A Month and a Half Later*
Harry was following the Weasleys through Kings Cross Station. They had offered to take him to the station after seeing him come home with McGonagall. He remembered being congratulated the next day when he made his obligatory visit to them the next day and being told that they were magical folk too. He rolled his mental eye at that memory. Like it wasn't obvious they were magical. The whole neighborhood knew.
He followed the red-headed clan through the barrier, careful not to knock his large main coon cat off his trunk. It was tricky to do once he was on the other side of the barrier. His cat hissed when Percy tried to help him with his trunk at his mother's insistence. Harry heard Brucie, his cat, muttering that some people were too rough. He found an empty compartment, settling Brucie up on the rack, his trunk beside his cat. Lucky for him Ron had wanted to go explore the train to see if there was anyone or anything else of interest on the train. He settled down with a book for the ride to Hogwarts.
Nine and Half Hours Later*
Harry got off the train hoping that he wouldn't have to cozy up to Ron again. The red-headed boy had come to his compartment with Hermione, who had gotten a Hogwarts letter, and Neville Longbottom. Neville nodded to Harry and sat across from him. The shy boy knew that he was the other prophecy child mentioned in the fake Prophecy. What Dumbledore didn't know was that both Neville and Harry both knew everything that he did not want them to know.
He heard someone calling out to the first years. He looked around, seeing Hagrid holding a later high in the air. All the first years started to migrate towards him. Once they were all gathered, the half-giant led them to the boats that all first years had to take to the school. Harry loathed sharing the small boat with Ron and Hermione. The bushy-haired girl would not stop talking. She kept talking right up to when they were lined up to get sorted.
When Harry was called up, he noticed Dumbledore sit up straight. Rolling his eyes, he turned and sat on the stool. McGonagall placed the hat on the boy's head, giving it a slight squeeze. The squeeze was to remind the hat of their earlier conversation about Harry. "Ah, young master Harry. I have looked forward to meeting you. Where shall we put you then?" Harry heard in his head, just as Minerva and Remus said he would hear. "I just want to relax and study. Where can I do that Hat?" he asked?
"May I have a look?" Hat asked. Harry gave a slight nod, then feeling pressure digging in in his head. "I would recommend RAVENCLAW" the hat was removed from his head. Harry looked for the blue and bronze of his new house. 'Perfect' the black-haired boy thought. Ravenclaw would be the perfect place for him to be able to study and no one would know better. Unfortunately for him, Dumbledore was not pleased. The meddling old man had wanted the boy in Gryffindor. Molly hadn't told him that the boy had Ravenclaw qualities.
He clapped along with the students and teachers as Harry made his way to the Ravenclaw table. He saw the boy look up at the head table, then at the rest of the yet-to-be-sorted first years. Dumbledore would defiantly have to have his new head of Ravenclaw, and charms teacher Jared Guntram meet with the boy and have him bring the boy to his office. He had been the best candidate that fit his criteria for professor five years ago after he fired Filius. He found the young man just malleable enough to manipulate him into doing things for him unsuspecting of the manipulation.
After the sorting, food appeared on the tables. Harry picked the Healthiest foods he could off the table. His mum would have a fit if she saw the foods being served here. Uncle Jareth would also have a fit. Harry was relieved to see his fae uncle at the head table. Knowing that he was there, made the young wizard feel safer. He ate, willing his plate to stay when it started to fade away. He finished the last few bites on his plates before letting it fade away. Luckily no one noticed his plate stayed longer than the others, due to Dumbledores good night speech.
When everyone was given leave to go to their houses, Harry followed the perfect that was assigned to lead them to Ravenclaw tower. The eagle knocker asked the simple riddle 'who has a neck but no head' the prefect answered 'a shirt'. The first years were ushered into the common room. In the center stood Guntram. "Welcome new students. Here in Ravenclaw, we thirst for knowledge and share it what we can. It is expected for you to do the best you can with what you have. If you can split into two groups, boys and girls, and follow the prefects to the dorms. Mr. Potter comes with me. Your presence is requested by our dear headmaster."
Harry tried not to smirk. He would have thought the headmaster would have waited until the next day to meet him. Guess he was wrong. He gave a slight nod to his head of the house and followed him out of the common room. Feeling a silencing sell go up around them, Harry relaxed a little. "Uncle." Was all he needed to say before Jareth put up his hand. "I need to speak to you about what needs to be done here as we walk up to the old fool's quarters. We can find a way to catch up another time, for now, we must wait." He paused for a moment as some fifth year's passed them going to the common room.
Jareth began to walk before beginning to speak again. "I have figured out enough of Dumbledore's plan to know that you are going to be used to be as a sacrifice. Stay away from him unless I am with you. Hopefully you read Hogwarts A History before arriving and should know that you need a chaperone with the headmaster. If he asks to meet you in his office, send a message to me and remind him you need me there if I am not outside his office when you get there." Harry nodded, thinking deeply.
They walked silently for a few minutes until they came to the hallway that led to Dumbledore's office. Jareth stopped the boy next to him. "Harry, I need you to guard your mind. Dumbledore will try to get into your mind. Remember the construct Remus and The Wiseman had you work on, and you will be fine." After A few moments of concentration, Harry nodded to the Fae. The king led him towards the griffin statue. "Gobstoppers" the blond-haired man said, holding on to his charges shoulders as they rode the stairs up to the headmaster's quarters.
Knocking on the door, they heard a quiet "Come In" after some shuffling of parchment. Jareth opened the door, entering first. He did so, in case there was spells set up to confund the boy behind him. By the look on the headmaster face, he was right. Harry came in behind him, looking around. He saw all the magical instruments, fear and anger building up inside him. He recognized some of the instruments, others he didn't. Some of them were instruments meant to help control, track, bind, and hypnotize people. The runes on them had his name in them.
"Harry, Dumbledore spoke to you." Said the voice he had come to associate with trust, fun, and wisdom. "Sorry," the green-eyed boy replied. "I was looking at all these silver things and the pictures. It's all just so fascinating." He turned his attention to the old man in the center of the room. He looked like every picture he had ever seen in the books he had read about wizard in Britain. He had to work on not releasing his magic in anger. This blue eyed, silver haired man was the one who wanted him to be a brainwashed tool.
"That they are. That they are." Dumbledore replied. "Thank you for coming up. Now, the reason I summoned you up here is to see if you would be willing to be resorted into Gryffindor." Harry looked confused and asked, "Why would I do that?" He turned and looked his head of house and asked "Is there something the matter with Ravenclaw? I hadn't read anything about something being wrong with the house when I was reading about Hogwarts?" Jareth shook his head, responding with "I am not aware with anything wrong with my house. As far as I know, it's no different than any house in this fine establishment. If the hat out you in Ravenclaw, he had a good reason to do so."
The dark-haired boy turned back to face the headmaster looking throughly confused. Dumbledore started then stopped. He had to be careful so Harry wouldn't suspect anything. He thought for a moment then started again "Your parents, Harry, were in Gryffindor. It is typical, and traditional for children to be sorted into the same houses as their family. This is especially true for those part of family's as old as yours's my boy." He put as much grandfatherly twinkle into his eye as much possible. He hoped that he could get Harry to resort so he could have more control over him. "But sir, I read that sometimes kids are put into a different house than their family. Also, I was aware my parents came here. My parents are Vernon and Petunia Dursley, and my brother is Dudley Dursley."
A look of confused showed on the headmaster's face. "I believe you are mistaken my boy; your parents were Lily and James Potter." It was Harry's turn to look confused. Inside his mind he was laughing. The old coot had no idea did he. "Actually, they were my birth parents. Had you taken the time to check, my parents adopted me, both magically and through what you would term muggle court. Had you taken the additional time, you would know that my aunt has some magical ability." At this point in the young wizard's explanation Dumbledore stopped him. "That is not possible, I would know about you being magically adopted. Last time I checked, your aunt was and is a muggle, as is you uncle and cousin." Jareth cleared his throat. "Actually Headmaster, what young Harry says is true."
Dumbledore looked at the head of Ravenclaw waiting for an explanation. "You may not personally check the letters when they go out, nor check upon the health reports and records the teachers gather when they meet all muggleborns, and those raised in the muggle world. You know that copies of those must be on file for Poppy and legal matters here in the wizarding world. I happened to look through those files for all the incoming first years, as did all of the heads of houses and Poppy. He was adopted and his so-called muggle family do have magic."
Dumbledore paled. He had not counted on that, nor did Severus tell him about Harry's last name being changed. Then he realized that Harry had gone up when the last name Potter was called. He turned back to Harry and asked "If that is the case, then how come you answered to the name Potter earlier during the Sorting. That scroll is self updating." The look of glee on his face was almost smug. Harry answered back with "How can it update if the adoption wasn't done with wizards magic? My adoption was done by the goblins when my Parents found me on their doorstep and did the right thing and adopted me. Now, since my birth parents did not raise me, and they are dead, in addition to being raised by parents who did not come to this school, what reason do you have for me to be resorted into a house that I am not suited for?"
The old wizard's head dropped, giving Harry all the answers, he needed. Turning to the head of Ravenclaw "Professor, may I go to my dorm now please? I am rather tired and today was a long day." Jareth nodded. He pulled out his wand and transfigured his spare handkerchief into a compass. "Here you go young Harry. This will get you back to the common room. I believe I need to have a word with our fine headmaster."
Harry nodded as he took the offered compass. He left the office, black eyes following him. After the boy left, Dumbledore spoke "You can come out now Severus." The dour potions master disillusioned himself. Jareth held his anger in check as the man came to sit at the previously occupied by the potter heir. Dumbledore saw the anger in the Ravenclaw head's eyes. "I am sorry for having Severus hide under a disillusionment charm, but I needed him here to get a read on Mr. Potter. He knew his mother and I wanted to see if there was any potions or charms and spells controlling young Potter."
"If I may ask" the blonde teacher started "Is there a reason you felt the need to check my young ward with out his consent? If I am not mistaken, he is the last of his family, which is a ancient and noble house. Isn't it illegal to scan the last of an heir to a family that old?" At this question the potion master spoke. "Since you are still new to Britain and still learning, I will speak up. Those wizards and witches who are orphaned and are the last of their family, are given a magical guardian. They do have the right to give permission for their charges to be scanned with out the child's consent. You are correct in saying he is the last of the Potter line, but what you don't know is that his magical guardians is Dumbledore, and he has given me permission to to scan Harry."
As the greasy haired man finished his explanation, Dumbledore began to explain further. "Since I am his guardian, I set up some people in his family's neighborhood to keep and eye on him and to keep him safe. Two of of the families I sent to live there have a son and daughter his age. I had wanted to see if Harry would be drawn to them and make friends. He did make friends with the son, who told his parents about went on in Harry's home. It concerned me that Harry had an unpleasant childhood."
'Yeah, right.' Jareth thought as Dumbledore continued to talk " but in the last two years he began to act less like he had in previous years. The boy reported that Harry was becoming rather stand offish and distant. He was even rude to the girl I had hoped would help him once he got here. I felt since he was acting out of character, he needed to be scanned."
The Ravenclaw Head raised his eyebrow. He studied the headmaster then the potions master. He could not believe the stupidity of the two men before him. "Headmaster, if I may venture forth a thought." He asked the supposed leader of the light. " by all means, go ahead." Albus said leaning back, with his fingers steepled in front of his face. Jareth spoke, careful of his wording. " It would seem to me that there is fault with your statement about being young Harry's magical guardian. As was pointed out earlier by young Harry, he was adopted by his magical Aunt and Uncle. Therefore you are not his magical guardian." Dumbledore went to interrupt the man but was stopped by Severus.
The dour faced man wanted to hear what Jareth had to say. The new head of Ravenclaw had proved to be a mystery to him. This man was proving to be a very Slytherin Ravenclaw. Severus couldn't find anything on the man before he showed up and beating all the other applicants for The position of charms teacher and Ravenclaw head. "Albus, I want to hear what he wants to say
Jareth nodded in thanks when Albus sighed and motioned for him to continue. " While you are technically his magical guardian while he is here, but that same fact goes for all of the students here. Given your logic of Young Harry acting out of character, of which would imply you are breaking a few laws, laws that protect heirs of ancient and noble houses like Harry, you should scan everyone else under the age of seventeen who acts out of character." Dumbledore paled at the blonde's accusation of breaking Laws. He had to find a way to appease the man before him. The blonde was strong in magic and smarts. " you are right Guntram. I had thought of that in all the preparations I was doing to prepare for the new school year. Perhaps I should look into scanning all the other children to. Thank you for staying a few minutes." The Fae knew a dismissal when he heard one. He got up and left, leaving the two wizards staring after him.