A New Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Don't sue me please.

Chapter 4

Professor Dumbledore idly hummed a popular tune from the Weird Sisters as he waited patiently by the main gate for Blinky to inform her Mistress that he was outside. Soon after, Blinky appeared.

" Mistress is wanting Blinky to invite Sir to the living room. If Sir will follow Blinky…" The house-elf ushered the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry into an elegant room filled with ridiculously expensive artifacts.

" Would Sir like something to drink?"

" Some oak-matured mead sounds excellent. Thank you, Blinky." said the headmaster, to which the elf bowed a deep bow before leaving the room.

Half an hour later, when the bottle of oak-matured mead was long gone, Isabella walked into the room rather haughtily. " Dumbledore." she stated in a curt manner.

" Isabella. How nice it is to see you again. I hope you are well," said Dumbledore as he stood up, greeting her politely.

" I wasn't aware we were on a first name basis Dumbledore," sniffed Isabella. " Why are you here? I'm sure it isn't just to enquire about my health."

" I see you're still as straight forward as ever." chuckled Dumbledore. "Yes. You are correct. This is about Harry. I would like to speak with him. With your permission of course, or without if I must. " Although he said this in a casual manner, there was still an authoritative tone to his voice.

Isabella felt a sparkle of annoyance, which quickly faded. She would love to see Dumbledore trying to explain to Harry why he left him with the Dursleys. If Dumbledore really wanted to see him, Isabella knew that she wouldn't be able to stop him anyways.

" Wait here." Isabella said curtly, before she turned her back on Dumbledore and walked out of the room.

A few minutes later, Isabella strode into the room, followed closely behind by Harry. Harry looked up at the tall man with the white long beard. His eyes seemed to twinkle behind his half-moon spectacles.

" How do you do, Harry?" said Dumbledore, walking forward and extending his hand. Harry looked hesitantly at Isabella before warily shaking his hand.

" I'm Professor Albus Dumbledore," introduced Dumbledore. " The headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. "

" Get to the point Dumbledore," snapped Isabella irritably. She was tired and wanted this over soon. She also wanted to know what the hell did Dumbledore want with Harry.

" Harry. The night your parents were killed was the night that I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life. I left you with the Dursleys. You have to understand Harry, I did what I thought would be in your best interest. You see, I only considered your physical safety. I casted a charm to reinforce the protection you gained from the shedding of your mother's blood. As long as you lived with someone who shared the same blood, you could not be harmed. Ironically, this made the Dursleys -- otherwise unfit as guardians in any other sense for you, the only possible guardians to seal the charm and thus help keep you alive." Dumbledore said gravely.

" There were others factors influencing that decision. I wanted you to spend your childhood away from the wizarding world. Away from the fame and admirers. I wanted you to lead a normal life. I failed to consider the fact that the Dursleys would ill-treat you. I was wrong. I apologize for my grave error in judgment."

Dumbledore placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. " Harry. What I am about to offer you is somewhat unorthodox. I would like you to stay in Hogwarts. Never in the school's thousand-year history has anyone apart from the staff been offered residence in the school. This is a great honor."

" No." Harry said simply. His one word caused Isabella to beam at him.

" If it's Harry's safety you're concerned about, you have got nothing to worry about. The wards placed in this mansion are strong enough to rival that of Hogwarts." Isabella sneered.

" Harry, I-"

" No."

"Please und-"

"No."

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air. Harry expected Dumbledore to turn nasty. Hell, he even expected to get cursed. Dumbledore did neither of that. Dumbledore shoulders sagged in defeat, making him look much, much older.

" I hope that one day, you can understand what I did," With a heavy heart, Dumbledore left the Zabinis Mansion. It would be five years before he ever saw the boy who lived again.

Five Years Later

" No…"

"Checkmate." Blaise announced, as she watched her Queen decapitate Harry's King. Blaise had just beaten Harry in a game of wizards' chess for the fifteen consecutive time. Harry was upset. It wasn't so much the fact that he had lost to a girl, but for fifteen times running? Harry could count the number of times he had actually won against Blaise. Once to be exact.

" This is too easy." Blaise teased.

" Shut up." Harry retorted lightheartedly. Harry would never admit it to anyone, but he enjoyed bantering with Blaise. She always had the ability to make him laugh, no matter what the circumstances.

" So, which house are you planning to go to?" asked Blaise as she arranged the chess pieces in order. This was the day Harry and Blaise were about to attend Hogwarts for the first time ever. They were currently in a limousine on their way to King's Cross Station, to board the Hogwarts Express that would take them to Hogwarts.

I would go to any house you're in. Harry thought.

" I don't know. What about you?" he asked instead.

" Well," pondered Blaise, scratching her nose thoughtfully. " I guess I'll be going to Slytherin. My parents were from Slytherin too. Right mum?"

Isabella glanced up from the Daily Prophet to give her daughter a fond smile. Over the years, Harry had become the son she never had. Isabella smiled at the look of intense concentration on his face. He'll lose in five moves. Isabella thought wryly, watching as a pawn of Harry got bullied off the chessboard by Blaise's knight.

Platform Nine and Three Quarters was not like any other platform. A scarlet steam engine with red passenger carriages was the only train in sight. Harry was not surprised to see only a hand of wizards loitering about. After all, it was only nine in the morning and the train wasn't scheduled to leave in another two hours.

Blaise's blue eyes were cold and expressionless as she surveyed her surroundings. Gone was her normal behavior. From an early age, Isabella had thought them the virtue of concealing ones emotion. Never show weakness. Never let anyone know they've gotten to you. The strong prey on the weak. If you can't get people to respect you, make them fear you. She used to say.

Isabella rarely showed affection in public. Today was an exception. For the first time in five years, both Harry and Blaise were about to leave her side. Giving both of them a quick hug, Isabella resisted her maternal instinct to prevent them from leaving her side. Used to having Blaise and Harry around her, Isabella wondered how the bloody hell was she going to endure the year alone. They had better come home for Christmas…

Harry waved his eleven-inch wand. "Wingardium Leviosa." The trunks behind him levitated up, and with another wave of his wand, started to follow them up the Hogwarts Express. The train was virtually empty. Walking into the first compartment they saw, Harry slid the compartment door shut behind him.

" So," Blaise asked. " Care for another game of chess?"

Two hours and another ten loses for Harry later, the Hogwarts Express started to move. Harry had been forced to cast a locking spell on the compartment door. After scaring off the first five people who had wandered into their compartment, Harry thought that it would be better if he just locked the door. It would do no good to have people constantly appearing just to stare at his scar. They were really starting to get on his nerves. " I swear. The next person to stare at my scar gets it."

Peering playfully at his lightning bolt scar, Blaise shuddered in mock fear. Harry felt his annoyance melt away. He found Blaise's antics to be really amusing. He was glad to be able to know the real Blaise. Not the guarded wall she built around herself when in public. For the first time in five years, Harry thought back to the day he ran away from the Dursleys. He couldn't imagine what his life would have been had he remained.

Harry's brilliant green eyes darkened as he thought about the Dursleys. He had been weak then. Not anymore…

Harry James Potter was uncertainly not weak. In fact, he might be the most talented wizard of his year, if not the whole school! At nine years of age, Harry could perform spells at O.W.L standard. Now, at eleven years of age, he was learning to do non-verbal spells and wandless magic. Harry was not able to do so yet, but nevertheless, it was no small feat.

" Harry. We're nearly there. Get out so I can change."

As the Hogwarts Express slowed to a halt, everyone jostled to step out into the dark cold night. The only sources of light were from a lamppost and a lamp carried by an enormous man. He was easily the tallest and biggest man Harry had ever seen.

"Firs' years over here! Firs' years!" said the man. He had a kind smile and twinkling eyes. Harry immediately took a liking to him.

Harry and Blaise followed him as he led the whole group of first years to the edge of a great lake. Many boats bobbed serenely in the calm dark water. All the students gazed peacefully at the sight before them. The moment was broken when the huge man started yelling " Four to a boat! Four to a boat!"

As soon as everyone entered a boat, the man whom Harry later came to know as Hagrid began leading the students towards Hogwarts. It was a truly magnificent sight. Harry realized why the first years were required to travel by boat. The view of Hogwarts from the lake was indescribably. It was breathtakingly spectacular.

" Beautiful…" That one word from Blaise summed up what all the students were thinking. Harry tore his gaze away from the castle to look around him. Blaise's blue eyes radiated with excitement. The wind blew gently against her, making her long raven hair shimmer by the moonlight. Harry never saw a more beautiful sight than this.

" Yeah… Beautiful…" Harry tried his best not to stare, really he did, but he found it impossible not too.

Nearing the castle, Harry helped Blaise off the boat and down onto dry land, before climbing out himself. Hagrid took the lead as they walked up a pathway. The group stopped in front of the castle door. Hagrid knocked loudly on the large ancient door. The sound was deafening, as the whole bunch of first years were dead silent.

A tall black haired witch in emerald-green robes opened the door. Her lips were drawn in a thin line and she looked extremely stern. Harry immediately knew who she was. Professor Minerva McGonagall. Isabella had told them about her. Head of Gryffindor. Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts. Everything about this woman blared a 'no nonsense' attitude. Even her hair was pulled back in a tight bun.

" Welcome to Hogwarts." McGonagall said, beckoning to the students to enter the castle. " The start of term banquet will begin shortly. But only after the sorting ceremony to sort you into the house you belong. There are four houses. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Your house will be your family here at Hogwarts. You will have classes with your house, eat with them at mealtimes and spend your free time at your house common room. In each house, your triumphs will earn your house points… Any rule breaking and you will lose points and by the end of the year, the house with the most points will win the house cup."

" I shall be back shortly. Wait here…" With that, Professor McGonagall turned and left the hallway.

The second she left the hallway, the first years erupted into furious whispers. Ron Weasley was going on about having to fight a troll.

" Potter," Ron growled, catching the amused look Harry sent him. " What are you looking at?"

" Nothing. I just find it pathetic that a pureblood like you don't even know how you get sorted into different houses. Your mother and father really ought to have raised you better." Harry sneered.

Ron's face and ears flushed bright red. It was amazing easy to embarrass the boy. He got angry at the slightest things.

" At least I have parents. Where're your parents, Potter? Oh. I forgot. They're dead."

Harry struggled to keep the sneer on his face. Weasly's taunt had hit a nerve. Harry's eyes darkened. An eerie silence seemed to befall the hallway. The lights from the torches flickered, casting a shadow over Harry's face. Drawing his wand and advancing steadily on a retreating Ron, his anger was apparent for all to see. No one dared to move a muscle as they watched in anticipation.

" Never. Ever. Insult. My. Parents. Again." Harry hissed, raising his wand.

To be continued…