Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does.

As soon as they were out of the train, the trio heard a loud voice, originating from a large man.

"First years, First years follow me" (I'm not going to write accents, I don't know how to)

Upon seeing the man, Link was intrigued. 'I read there are giants in this world, but he seems shorter than what is written. Is he a half-giant? Or a really tall human?'

"That's Hagrid, he brought me to Diagon Alley and helped me get my stuff. Hello, Hagrid" said Rose, waving to the gentle giant.

"Doing alright there Rose?" he greeted back.

They walked down the muddy road, towards a lake.

"You'll get your first glimpse of Hogwarts just around the bend" stated Hagrid as he guided the first years.

Anticipation built up for the majority of the students, as soon as they turned the corner, they gasped. Hogwarts was a beautiful castle, some might say it was larger than life. For the students, it shall be their home for the next 7 years of their life. To live there, to be part of what Hogwarts represents. Every student, new and old, was proud to attend the school. It was more than just a school. It was the symbol of the British Isles' best and brightest.

To Rose Potter, this was her chance to be free, to be liked (maybe loved), to have friends, to smile, and be happy. Hogwarts was her new chance at life without all the labels and lies her relatives hung over her head.

To Link, Hogwarts was just another school, while impressive It was not the first castle he had seen. Though very few could compare with the splendor of Hogwarts. However, he was here to learn magic. Even if he had to sit in a barn, it didn't matter. As long as he succeeded in learning and exceeding in the mystic arts.

They reached the edge of the lake, greeting them was a fleet of small boats. Enough to carry the 30-40 first years present. It was practically perfect. 'They probably dispatch as many needed as there are students attending' thought Link.

"No more than 4 to a boat" cautioned Hagrid, as he boarded the first boat.

The trio boarded a boat and were joined by a pudgy boy that seemed to be anxious. So to ease him up a bit, Link introduced himself and his two companions. To his credit, there was only a slight widening of the eyes and a brief look at the scar when Rose was mentioned. Something she noticed and appreciated.

"H-Hello, my name is Neville Longbottom" he had a slight stutter due to nervousness, something that could easily be fixed, he just needs some confidence.

"A pleasure" was the calm reply.

They soon reached the foot of the massive castle. Once they disembarked, Hagrid opened the door which revealed a tall and strict looking woman. This was Professor McGonagall, Link introduced her to Rose, explaining that she was the one to introduce him to the magical world.

"The first years Professor"

"Thank you, Hagrid. Come along now" was the curt response.

The students followed the Witch. She started talking as she guided them through the corridors of the palace.

"Welcome to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, the premier school in England and one of the best in the world. Before you join your peers at the start of the year banquet, we must first sort you into your houses. Your houses will be your family in the coming 7 years of your schooling here. There are four Houses that you may be sorted into Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. We abide by a House point system here, any triumph you may have will be credited to the overall points, but on the other hand, any and all rule breaking will result in points being deducted"

She stopped before a large double door, in which they could hear the voices of the older students talking and laughing.

"Wait here until you are called upon"

With that, she turned to the doors, opened them, and walked into the great hall. Once she left the students exploded into a flurry of conversations.

"I wonder how we are going to get sorted"

"Is it some sort of test?"

"My brothers told me we had to fight a troll" said Ron

Rose started getting worried. How will she fight a troll? She didn't know any spells. She didn't know how well she would do in a test. She just hoped she had enough to pass, she didn't want to return to the Dursleys. Link did not intend to interfere, however, he noticed the disconcerted look Rose had. So he spoke up.

"Aren't your brothers pranksters?" he first addressed Ron's claim "You are probably pranked by them this time as well. As for a test, if there is one it won't be about spells and magic. It is probably a way to take in your traits. To see if you were Brave, cunning, wise, or loyal. The main ways to place you in the Houses that represent those traits. So you don't have to worry"

He said the latter part for Rose's sake but others had overheard him, many regaining their calm. Rose felt relieved as well. She can't help but feel very lucky at that moment. This was the first time someone her age had reassured her when she felt anxious or insecure. Hagrid had been the first, but it is always great when someone tries to help her. She can't help but hope that she and Link are in the same house.

The appearance of ghosts had surprised every muggle-born or muggle raised student. Link was also surprised. In his old world, there existed a mirror world where the souls resided. He had visited that world a few times, as it allowed a way to get behind enemy lines without any hindrances. That souls are present in this physical realm meant there was no soul realm here.

"Follow me"

He was interrupted from his musings when McGonagall came back and beckoned the students into the great hall. Rose was captivated by the ceiling, it was beautiful. Link was looking around as well, but he wasn't just looking at the decorations. He was trying to determine the magic used on seemingly miscellaneous uses.

They stopped at the foot of the main table with all the teachers present. Hagrid had also made it there. There were four more tables each indicating a different House with their respective colors. Every student had their attention on the first years, making a few shy ones start to fidget.

McGonagall strode forward with an old looking hat and a stool. She placed the hat on the stool and stood to the side. Then the clearly enchanted hat ripped its mouth open and sang a song. It explained the traits of each house, and how it will sort each individual by putting it on. This allowed Link to determine how they were to be sorted, the hat is to read their minds to determine their personality through what they experienced. While ingenious, it posed a problem for Link. He wasn't worried that it could pierce his shields, in reality, it was the opposite. The fact it couldn't pierce his mental shields would invoke some questions, something he wasn't willing to be subjected to. He had to think of a method on how to skirt the line.

One by one, the students were called up to the stool and were sorted accordingly. It soon reached G, Links turn. Just in time, he had thought of a way. His memories of his past life and magical knowledge were buried very deeply. They were hidden within the memories of his current life. Hidden in plain sight. That way the hat wouldn't even know there was a hidden part. It was a simple solution, but oftentimes simple solutions are the most effective. However simple it may be, it was still incredibly hard to achieve. One has to be a master Occlumence to even attempt it.

"Link Granger"

He walked calmly towards the stool, sat down and placed the hat on his head.

'Impressive. Truly impressive' started the hat. 'To think one as young as yourself could accomplish so much. To graduate muggle school a couple of months ago. To have the wisdom to pace yourself, the wit to remain calm in front of those much older than you. I can see how your mind is filled with knowledge, how you read the first year textbooks 3 times to get every part memorized. There is only one place for you here in Hogwarts. Let it be-'

"RAVENCLAW"

The blue table cheered, as they had done with every new addition. He walked towards the table and took his seat, returning his gaze to the front. He could see that Rose was anxious, so he shot her a small smile so as to ease her.

When the first name was called, Rose started to have a rush of random thoughts permeate her head. Years of self-doubt and put-downs caused by the Dursleys had a greater impact on her psyche than even she realizes. She started to wonder if she was even good enough to attend the school. What if she was suddenly told it was all a joke, and that she would return to the Dursleys. She wouldn't be able to bear it. What if Link was also not her friend? What if he was just pretending? Do you become friends that fast? More and more negative thoughts were bombarding her mind, almost making her lose it. She had to physically shake herself to rid herself of these thoughts, though thankfully no one noticed (Link was too busy looking around).

"Link Granger"

She saw her friend head towards the hat. 'Is he my friend? Yes he is, snap out of it Potter'. He looked as calm as ever, she almost envied his composure. He sat down, the hat covered his eyes. It took about two minutes, the longest time so far before the hat sorted him into Ravenclaw. 'Am I going to be in the same house? Are we still going to be friends? Even though we are in different houses?' all these thoughts plagued her. Then she saw him, he looked her in the eyes and smiled gently.

She suddenly remembered what he told her, 'we will be friends regardless of our houses'. She calmed down tremendously. 'That's right, we will be friends. Different houses won't matter' little by little she gained some confidence.

"Rose Potter"

The entire hall quieted down. They were looking at her, whispering among themselves.

"That her.."

"The girl-who-lived"

"Why is she so small?"

"She's cute"

That last one managed to put a blush on her face, she was never called cute before. Never had she received so much attention before, at least not positively. The first time in the Leaky Cauldron when she was practically ambushed by people wishing to shake her hand, this is the second. At the same time, she was uncomfortable with all the attention.

She sat on the stool, the hat placed upon her covering her vision. She heard a voice, or to be more accurate she felt the voice. As there was no sound, as though it were 'talking' in her mind.

'Difficult, very difficult'

'Are you the sorting hat? Sorry, but what is difficult?'

'Yes I am. You see I look into your traits to be able to properly sort you. It's difficult because you are a bit of an enigma. You could be sorted in all houses, but at the same time none. You see you have Loyalty and Hard Work covered enough to be in Hufflepuff, but at the same time people have to earn your loyalty, and you prefer to laze around sometimes. You have a good mind, but you don't necessarily use it to attain knowledge or wisdom. You are cunning, but you do not wish to hurt others to achieve your goal. Finally, you are brave and noble, but you may turn a blind eye due to ingrained prejudice (However unintentional it may be). So you can understand your situation'

'Can I be with Link?'

'I do not advise it Miss Potter'

'Why not?'

'Out of all your traits, you embody Ravenclaw the least. You would be great in Slytherin. You could be great'

'Anything but Slytherin' (She didn't want to be with Malfoy)

'Are you sure? You could pave a path to greatness there'

'Not Slytherin'

'Very well, better be-'

"GRYFFINDOR"

The red table erupted into cheers, two redheads were dancing around chanting that 'We've got Potter! We've got Potter!'. She made her way to the table glad that she had a place where she belonged. But at the same time, she was despondent she wasn't with Link.

She looked in his direction, seeing him applauding gently with a small smile as he looked at her. She smiled back and sat down next to Neville. She hoped she would get to see her friend often.

Soon the sorting was over.

The banquet started with four odd words from the Headmaster. When he called them out, though they seemed random, Link could sense the presence of 4 beings hardly the height of Goblins but were different. They had a weird magical signature. Either way, he shrugged it off when he saw the food appear before him.

Conversations were had all around the hall, whispers and yelling, laughter and snorting. It was a form of chaos available in most restaurants or pubs. The food was great, you didn't even feel too bloated at the end of the meal. A few hours later, the food vanished before their eyes to the disappointment of a certain redhead. The Headmaster stood up towards the podium, it seems he is about to give another speech.

"Let me just say how wonderful it is to have you all back again for a great year at Hogwarts, and to our new students, Welcome. Before you head to your common rooms, allow me to explain to you a few rules here, and to remind those that already know the importance of following them. First, Mr. Filch has asked me to inform the students that a list of contraband has been added to his door, I should also remind you that magic is prohibited within the hallways. The forbidden forest has been named so due to the restriction on trespassing the forest. Finally, the hallway at the end of the third floor, unless you wish to experience a very terrible death"

'So something is hidden in the third-floor corridor. I wonder what it is? It could be a trap, as that was an almost obvious bait. I need more information before I can be sure. Either way, for now let us concentrate on increasing my magical knowledge.' Link could hardly wait for tomorrow where he could explore the library.

"Now that that's over with, let us sing the schools anthem"

Link could see the teachers desperately trying to hide their grimace but failing. He wasn't sure why, until the song started. He could honestly say that the wails of the abyss that could grate off your ears was a more pleasant experience. There was no rhythm, and no cohesion. It was atrocious.

"Ah music, a magic far more tremendous than what we teach here. Now off you trot" said Dumbledore cheerfully.

'That was not music. That was terrible' thought Link, his eyes almost twitching in irritation. However, all that could be seen on his face was a small crease in his eyebrows.

The students filed out of the great hall, each of them heading towards their dorm room. He saw Rose as they were leaving.

"I'll see you tomorrow Rose" he smiled

She smiled back and nodded in agreement.

They separated, he went through a series of turns and stairs arriving before a silver Eagle. The prefect explained that the silver eagle is a two-step security measure to allow access to the common room. First, it makes sure you're from Ravenclaw through your robes, the second is to ask a riddle. So no password is needed, just the ability to answer a riddle.

"What happens when we fail to answer correctly?" asked a first year.

"Well, you would be able to try again in 5 minutes, or wait until the door opens from someone else." came the reply. They nodded in understanding.

Link fell asleep instantly, eager to start the day.

The next day, the first day at the school (A/N: Which just so happened to be a Monday, trust me I checked), Link woke up early. He went out of the castle to have his morning jog and practiced a bit of swordsmanship with the fencing sword he brought along. After a shower and a change of clothes he made it at 8 am to the Great Hall to have his breakfast.

Upon his entrance, he glanced at the red table. He saw Rose was sitting there, so he made his way towards her. He sat across from her.

"Good Morning" he smiled.

At first she was startled, it was still early after all, then she beamed.

"Good morning, are you allowed to sit here?"

"I think it shouldn't be a problem, if it is at most we could meet during our free periods"

"Yeah, that would be nice."

They started their meal. It wasn't until half an hour later when most of the students were present that the four heads of houses stood and made their way to their respective tables. They handed out a piece of paper with their time table written on it. Soon McGonagall made it to Rose and Link. She gave one to Rose, however, when she was about to give one to Link she was startled by the blue on his robes.

"Mr. Granger, may I ask why you are seated at the Gryffindor table instead of the Ravenclaw table?"

"I wanted to have breakfast with my friend, I apologize I was not aware it was against the meals."

"It is not, however it is compulsory that you sit on your house table during official feasts not including the holiday feasts, and the first day of school so as to receive the schedule."

"So I only have to sit at my house table during the first 2 days and the last day of school. Is that right?"

"Yes, those are the only compulsory times"

"Very well, Thank you, professor."

After the deputy headmistress left, Link smiled at Rose and excused himself so as to grab a schedule for himself. After a quick discussion with Professor Flitwick, whom he noticed had a similar magical aura to the Goblins at the bank, he returned to the Gryffindor table.

They finished their meals then graved their time tables to compare the classes they have. They have to attend 7 classes. Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy and Herbology. They were lucky in that they shared 3 classes with each other. Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts (or DADA for short).

They were later joined by Ron and Neville. They chatted for a while, then they had to go to their dorms to get the required books for lessons today. Neither of the boys really minded his presence.

A week has gone by. During this time, Link familiarised himself with the school. He discovered the Library on the first day. It was a thing of beauty. It was massive, it reminded him of his personal archive at home. He saw a forbidden section and figured it was for higher-level spells. Something he would look into more closely the next year. For now, he had to improve his foundation.

He was also able to determine the average levels for students and teachers. He figured that first years were at Level 0. Those in year 7 were on average level 5-6. As were most adults. Most of the powerful adults were at level 7. Dumbledore was a level 8. It made sense he was powerful, as the weakest level 8 could take on 10 Level 7 mages without losing. Dumbledore was above average Level 8 wizard. Unfortunately, he is getting old, so he is only middle stage level 8. It was still incredibly impressive. McGonagall was a level 7 at her peak, but as she had followed a more academic lifestyle she became a peak level 6, however, her knowledge could compare to any level 7 mage. The strongest wizard among the teachers was Professor Flitwick, being a peak level 7, followed by Snape at mid-Level 7.

The weakest, however, was a level 5. Ironically he was the teacher for DADA. It was infuriating being in the man's class. He had a fake stutter and a forced coward. He also reeked of dark magic. He didn't know what he was up to, but he didn't interfere. He was sure Dumbledore would do something soon. If he didn't, then it wasn't important.

Another thing that angered him was the potions Professor's treatment of Rose. He didn't like it. He was going to offer her tutorship so she doesn't fall behind. He was after all a master alchemist. Potions was a part of alchemy. He easily was the best at the subject, something even Snape had to admit after seeing his ease at manipulating the equipment and the ingredients. He just needed a bit of practice so that he understands this worlds ingredients more.

The entire faculty praised him. He was good at everything. Although they hadn't done anything practical, his magical theory was practically flawless. At least from what they could see through his participation.

This week has been one of the best in her short life. She was with people that didn't sneer at her at every corner, other than Malfoy that is. She was learning about magic, she had friends. Life couldn't get better. At least until her first potions lesson. That man hated her for some reason she didn't know. She didn't like him either. She didn't wallow in her brood for long.

She told Link about the lesson, and he didn't like it. It was the first time she saw him frown. She didn't like that he was upset, but that he was upset for her made her happy he was her friend. He said that he would help her with that today. She didn't know what he meant but was still content he was putting in the effort to aid her.

She also learned Link was a genius. He had finished muggle school, and if that wasn't impressive enough he was practically breezing through the courses. She could see that Ron was unhappy with how she spent more time with Link, but she didn't care. She was more comfortable with Link than others.

She was interrupted from her thoughts when Link came to her and asked her to follow him. Curious, she did.

She was led toward the charms classroom where she found the Transfiguration professor and the charms professor sitting down and waiting for them It seemed, as they were not surprised by their arrival.

"May I know why we were called here Mr. Granger? Also, why is Miss Potter here?" asked McGonagall, curious as to the reason for being called here.

"I find myself curious as well Mr. Granger" that was Flitwick.

"Certainly, the reason I asked for your presence is that I found the potions Professor's attitude to be a bit biased against Miss Potter here. I realize that I can't really do anything from their first interaction, however, I believe that it would be wise to inform you that if he does not behave more professionally, I would have to inquire for a private tutor for myself and Rose. As stated in the rules I found in the Library, we are entitled to the right for a private tutor if the current Professor is not up to standards, or if there is a problem between student and teacher. Although rarely used, it is still applicable"

'So that's what he meant by helping me' thought Rose smiling 'Though I don't want to be the center of attention, I don't mind being in one more class with Link.'

"Very well Mr. Granger. We will have a discussion with Professor Snape." acquiesced Flitwick.

"Thank you very much, sir" said Link, turning to Rose. He smiled and nodded at her while exiting the classroom. Rose right behind him, beaming in happiness. This was everything she imagined a friend would be like and more.

A/N: Thank you all for your support, it is very much appreciated.

I hope you don't mind the houses, but they seemed fitting.