Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Do you? Can I buy him? Please?

Author's Notes: I've named the Basilisk Oculi Venenati, which is Latin for "Poison Eyes."

Disclaimer: Again I've used some lines from the book; you'll recognize them for J.K. Rowling's work and not mine; furthermore, this Disclaimer is to be used here on out for my blatant Plagiarism. It applies to the whole story!

"Packed with muggles as usual; why do they insist on using this infernal train?"

"It's a way of meeting one's future classmates."

"Excuse me?"

"That's what was in Hogwarts: A History. It's sort of the truth though. The real reason is that they want the Muggle-born's to have time to form alliances, or "friendships," with unsuspecting, innocent pureblood children (who don't yet have their opinions formed)."

"Good reasoning….All right, here we are…do you have every thing?"

Harry nodded, "Yes Grandmother."

"Do you have Oculi Venenati? The last thing I need is to accidentally sit on a Basilisk."

Harry grinned and lightly patted his inner pocket. "She's right here."

Cassiopeia sighed, relieved, "Good, if you forgot anything else, just Owl me….By the way, did you finally name your owl?"

"Yes, I named her Hedwig"

"That name sounds familiar."

Harry smiled. "It should. She was the Dark Witch who invented Avada Kedavra; she later married our ancestor Eron Black."

"A good name then." She bent down and kissed the top of his head. "I'll see you during Winter Holiday."

"Goodbye, Grandmother."

She gave him a smile and with a small pop she was gone.

Harry levitated his belongings into the end compartment, where he proceeded to cast muggle repelling and locking charms all over the door. (The Mudbloods hadn't yet performed any magic; therefore, they were still muggles.) He then took out Oculi and settled down to enjoy a quiet ride.

Harry was awoken a little while later by the sound of pounding on his door. He jumped up and yanked open the door and found himself looking up at a tall, redheaded boy. A Weasley, he thought in disgust.

Ronald Weasley looked at the boy in front of him. A rich boy, he thought, taking in the classy robes and jewelry. He sneered. The boy had long hair like a girl and vibrant green eyes.

"They're saying that Harold Black is on the train. I've looked all down the train and this is the only compartment left…" he paused. "Are you him?"

"Excellent deduction skills; is there any thing you want?"

The boy held out his hand. "I'm Ron Weasley; it's a pleasure to meet you Harry."

Harry sneered, "You will address me as 'Dominus Black' or as 'Black,' never Harry. I have not given you leave for such familiarity, nor will I, as I do not consort with Oath Breakers or their Spawn." He paused and let his sneer grow. "Tell your family that." He then whipped out his wand and blasted the Weasley brat out of his doorway.

"Nice work."

Harry looked up and saw Draco Malfoy smirking at Weasley. "Hello Draco"

"Hello…?"

"You may call me Harry."

"Very well…Harry." He glanced back at Weasley and asked, "What did you mean?"

"About what?"

"When you called Weasley an Oath Breaker."

Harry walked back into his compartment. "Sit down; it's a long story"

Harry sat in his grandmother's lap while her arms curled protectively around him. He didn't really understand what she was saying to the people who had come to visit, but he could hear tears in her voice:

"You have to help me!"

The tall man with red hair shook his head. "I will not go against Dumbledore's wishes. The boy will be in the care of his mother's family, and I'm sure that you'd be able to visit once he starts Hogwarts."

"I WILL NOT GIVE MY GRANDSON TO A PAIR OF FOUL MUGGLES!"

The woman, short and (also) redheaded, said, "There is no proof that he is yours."

His grandmother gave a few shuddering sobs, but then she recovered. "You will take him away?"

The man nodded. "You are to stand trial before the full Wizengamot on August 4th. Harry will live with his mother's relatives until the trial, where he will be interrogated so they can ascertain the extent of your punishment."

"And you will not help me get him back?"

The woman snorted, "Help you? What have you ever done for us?"

The man gave his wife a small glare before saying, "We will not go against Dumbledore."

His grandmother drew herself up. " Arthur Weasley, Grandson of Abram Weasley, who swore everlasting fealty to the Family Black, I name you Oath Breaker. You and your family are stricken from the tree, your vaults are forfeit, and your titles are ripped from you"

The man paled but the woman just sneered, "That is of no matter; give us the boy."

"Hush Molly…" the man said.

"I will not. She has no power over this family." She glared at the older woman. "Now give us the boy…."

"The Weasley's are the ones who took you away from her?"

"Yes."

"So that's why they're so poor."

"Was that a question?"

"No; it was a statement"

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure. When I ask questions, I use a questioning tone."

"Most people do"

Draco smiled, "You're an odd fellow, cousin."

"I am a Black—we are not 'odd'; we are sophisticated."

"Is that where mother gets it?"

"Was that a question?"

"Didn't you hear the questioning tone?"

"So it was?"

"Yes."

"What does your mother get from the Blacks?"

"I forgot."

"Did you now?"

Their verbal bantering went on for a few hours, until a round-faced boy interrupted them.

"Hello" he stuttered out nervously, "have you seen a toad? I lost mine."

"I haven't seen it. If I do I'll tell you…?"

"What? Oh! Sorry. I'm Neville Longbottom."

Harry's eyes shuttered. "I'm Harold Black."

Neville's eyes drifted up to the scar. "P-pleasure to meet you."

Harry nodded. "And you. What's your toad's name?"

"His what? Oh, it's Trevor."

Harry pulled out his want and intoned, "Accio Trevor the toad."

There was a crashing sound and a scream, and then a toad came flying through the door and landed on Harry's outstretched hand. "Here he is," he said, handing the toad to Neville.

"Oh, thank you!" Neville cried out blissfully, before running down the hall shouting, "Hermione, I found him!"

"Tempus."

"We should get our Hogwarts robes on; we're almost there."

Draco nodded and went to his original compartment to change.

"You'll need to hide up my sleeve," said Harry to Oculi after he had finished changing. The snake complied.

Just then a monotonous voice rang out around 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."

The five minutes passed quickly. When the train finally pulled to a stop, Harry left the compartment and made his way off the train.

The inky blackness of the night seemed to surround him. Harry looked around to see a giant man yelling for the first years to follow him. Harry complied, joining the other first years.

"Hello Hagrid," he said smiling.

" 'Arry, nice to see you; 'ows your granma?"

"She's quite well, Hagrid; thank you."

"S'no problem." He peered at the others. "Yeh all there? Good, let's go."

The first years followed Hagrid down the cliff, and Harry found himself walking next to Draco.

"Why were you nice to the oaf?"

"Draco," he said reprovingly, "his family is older than yours. Therefore, he merits some respect."

"Yes…but…look at him!" he demanded. "He's an uneducated lout."

"He's a family friend. In fact, he's the one who gave me my owl."

"Really?"

"Yes, he spoke against putting me with the Dursleys…the muggles," he added seeing Draco's confusion. "When I told my grandmother that, she decided to befriend him."

"Oh…I guess he's not that bad."

Harry snorted, but said nothing.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called out--"jus' round this bend here."

There was a chorus of "Ooooohs!" and then the students found themselves on the edge of a black lake. They walked onto the docks and waited for Hagrid's instructions. When they had them (no more than four to a boat), they boarded the boats.

Draco and Harry were on one, accompanied by Neville and a girl Harry recognized as a Parkinson. (The pug-like face was a dead give away.) They sat silently as the boat drifted across the water. When the boat finally stopped, they saw a giant staircase. They climbed out of the boats and made their way up. Hagrid rapped once on the door at the top of the staircase, and the students watched as it slowly opened.

A/N: What did you think?