Hello new fans, Hypn0s is back with another chapter of this story i have been cooking for some time, Harry Potter and the change of fates, the fate part being used in a title for a story so many times that everyone has lost count on how many stories about that are made, in any case here it is, another chapter for you eager readers, this story has helped much to break my writers block with my Rayearth stories, mostly the fighting part, so to those who are worried i will drop that story you are sorely wrong.
in any case let's forget the babbling and let's get into the real show!
CHAPTER 2: BRAND NEW WORLD
The month that separated Harry from his new stage of life came to an end rather fast, most of the time he spend it on his room, while he hates to be cooped too much on a close environment, specially his room, but there was so much he wanted to learn, the magical world was a culture of its own, with its own customs and myths, he found the last one hard to believe since many of the myths he knew seemed to stems of facts in the magical world, but it seemed that the magical world had their own unbelievable myths, he had bought several story books that were not asked in the list given to him, most of them were about stories about the wizard world, their customs, their myths and legends, hell they had their own Bermuda Triangle, only this one many people had visited it before, Stonehenge, hard to believe, but well half of the things he saw the day he entered Diagon Alley would put the most logical person to think twice before doubting.
In any case, most of the time Harry spend his time on the room, much to his surprise the door hinges were fixed, surely Dumbledore did it the night they met, because he took no step into his room, not even to get his live-savings, Hedwig's cage lay empty, mainly because Harry decided to leave Hedwig fly free for the month, he knows the feeling of being copped on a very small space and yearning to be able to stretch, Hedwig had spend most of its time flying around, eating the poor rats that came to cross her path in the night, Harry always left the window open so Hedwig might return off her night hunts, the very few times he has left home he has heard some girls say something about a snow feathered owl flying around Privet drive, at nights seemingly keeping watch everywhere before flying away, Harry smiled at that, Hedwig surely knew how to attract attention, no doubt the owl was very smart, if the 'surprise' she left on Petunia's prized china tea collection was of any indication when his aunt insulted her, calling her a 'waste of feathers'
Regarding the Dursleys, they were very surprised to see him back after the incident that night, Vernon sported such a big padding over his head, and once removed a very black spot where he had hit him with the butt of the shotgun had remained till this day, and seemed it will remain for a little longer, Vernon nearly had an aneurism when he saw him on his 'immaculate' home, Harry gave his shouts and seemingly snarls like a dog no heed, he kept ignoring them, and they ignored him, mostly because of self-preservation on both sides, Harry was taking no chances with them, specially Vernon, he might have another shotgun around, he kept his whip most of the time with him.
Regarding his whip, well it has worked as a charm in terms of intimidation, he hates to intimidate and lower himself to the level of Dudley and his gang, but since this were the Dursleys he thinks that karma kinda owes him some leeway to bully them for a while for the many crap he had endured of them, once Petunia had actually encouraged Dudley to actually bully him along with his friends and two new additions, boys Harry took an instant dislike and didn't bothered to learn their names, that day they made the mistake of entering his room (he forgot to lock it) and found themselves staring at the end of a very mean looking whip and a very angry Harry.
"I TOLD YOU DO NOT ENTER MY ROOM!" the fight that ensured that day on the small room would forever be engraved on the heads of the kids, especially on the faces of Dudley and his gang, Harry was not above to even knee them in the soft spots if needed to stop them, all of them ended with scraps, split lips, swollen and black eyes, Dudley actually getting both eyes swollen and the biggest wound on his forehead, delivered both by Harry's fast right hook and a vicious head-butt when Dudley had him pin-down, obviously Harry also got his share of wounds, but most of them were scrapped knuckles, a split lip and the reddened forehead because Dudley had a thick skull, Harry was surprised that he didn't end up with a cracked skull for that stun, Dudley had a thick head, he said once for a joke, but the throbbing headache he had the following days spoke otherwise.
Of course Dudley's gang rep got so smeared by that stun, word got out fast that Harry, skinny and all, and alone took out the five kids and gave them the biggest whoop-ass ever, parents frowned at this, but the kids, especially the ones that were victims of Dudley and his gang saw Harry as a hero, and ensured while Harry's absence that they would take a stand against Dudley and his gang, this would repeat itself on the following years, and Harry's myth, much to his annoyance would spread on his old school as wildfire as 'the boy who kicked ass' and endure many years, inspire many geeks into standing up and making many bullies to think it twice before attacking a skinny boy with glasses if they didn't want to end like Dudley and his gang.
Finally the day came to Harry to leave, September the first, Harry had packed all his stuff before, Hedwig was already on her cage, and the Dursleys were taking him to King Cross Station in London, they were eager to leave him, if the speed the poor car was put with was of any indication, as soon as the trip began it had ended, Vernon had sneered at Harry, then smirked along with Petunia and Dudley about platform 9 ¾ existence, Harry paid that smirk no heed, he settled just with scaring Petunia with his new 'spell' and scary face.
"AAAAAAHHHH BUGA BUGA BUGA!" Petunia would never live down the fact, once she learned that the all thing Harry did was neither a spell nor a curse, but she would learn that later, way later.
Harry of course, blessed his luck, found the entrance when he heard a red headed woman with several children say the word 'Muggle' by previous experience and reading he learned that Muggle was the term wizard referred to the average joe, now let's face facts here, Harry might be all brass with things, but when it comes to girls, especially asking them something, anything, he becomes shy, Petunia is the exception to the rule, why? Maybe because Harry doesn't consider her a girl.
"Uh…excuse me?" Harry asked to the red headed woman, upon closer look he saw that she had that matron like look on her, the all 'I'm sweet as candy when happy and I will maul like momma bear if I'm angry' look, one that Harry only saw in the telly programs, he never imagined that kind of combination actually existed.
"Uh…well…" Harry began, "OH, you are also going to Hogwarts right?" She asked, Harry nodded, thankfully Harry's hat covered his face or she would have seen him blush, much to his shock the woman moved his hat, now it hung around his neck via a string he attached to it so it could hung around his neck the rare times he needed to move his hat away, like in school, the surprise came because he didn't snap at her for touching or moving his hat away, he was very protective with the few material possessions he had, then he realized that he was protective with that when the Dursleys were around and tried to take it away, this woman was not them, besides she did it with such care…
"A young boy as you should not hide his face with a hat" The woman began, "So you don't know how to cross?" He nodded shyly, dammit what was wrong with him, girls seemed able to disarm him with a look, he would shy away of the world at the sight of a girl that showed him care.
"My sons are also going to Hogwarts, so pay attention to this, Percy" Harry turned around, now seeing that the woman was not alone, she was with a small red headed girl and a teenage boy with the same red hue of hair, but shorter, he noticed that he also carried a trunk with him in a trolley, and that the girl and the boy had freckles basically dominating their pale skins.
"Yes mother" Percy said, making Harry frown, the so called formal tone made his skin crawl, he was never used to formality and all that crap, "Is he always this…stiff?" he asked to the little girl, "Yeah…since he became a prefect, is all he brags about" the little girl said, turning to Harry, there he saw that her brown eyes shone with mischief, "I'm Ginny"
"Harry, Junior archeologist and adventurer, you need to find something I can find it" Harry said as he shook hands with the little girl, after that brief introduction Harry turned to Percy, seeing how he pushed his trolley to one of the columns between platform 9 and 10, Harry eyes widened not because Percy charged headfirst to a solid pillar, but because Percy seemed to be sucked by the pillar.
"Magic…is awesome…it causes my head to hurt but is awesome" He stated, much to the amusement of the woman and Ginny, "Okay, my turn, hope I don't end up as a pancake" then he rushed, ignoring Ginny's question of what the hell is a pancake, he closed his eyes briefly when he saw the pillar too close to his liking, then after no feeling pain, he opened them, and his jaw met the floor, literally.
Right before his eyes a sea of people gathered around in the newly discovered station, a red train waited for its young passengers, people dressed oddly walked around, there Harry saw that the wizard world was big, and was going to be fun.
Soon he felt a small bump behind him, turning around he saw the matron woman and Ginny walk, bumping into him because he never moved out of the way in the first place, "This place is amazing" Harry exclaimed, "Thanks…uh…"
"Please Harry call me Molly, Molly Weasley" she said, "I got a kid of your age entering Hogwarts as well, I know you two will get along" She said, "Okay, thanks Mrs. Weasley, by the way" he said before moving to the train, "My name is Harry Potter" then he pushed his Trolley to one of the less crowed entrances to the train wagons, leaving Molly and Ginny, the later with eyes wide, "H-harry?" Ginny gasped, looking at her hand, the hand that shook Harry Potter's own hand.
"I'm never going to wash this hand again" she said, then fainted with a smile on her face, Molly looked at her younger and now fainted daughter, sighed and used her wand so she could recover consciousness, it would take her three tries because Ginny would keep on fainting.
It had been hard to Harry to carry his trunk to an empty compartment, hadn't been for the help of a pair of twins with red hair named Fred (the smart) and George (the handsome) he would have been in quite a jam, of course he hadn't placed his hat back on his head, so they easily saw his lightning bolt scar on his forehead, their reaction was comical, they both got bug-eyed and stammered, until they straightened out, presented themselves as Fred and George Weasley, third years and pranksters extraordinaire, if he ever needed any kind of product to prank someone to bitter humiliation he should call them, he likewise presented himself as he presented himself to their mother, and told them if they ever lost something and needed to recover it, or to find a hidden room, they should call him, after the twins nodded with a smile at that and proclaimed it would be the best year ever, they left Harry, saying that Lee, whoever he is had brought a gigantic pet Tarantula.
After that the train had took off, he could hear Ginny's voice calling for her brothers, he believed that she was at least a year younger than him, and so she had to stay at Hogwarts, he heard amused how Fred and George promised her that they would bring her a Hogwarts toiled seat signed by Harry Potter himself, now that's something he would like to see.
With a sigh he placed his trunk below the seat, Hedwig's cage and the owl placed at his side, the owl sleeping, so Harry decided to take a hint, put his hat over his head, and made himself comfortable to sleep…
"Is this occupied?" only to be disturbed by yet another red head boy with freckles, this one with blue eyes, he wondered how many children Mrs. Weasley actually had, he had already met five of them, either Wizard are crazily fertile or is just her.
"Not at all buddy, get comfortable, I guess is going to be a long journey" Harry said, the boy nodded, placing his trunk under the seat, then closing the door and seating in front of Harry, "Let me take a wild guess, you're Mrs. Weasley son and related to the twin menace" the boy nodded, "Yes, but how did you know?"
"Your mom helped me get here, your brothers actually help me with my trunk, I would keep struggling with it haven't they helped me" Harry said, "I'm Ron, Ron Weasley" the boy introduced himself, "Harry, Harry Potter, and before you ask yes I do have a scar" Harry said, "I wasn't going to ask, what happened that night is your business alone, but I can't help being curious…do you remember that night?"
Harry then took a tentative look on his face, "No much, just a woman scream, a chilly laugh and then a green light…can't believe I ended a war" Harry said, "That war is far from over" Ron said seriously, "Excuse me?"
"That war was all about blood purity and the superior race, even if you…killed their leader, they still fight that war, in secret and one at a time, but they still do" Ron said seriously, "What a disgraceful group of people, attacking innocent bystanders…anything that crossed their path was free target…it sickens me to think that wizards, with the power we have to help, chose to attack and kill"
"Hey relax Ron, if that happens again then we beat their asses back until sense is brought to them" Harry said, "That or they are in a coma, what comes first" He said, "So no gloomy thoughts here, no really don't" Harry added.
"I know, but thinking about it makes me so sad and so sick…at least I know what I'm going to do with what I have" Ron stated as he pulled a very chipped and old wand, "Power is not to subdue, but to defend"
"Power is power, like magic, it has no side, is up who wields it that gives it an allegiance" Harry finally said, "I know…is just so crazy to think that…"
"How come we passed of presenting ourselves to this philosophical talk about power and all that?" Harry amusedly asked, making Ron slightly grin, "I don't know, maybe I wanted to get it out of my chest"
"You realize we are eleven and that is the last thing we should think?" Harry questioned, "Have you ever been told you're too blunt?"
"Always Ron, always, have you ever been told you're full of philosophical junk?"
"The twins tell me that three times a day" Ron smiled at that, he didn't knew, but he liked Harry's attitude, it was refreshing, that taunting like way of being, that headstrong way, that confidence…it was wicked, neither knew that they would remain friends for a very, very long time, of course strains would appear here and there, but those strain would only strength their friendship.
"So…" Harry began, "How it feels to be with four siblings?"
"Seven"
"…No way" Harry exclaimed, "Yes Harry, seven, I'm the second youngest, I guess you met Ginny, she the youngest of our family, then there is Fred and George, they are third years, then we have Percy, he is a fifth year an prefect"
"I hear Ginny said that, he is so stiff"
"Yeah, he has always been too serious, even more than me, but then he became prefect…anyway then is Bill, he is currently a curse-breaker working in Egypt, and the oldest is called Charlie, he works with dragons"
"Ruddy lizards, one of them tried to burn my hat back in Gringotts!"
"The goblin bank?"
"Yeah, apparently my dad was rich, and I'm the last Potter in both name and blood" Harry said seriously, making Ron slightly wince, "Ouch, you better make a will before anything happens, if I heard right, most Pureblood families that learn about something like yours try to get their paws on the fortune of such person, and the Ministry of Magic ain't kind either with them"
"Are you like them? A pureblood?" To Harry's shock, Ron snorted, "I come of a wizard only family, and I'm richer than any other family"
"Yeah? How?" Harry asked, "I got the best family ever"
"Sure Ron, rub it in" Harry said drily, "I wasn't rubbing it mate"
Harry just smiled, Ron did likewise, it was the start of a beautiful and long friendship, one that needed something else…
The door of the compartment opened, making Ron and Harry to stare at the newcomer, it was a girl, brown bushy hair along with brown eyes, looking at them, already robed, "Fanatic much?" Harry asked, making the girl slightly raise an eyebrow at him, "You're the one to talk mister" she said pointing at Harry's hat.
"Anyway have you seen a toad, a boy named Neville lost it" she said, "Just a toad? Pfft, gimme five minutes and I'll find it" Harry said, walking out of the room, but pushing the girl inside, "You two talk while I'm out, Ron bore her with you philosophical mumbo jumbo, if you're lucky she will just kiss you to shut you up" Harry said as he walked away, leaving a red faced Ron and a shocked girl.
"IS he always like that?" she asked, "I just met him…but yes, is invigorating, name's Ron by the way" he said, extending his hand to hers.
"Hermione, Hermione Granger" she said, shaking Ron's hand, like Harry said, he would return in five minutes with a toad he found wandering in the bathroom, but when he returned he came with the surprise that there was someone at the entrance of the compartment, a boy with blond hair that was neatly combed and two hulking kids that made his cousin look like a lightweight.
He walked near the trio, seeing how Ron suddenly stood up at something it was told to him, how Hermione pulled her own wand out, "Whoa, that must be a nasty thing they told them, the girl is about to go bat shit crazy on them" Harry thought, and with that in mind, and placing his hat on his head to cover his scar, which seemed to attract attention to him like a magnet, and he made himself know.
"Ron, what's going on, why bushy girl has her wand out?" Harry asked, not knowing that the bushy girl name was Hermione, he just had to settle with his usual way to name people.
"The name's Hermione, ands this…git…how you dare to insult his family!" Hermione snapped, Harry by that moment was inside the compartment, eyeing at the blond and his bodyguards, "What he said?" Harry asked to Hermione who just narrowed her eyes at the blond, "I just said the truth; Weasleys seem to associate with filth easily, just look at him, rags and hand-me-downs, I bet his wand is also handed over" the blond said, but Harry didn't pay him mind to that, he had seen Ron clothes and he gave a damn about it, what if his clothes were rags with patches, what if his robes were of one of his brothers, what if his wand was one of his family members, he didn't care, what irked him was how this guy was treating Ron, and Hermione, it irked him, so high and mighty, so full of himself because he had it all, at a sharper glance, Harry saw that the blond was clad in very expensive clothes, surely this guy family was filthy rich.
"I suggest you to back of your words" Harry hissed to the blond, "And who you are to tell me what to do?" the blond asked, the two giant guys slowly taking the side of the blond.
"I'm the guy who will put your head between the arse of either one of them, I'm someone who took a man five times the height and weight that your gorillas, I ended a war when I was just 1 year old" the last made the blond and Hermione go eye wide at that statement, "NO…it can't be…you're…" Harry then removed his hat off, showing his scar to the blond, "Yes, I'm Harry Potter, and unless you want to see me in a bad mood I suggest you to leave" the blond seemed to take the hint when he saw that Ron had his wand out too, and Harry was fingering the grip of a wooden object with his right hand while his left hand was clenching and unclenching, and the steeled glare Harry had on his emerald eyes, the blond took several steps back.
"Watch your back Potter, you might end up as your blood-traitor parents, they didn't knew when to take a hint" the blond said as he motioned the two big boys to follow him, there Harry saw red, "Hermione, here's the toad, I'll be back" then Harry stalked the room, following the blond and his big friends, Ron and Hermione looked at each other…
"Hey what the…"
BAMM!
"Goyle stop…"
BAMM!
Ron and Hermione then heard the sound of clothes being ruffled…
"Where I come from this is called the Inglewood Jack!"
BAMM!
BAMM!
BAMM!
"Damn right" then they saw Harry enter their compartment, both were curious of what happened, so they peeked outside, they saw on the corridor a dazed Crabbe on his butt, nursing his cheek, Goyle was flat on his back, eyes wide and forehead red, while Draco Malfoy had his expensive shirt over his head, dazed as hell and trying to stand up and take his own shirt off his head.
Then both looked at each other again, "Wicked" Ron said with a slight approving smile, while Hermione sighed, why her very first acquaintances had to be a slight pacifist and philosophical boy with high morals and a boy with a hat and capable of beating other kids twice his height and weight?
"I'm going to give Neville his toad, then I'm joining you two, I get the feeling you will need someone to keep you on the line" she said, "Us? You hurt us Hermione" Harry called as he seated, "Specially you, I really feel it for the poor girl who decides to be your girlfriend"
On the Burrow, Ginny Weasley sneezed loudly.
"Sheez thanks for killing my chances for a future with a girl" Harry commented, making Hermione huff in annoyance, "Don't move, don't breath don't even speak until I'm back" she said as she walked away, leaving Harry and Ron on the compartment.
"…She looks cute when she is annoyed" Harry and Hedwig stared at Ron in mute shock, "I guess all that philosophical junk did rot your brain"
"Oh shut up you"
The trip to Hogwarts had no more excitements after the incident with Draco Malfoy, Ron told him that the Malfoy family is one of the richest wizard families of Europe, they were also considered supporters of You-know-who or as Harry rudely corrected Ron, Voldemort he-who-got-his-ass-kicked-by-a-1-year-old-baby.
Apparently the head of the family, one Lucius Malfoy claimed he was under a mind controlling spell know as Imperious curse, the use of that thing is a life sentence on the worse place a wizard can land himself into, Azkaban, a jail that puts Alcatraz jail reputation in shame, not for its inmates, but for its wardens, some sort of creatures called dementias or something like that.
In any case, Hermione returned a few minutes after she left, carrying a trunk behind her, after Ron helped her, thing that made Harry raise and amused eyebrow, she practically bullied them to dress on their robes, seeing that she would physically force them into the robes if they didn't do it willingly they obeyed, after that a kind woman had came asking if they needed something of the sweet cart, Hermione suddenly had a haunted look on her eyes at the sight of so many candies, Ron began to drool at the sight, while holding a sandwich his mom made him, while Harry having the sweet tooth he has surprised them all with his next declaration.
"Three of all" he said while pulling a sack filled with Galleons, he swore the he heard the sound of a cash register and how the eyes of the woman changed from brown to actual Galleon shaped pupils.
The look of Hermione as he and Ron tempted her with the many exotic sweets was beyond fun, since she told them or rather muttered that she was the daughter of a dentist, it pretty much said that she didn't had the joy of having a jaw-breakers on her mouth, Harry relented when he saw the magical chocolate frogs, he basically butchered them with his teeth, well two, the third was being used by Ron in a way many people, mostly adults use to…seduce.
"Come on Hermione, you know you want to" he said, taunting the poor witch with a frog, the frog being sometimes lightly rubbed to her lips and the aroma taunting her nose, the way it was done, the feeling, the euphoria of breaking the single most important rule her dad told her, 'do not eat candies' was too much for her, as bossy as she is and loving rule she is, she is still human.
When Ron decided he would eat the frog, slowly, Hermione broke, with a yell she basically tackled Ron and began to fight for the chocolate frog, much to Harry's shock, then amusement when Ron ate the frog, and Hermione basically sat on his stomach, arms bounded around his stomach and Hermione's weight, and much to their shock, Hermione began to actually taunt Ron with the sweets Harry bought, what followed was the most cheek flustering experience Harry has ever seen and the most brain melting experience Ron has ever felt.
After Harry and Ron recovered of what they would dub as 'Mione the minx' mode, they began to show each other most odd possessions, or in Ron's case, Scrabbers the rat.
"Malfoy was right on something; in my family we inherited mostly everything"
"I hope that doesn't include underwear and toothbrushes"
"No Harry, mostly school clothes and sometimes the wand, I got Scrabbers, Percy gave it to me when Dad bought him his owl for becoming prefect, as I said we might not be rich in Galleons, but my family loves me, and the thought behind the gift is what counts, that's why I believe my family is richer that the Malfoys"
"Very mature thoughts Ron" Hermione said, her eyes gleaming, and directed to Ron, Harry was glad he was out of her line of sight or he might end up burned by the intensity of her stare, but it was funny to see Ron squirm when he realized that Hermione had eyes just to him.
Then he showed them his whip, it was not much, but the look of Ron and Hermione upon seeing the whip was just priceless, and more when he told them that the whisker made cracker was able to actually cut without any kind of force, it just cut simply as that, at least the cracker was removable, that was some consolation, but he truly didn't knew how much damage the cracker-less bullwhip would do, he had to see it, but surely once he finds a space where he can safely practice.
Hermione of course showed them her oddest possession, Hogwarts: a history, much to Ron's charging, he seemed to be doomed to see that damn book everywhere.
"My brother Percy has it too, older, worn out, he has basically memorized every bit of information in that book, I bet he even knows where the wrinkles are" he added with a slight smile, making Harry laugh his ass off and Hermione to scowl at Ron, "That's not nice Ron"
"Oh come on Hermione you know is what brothers do" after that statement things had calmed down, Harry didn't knew it, neither Ron, but Hermione was brewing a plan, a plan that would take shape in their second year and become a reality in the fourth, and Ron would fall in her clutches, never to escape, not that he wanted to.
"Soon I'll have you my cute red-head…wait a minute I'm just eleven I shouldn't be thinking that…much"
People do say girls mature faster than boys both physically and mentally.
In the end it took them two hours to reach the station of Hogsmeade station, when they were there, the prefects told them that all their belongings would be stored in Hogwarts so they didn't need to carry them for the moment, something many looked thankful for.
Soon Harry spotted Hagrid calling for the first years; a wave of at least forty people followed the half-giant around a dark path, then reached a lake, telling them to board the boats, four persons per boat, Harry, Ron and Hermione boarded the boat with Neville Longbottom, the owner of the toad harry found, the kid seemed a nervous wreck, and even more when the boat began to move on its own.
The trip was placid, oddly placid considering the chatter among the boat-mates, theirs was the only one who didn't had any sound of chatting, mostly because when Hagrid told them to duck when they passed some sort of cave and they exited the cave, they saw a sight that would be engraved on their heads for life.
A castle towered over the night, lights illuminating its insides, giving it a regal look, impressive, amazing, Harry knew of very few castles that remained complete, some were missing walls due to either earthquakes or storms, towers or even terrain because someone thought that making them near a ravine was a nice idea, this one however was different, it stood proud and complete, pristine, ready and willing to shed its secrets to anyone willing to look for them.
And Harry wanted to learn them all.
As they disembarked, Hagrid began to guide them all to the entrance; there he knocked loudly with his massive fists at the wooden doors, the door opened, revealing an elderly and very stern looking woman also clad in robes, "Here th'ey are professor" Hagrid said, "Thank you Hagrid, I'll take them from here" once the half-giant walked away, the woman motioned them to follow her, inside Harry marveled at the sight, armors lined up in a pristine shape that not many curators could be able to reestablish, and any collector would want in their collection.
The paintings moved, moved! What was drawn there actually was alive, moving, blinking, breathing, making them gestures, talking to them, welcoming them, it was so overwhelming and amazing that Harry suddenly wished he had eyes all over his head just to see what else he missed.
They walked through several halls, each one of them equally as amazing as the last, until they reached yet another wooden door.
"First of all let me welcome you all to Hogwarts, my name is Minerva McGonagall, deputy headmistress of Hogwarts, now please wait here until you are called upon for the sorting ceremony" she said as she left the new students on the hall, waiting.
"Hey Ron" harry began, "You got five brothers, one of them had to mention you something about the sorting thingy"
"Yeah…well Fred and George did told me once, but of course they told me first years have to wrestle a troll"
"A troll?" Hermione asked incredulously, "Yeah I know is crazy and I didn't believe them, then I asked Percy about it, he then told me that it was a test of some sort, I swear, he might be all stiff and all that but he is as barmy as Fred and George" Ron told them, "At least please tell me Ginny is normal, he looked normal when I met her" Harry said.
"She is the devil with an angel skin mate, a complete wolf on a sheep skin, if you do something to hurt her then you better pray for your soul and some mercy, once she found out it was Percy who had beheaded her Harry Potter doll he was unable to sleep for three days straight"
"…The got a doll made out of me?"
"Yeah…but that one was blond and with blue eyes" Ron confessed, "The only reason people recognize you is because of your scar"
"…THEY GOT A DOLL MADE OUT OF ME!" Harry yelled, making all look at him, "And they had the nerve to put it blond hair and blue eyes!"
"OI!"
"Shove it Malfoy I'm in the middle of a rant!"
"Harry I know is shocking" Hermione began, "Shocking, the whole wizard world thought I was blond!"
"Hey what's wrong with blondes!"
"Goddamitt woman I was put as a blond! They believed I was a blond! Sheeze they know my name but not my face" he snapped to a girl that he would know as Lavender Brown, "Oh once I get my hands on who made those dolls I'll…"
"Any problems here?" McGonagall asked as she entered the hall again, "Not at all…blonde Harry Potter dolls…the nerve of making me blond" Harry muttered, the elderly witch just rose and eyebrow at, of course she knew he was Harry Potter, but why he was muttering about blond…
"Oh he must be referring to the dolls I saw on many first year girls five years later after the defeat of…him" she thought bitterly, bitterly because not even in her mind she was capable of thinking of the name Voldemort, and second because…well truth to be told she kinda found odd that the kid Dumbledore left with those mean Muggles turned to have a dragon like temper, instead of a shy, introverted look, hell she found odd everything of him, including the hat, she would have to talk with Dumbledore about that, but she really hoped he would end up in Gryffindor, she doesn't seem him in another house with that temper.
As for the rest of the first years, after they clued out that Harry Potter of all people was starting with them, standing with them, hell he traveled with them and they didn't even knew, they had only saw a kid with a hat, never a kid a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead, and truth to be told most of the girls did looked for a blond with blue eyes and a scar, they only found Draco and he doesn't has blue eyes, or a scar for that matter.
"Very well then, the ceremony is about to start, I will start by calling your names in alphabetical order, you will go to a chair on the other side of the hall and sit, do not worry, unlike many myths the ceremony doesn't include a test or wrestle a troll"
Ron mentally swore that Fred and George would get a howler of their mother, that or a book on the heads, what comes first.
McGonagall then opened the doors; exposing to the first years a sight that most of them would never see again…well most of them, Harry would get to see many jaw-dropping sights than most people could ever want to see.
The great hall of Hogwarts, as magnificent as any hall where a king would meet with its court and eat, Harry noted, the structure was exquisitely made and firmly placed, there was not even a crack on the walls or pillars it was like if the place was brand new, the windows, spotless, perfectly made, and the ceiling…
"Is enchanted" Hermione breathed out as she saw the ceiling…it seemed like there was no roof above them, the night time sky along with the few clouds and stars, it was truly a sight to behold.
"I wonder where we can get one like that, it would be so awesome to have something like that in your own room" Harry said with a smile, "Harry, the little I know you I have come to a conclusion, you would be happy with several parchments over your room, ancient artifacts on glass shelves and perhaps a rock of a historic place in your room" Ron stated with a smile, "Okay I admit it would be cool to have all that…and an armor, one with a medieval maze and that could move, now that would be awesome"
"Yeah, but we could do without the floating candles, I don't want to burn anything" Hermione added, making Ron chuckle and Harry to grin wolfishly.
McGonagall soon took her place on the other end of the room, on the head table, there several adults remained seated, along with Dumbledore, Harry noted, on a throne, "Gotta admit, Dumbledore has style when it comes to impress, he has his own throne" Harry said to the duo, "Yeah, well he is Albus Dumbledore, if there is someone as famous as you is he, he fought and defeated the former dark lord during WWII" that comment of Ron made Harry stare at him oddly.
"…Please don't tell me that bloodbath that was World War II was instigated by a wizard and not that other guy"
"Some say it was, some say it wasn't, but we know that the war ended when Dumbledore defeated the dark lord of that time on a duel that is considered legendary due to the length, power and skill of both fighters, of course it also ended to the Muggles when that other guy to mentioned committed suicide" Ron said to Harry who just sighed, who would have imagined that wizards fought in WWII, well not him.
"Hey…what's that?" a dark skinned boy asked to Harry and Ron, both boys looked at what the boy pointed, there, on a stool, near McGonagall sat a hat, a pointy, ragged, old hat.
"And I thought my hat was old" Harry muttered, finally removing his hat of his head, but tied to his neck as usual, suddenly all the first years saw the hat…eyes and mouth open.
Oh you may not think me pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!
Harry and Hermione had their jaws open wide, staring at the hat that just sung, a hat that just sung!
"I really hope that there is no charmed underwear" Harry muttered, "Sorry mate, but Fred and George thought of that, not nice at all, especially when it starts to sing as well" Ron said, there Harry decided that normal logic would never work here…and he loved it!
"…I'm going to… damn Fred and George" Ron said, his ears turning red, "Whew, here I thought we were going to wrestle a troll" Harry muttered, "Or a rat…I hate rats" Harry said, catching Ron's attention, "Then why you actually tolerated Scrabbers"
"I said rats, as many rats, I can tolerate one…as long it doesn't end up on me, but if it does you can count Scrabbers as defunct"
Ron just clutched the spot where Scrabbers is on his clothes, never knowing how close Harry would be to enforce in threat on the rat, for a whole different set of reasons in the years to come, and with the very whip that many students and grown up wizards would related Harry to as like his scar and his hat.
Soon enough McGonagall began to call each of the first years in alphabetic order, of course the order being given by their last name, not their first name, starting with Hannah Abbot, who got sorted into Hufflepuff, it would take a while and a lot of students before they called Hermione.
"Wish me luck" she whispered to the duo of pre-teens, walking to the chair, and waiting to McGonagall to place the hat on her head.
"So…what the deal with the entire house thing? It sounds like a college fraternity to me" Harry whispered to Ron, but they got overhead by what seemed a pair of female twins, Indians if Harry was correct, "Well is easy, the four houses, named after the founders of Hogwarts have different values, Ravenclaw for example looks up intelligence and a wit, while Hufflepuff regards loyalty and well not being gits, several traits can land you on a house, Gryffindor holds bravery and chivalry above all else, while Slytherin hold ambition and cunning as prized traits, by the way I'm Padma Patil, are you really Harry Potter?"
"Yeah…and god help me if you become my friend just for the fame" Harry muttered that part, something that Padma did heard, "Well is not that no one wants to be friends with Harry Potter, I think he has that spot covered" another girl, the living mirror image of Padma said while pointing at Ron, "I'm Parvati Patil by the way" the other girl said to Harry, "So…what do you got to say that is not text written" both girls rose an eyebrow at Harry, a small smile on their identical faces that reminded Harry of the Weasleys twins, and he just met those two for less than five minutes.
"Just one thing…Slytherin is bad" both said in stereo, "Slytherin? The snake house?" Harry asked…
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Hermione got sorted into Gryffindor? I saw her more on Ravenclaw" Ron muttered as he saw the bushy haired girl basically skip to the Gryffindor table, a pleased look on her face as she seated, "I do get that, but why these two warned me about Slytherin being bad, cunning and ambition can be both good and bad" Harry mentioned.
"That's why most of the darkest wizards ever came of Slytherin, You…"
"Ron" Harry warned, "Okay Harry, Voldemort he-who-got-his-ass-kicked-by-a-1-year-old-baby, there happy" Harry nodded, "I told you his name was rubbish, I mean how can you fear the man when I beat him and I was still unable to even say mom without gurgling" Harry said, ignoring the incredulous looks most children gave him, most of them knowing that the name of the dark wizard could make a grown up shiver easily.
"I tell you how mate, that guy was bad news, from what I could gather in books, if he wanted you dead, you were practically dead" a dark skinned and dark haired boy said, making Harry raise an eyebrow, "Yet a baby killed him, what a mean dark lord, at least Darth Vader is more bad-ass"
"No discussion on that, name's Dean Thomas"
"Who is Darth Vader?" almost all the pureblood kids asked, "Oh just a dark armored guy with a wicked glowing sword that can cut anything and can choke you without touching you" Parvati said, slightly enjoying the look that the pureblood kids had when they heard that someone could do that.
It would not be long before that several more people were sorted, including Draco who got into Slytherin rather fast; the hat barely touched his head, his cohorts Crabbe and Goyle ended up in Slytherin as well, but how since they even lacked the drive to breathe without an order of Draco was a mystery most people didn't want to know.
Then the twins got sorted as well, Parvati ended up in Gryffindor, swelling the pack of the lions, and Padma in Ravenclaw, swelling the brains of the ravens, Neville got sorted as well, but he almost took Minerva and the hat with him when he tripped along the way, he ended up in Gryffindor as well, then it came Harry's turn…
"Potter, Harry" the sole mention of the only survivor of the darkest wizard of their time, let alone the only know survivor being hit by the killing curse could cause parties on his honor, but since he was being mention to be sorted and making his first real apparition on the wizard world ever since that night of October, the whispers were to be expected.
"Did she say Harry Potter?"
"Harry Potter? On Hogwarts?"
"Hey, is that really Harry Potter? Isn't he supposed to be blond?"
That last whisper of a fifth year got silenced when Harry glared at such person with such intensity that the poor lad thought that the killing curse would fly out of Harry's eyes.
Harry, now calm enough so his glare might not kill any poor student, walked to the chair and sat, McGonagall (who nearly had a stroke when she saw that same glare in Harry's mother once) placed the hat on Harry's head.
Oh, what an interesting one we have here.
"Did you just talk to me in my mind?"
That I did, I must say Mister Potter that I saw you initially in Slytherin, I see some traces of cunning and ambition in you, I also see in you great knowledge.
"Of course, I have to know because no archeologist worth is salt is stupid and stumble onto the ruins of a place that can change humanity's history as we know it"
Of that you're right, I see that, but I also see chivalry like no other, you help those in need, even at the cost of your own health, you don't shy of bullies, instead you stand against them, you are fiercely loyal to those who show you kindness and friendship, and who deserve it, you have the traits of all the houses Harry, pity I can only sort you into one.
"Yeah…okay here's the deal you sort me in Gryffindor and we are cool okay?"
The final decision is mine.
"You put me in Slytherin and the school will be missing an ancient artifact"
You realize that was really Slytherin of you.
"Just put me with the goddamn lions!"
Okay, okay, I'll do it, and more because is not every day that I heard a first year pronounce the name of Voldemort and downright insult him.
"I bet he was just magic and no muscle, a right hook would have knock him out, no surprise he got his ass whooped by a baby"
And so the mighty struggle…err…better said discussion ended up when the hat proclaimed Harry to be in Gryffindor, much to the joy of all the Gryffindors assembled, hell even the Weasley twins were actually dancing and chanting "We got Potter! We got Potter!"
Dean and Ron got also sorted into Gryffindor, much to the relieve of the red head as he sat with his new friends, as the sorting ended Dumbledore rose of his throne, all the attention was focused now on Dumbledore, without a doubt the most powerful wizard of all times, the only wizard that Voldemort itself feared, the only reason Hogwarts remained as a beacon of hope in the dark times of Voldemort's rampage.
"Before we start the feast I have some words to say, oh and here they are, Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" and obviously off his rocker.
"Now enjoy" with a wave of his hand, the once empty tables were filled with the most succulent dishes that any person could ever lay eyes on or eat.
"He can talk all crazy as long as he pulls this often" Harry declared as he, Ron and basically every male on the Gryffindor table attacked the food like the lions they were, the girls, being more mannered that the guys who attacked the food like a pack of very hungry lions, limited to keep them from eating the plates itself.
After the fest or better said massacre (the slaughter of the food by the males was not limited to the Gryffindors only) and the song of the school, which ended with Fred and George singing it in a funeral like way and Harry actually adding it a more militaristic tone (much to the amusement of the twins) the headmaster stood up once again, the empty plates vanishing along the way.
"Welcome, I welcome you all to yet another year at Hogwarts, I am overjoyed to see many new and young faces, I believe this will be a very interesting year to us all, I would like to welcome back Professor Quirinus Quirrel for his sabbatical and about to take the position of professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts" the headmaster announced as he motioned to the turban wearing man, Harry crossed sights with the man for just a second, suddenly grimaced in pain as his scar oddly exploited in pain, but it was just for a second, nothing many would notice at first glance, only if they were focused on him, something only one person was doing, but not for adoration, but for hate.
"Also I have several announcements to make, as usual the Forbidden forest is of course forbidden" Harry hear Ron chuckled when Dumbledore gaze lingered on the Gryffindor table, solely focused on Fred and George who had the decency to look amused.
"Filch, our caretaker has stated as usual that spells on the halls are forbidden and also there is a list of the banned objects posted on his office, also I have to inform you all that the third floor corridor is forbidden to all students unless you want to suffer a very violent, gruesome death" that last tip of information made several students gulp in fear, Dumbledore was known for be easy going and fun, but when he was serious, like in that moment, it was better to obey him unless you wanted to suffer the consequences, this one being death.
After those announcements the prefects of each house began to round each student of their own house and guide them to their common rooms, by that moment there was already a cluster of newly formed friends and groups in each house, Harry being in one with Ron, Dean, Hermione and oddly enough Parvati, soon they reached a big portrait of a fat looking woman, but with a regal look in her.
"Password?" the lady in the painting asked to Percy, "Caput Draconis" he said loud and clear to everyone to hear, "Every time you want to enter the common room of Gryffindor, the fat lady will ask you the password for it, is the same system for all the common rooms of each house" Percy explained as the fat lady portrait swung open, revealing an opening in the wall, Percy motioned all to follow, once they entered, Harry got again wide eyed as he saw his first sight of the common room of Gryffindor, decorated with the colors of the house, red and gold, it was big enough for all to fit in an talk, now he was imagining the dorms when Percy began to tell where first years would sleep.
Once all that was done, Harry found himself sharing a large dorm room with Ron, Dean, Neville and a Irish boy called Seamus Finnigan, they all found their stuff on the beds, an individual bed for each one of them, Harry was overjoyed when he saw Hedwig still on her cage, but wide awake, now on Hogwarts, Harry had no worries about Hedwig outside her cage, so he opened her cage, then opened a window and allowed her to fly and stretch her wings.
As soon that happened, the five kids were already unpacking their stuff, the four kids noted that Harry's most casual (and not magic made clothes) were too big to him, Ron and Neville noted the magic trunk with amazement, and only Dean noted and recognized the barrel, or what used to be a barrel of a shotgun laying around alongside the strange bullwhip.
"Hey Harry" Dean began, "Do tell why you got the remains of a Muggle gun on your trunk?"
"Oh this, that's my uncle's gun, he tried to kill me with it" Harry said as a matter of fact, making the boys to look at him oddly, "A Muggle tried to kill ya?" Ron asked, "No Ron, my uncle, walrus man tried to kill me because his house got swarmed with letters of Hogwarts that he punched me, next thing I knew I was on another place, he hit my again, then pointed the gun at me, I fought back of course and he shot one of the barrels, then he tossed me away when Dumbledore and Hagrid came"
"Headmaster Dumbledore came for you?" Seamus asked with some envy, "Yeah, what of it?"
"Harry" Ron began, "The Headmaster is credited to be the strongest wizard of all times, he defeated the predecessor of…well you know who I'm not going to say that handful name you invented to him, it is said that the duel was the greatest of all times, not only that, in the times of the war…V-v-v-v-v-v…"
"Voldemort Ron"
"Yeah, him, well in any case he didn't dare to attack or even glance at Hogwarts because he was afraid of the headmaster, it is said that he was the only wizard he was afraid to, but no one knew why the headmaster didn't fought V-v-v-v…vold…oh barmy, you know" Ron added.
"Yeah…maybe the headmaster never crossed paths with the dark lord, I heard most Death Eater attacks were ambushes, there were rare frontal assaults, and those were only to unaware Muggle families of pureblood families that didn't agreed with his views" Seamus stated.
"What Voldemort supported?" Harry asked, ignoring the pale look of Seamus and Neville, "Blood purity, only pureblood wizards were meant to wield magic, or so he says, he viewed Half-bloods as you and Seamus as profanities of the blood and Muggleborn wizards of witches like Hermione as aberrations that were lower on the food chain, even more than Muggle themselves" Ron stated, "For my part I consider that stupid, of what I have seen his war cost more to the wizard world than anything else, pureblood families have just one or two heirs max, entire bloodlines were eradicated in the war, diminishing the number of pureblood families greatly, half-bloods and Muggleborn, those who were growing in numbers got greatly diminished, if he had won all he would have accomplished would have to extinguish the magic of Europe and making the rest of the magical world to declare open war to him, I seriously doubt he would have won against the world, no army who has challenged the combined might of the world has" Ron said, "In a way you stopping him by whatever means was a god bless"
"Yeah…pity it cost all too much" Harry stated as he changed to his pajamas, claimed a bed and went to sleep, his hat hanging by one of the bed posts, the boys followed suit, and soon the first years dorms were out of lights…
"Hey Harry" Ron called, "Yes Ron?"
"You have to reckon you are the first wizard besides the headmaster to ever call the dark lord by his name…not even my dad can do that"
"I really doubt that is his real name…maybe he invented him, like a nickname or something like that" Harry confessed, not knowing that the other kids were awake, "Maybe, no one knows that for certain since you snuffed the only source of information"
"Oh yeah, Harry Potter slays dark lord at the age of 1 and gets away with murder" Harry replied comically.
"How did you know the Daily Prophet issued title given that day?" Neville suddenly asked, making Harry effectively shut up, "Uh…lucky guess" neither knew that Harry's luck was going to be as legendary as his deeds.
Two days later…
"Bloody hell woman stop nagging me!" Dean basically snapped to Hermione as she, Ron and Parvati ran to their first class, Transfiguration, Harry had been with them, until they discovered that Harry had outrun them the moment they began to ran, Neville had already left to the class, surely nerves had kept him awake because his breakfast was gone faster than Ron's and had left as soon his plate was empty, the others had to wait to the girls to eat since they do have manners.
Therefore the reason they were running to their classroom, "Did you see how Harry ran, I swear he was running like the devil was on his tail" Parvati said, "Unless he laughs every time the devil decides to run to get him I doubt it, my guess he has been used to run, therefore his speed" Ron stated, "Well he could have warned us, I mean I swear if it wasn't for his size I could have said that he is part Nundu" Dean added, obviously referring to the deadliest creatures their world had to offer, the gigantic, yet silent and fast and deadly Nundu, dragons steer out of their way, dementors would rather swallow a patronus that cross even a Nundu cub and the dark lord would like to have one as a pet…it if wasn't for the fact no one can tame a Nundu.
Their first class was close; they had required two days to memorize the layout of Hogwarts, or most of it, sometimes they do get lost, at least they know not to go to the third floor, and they do know the way to the common room from any part of the school, something Hermione appreciated constantly, she apparently was not to fond to get lost in an ancient magical castle.
As soon as they arrived at the classroom, they noticed that Harry was petting a cat sitting on the desk of the professor, Neville already on his own seat, "Took you long enough" Harry reprimanded, "Excuse us? Unlike you, some sort of freakish cross between a Nundu and a snitch, we don't run at unnatural speeds, especially at our age" Dean retorted back, just to Harry to shrug.
"When you are chased by a hippo that is in fact my cousin and his goons, you tend to develop some muscle on the legs" Harry said as he stopped to pet the cat, then patted his own legs, "Golden legs Dean, far luckier than a Hare's paw"
"Is that so Mr. Potter?" a voice sounded behind Harry, slowly turning around his eyes lay on the ones of Professor McGonagall…and an embarrassed look on her face, or of rage he could not tell, then he looked at the desk where the cat once was, seeing none, and putting two and two together…
Gryffindor and Slytherin alike would give testimony of the speed of Harry Potter as he escaped of professor McGonagall as she chased him around the castle and tried to blast him into pieces, it took the headmaster, the charms teacher and the twins with a prank that included fireworks and a lot of foul smells to actually divert the attention of McGonagall of Harry to somewhere else where her rage could be released in a far healthier way than mauling the boy-who-lived.
And there you have it people, another chapter come and gone, now i know many people will wonder why Ron is not his usual self, or why Harry is so straight forward, or why Hermione is acting nothing like her, well the answer is simple, the change they suffered at sevem years old caused several shifts on their personalities, in the case of harry he is way different than the canon harry, in fact this harry is like Dante from DMC, but without the kick ass sword and getting impaled every single game, but with a dash of Indiana Jones and some Dirty Harry (without the magnum) trowhn into the mix, as for Ron, he of course mellowed a little, he stopped thinking about fame and fortune, of being jelaous and suffering a serious case of foot on his mouth syndrome, of course he gets mad some times, but he is greatly mellowed, and a little smart, we know he should have, as for Hermione, he is still smart and a bookworm, but of course she is the kind of bookworm and smart girl that when pushed she will push back if needed.
if you have other doubts you can PM me, or better yet review me! i live for them until a next time Hypn0s signs off and wishes you all readers well.