Author's Note:

I know this is a big chapter, but I did not know where to stop. Enjoy!

Chapter 8: Harry Potter is a kind of his own

Neville pov

The first day of school…

Well, what did I say last? Oh yeah! I slept in peace. There were no dreams with insults or blames or failures. In fact, I dreamt about Hogwarts, me doing well in classes, making a lot of friends, laughing with Harry Potter, eating chocolates, searching for chocolates? Harry Potter singing?

Chocolate chocolate where are you?

Chococlate chocolate I want you?

Chocolate chocolate come to me…

Chocolate chocolate I love you.

What the hell!

I slowly opened my eyes. It was early in the morning; I could see that the sun was just coming up. In the morning light, I could see Harry Potter in ethereal glow…. Wearing t-shirt and sweatpants?... rummaging in his bag and … singing?

The final observation snapped me out of my sleep.

"Harry, good morning! What are you doing?"

He turned to me with a smile, "Ah Neville! Good morning! Where did you keep my chocolates?"

"Why do you need them early in the morning?"

"I am going for my morning jog, I need my chocolates. Where are they?"

"Jogging? And what has that got to do with chocolates?"

"Neville!" He whined, "I have to eat a chocolate after my jog, it is my morning fix. Please tell me where they are."

I don't know if I was still dreaming, but I opened my bag and took them out, "Sorry, I packed all of them in my bag yesterday."

"That's cool. Now that you are awake, will you join me?"

"I never jogged in my life Harry." I feared he would make fun of me for being so fat. But he did not.

"That's okay. There's always a first time. Now, do you have any casuals to wear?"

I shook my head.

"Okay then, wear my casuals then. We'll buy yours later. And bring a book if you want. You will not be able to do as much as me today."

"I know." I hung my head in disappointment, "I'm fat."

"It's nothing to do with that. I have been doing it every day since I was young. You will need practice to catch up. And if you really do this, you won't remain fat anymore. Come on, stop feeling so little of yourself. You are a great guy."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

And so I went down with him. It was already 6.00 by the time we left. The track we decided was to and fro along the lake. Harry told me to run at my comfortable speed and only as much as I can, not to push myself. And then he was off with a jog and slowly increasing his speed. He was like a snitch when he was at his fastest. I was slow, very slow, but I took his words to heart that only practice would improve me and not to push myself. So I slowly jogged along. I did two rounds before I was panting and then I just sat by a tree in our path and just looked at the lake and Harry running. I felt fresh. He did this for almost an hour and then came running to me.

"Let's go. We don't want to be late for Professor McGonagall. She told us that she would distribute our timetables from 7.00. As we walked to the hall, he promptly took out his chocolate and ate it with pleasure. We were the stink-est of all when we reached the hall that everyone stepped away from us. Though there were not many. It was still early. The professor came to us and frowned,

"Please tell me why you two smell like this right in the morning."

Harry answered cheerily, maybe on a chocolate-high, "We were jogging. Did not get time to freshen up. Madam, may I ask your permission?"

"What for Mr. Potter?"

"Curfew is till 6, that does not give us enough time to freshen up and I haven't even done my hour and a half jog I am used to doing. Please madam, will you let us out at 5.00. I promise, we will just jog and be back in the room. No naughtiness whatsoever. I will even get to see the rising sun. It started rising at 4.45 today."

"And what about winter days, Mr. Potter?" she asked skeptically, arching an eyebrow. I gulped, she looked very intimidating.

"Aren't there any floodlights near the lake?"

"In the quidditch pitch, yes, but not the lake. Do you mean tell me that you will jog in the quidditch pitch?"

"Why not?" he shrugged. What is he thinking?

Professor McGonagall looked at him minutely for a long time, and he looked back into her eyes without any fear. Then she nodded her head, "Very well. But if I get the indication that you are using this time for anything else even a single time, this permission would be revoked and you will face punishment. Is that clear?"

"Crystal!"

"So this permission is only for you and…"

"Me and Neville. He is coming with me too."

"Okay then, both of you and no other accompanies are allowed."

"Yes professor, if someone wishes to join us, they would have to take your permission and we will report if we suspect of any foul play. I promise."

"Very well." And she walked away to give the time tables to others. I was impressed with Harry.

"How could you make her agree so easily? That was really good." I asked.

Harry looked at me smiling, but the look in his eyes said this was a serious statement, "Neville, I gave her my reasons and a proper promise. I showed her respect. This is something everybody is supposed to do, and it is not a special talent. Praise me for something I do well, I would be happy to accept that. Don't unnecessarily put me on any pedestal for something so essential so that you can work below that. I am believing you to be my friend because I think you are a guy who is true, honest and respectful. Please don't disprove me. Ever!"

I nodded. I got the message. Don't consider yourself lower than him, nor put him up in praise for something that everyone should do. I came to believe that he would tolerate no disrespect or cheating from anyone to anyone. I respect that. We went back to our breakfast, chatting merrily.

Some time later…

Ron's pov

I hurried through the corridors with Dean Thomas following me. Oh Crap! We are late. We had memorized the route to class from the Great Hall, but we remembered we forgot something as we were halfway. We hurried back to the common room and decided to head directly from there. We got lost.

I silently opened the door of the Transfiguration classroom and peeked inside. All the students were sitting and chatting quietly, but there was no professor in there yet. Just a cat sitting on the desk; maybe her pet. I sighed in relief and motioned Dean that we can go in. As the door shut behind us, we shuffled to a seat that was open in the middle.

"Hey Seamus" Dean called as we were walking, "has the professor been here already?"

Seamus shook his head and we relaxed completely. I hurried Dean, "let's go find our seats. She will never know we were late."

Just as we reached near the middle, the cat jumped into the air and transformed midair into professor McGonagall. My feet froze in shock.

"Care to explain why you are trying to sneak into your seats after coming late Mr. Weasley, Mr. Thomas. Should I transform one of you into a watch to keep the other on time?"

"We forgot our inks and then we got lost." I murmured.

"Or perhaps into a map or a planner?"

"Madam, it is still first day, we were nervous and we forgot. We are not used to carrying inks everywhere and…." As I was giving her my excuse for the delay, the door opened once again and Potter and Longbottom came in. I sighed inwardly, maybe we would be off the hook and they will be punished instead.

Minerva's pov

I was impressed this morning with Harry Potter, for not breaking rules and asking for permission for a well-intentioned task. I did not expect him to give those promises as well, they were still 11 year olds, but he doing so showed his honesty and task orientation. Now, as I was going to punish Mr. Weasley and Mr. Thomas for being late, Potter and Longbottom came in even later. I fixed them with my stern look.

"You are late as well Mr. Potter, Mr. Longbottom."

Neville Longbottom fidgeted. It seems Augusta Longbottom, his grandmother, has done a poor job on his confidence, "I am sorry professor. We had to go back to the room for something."

I watched as he fell silent.

"And what would that be?"

Longbottom murmured something.

"Speak aloud Mr. Longbottom."

"We are sorry madam," Potter interrupted. I watched him with interest. "It was my fault for he accompanied me as I was going back. Whatever we went back for, we are late and I apologize for that. It is wrong. We will accept any punishment; we only request you not keep us out of the class. We wish not to miss class."

I was surprised for no excuses from him. Potter was as honest as truthful. I regarded him for a while and then spoke to all four, "I would excuse you this one time. Make sure none of you repeat this again."

After a group of 'yes professor', they went to their seats and I started the class. I observed the students, their interactions and their understanding. This was a mix of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. The Ravenclaws, true to their nature understood the subject well enough, though they most worked in isolation from others. Gryffindors, except a few, were a bit slow. Though they were talking with each other and discussing the wrongs, they were more focused on others than themselves. The exceptions were Hermione Granger, who was doing the wand movements vey accurately, but having trouble with channeling her magic. Another was Mr. Finnegan, who was having trouble with focusing and so his transfiguration of matchstick to needle was coming halfway. But Harry Potter was a surprise. I watched him as he did the wand movements correct. First he just waved the movements with his hand. Then he did it with his wand and I saw his eyes widen in surprise. When he did it with incantation, a perfect needle was sitting there on his first try. I saw many students looking at him in wonder, some jealous too.

"Well done Mr. Potter. 10 points to Gryffindor."

"Thank you." He smiled at me, and immediately turned to Mr. Longbottom and started explaining to him. He was a patient one, and his explanations were good. By the end of the glass, Mr. Longbottom was doing it correctly, just unable to put enough magic in the spell. I dismissed the class assigning them homework. As everyone was leaving, Mr. Longbottom waited patiently by his side as Mr. Potter came to me.

"Professor, I know you could have punished us, but you didn't. Thank you." And he left smiling, leaving behind a chocolate frog on my desk. When the room emptied, I slowly picked it up and opened it. It has been a long time since I ate one. As I bit into the sweetness, I thought about the boy-who-lived who just left. He was an honest, truthful, and happy boy and there was no trace of any arrogance for his title in him. I think the Potter parents were thinking well when they placed him with his aunt.

Good for him that Albus was unable to prevent that placement. I remember watching him agitated when all but one of his trackers on the child failed after three days. He could only tell that Harry Potter was safe, healthy and with his relatives. Nothing else, not even their location. My fears about his state of mind have come to rest. He is a charming good boy, I am proud of how he turned out.

Severus' pov

Ah! At last, I mentally rubbed my hands as I thought that my years of wait would finally be over. I wanted to know what he is; a miniature of James that his looks portrait or a compassion of Lily that his eyes convey.

Harry James Potter.

The incoming of various first years was the usual trouble. As I hid in plain sight under the disillusion charm, I watched the Gryffindors and Slytherins arrive and congregate into two groups. I especially watched my godson, Draco Malfoy and the heir of Longbottom, Neville Longbottom. The first because he is family and the second because he was the other one who had paid the price for my mistake. Draco was acting well like the pureblood his father wants him to portrait, though I could see the disinterest in life in his eyes. However much influence I had in his life, I'm afraid he would waste away unless he finds a purpose to go on. On the other hand, I know Augusta Longbottom, a very strict yet brave woman. It's not her influence that I see in the heir, and it was a disappointment that the boy was turned into such a coward after the sacrifice of his parents.

The third student was Harry Potter. Despite growing up in the muggle world, this boy seemed more attuned to the magical world than anyone else. I wonder how. Thus far, he had proved far more irritating than his father did before. Always smiling, always talking, charming everyone around him, and always telling the truth. It's like he does not need to hide from anything. That's good in one way, and utter arrogance in another. He was standing with Neville Longbottom, Ronald Weasley and Dean Thomas.

"Thank you for saving us back then, mate!" I can tell that this is one spoilt Weasley.

"I did not save anyone, I just told her the truth." Now this I had to learn later.

"And professor McGonagall would have given us punishment if not for the boy-who-lived."

Neville interjected, "Umm Ron, he actually asked for punishment, not to be excused. He just apologized. What more did he do?"

"But… but… Oh come on, that was splendid manipulation!"

"Ronald Weasley…" Potter said seriously, "I did no manipulation. I accepted my fault and apologized. Stop creating tales out of thin air."

The Weasley backed a step and raised his hands in acceptance. Now, this part was pure Lily, the righteousness and fire in eyes when scolding someone.

"Hey Neville" Potter nudged his friend, "Who is that?"

"That is the heir of Malfoys, Draco Malfoy. Why did he interest you?"

Leaning idly against the wall between Crabbe and Goyle, I could see Draco's attention perking up when he heard his name being mentioned.

"Oh, just that he is pretty."

Weasley and Draco both snorted at the same time. Weasley again opened his mouth without thinking, "Only on the outside, the inside is all cruel and twisted. He is the son of a death eater."

This time Potter snorted, "So? Do you know his that well to know what he is like? Anyway, I'll find out later. But you do agree that he is pretty, right? He looks like a doll to me."

"I never said that. Do you really want to talk to him? Why?"

"To get to know him. If he is really that bad, then I would withdraw anyway."

I could feel an argument starting, so canceled my charm and started walking to the classroom. Once everyone was seated, I looked around. Draco was sitting with Blaise Zabini and Weasley had slipped next to Potter, I could tell that it was unplanned as I saw Potter nod to Longbottom to sit somewhere else.

As I started my inspirational as well as threatening 'start of Potions' speech, I observed the students. Almost all of the Slytherins were listening attentively. Half the Gryffindors were too. Hermione Granger was scribbling whatever I was saying furiously. Come on, this is just a starting speech! Neville Longbottom looked nervous at my threats. Ronald Weasley was simply looking at me, but I could say that I did not have his full attention. This means at least one melted cauldron. Parvati Patil was looking down but listening. An easily scared person. How did she end up in Gryffindor? The rest were listening attentively.

Once done with introductions, I started questioning people to see how much they read the books. To my surprise, both Granger and Potter answered every question correctly, so did Zabini, Malfoy, Greengrass and Parkinson. Of course, those were the only Slytherins I asked. After berating to my content all those who did not answer, I told them to start brewing.

I walked around peering into everyone's cauldron and scolding the Gryffindors when they were not doing right. I enjoy this part of my job very much, if nothing else. I can take out all my stress on the students. Longbottom was shaking so much when I came near that he spoiled his potion just by that. Granger was muttering nonstop the instructions trying to follow them. But I could see that her handiwork was not as precise. She would be successful, but just so. She needs more practice. Thomas and Finnegan were stumbling along, they have not read the correct meaning of the terms in the books nor were they asking for help. The other Gryffindors were having the same issue.

Except Harry Potter. In fact, when I reached his and Weasley's table, I could hear him faintly humming to himself. The Weasley had assigned himself the task of preparing the ingredients, and Harry Potter was following the instructions seamlessly. Even when Weasley was handing him ingredients not well prepared, Potter would chop or dice them accurately first before putting them in the potion. I was amazed, but hell would come down before I showed it.

"Thought to take up the least responsible task Mr. Weasley and forgo doing the potion? Tell me, what stage is your potion in right now? When will it change color and into what?"

The boy looked baffled, as expected. I could see Ms. Granger raising her hand high in the air. I snapped at her, "Concentrate on your own potion Ms. Granger. And you Mr. Weasley, chopping as you wish is not the only thing you are to learn here. Ten points from Gryffindor."

"But sir, I was going to…"

"Another ten points for making excuses, Mr. Weasley."

"Sir…" He started again.

"We need the ginger roots in another two minutes Mr. Weasley. Chop them fast please." Harry Potter interrupted him. When Weasley looked at him, he shook his head and motioned to the roots. Seeing as would get no more chance to deduct points, I went ahead to other cauldrons.

As the students were leaving, Mr. Potter lagged behind.

"The class is complete Mr. Potter. I suggest you leave so that the next class can come in."

"Yes sir, I just wanted to hand in something."

I just raised my eyebrow. He put a paper… a letter?... On my desk and said, "My mother wrote it to give it to you. Please read it and let me know if we can meet sometime. Thank you."

He walked to his next class as I was opening the letter.

Hey Sev,

How are you? Yeah! Yeah! I know I am dead due to my own stupidity. But at least a part of me still lives. Sev, you are not at fault for anything. You did not put the target on us. Stop blaming yourself, I know you still do… You accidentally heard a part of the prophecy and Voldemort forcibly read it from your mind at your weakest. You met with Dumbledore and us immediately and warned us. What more could you have done? A prophecy has a way of being fulfilled, doesn't it? It would have found another way.

Now, I have written letters to Harry till he is of age twenty. If we had lived till then, we were going to read it one for each birthday. But if you have received this letter, then we have arranged for them to be mailed to him on his birthdays. I have told him all about our friendship, your struggles, his father's pranks of you, and your genius… many things indeed. Even James has told him how much of a prat he was to you and has apologized for it, just like he did to you when we last met. So if you are still wearing a mask in front of him, I expect him to see right through it. Don't hold yourself back from life anymore Sev. Live it and please help my son if you can too.

Enjoy life Severus Tobias Snape, it is too short. And if you can, connect with my son and show him how to live through struggles. I have attached many memories of us and our friendship, just to remember good old days by.

Yours lovingly,

Lily

I was touched. It felt like my heart had opened up a little and it was letting a few emotions through. Lily cared for me and did not blame me. If only I could do so myself.

As I looked through the moving pictures and memories, I looked forward to see what kind of kid Harry Potter was turning into. So far, I have been impressed.

Draco pov

I had started my schooling at Hogwarts. I got sorted in Slytherin. I was doing very well in my classes. I was a leading figure in my house. My magic was strong and was giving good results. I was proving to be a success and achieved according to my father's standards.

Away from home, I expected to feel happy, relieved, or at least content. But his training has made home in me, and I was unable to show any emotions, or even feel them. It's just like in my dreams; if I would fail his expectations, my father would shoot me with a Crutiatus. I was scared of feeling anything.

My father expected me to show off my status and bully others into submission. He is of the fine opinion that unless you show that you are of higher status, people won't respect you. But for all the torture that my father had put on me since childhood, it was no fun to bully others. He also said that I was to be a topper in class. Malfoys never come second, he says. Pretty hypocritical of him, considering he was never a topper himself. Doesn't he understand that everybody had their own strengths? I was top in potions, but you cannot expect me to be top in everything. Not even Harry Potter was topper in everything.

And then, I came across Harry Potter. I could not avoid writing to father about his arrival, he would know anyway. I got an immediate reply that I had to befriend him and find out his strength and weakness. I tried... it backfired.

The first class we had together was Care of Magical Creatures. Professor Silvanus Kettleburn was teaching us about Squinods, a species of squirrels which were magical. They were swift and friendly, but very protective of food and their kids. They had the magical ability to travel very fast, but other than that, they were normal. In this class, I approached Potter when we were asked to feed the squinods and take notes. He was with Weasley, I noted in disgust. Harry was tickling the creature and laughing along with it. His laugh was endearing, like he was happy just because, no reason necessary. I don't know how he does it. I wish I could be so.

"Good morning Potter. I am a Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Before Potter could reply, the Weasley beside him snorted, and then waved his hand indifferently when Harry looked at him in annoyance.

"Hello. I am Harry Potter. Pleased to meet you. Want to join us? This little bugger is the most active of all."

I nodded and sat beside him, careful to arrange my robes so they don't get dusty.

"Will you hold him while I draw him?" He asked Weasley. Weasley must have held him too tight, because the squinod bit his finger and scampered off onto Harry and into his robes.

"Bloody hell! That little devil of a …"

"Hahaha… You should have been gentle with him. Hey! Haha.. Now will you remove him from my robes? He is tickling me."

"I am not going to come near him, hear me." Weasley spat angrily.

Harry shrugged and looked at me pleadingly, "please Malfoy, will you. I can't reach my hand."

This was the most awkward situation. Here I was aiming for a polite conversation and the beginning of a long term friendship and Harry was asking me to remove a squinod out of his robes. Of all things that matter! I don't know how father will react when he knows of this exchange."

I sighed and nodded. "Where is he?"

"Just under my robe, between my shoulder blades. He is clinging to my shirt."

"Then why don't you just remove your cloak, you imbecile."

"I don't want to know where else he would escape to if I did that before. I will remove it now. The moment you see him, catch him, okay?"

I nodded and did just that. After that we finished our class. As I was about to leave, I heard Potter and Weasley talking about me,

"Harry, do you know who that is? He is a Malfoy, the son of a prominent pureblood and a death eater."

"So?"

"So?! You should not talk to him. God knows what he has planned for you. If he has come near you, it could only mean that his father has set him up so."

"Let's see. I am meeting him for the first time, Ron. I don't even know if we will become more than just classmates. But then again, you must agree to one thing."

"Oh I know, you must always be careful before being anyone's friends.

"I'll be careful, but I was not talking about that."

"You talk as if you want to make friends with him, a slimy snake."

"He is so pretty." Harry gushed. I felt heat creep up on my cheek for the first time at hearing that. That came out of nowhere and had an effect on Weasley too, who stumbled on his steps.

"What!?"

Harry just shrugged nonchalantly, "He is a pretty boy, if only someone can put a smile on that face, he would be beautiful. And he is incredibly smart and quick thinking. I can say that he is afraid of something or someone. And whatever façade he is showing, that is not the real Draco Malfoy."

"And how did you deduce all that in just one class?" Ron asked skeptically.

"Just observation."

Ron walked ahead shaking his head and mumbling, "You are mental" to Harry while I walked to the dungeons. All I could find out was that he studies well and is a funny guy. What made him deduce so much out of me? And should I really tell about him to father?

The next day…

It's Samhain's eve today, or Halloween as those muggleborns call it. They made it into just a celebration, but we know that this day is to pay our respects to the spirits and welcome the dark to take its stand for its half of the year. The ones who know this, mostly purebloods, would follow the ritual at midnight. This would be the first time I would do it with others away from my parents. Perhaps, I could wish for something other than respect and command of the society this time.

As the feast had just completed and the headmaster stood up to give his customary greeting when Filch, the caretaker of castle, burst through the doors shouting, "Troll in dungeons! Troll in dungeons! Aaahhhh!"

Just then there was a great boom making the ground shiver. The students screamed as a loud roar sounded. The headmaster had to use an amplified voice to bring control, "SILENCE! Now, I want all of you to follow your prefects to your common rooms. Teachers, come with me to deal with this."

I was one of the many who noticed Potter rushing to the Potions master immediately as he was leaving in another direction, followed by Longbottom.

"Severus!" He called and I was surprised at that familiarity.

"Leave me alone now Potter." But he paused in his step anyway.

"Shut up and listen! Do let your house walk into the hands of troll for all I care! Don't you remember or care that the Slytherin common room is in dungeons? Or that the troll might not stay in the said place for long and roam all around the castle. I don't know what the headmaster is thinking. But anyway, one of our classmates, Hermione Granger, was last seen in one of the washrooms in the dungeons and she is missing. Please help her."

Snape looked indecisive, just for an instant, but then nodded to Harry and said to the whole hall, "Everybody stay seated and do not walk out of the hall. I will seal the door so that the troll cannot come inside. If something does go wrong, move out of the professors' exit in the back, the troll cannot come through that. Prefects, take charge." And he went out of the hall, the doors clicking shut behind him. Harry then turned to Ron Weasley who was complaining to all around him, "It was not my fault she is such a cry baby. I tell her to shut up and get lost, but all she does is blah blah blah."

"RONALD WEASLEY! Please stay quiet. If you do not understand that your words feel as barbaric as they sound, then start thinking before you speak."

There was such command in his voice that Weasley could not speak back. He just nodded and everyone could see that he was nervous with that tone. I was impressed at the charge this mere first year was taking. He was talking to the head boy who nodded and spoke to us all.

"Students, please be seated. I know that Ms. Granger is missing amongst us. Please see amongst yourselves if anyone else is missing, please."

And the students did just that. I too counted all my year boys. Yes they were all there. But Pansy beside me was panicking.

"Daphne Greengrass is not here. She had left with Lisa Turpin just before the announcement saying she would be back in a minute. She isn't here yet. Is Ms. Turpin there?" she shouted to the Ravenclaws and they too panicked when they did not find her there.

"Oh no what are we going to do?"

Panic broke out amongst the students.

The head boy braved his heart, "Very well, is anyone else missing? Then I will go and inform the Professors."

Potter was shaking his head. He was one the few thinking what to do instead of panicking like the rest, "What if the troll finds you first?"

"I will have to brave it Potter."

"Isn't there any way to send a message from here itself? A charm or a portrait or something?"

"The patronus!" this was Cedric Diggory of Hufflepuff, "If someone can cast a corporeal patronus, then we can send the message through it. I cannot, not corporeal one. Can anyone do it?"

"I can." To my surprise, this was Denise Radians, a seventh year from my own house.

"Very good" the head boy said, "you need to send four patronus, can you do it?"

Radians just nodded, "I can try, but only consecutively."

"That would be more than enough, thank you. The first two should be to professor Snape and professor McGonagall. The next two to Hermione Granger and Daphne Greengrass. Please try. If we don't succeed then we need to walk out of the hall to one of the portraits."

Radians stood in professors' dais beside the head boy and cast the first patronus, which was of that of a rabbit. It hopped away through the doors out of the hall. He must have understood when the message was delivered because he cast the patronus a second time. I could see the strain this was having on him. By the time he cast the third one, his knees gave out and he stumbled only to be caught by the head boy. Potter immediately rushed to him and gave him a big bar of chocolate out of his pocket. Only then Radians could cast the fourth patronus.

Our job done, we waited for the news. It was a half hour wait before the door opened and the Professors arrived. Professor McGonagall announced, "The threat has been taken care of. Now please form a line and leave to you common rooms with the prefects. Mr. Radians, that was a brilliant patronus and did save the life of Ms. Granger, 500 points to Slytherin for a fantastic spell in time of need. We are still searching for Ms. Greengrass and Ms. Turpin. They will be escorted after their health has been checked. Those who wish to perform the ritual for Samhain may collect here and register before you go into the grounds. Thank you."