Title: Strings of Fate
Author: Knife Hand
Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated
Spoilers: Nothing Specific, general for first few books.
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione, or Luna, or Ginny, or Cho, or... I would buy them all but I am broke.
Summary: Being raised only by his Aunt, Harry comes to Hogwarts not only knowing about the Wizarding World, but with a kind of training no one at the school is expecting.
The very air inside the Castle seemed to vibrate and Harry hummed as he walked along one of the corridors on the path from the Great Hall to the Herbology Greenhouses. Susan, Hannah, Hermione and Padma were walking with him, Hannah explaining her idea to Hermione about a study group while Padma listened to the hauntingly beautiful tune Harry was humming.
All of the Staff and older students dismissed the energy running through Hogwarts as the usual excitement of a new school year. It wasn't. Hogwarts was more than just a castle, more even than a magically infused building. She was alive, she was happy and she was singing to Harry. She had waited almost ten centuries for another who was able to interact with her on the same level as her parents, the four Founders, had. In all those centuries only a few people had been able to even sense her; only three had been able to interact with her. One had been three centuries ago, a Witch who was able to access just enough to control Hogwarts' stairways to prevent her being late to class. The other two were just a few decades ago. A witch named Lily Evans who was able to faintly hear Hogwarts' song when either the castle or Lily were experiencing extreme emotions. The third was James Potter, who had gained subconscious access to the Castle's floor plan, which he used to make the infamous, to the few who know about it, Marauder's Map.
The group of five were a few feet behind another group of fist year Ravenclaws when the other group reached a fork and turned right, the well know route from the Great Hall to the Greenhouses. Harry however stopped and cocked his head at the intersection.
"Harry. What's the problem?" Susan asked.
"That's not the best way to the Greenhouses." Harry replied. "It's this way."
Harry turned and headed left; following the instructions Hogwarts was feeding into his mind. After a few seconds, and several shrugs, the four girls followed after him. Several times it was looking like he was heading in the completely wrong direction but quickly, using three secret passages, the group exited the castle and made it to the greenhouses several minutes before the group of Ravenclaws.
Harry, Susan and Hannah walked into the Great Hall for lunch. After Herbology, they had gone to Charms, taught by the diminutive Professor Flitwick, with the Slytherins. There had been some grumbling from the Slytherins when they had seen Harry, but the Hufflepuffs had closed in around Harry and had claimed one side of the classroom.
Lunch was a much more relaxed meal than the sometimes hurried breakfasts and the more rigid formality of Dinner. Just as they entered, Hermione, Padma and Neville entered having just come from History of Magic. As a group they moved over to the Hufflepuff table and all sat down together. Harry, Susan and Neville were sitting with their backs to the wall, while Hermione, Hannah and Padma were sitting opposite them.
Looking around, Harry noticed that only a few others were sitting away from their House table. Tonks was sitting at the Gryffindor table with the Weasley twins, and a few other older students, mostly Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, were sitting with their current boy/girlfriend.
"Transfiguration was good, but History of Magic was torture. It is taught by a ghost and you can hardly stay awake." Neville said.
"I simply spent the History of Magic class reading the textbook. Although I must admit, it seems to miss out some information." Hermione said.
"That is true of all History books. The trick is to consider two things. Who is behind the book and who is the book designed to be read by. That gives you the bias of the book, so you can reasonably guess what is propaganda. You need to compare several accounts to get an accurate account of the event." Harry replied.
Hermione nodded, contemplatively, at the comment. While Hermione was thinking, Padma and Hannah looked up over Harry's shoulder. Harry turned around and saw a Ravenclaw First Year with delicate Asian features looking a Harry.
"Hello." Harry said.
"Hi. My name is Su Li." The girl said with a slight blush.
"How can we help you?" Harry asked
"I was wondering if you would autograph this." Su said, holding out a book she was holding.
Harry took the book, the latest Harry Potter adventure written by Margarite Bethany which was designed for young witches, so it naturally had him saving a young Witch.
"Did you enjoy the book?" Harry asked, as he pulled a quill and ink from his bag.
"Very much." Su replied. "Quite entertaining."
Harry smiled and signed the title page.
"Thank you so much." Su replied, before hurrying back to the Ravenclaw table with a huge smile on her face.
Discussions broke out all over the Hall, some with interest and some, at the Slytherin table, with disgust.
Harry sighed as he collapsed into on of the couches in the apartment.
"That was awful." Susan said.
Tonks was sitting on the other couch and Susan dropped down next to her.
"Defence Against The Dark Arts?" Tonks asked.
Susan nodded. Hannah was standing, looking between the study desk chairs and the vacant spot next to Harry. After a few seconds, and yet another blush, she made up her mind and settled down next to Harry, making sure that there was a small gap between them.
"Yeah." Susan said.
"Can't understand a damn thing that guy says." Harry grumbled.
"Well, no DADA Professor has lasted more that a year and a half since I have been here. Some a good, some are bad." Tonks said. "Out in the common room we have a compiled a set of notes of the best bits of the course from the last ten to fifteen years."
"Hey Indy. Do you think we could make some copies of them for Hermione, Padma and Neville?" Harry asked.
"I'll ask around but I don't see why not." She replied. "Saw you gave out an autograph at lunch."
"Yeah." Harry replied. "A Ravenclaw first year. She was polite and not a rabid fangirl."
"You know you are going to be inundated with requests for autographs." Susan said.
"Of course." Harry replied "But I am certain there is at least one Harry Potter fanclub. I expect to be approached by one of them in the next two days."
"And when they do?" Hannah asked quietly.
"Simple. I will let them organise a signing day, possibly a question and answer session." He replied.
"Why would you let them do that?" Tonks asked.
Harry just smiled and after a moment Susan seemed to catch on.
"Positive publicity. All the fans who get signatures will be appreciative and more inclined to comply if you ask something in the future out of gratitude." Susan said.
"True." Harry replied. "And I will only agree if the organisers give me markers."
"What are markers?" Hannah asked.
"The promise of favours in the future." He said.
"We're looking at a future Minister of Magic here." Tonks joked. "By the way Harry. Can you play poker? Because the Weasley Twins and I are arranging a Poker tournament series."
"Sure. It'll cost you a marker." Harry said with a sly grin.
The group sat around the table in the Library. Hermione and Hannah sat next to Harry on one side, with Susan across from him, Padma across from Hermione and Neville across from Hannah.
"Harry, these notes are amazing." Hermione said, flicking through the compiled Hufflepuff set of first year DADA notes.
"I'm surprised that Ravenclaw does not have something like this." Harry said.
"I think everyone is expected to do their own study." Padma replied. "Seems to be most of our Housemates try to hoard their knowledge."
The group continued to study and work on their homework.
"Potter. What are you doing with these losers?" a voice came from behind Harry.
"Malfoy. Can you not see that we are studying and we are in the library? Please keep your voice down." Harry replied.
"What? Damn it Potter…." Malfoy began.
"If you wish to talk to me, please make an appointment." Harry replied.
"Potter!" Malfoy yelled.
Madam Price came over at the yell and expelled Malfoy from the library.
"That was well done." Susan said.
"Malfoy is an idiot, but his father has bribed a lot of people in the Ministry. I won't antagonise him, but I won't stop him when he makes an idiot of himself." Harry added.
TBC…