So Harry waited and waited, beginning with Hannah Abbot being sorted into Hufflepuff.
Hermione Granger was sorted into Gryffindor, while Daphne Greengrass was sorted into Slytherin. Harry gave her his congratulations from under the table.
After Parvati Patil had been sorted into Gryffindor, Harry got up and started walking at a very rapid pace towards the Sorting Hat. By the time his name was called, he was only a few footsteps away from the hat, which he quickly put on top of his head.
"Ahh… a fierce independence within you, Mr. Potter, that is always nice."
"Just put me in Slytherin and don't go into my head!" Harry muttered.
"Yes, you do fit in the House of Serpents, Mr. Potter. I do not use Legilimency, Mr. Potter. I was created by the founders to sense your desires, emotions, and abilities. I respect your independence and I share my knowledge with no one. Now, let me do my job!" the hat said. "Hmm… you are brave… smart… caring… yet you aspire to change the world. How interesting. You wish to unite others like yourself around you and form a new faction. Well, Mr. Potter, I think you would do well in any house. You say you want Slytherin, but I think you want Slytherin for the wrong reasons."
"No! Put me in Slytherin!" Harry commanded. "Look, I'm cunning and ambitious, why wouldn't you put me in Slytherin?"
"Notice I did not say Slytherin would be a bad choice; I am just saying that you are choosing Slytherin because you see it as a way to prove that you are not your parents and prove you are not light. You want the approval of purebloods and to snub others. I will place you in Slytherin, but not because you want to be in Slytherin; you do not yet know why Slytherin would be the best for you. True, I can place you there because you are cunning, ambitious, and have the potential to change the world. However, you have the traits of all of the founders inside of you; some are just hidden by layers of jaded truths and lies. See that you find a way to embrace all of you traits rather than abandon them. Do not get caught up in stereotypes and lies that surround the houses of Hogwarts," the hat warned.
"Okay," Harry replied, although he did not understand very much of the hat's speech.
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat announced.
"Thank you, Mr. hat," Harry said while standing up, removing the hat, and briskly traveling to a seat adjacent to Draco and Daphne.
After being quiet for nearly five minutes, the hall exploded into noise. The Slytherins were cheering, McGonagall tried futilely to hide her disappointment, and Dumbledore frowned, but his eyes never stopped twinkling. The greasy man was looking at him with pure disbelief. Harry didn't see Quirrel eyeing him calculatingly.
Harry sat next to Draco and Greengrass, reattaching his cocky smirk to his face, but prepared to slide under the table at any moment.
"Well done, Harry! I was scared for a minute there," Draco said.
Daphne eyed him shrewdly. "So what's with hiding under the table?"
Harry dropped his voice to a whisper. "Your godfather, the turban guy, and Dumbledore are trying to break into my mind. I'll explain later, but do not look at them!"
"Yeah, later. Well, you might as well enjoy the food," Draco said, munching on a lamb chop.
"Good thing you're mother isn't here," Harry muttered.
"Oh, whatever," Draco retorted, taking another chomp. "I'm not as bad as Weasley; do you think he has been fed in the past week?"
A tall, broad-shouldered individual in Slytherin robes walked up to Harry. "Marcus Flint, here. I'm the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team and Chaser. Glad to have you in my house."
"Glad to be here," Harry said, taking a slight dislike to the pompous tone of the large boy's voice. "Draco and I may have you show up one day and teach your team how to play."
"Hah, as if we need little firsties to help us. We have the best team in the school!" another Slytherin added, who was named Terence Higgs.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Harry said. "In the past ten years, I don't believe Slytherin has more cups that Gryffindor."
"That's because of that damn Weasley seeker! We won last year, for your information."
Draco smirked at Higgs. "Better watch out; I think this will be you last year seeking now that Harry's here."
Flint eyed them calculatingly. "Next year I will expect you two to back up your words. Or we may have to teach you what happens to upstarts who don't respect their elders."
After they left, Daphne looked at Harry carefully. "Do you have to antagonize everyone you come across? You could try being nice at first, and then being mean instead of the other way around like you were with me."
"No, we have to be mean," Draco replied.
"Sorry about earlier, Daphne, but the short answer is that in case you didn't notice, Flint isn't the prince of Slytherin," Harry replied. "I don't like being spoken down to by those who have no right to do so."
"Sorry."
"Don't be; I consider you my friend, so uh… you can sorta speak down to me," Harry said with a grin.
"Thanks… I guess."
"Potter," a dark skinned boy introduced. "I'm Blaise Zabini."
"…The hell you want?" Harry grumbled, receiving an elbow from Daphne. "Sorry, nice to meet you."
"No problem. I've been observing you and I know that I would be annoyed by everyone approaching me because of my fame," Blaise said.
"Aren't you doing the same thing?" Draco asked after the three students had introduced themselves.
"Well, I am intrigued by the Harry Potter legend, I must admit. However, I came over because the truth is that you three seem like a good group of friends to have," Zabini said.
Harry could see that Zabini was a bit shy, most likely from spending his childhood away from other children. That was one of the problems with pureblood society. Everyone lived in their castles, isolated from others their age. The adults knew each other, but their children didn't get a chance until school. All Harry knew about the Zabini family was that they were neutral and borderline dark in general, so Harry decided it couldn't hurt to give the boy a chance. "Alright. We can talk more when we get to the dorms."
Vasuki, what do you think of him?
Hmm… he is fairly powerful, around the same as the blonde girl. I did not sense any deceit in his words. I suggest you give him a chance. He is obviously from a fairly affluent family. Vasuki replied.
"Draco, I think your godfather hates me. He keeps glaring at me and earlier he was using Legilimency," Harry muttered.
"What's that?"
"Well from what the hat said, I am guessing it has to do with breaking into minds. Now he's just glaring at me like I'm a cockroach or something."
"I don't know. I would think he would be happy to have you in our house. If he doesn't come around, I can at least owl dad and tell him to tell Snape to not read your mind."
"Yeah…" Harry said. "Hey, what do you think about that Hagrid guy?"
Daphne answered first, "He seemed sorta nice. I mean, nothing like the way he looks."
"Well my father says he is practically a servant," Draco said importantly.
"What exactly is Keeper of the Keys?" Blaise said. "I could be wrong, but there is probably more to him than meets the eye. He can't spend year guarding Hogwarts's grounds and mulling around his hut."
"You're probably right," Daphne said. "What I want to know is if he is actually human."
Harry shrugged. "We'll find out soon later. For now, the three of you need to learn how to protect your minds, as do I. Draco, can you get your father to mail us whatever books he has concerning mental defenses, placed in a discreet, normal package?" Harry asked quietly, his voice only heard by his friends due to the roaring clamor of students eating and chatting.
"Yeah, do you need me to do it tonight?"
"Yes," Harry whispered. "When they realize that you are friends with me, they will try to find out my secrets from your minds. Hell, they may have already done it today."
Later that night, Harry and Draco had journeyed to the Slytherin dungeons. The dorms weren't as elegant or comfortable as Harry's room at Malfoy Manor, but a comfortable four-poster bed with soft blankets was a welcoming sight after his long day.
"I'll see you three in the morning, then," Daphne said.
Harry, noticing that Draco had already started on his letter, told Draco to ask his father for a quick history and opinion of the Greengrasses, Zabinis, and Snape.
Harry discreetly let Vasuki under his bed and told his European Asp Viper to use paralyzing venom on anyone who approached his bed who was not Draco or Blaise. Harry let his eyes close, knowing that tomorrow he would no doubt have to deal with more people making assumptions about him or trying to manipulate him. He was still rather angry about Dumbledore's cunning attempt to manipulate him into Gryffindor. Was it not enough to brainwash his parents into following his foolish crusade to the death?
Harry woke up in the morning earlier than Draco and took the bit of time to chat with Vasuki about his opinions of Hogwarts.
"Draco, hurry up, let's go to breakfast," Harry mumbled. "Hmm… Astronomy with the Ravenclaws and Herbology with… oh joy, Gryffindors. Uh, Draco, you realize we never studied Herbology at home, right? I mean, your mum says that we can just ace Astronomy by a last minute cram session, but Herbology doesn't sound that easy."
"Why the blazes would we want to grub around in the dirt? Dobby knows how to garden, I shouldn't have to learn," Draco grumbled indignantly.
"Well, we'll see. I just don't want to get beaten by any Muggleborns this year," Harry said.
"What about tomorrow?"
"Transfiguration and Potions."
(A/N: In Canon, it is not clear who has Transfiguration with the Gryffindors. Some people assume that it is a class where there is only one house per class, due to the dangerous nature of Transfiguration, for which a smaller teacher to student ratio would be desired. In PS film, Slytherins are shown to have it with the Gryffindors, however in canon, I believe it is said that the Gryffindors only shared Potions with Slytherin. Forgive me if Harry's class schedule isn't compatible with the books, it takes a fair bit of deductive logic to figure out Harry's schedule in first-year canon, let alone a Slytherin's schedule.)
"Well that shouldn't be so bad, at any rate. Snape is bound to favor us because we're Slytherins, not to mention I'm his godson," Draco commented.
After eating breakfast, which Harry did without looking at the head table, Harry walked past the Gryffindor first years, who he gave a practiced sneer, and headed to the greenhouses located behind the castle. Much to Draco's relief, Professor Sprout told them that they wouldn't do much practical Herbology until the next term.
Harry was mildly annoyed by Granger, who felt the need to answer every single question with responses stolen from their textbooks. Unfortunately, Harry couldn't do anything because he had neglected to study plants at Malfoy Manor.
It really beat him why Hermione had to be such a know-it-all. It was perfectly understandable for her to want to show the Slytherins up, but she was distancing herself from the Gryffindors in the process.
Harry noticed that Ron seemed to associate more with Seamus, a half-blood, and Dean, a Muggleborn, than Hermione. Harry couldn't say that he blamed the redhead, despite the fact that Ron was telling the boys about how evil Potter and Malfoy were. As if anyone of importance would care what a blood-traitor, half-blood, and Muggleborn thought!
Harry zoned out during Astronomy, but was careful to give the impression that he was paying attention. Daphne said that she knew a fair bit about Herbology and Astronomy, so Harry arranged to study those subjects with her while he taught her Transfiguration and DADA. She said that the Greengrass Manor didn't have the wards that Hogwarts and Malfoy Manor had that prevented the Ministry from detecting magic, so she hadn't done much practical spellwork.
Malfoy claimed to be the best at Potions; a subject that Blaise was new to, so they worked out a similar arrangement. Minimizing the time spent doing homework would give them extra time to practice important things, like protecting their minds.
The next day they were traveling to their first Transfiguration class. The four Slytherins passed by Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones, causing a discussion amongst the four over whether or not they should be equally mean to Hufflepuffs as they were Gryffindors. Harry figured that they could give the Hufflepuffs a chance, and if they proved to be emptyheaded, Muggle-lovers, they could just ignore them. Draco agreed reluctantly, although he warned that Hufflepuff would side with Gryffindor in any future fights.
They were so distracted by their conversation that they didn't realize they were currently on a staircase that is prone to moving to different locations.
"Uh, Harry, are we on the third floor?" Daphne squeaked.
"Why, we can just take the next staircase down, right?" Harry said unconcerned.
"You weren't listening at the feast, were you… Dumbledore said anyone who went here would suffer a painful death," Blaise informed.
Mrs. Norris prowled on the floor, purring softly before rushing back to her master.
"Shit, let's go. We'll hide in there!" Harry said, making towards a large door. "Filch will probably be coming any minute now." Harry opened the door with an Alohamora.
They quickly jammed into the room, and not a moment too soon judging by the footsteps they heard in their previous location.
"Bad idea… bad idea…" Blaise began to mutter.
"Shush!" Draco said. "Oh… it's looking right at us."
Harry saw the massive three-headed dog and shoved his friends out of the room. After they had left, he followed them and slammed the door shut.
"Merlin… why the hell would Dumbledore put that monster there? It looked like it weighed a ton…" Draco said breathing heavily.
"This proves it… he's a lunatic," Harry said.
"No, I think I know why it's there. Did you read the Daily Prophet this morning?"
"No, Father gets his news directly from the Ministry, before it has been contaminated by reporters," Draco said.
"Shh! Someone's coming," Blaise hissed.
They heard very soft footsteps and they saw Professor Quirrel approach. "B-boys and girls, I suggest you go to class now, did you not here what the headmaster said about this corridor?"
For some reason, Quirrel only stuttered when looking directly at Harry. Strangely enough, Harry's scar tingled mildly when Quirrel looked at him. Harry made sure not to look at the turban man, even though Vasuki said that he didn't sense the man using Legilimency on him.
"Yes, sir, a moving staircase, you see…"
"Mr. P-Potter, I understand. Professor D-Dumbledore has just sent me to fix the s-staircase problem," Quirrel replied.
Harry wasn't sure if he believed that, but the fact of the matter was that he had to get to class.
Just as they were about to board the staircase, they almost collided with four Gryffindors.
"What are you doing here, Weasel?" Draco sneered.
"We could ask the same," Hermione asked.
"Well, we really must be going, Granger. No time for divulging our secrets…" Harry said arrogantly.
"I bet you were up to something!" Ron shouted, a glint in his eyes. "You're going to get in trouble!"
"Wow, Draco, Weasel has got it all figured out!" Harry said rolling his eyes. "But I thought Granger was the brains of the Gryffindor operation?"
"In case you haven't noticed, you are on the third floor too, moron, so it isn't like you can report us." Daphne said. "Anyway, who would our Head of House believe? If you want to get us punished, you will have to talk to Snape."
"Well, we must go, Transfiguration class, you see. I'm afraid that even listening to McGonagall is more interesting that a few pathetic Muggles squabbling," Draco said.
Ron, Seamus, and Dean drew their wands angrily, but Hermione protested, yelling something about school rules.
"Better listen to your girlfriend, Weasley," Blaise said. "We both know that you're worse than a Muggleborn when it comes to magic."
Ron turned red, "She's not--"
The Slytherins had already turned and strode past the rankled Gryffindors, chuckling about Dumbledore messing up and sending letters to Muggles.
They arrived at Transfiguration and took a seat a minute before the wandering Gryffindors. Harry knew that they were busted when he saw the tabby cat and shook his head dejectedly when Ron said that it was lucky the professor hadn't found them.
"Mr. Weasley, if you must come in late, at least have the decency to quietly take a seat! That will be fifteen points from Gryffindor and ten points from Slytherin!" McGonagall said in her strict Scottish brogue. Many people gasped when the orange tabby transformed into the Gryffindor Head of House.
"Sorry, but it wasn't our fault--" Ron spluttered.
"Bad move, Weasley," Harry muttered under his breath.
"Mr. Weasley, are you saying that you have no control over your own movement? Please try to show some more maturity next time and take responsibility for your actions," McGonagall said with disdain.
"Now then, Transfiguration is some of the most dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. I will warn you now that absolutely no horseplay will be tolerated in my classroom. It is imperative that you keep up with your homework, lest you pay the price during our end of year examinations."
Harry glanced around the room and rolled his eyes. Why would anyone take notes on the introductory, disciplinary lecture?
Vasuki, what do you think of our Transfiguration Professor?
Well, I sense that she is powerful in her own right. Experienced too; I bet she does the cat routine every year. She is shooting disappointed glances at you every once in a while, Vasuki replied.
You think she wanted me to be a Gryffindor like my parents?
That would be a fair assumption. However, the true question is why?
What do you mean?
Does she want you in Gryffindor because she follows the wrinkled one, or because she wants a piece of your father and mother? I would not make the assumption that her reasons for wanting you in Gryffindor are the same as the wrinkled one's.
Harry almost snorted at Vasuki's name for Dumbledore. At least she either doesn't know Legilimency or has the decency not to attack my mind. Hopefully our questions will be answered soon enough.
And now everyone is staring at you. Perhaps you shouldn't have been staring at your desk while communicating with me?
Harry looked at Professor McGonagall as if he hadn't done anything at all wrong. "Yes ma'am?"
"Mr. Potter, you will kindly pay attention in my class! Five points from Slytherin! I asked you what movement needed to be used in transforming a needle into a matchstick," McGonagall said, her hardened accent betraying her irritation.
Hermione looked a bit smug as she raised her hand.
"A short jab, Professor," Harry stated.
"That is not what I said," McGonagall said harshly, causing a few chuckles to echo through the Gryffindor end.
"Well it's certainly the most efficient way, wouldn't you say? It's quicker than the circular motion you had described," Harry said without missing a beat.
"Oh really, Mr. Potter. And how would you know? I don't believe that I mentioned anything about changing the wand movements of a spell to suit your desire to do the least work possible."
Harry's confident smile didn't leave his face, despite the fact that even a few Slytherins were eyeing him strangely.
"Well then, you will now attempt to transform your needle using the incantation and wand movement specified in your book. The first three students who manage the spell shall earn their house five points each," she instructed.
Harry knew he could do the charm, so he began to help Blaise, while keeping an eye on Hermione, to make sure that she didn't get it first. Hermione might have consumed a library or two, but Transfiguration was Harry's class. Draco, who had done the spell before, helped Daphne.
"Blaise, the matchstick and needle have a similar shape, so first concentrate on changing metal to wood. You just need a strong picture of it in your mind. See the problem is--"
Harry trailed off, noticing that McGonagall was watching him very closely. "Like this," he said, transforming the needle into a perfect match with a short jab.
Draco followed suit and soon had his match, giving Hermione a sneer from all the way across the room.
"Well… never have I seen two students get the spell after ten minutes!" McGonagall breathed. "I don't know how…"
"Well, they have obviously been practicing under-age magic outside of school!" Hermione huffed angrily.
"Jealous?" Draco said.
"Mr. Malfoy, you will not trade jabs with your classmates. That goes for all of you. However, five points each for Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said.
"Was Ms. Granger correct in her assumption that you have practiced this spell before?" McGonagall asked.
"No, professor. It's a beginners spell after all; if you are able to think like a magic-user instead of a Muggle, it's a fairly easy spell," Harry replied, without a touch of dishonesty or malice. He noticed with a more than a little satisfaction that the bushy-haired girl across the room seemed insulted by his statement.
"I see… I suppose what you meant was if you make yourself believe the laws of magic, which are quite different than the laws of Muggles, the spell is quite easy? That is true; the purpose of this exercise is to teach students that the rules of magic are much different that the rules that they grew up with," McGonagall said.
"Yes, that was exactly what I was hinting at," Harry said.
"Well, that is very astute. Most people do not see the point of this exercise. Take five points for… Slytherin," she said, not meeting Harry's eye. "Class, continue!"
"Smooth, Harry," Daphne chuckled. "I still can't get it though…"
"Don't worry," Harry dropped his voice to a whisper. "It took me three hours of practice to get it. Don't tell anyone that."
By the end of class, Hermione, Blaise, and Daphne had managed the transfiguration. Much to Harry's dismay, Hermione got it before Blaise and Daphne, earning her house five points.
After class, they went to lunch and continued their discussion on the Daily Prophet.
"See Draco, you should get it because it does have some informative articles every once in a while. Yesterday there was a break-in at Gringotts, which by the way has never been pulled off before. The thief didn't find what they were looking for because it is rumored the object was moved to a safer location before the break in," Daphne said.
"So what does this have to do with a cerebus?"
"The dog was standing on something! A trapdoor. The dog was guarding something," Daphne stated.
"So you think that Dumbledore is keeping the valuable object here at Hogwarts?" Blaise asked.
"That's exactly what I think."
Harry thought it over. "Draco, that day when I went to Gringotts with your father, I think I saw Hagrid. Look! My vault was 712 and the vault that was broken into was 713! There are so many vaults in Gringotts, it would be to much of a coincidence for Hagrid to have a nearby vault, especially since I doubt he would have such a vault on such a guarded floor. He must have taken it here on Dumbledore's orders…"
"Did you actually see him near vault 713? I mean, it could have just been a coincidence, right?" Draco said.
"No, it all fits. Didn't your father say that the only people who are friends with Hagrid were beasts?" Harry asked. Draco nodded and Harry replied, "That's where the dog came from. Hagrid's got his hand in on this, I know it."
"But then why was Quirrel up there?" Draco asked. He didn't receive an answer.
"Maybe I should take Hagrid up on his offer and drop in for an afternoon tea," said Harry.
"Oh I hate those Slytherins!" Hermione said to Ron and his Gryffindor friends. "Arrogant, racist, bigoted, no-good…"
"Yeah, I'm with you on that. I bet they were up to some dark ritual up in the third floor. That Potter is a rotten wizard, I wouldn't put it past him to be doing something illegal," Ron said angrily.
"No, I'm pretty sure that he just took the wrong staircase, just like we did," Hermione said. "Although I hate the way he has to be such a know-it-all."
"No, he's up to something, and I want to get him expelled!" Ron said angrily.
"Why would he go up there if Professor Dumbledore said that anyone who goes there will be in danger? It doesn't make sense…"
"Well, I think we should snoop around and see if we can find anything. I bet we can find some evidence to get those snarky gits in detention at the very least…"
"Ron, I really don't think we should…"
"Hermione, stop being such a goody-goody, for god's sakes!" Ron shouted irritably.
Hermione sniffed. She really didn't want to go. She wanted to yell back at Ron, but she knew that she wouldn't do that. No one liked her and Ron was her only potential friend. "Fine, we'll go. But for your information, I'm not a goody-goody and that's a rude thing to say!"
"Whatever… okay, sorry, let's go," Ron said, not sounding sorry in the least bit.
Hermione sighed, resigned to the fact that the only person who would talk to her in the Wizarding World was this insensitive, thick prat.
A/N:
I realize that Harry's vault isn't next to 713 in canon, but I took a few liberties… especially with Harry's bank statement. For the canon police out there, I'm sorry. It's the same type of thing with Harry's schedule; I'm taking a few liberties. I don't think I've done anything egregious, but I'll be happy to answer any questions about this subject.
I just want to clarify that Vasuki cannot fully keep out a decent Legilimens for more than say, thirty seconds with eye contact. If Snape was fully trying to rape Harry's mind and had eye contact, Vasuki would only be able to keep him out for a short period of time. What happened in the Great Hall was that Dumbledore used a soft Legilimency brush and sent Harry a glorious flash of his parents smiling down on him with Gryffindor robes. (That's a pretty devious trick, wouldn't you say?) Then Snape tried to break into Harry's mind, but Vasuki bought Harry time by having Harry look away. Still, Snape would have broken in eventually. Quirrel then attacks, and just as Vasuki's defenses fail and Snape and Quirrel break in, Harry breaks line of sight (which I believe is necessary for Legilimency). I got a review that pointed out that it was a bit weird having a snake, magical or no, knowing more than Harry about the Wizarding Wotld. Perhaps I am making Vasuki a bit stronger than I should, but it is safe to assume that he is like an equal of Nagini. He is less physically strong that Nagini, but he is wiser and more magical. I don't think that it is too unreasonable for him to be able to protect Harry's mind for a very short period of time, considering they can speak mentally.
A few people asked If I planned on doing all seven years. The way I have divided it up is into two parts of the Series. Rise of the Grey Lord, Part One: Nobility and Rise of the Grey Lord, Part Two: Revolution. Part One will encompass the first four years, and Part Two, the last three plus an epilogue.
Thanks for those reviews, I really appreciate people letting me know what they think.
Thanks.