Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but Ragnarok, Leria, all the other dragons, and the Drakes are mine!

            The next day, I woke up around 7:30, took my stuff and left Diagon Alley.  I then spent the next couple of hours getting to King's Cross.

            I got there just in time to see Harry talking to some witch, asking how to get through the barrier, and I followed immediately after they went through.

            "Platform nine and three-quarters…I swear…these wizards are crazy…at least the train looks normal…" I muttered.  "Now…where's Harry…?"

            I spotted him a bit further down the platform, getting some help with his trunk, and I headed down towards that compartment.  I reached it just in time to hear the twins realize who they had just helped.  I lifted my trunk up (hey, I may be in a human body, but I'm still a lot stronger than a normal human!), and pushed my trunk into a corner, making sure that they didn't realize how easily I could move the thing.

            Their mother – who I realized was the witch that Harry was talking to earlier – then called them outside, and I turned to face Harry, and almost burst out laughing.  He was quite red, and looking very embarrassed.

            "Don't worry about it.  Once they all get to know you it'll stop." I said, grinning.  "I'm Linden Rathan, nice to meet you."

            "Harry Potter."

            "Looking forward to going to Hogwarts?"

            "I sure am.  It's got to be better than living with the Dursleys."

            "Really?"

            "Yeah, my aunt and uncle are just horrible most of the time."

            He looked out the window, and watched the family that he was talking to earlier.

            After a few minutes, he turned to me again.  "Hey Linden?  Can I ask you something?"

            "Sure, go ahead."

            "Umm…when everyone else saw me, they all seemed stunned, and well…you…err…"

            "Why am I acting like there's nothing special about you?"

            "Errr…yes."

            "Well, I just thought that you seemed rather uncomfortable about how the twins reacted earlier, so I figured that it would be better if I just treated you like I would anyone else… unless you like being stared at like an animal in a zoo."  I said, and grinned at his embarrassed expression.  "I didn't think so."

            Just then, the train whistle blew, and the train started to move, and a couple minutes later, a raid-haired boy walked in.

            "Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat next to mine.  "Everywhere else is full."

            "No.  Go ahead and sit down."

            "Hey, Ron."

            I glanced at the door, and noticed that the twins who were helping Harry earlier were back.

            "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train – Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

            "Right," Ron mumbled.

            "Harry, did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley.  And this is Ron, our brother.  Oh, and who are you?"  I felt that last question directed at me.

            "Linden Rathan."

            "Oh, nice to meet you.  See you all later."

            "Bye," we chorused, and they left, closing the door behind them.

            "Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted.

            I glanced over, and saw Harry nod.

            "Oh – well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes.  And have you really got – you know…" he said, indicating Harry's forehead, and Harry pulled his bangs back to show the scar.

            "So that's where You-Know-Who…?"

            "Yes, but I can't remember it."

            "Nothing?"

            "Well… I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."

            I started.  A lot of green light?  As far as I know, only one spell that has that effect…and that much power…Avada Kedavra, the killing curse.  But how could he have survived that!?  Sure a single casting of that wouldn't kill me, but it would leave me unconscious for about half an hour…and Harry's no dragon…I wonder how he did it…

            "…and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort —

            My head snapped around to look at Harry.  He actually said it?  I thought that the wizards still fear even saying the name!

            "What?"

            "You said You-Know Who's name!  I'd have thought that you, of all people…"

            Ok…so they still do fear the name… I thought, and turned my head and looked back out the window.

            "I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name.  I just never knew you shouldn't.  see what I mean?  I've got loads to learn…  I bet I'm the worst in the class."

            "You won't be.  There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."

            Yeah, but how many students are dragons?  Hahahahaha…

            "Hey, Linden."

            "Hm?"

            "What's your family like?"

            "Well, ummm… I'm the first to go to Hogwarts, and everyone was quite pleased when I got in."  Technically true, but there's no way that I'm going to tell them everything.  "I'm an only child, and my parents are pretty nice."  I shrugged.  "That's about it."

            I turned to look back outside, and just watched the fields go by.

            Around 12:30, a lady came by with a cart of food, and Harry and I went to buy some things.  He got some of everything, while I just picked up a few Cauldron Cakes and Pumpkin Pasties, and paid two sickles for them.

            "Hey Harry, think you got enough food?"  I asked jokingly as I walked back in. 

            Harry and Ron split Harry's food, and I just ate the things that I had bought and listened to them talk about the snacks.

            There was a knock on the door, and someone else walked in.

            "Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?"

            We shook our heads, and he wailed, "I've lost him!  He keeps getting away from me!"

            "He'll turn up," Harry said.

            "Yes.  Well, if you see him…" he said miserably, and left.

            "Don't know why he's so bothered.  If I'd brought a toad, I'd lose it as quick as I could.  Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."

            "Well, at least you have a pet."

            I couldn't even bring my "pet".  If I brought Fyre here he'd cause way too many problems.  Haha.

            "He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference." Ron said in disgust.  "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work.  I'll show you, look…"

            He went through his trunk, and pulled out a very battered wand.

            "Unicorn hair's nearly poking out.  Anyway —"  he was cut off by the compartment door sliding open, and the toadless boy and a girl walked in. 

            "Has anyone seen a toad?  Neville's lost one."

            "We told him that we hadn't when he came in here earlier."  I said.

            "Oh, are you doing magic?  Let's see it, then."

            "Er – all right."

            He cleared his throat.  "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow."  He waved his wand, but nothing happened.  The rat remained gray and asleep.

            "Are you sure that's a real spell?  Well, it's not very good, is it?  I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me.  Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard – I've learned all out course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough. – I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"  she said very fast.

            "Linden Rathan."

"I'm Ron Weasley."

            "Harry Potter."

            "Are you really?  I know all about you, of course – I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History, and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

            "Am I?" Harry said dazedly.

            "Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me.  Do either of you know what house you'll be in?  I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Griffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad…. Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad.  You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

            "Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it.  Stupid spell—George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."

            "He probably did.  Most spells sound much different from that.  Usually one or two words at the most, and certainly never that long," I said chuckling.  "He really got you with that one."  I yawned, and leaned back against my seat, and dozed off.

            I woke up suddenly as the door to the compartment opened again, and three boys walked in; two of them were heavyset, and were flanking a third boy.  He glanced at me, and then looked straight at Harry.

            "Is it true?  They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment.  So it's you, is it?"

            "Yes."

            "Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle.  And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

            Ron coughed, trying to suppress a snigger, and only a huge effort stopped me from laughing outright.

            He looked at Ron.  "Think my name's funny, do you?  No need to ask who you are.  My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children then they can afford." He then turned back to Harry.  "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter.  You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort.  I can help you there." He said, extending a hand.

            "I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," Harry said.

            Malfoy (I refuse to call him Draco!) turned pink at that statement.  "I'd be careful if I were you, Potter.  Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents.  They didn't know what was good for them, either.  You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

            All three of us shot to our feet at that.  "Say that again," Ron said.

            "Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?"  Malfoy sneered.

            "Unless you get out now."  Harry said.

            "But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys?  We've eaten all our food, and you still seem to have some."

            "That wasn't a request."

            Goyle reached for the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron, and I jumped forward intent on landing a punch in his gut, but stopped when he yelled in pain.

            Scabbers had sunk his teeth into Goyle's knuckle, and we all stared as he swung his arm around trying to dislodge him.  Scabbers soon released his hold, streaked by my head, and hit the window.  The three of them then left very quickly.

            A second later, Hermione burst into our compartment.  "What has been going on?"  she said, looking at the mess.

            "I think he's been knocked out…No – I don't believe it – he's gone back to sleep."  Ron said, looking at Scabbers. 

            While they were talking, I turned to Hermione.  "Something for you?"

            "The conductor said that we're almost there, so you should hurry and put your robes on.  And you shouldn't have been fighting or you'll –"

            "Enough already…now would you mind leaving so we can change?"

            "Oh fine then…" she said leaving.

            I turned to the others.  "We should probably change now.  The train will reach Hogwarts pretty soon."

            We took off our jackets, and put on our robes, and I noticed that the train seemed to be slowing.

            A voice echoed through the train, "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time.  Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

            I was almost trembling with excitement.  The moment that I had been waiting for for all these years was finally here!  I then followed Ron and Harry out of the compartment and into the corridor.

            The train soon stopped, and we all walked out of the train.  I looked around, and saw a lamp come over the heads of the students.

            "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!  All right there, Harry?"

            I looked over, and there was Hagrid.  "C'mon, follow me – any more firs' years?  Mind yer step, now!  Firs' years follow me!"

            We all followed Hagrid down a steep narrow path, bordered by trees.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec.  Jus' round this bend here."

I whistled.  It was a massive castle, about the same size as the Spire back on Rykros.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called out, pointing to a fleet of small boats by the shore.  I got in one, along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Everyone in?"  Hagrid shouted.  "Right then – FORWARD!"

The boats moved forward, and everyone was staring at the castle, which semed to grow bigger all the time.  I might have been mistaken…I think this my just be slightly larger than the Spire…

"Heads down!"  Hagrid yelled as the first boats reached the cliff face.  The boats passed into a tunnel, and soon reached an underground harbor, where we got off.

Hagrid found Neville's toad in one of the boats, and we went up the stairs, and emerged on the castle grounds, and then went up a flight of stone steps and waited in front of a huge, oak door.

            "Everyone here?  You there, still got your toad?"

            Hagrid raised his fist and knocked three times on the door.

Sorry it's so long, but it was either I make it this long or I cut it out the whole train thing entirely, and I didn't want to do that.