Author Notes: Okay. I've finally finished typing this chapter up. I'm really sorry for the slow update but I've been really busy with other fanfics (AoW) and the like. This chapter's a bit longer than the others because Harry's finally off to Hogwarts. : D

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

but i don't know, i just don't know

where the dreams go

but i think maybe god does it because he can.

-

footsteps.

-

"Are you sure I can get all of the stuff I need here?" Harry asks Tom, looking at the brick wall in front of him. Tom, who is under a glamour so his hair is blonder and his features duller, laughs. "Yes, for the millionth time. Diagon Alley is probably the only place you can get all of this stuff. Now shove over, kid."

The smaller boy frowns at the nickname and moves aside.

Tom pulls out his wand and taps out a pattern on the bricks. A moment or so later they curl in, divulging a passage into the shopping area. Harry's eyes and mouth are wide. "Wizards aren't as dumb as Cordy thinks." "Mm."

They move quickly, finding the book shop. Tom disappears into a corner, and Harry thinks he's probably falling into nostalgia. He really hopes the glamour isn't permanent, he prefers the old Tom. Shaking his head, he searches through the titles for the books he needs. Once he gathers all of these, he continues to browse aimlessly.

There are a few more books he thinks might be interesting that he takes with him to the counter. Tom appears a bit later, holding three of his own. "Is that everything?" He asks, eyeing the books. Harry nods. "I think so." "Well, are you taking any electives?" He furrows his brows. "Electives?"

"Divination? Ancient Runes? Arithmancy?" Tom inquires, his jaw getting tight.

"Err, no. It didn't say anything about that on the paper from the headmaster." Harry replies quietly, casting his gaze at the floor. Tom sighs. "Alright, you get two electives, I think. Whatever you like, we'll write them down and send them to Dumbledore." The black-haired boy smiles at his companion. "Okay. What do you suggest?"

This could take longer than they'd counted on.

-

Mr. Ollivander gives Harry a strange look as he rings up the wand he's chosen. Harry smiles, he can't wait to tell Tom about the gushing feeling of magic that goes through him when he touches it. He loves being able to feel his magic swirl about around him.

"Curious." The wand maker says idly.

Harry looks at him, tilting his head to the side. "Sorry, sir. What's curious?" The old man leans across the counter, gazing into his eyes. "It's curious that this wand should choose you, Mr. Potter. I do believe it has the same phoenix feather as the wand of a certain Dark Lord."

His eyes grow wide. "That makes sense." He says softly. "Our connection."

Mr. Ollivander hands him his new wand. "The time will come when you grow into your full power. You may just become the leader so many of us are looking for." He nods at Harry. "When that time comes, I have no doubt I'll be seeing you again."

Harry leaves without a single word. His mind does not question this.

-

Harry looks hesitantly at Cordelia. "I-I..."

She gives him a small smile. "Don't miss me too much. I'll be seeing you when it's -necessary." Next to her Peter rolls his eyes. "But seriously, it'll be fine. Just send us some letters out here, eh?"

The dark-haired boy nods. moving forward to bury himself in Cordelia's arms. She squeezes him tightly to her and whispers in his ear, "Tom's got a surprise for you before you're off to join the merry band of wizardry."

He raises his eyebrows, sneaking a glance at Tom out of the corner of his eyes. Peter tugs Harry forward by his sleeve and into an awkward hug. He moves back and says, "I know we haven't known each other very long but uh, you are important to me. Like my long lost little brother."

Harry smiles and moves to stand in front of Tom. "Tom..", he breathes, lowering his head and clutching the other boy's shirt. Tom grasps his hands in his own, lacing their fingers together, making Harry's heart beat erratically. "I won't be too far away, you know.

"I'll be closer than you think." There's a sly undertone to his voice. Harry squints at him, 'What do you mean?"

The older boy gets down on his haunches and gives him a breathtaking grin. "I – or rather Peter and I have - developed a spell to keep an eye on you." "I don't need someone to keep an eye on me-", Harry's interruption is cut off as Tom says, "For my sake. Otherwise I'll go mad sitting in some room alone, twitching with worry as I wait for a letter from you.

"Now," he continues, "About the spell. It requires consent on your part to let me well, be in your head. I'll be able to see and hear through you when I want or need but I don't have access to memories or anything like that. Well, unless you send them to me directly. So, we can kind of talk in your head."

There's no mistaking the shine in Harry's eyes or the delighted way his mouth drops open. "Really?" Tom nods and squeezes his hand. "No need to waste goodbyes on me, Harry."

He looks between Cordy and Tom for a moment and bites his lip. Cordelia is all warmth and quiet observance as he shuffles over to her. She's giving Tom a knowing look that Harry doesn't understand.

Tom ducks his head, brows furrowed.

Shrugging mentally, Harry turns to Cordelia. "I love you." It has almost become a ritual. "I love you, too, mon petit amer. And I, too, have a gift for you." She winks.

"You do?" His cheeks heat up. "Oh, yes." Cordy places a hand on his arm, twiddling her long fingers on his skin. When she pulls back, there's a strange sort of sign there. Harry regards it in surprise. "What's this?" There's a sly smile across her lips. "It's just a mark to let those who are out there know that you are one of my chosen." One last hug for his Reina. 'Thank you." Harry whispers.

He faces the three of them. "Adieu."

"Adieu."

-

The Hogwarts express is full of compartments. He finds an empty one easily and makes himself comfortable next to the glass window, gazing out at the wizard platform. It will be a while before he sees this again.

Noire is curled up around his middle in his usual location. He can hear Tom muttering about there being no empty compartments when he went to Hogwarts. Before he can reply the door slides open.

Three people appear in the doorway. One is tall and lanky with red hair and freckles. Another has bushy brown hair and books clutched to her chest. The last one is short, of average weight with mousy brown hair and a thoughtful look to his round face.

The freckled one grins at Harry, "'ey, mate. D'you mind if we sit here? Everywhere else is pretty full."

He shakes his head, gesturing to the seat across from him. Hogwarts kids, hm. Noire is hissing a little suspiciously. Harry shushes him and faces the three students.

"Oh, right. Sorry, we haven't even introduced ourselves." The bushy-haired girl begins, "I'm Hermione Granger," she points at the redhead, "this is Ron Weasley," and then the round-faced boy, "and this is Neville Longbottom." She gives him a once-over and a curious look, "Excuse me, but who are you? I don't recall seeing you at Hogwarts. Are you a first year?"

Ron is shaking his head and murmuring about know-it-alls and their questions to Neville who giggles softly.

"Um, no. I'm Harry Potter. I'll be joining the fourth years." The trio before him look in between surprised and intrigued. It is Hermione who speaks first, "Are you really? Well, that's a surprise. Where have you been for these past few years?"

Harry stiffens and racks his head for the information he'd come up with on his background. "Well, I was home schooled by my guardian." Tom snorts in his head. 'More like yourself.' He sends Tom a smile. Meanwhile, Ron looks bemused.

"I've never heard of going from home schooling to Hogwarts but alright, Harry. It's wicked you'll be at school with us."

He stirs slightly. "Er, it is? I mean you don't really know me…"

Neville finally speaks in reply to his comment, "Well, most of us Gryffindors are friendly. Or in Ron's case overly friendly." Ignoring Ron's glare, he shrugs at Harry. Hermione just nods. "We'll be glad to welcome you or anyone really to Hogwarts. It's quite an amazing school." Her smile is almost contagious.

Harry finds he's taken an immediate liking to the three of them, Hermione's intellectualism, Ron's playfulness and Neville's quiet awareness.

"Oh, but Harry, are you sure you learned the same things we've learned up to now?" Hermione asks.

He nods, "I've studied a lot about the wizarding world and what it entails but if I can get the specifics from my teachers if I need to." 'As well as nearly everything on earth, including muggle physics which I will never understand.' He doesn't bother replying to Tom instead he chooses to mentally roll his eyes and return his attention to Hermione.

She looks delighted. "Really? Have you studied magical theory at all?" He smiles at her enthusiasm and instigates a theory for theory to indulge her. Their conversation lasts for nearly 3/4ths of the ride.

Neville seems interested but not completely sure of the details while Ron decided to have a quick nap. When he wakes up he realizes Harry and Hermione have finally just finished talking about the subject and takes this opportunity to butt in while he has the chance. "So what house do you think you'll be in?"

Harry answers, "I'm not really sure.", honestly.

Ron nods at this. "Yeah, most people aren't. Just pray you don't wind up in Slytherin. Merlin, that house is pure evil. I bet every one of those kids has already pledged their self to the Dark Lord." Tom has a laughing fit while Harry merely looks at Ron.

"That's not true." Hermione interjects. "Ton, that's a bit biased, don't you think?" Neville eyes the redhead in agreement with her. "Every house has a stereotype, Harry." She says, facing him. "We don't really know enough Slytherins to have a concrete opinion. There are a lot of bullies in the house but we've only seen that side of them."

Ron grumbles to himself. Harry says, "I know.", and looks at the window in peace.

-

The trolley lady comes around a while later. Ron gets some droobles and chocolate frog while Neville sticks to a couple of pumpkin pasties. Harry and Hermione pass (Ron shoots them both an incredulous look before starting in on his snacks).

'Why aren't you eating?' Tom questions in a quiet voice.

'I'm not hungry.' He replies, quickly. 'You barely ate any breakfast this morning, you really should eat something.' The older boy is adamant. Harry can see where this conversation is going. 'Tom. I can eat at Hogwarts. There'll be a feast, right?"

There's a long pause where Harry can hear Ron and Hermioen bickering about something or other. Then, 'You'll have desert at Hogwarts?' Recognizing the underlying ice in Tom's tone, he sighs and says yes. Bloody Tom.

-

Hogwarts is a bit bigger than the castle Harry grew up in. But it is no where near as beautifully, even if he finds it impressive. There's no bakery down the street for him to work. He has to see the difference.

After saying goodbye to Ron, who said something along the lines of, "Hope you're in Gryffindor with us!", Neville and Hermione, he joins the crowd of first years by the lake. Hagrid is a big but gentle man that smiles at all of them and explains how to cross the body of water in a gruff voice.

Harry chastises Tom in his head for ever passing blame to the giant.

Noire keeps refusing to go on a boat, but Harry manages to persuade him. Once they arrive a stern professor with a tight bun guides them through the hallways and up a staircase. Her name is professor McGonagle. Tom says he remembers going to school with her. He liked her. Harry keeps this thought filed away in his head for later use and the doors to the Great Hall open.

One by one the first years are sorted. Harry watches the tall black hat deposited on each student's head. Finally, his name is called by a silently respectful and encouraging Professor McGonagle. "Potter, Harry."

He walks up to the stool, wincing at the sound of the students whispering back and forth to one another in hushes voices. On his way he glances up at the faces at the head table. Dumbledore is twinkling in joy and curiosity while a gaunt, black-haired man is glaring at him through narrowed eyes.

'Tom? Who's that?' Tom takes a minute to think. 'Severus Snape. He's a spy for Dumbledore. Voldemort thinks he's a loyal Death Eater, of course. One of his favorites.' Harry nods to himself. 'Snape. Oh, yeah. Aunt Petunia mentioned him. She told me he and my dad never got along. Apparently my dad bullied pretty bad him or something. Well.'

So that's why the man looks so hateful. His eyes move along to two people he recognizes from pictures Aunt Petunia gave him. Remus Lupin, his father's friend who happens to be a werewolf and Sirius Black. Another friend that was recently found innocent of murdering the Potters and released from Azkaban. They both have anxious, glad looks on their faces that make him a bit uncomfortable.

He places the sorting hat on his head and waits patiently. "Mr. Potter. Would you mind dropping your occlumency shields?" The hat's voice says aloud. Harry blushes and drops them a bit to let the hat in. 'There you are. What's this? You've got someone else in your head, did you know?' 'Yes.'

'You did? Interesting. My, my, my you have quite a bit of history to you, don't you? Yes, you are very talented and powerful, cunning but loyal and forgiving. Though, not too forgiving. Intelligent but not boastful.

'After being abused by such a family, I'd imagine so.' He winces at the memories that flood through his head. 'Very brave, indeed. And oh my. You were brought up my the Reina Antanasia? This is…a surprise. No wonder. You seem to have qualities that would suit each house. Right, I'll sort you if you promise me one thing."

Harry blinks, 'Yes?'

'To come visit me in the headmaster's office when you can. There's so much I'd like to discuss with you. An old hat gets bored waiting up there for the next sorting, you know. An you are an interesting creature. If you should ever seek refuge or advice, come straight to me.'

He looks out at all of the confused faces in the crowd wondering what's taking so lojng and he nods visibly. The hat shouts happily, "Excellent! Well, then it'll have to be…

THE FOUR HOUSES."

-

Sorry if that ended on something of a cliff hanger. I've already got the next few parts planned out. It's getting it onto Microsoft Word that's hard for me. I'm not sure if this chapter turned out exactly how I'd have liked it. Oh, well. :/

alwaysariyana – Merci. Interesting was sort of what I was going for. Oh, and yes, to answer your question, there will be elements of Harry/Tom slash in here. It's definitely up there with my favorite pairings, too.

merilynne – Sweet! I've never had a preference with tenses, but the present fits here, hm? Ehh, I know, I know the way I piece bits together is quite terrible (especially considering I don't have a beta). Well, Harry's a tad messed up in the head so the flashback to the Dursleys was somewhat necessary. I tend to go by event then, I form the chapter. There's not much flow, I'm afraid.

petites sorcieres – Your review made me feel glad to continue with this story. I'm glad I've found something of a fan in you. Well, this is like Tom sans the violent madman, isn't it? It will, as I said before be Harry/Tom, or contain bits of it. Harry's 13 now, and Tom hasn't aged from his sixteen year old body, so.. Yeah, Tom's even more upset about that. There are seven horcruxes, Tom's spirit was released from the cup of Hufflepuff. In this alternate universe Dumbledore found it and destroyed it, blah blah blah. Anyhow, thanks. 3

SwiftShadow – I'm happy to entertain.

lastbreathsword – Really? I'm grateful for that, I was so worried people would be wary because Harry's "guardian" is an oc. Cordy's a sly girl, ain't she? As for Harry's characterization, well, he happens to be my favorite character, firstly and secondly, he's very easy to mold personality-wise. This Harry is only this Harry because of the way he grew up. In a way he's a lot like canon Harry, except he's been much more exposed. And he knows a hell of a lot more. :3

doowop – I've already got chapter four planned out. Awesome, eh? But uhh, do you mean help with this? Or AoW? You're confusing me, love. chaptertwo, yeah. Peter is a lovely thing, isn't he? Danke muchly. You're too kind. Well, you know I love Harry, I'd be doing him an injustice by writing badly. But I do need a BETA. Really.