Chapter 5: All Aboard
Today's finally the day. Siri and I are off to Hogwarts for the first time – though I wish I could find the occasion more joyful. He hasn't spoken to me since that incident in December when I spoke to – never mind. Once we arrive at the train, I'm relatively certain that we'll be going into separate compartments, and most likely won't speak to each other until the Christmas holidays. It would be one thing if we shared a dorm – but I find the possibility of that highly unlikely. I don't know what House I'll be sorted into, but I do know where Siri will be. He'll be a Gryffindor; I'll make damn sure of it.
Leo closed the journal, tossing it on top of the robes resting in his open trunk. He closed the lid with a snap, latching it shut before walking over to the dresser and grabbing the empty bird cage that rested there. With a sigh, he turned his head, looking at the bookcase furthest from him at the handsome barn owl that roosted at the top of it. Leo opened the cage door and gestured to the inside of the cage, receiving an indignant 'hoot' in response.
"You know you'll have to get in the cage before we leave, right?" Leo questioned, receiving another irate 'hoot'. "I know it's cramped, but you'll be let out once we reach Hogwarts." Another 'hoot'. "No, you can't just stay here while I go off to school." Hoot. "Because, who'll feed you and let you out of the house while we're gone?" Hoot. "I'll tell Kreacher not to."
The owl narrowed his amber eyes, gauging how serious Leo was about the threat. After a moment, he swooped down, clipping Leo's head with his wing as he settled in his cage, his back firmly turned to his owner. Leo rolled his eyes, slamming the door shut and locking it with a padlock so the owl wouldn't unlock it and escape. Again.
When Leo had left Ollivanders, he walked around Diagon Alley for a bit before returning to Gringotts. He was surprised to find Harry sitting on the steps with his supplies and not one, but two owls: a snowy female and a barn male. He had handed Leo the cage for the barn owl, telling Leo it was his birthday present and receiving a grateful hug in return. After looking at the golden ruff around the owl's face that reminded him of the sun, Leo had dubbed the owl Apollo whilst Harry later named his Hedwig.
Unfortunately, despite his joy at having an animal companion, the universe seemed to want to counteract Leo's newfound happiness by Blitzkrieging him with something he wasn't expecting to hear: the truth about what happened to his mother and Harry's parents. Harry filled him in about everything Hagrid had told him, how there had been an evil wizard who called himself 'Lord Voldemort' who broke into the Potter home, murdered their parents, and tried to kill Harry and – presumably – Leo. Whatever curse he had used had backfired, leaving Harry with his lightning-bolt scar and the moniker of the 'Boy-Who-Lived'.
Leo was unsure what to do with this news. He couldn't exactly swear revenge on Voldemort, considering Harry had essentially killed him. The knowledge of what happened did nothing but give him nightmares of screaming and flashes of green, followed by the roar of a motorbike. Leo did, however, comment that Harry's title was a bit uncreative and that the wizarding marketing department needed some serious work. Harry wasn't so amused with the cavalier response to how their parents had died, but was grateful that Leo didn't make a big deal or decide to hero-worship him now that he was considered the savior of the wizarding world.
"You could be less of a git about coming with me, Apollo," Leo grumbled, grabbing the handle of the cage as he wheeled his trunk out into the hallway. "We're going to a place that has people – and owls – just like us." He began moving down the stairs. "Think about it: magic, food... pretty girl owls." An indignant hoot sounded behind him as he reached the front door. "None quite so pretty as you of course, Hedwig."
Leo turned, smiling at the snowy white owl who sat nicely in her cage atop Harry's trunk. At Leo's praise, she puffed up her chest and tried to look dignified. Leo and Harry both gave a snort of laughter as Apollo gave an approving sort of 'hoot'. The two young wizards walked out the front door, bidding farewell to Kreacher as they made their way towards King's Cross. It took them twenty minutes to reach King's Cross, where they both found carts to load their trunks onto as they looked for a way to get onto Platform 9 ¾.
As they were looking, Harry suggested asking the guard, but was informed by Leo that he might be a Muggle with no clue as to the existence of the wizarding world and thus no idea how to get onto an invisible platform. The only option they had left was to wait, watch, and listen for any other wizarding families to appear. Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long as they heard:
"- packed with Muggles, of course - "
Leo and Harry swung around. 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 cousin's in front of him - and they had an owl. Exchanging a swift glance, Leo and Harry pushed their carts after them. The family stopped and so did they, just near enough to hear what the redheads 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."
What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Leo 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, running off as Leo snorted with laughter.
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? 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.
"Yes, ma'am," said Leo.
"The thing is — the thing is, we don't know how to —" Harry stuttered out.
"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry and Leo 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," Harry replied, somewhat unsure.
"Don't worry, I'll go first," Leo grinned, clapping Harry on the shoulder and turning his cart toward the barrier.
Leo closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them and running toward the barrier, ignoring the indignant shouts of people he almost ran over. He passed through the barrier harmlessly and wound up on a platform with a scarlet steam engine awaiting him. Wicked. Leo looked around with awe at all the wizards milling about. He wanted to stand there and appreciate the sight a bit longer, but was interrupted by an irritated hoot from Apollo.
"Keep up with that attitude and I'll use your feathers to line my pillow," Leo threatened him, pushing his cart toward the train in search of an empty compartment for himself and Harry.
Apollo gave another irate hoot.
"Oi, no cause for that sort of language, good sir," Leo scolded the owl, managing to find an empty compartment near the end of the train.
"Quite right, old chap," spoke a voice behind Leo. "I've never heard words like that, have you, George?"
"Oh, no, my poor virginal ears are bleeding," another voice replied. "Where do you reckon the bird learned that sort of talk?"
Leo rose an eyebrow as he turned around and saw the twins staring at him with amusement. The blonde's eyes twinkled as he replied in a seemingly innocent tone, "The old lady down the street from me had quite the foul mouth. You could only ever hear her at night when she had company over. Wonder why that is?"
The twins stared at him a moment, mouths agape as they processed just what the boy was insinuating. Leo kept a straight face, until the corners of his mouth turned upward and he gave a snort of laughter, which prompted the twins to start laughing as well.
"George, I reckon we've got a prankster in the making on our hands," one of the twins – Fred, Leo presumed – grinned mischievously.
"I reckon you're correct, Fred," George agreed, matching his twin's expression, holding out his hand for Leo to shake. "I'm George Weasley, and this is Fred Weasley. Obviously, no relation."
Leo gave a chuckle as he shook George's hand and then Fred's, saying, "Obviously. I'm Leo, Leo Black."
The twins stared at him, mouths agape once more as Fred asked, "You wouldn't happen to be related to Sirius Black, would you?"
"He's my dad's twin, why do you ask?" Leo frowned in confusion.
"Blimey, you don't know?" George asked, receiving a head shake in response.
"Ten years ago, Sirius Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse," Fred filled him in.
Leo took a moment to process this before saying, "We all have our bad days. Mind helping me with my trunk?"
Fred and George exchanged a bemused and confused look before doing as Leo had asked and helping him load his trunk and owl into the compartment. Leo thanked them for their help and asked them to keep an eye out for a black-haired boy with glasses. He then closed the door in their faces and sat down in a seat next to the window, digging around in his pocket and pulling out the Black signet ring Kreacher had given him. So, this is the Black family? A runaway and a murderer... Bloody hell, Leo, what've you gotten yourself into this time? The boy groaned, banging his head on the window before looking down at the ring. After a moment, Leo made a decision and slid the ring on his left middle finger, where it magically shrunk to fit him. Maybe it's time I changed things. Can't exactly reject the family name, might as well embrace it and do what I can to erase the legacy my Uncle left behind.
Leo looked up as the compartment door opened. The twins had returned, with Harry in tow. After they helped get his trunk and owl squared away, they discovered who Harry really was and proceeded to gawk at him until they were called away by their mother. Harry sat opposite his cousin, listening to the conversation taking place among the Weasleys. Leo ignored them for the most part, at least until his name was brought up after Harry's.
"... That blonde boy he was with, guess who he is?" Fred asked, not waiting for his mum to respond as he continued, "Sirius Black's nephew!"
"Oh dear, the poor boy," the woman sighed.
The woman continued to talk, but her words went unheard by the cousins when Leo closed the window abruptly, not wanting to hear anymore. Harry looked at him apprehensively, but decided not to question him when he saw the irritation spread over the blonde's face.
The train's whistle sounded before it started moving, rounding the bend and exiting the station. That's when the compartment door slid open and the youngest male Weasley stepped in.
"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat next to Leo. "Everywhere else is full."
Leo gave a half-hearted shrug as Harry shook his head. The boy sat down a bit away from Leo, taking turns to glance at each of them before looking away once he got caught staring. The door opened again as the twins returned.
"Hey, Ron," Fred said. "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."
"Right," mumbled Ron as Leo's head perked up with interest.
"Harry," said the other twin, "Did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother." He took a moment to pause before saying, "Leo, can we talk to you?"
Leo gave a small shrug before rising from his seat and exiting the compartment. He closed the door behind him before turning and facing the twins, arms folded over his chest and eyebrow raised expectantly.
"Look, we didn't mean to bring up your uncle so... sorry about that?" George said, holding out his hand.
Leo looked at the hand, the corners of his lips twitching upward slightly, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he replied, "Are you only saying that so I don't add you to the Black family body count?"
"Well, we could get down on our knees and beg," Fred grinned.
"But we're not that desperate for forgiveness," George finished.
Leo tapped his chin, humming slightly as he finally said, "I'll forgive you on one condition: you take me with you to go see the giant tarantula."
The twins exchanged a look before saying, "Deal."
"Excellent," Leo replied in a brisk tone. "Think we could drop it in a compartment full of girls?"
The twins guffawed before Fred clapped him on the shoulder and said, "Leo, I think we'll get along swimmingly."
Leo was making his way back to his compartment some time later, a spring in his step and a wide smile of triumph on his face. He, the twins, and their friend Lee Jordan had indeed dropped the tarantula in a compartment full of girls. Slytherin girls, apparently. At their shrill screams, the boys roared with laughter, high-fiving each other before they were caught by the twins' older brother, Percy, who happened to be a prefect.
Leo had taken the opportunity to show-off his patented 'bullshitting ability' and talk their way out of whatever punishment Percy tried to dish out. He had explained that he had gotten lost on the way back from the bathroom, and that the twins and Lee had been helping him back. They had been laughing at a joke when the screaming started and had no idea what had caused it. That's when Percy had shown up.
Leo grinned as he recalled Percy's look of skepticism before he shooed the group away and went to retrieve the tarantula. He was hailed as a bit of a hero after that, and got a kick out of Fred and George bowing to him mockingly and calling him the 'BS King'. Leo had jokingly replied that they should call him the 'Boy-Who-BSed'. That now left Leo with two more titles than he had had since boarding the train.
Many hurried footsteps alerted him to the presence of others, and he held up his hands to stop three boys from running into him. The middle was a pale, platinum blonde, grey eyed boy. The other two were thickset boys that reminded Leo of gorillas, only far less intelligent. Leo lowered his hands slowly as the boys stopped running at him. The pale boy opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when he spotted the ring on Leo's left hand.
"So, you're Black?" the boy questioned.
"Good Lord, mate. You can't just walk up to people and ask them if they're black. That's just rude," Leo replied in a mock affronted tone. "And a wee bit racist."
"That's not – I'm not," the boy stammered, stopping when Leo started laughing.
"I know what you meant – I was just taking the mickey out of you," Leo grinned, holding out his hand. "Leo Black, live and in person."
"Draco Malfoy," the boy replied, taking his hand. "These are my friends: Crabbe and Goyle."
"Friends or bodyguards?" Leo attempted to clarify, raising an eyebrow at both of them as he released the boy's hand.
Draco simply gave a smirk in response before saying, "This may come as a surprise, but we're actually related."
"Really?" Leo rose another eyebrow, searching his memory as he thought back to the tapestry at his house.
"My mother's last name was Black – which means we both have a lot to live up to," Draco stated pompously. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Black. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."
Leo pretended to think about it for a moment before saying, "Given that my uncle was infamous mass murderer, my grandmother a crazy loon, and my dad's a deadbeat, can't say I'm all too interested in knowing what wizarding families the rest of my family thinks are better than others. Quite frankly, I'm a bit terrified to find out." He clapped his hands together, and pushed past them all. "See you lot at school."
"You'll regret this, Black!" Draco called after him.
"Probably," Leo agreed, waving a hand over his shoulder as he continued on to his compartment.
He managed to find his way back, opening the door as Harry and Ron were changing into their robes. Leo's eyes brightened as he spotted the numerous sweets everywhere – particularly the ones labelled 'Chocolate Frogs'. He greeted the two boys before grabbing a chocolate frog package, opening it, and biting its head off before beginning to change into his robes. He heard a squeak to his left and rose an eyebrow at the grey rat that was nestled among the sweets. He greeted the rat politely, frowning when he didn't feel any sort of response from the creature like he usually felt when conversing with animals. Odd. Maybe it's magical? Leo shrugged.
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."
Leo threw a wild grin at the two boys, receiving pale smiles in return. The three 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. Leo blinked at the cold breeze, gripping his wand tightly beneath his robes. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Leo heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry, Leo?"
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 Leo felt magic must be the cause. They probably want to make it as spooky and mysterious as possible for the new guys. Mean, but hilarious.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."
There was a loud "Oooooh!"
The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. 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, Ron, and Leo were followed into their boat by a bushy-haired girl.
"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.
"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.
"Oi, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.
"Trevor!" a round-faced boy called out, 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.