Harry sat up in bed and pulled the cord to turn on his light. He squinted until his eyes stopped blurring before reaching down beside the bed to find what he was looking for. He held the envelope up in front of his face, looking at the Hogwarts shield emblem.

The emblem was split into 4 sections, each section depicting a different Pokemon. At the top left, a large orange and black canine, showed breathing fire. To the right, a beautiful cream coloured serpent on a field of blue. At the bottom left, a brown and white badger, or maybe a ferret. At the bottom right, a deep blue bird, with the feathers turning red under its beak and across its breast.

Harry smiled at the still Pokemon. Even being allowed to look at images of the amazing creatures in the open was thrilling to him. Despite having only received the Hogwarts letter mere hours ago, the envelope and the letter it held already showed signs of being over handled, the paper being crumpled and bent out of shape.

Harry lifted the tab and pulled out the letter. He had read it so many times now that he could probably have rewritten it word for word if he wanted. He lifted the letter up in front of his face and began to read again:

Hogwarts School of Pokemon Training and Bending Arts

Headmaster: Master Albus Dumbledore

(Grand Lotus, Chf. Master of the International Confederation of Trainers)

Dear Mr Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Pokemon Training and Bending Arts. Term begins on 1st September, please be at Kings Cross Station in Avem City at no later than 10:45am, the train leaves at exactly 11am. Students are asked not to bring more than one Pokemon for their first year.

Yours Sincerely,

Master Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress

The following is a list of all necessary books and equipment for first year study at Hogwarts:

Equipment

Generation VI Pokedex

Pokeball Holster - Belt or Jacket

At least 5 regular Pokeballs

Mortar and Pestle

Trainer-made backpack

Protective Training Clothing, including running footwear

First Year Textbooks

Battle Techniques and Strategy

Pokemon Types and their Effectiveness by Quentin Trimble

Pokemon Coordinating

A Beginners Guide: Pokemon Coordinators by Emeric Switch

Pokemon Habitats

Pokemon Types and Where to Find Them by Phyllida Spore

Pokemon Behaviour Patterns: A Beginners Guide to Catching Pokemon by Selina Sapworthy

Pokemon Biology

Pokemon Biology (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

Pokemon Care

Caring for your Pokemon Partner by Adalbert Waffling

Item Making

A Basic Berry Book by Arsenius Jigger

History

A History of Pokemon and Bending by Bathilda Bagshot

He had no idea what half of the letter actually meant, such as the bending arts and at least half of the items on the equipment list, but he guessed that was why Master Dumbledore had decided to send somebody to help him.

Harry might have asked his uncle to explain it, but he figured since Vernon was so reluctant to allow him to go to Hogwarts in the first place, he might be pushing his luck if he did.

As always in his windowless room, Harry had no idea what time it was, only that it was taking too long to pass. After an increasingly agitated sleep, he was getting more impatient by the second.

As excited as he was, through the night he had been plagued by dreams of himself being laughed out of Hogwarts for not knowing enough about Pokemon, or never even having touched one before. Nevertheless, Harry was determined to study hard and be the best trainer he could be.

The noise coming from upstairs meant that somebody was awake upstairs. A smile immediately made its way onto Harry's face; if somebody was awake upstairs, it must be morning, which meant Harry wouldn't have to wait too much longer now, although Dumbledore hadn't specified when whoever was coming would be here, only that it would be in the morning.

Harry opened his cupboard door just as Dudley came running downstairs. "No way cousin, Gulpin and I are eating breakfast down here, so you'll just have to stay in there." Dudley told him, signalling towards the cupboard. Harry almost turned around as Dudley pulled his Pokeball off his belt, but quickly shook his head when he realised there was no longer any point.

"But why? I'll be going to Hogwarts now too, so being around your Pokemon doesn't matter now anyway" Harry replied, facing his cousin.

Dudley sneered back at him, reeling back his arm to throw the pokeball out. Harry put his hands up in front of his face and shied away without thinking.

Dudley snorted derisively, and Harry looked up at him with an eyebrow raised. "Merlin Potter, you won't last five minutes at Hogwarts. This is how you release the Pokemon." Dudley reeled back his arm again and threw the pokeball a few metres in front of him. The ball opened with a high pitched noise, and Harry watched in fascination as a white light emerged, and faded quickly until a little green Pokemon sat in its place. The pokeball bounced back into Dudley's hand.

The Pokemon was almost completely round, only flattening a little where it sat on the ground, almost like a leather ball running out of air. It was bright green, with a black diamond shape on its back, a yellow adornment on its head in the shape a single feather.

"Gulpin" the Pokemon announced. Harry grinned as he heard it speak, its name was so fitting for the Pokemon, its strange voice sounding almost exactly like a person gulping.

"So it can speak then?" Harry asked.

Dudley rolled his eyes. "He is like any other Pokemon, and can only say his name. But he's real strong, I'll show you!" Dudley announced with a superior face. "Gulpin, use pound!" he ordered it.

Harry felt like he should back off, but it made no move to follow Dudley's orders, simply giving a big yawn.

"Gulpin, I said use pound!" Dudley said again. Still, Gulpin did nothing, just sat still like it hadn't heard him speak at all. Slowly it began to turn, looking at Harry with an odd expression before slowly bouncing on its body towards Harry.

Harry looked to his cousin for answers, who began to grin as he saw Gulpin advance on him, clearly thinking it was following his orders. The Pokemon stopped in front of Harry, but instead of doing what Dudley had told it to do, it nuzzled Harry's leg softly.

"Gulpin!" It exclaimed in a happy tone. Harry bent down to pet the small Pokemon with a smile, and he was pleasantly surprised to find its skin was soft and mushy, like bread dough. Just as Harry touched the Pokemon, he heard his uncle's heavy footprints come trudging down the staircase.

Harry looked up at his uncle, who was watching him intently. Vernon's face started to go red again, and Dudley let out a quiet "ha" when he realised Harry was about to be punished. Vernon stalked up to him and looked down at his nephew. Harry's eyes were wide as he met his uncle's gaze. With a grumble, Vernon broke the eye contact and continued through to the kitchen without a word.

Dudley looked as confused as Harry felt. Harry must have assumed right; since he was going to Hogwarts, being around Pokemon is no longer an issue, though his uncle hardly seemed happy about the fact. Turning to study Harry, Dudley grew red in his face, looking spectacularly like his father. Dudley then gawked down at his Pokemon, still nuzzling Harry's leg. He stretched out the hand holding Gulpin's pokeball, and a thin red beam of light like a laser pointed out, enveloping Gulpin in red light and swiftly sucking him back into the red and white ball.

Dudley's face scrunched up as if he was in pain, and he turned and followed his father into the kitchen. Harry numbly stood back up and went to follow before he heard several loud thumps from the front door.

Another colossal smile jumped onto Harry's face as he practically ran to the front door to answer. Opening the door, Harry's jaw dropped. Standing behind the front door was a man of enormous size. At least seven feet tall, and quite bulky, although part of the bulk may have come from the thick fur overcoat he wore.

Harry looked into the man's face at least half of which was made up a thick black beard, and almost yelled out when the stranger reached down and picked Harry up in his thick arms. Harry was about to yell for help when he heard the giant-sized man laughing and felt him wrapping his arms tightly around his thin body in a bone crushing hug.

"'arry! I can't believe how big yeh've got! Happy Birthday!" the newcomer said loudly as he placed Harry back onto his feet. Harry let out a choking noise as he thought about what just happened. Not only had this stranger said happy birthday to him, words which nobody had ever uttered to him before, but he had given him a hug. The man might look scary with his overwhelming size, but it was clear he was very kind and gentle.

"Thank-you" Harry said politely giving him a dazed smile.

"Oh m'sorry 'arry, Rubeus Hagrid is me name, and I knew yeh when you was just a baby. Dumbledore sent me along to help you get your school things."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Hagrid" Harry said

Hagrid let out a roaring laugh. "Just Hagrid 'arry, everyone calls me Hagrid" he told him with a beaming smile.

Vernon came up behind Harry, and the smile from Hagrid's face disappeared as he saw his uncle. "Master Dursley" he said, giving him a curt nod.

"The old man sent you?" Vernon responded with barely concealed disgust.

Hagrid frowned back at him. "Aye, he did. I'll have 'arry back 'ere tonight" Hagrid told his uncle. Vernon chuckled softly to himself.

"Fine fine, take the boy" Vernon said, giving Harry a soft shove out the front door. Harry started to turn around, but his uncle was already shutting the door in their faces.

Hagrid growled quietly, the sound come from deep in his throat. "Ah well, come on 'Arry, big day ahead of us we have" he said after a few seconds.

They started to walk down the street, the opposite direction from where Harry usually walks on his way to school. In his whole life, Harry had never walked the way they were going now.

"So where are we going?" Harry asked.

"We'll take the subway to Diagon Alley first, get your Pokedex and the like" Hagrid told him.

Harry didn't want to seem stupid, but he had no idea what half of those words meant. Hagrid must have sensed his confusion, because he clapped a massive hand on Harry's shoulder as they kept walking.

"Speak your mind 'arry, I'm here to help" Hagrid smiled down at him.

"Well, I'm just not sure what a subway is. Or a Pokedex or whatever you said" Harry answered

"Never ridden the subway before 'arry? I thought you'd lived in Avem City all your life?" Hagrid asked him.

"I have, but I just walk to and from school every day, and I haven't ever really been anywhere else" Harry admitted. Hagrid frowned slightly at Harry's answer, and he wondered briefly if he had said something wrong.

"Where d'you go to school?" Hagrid asked.

"Little Whinging."

Hagrid's mouth dropped open at his announcement, and he stopped walking, pulling on Harry's shoulder and crouching down to look him in the eye.

"Dodgy place Little Whinging is, full of whackos. Well I'm here to help. Anything you want to ask me today, go right ahead" he said, gripping Harry's shoulder comfortingly.

Harry felt extremely grateful to his new friend. In the few short minutes that he'd known him, Hagrid had been kinder to him than anyone had before.

"Blasted Dursley. Mans as poisonous as the element he bends" Hagrid growled out as he let go of Harry and beckoned for them to keep moving.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Not heard of bending then eh?" Hagrid asked, and Harry shook his head. Hagrid rubbed his hand over his bearded chin, like he was trying to decide what to say.

"Well, some people, not all mind you, are able to manipulate different elements" Hagrid explained carefully.

"Like fire and water and stuff?" Harry asked, absolutely stunned at this new information.

"Exactly like that. But for a trainer to bend, they have to have a strong bond with their Pokemon see, and then that Pokemon has to allow them to use their element. What I said about your uncle then, is because he's what we call a poisonbender" Hagrid answered

"So uncle Vernon can control poison?" Harry asked. He found it difficult to believe that his uncle could basically have a superpower that he never knew about.

"M'afraid so" Hagrid answered solemnly.

Harry took a moment to process the new information. He had heard of Pokemon doing amazing things before, and that was one thing, but humans doing things like that? He had never heard anything so crazy.

"So how many benders are there?" Harry eventually asked him as they rounded the corner, entering another street full of houses.

"Plenty, all over the world they are. Firebenders, airbenders, waterbenders, plenty of them around" Hagrid said.

"So people only learn one element?" Harry asked, still not quite believing what Hagrid was telling him.

"That's right. See it runs in families, like Poisonbending in your uncle's family" Hagrid explained.

A spark of dread ignited in the pit of Harry's stomach. "So my cousin Dudley will be able to control poison too?" Harry asked glumly. Dudley's ego was big enough without giving him powers like that.

"More than likely, but not definitely. Sometimes it skips a generation, or maybe he won't be able to get a strong enough bond with a poison type pokemon. Nobody really knows until it happens."

Harry nodded, storing all the information away in his head. Hagrid abruptly nudged Harry and pointed further along the street, where a large red sign had Subway written in large letters, an arrow pointing downwards.

"See here's the subway, a magnet train that runs underneath the city so people can get around quickly. Powered by Metalbenders too, so you'll get see your first benders in action" Hagrid said.

The pair marched down the stairs into the subway station, and the staircase opened up into a large dimly lit room, a large ditch separated the two sides of the room, another staircase being on the other side. In the distance Harry could hear a clicking noise sounding repeatedly, getting closer and closer every second. Hagrid stopped moving a few feet from the ditch, and Harry looked up at him with raised eyebrows. Hagrid nodded his head down a long, black tunnel where the noise seemed to coming from, still getting closer.

Suddenly a large silver object came barrelling around the corner of the tunnel, the bright lights on its front lighting up the tunnel. The train got closer to them and began to slow down rapidly, and Harry realised there were two men standing on the front, their arms winding backwards like clock hands. Harry was about to point this out to Hagrid, but Hagrid was already watching amusedly at his reaction to them.

"Metalbenders" Harry realised, understanding dawning on him.

"Yep. Pretty amazing isn't it" Hagrid answered him.

Harry didn't think that amazing was a strong enough word. The two men were physically slowing down the huge metal container by assumedly controlling the metal itself. Floating next to either men were two silver spherical metallic looking objects, with magnets connected to both sides. Stunningly, he realised they were not objects at all, but Pokemon, a big eye taking up the front of their bodies.

The train stopped in front of them, doors sliding open to allow them entrance. Harry had a quick glance at Hagrid to make sure they were getting on, but the man was already stepping inside. Harry quickly shuffled inside behind him, taking a look down either side of the long carriage. A few people sat in seats down either end of the carriage, not even looking up when Hagrid and Harry entered the train.

Harry trailed him further along the train, Hagrid mumbling apologies when he bumped into a few people accidentally with his tremendous size. He had to resist the urge to laugh when he saw the looks on a few people's faces when they took in the sheer size of Hagrid. Hagrid sat down, the metal seat underneath him groaning under the pressure. Harry thought it best if he sit opposite him rather than next to him.

The train lurched forward sharply, rapidly picking up to a steady pace. "Normally there would be more people" Hagrid said, noticing Harry looking around at the mostly empty carriage, "but it's still early, there will be more people as we get closer to Diagon Alley."

"Diagon Alley?" Harry asked.

"The best shopping district in all of Anglia o' course! Probably in the world, no matter what those people in Republic City think" Hagrid added. "Anyway, that's where the Pokemon Center Hub is, so that's our first stop"

Harry was beginning to feel a bit dim having to ask all of these questions, but for every answer Hagrid gave, they seemed to only create more questions. "Sorry to have to keep asking questions Hagrid, but what is the Pokemon Center Hub?"

Hagrid raised a thick finger and wagged it from side to side. "Don't be sorry 'arry, I meant it when I said yeh can ask all the questions you want. To answer yeh question though, a Pokemon centre is mostly a Pokemon hospital, and theres lots of 'em all over the world. They also have rooms for travelling trainers to stay in, and it's where trainers can meet up to organise battles and things like tha'."

"A Pokemon Centre Hub is all tha' and a bit more. They're less common than the normal ones. They're a bigger and do more for a trainer than the smaller ones, like official tournament sign ups, banking and Pokemon license registration, which is why we're going, can't get a Pokemon without a license after all!" he explained.

Hagrid began to hum a tune as Harry got lost in thought. He hadn't been with Hagrid for very long, but already he was beginning to understand his new world better, as magical and mysterious as it was. The train began to slow several minutes later, and Hagrid slowly got to his feet, leaving his seat bent downwards. Hagrid rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he looked at it sombrely. "Oops, guess they don't make these for people my size" he eventually laughed.

Harry grinned at him as they exited the now stopped train. The station layout was much the same as the one where they had boarded the train, only this one was swarming with people. Harry had never seen so many people in one place before, and half of them had pokemon with them. Large ones, flying ones, even a small mouse-like Pokemon that was sitting on one man's shoulders.

He gazed bewildered around the underground room at all the people and Pokemon, slowly following Hagrid up the stairs. The sight on ground level was even more extraordinary. The pair of them were standing in the centre of a wide, open street, people and Pokemon walking around them everywhere. At the end of the street was a tall white building, a large pokeball symbol, big as a fully grown man hung above its open double doors.

"Tha' there is the Pokemon Center Hub" Hagrid said, motioning for Harry to follow. He couldn't take in enough of what was happening around him. Not 20 feet to the right of them, a man was jumping high into the air, flames from his feet propelling him further into the air as a small red monkey Pokemon spat licks of flames in his direction, all of them disapparating into beautiful sparks as the man twirled his fingers when they reached him. Landing lightly back on his feet, a small crowd of watching people erupted into applause. A firebender, Harry guessed.

Hagrid took him into the Pokemon Center, the inside of which consisted a very open, pure white room, a small statue in the centre of a tall man with a long beard holding a pokeball in his outstretched hand. The plaque underneath the statue read 'Merlin, the First Trainer'.

There were several different desks, each with a different staff member behind it, the signs overhead revealing their purpose. The pair approached the desk marked 'new trainer registration'.

"How can I help you today?" a kindly looking dark haired woman asked from behind the desk. "Young man looking to register as a Pokemon trainer?" she asked with a bright smile, glancing at Harry.

"That's right, 11th birthday today!" Hagrid announced in his cheery demeanour.

"Oh how exciting! Happy Birthday! Well I'll get you sorted as fast as I can, I'll bet you're waiting to get to Ollivanders to get your Pokemon aren't you" she said, giving Harry a wink. "Alrighty then, I'll just need your name so I can find you in my directory here" she gestured towards her computer screen.

"Harry Potter" he answered.

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Potter? Like the Avem City Potter gym?" she asked curiously, flicking an eyebrow.

Harry tilted his head at her slightly, he had no idea what she was asking.

"Lily and James' son, yes" Hagrid told her.

"Well it's good to see another Potter getting his trainer's license after so long" she said, leaning over to tap away at her computer keyboard.

"Okay, found you here, I should have this organised for you in a few minutes if you'd like to sit down just over there." She pointed at a series of chairs off to the side of the room. "Oh wait!" she said just as they turned to go sit down. "I see Harry has been left an inheritance to be received when he obtains his Pokemon license. Would you like me to attach the bank account to his Pokedex?" she asked. Harry was confused again, no surprises there.

"Tha'd be great, thanks" Hagrid said, the woman nodding and going back to her keyboard.

Harry gingerly lowered himself into the white plastic chair in the waiting area, Hagrid making no move to do the same. He looked at Hagrid with furrowed eyebrows.

Hagrid laughed from deep in his belly, "Yeh saw what I did to tha' seat on the train didn't yeh? Imagine me on a little flimsy like tha!" He continued to laugh.

Harry couldn't help but smile at Hagrid, he had never met anybody quite like him, so bright and happy all the time.

"So what did she mean by my inheritance?" Harry asked.

"Well yeh parents left yeh money o' course." Hagrid answered. "How else would we buy all yeh school things?" he asked.

Harry was stunned, he hadn't even thought about money. Suddenly he felt unbelievably rude, Hagrid must think he expected him to buy everything for him! Going red in the face, Harry spluttered, trying to get words out, but he didn't want to insult the man.

"I'm so sorry Hagrid, I didn't even think about money!" Harry eventually managed to say.

"Yeh got nothin' to be sorry for 'arry! Yeh didn't know yeh Mum and Dad had left yeh money, but I did. Yeh've got nothin' to worry about, I promise" Hagrid explained, trying to calm him down.

"Oh. Right" Harry said, feeling like an idiot.

"Looks like she's ready with your Pokedex" Hagrid said, and Harry shifted his gaze to see the woman waving them over.

"All done here, here is your Pokedex" the receptionist said as they approached, holding out a thin red device. Harry reached out and took it, turning it over in his hands as he analysed the strange tool.

"So you know what the Pokedex is for?" she asked him. Harry shook his head at her.

"Well the Pokedex is probably the most useful tool a trainer needs. It is not only a hand held encyclopaedia of all the Pokemon you've seen or captured, but it also serves as a communication device, your personal identification, which includes your pokemon license, as well as giving you access to your money, you just scan that little silver square on the back there whenever you buy something, and the money will come straight out of your account!" she said joyously.

Harry thanked her as Hagrid guided him out of the building, the woman happily waving as they left.

"Well now, best get the rest of yeh school things" Hagrid said, walking them towards a shop called the pokeball emporium.

Notes

Well I was going to Diagon Alley all one chapter, but in 4000 words I only managed to get less than half done haha, and I wanted to get something out before I have to work for the next few days. In the next chapter, Harry gets all the equipment he needs, meets a couple of new faces his own age and finally gets his own Pokemon!

Props to anyone who can guess which Pokemon are on the Hogwarts emblem.
As always, feel free to comment or message me. Also if anyone is interested in being a beta, let me know!