"All of us have bad luck and good luck. The man who persists through the back luck – who keeps right on going – is the man who is there when the good luck comes – and is ready to receive it."

-Robert Collier

11

Come and Gone

"Harry! Wake up!" called a voice he recognized as Ron's.

"Go away," he mumbled. Harry didn't open his eyes. He just turned over in his bed and pulled the covers closer to him. As he tried to get back to sleep, he heard Ron moving around the room, occasionally knocking things over. And then he heard Ron slam shut a trunk. A trunk!

Harry threw off his blanket and grabbed his glasses. "Why didn't you wake me up?" he asked, somehow completely alert. He started grabbing his stuff that was randomly around the room, remembering that it was September 1st and that in a few hours they had to be on the train to Hogwarts.

"I did! You just didn't want to get out of bed," Ron said. "Pass me the shoebox with Scabbers inside." Harry handed it to him and then placed his school books in his trunk.

They should have listened to Mrs. Weasley last night when she said they should pack their trunks the day before. But, stupidly, they thought they would be fine and decided to do it early in the morning. Harry was surprised Ron had actually awoken to get ready.

Harry was still packing the last couple of things, and was still in his pajamas when someone knocked on the door. Instead of waiting for an answer, the door just opened. It was Hermione, who was already dressed in a simple, gray cloak. She looked awake and ready for the day, her hair in a loose, frizzy bun. She even wore a small smile on her face.

"Hermione, when did you wake up?" Ron asked before yawning.

"Six o'clock," said Hermione as she walked into the room. She handed some books to Harry, which he stowed in his trunk.

"But that would mean you've been up for two hours. Were you packing, like us?" Ron asked.

"No, I packed yesterday before I went to sleep," Hermione said. "I was reading a book."

Ron looked at her disbelievingly, because she had been up willingly at such an early hour to do something like read. "Hermione, can you help me bring this downstairs?" Ron asked. She nodded and the two of them hauled the thing downstairs, leaving Harry alone in the room.

Harry finished packing and got dressed. He brought his trunk outside the room into the little hall, ready to take it downstairs by himself. But he heard Fred and George downstairs and called to them, and they helped Harry bring his filled trunk downstairs. The twins had brought theirs down earlier in the morning.

They all ate a quick, wonderful breakfast cooked by Mrs. Weasley, and then set out for the London train station.

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"Hurry, hurry!" Mr. Weasley called.

They were running toward the wall that enabled them to go onto Platform 9 ¾. Just before Fred and George reached the wall, Harry saw another student with blond hair go through. Immediately after, went Percy, who looked upset as the prospect that he might miss the train. Mrs. Weasley went in after with Ginny.

"I'll go first to help your sister," Mr. Weasley said to Ron. "Follow right afterwards." Harry quickly checked his watch, which told him they only had ten minutes to board the Hogwarts Express.

Mr. Weasley went through quickly. Hermione looked around at the Muggles that weren't noticing a single thing and then followed. Ron looked at him questioningly, wondering whether he wanted to go first. "You go," Harry responded.

Ron raced through the wall, holding on tightly to his trunk with Scabbers secured in his pocket. Less than ten seconds passed before Harry, too, was speeding towards the wall.

It didn't really occur to him that he couldn't get through to the platform, until he was flat on his back after crashing his trunk into the wall. Harry got up instantly and tried again, only to have the same thing happen. He pressed his hands against the wall, as he got odd looks from people, wondering what was wrong. All the Weasley's had just gone through.

"No! I've got to get through," he said to himself, almost angrily. He turned and picked up his now sideways trunk. He was going to try getting through again, but…

The clock loudly chimed eleven am, and Harry knew he had missed the train. He stood there in front of the wall, staring at the massive clock that was hanging on another wall. He couldn't believe he had actually missed the train to Hogwarts. How would he get there now? He couldn't walk. For one, he didn't know the way, and if it took all day to get there by train, it would probably take him weeks by foot. He just stared at the dark red bricks that made up the wall, hoping it would somehow open for him.

"Missed the train?" asked a graceful, familiar voice from somewhere behind him.

Harry turned around and saw Lucius Malfoy standing there, holding his usual black cane. His long, blond hair stayed in the same position even with a few breezes passing by. His dark green cloak rustled slightly.

"Mr. Malfoy," Harry said happy to see someone familiar. "Yes, but I'm not sure how to get to Hogwarts."

"Well, first your Head of House must be informed of your not being on the Hogwarts Express. I'll take you to Malfoy Manor. From there we can travel by Floo Powder to the castle," said Mr. Malfoy. Harry grabbed the handles of the trunk and pulled it as he followed the man.

Mr. Malfoy took him to a darker corner of the train station. Here he took out an old, blackened key and held it in his right hand. With his left, he took hold of Harry's shoulder, somewhat tightly.

"Malfoy Manor," Mr. Malfoy said clearly as if talking to the old key itself. Harry presumed the key was a Portkey because the same feeling of being taken from one place to another was pushed upon him, and in mere seconds he was standing outside the front door.

Their arrival must have somehow set off the chime, which rang throughout the house, to alert Dobby. As Harry took a step towards the house, the black front door opened gracefully. Mr. Malfoy walked into the manor with an air of dominance, his chin raised slightly. Harry followed, trudging his trunk along behind him.

The small house elf, Dobby, was holding the silver handle of the door, looking at him with big eyes. He noticed recent burns on his hands as if they had been done only minutes before. Dobby closed the door quickly and rushed away.

"Bring your trunk in here," said Mr. Malfoy as he entered the Great Room. He paused for a moment to look at Harry, and then went on into the hallway. Harry knew the man was going into the Drawing Room, and then up into his Study.

Harry left his trunk in the center of the Great Room, placing Hedwig's cage upon it; he took a seat in one of the brown armchairs. He stared at the floor tiredly since he had woken up quickly, and everything since then had been rushed. The dark red curtains were opened slightly and some light fell across the room, illuminating part of the Grandfather clock and some of the floor.

While Harry was having his limited moments of relaxation, Dobby came in holding a cup of steaming tea. After taking it, he realized that the house elf was still standing there. Harry looked at him oddly as he said, "Yes?"

"Harry Potter mustn't go back to Hogwarts," said Dobby almost pleadingly.

"Well, I missed the train, but I'm going back to Hogwarts, Dobby," stated Harry. "Nothing can keep me from going back to school." Harry said it like the conversation was over. He sipped his tea, waiting for Mr. Malfoy as Dobby wobbled away.

Soon after, Mr. Malfoy came back in. He went toward the bowl of Floo Powder that was on the mantelpiece. Harry didn't need someone to tell him that he was going to travel first, so he put the cup of tea down and grabbed his trunk, placing himself inside the fireplace.

"Where in Hogwarts?" he asked after taking some powder.

"Slytherin common room."

Harry threw the powder down. "Slytherin common room!" Green flames burst up momentarily around him, and then he was gone. Not a second after getting out of the fireplace in the common room did Mr. Malfoy appear and walk out. The blond haired man wiped away some ash that had gotten on his elegant cloak.

Leaving the trunk in the common room, Harry and Mr. Malfoy left for Snape's office. It took hardly any time in getting there as they made their way through the dim passageways. It seemed Mr. Malfoy knew the way there, but Harry didn't question him. They walked in silence.

"Come in," said the unpleasant voice of Professor Snape after Mr. Malfoy knocked.

Mr. Malfoy grabbed the handle and pushed the door open. Both of them walked into the office, which was mostly covered in shadow. Behind the wooden desk, sat the greasy-haired Snape, who held a look of slight annoyance at seeing Harry. "Lucius, good to see you," he said.

"And you, Severus," said Mr. Malfoy. Harry, who was standing to the left of Mr. Malfoy, felt the man put a hand on his right shoulder. "Harry here missed the train, so rather than leaving him stranded, I brought him directly here."

"Yes, I received your letter just moments ago," said Snape, who looked as if Mr. Malfoy should have left Harry stranded. "He'll just have to stay for the day and wait for the rest of the school to arrive." He spoke as if Harry wasn't even there.

Mr. Malfoy nodded as he took his hand off Harry. "I see. Well, it seems you have the common room to yourself, Harry. Perhaps, I'll see you at Christmas. Good day to you," he said unemotionally.

Both of the adults were looking at him silently and he knew this meant they wanted him to leave, so they could talk. "Bye, Mr. Malfoy."

As Harry walked to the door, he could feel both their eyes on him, waiting impatiently for him to leave. He closed the door, but didn't walk away. Harry pressed his ear against the door, hoping he would hear the conversation. Instead, he heard Snape say, "Imperturbatus!"

Knowing that he wouldn't be able to hear anything now that Snape had put up a barrier, Harry went back along the passageways until he came to the blank wall. He was just about to speak the password when he realized he didn't know what it was. But he wasn't about to go back to Snape's office to ask for it, so he left the entrance to the Slytherin common room, making his way upstairs.

When he got to the Entrance Hall, Harry turned to look into the Great Hall. He opened the door ajar to peek in. The tables were arranged and the candles were lit, the make-believe sky above was a brilliant blue with a couple clouds.

"Potter?" asked a squeaky voice. It made Harry jump and close the door on his right hand.

Harry turned to see the little Professor Flitwick, looking at him curiously. "I thought students weren't supposed to come till later. Why the early arrival?" he asked.

As Harry massaged his hand as he said, "I missed the train, but Draco Malfoy's father brought me here." Flitwick nodded and began to walk away. Harry was going to leave, but walked after his teacher. "Professor? You wouldn't happen to know the password into the Slytherin common room, would you?"

"I should've known you wouldn't know the password to get it," said Flitwick. "It's Creperum."

Harry nodded, and then walked back down the stairs into the Dungeons. When he came to the blank wall, he said, "Creperum." The wall slid to the side to reveal the green Slytherin common room. The first thing Harry noticed was his trunk and Hedwig's cage were not where he had left them; they were gone.

But he had a clue as to where they had gone. Harry crept down to the dormitories. Instead of going into the room with the door marked "i," he opened the door that had "ii" upon it. Like last year, his bed was the farthest to the back in the left corner. His large trunk stood in front of the bed.

Harry walked to his trunk, opening it and taking out his new Slytherin robes. After changing out of his plain robes, he searched in his trunk for the simple box that held his parchment. As he was searching, he came across his Conglomerate Stone, and realized he could have taken that to Hogwarts. He must have forgotten since he had been so upset. But he didn't think about it anymore, looking for his box, which he found it near the bottom, and took it out to place it on his bedside table.

Harry sat on the edge of his bed, his legs hanging over the side. Everyone else was on the Hogwarts Express, probably talking and laughing and having a great time as he sat there, bored. He lay back on the bed, wondering what he could do for the rest of the day.

And after laying there for a few minutes, the idea hit him. He could explore the school. He would never get another chance to be at school all alone, so he might as well take full advantage of it. Harry practically jumped off of his bed, and exited the dormitory, ready to do some exploring.

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Lets just say that the old, blackened key is a permanent Portkey to Malfoy Manor, much like Harry's Conglomerate Stone. Not canon.

Imperturbatus is from the Imperturbable Charm, which puts a barrier on an object, like a door so that no one can eavesdrop. Canon.

Creperum darkness in Latin.

A/N: This chapter was more of a filler. But I promise the chapters get better!! Yes, it's true that Harry could've used his Conglomerate Stone to get to Hogwarts since it would've take him to the Slytherin common room, but he didn't think of that. He was too upset that he hadn't been able to get to the train that he forgot about it and just went along with Mr. Malfoy. Just wanted to clear that up. Reviews are much appreciated!

Preview of Chapter 12—Only Those Worthy:

Harry finds out about a Hogwarts secret of the House common rooms…