Disclaimer: It's not mine no matter how much I wish. 'Course this disclaimer probably isn't either.

Thanks to all of you beloved people who write reviews! Especially those of you that reviewed and are still reading this story.

I've a quest for those of you following this story still. I want to hear all of your theories on why Severus Snape had a cameo appearance in the picture in the photo album. The reader closest to the truth can develop the character of the first original character that comes along afterwards. Possibly a future defence teacher in second year. Lockhart irritates me too much. Just to remind you, I refuse to accept anything in the Half-Blood Prince.

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Enjoy!

Making Friends

"I'm Harry," Harry said quietly, giving Ron a small smile. "Harry Potter."

The boy's eyes widened in surprise as he asked, "The Harry Potter?" Harry sighed and nodded to the boy as he reflected on the conversation he had had with the headmaster last night. He had warned Harry about the assorted reactions he would receive from different people on the train riding and at the sorting.

"Do you really have the… you know… the scar," asked the boy again in almost a whisper. Harry smiled indulgently at Ron as he lifted his hair a bit to show the scar. "Wicked," he said breathlessly. "Do you remember anything?"

Harry shook his head as he replied, "Just flashes of green light. I think I was too little to remember much."

"Wow," said Ron as he stared at Harry's scar. Harry shifted uncomfortably before letting his hair drop, breaking Ron out of his daze. "So… Mum would probably have my head for asking, but… are the rumours true?"

"What rumours are those?" asked Harry uncertainly. Unfortunately he knew all too well what rumours Ron was referring too. That was something else that the headmaster had mentioned to him last night. Even though Headmaster Dumbledore had tried to submit Harry's guardianship paperwork quietly and through secure hands it had already been in the morning issue of the Daily Prophet the very day after the paperwork had been approved.

"That our own headmaster is adopting you. They had all sorts of different guesses on why he would do it, but mum told us not to believe the Prophet unless the people involved told us the stories." Harry shrugged his shoulders.

"I've only known about the Daily Prophet for the past couple weeks so I wouldn't know. But I have been staying with the headmaster for a little while now. He wanted to keep it quiet for as long as possible. He didn't want anyone to think that I would get special treatment or anything," said Harry quietly. That had been the plan at least until this morning with his newly appointed guardian had seen the front page of the daily prophet. The man had just pointed out to Harry that together without any effort on their part they had warranted the front page, but Harry could tell that despite the jolly tone of voice the man was disappointed that they hadn't been able to keep it a secret for any longer than that.

"I can understand that," said Ron quietly, although it was obvious that he didn't understand. Harry sighed, there would always be people that only thought of the fame that came with his name. Harry turned back to the book that he had sat on the seat beside him while he had been talking. It wasn't that he didn't want to make friends. He just didn't feel ready to make that leap of faith yet. He halfway hoped that the boy would take the hint and leave him alone for a bit. It wasn't long before the boy was playing a game of Exploding Snap by himself.

He had just reached the entry on gillyweed in his encyclopaedia when he was interrupted again, this time by an adult witch pushing a trolley filled with snacks. Ron immediately told her that he had brought his lunch. Harry frowned as he saw the wistful look on his face as he looked at the items on the trolley.

After one look at the prices of the snacks on the trolley he told the witch, "Three of everything please, except for the chocolate frogs. I already have some of those with me. I want to try everything." Harry grinned up at the woman who smiled indulgently at him. She was most likely used to muggleborns always wanting to try everything. He handed over his golden galleon not even caring that he only had a couple Knuts back as change.

"Want to help me eat these, Ron," asked Harry, hoping that the boy wouldn't take it as charity. He could tell that the other boy really didn't want to eat those sandwiches. "I want to try everything but I don't really want to eat all of them." In all honesty Harry didn't want to eat any of it. He had had a fairly large breakfast that very morning and was in no mood to binge on candies and chocolates when he had spent so many years of his life without any at all.

To his relief Ron leaned forward and immediately began to point out the good points to each of the candies and which ones to avoid. He never even noticed that while he was helping Harry to eat them he was actually eating more of the candies than not, leaving the sandwiches forgotten on the seat. They had just finished the first of all of the boxes of candies when the door to the compartment came open again.

Harry looked up in surprise at the girl who had just entered the compartment. She had brown frizzy hair and large brown eyes. Harry smiled at her as she looked around the room.

"Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one," she said matter-of-factly.

Harry shook his head at her in response before quietly asking, "Have you tried looking in the bathrooms? The toad might be in there. I think they usually like wet areas." The girl smacked herself in the head.

"I knew that," she said shaking her head. She turned quickly calling a thanks over her shoulder as she made her way back out of the compartment. Harry rolled his eyes before getting out of his seat to shut the door behind her. He quickly settled himself back into his seat and reached out for a blood pop. Ron winced and explained about blood pops. Harry just shrugged and unwrapped one for himself. He was determined to try anything at least once.

Eventually they ran out of candy and he could tell from the jiggling about that Ron was doing that it was just a matter of time before the boy took off down the train to tell everyone who he was sitting with. The headmaster… His grandfather had suggested the Weasley family as a family to look for and possibly make friends with. He wasn't so sure though. It seemed as if the red-headed boy was more interested in being known as Harry Potter's friend than actually being his friend. Harry just sighed and nodded as the inevitable came and Ron excused himself. It apparently took Ron nearly half an hour to get back from the bathroom and by then Harry was already deeply involved in the potions book. The train had almost arrived at Hogsmeade when the fruits of Ron's labour were finally revealed.

Again the door to the car was shoved open. This time instead of the frizzy haired brunette there stood a white blonde haired boy that was almost as slender as himself. Harry just smiled and greeted the boy.

"Well, hello. Are you looking for a toad too?" he asked sociably. The boy just blinked in surprise.

"Um… No, actually." He cleared his throat and began again. "I heard that Harry Potter was on the train.

"I suppose I am," Harry responded, watching the new boy curiously. His new guardian had told him about the white haired family, the Malfoy family. While he did not specifically say to make friends or not, Harry had gotten the impression that this was an influential family that tended to follow their own rules. People to watch out for, but not necessarily avoid.

"I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," he said, in his own way of introducing himself. Ron snorted a bit at the pompous attitude. Harry rolled his eyes and quickly replied before the new boy got mad at Ron.

"Your father is on the Board of Governors, is he not?" After Draco nodded Harry continued. "It must be hard growing up in the shadow of a father like that." Draco just blinked in surprise and nodded again.

"I never really thought about it that way, but I suppose it is," he said quietly, finally entering the room and shutting the door behind him. The look on his face clearly showed that Harry was not what he expected.

"This is Ron Weasley, by the way," Harry said, quickly introducing his other friend who was sitting stunned at the turn of events. "He was telling me earlier how he has five older brothers and he feels the same way about them. Each of them is known for something and he's not sure where he'll fit in it all." Both Draco and Ron seemed a bit stunned that Harry had managed to find something that they had in common. And so, for the first time in several generations, a Weasley and a Malfoy considered actually getting along instead of fighting. Each, of course, deciding that it was merely for Harry's sake.

"Do you know what house you'll be in?" asked Draco, honestly curious. Harry just shrugged, but Ron answered immediately.

"I reckon I'll be in Gryffindor. My whole family has been in that house for as long as we know. I can't see myself as anything else." Draco just nodded sympathetically.

"I'll probably be in Slytherin for the same reason. What about you, Harry? I heard your parents were both in Gryffindor. Where do you think you'll go?" Harry considered the question for a bit but eventually just shrugged.

"I don't know honestly. I don't really want to be in any house over the others. Each has its good and bad points. Personally I think the houses are just a way to encourage rivalry." Both Ron and Draco nodded at that.

"Bill and Charlie both were telling me that the house rivalry, especially between Slytherin and Gryffindor, are particularly legendary," said Ron. Harry just sighed.

"Well, if we can't get into our houses on our own and must go where our families are from perhaps we could make a pact to not let rivalries get in the way of our friendship?" Draco and Ron glanced at each other, sizing each other. After a moment they both turned back to Harry and nodded.