Later that night Harry sat in the Slytherin Common Room, in a regal, emerald green wing chair, with silver trim. To a passerby, he appeared to be entranced in the book on his lap. However, it was not the book on magical fungi that had him so deep in thought. Instead, he was thinking of his time in the Wizarding World. In particular, the friendships he had made.
*START FLASHBACK*
I watch as the giant decides to leave me on my own, I shake my head. 'Great, left on my own. Again.' I walk into the shop and am immediately ambushed by, who I assume to be, the shop clerk.
"Hogwarts first year, my dear?" the lady says before quickly continuing with, "oh of course you are, why else would you be standing in here."
Shocked by her rushed words and passionate nature, I nod my head to answer her initial question. She grabs my wrist and drags me toward a raised platform. Quickly I realise her intentions and ready myself for the step. I nimbly land atop the platform as we reach it. Out of the corner of my left eye, I see a flash of blond and turn my head toward it. A boy is standing on an identical platform to mine. He has a pointy face and what looked to be new clothes on. 'Clearly, he is rich,' I think to myself. Finally, he notices me and turns my way. "Hi, my name is Harry Potter, I just found out I am a wizard. Who are you?" I ask, in my most polite tone of voice. "Are you a first-year like I am?"
The boy looks at me strangely, like he can't believe what I told him. I see the confusion swirling around in his grey eyes. He introduces himself, explaining how his dad is going to buy him a broom and how he would be in Slytherin, the greatest of all houses. I tell him that I don't understand what he means by any of that. The uncertainty in his eyes from earlier returns. If only briefly. He then tells me everything he can about both Hogwarts Houses' and Quidditch before he ran out of breath.
*END FLASHBACK*
Harry thinks back to that first meeting, and a small smile graces his lips. When Lucius had appeared, Draco quickly said goodbye and ran to his father...
*START FLASHBACK
I couldn't hear what was said but knew the boy, Draco, was not saying anything mean about me. Before the Malfoys' left Madam Malkins, Draco called out to me, "I will owl you!" This made me worry as he knew if my Aunt or Uncle saw another owl, they were liable to either kill it or me. I knew I had to find somewhere else to stay for the Summer. I waited around for another half an hour or so for Hagrid to come back for me. He didn't. I looked at my list and noticed I was only missing two items, a wand and a familiar. I went for the wand first, asking the shop clerk who had made my uniforms to point me in the right direction. I found it quickly and was promptly walked inside.
*END FLASHBACK*
Harry remembered the pet shop owner telling him to ask Tom at the Leaky Cauldron for a room to stay. So that is what he did. Tom was happy to help and even promised to help keep everyone away from Harry. Later that evening, Harry heard a tap-tap on his window and found an eagle owl hovered outside. Harry opened the window, the owl flew in and dropped the letter on the bed, perched in the headboard.
The boy grabbed the envelope and ripped it open. In the note from Draco, it explained that his owl, Julius, would wait for a response. He asked that Harry feed him a small amount of meat and give the avian water. The boys shared many letters throughout that Summer, slowly revealing more about their lives and their ambitions for the future. Neither Harry nor Draco wanted to admit weakness to their new friend, so both pretended like their lives were much better than they really were. Harry thought back to when he saw the Malfoy men waiting for him at King's Cross Station as Draco had promised him.
*START FLASHBACK*
I watched as my uncle sped off, trying to flee me as quick as his fat body would take him. Taking a deep breath, I turn toward the large building, made of brick and glass. I am praying that Draco is waiting for me inside. When he wrote to me, he said he would. 'I hope that I can trust him,' I think to myself. I read my ticket 'Platform 9 ' it reads. I shake my head, 'this sounds preposterous.'
I groan and walk the way I know platforms' nine and ten are situated. I quickly make my way through the masses and promptly see the sign for platform nine. Taking a swift look at my watch, I notice it is five past ten in the morning. Fifty-five minutes until the train is due to leave. Searching the train station for any sign of Draco, suddenly, I feel a tap on my shoulder, I jump and spin around.
Standing there is Draco, looking at me with a raised eyebrow and his lips quirked into a smirk. "May I introduce you to my father, the esteemed Lucius Malfoy," the blond hair boy introduced with an air of grace. "Father, this is my frien- best friend, Harry Potter."
"Pleasure to meet you, Mister Malfoy," I bow low to the Malfoy patriarch, relieved I had read the book I bought on Wizarding customs and traditions. Glancing at the elder Malfoy, I find him looking at me with a small frown which makes me feel nervous. I look at Draco, who is starting to look apprehensive as well, and whisper, "Di- did I do something wrong?"
Before Draco has a chance to reply, his father says, "Draco has not shut up about you since the day you met, it is wonderful to meet you too."
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Draco starting to go red in the face, and I try to find a way to change the subject. Seeing a clock on the wall showing the time to be ten thirty-five. "Um, Mister Malfoy? How do we get to platform 9 3/4?" I ask the man.
The man seems surprised but replies, "Ah, of course, you don't know. Well, see the brick pillar between the signs for the platforms?" At my nod, he continues, "One at a time, each person will direct their cart at the wall and then walk confidently through it. Do not worry, you will not crash."
I must look confused because he chuckles slightly and says, "Magic."
*END FLASHBACK*
Thus began the friendship between the blond, and raven-haired boys. Harry felt grateful to have met such an amazing friend so fast in the Wizarding World. Making friends was something that he had always struggled with, admittedly because of his cousins' interference.
