Just 1 Little Change...
Disclaimer: Hp Characters aren't mine. So none of Fred & George's practical jokes were my idea. (Although I wish they were, very funny some of them are!)
A/N: This chapter is all about the train ride to Hogwarts and the sorting. Pretty exciting I think!
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Harry slouched in the backseat of Mrs. Bradshaw's car, still exhausted from the sleeping drought he took. He had fallen into a dreamless sleep, then the next thing he knew he was being carried to Mrs. Bradshaw's car. It felt a little weird that he had been sleeping for 2 days when it had only seemed like minutes!
The old car pulled into the familiar drive-way and came to a shuttering halt. Mrs. Bradshaw got out of the front seat and helped Harry carefully to his feet. They walked slowly to the house, Harry furious at himself for being so weak and tired. He just had a 2 say sleep for goodness sakes! Not to mention the 8 day sleep he got while recovering! He must have taken more out of himself then he thought!
Despite his minds argument, Harry felt exhausted and immediately dragged himself into bed. He lay there, not really sleepy, just weak, looking around his room. The walls were a off-white and he had one window looking into the small backyard. His furniture was a plain polished wood, his desk, dresser, bed, all the same color. There was various posters of actors and sports players Harry liked. Anyone who walked in would have said that it was a room of an average boy, not a wizard who had almost died to the most powerful man in the world. And Harry liked it that way. He was already hating being famous. He had never been normal anywhere, not at school, not even really at home, and he had desperately hoped he would be an average kid with normal friends in the wizarding world. Not this! A famous guy who saved the world when he was a bloody baby! Still, he supposed he should be happy, at least everyone would like him at school, even if it was just because he was famous.
Well actually, now that he thought about it that wasn't really true. The first person he met who went to Hogwarts also hated his guts and he had gotten into a fight with him! He seemed to hate muggle-borns. Although he technically wasn't muggle-born, he was certainly just as ignorant to the wizarding world. What if he was just as unpopular at Hogwarts as he had been at his old school? What if people didn't like him not because he was picked on, but because he was a disagreeable person?! Why was he even thinking such stupid questions anyway? It had to be the medicine!
And with this Harry lay his head down on his comfortable pillow and soon fell asleep for the millionth time that week. He figured he was probably the only teenager on earth to sleep almost continually for 2 weeks. This time though his sleep wasn't dreamless, instead he was plagued with dreams about school and platform 9 and 3/4...
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Harry groaned and slammed off the alarm clock ringing in his ear. He sat up slowly, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Suddenly he remembered. Today was the first day of school! The first day of Hogwarts. Suddenly all his worries about school came plaguing at him again. He shook his head angrily and got dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, absentmindedly wondering if they wore jeans in the wizarding world. He put on his glasses and tried to tame his messy hair. It didn't work as usual. Harry sighed and walked slowly downstairs.
Mrs. Bradshaw was sitting at the table already, reading the newspaper and eating rice krispies. Harry smiled to himself while watching Mrs. Bradshaw grope for the bowl with her spoon, then poured himself some cereal. He sat down next to Mrs. Bradshaw and started eating, ravenous. Suddenly Mrs. Bradshaw looked at the clock hanging on their wall.
"Oh my gosh Harry, get your bags, we're going to be late if we don't hurry!"
Harry ran upstairs and grabbed his bag and Hedgwig's, his owl, cage. He rushed downstairs with the bags balanced precariously in his hands and rushed outside, stuffing them in the small trunk. Hedgwig wouldn't go in the back so Harry carried her cage into the backseat of the old car with him. Mrs. Bradshaw rushed out of the house then, locking the door of their small house behind her and trying to locate her car keys.
They rushed down the busy streets of muggle London and into the little train station near them. It was then that Harry remembered where he was supposed to get on.
"Mrs. Bradshaw? Do you know if there is such thing as platform 9 and 3/4? I have never heard of it, have you?"
Mrs. Bradshaw turned around in her seat to stare at Harry.
"9 and 3/4?! Now why would there be a platform 9 and 3/4? Are you sure your feeling ok Harry, not tired again are you?"
Harry looked at Mrs. Bradshaw, rolling his eyes. Always worrying! Thought Harry to himself.
"NO I feel fine! Its just that Dumbledore told me that I get onto the Hogwarts express on platform 9 and 3/4. There must be such a thing, he wouldn't tell me a fake number!"
"Oh if that's all. Its probably like The Leaky Cauldron. Only wizards can see it or something. Don't worry, I'm sure there is such a thing!"
"Oh ya that must be it." Harry said, very relieved. It probably was just a wizarding thing. Only wizards could see it. He relaxed into his seat again and started to think about the information he learned about in his books. It was in one of these books that he found Hedgwig's name. He had been skimming them and decided to name his owl after one of the names in the book. He randomly opened one of his books and looked through the page. Wolfs bane, asphohold root, wormwood. None of them fit. Then he looked at the next page. Hedgwig! Perfect name, for some reason it seemed to fit her perfectly.
Hedgwig hooted softly, bringing Harry back to the present. They were at the train station! He gulped and got out of the car, grabbing Hedgwig's cage as he went and putting it on a cart. Mrs. Bradshaw smiled at him and started walking towards platform 9 and 10. Harry gulped and followed slowly. They walked slowly, Harry looking around him, trying to see platform 9 and 3/4, but to no anvil. They stopped right between the two platforms, next to the barrier separating 9 and 10. Mrs. Bradshaw looked at him expectantly, sure that he could see the platform. But Harry just looked around desperately, trying to see anything that would cue him off. Nothing. He turned to Mrs. Bradshaw.
"I don't see anything. Its not Here!"
Mrs. Bradshaw looked a little scared.
"Are you sure Harry?"
"Yes I'm sure! How could I not be?" Harry said irritably.
He kept looking around. Then someone caught his eye. There was a large family, all with flaming red hair, walking towards him, and they all had owls! He brightened up and watched carefully to see what they did to get to the train. The oldest one went first. He walked casually up to the barrier right in front of Harry. And disappeared?! What did he do?! How did he do it?
He looked over at eh rest of the family, hoping that they would show him how. 2 tall boys were next. They were totally identical, each had flaming red hair and freckled faces. Talk about identical twins! Though Harry. One of them turned to their mother, saying something Harry couldn't hear, then ran straight at the barrier. Harry was stunned, surely he would crash! But he didn't. One second he was there, the next he wasn't. Finally Harry decided to ask the mother. He looked at Mrs. Bradshaw, who was looking at the barrier with a stunned expression on her face.
"I'm going to go ask them how they do that." Harry said quietly and left.
The red-head lady was so busy reprimanding the other twin, who was grinning devilishly, that she didn't notice Harry standing there until the other twin was gone also. Then Harry nervously cleared his throat.
"Oh hello dear. Can I help you?" The lady looked at him good-naturedly.
"Er, yes. How- I mean, How did they get-" Harry stuttered, blushing a little at how stupid he sounded. But the lady just smiled kindly at him.
"How do you get onto the platform?" She finished, still smiling. Harry nodded.
"Its easy, all you have to do is walk straight through the barrier right there. Is it your first time to Hogwarts? Its Ron's first time also." She said, pointing to a tall boy standing next to his mother, looking a little embarrassed.
"Well then, why don't you just go on through? Ron will follow you. Better do it at a bit of a run if your nervous."
Harry nodded and walked up to the barrier, motioning for Mrs. Bradshaw to follow. She did. He walked slowly up to the barrier.
"We just walk right through the barrier." He explained to Mrs. Bradshaw. She looked rather skeptical but followed Harry to the barrier. Harry started running at the last second, his whole body screaming in protest, telling him he was going to crash. He ignored it and kept going. All the sudden he was somewhere else. There was a red train with Hogwarts Express written in curvy, gold letters on it. Harry turned around to look at the barrier. It wasn't there anymore. Instead there was a stone gate there with the numbers 9 and 3/4 written on a board hanging there. Harry smiled as he saw Mrs. Bradshaw appear in the gate's entrance, looking surprised she hadn't killed herself. Behind her came the boy, Ron and then His mother and his younger sister. Harry smiled at them and then turned to Mrs. Bradshaw.
"Well, uh, bye." Harry said, suddenly awkward.
Mrs. Bradshaw smiled at him, then pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Send me lots of letters Harry. I want to hear how my baby boys doing, ok?" Harry rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.
"Ok, I will, I promise."
He smiled at her again and walked onto the Hogwarts Express. There were people running up and down the halls here. One kid was holding a box and there was tons of kids crowded around him.
"Oh let me see it!"
"Is it poisonous?"
"Can we see lee?"
The boy opened the box, and Harry could make out a hairy leg coming out. Everyone shrieked. Harry shook his head and continued down the hallway.
Finally he found an empty car and sat down in a window seat, watching Mrs. Bradshaw and Ron's mother talk happily. If he strained he could just hear what they were saying.
"Yes, I'm a muggle, if that's what you people call us. My son, or really adopted son, is a wizard. I didn't know until about a month ago. How about you, you're a wizard aren't you?" Mrs. Bradshaw said.
"Oh yes, my whole family are wizards. I have 7 kids, 6 of them have gone to Hogwarts. My youngest, Ginny here, will go next year. The second youngest, Ron, is a first year. He should be as old as your boy, what's his name?"
Mrs. Bradshaw smiled, knowing how the wizard would react. "Harry Potter. His parents were wizards. He seems to be rather famous here, have you ever heard of him?"
"Harry Potter?! Why then you must be that amazing nice muggle who took Harry in when his aunt and uncle abused him? I had no idea, but now that I think about it he did look like the pictures. Very nice kid he seems to be. I was half afraid he would be rather stuck up."
"Well why would he? After all, he has had no idea he was famous until about 1 month ago and has had his cousin beat him up tons of times. He has a very strong mind though. Never loses his cool. Kind of creepy sometimes."
Harry stopped listening, finding it very weird to hear people talking about him like that. 'He never loses his cool.' Harry smiled. That's what he was good at, not losing his cool. He found people to be very intimidated by it. His thoughts were interrupted by someone opening the door to his car. He looked up. Standing in the doorway was the redhead, Ron. He smiled at him.
"Er, hi. Do you mind if I sit with you? There are no other seats available."
Harry smiled again. "Sure, go ahead Ron."
"Wow, you got a good memory. I don't remember your name. Did you tell it to me?"
Harry smiled a little nervously, "No, I don't think I did. I'm Harry Potter. What's your last name?"
The redhead looked at him with his eyes popping. "Your Harry Potter? I knew you were going to be in my year of course but blimey! My last names Weasley by the way. You were raised by a muggle weren't you? How's it like?"
Harry and Ron continued talking, barely noticing when the train started moving. Suddenly their door flew open. Standing in the doorway was the kid he saw in the Robe shop. Blaise. He stared daggers at the pale boy. He hated this kid. With his black hair and pale skin, anyone could take him as a vampire! Blaise sneered at Harry and Ron.
"So Harry, nice to see you again. But I don't believe we finished our other conversation in the robe story Harry. If my memories correct, you cussed me out, then ran away. Doesn't seem very sportsmanship-like Harry."
Harry looked back at Blaise, his face dangerously blank. "Actually Blaise your mind is a little confused. I remember you calling me a mud-blood, then turning even paler, if that's possible, when finding out you were talking to famous Harry Potter. And I didn't run away, as your memory tells you, my robes were done being fitted."
Blaise sneered at him, then turned to Ron. "Oh and I see you have been making friends also. Very good Harry, I commend you. Only there is one little problem. You seem to draw in the dust Harry. You have managed to find the lowest ranked family of wizards in the world. Dirt poor they are, and with so many mouths to feed too. I'm surprised they could afford the train fare here."
Ron's face turned Bright red. He looked like he was either about to slug Blaise in the mouth or start protesting loudly. Harry would have chosen for him and slugged Blaise in the mouth himself, but he didn't want to be in trouble before they even reached school. So instead he just stared at Blaise with cold fire in his eyes. He hated this kid even more than Dudley. At least Dudley picked on everyone, not only people he felt superior to! He walked up to Blaise, who involuntarily stepped back a step and grabbed his shirt.
"Blaise you had better watch out." Harry said quietly "I don't really like you much and I am a couple inches taller than you. Now leave please."
Blaise looked at him with contempt, brushed off his shirt where Harry had touched it and walked slowly out the door. The second he left, someone else came in.
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The new kid looked a little like Blaise. He, like Blaise, had pale creamy skin, but that was really where the likeness ended. His hair was blonde, strands falling carelessly in his eyes. He was about as tall as Harry and had a kind of bored look on his face. Harry couldn't make up his mind if he liked him or not.
"Nice job there Harry. That Blaise is a real pushover if you scare him. My names Draco." Draco smiled at Harry and suddenly looked like a different person.
His silver eyes sparkled with amusement, clearly telling Harry that he was impressed. His face lit up with the smile and suddenly Harry liked him.
"Hi I'm Harry Potter and this is Ron."
Draco looked at Ron rather suspiciously, but then shrugged. "Well usually my family is worst enemies with a Weasley, but hey, he cant be that bad if he's your friend."
Ron looked at Draco warily, not quite sure if this was a compliment or not. Finally he decided that it couldn't have been intended too bad and smiled at Draco. "Hey Draco, want a seat? Or do you have one somewhere else?" Ron asked, still rather reserved around a Malfoy.
Draco smiled. "Well I was sitting next to Crabbe and Goyle, but if you don't mind I would rather sit with you guys, those 2 are total idiots."
Harry and Ron snickered and moved over to let Draco sit down. Suddenly Ron said timidly.
"Draco, wont your dad, er-, get mad if you make friends with Harry Potter and a Weasley?"
A cloud passed over Draco's eyes and he looked totally alien for as second. Then it passed again and Draco said off-handedly.
"Well ya, probably. But he wont care that much as long as I'm in Slytherin."
Harry looked at Draco closely, he sensed that Draco was more worried than he let on. He seemed kind of withdrawn, although he lied pretty well.
The trio sat there for a long time, undisturbed, talking and laughing. Although Draco and Ron were a little edgy around each other sometimes in the beginning they soon got over it and were laughing together just as much as with Harry. They loved filling Harry in with all the things in the wizard world, and both seemed to have a passion for Quidditch. After they had somewhat explained it to Harry they launched into an immediate good-natured fight about the Chudley Cannons. Harry listened intently to their argument, totally fascinated by the game and soon found himself butting in occasionally to point out his own view, and listening to the answers he got. Next the talk went onto Hogwarts houses and which one's were rivals. Ron seemed to be praying with all his might he would get into Gryffindor and Draco set on getting into Slytherin. The odd thing about this was that Slytherin and Gryffindor were supposed to be total enemies. Ron and Draco told him all about the virtues of all the houses. Harry agreed with both of them that he wouldn't want to be in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, but he couldn't really decide between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Soon Ron and Draco were arguing again, this time both trying to get Harry on their side.
"Harry Slytherin's are the best! They are the sneakiest and the strongest. You would be a perfect Slytherin Harry, with that intimidating stare you have! Its totally Slytherin. We have a sense of humor also. We do great practical jokes and have sarcastic air. Everyone else stays out of Slytherin's way, although they usually don't like us much, that's fine with us. We are loners Harry. Does that not sound like you?"
Harry had to admit, Slytherin's sounded a lot like him, they seemed really funny too. He could see that Draco was a total Slytherin and he could also see how the other houses didn't like them. If you got on the wrong side of Draco, you had better watch out! He suspected that he and Ron were one of the few people that Draco showed his real personality to, another thing that Harry had in common with him. Then Ron broke into Harry's thoughts with his own argument.
"Oh come on Harry! Gryffindor's are great. They are brave and very funny too. They keep friendships and have fun! Slytherin's seem to think of Gryffindor's as the golden boys but that is totally untrue. Gryffindors probably break more rules then Slytherin's do but Gryffindors don't tell people. They are sneaky but in a different way. Plus many great wizards came from Gryffindor. Dumbledore was in Gryffindor, as was both my parents. There is hardly ever a report of a Gryffindor turning evil. Harry, your father and Mother were in Gryffindor. Slytherin however does not have such a clean slate. Harry many dark wizards come from Slytherin. You-know-Who himself came out of Slytherin! Do you want to be in his house."
This convinced Harry. There was no way he would want to be in the same house as Voldemort. If he was, then so be it, Slytherin's had good points also, but he couldn't willingly want to be in Slytherin when the person who killed his parents and almost him twice was in it once. Harry shivered a little, he could still feel the pain in his head and hear the horrible laugh that he heard not to long ago, echoing in his head...
Harry shook himself and said a little shakily, "Slytherin seems great and I wouldn't mind being in it, but I cant want to be in the same house as the person who killed my parents, and has tried to kill me now twice."
Draco was about to protest, but then what he heard Harry say hit him. "Did you say twice? I though he only tried when you were a baby! When was the other time?"
Harry looked up, surprised. "You mean it wasn't in the paper? Then I probably shouldn't have said anything, Dumbledore must have wanted to keep it a secret. Oh well, you guys are my friends. Just promise not to tell anyone else, ok?"
They both nodded silently and leaned in to hear Harry's story. Harry took a deep breath, the story still made him very emotional and he didn't want to start crying in the middle of it. He started, telling them everything about that day, when he got to the part at he Robe shop both Draco and Ron started laughing, "No wonder he hates you so much Harry! Boy I wouldn't want to be your enemy if you cussed me out the first time you saw me!" Ron said, spluttering. Harry's ears turned red. "I just wanted to know how he would act!" Harry said in an angelic voice, sending the two into another set of giggles. Finally the settled down and Harry went on. Soon the smiles were wiped from their faces, Ron gasping a couple of times and Draco sitting there, his face pale, unusually quite. When Harry finished they all sat in silence for a while, all lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly Ron looked up and said a little angrily "Draco, you had better not tell your father about this because we will all soon be killed, you know that!"
Draco's eyes flashed dangerously at Ron for a second, but then he looked down at his lap suddenly and said in a flat voice, "I know. I wont tell father about this though, that's for sure. I will never tell my father anything. He will just use it against the world, an against my friend." He said the last part very quietly, probably meaning for no body to hear, but Harry did. He looked at Draco sadly. Feeling very sorry for him. It was obvious that Draco's father was on Voldemort's side and that his befriending Harry would put them all in danger. Draco especially because his father would certainly want him to help in capturing Harry an when he said no, Draco would certainly be punished. Probably smacked around like Harry used to be when he was young. He could see the pain in Draco's eyes in fact and knew this was true. The same hurt and pain still showed in his own eyes when he was sad or angry. Draco never got away from it though. He didn't have a Mrs. Bradshaw. Draco looked up from his hands suddenly, his face totally composed again, his voice normal and sarcastic again. Harry smiled. Draco could handle this. If he was anything like Harry was, which Harry was sure he was, he could handle it.
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The rest of the ride passed uneventfully. Harry, Ron and Draco became closer friends my the second, they all got along great. Although Harry didn't know everything about the wizarding world, he was learning quickly and loved to listen to what they were talking about. When an old woman came by, pushing a little cart full of wizard goodies Harry and Draco both jumped up to buy stuff. Ron looked embarrassed and muttered that he had brought sandwiches, but Draco and Harry both bought him some stuff so they could all swap stuff and have good things to eat. To Draco and Ron's amusement Harry was amazed that the people in the pictures moved. Draco and Ron couldn't seem to accept that muggle pictures didn't move. They had fun tasting Bert's Every Flavor Beans too, especially when Draco ate a pepper one on a dare and started coughing, sneezing and spitting at the same time. They were having so much fun in fact that they almost forgot to put their robes on before they got to Hogwarts. Quickly they did so, their moods changing again, all of them more nervous, although Draco didn't look it.
"What kind of test do they have to put you in your house?" Harry asked tensly.
Ron and Draco looked at each other. "Well you see, we don't know. Nobody ever told us before. Although Fred and George said something about fighting a troll, they were probably kidding." Ron said and laughed dryly.
Draco and Harry laughed too, or at least tried to. It didn't really work.
Harry looked at them both and said suddenly, "Whatever house we're in, we will still stay friends wont we? Even if we are Slytherin and Gryffindor."
Draco and Ron looked at each other again, then smiled. "Agreed."
Draco smiled, "Ok, now that we made a friend pact, why not become blood brothers?" He said sarcastically. Harry laughed again, this time a real laugh.
The train suddenly slowed down, then stopped. Harry, Ron and Draco looked at each other nervously, then walked down the steps and into Hogwarts ground.
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A/N: Well how did you like it? Personally I think that this was the best well written chapter I have done yet. But that's just my opinion. Please if you read, will you review?! All you have to write is its good, or bad, or sucks. I don't care! I just want your opinion. Thank you for people who have reviewed. I now have 52 reviews! Thank you!! Oh and if anyone has a problem with Draco being their friend, all I have to say is I love Draco. I had to have him in here! Hermione will be in the next chapter, but she wont act exactly the same. She wont be so book wormy and know-it-allish. She will still be on top of her classes and always telling them to do their homework though. Thanks for reviewing!
-Pastshadows
Disclaimer: Hp Characters aren't mine. So none of Fred & George's practical jokes were my idea. (Although I wish they were, very funny some of them are!)
A/N: This chapter is all about the train ride to Hogwarts and the sorting. Pretty exciting I think!
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Harry slouched in the backseat of Mrs. Bradshaw's car, still exhausted from the sleeping drought he took. He had fallen into a dreamless sleep, then the next thing he knew he was being carried to Mrs. Bradshaw's car. It felt a little weird that he had been sleeping for 2 days when it had only seemed like minutes!
The old car pulled into the familiar drive-way and came to a shuttering halt. Mrs. Bradshaw got out of the front seat and helped Harry carefully to his feet. They walked slowly to the house, Harry furious at himself for being so weak and tired. He just had a 2 say sleep for goodness sakes! Not to mention the 8 day sleep he got while recovering! He must have taken more out of himself then he thought!
Despite his minds argument, Harry felt exhausted and immediately dragged himself into bed. He lay there, not really sleepy, just weak, looking around his room. The walls were a off-white and he had one window looking into the small backyard. His furniture was a plain polished wood, his desk, dresser, bed, all the same color. There was various posters of actors and sports players Harry liked. Anyone who walked in would have said that it was a room of an average boy, not a wizard who had almost died to the most powerful man in the world. And Harry liked it that way. He was already hating being famous. He had never been normal anywhere, not at school, not even really at home, and he had desperately hoped he would be an average kid with normal friends in the wizarding world. Not this! A famous guy who saved the world when he was a bloody baby! Still, he supposed he should be happy, at least everyone would like him at school, even if it was just because he was famous.
Well actually, now that he thought about it that wasn't really true. The first person he met who went to Hogwarts also hated his guts and he had gotten into a fight with him! He seemed to hate muggle-borns. Although he technically wasn't muggle-born, he was certainly just as ignorant to the wizarding world. What if he was just as unpopular at Hogwarts as he had been at his old school? What if people didn't like him not because he was picked on, but because he was a disagreeable person?! Why was he even thinking such stupid questions anyway? It had to be the medicine!
And with this Harry lay his head down on his comfortable pillow and soon fell asleep for the millionth time that week. He figured he was probably the only teenager on earth to sleep almost continually for 2 weeks. This time though his sleep wasn't dreamless, instead he was plagued with dreams about school and platform 9 and 3/4...
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Harry groaned and slammed off the alarm clock ringing in his ear. He sat up slowly, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Suddenly he remembered. Today was the first day of school! The first day of Hogwarts. Suddenly all his worries about school came plaguing at him again. He shook his head angrily and got dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, absentmindedly wondering if they wore jeans in the wizarding world. He put on his glasses and tried to tame his messy hair. It didn't work as usual. Harry sighed and walked slowly downstairs.
Mrs. Bradshaw was sitting at the table already, reading the newspaper and eating rice krispies. Harry smiled to himself while watching Mrs. Bradshaw grope for the bowl with her spoon, then poured himself some cereal. He sat down next to Mrs. Bradshaw and started eating, ravenous. Suddenly Mrs. Bradshaw looked at the clock hanging on their wall.
"Oh my gosh Harry, get your bags, we're going to be late if we don't hurry!"
Harry ran upstairs and grabbed his bag and Hedgwig's, his owl, cage. He rushed downstairs with the bags balanced precariously in his hands and rushed outside, stuffing them in the small trunk. Hedgwig wouldn't go in the back so Harry carried her cage into the backseat of the old car with him. Mrs. Bradshaw rushed out of the house then, locking the door of their small house behind her and trying to locate her car keys.
They rushed down the busy streets of muggle London and into the little train station near them. It was then that Harry remembered where he was supposed to get on.
"Mrs. Bradshaw? Do you know if there is such thing as platform 9 and 3/4? I have never heard of it, have you?"
Mrs. Bradshaw turned around in her seat to stare at Harry.
"9 and 3/4?! Now why would there be a platform 9 and 3/4? Are you sure your feeling ok Harry, not tired again are you?"
Harry looked at Mrs. Bradshaw, rolling his eyes. Always worrying! Thought Harry to himself.
"NO I feel fine! Its just that Dumbledore told me that I get onto the Hogwarts express on platform 9 and 3/4. There must be such a thing, he wouldn't tell me a fake number!"
"Oh if that's all. Its probably like The Leaky Cauldron. Only wizards can see it or something. Don't worry, I'm sure there is such a thing!"
"Oh ya that must be it." Harry said, very relieved. It probably was just a wizarding thing. Only wizards could see it. He relaxed into his seat again and started to think about the information he learned about in his books. It was in one of these books that he found Hedgwig's name. He had been skimming them and decided to name his owl after one of the names in the book. He randomly opened one of his books and looked through the page. Wolfs bane, asphohold root, wormwood. None of them fit. Then he looked at the next page. Hedgwig! Perfect name, for some reason it seemed to fit her perfectly.
Hedgwig hooted softly, bringing Harry back to the present. They were at the train station! He gulped and got out of the car, grabbing Hedgwig's cage as he went and putting it on a cart. Mrs. Bradshaw smiled at him and started walking towards platform 9 and 10. Harry gulped and followed slowly. They walked slowly, Harry looking around him, trying to see platform 9 and 3/4, but to no anvil. They stopped right between the two platforms, next to the barrier separating 9 and 10. Mrs. Bradshaw looked at him expectantly, sure that he could see the platform. But Harry just looked around desperately, trying to see anything that would cue him off. Nothing. He turned to Mrs. Bradshaw.
"I don't see anything. Its not Here!"
Mrs. Bradshaw looked a little scared.
"Are you sure Harry?"
"Yes I'm sure! How could I not be?" Harry said irritably.
He kept looking around. Then someone caught his eye. There was a large family, all with flaming red hair, walking towards him, and they all had owls! He brightened up and watched carefully to see what they did to get to the train. The oldest one went first. He walked casually up to the barrier right in front of Harry. And disappeared?! What did he do?! How did he do it?
He looked over at eh rest of the family, hoping that they would show him how. 2 tall boys were next. They were totally identical, each had flaming red hair and freckled faces. Talk about identical twins! Though Harry. One of them turned to their mother, saying something Harry couldn't hear, then ran straight at the barrier. Harry was stunned, surely he would crash! But he didn't. One second he was there, the next he wasn't. Finally Harry decided to ask the mother. He looked at Mrs. Bradshaw, who was looking at the barrier with a stunned expression on her face.
"I'm going to go ask them how they do that." Harry said quietly and left.
The red-head lady was so busy reprimanding the other twin, who was grinning devilishly, that she didn't notice Harry standing there until the other twin was gone also. Then Harry nervously cleared his throat.
"Oh hello dear. Can I help you?" The lady looked at him good-naturedly.
"Er, yes. How- I mean, How did they get-" Harry stuttered, blushing a little at how stupid he sounded. But the lady just smiled kindly at him.
"How do you get onto the platform?" She finished, still smiling. Harry nodded.
"Its easy, all you have to do is walk straight through the barrier right there. Is it your first time to Hogwarts? Its Ron's first time also." She said, pointing to a tall boy standing next to his mother, looking a little embarrassed.
"Well then, why don't you just go on through? Ron will follow you. Better do it at a bit of a run if your nervous."
Harry nodded and walked up to the barrier, motioning for Mrs. Bradshaw to follow. She did. He walked slowly up to the barrier.
"We just walk right through the barrier." He explained to Mrs. Bradshaw. She looked rather skeptical but followed Harry to the barrier. Harry started running at the last second, his whole body screaming in protest, telling him he was going to crash. He ignored it and kept going. All the sudden he was somewhere else. There was a red train with Hogwarts Express written in curvy, gold letters on it. Harry turned around to look at the barrier. It wasn't there anymore. Instead there was a stone gate there with the numbers 9 and 3/4 written on a board hanging there. Harry smiled as he saw Mrs. Bradshaw appear in the gate's entrance, looking surprised she hadn't killed herself. Behind her came the boy, Ron and then His mother and his younger sister. Harry smiled at them and then turned to Mrs. Bradshaw.
"Well, uh, bye." Harry said, suddenly awkward.
Mrs. Bradshaw smiled at him, then pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Send me lots of letters Harry. I want to hear how my baby boys doing, ok?" Harry rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.
"Ok, I will, I promise."
He smiled at her again and walked onto the Hogwarts Express. There were people running up and down the halls here. One kid was holding a box and there was tons of kids crowded around him.
"Oh let me see it!"
"Is it poisonous?"
"Can we see lee?"
The boy opened the box, and Harry could make out a hairy leg coming out. Everyone shrieked. Harry shook his head and continued down the hallway.
Finally he found an empty car and sat down in a window seat, watching Mrs. Bradshaw and Ron's mother talk happily. If he strained he could just hear what they were saying.
"Yes, I'm a muggle, if that's what you people call us. My son, or really adopted son, is a wizard. I didn't know until about a month ago. How about you, you're a wizard aren't you?" Mrs. Bradshaw said.
"Oh yes, my whole family are wizards. I have 7 kids, 6 of them have gone to Hogwarts. My youngest, Ginny here, will go next year. The second youngest, Ron, is a first year. He should be as old as your boy, what's his name?"
Mrs. Bradshaw smiled, knowing how the wizard would react. "Harry Potter. His parents were wizards. He seems to be rather famous here, have you ever heard of him?"
"Harry Potter?! Why then you must be that amazing nice muggle who took Harry in when his aunt and uncle abused him? I had no idea, but now that I think about it he did look like the pictures. Very nice kid he seems to be. I was half afraid he would be rather stuck up."
"Well why would he? After all, he has had no idea he was famous until about 1 month ago and has had his cousin beat him up tons of times. He has a very strong mind though. Never loses his cool. Kind of creepy sometimes."
Harry stopped listening, finding it very weird to hear people talking about him like that. 'He never loses his cool.' Harry smiled. That's what he was good at, not losing his cool. He found people to be very intimidated by it. His thoughts were interrupted by someone opening the door to his car. He looked up. Standing in the doorway was the redhead, Ron. He smiled at him.
"Er, hi. Do you mind if I sit with you? There are no other seats available."
Harry smiled again. "Sure, go ahead Ron."
"Wow, you got a good memory. I don't remember your name. Did you tell it to me?"
Harry smiled a little nervously, "No, I don't think I did. I'm Harry Potter. What's your last name?"
The redhead looked at him with his eyes popping. "Your Harry Potter? I knew you were going to be in my year of course but blimey! My last names Weasley by the way. You were raised by a muggle weren't you? How's it like?"
Harry and Ron continued talking, barely noticing when the train started moving. Suddenly their door flew open. Standing in the doorway was the kid he saw in the Robe shop. Blaise. He stared daggers at the pale boy. He hated this kid. With his black hair and pale skin, anyone could take him as a vampire! Blaise sneered at Harry and Ron.
"So Harry, nice to see you again. But I don't believe we finished our other conversation in the robe story Harry. If my memories correct, you cussed me out, then ran away. Doesn't seem very sportsmanship-like Harry."
Harry looked back at Blaise, his face dangerously blank. "Actually Blaise your mind is a little confused. I remember you calling me a mud-blood, then turning even paler, if that's possible, when finding out you were talking to famous Harry Potter. And I didn't run away, as your memory tells you, my robes were done being fitted."
Blaise sneered at him, then turned to Ron. "Oh and I see you have been making friends also. Very good Harry, I commend you. Only there is one little problem. You seem to draw in the dust Harry. You have managed to find the lowest ranked family of wizards in the world. Dirt poor they are, and with so many mouths to feed too. I'm surprised they could afford the train fare here."
Ron's face turned Bright red. He looked like he was either about to slug Blaise in the mouth or start protesting loudly. Harry would have chosen for him and slugged Blaise in the mouth himself, but he didn't want to be in trouble before they even reached school. So instead he just stared at Blaise with cold fire in his eyes. He hated this kid even more than Dudley. At least Dudley picked on everyone, not only people he felt superior to! He walked up to Blaise, who involuntarily stepped back a step and grabbed his shirt.
"Blaise you had better watch out." Harry said quietly "I don't really like you much and I am a couple inches taller than you. Now leave please."
Blaise looked at him with contempt, brushed off his shirt where Harry had touched it and walked slowly out the door. The second he left, someone else came in.
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The new kid looked a little like Blaise. He, like Blaise, had pale creamy skin, but that was really where the likeness ended. His hair was blonde, strands falling carelessly in his eyes. He was about as tall as Harry and had a kind of bored look on his face. Harry couldn't make up his mind if he liked him or not.
"Nice job there Harry. That Blaise is a real pushover if you scare him. My names Draco." Draco smiled at Harry and suddenly looked like a different person.
His silver eyes sparkled with amusement, clearly telling Harry that he was impressed. His face lit up with the smile and suddenly Harry liked him.
"Hi I'm Harry Potter and this is Ron."
Draco looked at Ron rather suspiciously, but then shrugged. "Well usually my family is worst enemies with a Weasley, but hey, he cant be that bad if he's your friend."
Ron looked at Draco warily, not quite sure if this was a compliment or not. Finally he decided that it couldn't have been intended too bad and smiled at Draco. "Hey Draco, want a seat? Or do you have one somewhere else?" Ron asked, still rather reserved around a Malfoy.
Draco smiled. "Well I was sitting next to Crabbe and Goyle, but if you don't mind I would rather sit with you guys, those 2 are total idiots."
Harry and Ron snickered and moved over to let Draco sit down. Suddenly Ron said timidly.
"Draco, wont your dad, er-, get mad if you make friends with Harry Potter and a Weasley?"
A cloud passed over Draco's eyes and he looked totally alien for as second. Then it passed again and Draco said off-handedly.
"Well ya, probably. But he wont care that much as long as I'm in Slytherin."
Harry looked at Draco closely, he sensed that Draco was more worried than he let on. He seemed kind of withdrawn, although he lied pretty well.
The trio sat there for a long time, undisturbed, talking and laughing. Although Draco and Ron were a little edgy around each other sometimes in the beginning they soon got over it and were laughing together just as much as with Harry. They loved filling Harry in with all the things in the wizard world, and both seemed to have a passion for Quidditch. After they had somewhat explained it to Harry they launched into an immediate good-natured fight about the Chudley Cannons. Harry listened intently to their argument, totally fascinated by the game and soon found himself butting in occasionally to point out his own view, and listening to the answers he got. Next the talk went onto Hogwarts houses and which one's were rivals. Ron seemed to be praying with all his might he would get into Gryffindor and Draco set on getting into Slytherin. The odd thing about this was that Slytherin and Gryffindor were supposed to be total enemies. Ron and Draco told him all about the virtues of all the houses. Harry agreed with both of them that he wouldn't want to be in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, but he couldn't really decide between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Soon Ron and Draco were arguing again, this time both trying to get Harry on their side.
"Harry Slytherin's are the best! They are the sneakiest and the strongest. You would be a perfect Slytherin Harry, with that intimidating stare you have! Its totally Slytherin. We have a sense of humor also. We do great practical jokes and have sarcastic air. Everyone else stays out of Slytherin's way, although they usually don't like us much, that's fine with us. We are loners Harry. Does that not sound like you?"
Harry had to admit, Slytherin's sounded a lot like him, they seemed really funny too. He could see that Draco was a total Slytherin and he could also see how the other houses didn't like them. If you got on the wrong side of Draco, you had better watch out! He suspected that he and Ron were one of the few people that Draco showed his real personality to, another thing that Harry had in common with him. Then Ron broke into Harry's thoughts with his own argument.
"Oh come on Harry! Gryffindor's are great. They are brave and very funny too. They keep friendships and have fun! Slytherin's seem to think of Gryffindor's as the golden boys but that is totally untrue. Gryffindors probably break more rules then Slytherin's do but Gryffindors don't tell people. They are sneaky but in a different way. Plus many great wizards came from Gryffindor. Dumbledore was in Gryffindor, as was both my parents. There is hardly ever a report of a Gryffindor turning evil. Harry, your father and Mother were in Gryffindor. Slytherin however does not have such a clean slate. Harry many dark wizards come from Slytherin. You-know-Who himself came out of Slytherin! Do you want to be in his house."
This convinced Harry. There was no way he would want to be in the same house as Voldemort. If he was, then so be it, Slytherin's had good points also, but he couldn't willingly want to be in Slytherin when the person who killed his parents and almost him twice was in it once. Harry shivered a little, he could still feel the pain in his head and hear the horrible laugh that he heard not to long ago, echoing in his head...
Harry shook himself and said a little shakily, "Slytherin seems great and I wouldn't mind being in it, but I cant want to be in the same house as the person who killed my parents, and has tried to kill me now twice."
Draco was about to protest, but then what he heard Harry say hit him. "Did you say twice? I though he only tried when you were a baby! When was the other time?"
Harry looked up, surprised. "You mean it wasn't in the paper? Then I probably shouldn't have said anything, Dumbledore must have wanted to keep it a secret. Oh well, you guys are my friends. Just promise not to tell anyone else, ok?"
They both nodded silently and leaned in to hear Harry's story. Harry took a deep breath, the story still made him very emotional and he didn't want to start crying in the middle of it. He started, telling them everything about that day, when he got to the part at he Robe shop both Draco and Ron started laughing, "No wonder he hates you so much Harry! Boy I wouldn't want to be your enemy if you cussed me out the first time you saw me!" Ron said, spluttering. Harry's ears turned red. "I just wanted to know how he would act!" Harry said in an angelic voice, sending the two into another set of giggles. Finally the settled down and Harry went on. Soon the smiles were wiped from their faces, Ron gasping a couple of times and Draco sitting there, his face pale, unusually quite. When Harry finished they all sat in silence for a while, all lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly Ron looked up and said a little angrily "Draco, you had better not tell your father about this because we will all soon be killed, you know that!"
Draco's eyes flashed dangerously at Ron for a second, but then he looked down at his lap suddenly and said in a flat voice, "I know. I wont tell father about this though, that's for sure. I will never tell my father anything. He will just use it against the world, an against my friend." He said the last part very quietly, probably meaning for no body to hear, but Harry did. He looked at Draco sadly. Feeling very sorry for him. It was obvious that Draco's father was on Voldemort's side and that his befriending Harry would put them all in danger. Draco especially because his father would certainly want him to help in capturing Harry an when he said no, Draco would certainly be punished. Probably smacked around like Harry used to be when he was young. He could see the pain in Draco's eyes in fact and knew this was true. The same hurt and pain still showed in his own eyes when he was sad or angry. Draco never got away from it though. He didn't have a Mrs. Bradshaw. Draco looked up from his hands suddenly, his face totally composed again, his voice normal and sarcastic again. Harry smiled. Draco could handle this. If he was anything like Harry was, which Harry was sure he was, he could handle it.
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The rest of the ride passed uneventfully. Harry, Ron and Draco became closer friends my the second, they all got along great. Although Harry didn't know everything about the wizarding world, he was learning quickly and loved to listen to what they were talking about. When an old woman came by, pushing a little cart full of wizard goodies Harry and Draco both jumped up to buy stuff. Ron looked embarrassed and muttered that he had brought sandwiches, but Draco and Harry both bought him some stuff so they could all swap stuff and have good things to eat. To Draco and Ron's amusement Harry was amazed that the people in the pictures moved. Draco and Ron couldn't seem to accept that muggle pictures didn't move. They had fun tasting Bert's Every Flavor Beans too, especially when Draco ate a pepper one on a dare and started coughing, sneezing and spitting at the same time. They were having so much fun in fact that they almost forgot to put their robes on before they got to Hogwarts. Quickly they did so, their moods changing again, all of them more nervous, although Draco didn't look it.
"What kind of test do they have to put you in your house?" Harry asked tensly.
Ron and Draco looked at each other. "Well you see, we don't know. Nobody ever told us before. Although Fred and George said something about fighting a troll, they were probably kidding." Ron said and laughed dryly.
Draco and Harry laughed too, or at least tried to. It didn't really work.
Harry looked at them both and said suddenly, "Whatever house we're in, we will still stay friends wont we? Even if we are Slytherin and Gryffindor."
Draco and Ron looked at each other again, then smiled. "Agreed."
Draco smiled, "Ok, now that we made a friend pact, why not become blood brothers?" He said sarcastically. Harry laughed again, this time a real laugh.
The train suddenly slowed down, then stopped. Harry, Ron and Draco looked at each other nervously, then walked down the steps and into Hogwarts ground.
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A/N: Well how did you like it? Personally I think that this was the best well written chapter I have done yet. But that's just my opinion. Please if you read, will you review?! All you have to write is its good, or bad, or sucks. I don't care! I just want your opinion. Thank you for people who have reviewed. I now have 52 reviews! Thank you!! Oh and if anyone has a problem with Draco being their friend, all I have to say is I love Draco. I had to have him in here! Hermione will be in the next chapter, but she wont act exactly the same. She wont be so book wormy and know-it-allish. She will still be on top of her classes and always telling them to do their homework though. Thanks for reviewing!
-Pastshadows