A/N: Now that Dumbledore has prevented Voldemort from harming any of the Potters, Harry is not a horcrux. Voldemort will still make appearances, and the Ministry is more competent than it was in canon.
Harry also has a younger sister, Heather.
As always, Reviews and PMs are welcome.
Thanks to androidrainbow from the Flowerpot Discord for their valuable suggestions. This chapter would not have been possible without them.
I'll try to see if I can post an extra chapter this week since I didn't post one last week.
Thank you for all the reviews, comments and favourites.
Chapter 1:"Get up, Harry! You're going to Hogwarts," yelled Heather, as she bounced on Harry's bed.
Harry blinked, groping for his glasses. He glanced at his alarm clock incredulously.
"It's six o'clock, Heather. The train isn't until eleven," groaned Harry.
"I know." replied a grinning Heather.
"Besides, why are you up so early anyway?" questioned Harry.
"Mum said she'd give me five galleons if I woke you up by seven," she grinned.
He glared at her.
"Dad said he'd give ten," she added cackling on her way out, her long red ponytail swishing behind her.
"I'll get you back for this next year," he muttered, yawning and stretching .
After brushing his teeth, he walked downstairs as the sweet smell of cocoa tickled his nostrils.
"Morning, Mum." he grumbled.
"A very good morning to you too, Harry!" Lily, as she set two cups of cocoa on the table.
"No good morning for your Dad?" asked James, with a mock pout.
Harry shot him a dirty glare..
James rolled his eyes, as he went back to reading the Prophet.
"I'm going to miss your cocoa, Mum," said Harry, sighing wistfully.
"I have a feeling you'll forget all about the cocoa once you try Hogwarts's Pumpkin Juice," she replied. Besides, I'll send you a few sachets of cocoa if you really want it. The elves can make a few cups for you," she whispered with a grin.
"If you want to access the kitchens, your dear old dad knows every secret passage in Hogwarts." He winked at Harry conspiratorially.
Harry's face brightened upon hearing that.
"Alright, Harry. Here's the game plan. Breakfast is at eight. Your trunk must be checked by nine, and we should be out by nine-thirty," she said.
"Alright, Mum," he replied.
It wasn't as though he was about to disagree, anyway. They had been late for countless official functions and visits. He knew that a little discipline went a long way.
He'd have a lot of opportunities to make new friends on the platform before they branched off into different compartments, if he arrived early.
He quickly showered, put on a sweater over his shirt and some thick pants. London was cold at this time of the year, and so was Scotland.
It did not matter at Hogwarts, though. The school robes were charmed to activate warming charms or cooling charms, depending on the temperature.
After a sumptuous breakfast of mushrooms, toast, black pudding, and treacle tart, the Potters were ready to hit the road.
A forty minute car ride later, they had reached a parking garage near Charing Cross Road, from which the Leaky Cauldron was a quick walk. They quickly ducked into a nearby alley, and cast Notice Me Not and Disillusionment charms.
Security measures had been upgraded since the war, and the Leaky Cauldron could not be directly accessed from Charing Cross. The Potters, like everybody else who had children going to Hogwarts, had been assigned an arrival time and a portkey which would only activate if they were within ten miles of the Cauldron that would directly land them in Diagon Alley, if they so wished.
"Hold on, everybody," voiced James as the portkey was activated.
Harry and Heather landed ungracefully in Diagon Alley, as they brushed off dust from their clothes.
"You'll get used to it," grinned Lily, as a team of Aurors led by Kingsley Shacklebolt approached them swiftly, and performed a detection charm on their person.
Finding no irregularities, Kingsley's stern face broke into a smile.
"Hello, Kingsley. Harry here is starting off at Hogwarts this year." James ruffled Harry's head. Harry ducked irritably.
"Good to see you too, James, and Lily. How are Sirius and Remus?" he inquired, as his eyes scanned the rest of the alley.
"They are doing excellent. Remus is now a private tutor, and the family absolutely doesn't mind about his furry little problem." responded Lily, with a wink.
"He deserves a break." he sighed sadly.
"I'll give the kids a few minutes to get their bearings. Your portkey to the Ministry of Magic will activate in five minutes, or earlier, if you please," he chuckled, with a sly glance at Harry and Heather.
"Five minutes will do, Auror Shacklebolt." interjected Harry, as he playfully narrowed his eyes.
Kingsley smiled, and quickly used a Magnifying Charm to identify a trio that had just materialised and were trudging toward the Aurors.
"That would be the Longbottoms." he announced, sending his team to receive them, and shook hands with James,
"I hope to see you in Slytherin, Harry." he finished, with a wink, as he rejoined his team.
Neville and his family were quickly given their own portkey, as they came up to join James and his family.
"How's the greenhouse going, Piranha Prowler?" joked Harry.
"Using the Prowler didn't stop me from beating you! It's going good, by the way." shot back Neville, as his eyes glinted.
"A first timer isn't supposed to be that good!" pouted Harry, as Neville chuckled.
"If you're sulking about this, wait till I start using the Flame Runner. I'll drive circles around you," warned Neville jokingly.
"We'll see about that," finished Harry, ribbing Neville with his fist.
"Kids, the portkey is going to activate," warned Lily.
"Catch you on the express, Neville!" called out Harry, as Neville waved a hand in acknowledgment, hurrying to reach his own portkey.
No sooner did Harry place a finger on the clock, than the blue glow of the portkey enveloped them. One short moment later, they were greeted by a sign on which the words "The Ministry of Magic welcomes you to Britain." were embossed in gold and blue cursive.
A group of Aurors directed them towards the security check area, which was overseen by Goblins, the experts at detecting dark objects.
"Do you have anything to declare?" asked a security Goblin in a businesslike tone.
"Nothing in particular." declared James.
"Then step forward." announced the Goblin, as James Potter was enveloped by a version of the Thief's Downfall ward that was tailored to suit the Ministry requirements by the Goblin curse breakers and warders.
Lily and Heather went through the ward without a hitch.
Just as Harry was about to go through the ward, a purple curse shot by his ear, barely missing him, as the rest of the people in the line screamed and scattered. Thanking his reflexes, he quickly ducked as Aurors fanned out to search for the assailant. One of the Aurors quickly raised a wall that bore the brunt of the curse, as two more stepped in front of the Potters.
James and Lily pulled Heather behind them as they unsheathed their wands.
Harry caught a flash of blue out of the corner of his eyes. A brief scuffle broke out near the floos as a burly Auror snapped magic-binding cuffs on the assailant and marched him to a Ministry holding cell.
The Auror handed the attacker's wand off to a much younger colleague, who prodded it into a strange contraption, which spat out a slip of paper.
"Adelard Alexandre, wanted for shoplifting and mugging," the reedy young man announced. Placing the tip of his own wand against the confiscated one, he incanted "Priori Incantato!"
The burly auror glanced up at the ghostly shape of the curse. "Secaranoxum," he grunted. "Dark severing curse."
A multitude of apparitions sounded, as more Auror personnel arrived to secure the area and prevent more attacks from happening.
An Auror yanked back the sleeves of the stunned man and dispelled any glamour charms to check whether he had ties to the Death Eaters.
A cluster of red-robed wizards closed in around him, hurrying him out of the atrium. Before he was escorted away, Harry caught a glimpse of the leering black skull and serpent on the man's arm. A Death Eater.
An auror scowled over Harry's shoulder, hurrying him through security. "Auror Scrimgeour," he introduced himself, eyeing the arrested man distastefully. The scowl on his face seemed natural, the lines on his face indicating that that was the expression he spent most of his time wearing. The auror in front of Harry was pushed aside, his mother enveloping him in a hug.
"We'll be assigning you a protective detail until your kids have boarded the Express," Scrimgeour stated. The red-robed wizards expanded their ring, encircling the rest of the Potters.
"We apologise for the lapse in security, Mr Potter. As per Ministry procedure, you can be present while we interrogate your son's assailant," an Auror placated.
They reached the floo. The Aurors and Potters quickly pressed their hands onto a metal pad located near the floo.
When Harry placed his hand on the plate, it seemed to give his wrist a sharp tug. "Why are these things even here?" he groused.
"Security," Rufus said gruffly. "It reads your magical signature, makes sure you're allowed onto the Platform."
The empty grate flared green. Harry, for his part, was shaken. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was scared. All he could think about was Voldemort coming back and finishing the job.
The curse could have hit Heather, or any of the people at the Ministry. How could he answer their families if anything had happened to any of them?
As these thoughts ran through his mind, the floo connection activated. This time, however, Harry was quickly but gently hauled up by the Aurors once they landed in Platform Nine and Three Quarters.
The majority of the posse quickly fanned out, discreetly surveying the scenario, while two Aurors remained with the Potters, at a respectful distance.
"The person who attacked me had the Dark Mark. I can't help but think that–" started Harry, in a small voice.
Lily stopped and turned to face Harry.
"Listen to me, Harry. You are not responsible for that person's actions. It was of his own doing. We live in a society where both good and bad exist. Everybody knows that, and they are aware of the risks. Nobody was harmed, so don't fret." said Lily sternly.
Harry was looking downcast, eyes trained on the ground.
"Hey, Harry. Chin up. This should be the least of your worries. Today is a big day. Enjoy it. After all, you only get sorted once." James grinned, nudging his wife.
Lily, however, seemed to be fixated on something that was approaching in the distance, her eyes dreamy.
"It never gets old, does it?" murmured James, as his face broke into a smile.
A horn sounded. The Express came chugging into the station. It was a sight straight from a movie. The gleaming red engine squealed, slowing down laboriously, the carriages whooshing by.
The train came to a complete stop, smoke billowed from the gleaming black smokestack over the engine. Harry coughed, eyes stinging.
"You'll get used to that," said James, as the Longbottoms approached Harry.
The aurors immediately trained their wands on the Longbottoms, as Scrimgeour joined them.
Keep your distance, Mr. and Madam Longbottom," Scrimgeour said blandly.
"It's alright, Auror Scrimgeour. They're friends." James waved the family narrowed his eyes, but relented.
"If I see any suspicious movement, the three of you will be suppressed and tossed in a holding cell." Scrimgeour warned, narrowing his eyes at Mr. Longbottom.
"Scrimgeour! They aretrustworthy friends." chastised Lily,he Aurors parted for the Longbottoms.
"My apologies, Mrs. Potter," Scrimgeour scowled, as his eyes returned to scanning the crowd.
"We saw what happened. We tried to reach you, but you were escorted by the Aurors before we could worm our way through the crowd," Mr. Longbottom said..
"Sorry about that Frank, we were busy getting mobbed by overbearing aurors." James stuck his tongue out at Scrimgeour's back.
"Are you alright, Harry?" asked Alice.
Squished between his parents, Neville shot a concerned look at his friend.
"Yes, Mrs. Longbottom," replied Harry.
"Would it be possible for me to scout the platform for additional friends I could make, Dad?" asked Harry, hoping that his Dad would cave.
"I don't think your babysitters would like that," James grinned ruefully, as Scrimgeour glared at him.
Harry's face fell.
You can make new friends on the train," offered Lily.
"It's not the same, though," whined Harry.
"Ironically, despite the amount of time I spent looking for people to socialise with on the platform, the people I met on my compartment in the train were the ones that stuck with me for my whole life," remarked James.
"Yes," Harry said drolly. "You formed a deeper connection with the ones you spent eight hours with than the people you met for thirty seconds before the train."
"That doesn't mean you shouldn't venture outside of your compartment. You can if you'd like," suggested Lily, as she shot a mock glare at James.
Her husband's attention had already turned elsewhere, however.
"Hey, Neville. Would you like to hear a secret?" whispered Harry.
"Is it one that might get us in trouble at Hogwarts?" Neville wondered.
"That depends on you," remarked Harry, slyly.
"Then, sure," replied Neville.
Harry turned toward his father, who had a knowing smirk on his face. Before Harry could frame his question, James had already beckoned the two of them and had leaned toward them.
"After you get used to the moving staircases, you'll know how to navigate the castle. Next to the Great Hall, there is a door in which a staircase downward leads to the Hufflepuff dormitories. Once you get down one flight of stairs, there will be a painting of fruits. If you tickle the pear, it turns into a door handle that leads into the Hogwarts Kitchen," finished James, triumphantly.
"Is that really true, Mr. Potter?" Neville asked, awed.
"Of course it is," he puffed. "My friends and I snuck down to the kitchens dozens of times at midnight. We'd ask the elves for our favourite food. In fact–" James's eyes fogged over with nostalgia. Lily cleared her throat loudly.
"Teaching Harry and Neville how to bend the rules before they even enter the castle, is it?" asked Lily, with a raised eyebrow.
"It's our legacy," James defended.
Harry and Neville sniggered.
"Your legacy," Lily sniffed. "How you made Head Boy, I'll never know."
"Remember what I said, though," whispered James,winking.
"If you're done with your conversation, we should help the children load their trunks," suggested Alice,pointing to the clock.
"It's ten forty five already?" Harry exclaimed in disbelief.
"Rise and shine, Harry," Heather teased.
"Don't remind me," Harry grumbled.
"Don't remind him what?" wondered Neville.
"I'll tell you on the train." Harry rolled his eyes.
"We'll get the trunks," said Frank and James, as they walked to the baggage loading compartment.
"We'll be next to the First Years' Compartment," Alice called out, as they trudged with the Aurors in the opposite direction.
A few minutes later, Frank and James rejoined them at the First Years' Compartment.
"It doesn't matter which house you get into, Harry," assured Lily, as she brightly smiled at Harry.
"Each house is renowned for a set of characteristics, which doesn't mean you can't have others. Never be quick to judge a house based on what others tell you about it. In a few days, you'll be able to judge for yourself." replied James.
As Harry turned to board the train, James pulled him back into a hug.
"You didn't think you were leaving without a hug, did you?" remarked James, as Lily and Heather put their arms around the two of them.
"Dad!" protested Harry, as he squirmed.
"Oh, and one more thing, Harry. Should you ever find yourself in a dangerous situation, immediately enlist the help of a teacher if possible. Don't try to go looking for solutions yourself." said Lily.
"If you absolutely need to face something by yourself, just trust your instincts." added James with a wink, as Lily glared.
"Alright, Harry. Are you ready?" asked James.
"As ready as I can ever be." voiced Harry, with a grin, as he threw an arm around Neville and walked toward the carriage entrance, as some of the Aurors surrounded them, while the others were with their parents.
They found an empty compartment in the middle of the train, and quickly bundled themselves into it as the Aurors withdrew and climbed out of the train.
The horn of the train sounded, as the starting of the engine jolted the train into motion, with Harry and Neville waving to their families as the train picked up speed, chugging toward Scotland.