Hey everyone I'm sorry for the long wait. My schedule is messed up, as I work overnight shifts at Walmart, and I'm not always in the mood to write. I shall try to get another Truth of the Troll chapter out tomorrow and Flash on Saturday. I hope everyone enjoys the chapter! Anything written like this is quoted from JK Rowling and all rights go to her and Warner Brothers. I'm going to leave a question and I am curious of your answers.

If Disney buys Warner Brothers one day, and they reboot Harry Potter, would you watch it? Would you like them to make two parts to every film? What actors would you want to play the adults and teachers, as the students most likely aren't famous yet.

I would totally watch it, curious how it's the same yet different. I would like for The Goblet of Fire to Deathly Hallows to be two parts each, as the first three were pretty decent with what they kept. Maybe make the movies a little longer, but overall they did a pretty good job.

"Alright." James practically growled. "Let's get this straight. Sirius was not our secret keeper. He never was."

Remus sat up straighter. He was never told that. James always said how he trusted Sirius and would put his life in his hands if he had to. Remus felt I betrayed when Sirius supposedly exposed them to You-Know-Who. He never even questioned that it may not have been Sirius. James left so many hints that Sirius was the secret keeper. And yet, now that he thinks about it, James never explicitly said he was secret keeper.

Remus saw Harry watching with confusion. He must not have been told about his godfather or his supposed betrayal. Taking it upon himself, he heads over to Harry and starts explaining everything to him.

"Peter Pettigrew was our secret keeper." Lily continued. "Sirius insisted we used him as bait and let the real secret keepers identity remain a secret, so Voldemort couldn't find us. Peter betrayed us. He must be a death eater. He must be found."

"Peter Pettigrew is dead!" Dumbledore shouted. He must not allow this investigation to continue. He needs Sirius in Azkaban so Harry will remain loyal to him. "And Black is guilty. Perhaps dying has made your mind go fuzzy."

"I remember Sirius." Amelia Bones comments. "He was loyal to a fault. If he wasn't so dang reckless I'm sure he'd have made an excellent Hufflepuff. Pettigrew on the other hand was so sneaky I'm shocked he wasn't a Slytherin."

Snape shuttered. Having Pettigrew in Slytherin would not have been a good day for anyone. Then again, Potter, Black, and Lupin were prejudiced against Slytherins, so they'd never have bonded. Lily may still be alive if the Hat did its job and put Pettigrew in Slytherin.

Unknown to anyone except Whitetail and Serpico, who were watching him, Scabbers the rat was shivering. He could not let James, Remus, or Lily see him. They'd recognize his animagus form immediately.

"I think old age has gotten to you, Professor." James sneered at Dumbledore. "You cast the spell. You made Peter our secret keeper and you know it."

Everyone in the hall looked shocked. Suddenly, all the candles in the hall went out. The glass window that was behind the Head table shattered. The entire castle shook. Everyone looked around to find the source, only to see a pair of Avada Kedavra eyes glaring at the headmaster, glowing with power seen only to a few.

Whitetail smirked as he and Serpico watched his younger self unleash his powers. Whitetail was happy. He never fully unleashed his powers like this until he found out Ron was getting paid by Dumbledore to be his friend, even after Dumbledore died originally. How Ron fed Hermione love potions. He nearly killed Ron, though luckily at this point he and Daphne had met and she helped calm him down.

Knowing that the hall was in good hands after watching young Daphne get up and embrace Harry in front of everyone, he and Serpico left, going on another mission.

Harry was pissed. Remus told him this Sirius is his godfather and was meant to be his guardian. That it was written in his parents wills. Dumbledore knew the man was innocent and did nothing. He felt his magic build up inside him until it exploded, unleashing a shockwave of power.

Daphne knew she had to act. Another shockwave and the entire hall could be destroyed. She said screw it to her image of a Slytherin, and nearly tackled Harry to the ground in a hug. She could feel eyes all on her, before a laugh broke the silence.

Hermione laughed so hard she nearly spit out the pumpkin juice she was drinking. Ron's face as he watched Harry and Daphne embrace was the funniest face she had ever seen. She was happy for the pair though. So far Daphne's plan they discussed was working.

She recalled what Daphne said about watching Ron. She could tell he was hiding something. Something important, and Hermione felt betrayed by it, even though she didn't know what it was yet. It just felt like a betrayal to her and Harry.

Harry's eyes stopped glowing as he relaxed into Daphne's hug. They had just met earlier that day and yet they feel closer than most people do in a years time. Nobody noticed there was a faint golden glow around the both of them as they hugged.

Harry still glared at Dumbledore as he sat. Everyone in the hall decided to just go back to reading. They all needed time to think. Everyone on Sirius's side (everyone but Malfoy's squad, Dumbledore and by extension, Ron) were praying that some evidence can't up that could exonerate Sirius. After all, the word of two dead people could not be explained in court.

Lily took the honors of casting the spell on the books, and everyone took a deep breath, awaiting what would happen this chapter.

Harry's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun.

"Was it ever?" Katie Bell questioned.

"Not really." Harry shrugged. "But this time they were ignoring me, which is even worse than usual."

True, Dudley was now so scared of Harry he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Harry in his cupboard, force him to do anything, or shout at him -- in fact, they didn't speak to him at all. Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair with Harry in it were empty. Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did become a bit depressing after a while.

"See what I mean?" Harry asks rhetorically. He absolutely hated that last month, and he was really glad he'd never have to go back to the Dursley's.

Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to call her Hedwig, a name he had found in A History of Magic.

"You read your books!?" James asked in fake horror. Lily playfully punched him, laughing. Both Hermione and Daphne smiled proudly at Harry, both knowing that Harry had to be holding back in class.

His school books were very interesting. He lay on his bed reading late into the night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. It was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice.

"Tuney hated it when my friends owls did the same." Lily rolls her eyes. "They are owls, they still need to eat."

Every night before he went to sleep, Harry ticked off another day on the piece of paper he had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.

"We did the same." Nearly ever student smiled. Going to Hogwarts for the first time was one of the best days of their lives.

On the last day of August he thought he'd better speak to his aunt and uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day, so he went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television.

"Why wait so long?" Mcgonagall questioned Harry.

"I didn't want them to have a chance to go back and change their mind." Harry smirked. No more Dursley's after the beginning of this chapter. This will be the last he hears of them.

He cleared his throat to let them know he was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room.

"Coward." Tracey frowns.

"Oh Tracey don't worry." Luna called over to her. "I'm sure he was running from the Nargles. They are quite horrifying to look at."

"Would he be able to see them?" Harry asks her. He had no idea what a nargle was but if they are magical he was pretty sure Dudley couldn't see them.

"Oh true." Luna frowned. "I didn't think of that."

"Er -- Uncle Vernon?"

Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.

"Er -- I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to -- to go to Hogwarts."

Uncle Vernon grunted again.

"Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"

Grunt. Harry supposed that meant yes.

"I didn't know you spoke troll, Harry." Hermione laughed.

"Thank you."

He was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.

"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"

"Nah, they are illegal." Fred and George grinned as one. "Thankfully Dad found out we found one and we never got in trouble with the ministry."

Harry didn't say anything. "Where is this school, anyway?"

"Somewhere in Scotland." Hermione said. "Though Hogwarts: A History did mention that the location is unplottable."

At Harry's confused look, Neville explained.

"Unplottable places can't be found. It won't show up on any maps, and you could never point to where it is. The only people who can know where it is the headmaster and the four founders."

"I don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first time. He pulled the ticket Hagrid had given him out of his pocket.

"I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," he read.

His aunt and uncle stared.

"Platform what?"

"Nine and three-quarters."

"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."

"Petunia knows." Lily growls. "She was there with me first year." Harry frowned as well. His relatives must hate him even more than he thought, or something sinister was at play.

"It's on my ticket."

"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother."

"Why are you going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things friendly.

"Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings."

"I'd love to have seen that." Harry smirks.

"Maybe we can go back in time to see it?" Dean Thomas questioned. "I read about Time Turners, plus we have seen Whitetail and Serpico time travel."

"Not like that, Mr. Thomas." Professor Sprout told him. "Time turners can go a maximum of 24 hours back, and I'm guessing our guests used a dangerous ritual to get here."

Harry woke at five o'clock the next morning and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. He got up and pulled on his jeans because he didn't want to walk into the station in his wizard's robes -- he'd change on the train.

"That is smart." Snape mentions, warming up slightly having learned of Harry's home life.

"Sniv-Snape." James starts, unsure of himself. "I want to apologize."

"Oh?" Snape turned to his rival. "About what?"

"For being an ass to you. Since first year, I have done nothing but bully and hurt you. I wish I could make an excuse for it, but I can't. No good one anyway. I could say I was jealous of your friendship with Lily. I could say I was young and immature. But those reasons don't matter. I hope you will forgive me, in time."

Lily and Remus watched him, smiling proudly. Snape was floored. Never did he think James Potter would apologize to him. He had grown up. Now could Snape grow up past the rivalry as well? He could at least try.

"I accept your apology Potter." Snape told him, getting up to shake his hand. "I will warn you though that my hate for you bled onto your son, and it will show in these books."

"I understand." James tells him, looking at Harry who smiles at him, silently telling James to forgive Snape for that. "You forgave me, so I'll forgive you."

He checked his Hogwarts list yet again to make sure he had everything he needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her cage, and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up. Two hours later, Harry's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Harry, and they had set off.

They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for him. Harry thought this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms with a nasty grin on his face.

"Oh great." Ernie Macmillan groaned. "What now?"

"Well, there you are, boy. Platform nine -- platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"

"It's magic you idiot." Ginny growled.

He was quite right, of course. There was a big plastic number nine over one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all.

"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He left without another word. Harry turned and saw the Dursleys drive away. All three of them were laughing.

"Assholes!" Remus roars in anger. "He's 11! You just left a child in the middle of Kings Cross alone!"

Harry's mouth went rather dry. What on earth was he going to do? He was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig. He'd have to ask someone.

"Be careful." Hermione whispers.

He stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters.

"Very wise." Lily smiles at her son.

The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Harry couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Harry was being stupid on purpose. Getting desperate, Harry asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but the guard said there wasn't one. In the end the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters. Harry was now trying hard not to panic. According to the large clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do it; he was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk he could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large owl.

Daphne hugs Harry, holding him tightly.

"I promise you, you'll never have to worry about that ever again." Daphne whispers to him.

Hagrid must have forgotten to tell him something you had to do, like tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. He wondered if he should get out his wand and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.

"Your wand would probably go right through it." Professor Flitwick told him.

At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying.

"-- packed with Muggles, of course --"

"Who could that be?" Mcgonagall questions. "Whoever that is needs to be careful, the statue of secrecy could easily be broken."

Harry swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of him -- and they had an owl.

Mcgonagall glances at Molly, who blushed in embarrassment. Dumbledore has a small smile on his face, he was glad Molly lived up to her end of the arrangement. And hopefully she stil does when he finally manages to obliviate everyone.

Heart hammering, Harry pushed his cart after them. They stopped and so did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying.

"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.

"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go... "

"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."

Everyone who had not caught on to who they were now did. They stared at the Weasley's, until the most unlikely boy commented.

"Why did you take the muggle entrance?" Malfoy rolled his eyes. "I know you guys are blood-traitors however even you should know to either side-along apparate or floo to the platform."

Harry blinked. He never thought about that. Not to mention how did Mrs. Weasley forget the platform number? Ron was the sixth in his family to go to Hogwarts, not to mention to the 14 times Mrs. Weasley herself went to the school. Something wasn't right.

He told his suspicions to Hermione, Tracey, and Daphne. They all frowned at the Weasley matriarch. Unknown to them, four redheads were also frowning. Arthur, Ginny, Fred, and George. The kids were caught up in the moment and Arthur wasn't there, but they know she never forgot the platform number.

What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it -- but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.

"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went.

"Genius!" James laughed loudly. "Dang I wish I had a twin in school now."

His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone -- but how had he done it?

"Magic." Luna smiled in a matter of fact tone.

Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there -- and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.

There was nothing else for it.

"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.

"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."

She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.

Ron groaned. Why did he have to listen to Dumbledore and agree to befriend and spy on Potter?

"Yes," said Harry. "The thing is -- the thing is, I don't know how to --"

"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry nodded.

"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."

"Er -- okay," said Harry.

"It does seem weird doesn't it?" Hermione laughed. "I was highly nervous and confused as well."

He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid.

He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that barrier and then he'd be in trouble -- leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run -- the barrier was coming nearer and nearer -- he wouldn't be able to stop -- the cart was out of control -- he was a foot away -- he closed his eyes ready for the crash --

It didn't come... he kept on running... he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven O'clock. Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, He had done it.

"Yay!" Everyone smiled. No more Dursley's! Surely nothing bad could really happen at Hogwarts right? After all, it's not like the troll ever hurt anyone, and the rumors about a three-headed dog were fake... right?

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."

"Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh.

Neville sighed as he felt Trevor move in his pocket. He loved the toad but he was really annoying with him escaping so often.

A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.

"Give us a look, Lee, go on."

The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.

Ron shivered. Why spiders?

Harry pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train. He put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot.

"Ouch." Cho Chang flinches.

"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier.

"Yes, please," Harry panted.

"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"

With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.

"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.

"We're sorry Harry." The twins chanted, in which Harry just waved them off. He is used to it now.

"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you?"

"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.

"What?" said Harry.

"Harry Potter." chorused the twins.

"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."

"Oh, him?" Lavender Brown questions, snorting a little.

The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. Then, to his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, Mom."

With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.

"Hop?" George smirks.

"I don't think we hopped." Free continued.

"But we can!" They said in unison, before they both started jumping around.

Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.

"Ron, you've got something on your nose."

The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.

"Mom -- geroff" He wriggled free.

Everyone who met Mrs. Weasley shuttered as they knew how overbearing she could be.

"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.

"Shut up," said Ron.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

"He's coming now."

The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it.

Percy smirked as he puffed out his chest. He was proud of earning the badge. If only his brothers understood how much it meant to him.

"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves --"

"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once --"

"Or twice --"

"A minute --"

"All summer --"

"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.

Luna couldn't help herself. She laughed. Hard. Collapsing on the ground, she could not stop. Eventually she could calm down, but it took a few minute along with hundreds of people staring at her.

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.

"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term -- send me an owl when you get there."

She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.

"Now, you two -- this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've -- you've blown up a toilet or --"

"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."

"Great idea though, thanks, Mom."

"Oh so that's why they did it." Dumbledore comments, before seeing the glares sent his way and shutting up.

"It's not funny. And look after Ron."

"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."

"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.

Amelia Bones shuttered. Her mom was just the same way. Luckily she was able to keep her off of Susan, as she hated being obsessed over like that.

"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?" Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking.

"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who he is?"

"Who?"

"Harry Potter!"

Harry heard the little girl's voice.

"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, oh please..."

Ginny flushed in embarrassment, looking down to avoid eye contact.

"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there - like lightning."

"Poor dear - no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get onto the platform."

"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

Their mother suddenly became very stern.

"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley." Harry tells her politely.

"All right, keep your hair on." A whistle sounded.

"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."

"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."

"George!"

"Only joking, Mom."

"Only kind of." Harry laughed at them. "You did try to send me one after all."

The train began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved.

Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind.

The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. "Everywhere else is full."

Hermione and Daphne frowned. The train could magically expand to fit more people. Why would Ron lie? That seemed like an excuse to sit with Harry, but why?

Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw he still had a black mark on his nose.

"Hey, Ron."

The twins were back.

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train -- Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

A shiver came up all the arachnophobes spines.

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then.

"Bye," said Harry and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out. Harry nodded.

"You really lacy tact, don't you Ronald." Tracey comments, to recieve a glare in response.

"Oh -well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got -- you know..."

He pointed at Harry's forehead.

Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared. "So that's where You-Know-Who..."

"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."

"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.

"Well -- I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."

"Be thankful for that." Lily told him. "It was terrifying. I just wish you never had to remember anything, I wish we could be there for you."

"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.

"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who found Ron just as interesting as Ron found him.

"Er -- Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"Why?" Hermione questioned Mrs. Weasley, only to be met with silence.

"So you must know loads of magic already."

The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.

"Definitely not." Malfoy rolled his eyes. "At least your friends with Greengrass, her family is a true pureblood family, like us."

Daphne's blue eyes grew stormy, as she clenched her fists.

"I am nothing like you Malfoy." She spits. "You are a stuck up son of a death eater. My family is a good, decent family who doesn't bow to anyone."

"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"

"Horrible -well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."

"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left -- Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."

The 5 weasleys who cares looked at Ron with sadness. They never knew he felt this way. Molly and Arthur went up and hugged their son. Telling him that they loved him no matter what.

Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.

"Fat...Gray... rat?" James whispered, his brown eyes widening. "Ron, can we see your rat?"

Remus and Liky caught on, both standing up suddenly.

"Er... sure." Ron told them, pulling Scabbers from his pocket, in which the rat was shaking nervously. "Why?"

Ignoring the question, James pulled out his wand (supplied by Death) and points it at Scabbers. The rat freaks out and bites Ron, who drops him. Scurrying away, the rat tries to go through the great hall doors only to be met with a magical barrier.

Remus fires an Animagus revealing charm at the rat, who turns into a balding, short fat man. The adults, except Dumbledore, stood up with their wands raised. They all recognized him.

Peter Pettigrew, AKA Wormtail, fires a stunner off without aiming, and it flickers out as it hits the wall. Before any of the adults can say anything, three more wands were pointed at him, all casting their own spell.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

"Wingadium Leviosa!"

"Lumos Maxima!"

The three spells worked together in the best way possible. The light charm cast by Daphne Greengrass blinded Wormtail. Hermione's full body bind jinx froze him, and Harry's floating charm lifted him up.

The adults looked at them in shock. Three first year spells took down a suspected death eater. They smiled grimly before ripping up Pettigrew's left sleeve, revealing the Dark Mark.

Suddenly, Whitetail appeared and slammed his wand into the ground. The Elder Wand sent pulses into the ground, in which touched every person in the room. Immediately they all felt more calm, the bursts of rage that were about to explode relaxed. Whitetail disappeared once again after that.

The adults decided to keep him suspended like he was until after the chapter, where they could interrogate him with Veritaserum. Settling down, they continued the chapter.

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff -- I mean, I got Scabbers instead."

Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.

Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a month ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer Ron up.

That is so rude. The thought went through many heads at the same time.

"... and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about be ing a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort"

Ron gasped. "What?" said Harry.

"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people --"

"Fear of the name increases fear of the thing itself." Harry smiled.

"V-V-V-Voldemort!" 3rd year Ravenclaw Penelope Garcia said, smiling as she did it. Her boyfriend, 3rd year Gryffindor Derek Morgan grinned at her. Their friend, Also a 3rd year Ravenclaw, Spencer Reid started spewing off random facts about how Harry's statement is true.

"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, I just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to learn... I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."

"Definitely not." Hermione smiles at him.

"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.

Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

A stomach growled, 3 guesses who's it was.

Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor.

He had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry -- but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.

Ron has to look down at the table, his face turning red in jealousy. Why did he have to flaunt his money around like that.

Ron stared as Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.

"Hungry, are you?"

"Starving," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.

Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."

Molly frowns as she quickly writes that down on a piece of parchment, so she doesn't forget.

"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on --"

"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."

"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, who had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).

Lily smiled, she was glad Harry finally had a friend. James on the other hand, was more suspicious. He recognized the jealous look on Ron's face. Ron didn't like Harry. At all. So why was he pretending?

"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?" He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him.

"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."

"I have 6 of her." Remus grinned.

"Why do you eat so much chocolate my friend?" James asks rhetorically. "I swear you are addicted."

"What?"

"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know -- Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect -- famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."

Remus just smirked. He was proud of his collection.

Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half- moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.

"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.

"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa -- thanks."

Harry turned over his card and read:

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS

Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.

The trio all groaned silently. The answer they were searching for since the first quidditch match was right there in front of them the entire time.

Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.

"He's gone!"

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her... do you want it? You can start collecting."

Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.

"Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."

"Weird!" All the magic raised people in the room said, their eyes widening.

"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "weird!"

Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes away from the druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

Gags were heard from random students across the hall. Somebody could clearly be heard beltching in the corner of the hall. Clearly the treat was no where near as popular as muggle Jelly beans.

"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor -- you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and mar- malade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger- flavored one once."

Shivers from those who have had that and one.

Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.

"Bleaaargh -- see? Sprouts."

They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper.

"Bloody Gryffindor." Daphne sighs.

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.

There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and threequarters came in. He looked tearful.

"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

"Maybe you should find a cage with some anti escape charms on it." Professor McGonagall comments.

When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll turn up," said Harry.

"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him..." He left.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."

Neville glared at Ron. Trevor was an amazing toad.

The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.

"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look..."

He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.

"That's not good." Professor Snape tells him. "I didn't notice before. You need to get a new wand. That wand won't work for you as well as a new one. After all the wand chooses the wizard. That wand chose your brother, not you."

Ron rolls his eyes but Neville looked deep in thought. That's why his father's wand doesn't work for him. He'll need to ask his gran for a new wand.

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

Harry's smile widened as he knew this is where Hermione came in.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

Hermione frowned, but Harry quickly grabbed her hand.

"You are very pretty Hermione. Just the way you are." She blushed as Daphne watched smiling. Daphne wasn't the type to get jealous, and she could tell they were like siblings.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.

"Er -- all right."

He cleared his throat.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

George burst out laughing.

"You actually believed that was real!?" He laughed hard as Fred joined him.

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard -- I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough -- I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you.

"Don't you breathe?" Hannah Abbot questions, her eyes wide.

She said all this very fast.

Harry looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.

"Neither did I." Lily laughed. "I just kept all my books on me so I didn't have to."

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered. "Harry Potter," said Harry.

"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course -- I got a few extra books. for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.

"I can see how you guys didn't like me at first." Hermione comments. "I was rather annoying and bossy."

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell -- George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."

"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry.

"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

"There is nothing wrong with Slytherin!" Tracey frowns. "Just a lot wrong with some of the people in it."

"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"

"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.

"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. "So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"

"Dragons and Goblins." Fred smirked.

Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron. "Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles -- someone tried to rob a high security vault."

"I remember that!" Amelia Bones comments. "I wonder if we will find out what happened."

Harry stared.

"Really? What happened to them?"

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."

Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You- Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.

Dumbledore smiled. Harry may have to die for Voldemort to, but he was still proud that someone agreed with how he feels about Tom's name.

"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.

"Er -- I don't know any," Harry confessed.

"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world --" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.

Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

"Oh great." Seamus sighed. "And do the rivalry truly begins."

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

"The name is Bond. James Bond." Lily smiled as all the muggle raised laughed.

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigget. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said coolly.

"Go Harry!" James grinned.

Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

Snape could barely hold back his rage.

"50 points from Slytherin!" Snape shouted in anger. How dare he insult Lily and...and James too.

"The school year is up Professor." Draco smirks.

"Then let Slytherin start next year at -50 points." Snape responded.

Both Harry and Ron stood up.

"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Unless you get out now," said Harry, more bravely than he felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than him or Ron.

Daphne kept hitting her head on the table muttering about Gryffindor bravery and stupid boys.

"But we don't feet like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."

Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron - Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.

Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle - Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once.

"Only brace thing that rat has ever done." Remus hisses.

Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.

"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.

"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No -- I don't believe it -- he's gone back to sleep-"

"Lazy bastard." James curses.

And so he had.

"You've met Malfoy before?"

Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.

"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"

"Ever since Lucius's grandfather joined Grindelwald, the Malfoy Family has been the darkest family, next to the Blacks." James explained. "Sirius and his cousin Andromda are the only two light Black's in recent history."

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right -- I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

Hermione was now repeating Daphne's earlier actions. How had the boys ever grown to like her with his bossy she was?

Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

He and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them.

Frowns from the other Weasley's occurred.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in

the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"

Harry grinned as he remembered this moment. The overwhelming beauty of the castle had such a lasting impact on him.

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me -- any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

Everyone grinned, even stuck ups like a Malfoy and Ron. That first view was memorable and magical to everyone.

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then -- FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

Everyone was flashing back to their ride on the boats in first year, grins on everyone's faces.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" Neville shouted bun excitement, forgetting that he was currently holding his toad.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, Oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

Everyone turned to the suspended Wormtail. Time to get some answers.

Hey everyone I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next up the sorting and everyone gets answers from Wormtail! Will Sirius be freed? Will everyone accept him? Find out next time!