Disclaimer: I own nothing.

That summer held many days surfing at the beach, many nights spent junking out on ice cream and chips, crappy old movies, and one letter from Hogwarts. The letter Harry received mentioned that he would be escorted by the headmaster and two other teachers to the school, but lacked a supply list (according to Sirius). Taking a deep breath, Harry tried to keep his cool. He didn't want to act like a baby and make Sirius feel guilty about sending him off, but he couldn't help the tears that silently flew down his cheeks.

"It's ok Harry. Your dad cried for hours the day before his first day of Hogwarts. Couldn't stand the thought of not seeing his mother and father," he said soothingly hugging and kissing the top of Harry's head.

"For real?" Harry sniffed.

"Yup, his mom told me all about it. You should've seen the shade of red he turned…I thought he would boil his tongue."

"Sirius, I love you. You have to write me everyday…you will wont you?" Sirius kissed his forehead in response.

"Of course," he grinned at Harry, "Before you know it Christmas will come and you can get back home and show me all the fancy tricks you learned!"

"More than you thought me?" he asked putting his hand in his pocket to feel the familiar wand Sirius had him purchase in a Wizard shop in South America a few years ago.

"Lots more. All the things me and your father—"

"Telling Harry about his father Sirius? You are probably the only one who can get all the stories right," an old wizard with long silvery hair and twinkling eyes popped into Harry's view.

Harry's jaw remained glued to the floor as the old man introduced himself and his companions. For some strange reason the stranger with black hair seemed to radiate great dislike towards him and Sirius. The expression on Sirius' face showed much of the same emotion. Trying to pull himself together Harry stood up and took the items the strangers had purchased him with quick thanks.

It took him a few minutes to allow the strangers to pry him away from Sirius, but when they did he tried his best not to sulk. Sirius had told him he was set off to the most amazing place in the word and Sirius never lied. With a weird vacuum like method of traveling all of a sudden Harry was in a totally different place. One that looked very nice…but lacked the sunlight he had lived for.

"Welcome to Hogwarts Harry Potter!" Dumbledore said giving him a big smile. Harry smiled back, it was impossible not to like this guy.

"So you're like our principle?" Harry asked peering around the exquisite office they had arrived in.

"Yes, you might say that. Harry I want to welcome you to ask whatever you wish to? Anything you want to know before I send you down with Professor McGonagall to the feast?"

"Do I have to wear these robes?" Harry asked glaring at the dark material McGonagall had given him.

"All Hogwarts students are required to—" Snape began but was cut off by Dumbledore.

"Not if you don't wish to do so," he said firmly giving both professors a hard look.

"SWEET!" Harry cried throwing the robes to the floor, "I don't mean to sound rude or anythin' but Albus this place is kind of…well…it doesn't exactly seem to have all the sunlight I'm used to. Besides I've never worn so much material in my life…and I never want to."

"Then I suggest you never visit Alaska," Dumbledore said before the other two teachers could object to Harry using his first name.

"Not even Canada…man, I don't know how people deal with gloomy gray days. I mean rain's alright, you can always slug mud around, but snow…heck maybe snow could be fun too," Harry seemed to be deep in though with a smile that Snape and McGonagall recognized too well.

"I'm sure you will find it amusing. But Harry—"

"Call me Jim, Albus,"

"Alright Jim, I want you to work hard on your studies. Fun is great as long as you don't neglect what's important," Dumbledore's eyes burned into Harry's, who grinned and stuck his hand to his forehead and saluted, a ridiculous one.

"Ay ay Captain!" Snape's and McGonagall's face seem to be working hard to keep its expression calm.

"Very well. McGonagall take him to the sorting ceremony. I believe Professor Flitwick has finished sorting all the others.

So Harry walked right beside McGonagall chatting with her happily as though they were long lost friends, though she seemed anything but pleased. She quickly gave Harry a few instructions before she burst open large oak doors and called out Flitwick's name.

"He is here."

As the words left McGonagall's mouth the entire student body of the Great Hall turned around to stare at Harry. The boy that stood the in wooden sandals, faded jean cutoffs, and a tight gray T-shirt with the sleeves cut off revealing the only tattoo Sirius had allowed him to get, the wild black stag play fighting with an even wilder grim. Though as unnerving as Harry's messy haired appearance was his calm confident aura was worst. Unlike all the other first years, Harry strolled to the sorting hat as though he had the time in the world.

"If everyone wears this hat…would I get lice by puttin' it on?" his absurd question and lack of an English accent seemed to surprise his audience even more.

"No Mr. Potter, it has magical properties to prevent such incidents from happening," McGonagalls said coolly, but at this the entire hall gasped. She had just called the stranger Potter…as in the famous Harry Potter?

"Alright…but if I get lice then I'll be sure to give it back to you Ms. TightBun," Harry said grinning at her as he heard another gasp go through the crowd.

A few minutes later the hat screamed GRYFFINDOR and Harry with a finger in his ear threw it off. Everyone in the crowd was still too shocked over seeing the way Harry Potter really was; no one uttered a single word.

"What the hell is wrong with this gang?" he asked McGonagall, "this isn't one of those places kids are sent off to become all nice and polite is it?"

"No Mr. Potter will you please take a seat at the table you have been sorted to? Show him his table," she called to the Gryffindors who now had gotten over their shock began to applaud quite loudly, and Harry grinning joined them…howling his head off.

"Your 'The Harry Potter'?" asked a tall boy with red hair.

"Sure…call me Jim," punched him on the shoulder, "does anyone surf around here?"

"Dunno what your talking about mate," said the boy, "my name is Ron by the way."

"Well, guess I gotta make my own," Harry grinned.

Once Dumbledore finished his short little speech Harry was pleased to find all the food that appeared on the table. He preferred mint ice cream on ketchup chips more, but it definitely was a match for Sirius' kickass cooking.

"Dude…what is this?" Harry stared at the dish in front of him in amazement, making Ron laugh.

"It's kidney pie."

"So there is like real kidneys in it?"

"Wait, what's a doode?"

"You mean a dude?"

"Yeah that…"

"It's…uh…you."

"Oh. Ok."

"iight dude," and with that Harry digged back into his food.

About a while later him and Ron were still stuffing their faces like crazy and the whole hall watched the two with amazement. A snooty looking boy with similar facial features and red hair as Ron glared at the two shaking his head.

"You two are gonna get extremely sick tonight!"

"Well worth it," Harry said spitting out food as he talked.

"Yeah," Ron nodded, and the two grinned at each other.

Perhaps it was that moment, both boys grinning with faces covered with bits of food, that Harry was sure he had found his first true friend. He was beginning to think that Hogwarts might not be such a bad place after all.

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter…but just cause Harry started Hogwarts it doesn't mean he won't go back home at all…well you'll see. And I guess Niki wins the votes.