Sorry if there's any mistakes – please let me know if anything doesn't make sense and I'll fix up. Still don't own anything – credits to JK Rowling.
Three
Four Years Later
Harry had always wondered why he had never fit in.
It wasn't until his eleventh birthday when life as he knew it changed.
He had always lived in the cupboard beneath the stairs – he had never really understood why but had been too afraid of his uncle and aunt to ask to be move to another suitable location. His cousin, Dudley Dursley was the spoilt one and he Harry, was not worth anymore of the Dursley's time and money. He had attended school and done his chores (even Dudley's) but was blamed for anything and everything that would go wrong. And yes, something would always go wrong.
He wasn't sure why this was? It seemed as if it was out of his control. Strange things would happen when Harry was around. Perhaps this was why Dudley (his larger cousin) always felt the need to use him as a punching bag?
He had not known much about his parents. His Uncle and Aunt had said his mother and father had died in a car accident and he was sent to be raised by them. The only thing he had left of his family was his last name. Potter.
Now it was a miserable day in Little Whinging, Surrey when Mr Dursley's voice boomed "PETUNIA?" Harry flinched, hearing a very large, very fat man, gallop down the stairs into the kitchen. Harry hadn't heard his name...yet. He fixed his glasses on his nose, the same pair he'd had since his aunt pulled them off the chemist rack and thrust them impatiently in his hand when he had complained of headaches at age five.
"I'm in the kitchen cooking Dudder's breakfast." She hollered back at him.
Dudder. Short for Dudley of course. Harry had taken to retaliate to Dudley's bullying by calling him 'Dudder's' too but it coincided with another fist in the arm usually so Harry decided it wasn't worth it. At this moment, Dudley came down the stairs, making sure he pounded each stair a couple of times just to be irritating. Harry waited until he had left the hall before he opened the door and entered the kitchen.
"Oh it's you." His uncle murmured returning back to his paper. His aunt was loading Dudley's plate with strips of bacon and piles of scrambled egg. Harry stared at the piece of bread that was left for him on the kitchen bench. As he stared at it, wondering if he would be noticed if he stole some slices of Dudley's plate and did a runner, the doorbell rang.
"Get that will you." Harry looked up and saw his uncle was looking at him suspiciously. "And don't you go opening any of our mail."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Harry muttered under his breath as he picked up his breakfast and returned to the front door to get the post. Little did he know at the time, there was a letter for him which would be the start of all things strange and wonderful.
Harry looked through the mail uninterestedly, bills, bills, a postcard from his Uncle's mad sister...and Harry's eyes opened wide. The letter was in perfect condition; perhaps too perfect. He stared at the address written in green ink in neat curly handwriting. It was addressed to him, Harry Potter, the cupboard under the stairs... there was no mistaking it. Harry turned the letter and stared at the wax stamp on the back of the envelope...it made no sense...who could have possibly written to him?
As Harry entered the kitchen, he knew immediately he should have opened the letter in his room.
For as soon as he slid his knife to open the letter it was snatched from him, by Dudley.
"Harry's been sent a letter?"
"Give it back! It's mine! It was addressed to me!"
The Dursley's stared at it horrified, leaving Harry to wonder what they could possibly be afraid of? What was it, they knew he didn't? Was it something to do with his family? His past?
"Burn it Petutnia!"
"What if it's from him Vernon?"
"Who?" Harry and Dudley both asked confused.
"None of your business!" Vernon snapped. "Give it to me, I will do it."
"Wait! We should see what it says...maybe they are offering to take him off our hands?"
"I am here you know?" Harry said frustrated, why they must always talk to him as if he wasn't there?
"Be quiet boy!" Vernon snapped again.
"What's it say Dad?" Dudley said as Harry, Dudley and Petunia craned their necks to see the green dazzling ink on the neat parchment. Harry looked from the parchment he could see nothing of to his uncles ever anxious face.
"It's not what you think Petunia. It's a letter from that crackpot, inviting him to go to school, that school your sister went to." Vernon murmured, his voice rumbled darkly.
School? His mother's school? Why were they so mad? What, why could he not see the letter?
"Go to your room." Vernon barked, Harry looked from his uncle to his aunt and shook his head.
"I want my letter."
"I want to read it!" Dudley whined.
"Both of you to your rooms!"
"What? Why me?" Dudley looked flabbergast, "I haven't even finished breakfast yet."
"We'll be late for school." Harry pointed out darkly.
"NOW!" Vernon's face turned purple and Dudley stole his plate before leaving the room. Harry followed reluctantly, formulating ways to get the letter back in his mind. He closed the door and leaned near the doorway, listening.
"Hogwarts. That's where she went, learning all sorts of freakish things, you know I want nothing to do with that now, look where she ended up, marrying that boy, and having him...it's her own fault for what happened."
"I know Petunia. I've tried to squash it out of him, but nothing has helped, he still is doing it, even though he does not know. This is bad. If he doesn't turn up to this school, then they will know – but we are not putting up with it. He is not going."
Harry rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses. Several words in this conversation stuck out at him. Hogwarts? Freakish things? His parents?
What was he doing that he didn't know?
Harry's attempts to get his letter back were not successful. His Uncle was adamant to show Harry that whatever the contents of the letter, he was never, going to read them. The letters were burned and torn until they were gone. Harry wondered who the sender of the letter was, however he needn't have worried, because over the next month, Harry received a letter a day. The only thing was, Vernon was always closely behind. Harry and Dudley watched as Vernon bolted up the letter box, destroyed any mail like a hungry cat and went on a rampage.
Dudley was even afraid to ask his Dad anything these days. He sat during meal times staring at his plate, because any sound of movement would normally cause Vernon's head to snap up and his red eyes blaze. Petunia was a hopeless mess, dropping saucepan's and plates as though her worst nightmare might confront her at any moment.
"Can you please pass the salt?" Harry asked boldly at the table enjoying the effect this had on his company. Petunia squeaked in fright, Dudley gasped and started choking on his bacon and Vernon jumped about a foot in the air, before returning to his paper, his ears attuned to the doorbell, waiting for the mail. The salt was not passed. Harry didn't really care - his toast would not have improved.
DING DONG.
Vernon was out of his chair like a rocket. Dudley's eyes were wide in horror and Petunia was silently weeping at the stove. Harry had given up chasing his uncle to the door to intercept the mail.
DING DONG.
Harry glanced at Dudley who finished chewing his mouthful and he and Harry left their seats to see why Vernon had not opened the door.
"Ahah! Let's see what they will do now, when I don't open the door!"
Harry wondered if his uncle had lost his sanity. It certainly seemed so. Dudley even looked like he agreed with him.
DINGDONGDINGDONGDINGDONGDING...DONG...
Vernon's face was turning purple as his mad chuckle slowly disappeared and Dudley gasped pointing at the floor beneath Vernon's stead fast feet.
About twenty letters appeared and Vernon let out a rage of disbelief.
And so it was, until none of the Dursley's or Harry had had any sleep, until finally Vernon told them they were moving, where no-one knew.
So now, here Harry lay, on the dusty, dirty floors of a cabin in the middle of a fiery, wet, miserable ocean mile from nowhere. It was his birthday and nobody cared. He was used to this. Nobody caring, but things had been strange those last couple of months, his head had been pummelled with questions and no answers. He listened to Dudley's snores behind him on the couch and his stomach grumbled loudly.
But a different grumbling was coming from outside the door. Thunder? It was a storm after all.
He watched the seconds click down on his watch and drew the shape of a birthday cake with candles and on the stroke of midnight he closed his eyes and made a wish.
BOOM.
"POTTER!" Vernon yelled. Harry gaped, at the enormous shadow beneath the door of the shack. Dudley was cowering in the corner of the couch as Petunia screeched until the last knock was heard on the door. Harry was almost about to yell that it wasn't him making that racket, just the wind outside, when the door fell off its hinges and a giant man appeared. Harry gulped, grabbing the nearest thing to him, a cushion from the couch which Dudley had thrown at him.
"Sorry about tha', happens all the time for some reason." The giant lowered his pink umbrella, (which Harry thought an odd thing to be carrying for a man his age and appearance despite the mad weather outside) and put the door back on its hinges. By this stage Vernon and Petunia were coming down the stairs. Vernon was carrying a gun, but the giant growled and bent it as though it were play-doh. "I demand you leave our premises!" Vernon stuttered, poking the giant in the tummy with his weapon. Harry stared in amazement as the giant told the Dursleys to return upstairs, he was only there for Harry to wish him a happy birthday!
Harry's jaw dropped, nobody remembered his birthday. Ever. The fact that a giant would, well that was something. Perhaps he was dreaming after all?
"I've also got you this." The giant smiled kindly, his eyes twinkling through a wiry thick brown beard. Harry reached out to take the letter, the letter he had seen so many times in the last few months but never had a chance to read. Petunia let out a muffled squeal. Vernon turned into a demanding NO and to which the giant started a conversation using his pink umbrella. Vernon cowered in fear, his gun no use at all. As he opened the formal envelope complete with a waxed stamp and all, he read the parchment through and knew he must definitely be dreaming.
"Dear Mr Potter, We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry..." Harry let out a gasp.
It didn't help when the giant whose name was Hagrid and turned out to be the Gamekeeper of the school and was instructed by Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore to go on this very trip to tell him, due to his eleventh birthday he was now eligible to attend. "You're a Wizard Harry." He'd said. Harry tried to pinch his arm, it hurt, a lot. This was not a dream. "I'm...a what?" He spluttered.
"A Wizard and I'm to take you there but you must return at the end of each year to the Dursleys until your seventeenth birthday."
It took a lot to convince the Dursley's that Harry would be leaving with Hagrid that night, but Harry soon found that the pink umbrella had other abilities. Magic ones. It was particularly useful for scaring the hell out of the Dursley's for some reason; they were very much against Harry going to a school for wizards. It was only when they were threatened by the pink umbrella and by having to take their son Dudley who was bewitched into a pig (only a curly tail was seen, Harry thought it was because his cousin already looked piggish) that Hagrid and Harry escaped. Harry thought it was fantastic, unbelievable of course, but perfect, all his life he had felt out of place, lonely and incredibly stupid, but all these abilities were due to the fact that his real parents were wizards and he also had the gene. Life was going to get better. He knew it.
0o0o
Draco lounged on the sofa of Malfoy Manor using his wand to manipulate objects in the air above him. His head ached from boredom. He had wondered if his father would mind much if he used the peacocks as target practice but before he could experiment with this his mother instructed he get up - they were going to Diagon Alley for school clothes. His father raised his eyebrows told her to go to that place they discussed. Draco was so not interested in what his parents did in their spare time, thankfully now he would not hear or see any of it. "Of course Lucius," Narcissa kissed her husband and Draco tried not to gag. "Hurry up Draco, I don't have all day."
"Why do I need to go to school anyway? I've survived a whole year without going, why now?"
"You were meant to go last year, last year you got the letter but Dumbledore felt you would be better to start this year."
"Dumbledore – what's he got to do with this?" Draco sneered.
"More than you know. Now hurrying up and floo. I have a lot of errands to do today."
When Draco and Narcissa entered Madam Malkin's, Narcissa was intent on finding the right robes for her son. Draco swatted her hand away as she tried to unzip his current pants and she grinned sheepishly. "Sorry I forget how old you are now. I'll leave that to you, shall I?" She stifled a giggle and went to see if Madam Malkin had picked out the right sizes.
Draco had heard much about Hogwarts from his father. Though he had mentioned Durmstrang too, his mother had insisted on Hogwarts, for one, it was nearby and they had both previously gone there. Even his Aunt whom he had never met, and according to his Father, Azkaban was the best place for her. It wasn't news to him why his Aunt was in gaol, his father had told him what had happened and according to his father the Auror's had it coming. Draco also knew why the Dark Lord had vanished, his father had told him. It was due to one person, a boy or at least, at the time, a baby, named Harry Potter, the only known survivor of the Avada Kedavra killing curse.
Draco wondered what powers Harry Potter had to vanquish the Dark Lord. He had to be powerful hadn't he? This worried Draco, just a little, but not as much as now, where his mother was standing pointing excitedly to a pair of striped red pants. Was she kidding?
Draco yawned widely as his robes were adjusted and he stared out the window.
It was here he saw his Father's friend Severus Snape glide past and Draco wondered where he was going. He had seen quite a lot of Snape whilst growing up. His mother said it was because they were close friends. Draco knew they were both Death Eaters – his aunt was one also, hence why she was in Azkaban. Draco had never asked how his family survived after the Dark Lord's downfall. He presumed by his mother's actions that Snape had something to do with it. Maybe that was the reason as to why he was always nearby, keeping an eye out. Draco watched as his mother dropped his robes on the counter and said, "Oh I almost forgot, I need to get something for Lucius, stay here Draco and I'll be back as soon as I can."
"Whatever." Narcissa's eyebrows knitted together and Draco knew this annoyed her, but he really didn't care. Narcissa murmured something unrecognizable and Draco watched her exit the building and returned to the window where he saw a giant man accompanied by a smaller boy with dark hair that stuck up and funny clothes, carrying a letter.
0o0o
Narcissa pulled up her cloak over her blond wavy hair and held her wand tightly as she entered Knockturn Alley. Past the beggars and thieves, past the goblin with a toe missing and winding closer and closer to Borgin and Burkes - Narcissa kept her eyes open. She couldn't believe Lucius had suggested this place and he would agree to it, but then it was him.
Just before she entered Borgin's she stepped up on the cracked steps of an ancient shop called Kendall's Secrets and waited for him to arrive. The wind had picked up in the next five minutes and Narcissa hoped he wasn't going to be too much longer, for Draco was not of age to listen to his mother these days. Life was so much simpler when he was young.
"What took you so long?" Narcissa let out a gasp as the door behind her opened backward and a hand clasped her arm and she was pulled inside.
Narcissa lit her wand and stared at the man. "Severus, Lucius told me you wanted to see me?"
Severus nodded with a sigh "I really do appreciate what you have done for me, for...Lily." Narcissa felt a chill rise up her spine and she watched Severus closely. "Thank you for letting me see him. I trust you have heard, that her other son, Harry is attending this year?" Narcissa nodded slowly. "I think Lily would have wanted them to be friends, don't you?"
"We don't know anything about his abilities... he was there when the Dark Lord disappeared. He could be dangerous."
"I seriously doubt that." Narcissa gave him a look of annoyance. "He's just a boy, a boy who needs guidance."
"I don't know..." Narcissa pouted.
"Please Narcissa, for Lily. I can only do so much without causing suspicion. If Draco could just try?"
"He doesn't listen to me much anymore." Narcissa said sadly. Severus reached out to touch her arm.
"If I know you, I know you won't give up, Lily would be so proud of you and what you have accomplished."
Narcissa smiled appreciatively, "I will see what I can do."
0o0o
Narcissa needn't have worried, but she did.
When she entered Madam Malkin's Draco was standing was waiting for her, dressed with his bags but inside was another boy; a boy with dark messy hair and funny clothes. Narcissa let out a small gasp. "Mother, there you are, where have you been?" Narcissa opened her mouth to answer but he cut her off, "I was just talking to this boy Harry...hang on, you never told me your last name?"
Harry flattened his hair subconsciously; he had never liked it when people stared at his scar. Now he knew the truth about his parent's deaths, he had more reason to dislike the so-called fame of surviving death. Narcissa knew immediately who it was, and she was anxious to leave. She trusted Severus, she did, but how could her son, his son, befriend a Potter, one who was so, so much like James, and yet his eyes, so much like hers.
"Come on Draco, we have a lot of errands to do." Narcissa glanced at Harry and pulled Draco by the arm, quickly out of the shop. Draco waved good bye to the strange boy and followed, counting down the days til he would arrive at Hogwarts.
0o0o
Harry watched the pair leave the shop in a hurry, he didn't dwell on it for too long however, as Hagrid was now tapping on the glass of the shop with ice-cream in one hand and a large cage with a snowy owl sitting on the rail staring at him.
"Who was that boy?" Harry asked Hagrid, as they sat outside, the sun beating down on them as Harry enjoyed his ice-cream (peppermint choc-chip). "He seemed a little arrogant, told me that he didn't think I should be let in to Hogwarts..."
Hagrid looked taken back. "Yer've been on the waiting list since yer were born. What did he look like?"
"Tall, blond, with a sneer, his mother was with him, she had blond hair too and called him Draco."
Hagrid frowned. "Malfoy's – they don't know what they're talking about. Yer belong in Hogwarts – yer parents went there and Dumbledore wants yer there. There's no better place for a wizard."
"Then what did he meant when he said muggles shouldn't be permitted? What is a muggle?"
Hagrid smiled, "A Muggle is yer Aunt and Uncle – but yer are a wizard and so was yer mum an' dad. Yer got nothing to worry about, Harry. Now come on, we got lots ter do." Harry finished his ice-cream and watched the Snowy owl curiously. He disagreed, he was going to a school for witchcraft and wizardry – and he knew nothing about magic.
"Where to next?" Harry asked timidly.
"Ollivander's. Best for their wands." Hagrid gave Harry a wink and Harry jogged after him, intrigued.
0o0o
After Harry had ticked off everything he needed for his first school year at Hogwarts; money (though it was different to anything he'd ever seen); wizarding robes; his pet owl (he'd named Hedwig); a wand (which bore the same core as the wizard who gave him his scar – this gave him chills); and his train ticket Hagrid had left with him before running an errand for Albus Dumbledore – the headmaster of Hogwarts, he waited on the platform between 9 and 10 and stared in disbelief at the ticket.
Platform 9 and ¾.
There was no such thing.
He started to worry as the clock above his head clicked closer and closer to when Hagrid and told him the train would leave. How was he meant to get to school? It didn't help that people were staring to stare- and it wasn't because his name was Harry Potter and he'd survived a killing curse from the Darkest Wizard of all time – it was because he was standing in the middle of a crowded platform with a trunk full of school books and clothes, and an impatient owl.
Harry listening to the passerby's anxiously, trying to hear for any words which might point that there were other wizards nearby. His eyes caught sight of a Guard, who looked like he was coming over to escort him – the lunatic – out, when he saw a large family of red-heads, all with similar trolleys running past him. He followed cautiously, trying not to look at the guard, who was getting closer.
"Quickly, now, hurry, you haven't much time."
Harry got up his courage to ask the happy-natured lady how to get through the barrier, and she smiled down at him, pointing at her youngest son, a freckly boy with dirt on his nose, explaining it was his first year and the best way to go was to run straight at it and think Platform 9 and 3/4. Harry watched as two twins disappeared through the crowd, another taller boy with glasses and curly hair, bit them goodbye and soon he too was gone. A little girl, Harry had not noticed, during this stressful time, wished him good luck and he smiled, reassuring himself at the same time. He was next after her younger son, disappeared and he took a deep breath. The guard was closest still. He ran full pelt straight at the wall, closing his eyes, waiting for the crash... which didn't come. He opened his eyes wide and stared in disbelief at the red train on the tracks; several families hugging their children goodbye; the wizard-children of all ages; carried everything from multi-coloured cats, disobedient toads, to owls of every colour and size. Harry let the porters take his trunk and Hedwig and made his way a free carriage. Most of the seats were already taken, but Harry found one which wasn't. He liked it quiet. He sat down, staring out the window at the red-haired mother and little girl, who waved and laughed.
Harry had no idea what waited for him.
He was glad he would not be missed by the Dursleys. He certainly was happy to be on an adventure.
Although he had never imagined he had been right – he had powers, magic – that's why things had gone wrong around him, because he didn't know how to control them. Here, he would learn, or so Hagrid had told him, he would.
The sliding door open and Harry looked up in surprise.
The red-haired boy with dirt on his nose, held a rat in his hand and sighed, "Sorry, do you mind? There's nowhere else."
"Not at all. What's your name?"
"Ron. Ron Weasley."
"I'm Harry. Harry Potter." Ron's eyes grew wide and it was a moment before he could talk, he first pointed at Harry's forehead and Harry sighed, raising his fringe so he could view his scar. After this, it wasn't long before Harry had befriended the boy. He was from a magical family and Harry was so interested in what life as a wizard was like that he had so many questions to ask and Ron, and Ron had so many questions to ask him, because he knew nothing about muggles.
The train rumbled several hours and Ron and Harry felt like they had been friends forever. They were currently enjoying the treats of the food trolley and talking about a sport called Quidditch when a girl entered.
"Have you seen a toad?" She asked. Harry saw she had changed already in her robes. Ron had a rather large mouthful of chocolate frogs in his mouth that he couldn't answer. Harry said no. "Well, a boy has lost one. You should probably change into your robes now, the train will be arriving soon."
Ron raised his eyebrows at Harry.
"You know you have dirt on your nose?" Ron frowned, swallowing his mouthful and rubbing his nose. "And your glasses are broken? I can fix them if you like." Harry hardly nodded, and before anything else could happen the girl, they soon found out name was Hermione, cast a spell to remove the sello-tape so his broken glasses were like brand new, before she had closed the door and was gone. Harry changed into his robes, he didn't want to miss out on anything.