This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy.
On 1 October, Harry leaves for Hogwarts on the Express from Kings Cross Station with the other students for the magical castle in far off Scotland. He and Hedwig meet many people on the trip and then arrive for an exciting sorting ceremony. Minerva makes an important change in her life. Remus, Severus, and Healer Troutman speak about an unimportant matter.
Chapter 14 Hogwarts ExpressIt was the great day at last!
Harry and Hedwig were awake, clean (showered and preened) before seven. Despite the boy's assurances that he'd packed everything, Felicity sent a house elf from the Gringotts staff of elves to check 'young Mr Harry's' room to make certain nothing was left behind.
"I can't lift it," Harry groaned when he tried to move his trunk. "Felicity warned me not to buy so many books."
The owl chuffed in conversation with the elf who replied, "Nunley can fix. Makes trunk feather-light."
The little creature wiggled and then snapped her fingers and suddenly Harry was able to lift the trunk as if it weighed less than the pillow on his bed.
"Brilliant! Thanks, Nunley!"
The elf smiled and a tear rolled down her cheek, "Wizards never notice elves except to kick out way. Mr. Harry Potters is kind to elves. He will be great wizard!"
Hedwig chortled again so Nunley nodded in agreement, "And Mr. Harry Potters must learn the featherlight charm."
"Can I learn the elven version? I like elf magic better than wizard magic for chores and tricks."
Hedwig fussed a bit after that statement from her boy and he grimaced, "Yes, Hedwig. I know I must not let wizards know that the elves teach me some of their spells. I will keep my secrets!"
Hedwig nodded her head in agreement while the little elf merely smiled. Nutley knew the elves had secrets too and they were keeping an eye on the young wizard. Elven gossip held that several Potter elves had rushed to Hogwarts to help during the terrible fire. They managed to fight the fire while also making certain it spread to the headmaster's quarters where they rescued the young master's family possessions, returned a great many books to the library, and burned dozens of the headmaster's hideous robes.
The elves at Gringotts knew the Potter elves would remain at Hogwarts to help the young wizard; but no one ever asked house elves what they knew so they would keep their secrets.
*(+++++)*
The night before Harry and Hedwig visited with Hagrid and the dragons to say 'good-bye' with promises of letters and visits by the snowy owl to keep the four dragons informed of their friend's adventures. The dragons were very popular with young goblins and these youngsters were teaching the dragon's their language. Killer seemed the most adept at 'Garfish' and he was very interested in learning how to write in the language as well.
Earlier in the week Harry purchased several children's books for his four dragon friends to begin learning how to read English and he'd watched carefully as Ironstream duplicated the books and then cast a spell to translate the text into Garfish for Killer. Hagrid indulged each request from his dragons like the doting parent he was.
*(+++++)*
This morning, Ironstream met with Harry and Felicity in his office at nine o'clock. The goblin frowned for several minutes without speaking before he drew out a necklace with a small golden egg as a charm.
Ironstream cleared his throat and said, "Goblins are not hatched from golden eggs, young Potter. But since you asked that question in the dragon pen one afternoon, I have considered that you might be the first goblin to force his way from a golden egg."
The goblin motioned the boy forward and placed the necklace around his neck, "I gave you the protection of Gringotts the day you arrived in my office, seeking to know who you were. Since that day you defeated a terrible thief, begun teaching dragons to speak English and Garfish, and now you want to teach them to read!"
"It's only fair, sir. They have a lot to teach us," Harry replied but the goblin only shook his head. Then the goblin motioned for Hedwig to move from Harry's shoulder to the top of his office desk. As the wizard, owl and healer watched, Ironstream pulled out a harness made of fine leather with the emblem of a golden egg with a 'G' on the breast plate.
"This is for you, Miss Hedwig," Ironstream explained as he strapped the harness on the owl. "Now Harry, the eggs are charmed. Your necklace will protect you against legilimency attacks and the breast plate gives your owl protection from predators and from tracking charms."
Ironstream walked with the healer and young wizard to the Gringotts flue they would use to reach an attorney's office close to Kings Cross Station. The goblins would use various stratagems to confuse any agents sent to watch the steps of Gringotts for young Harry Potter today. Already two different healers had left with goblins glamoured to look something like the boy and watchers had indeed followed them out into London through the Leaky Cauldron.
Stepping toward the flue, harry turned back once and smiled at Ironstream, "I thank you for everything you did for me this summer!"
Then with a handful of flue powder the boy was gone on his adventure to Hogwarts. Ironstream watched the healer follow just moments later; the witch was very attached to her charge now and would report everything she saw at King's Cross today. They would receive regular letters and the owl would not hesitate to express her opinion; Ironstream shuddered imagining that he would have to make multiple trips to the dragon pens this fall to listen to the dragon that was learning Garfish translate the owl's stories.
'Perhaps I should have someone transcribe the stories? We could sell them to the Daily Prophet…' he considered for only a moment before he realized the healer would gut him where he stood if he tried to make a galleon selling news of the boy's school year.
He considered options and decided that a scribe would still be present for each of Hedwig's visits with the dragons. 'It'll make a great book someday… yes, a book after he graduates.'
*(+++++)*
Approaching Kings Cross StationFrom the attorney's office, it was a short walk of two blocks to the station. Being a Tuesday morning, the sidewalks were crowded and the streets filled with cars, buses and lorries going about their daily tasks. Felicity recognized that Harry was not paying close attention to the traffic – this was not an ordinary day for him.
The sky was overcast and the weather cool but not cold this morning. And the progress of the young man pulling a trunk behind him while a snowy white owl sat on his shoulder attracted the attention of many people. But as they watched, they could see the boy was excited and headed for school.
'Bit late to be heading to school… and an owl? Things have changed since I was in school!' thought more than one Londoner that morning. Felicity smiled, her face bright but no where near the joy that appeared to infuse Harry's eyes and smile.
"Hurry, Felicity! Hurry!"
"The train doesn't leave until eleven and it's barely half past nine," she replied cheerfully. "You have plenty…"
"But I want to see everything! I want to see the train and the people… Will everyone arrive dressed as muggles?"
*(+++++)*
Outside the brick pillars between platform #9 and #10, they paused.
"We're supposed to meet the Grangers here," Felicity reminded Harry.
"Why can't her parents come inside?" asked Harry with the impatience of an exited child.
Patiently the healer explained, "It's to keep other muggles from accidentally leaning against the pillar and falling through. Can you imagine the fuss if some Auror had to try and obliviate a dozen people who reported their friend vanishing through the bricks?"
"Then, why don't the muggles see us go through?"
"There's a permanent notice-me-not charm on the pillar when magical people step through."
Hedwig chirped for a moment and Harry translated his owl saying, "She thinks that most people here are in a great hurry and don't look at the other people."
Felicity smiled. "I imagine Hedwig is correct… as usual."
At that moment, the young witch Harry was looking for appeared through a doorway leading to the car park. She kept pulling on the adult woman's arm while behind them came a man pulling a large trunk on wheels.
"Hermione, slow down," the man called as his wife looked around as though expecting a wizard to leap out of the shadows.
"I can't!" the girl replied. "I have to find Harry so we get good seats on the train."
"Honey, we talked about this. The etiquette book said you must call him by his proper name until you are invited to call him 'Harry', just like in the Jane Austen novels you like so much," the mother reminded her daughter.
Harry waved the Granger family over and immediately introduced Felicity. With a small bow of his head, he began, "Good morning, Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger, Miss Granger. I am Heir Harry Potter." Then he motioned toward Felicity and introduced her saying, "This is my magical guardian, Healer Felicity Grossman from Gringotts Bank."
"So, we don't shake hands?" Mr. Granger asked.
Mrs. Granger elbowed her husband and replied, "We are pleased to make your acquaintance Healer Grossman and Mr. Potter. I am Dr. Elaine Granger and this is my husband, Dr. Daniel Granger. I believe Mr. Potter has previously met our daughter, Hermione."
"Yes, they've met and I understand that Harry and Miss Granger plan to sit together on the express today," Felicity replied.
"There now, all the proper magical etiquette is fulfilled," Harry said. He stepped forward and held out his hand to Hermione's father and said, "I was raised by my muggle aunt and uncle, and the man beat some manners into me. I am pleased to meet you, Dr. Granger."
Shaking Harry's hand, the man asked, "Why don't wizards shake hands?"
"They fear you'll cast a compulsion spell or jinx on them when you touch them," Felicity explained.
"Surely not… but then that Dumbledore fellow didn't think anything about casting a spell on Hermione," Mrs. Granger replied.
"If we'd had a little more warning about what these witches and wizards were like, Hermione would be in Beauxbatons."
"Dad! No, I want to go to school at Hogwarts," the girl argued.
"But Beauxbatons is warmer, in the south of France and there are no boys there!"
Felicity smiled as she retorted Dr. Granger's argument, "The school is in the mountains between Spain and France so it does get cold there in the winter. And the school does have boys; the school has separated dorms and very strong wards against couples finding their way into either dorm."
"Drat!" Dr. Granger said.
Felicity smiled and continued, "But I agree with you on the backwardness of the society built by British wizards and witches. I am muggleborn, like your daughter and it took me several years to figure out the system at work here."
"Can you explain it to us?" Hermione's mother asked.
"I will be glad to," Felicity offered. "Harry and Miss Granger have seven years ahead of them and we will see each other at holidays and summers."
"You need to set up an organization for parents and guardians," Harry declared. "We'll get the addresses of other muggleborns in our year and you can help each other with how things work, letters, everything."
Hermione's mother asked, "How can we send letters to Hogwarts?"
"I'll help you buy an owl who can travel back and forth to the school with your letters and Hermione's replies," Felicity explained. "We'll set up a window in the house and a roost in the attic."
"Construction?" Dr. Granger asked, his interest caught at the notion of some remodelling.
"If you wish or I'll just use magic to make the changes."
"Won't that violate…" Hermione began to ask before Harry pressed his finger against his lips signalling her to be quiet. They were suddenly in the middle of a large crowd of children headed for a train for a field trip. The boys and girls made comments on the trunks and the owl but hurried past them with chaperones and teachers watching them closely.
One the crowd passed, Hedwig churled for a moment before Felicity asked, "What did she say Harry?"
"She said for Felicity to go to the Owl Emporium and buy the brown barn owl in the back room for Mr. and Mrs. Granger. He is a strong owl who will never be noticed by the neighbours in your neighbourhood or by wizards. He's the perfect owl for Miss Granger's parents."
*(+++++)*
After five more minutes of conversation and the exchange of addresses for muggle post between the Grangers and Felicity, Hermione made her last tearful goodbyes with her mother and father before Felicity led the two youngsters through the portal for Platform 9¾.
*(+++++)*
Hermione struggled with the heavy trunk and even with Harry's assistance, the trunk was too heavy for them to push around the corners in the train.
"Here, let me make it lighter," Felicity said casting a feather light charm on the trunk.
"Oh, that's much better! Thank you!" Hermione said.
'And the wizard's spell is different than Nunley's spell,' Harry thought as he remembered the elf's short incantation.
"That's a spell in the fourth-year charms books," Felicity said. "Master all the Wingardium series of spells from first and second year and complete the wand and wrist exercises from third year before you try to cast it."
They crossed the platform and reached the train where only two or three other students stood at the doors as if waiting for someone. They appeared older with badges on their school uniforms that were a large 'P'.
"They must be prefects, the older students who patrol the halls and keep order among the other students," Hermione informed Harry and Felicity.
The healer's raised eyebrows drew a smirk from Harry – he'd have to talk with Miss Granger about speaking out with information that wasn't necessary or wanted.
There was an awkward pause for a moment before Felicity stepped close to Harry and hugged him gently, "I shall miss you, Harry Potter. Study hard and write me often. I'll even visit your dragons with Hedwig for more news that you don't put in your letters."
In the two months he'd lived with Felicity at Gringotts, he'd grown used to and liked her hugs. They'd begun to make him feel warm and wanted, like a family.
"I… I'll miss you too Felicity… I…" he stammered and while Hermione was silent and unsure what to say, Hedwig spoke up. When she finished chortling at him, Harry grinned and said, "Okay Hedwig."
He turned to his magical guardian and said, "Thank you Felicity! I love you!"
Wrapping the boy in a tighter hug, the healer said, "I love you too, Harry."
Her voice choked and her eyes were weepy as Felicity released the boy, upsetting Hedwig's balance on his shoulder so that the bird had to fly about for a moment before landing on the train car.
"Now, get on board and pick a nice compartment near the back of this car. It's smack dab in the middle of the train and you can watch everyone arrive from the window."
Hedwig returned to Harry's shoulder and the three traveling companions made for the doorway to the train, as Felicity continued with her advice. "Use proper etiquette with each greeting and teach it to the muggleborn firsties. The purebloods and half-bloods will not understand how you know this…"
"Yes, Healer Grossman," Hermione replied as Harry moved both trunks into the compartment. He hurried to lower the window and wave to Felicity.
"We'll be fine! We will make lots of friends and help each other!" he called as Felicity stood on the platform with a few tears on her cheeks.
"And listen to Hedwig," the healer admonished the boy before she turned and walked toward the station house where separate apparition points were set up for arrivals and departures.
Harry watched the figure of Healer Grossman step into the station and then flash away.
"I've never said goodbye to people I cared about before today," Harry told Hermione. "Hagrid and the dragons last night, Ironstream this morning, and now Felicity."
He rubbed his chest as if it hurt and noticed the smile on the girl's face.
"That must mean they're your family, Mr. Potter," she explained. "I think it perfectly understandable. That's why you will have to write them letters."
From her place on top of Harry's trunk, Hedwig began bobbing her head and chirping. Harry nodded his own head and translated, "Hedwig says you are correct, Miss Granger and that I will have to listen to you from time to time at Hogwarts."
Now Hermione frowned, "How does an owl know English? How can you understand her? Can anyone else understand her? How is this possible, Mr. Potter?"
Harry grinned and simply said, "Magic!"
*(+++++)*
At HogwartsAlbus hurried along the corridor from his office to the Great Hall where he hoped to have a word with Alistair Moody about the curriculum the Auror planned to implement the first day – core exercises for the students! There was no call for strengthening their cores until third year… surely.
Just as he reached the stairs leading to the entrance hall of the castle, Dumbledore met Professor McGonagall with Professor Burbage, the muggle studies professor.
"Ladies," Dumbledore said as he passed them without stopping.
"A moment, Headmaster," called McGonagall.
"I can't stop… must find Alistair!" he replied.
"Yes, you can stop and you will stop!" McGonagall demanded with a cold voice that stopped Dumbledore.
"Now, Minerva…"
"You will refer to me as Professor McGonagall in all conversations, Mr. Dumbledore," the deputy headmistress replied.
"What…" Dumbledore fumbled to understand this attitude from his most reliable chess piece.
"I wanted to let you know that as of this morning, I stepped down as Head of House for Gryffindor. My duties as deputy headmistress are so demanding that I fear that lions suffer from my inattention."
'Just as I wanted, nobody paying attention to the lions sneaking out at night…' Dumbledore thought as he frowned. 'Nothing to do about this today… I'll threaten to fire her tomorrow.'
His face once again the kind, grandfatherly visage that he was known for, Dumbledore turned to Burbage and said, "And I assume that you wish to nominate Professor Burbage as your replacement?"
"Nominate?" McGonagall said. "As deputy, I can make any last-minute appointments necessary as you well know. The last three DADA professors were my selections because YOU were absent to drop off to an island in the Mediterranean, enjoying the sunshine until the last minute."
"How do you know… I am busy with ICW and the Wizengamot on many days in the summer…" he argued. Her face turned pure sour and wisely, Dumbledore decided to drop the argument. He turned to the muggle studies professor.
"Professor Burbage, I hope you're prepared for the new year. You'll likely have the Boy-Who-Lived in your house," Dumbledore said but he noted immediately that the witch doubted the headmaster's words. He glanced one last time at Minerva but her occlumency shields glowed with strength, apparently daring Albus to attempt breaching her protections this morning.
*(+++++)*
The TripIn their compartment on the Hogwarts Express, waiting for other students to arrive, Hermione listened as Harry explained, "Hedwig is my familiar. From what I read, that relationship gives her the ability to understand me. Since she is vocal, I can understand her when she speaks."
"What book is that in? Will you loan it to me?" the girl asked breathlessly.
"Sure," Harry replied.
Hermione frowned, "It must be distracting to have a familiar who can talk all the time…"
"Almost like having a friend who asks questions all the time," Harry replied and the girl paused, stared at the boy for a moment and then sat on the comfortable bench seat.
"Are we friends?" she asked.
"We will be. Hedwig told me so."
*(+++++)*
As the clock above the platform struck ten o'clock, the doors of the station house opened as a steady stream of students with trunks and their parents or guardians came out of the building.
"Felicity says that most magical people use the flue or apparition to come to Kings Cross. Only the muggleborn have to use the portal at 9 ¾."
"That's hardly fair," Hermione said. "Everyone…"
"Hermione…"
"…should have the same opportunities for their education."
"Hermione!" Harry's voice rose just a little bit.
"What?" she asked offended.
He sighed, "Remember in the book how Mrs. Potter wrote that 'new blood' witches and wizards had to learn quickly to keep their muggle opinions to themselves?"
"Yes, I remember, but that's wrong!"
"I agree…"
"You agree?" Hermione asked. "That's wonderful. We'll have to figure out a way to change the magical world then!"
Harry shook his head, "I agree with Mrs. Potter and with you. We have to keep our muggle standards to ourselves until we show the others that we are capable of all their bows, 'Miss Whatsits' and 'Mr. Whosits'. Then we can show them that there are other ways to think and live that are just as valid as their own."
"How long will this take?"
"Seven years? I don't know… maybe seven years?"
The girl was perplexed by the idea that it might take seven years to teach the purebloods and half-bloods that the muggle world's ways were just as valid as the magical world.
Her mind was quickly connecting the dots and Hermione began to draw some conclusions, 'And while I am in the magical world, I'll have to be magical… Damn. He's saying we can't change the purebloods and the others… Damn, damn, damn!'
Hedwig chuffed a few times from the top of the trunk and Harry stopped people watching to move the two trunks into the overhead spaces. Once he'd placed the trunks above, he turned to his new 'friend' who was lost in her own thoughts.
"Hedwig just said that you are an extremely intelligent girl and she knows that you'll come to the final conclusion she wants before we graduate from Hogwarts."
"How does an owl know what I'm thinking?" demanded Hermione.
"Uh… already told you once; it's magic," Harry explained slowly and Hedwig obviously was laughing at both of the humans.
*(+++++)*
On the platform, a nervous boy pulled along a heavy trunk while his grandmother walked ahead of him, the crowd parting for her to allow her to cross the platform and stop at the same entry that Harry and Hermione used. Watching from the window of their compartment, Harry and Hermione whispered to each other as though they feared the formidable woman could hear their conversation.
"Well, that's a pureblood family for certain," Harry said. "Look at that hat. Even the Queen Mum wouldn't be caught wearing a hat like that to Saint Pauls!"
Hermione was speechless – the woman's hat was a giant vulture that appeared stuffed and mounted to the hat. She wondered aloud, "How does she balance that thing on her head… Her hair is piled up… It must weigh twenty pounds."
"Feather light charm again!" Harry concluded.
Outside the platform, the elderly woman turned to the boy and said, "Now Neville, study hard and send me a letter at least once a week. Try not to get expelled and I will see you at Christmas."
"Yes, Gran," he replied. Without a hug or comforting word before parting, the woman turned away and stalked through the crowd that once again parted for her.
"That would have been me without Felicity," Harry realized. He made an immediate decision and turned to Hermione. "Let me collect him. He needs a couple new friends."
Hermione continued to watch the people on the platform as Harry ducked out the door only to return with 'Neville', his large trunk, and a large toad.
"Miss Hermione Granger, I would like to introduce Heir Neville Longbottom of Longbottom Hall."
Remembering the rules from the etiquette book, Hermione smiled politely, curtseyed – something she despised having to do – and replied, "Heir Longbottom, I am pleased to meet you."
Neville's years of training kicked in and he bowed to both Hermione and to Harry. "Miss Granger, I am glad to meet you. Heir Potter, I am glad to meet you. It was a goal of mine to meet and speak with you this year."
From the overhead where she sat on Harry's trunk, Hedwig chortled politely and bowed her head toward Neville who jerked a little with surprize.
"Yes, yes," Harry replied. "Mr. Longbottom, my familiar wishes to be introduced to you. May I?"
"Uh… okay…" the boy replied.
"Heir Longbottom, this is my familiar, Miss Hedwig, Snowy Owl. She asks for an introduction to your familiar."
"Uh… Miss Hedwig, I am pleased to make your acquaintance." Taking the toad from Harry, Neville supported the creature's four feet and said, "This is my familiar Trevor. I don't know where my uncle purchased him but the papers said that his species is 'Insectum Manducante Magicis' from South America."
"He's very large… for a toad, I mean…" replied Hermione.
"Oh, he's just half-grown. When he is full grown, he'll weigh about five kilograms and eat up to a kilogram of insects each day. He'll be much larger than the magical toads here in Britain," Neville explained.
"Is it hard to catch that many insects each day?" asked Harry. "To feed him I mean."
"He lives in my greenhouse back home and catches his own insects. I like herbology and I'll ask Professor Sprout if I can keep him in one of the greenhouses at Hogwarts," Neville explained.
"Brilliant!" Harry agreed.
Harry closed the door to the compartment and Neville looked for a spot to set down the toad; very quickly Hermione pointed to the bench opposite where she was seated and the boys grinned but placed Trevor there. While the two boys wrestled Neville's large trunk into the overhead compartment, Hedwig flew from the overhead to sit beside the toad and begin a conversation.
*(+++++)*
More IntroductionsAnother boy entered the train station from the muggle world and pulled a trunk on wheels behind him. He nodded to other students but generally they didn't make eye contact. He entered the train at the first doorway and began searching for an empty compartment. The first car he walked through already was full and in the second car, none of the compartment inhabitants were welcoming. He stepped out of the car and crossed the little porch to the third car when the first door of the first compartment opened and a friendly face appeared.
"Come join us! Are you a firstie?" asked the girl with bushy hair.
"Yes, I'm a first-year student," he replied.
"Please join us then," she said. "We're trying to figure out familiars."
The two boys in the compartment stood and helped the new boy to store his trunk in the overhead. Four trunks filled up the compartment storage and the bench seats were configured for four students so they were set for their trip to Scotland with fifteen minutes to spare.
Harry began the introductions and Hermione was surprized when the new boy, used the proper forms of introduction with each of them, beginning with her as the only girl, then Neville and finally Harry.
"I am Justin Finch-Fletchley," the boy introduced himself. "I'm a muggle-born from Southampton."
"We don't care about that," Harry assured the boy. "We want to make new friends."
The boy nodded and looked the two familiars asking, "So, a toad and an owl? What does it mean to have a familiar?"
"Apparently Harry's familiar, the owl, can talk," Hermione explained. Hedwig glanced at the witch and chortled a long sentence that made Harry sit back surprized for moment before he translated.
"Miss Granger, you just insulted Hedwig. Because you had been properly introduced but continued to refer to her as 'the owl', she will refer to you for the rest of the day as 'the girl'."
Justin asked, "That's brilliant!"
Hermione frowned and Justin immediately explained, "Apologies Miss Granger. I didn't mean about being called 'the girl'; I meant that the beautiful Miss Hedwig can talk."
"How is that possible?" the muggle-born boy asked.
The other three children in the compartment replied simultaneously, "It's magic!"
*(+++++)*
Harry formally introduced Justin to Hedwig after which the four children and owl conversed about familiars, school uniforms, and trunks. It was close to eleven o'clock and the excitement of the day returned once more. Then Neville noticed his familiar was gone.
"Trevor? Where are you?" asked Neville as he knelt on the floor and looked under the seats. He found his toad had slipped off the seat and hidden in the space under the seat and behind their feet where small boxes could be stored.
Hermione raised her feet off the floor and asked, "Did you get him?"
Hedwig chortled from overhead and Harry translated, "Trevor moved under the seat to sleep in the dark. He asked if Hedwig would get him a mouse to eat tonight and she promised she would. He told her he'd stay underneath the seat for the whole trip if you promise to take him to a greenhouse tonight."
"The toad wants to eat a mouse?" asked Hermione scandalized.
"So, the toad – Trevor – can talk too?" asked Justin, anxious not to be called 'the boy' by the talkative owl.
Neville nodded, "That's right, I remember the book I read said that when Trevor was large enough, he'd eat toads and small birds that got too close to him at night. I can't understand him so I am grateful Miss Hedwig can translate."
"So, he sleeps all day and roams around the garden at night?" asked Harry. "Like Hedwig?"
From the overhead, Hedwig barked her laughter.
*(+++++)*
Through the open window, Harry heard several loud voices, arguing on the platform.
"Percy, help your brothers!" ordered a witch's voice.
"I have helped them all morning but it didn't make any difference! We're last to arrive and I will get in trouble because I didn't help with loading the train!" complained a teenage boy.
"No, you aren't in trouble," argued the woman's voice. "Professor Dumbledore gave permission for you to help me this morning."
Glancing out the window, Harry could see the boy and mother were both redheads like the curse-breaker in Gringotts – as were four more children. The boy-who-lived slowly moved away from the window to not be seen. Inside the compartment, he switched places with Neville so he could not be seen from the window at all. Outside the loud conversation continued.
"But Mum, we didn't see Harry Potter outside the pillar," the first of the twins pointed out to his mother and older brother. "Percy will get in trouble because you didn't help the boy-who-lived get into the station."
The other twin snarked, glancing at his little sister. "Poor little Harry Potter! He's lost somewhere in the giant muggle train station and will get eaten by some hungry muggle hobos, no doubt."
The woman, a formidable looking witch pulled her wand and quickly cast stinging jinxes that had both twins rubbing their backsides and scurrying to hide onboard the train. The older boy, Percy lifted his trunk and a second one onto the train while their mother consoled her sobbing daughter and tried to clean off the face of her youngest son.
"Ginny, Fred and George are being mean. No one is going to eat Harry Potter. Dumbledore won't allow it! Now stop crying," she said before turning to the boy. "Ron… How on earth did you get dirt on your face this time?"
She wet a handkerchief with her tongue and held the boy's chin still while wiping the dirt off his cheek and nose.
"Mum!" the boy protested. "Stop! I gotta find Harry Potter."
"He'll be on the train," the woman said as she tilted his head first one way and then the other. "You can find him easy. Look for a puny boy with black hair and a white owl. He's raised by muggles so won't have manners."
"I know…"
Glancing at the older boy impatiently waiting at the door to the train car, the woman said, "And Percy will help you find him. He's a prefect so everyone has to answer his questions."
The older boy rolled his eyes and said, "Come on Ron. The train's about to leave!"
"Bye Ron. Give your mum a kiss like a good boy," the woman instructed her youngest boy who pressed his lips on her cheek quickly before ducking around his brother and the two trunks to begin his search for Harry Potter.
"Mum, I didn't get to see Harry Potter," whined the young girl beside the witch. Hermione made certain not to catch anyone's eye as she watched the last-minute arrivals race to the train. The young girl followed her mother into the train station to use the flue or apparition point to leave.
*(+++++)*
When Hermione turned back around, she shared what she overheard and concluded by saying, "They're going to look for a 'puny' boy with black hair and an owl. They know you are muggle-raised and think you won't have good manners."
"Mr. Potter's manners are perfectly normal for a muggle," Justin said shaking his head. "They really don't understand that other people can be just as good as they are."
"So, they think I'm puny, do they?" Harry complained. "Well it's a good thing I've grown in the last two months."
Suddenly, Neville knelt on the floor of the compartment and pulled Trevor out from underneath the seat. He pulled out a box with a lid that was left there by someone else, quickly placed the toad inside the box, closed the lid, and thrust the box into Harry's hands.
"Here Potter, pretend Trevor is your toad. Don't tell anyone your name when they ask, just hold Trevor on your lap and when anyone asks about an owl, pop the top off the box to show 'em the toad."
Now Neville turned to the owl sitting on Harry's trunk and said, "Miss Hedwig, will you hide up there quietly while we help Harry hide in plain sight?"
The owl blinked twice but then bobbed her hear in agreement and stepped to the back of the overhead compartment where she couldn't be seen.
"That is a great idea," Justin said. "Miss Granger and I will distract anyone asking about Mr. Potter with questions about houses and their favourite book."
"Favourite book?" asked Hermione. "My favourite book is 'Hogwarts, A History' and I can discuss every single chapter."
The boys waited a moment in dread before she grinned and said, "But I'll wait until we need to distract someone from Mr. Potter…"
*(+++++)*
It wasn't long before they had their first visitors. Two young witches who knocked and stepped into the compartment after Neville opened the door.
Longbottom made the introductions for Heiress Susan Bones, and Miss Hannah Abbot. The two pureblood witches were pleased that Neville made proper introductions to the two muggleborn students and the famous boy-who-lived.
"Miss Granger, are you certain you will be comfortable here with the boys?" asked Miss Bones.
Hermione smiled politely. "Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom are providing us with necessary lessons on introductions and Magical Britain. Mr. Finch-Fletchley and I have hardly managed to insert a single word into the conversation."
"What house do you want to at Hogwarts?" blurted Hannah suddenly. She turned bright red with embarrassment and apologized.
"Miss Abbot, we're all excited," Harry said. "I believe we'll have to wait and see what happens when we get to the castle."
*(+++++)*
Their next visitors were the red-headed twins who had been very loud on the platform. They simply opened the door without knocking and the first one stepped into the compartment while the second merely held the door open.
"Well, Gred. I've hit the motherload – four firsties for sure," announced the twin inside the compartment.
"Brother, you say there are four firsties in the same compartment without a prefect holding their hands? How is that possible?"
"Don't know Forge," said the first twin, as he pulled his wand. "How about we see what they can do about that?"
"Weasley! Stop!" came a sharp voice behind the twins. A young woman pushed the twin outside the door out of the way and reached in the compartment to grab the jacket of the second twin and pull him outside the door.
"I've already got complaints and you'll have detention for a week with Fergus once we get to Hogwarts! Now go to your compartment and stay there!"
"But I got to use the loo," said one twin.
The girl frowned and said, "Wet your pants or pee out the window, I don't care. But if I see you in the hallways again, I will jinx your bullocks to be size of Quidditch balls again! And it took two days to wear off! Remember?"
The twin red-heads fled back down the hallway and everyone heard the door at the end of the car open and slam closed as the boys left the car.
Now the young woman turned back to the compartment and said, "Hello. Everyone okay?"
"Yes ma'am," replied Justin.
Waving the boys back to their seats as they began to stand, she smiled and explained, "Good, keep your seats and enjoy the ride. I'm Miss Penelope Clearwater, fifth year Ravenclaw and I am one of the prefects. If you have trouble or need information, look for one of us patrolling the cars."
She pointed to the large 'P' on the left panel of her robes. "All prefects have the 'P' on their robes."
Once she left, closing the door behind her, the four firsties began laughing.
"Wander if she'd really make 'em use the window for a loo?" asked Harry.
Hermione grimaced, "That's unsanitary! Think about the people in the next car…"
"What's Quidditch and how big are the balls used in the game?" asked Justin. After Neville explained, Harry and Justin burst out laughing at the notion while Hermione pretended to be affronted though she had to giggle just a little.
"I wonder if Miss Clearwater would teach me that spell?" she asked aloud and all three boys pretended to be scared and crossed their legs tightly.
*(+++++)*
After another hour, Neville and Justin went to the loo while Harry and Hermione discussed the subjects taught at Hogwarts. When the two boys returned, Harry made a trip to the loo, and then Hermione. Each car of the train had a 'Witches' and a 'Wizards' loo placed in the centre of the car.
While they waited for Hermione to return, Harry asked, "Did it seem like this train car is longer on the inside than it looked on the outside? I counted five compartments between here and the loo and it looked like there were just as many on the other side."
"The train uses a lot of expansion charms," Neville explained. "At least that's what my uncle told me. Wizards like to make the inside of everything bigger."
Then Hermione returned to the compartment and they each pulled out books to read for a while. Justin borrowed Harry's copy of the etiquette rules and began to study it carefully. Hermione read a chapter in the charms text book while Harry and Neville were reading the DADA book.
*(+++++)*
It wasn't long before the door to the compartment was thrown open again and this time it was the youngest red-head wizard from the loud family who barged into the compartment.
"Mind if I sit here? All the rest of the train's full! Any of you guys Harry Potter?" he asked and stepped close to Justin, looking at his forehead. Without waiting for anyone to reply, he moved over to check out Harry without glancing at Hermione.
"We're full," Neville said. "Find somewhere else."
The boy now glanced at Neville and sneered, "How'd you get on the train, squib?"
Neville frowned and said, "I received an invitation, just like you Weasley. There's no one here who wants to meet you. Wait until we get to school…"
Ignoring Neville, the boy now to be known as 'Weasley' stepped closer to Harry and asked, "Do you have a pet owl?"
Opening up the box and lifting it for Ron to see, the unnamed boy said, "Only got a toad."
"Leave Weasley or I'll call Miss Clearwater! She's already given the twins a week detention!"
The red head frowned at Neville, but Longbottom stood up and kept his face steady.
"Ugh, how stupid is this? A toad for a pet!" the red-head said as he turned and walked out of the compartment without closing the door.
"Wait… that's pureblood manners?" asked Hermione. "And they think muggleborns have bad manners?!"
Neville looked embarrassed to have to explain, "The Weasley family is not… my Gran won't invite them to dinner at our home though Dumbledore always pretends to be sorry when they are not there. There was one time we were invited to a dinner at Miss Bones home. Her Aunt is Mr. Weasley's boss in the ministry."
"It was a summer garden party and all the Weasley's were there. Mrs. Weasley was loudly not happy with the food."
Now Neville motioned out the door toward the visitor who'd just left, "Ron liked the food and ate enough for three other people on top of his food. The twins played jokes on several people including my Gran. Mr. Weasley got yelled at by his boss, the director of the DMLE – like the muggle police – and they had to leave early. Everyone left early and they've never been invited to another party that I've attended."
"What's a squib?" asked Justin just as the door of the compartment was once again thrown open.
*(+++++)*
"Bones said Harry Potter was in this compartment?" the blond boy announced as he stepped in and immediately went up to Justin.
He bowed his head and said, "Good day, I am Heir Draco Malfoy of House Malfoy. You will learn who the good people are if you follow me."
Justin stood and bowed slightly saying, "I am Justin Finch-Fletchley. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Malfoy."
"Merlin! You're a mudblood! How dare you introduce yourself to me!"
"Ah, but you introduced yourself to him. The introduction was of your making," Neville reminded the blond. Motioning with his hand at the other two children in the compartment, Longbottom said, "As you no doubt heard, this is Mr. Draco Malfoy. His family does not welcome…"
"Shut it, squib!" the blonde ordered. "I can see the girl's another mudblood."
He turned to the third boy in the compartment but this young wizard only frowned, lifted the lid off the box in his lap, and said, "Not interested. I'd rather sit here and talk with the magical toad than be introduced to you."
"How dare you! Do you know who I am?"
Together, the three 'mudbloods' replied, "Yes, your name is Draco Malfoy."
Now red with anger, the boy shouted, "When my father hears of this, he'll have you expelled from Hogwarts!"
"How can we be expelled?" asked Justin. "We're not there yet."
Neville once again directed a pureblood to leave the compartment with a threat, "Malfoy, run before the prefects come by. You'll get detention with the Weasleys if you keep shouting."
"The Weasleys? I would never…" the boy said though he did glance both ways in the hall before quickly disappearing.
*(+++++)*
Harry's frown was very dark. He'd be writing to Felicity for advice for certain. He asked Neville, "Is this what Magical Britain's purebloods think is 'good' manners?"
Hermione said, "Do all magical people act this way? My experiences with Dumbledore and McGonagall have not been good."
"I was introduced to the idea of magic by Professor Sprout," Justin said. "My parents would be really upset if they heard what these wizards had said and done this afternoon."
Neville bowed his head, "Not everyone is this bad but all magical folk think they are better than people without magic. And if you don't have much magic, your family sends you away to live with the muggles. That's what a squib is."
"Sends you away?" asked Hermione. "Like an orphan?"
Harry flinched in his corner and Hermione apologized quickly. Hedwig appeared in the overhead and she spread her wings to glide to her boy's lap, rubbing her head against his cheek and chirping like a chick, rather than a grown owl.
"My family thinks I'm almost a squib," Neville explained. "I didn't do accidental magic but a couple times and never anything spectacular like summoning a toy or anything."
"When my letter came at the end of July, my Gran was so surprized. That's when I found out that she'd been planning on giving me a trust fund and sending me to a muggle school called Eaton. My uncle who is her brother told me they'd planned to invite a cousin from America to be Heir Longbottom."
"Eaton is a great school," Justin declared. "That's where I was going before I got my letter in May."
*(+++++)*
Shortly after this sad conversation, there came a knock on the door and once Justin opened the door, a pleasant lady with a refreshment trolley offered them wizarding treats and snacks.
Trevor jumped in his box and Hedwig chortled a bit while Harry, Justin and Neville purchased some candies, pasties, and packs of biscuits. Once she was gone and the door closed, Harry handed a chocolate frog to Neville.
"Hedwig told me that Trevor wants to try a chocolate frog," Harry said. "And she wants to try one as well."
Neville opened the lid to Trevor's box before he unwrapped the frog. The frog-shaped treat leaped out of Neville's hand but Trevor leaped after it, caught it and pulled the struggling chocolate treat under the seat where he slurped loudly as he swallowed it.
Hedwig hooted excitedly, moving to the window seal and watching Harry's hands as he slowly unwrapped the chocolate frog. Again, the chocolate candy leapt from his hands and this time, Hedwig swooped down, catching the frog mid-air before flapping her wings again and returning to her perch atop Harry's trunk in the overhead compartment. There she churled and celebrated as she devoured the chocolate frog.
"That was brilliant!" declared Harry as Hermione rose to flee the compartment for the loo once again.
"I think Miss Granger is not…" Neville tried to say.
Justin shrugged, "There's been too many surprizes for her today, I imagine. I think it wise to not feed the familiars in her presence again."
*(+++++)*
It seemed a long time to the boys before the door to the compartment opened again and Hermione returned. This time she was accompanied by a girl their age who Hermione introduced to each of the boys as Parvati Patil.
"Miss Patil invited me to sit with her and talk about charms and potion class for a time," Hermione confessed.
"That's great," Harry said. "Remember we want to make friends with lots of different people."
"I shall return Miss Granger to you when it is time to change," the witch of Indian descent said as the two girls walked away again.
Once the door was closed, Justin said, "I think I'll stretch my legs a bit too."
Once the tall boy was gone, Neville asked, "What does that mean to 'stretch your legs'? Does he have a medical condition that he must stretch his legs in some muggle device?"
Harry and Hedwig both laughed and once Harry explained, it was a muggle expression meaning to 'walk about', Neville laughed as well.
When they calmed down, Harry asked, "What do wizard's say?"
Neville thought and then explained, "My uncle told me to take 'shank's mare' into the village one day when I wanted to get a new plant for the greenhouse. He didn't want to apparate me."
"Shank's mare? Oh, the muscles in your leg…"
There weren't any more interruptions and the two boys began to exchange pieces of their sad family histories.
"Our parents were friends – we should have grown up knowing each other!" Neville said. "My Gran never said anything about your parents though she takes me to see my Mom and Dad once a month at St. Mungo's. We used to go more often but I think she wants to forget now."
*(+++++)*
Back at HogwartsRemus Lupin stepped out of Greenhouse #3, made certain the door was secured, and hurried to his quarters just inside the backdoor to the castle. The greenhouses were enclosed within a high, magical curtain wall that prevented any intrusions so the backdoor was allowed to remain unlocked all day.
Once inside his rooms, he removed his dirty shoes, and then made his way to the bathroom for a shower. When he stepped from the shower, his dirty clothing was already gone and the clean robes he'd bought for the Opening Feast were laid on the bed with his new boots.
"Thank you, elves," he said aloud. In the two weeks he'd been back at Hogwarts, he'd been reintroduced to the wonder of the magical world known as house elves. The creatures kept his apartment spotless, helped with the tasks in the greenhouse when they could, and made certain his favourite cuts of beef, chicken or pork were served on his plate at the staff table every night.
At the end of his first week, thinking about how many steps the elves had saved him with their cleaning and laying out his clothes, he began thanking them aloud and found that the service improved even more.
'I'll make certain the muggleborn kids understand this,' he decided. 'And maybe some of the purebloods and half-bloods will appreciate the elves enough to thank them.'
Once dressed, Remus made his way toward the Great Hall. It was still an hour or more before the Express would arrive at the station but he wanted to mingle with the other staff as the excitement grew.
"Lupin!" called a caustic voice from behind him. Remus turned and recognized the dark-haired visage of Severus Snape approaching from the dungeons where Slytherin House and the potions labs were located. "I want to talk to you."
"Good afternoon, Professor Snape," Remus replied in greeting.
The potions professor sneered, "Remember you are not a professor! You are merely a hireling to lift pots and soil in the greenhouses until the plant woman gets well enough to lift them herself! Don't get above yourself!"
"I assume your bad temper is caused by all the excitement of having all seven years of students back… shouting… running…" The two men stared at one another for a moment longer before Remus inquired, "How can I help you this afternoon?"
"Dumbledore and I want to know where you're getting your wolfsbane potion? You didn't ask me to brew the potion last week before the full moon."
"Wolfsbane potion?" asked Remus, confused for a moment. He'd not taken the potion in several years now and didn't miss the side effects of the mixture.
"Yes, you stupid man. Where are you getting yours? The market for the potion has disappeared and the potion masters in Britain have been hurt by the decline in revenue."
"My potion needs are not part of my contract with Hogwarts," Remus replied carefully. "The headmaster explained he'd forgotten all about the wolfsbane in my contract. And since I'm only here for three months, he didn't think it necessary to amend my contract."
Severus frowned; that did sound like something Dumbledore would do to cut costs. "Nonetheless, all potions are my responsibility…"
"No," interrupted Healer Troutman as he strode up to the two men. "Potions Master Snape, you are never supposed to discuss any person's physical ailments in a public space such as this. I shall report you to St. Mungo's if I ever hear you doing such again!"
"Troutman…"
"You are the premier potions master in Britain now," the healer said. "If you have demerits on your record for breaching confidentiality, the demand for your brewing will quickly decline."
Snape glowered at both men before he spun around and stalked back to the dungeons.
"I feel sorry for the kids," Remus said. "The man's got to be a terror in the classroom."
Troutman nodded but didn't say anything else about Snape. He did look Remus over, cast a privacy spell, and whispered, "I have to say that you exhibit none of the classic signs of lycanthropy. No scars, no exhaustion for days following the full moon. It's almost as if something has happened to cure the disease."
Remus calmed his features and kept his temper at the healer's questions so soon after Snape's temper tantrum.
"I am curious for selfish reasons," the healer admitted. "My favourite cousin was bitten almost twenty years ago. My grandfather, may he rot in hell, banished Andrew from the family like he was a squib. His mother and my father supported Andrew through some muggle school and we kept in touch via muggle post until about five years ago. He disappeared and I couldn't find him or any of his friends anywhere."
"Interesting," Remus replied, pointing toward the hallway where Snape had returned to ease drop on their conversation.
"My privacy spell was more to discourage the headmaster than Snape," Troutman admitted as he pointed toward the disillusioned headmaster hiding behind the staircase. "In any case, remember they both listen to conversations in the castle. The portraits all report to the headmaster."
"Are you practicing disinformation?" asked Remus.
"Every chance I get," Troutman said loud enough to ensure the headmaster and potions professor heard him.
Again, they heard Snape stalk away from the hallway while Dumbledore popped away with a portkey.
"And what's your curiosity got you asking now?"
"I hoped you could bring me word about my cousin."
Remus smiled and replied, "Perhaps Sargent Woolsey can share his story with you himself.'
The surprized healer exclaimed, "You know my cousin?"
"I see him every time there is a full moon," Remus replied.
*(+++++)*
Hogsmeade StationAll through the train, the students waited impatiently for the train to come to a stop in the bare Hogsmeade Train Station. The wooden platform wasn't covered against the weather, and the paths were dirt and gravel, but no one cared; every pair of eyes watched out the windows for a glimpse of the castle.
In their shared compartment, the boys had changed into their school uniforms before Hermione returned. Then they waited in the hall for her to change into the school robes. All four students discussed the four houses again; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. They worried about professors and rules but waited as patiently as possible at the end of a long day.
When the train did come to a final stop and the prefects allowed them to exit the cars, the firsties noticed all the other students walking up a path to a series of carriages.
A little man, someone at least partially goblin, stood at the head of stairs and called, "First years! First years! This way, all first-year students!"
Harry and his three traveling companions made their way with the other first year students toward the little man who directed them down a lighted stone staircase to a dock on a dark black lake.
The little professor pushed his way through the students once they were on the dock and gave them instructions, "As first year students, you ride in these boats over to the castle. The lake is very calm at this time of the evening and the lights of the castle are spectacular to see reflected off the water so enjoy the trip."
"Now, no pushing, four to a boat and carefully…" the little man ordered, his wand evident in his hand.
"How do we start the boats?" asked Justin. Harry noticed that Hermione climbed into a boat with the Patil girl, the girl's twin and a fourth girl who kept whispering in the twin's ear and giggling.
"We've been deserted," Neville said. Justin shrugged and Harry listened to Hedwig churl.
"Miss Granger needed more girl talk. That's good," Harry said. "We'll end up friends even if we're in different houses."
With a wave of his wand, the boats floated across the lake toward the castle. The trip across the water was breath taking. Hogwarts pulsed with magic tonight, showing off her tall towers, her great walls, and the aura of magic that kept her hidden from muggles for a thousand years.
The boats crosse the water quickly and docked carefully at the bottom of some steps that lead up to the door of the castle. The little man counted the children twice to determine if he'd lost any and only when he was certain all were present, he motioned for them to climb the stairs. As they began the climb up the stairs, Hedwig flew off Harry's shoulder to bank about the night air for a moment.
Harry was amazed that he wasn't winded by the rapid climb up the stairs – before staying at Gringotts, he would have been tired by climbing that many stairs at one time – certainly they had climbed four stories up from the lakeside.
Hedwig returned to his shoulder with a mouse in her beak that Harry quickly plucked from her beak and then dropped into Trevor's box without any of the girls seeing. Neville and Justin grinned; the toad had been fed his supper.
The front door of the castle opened and the stern professor from Diagon Alley appeared and looked for the little man. When she saw him approach, the witch asked, "Well Professor Flitwick?"
The little professor bowed and replied, "Deputy Headmistress, I have brought the first-year students to be sorted into their houses."
Now McGonagall looked over the students again and her face softened for a moment, "Welcome to Hogwarts. We shall enter the castle together and then proceed into the Great Hall. There you will sorted into your house – your home here at Hogwarts for the next seven years."
"When do we eat?" called one loud Weasley voice. "I'm starving!"
The deputy headmistress frowned and explained, "We eat after the sorting. So be quiet and allow the ceremony to continue without problems. Only then will you eat."
The door opened wider and the eleven-year olds poured into the entrance hall with its grand staircase, suits of armour and many wizard lights brightening the dark corners.
"Professor Flitwick, if you'll wait with them, I will let the headmaster know we're ready."
Certainly, Professor McGonagall."
"Wonder what he teaches?" Justin asked Harry and Neville.
"He's the Charms professor," Neville replied and the other two boys grinned.
"Mr. Longbottom, you know everything! It's great to know you," Harry told the other boy and Justin nodded in agreement.
While they waited for the stern-faced professor to return, Neville wondered if this was what friends were like. He noticed that Miss Granger was involved in an animated conversation with the Patil sister. He hoped he would be sorted into the house with at least one of the four people he'd met today on the Hogwarts Express.
*(+++++)*