Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters. They belong to J. K. Rowling. Any quotes from Harry Potter books don't belong to me either. As usual, no profit is meant to be made by this story.

Similarities with other fanfiction stories are not intended

3. To Hogwarts!

Harry's next month was the most exciting and enjoyable in his entire life. He made good use of his new freedom. Diagon Alley had a lot to offer to any young wizard and if this wizard hadn't heard anything from magic before, it was like heaven.

Most of all he enjoyed Florian Fortescue's ice cream parlour. It was his favourite spot for reading as there was nothing better than reading with one of Florian's marvellous ice cream mugs topped with hazelnut splits. Florian had taken a liking in Harry since the first moment he entered his shop. Talking to him was also a nice distraction from those who were stunned by the fact that they had encountered the boy-who-lived. The talking of the people started to annoy Harry.

As he had all his supplies for school already bought, he hadn't everything else to buy. However, the stuff in his school books started to annoy Harry as most of it seemed similar to him. Therefore, he often went to the book shop to get some more books. Most of those were about magical creatures, one which Harry found especially amazing was about phoenixes. However, he found another one called "The power of Nature: Use the elements". Harry was fascinated which possibilities this book showed for someone who could control the elements. When he first saw it he thought how cool it would be to be able to do all this things. Therefore he bought the book together with another one called "Curses for all purposes".

Reading these two books let the time pass even faster so before he even recognised it was already August 31st and Tom cooked a magnificent "Good Bye Dinner" for Harry: Having enjoyed the time so much, Harry hadn't even thought of Hogwarts. However, this day the anticipation came back at full speed. He barely slept this night and it took what seemed like a week till it was 10 o'clock in the morning on September the first.

Harry had packed all his things more than a hour before his meeting with Hagrid was scheduled. At half past nine, he went downstairs to enjoy his last breakfast in "The Leaky Cauldron" Hagrid was, surprisingly, on time when he entered the inn at exactly 10 o'clock.

"So, Harry, ready to go?"

"Yes Hagrid. Where do you have to go?"

"Ye still have your ticket, haven't ye? It should be platform 9¾ at King's Cross Station. I think it's best to take muggle transports. Let's head over to the underground station."

"Yes Hagrid. Well then, Good bye Tom. It was a nice time here. I hope we see each other soon again."

"Good bye Mr. Potter. It was my pleasure."

With these words, Harry and Hagrid left "The Leaky Cauldron" and went back to the muggle world. Hagrid had decided to take muggle transportations. However, he didn't understand a lot about the London underground station. Therefore, it was mostly Harry's job to lead them both to King's Cross. In the end they managed to be between platform 9 and 10 at 10:50. Harry wondered where exactly platform 9¾ was supposed to be as he didn't saw anything even the slightest magical around.

"Hagrid, where exactly is this platform?"

"Oh, sorry, forget you didn't know? See that brick wall over there?"

There was indeed a brick wall, one of the carrier of the roof structure, between the two platforms.

"I see it, but what has it do to with the platform?"

"Well, in order to get to the platform, you just have to go through the secret passageway which begins at the brick wall there. Just run a bit if you feel nervous."

Not believing Hagrid's explanation entirely, Harry started to run towards the wall. He was prepared to hit fully into the wall, however, as soon as he touched the wall, he ran through it and found himself on a platform with a red steam locomotive and train. The display panel read "Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock". It was Hagrid's voice that brought Harry back from staring at the train.

"So, Harry, I have to leave now. Enjoy the ride and we will see each other again. Good bye Harry"

"Good bye Hagrid. And thanks for everything."

"You're welcome."

With these words, Hagrid went back through the passageway. Harry took his luggage of the trolley and entered the train in the last wagon as he guessed that all the others were already packed with students. He found an empty compartment and the train left soon after.

They had just left the station when his compartment door was opened and a tall freckled boy with flaming red hair entered.

"Hy. Is here still a place free? Everywhere else is full."

"Sure. Take a seat."

"Thanks. By the way, my name is Ron, Ron Weasley."

"Oh, I'm Harry, Harry Potter."

"You're Harry Potter? Do, do you really have the, the?"

"The what?"

"The scar."

"Oh, that one. Sure, just take a look."

With these words, he straightened his hair a bit so that his scar was clearly visible.

"Wicked."

The next few hours Harry and Ron spent in pleasant chats about this and that. Harry got to know that Ron had six brothers, two of them already out of Hogwarts, three still attending and little sister who would go to Hogwarts the next year. Then, the witch who pushed the food trolley knocked on the door.

"Any sweets, dears?"

"Sure," Harry answered," best would be a bit of all."

When the witch handed the sweets over, Harry took a couple of Galleons out of his pocket to pay them. He then offered them to Ron. Harry had never had anything to share, therefore it was a great feeling to eat the sweets together with Ron. It made the trip even more enjoyable. Then, the discussions came to the different houses Hogwarts was divided into.

"Well, there are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. The rest of my family all went to Gryffindor, so I hope I'll be sorted into this one too. Although I guess Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw wouldn't be bad either. As long as it's not Slytherin, I'll be happy."

"What is so bad about Slytherin?"

"Every wizard ever turned dark went to Slytherin. Rumours say that even You-know-who was in Slytherin."

"You mean Voldemort attended Hogwarts?"

"Yes. And don't say his name."

"Sorry. I forgot about that."

Just as they finished their conversation, the door was opened once more. In the doorway stood a boy with blond hair, behind him two blokes who looked strong but not exactly bright. The three remembered Harry of Dudley and his gang.

"So, people say that the great Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts. I had to see this with my own eyes. By the way, my name is Draco Malfoy.

Harry didn't like the boy one first sight as he had some kind of superior habit as if he thought that he was something better than others.

"You're very quiet for someone as famous as you. But what do I see, you already have a companion."

Then, turning towards Ron, he said: "Cheap robes and red hairs. You must be a Weasley"

"What do you want, Malfoy", Ron asked.

This was the moment when Harry found it good to intervene. Turning towards Malfoy, he said with a menacing undertone in his voice:

"You see, Draco, your attendance here is not welcomed so leave now."

"How are you, Potter, to threaten me? Do you think you're a danger to me?"

"The only thing I know is that you're not worthy of my time."

With these words, Harry turned and looked out of the window only to be hit a second later by a spell. However, the spell was rebounded by a invisible shield. Harry turned around, his wand in his hand and casted an Expelliarmus spell which caused Malfoy to be pushed backwards and his wand flying in Harry's hand.

"Well, I should have expected something like this from you. Now leave."

"But you still have my wand."

"Ask me later. Maybe when you have learned some manners till then I will give it back."

As Harry still had his wand pointed at him, Malfoy decided that it was best for him to leave. To say that Ron was stunned by what just happened would be an understatement.

"Wow Harry, that was incredible. You just made a fool of a Malfoy. My dad doesn't like his father. You know, Malfoy was one of the followers of You-Know-Who but as soon as he was defeated he came back to our side. He said that he was controlled by them. You know, the Malfoys are very rich and Lucius Malfoy, that's his father's name, was able to buy back his place in wizard society. But enough about that, don't you think you'll get in trouble?"

"No, why should I? He attacked first."

"You and I know this, but you don't know what Malfoy will say."

"I'm not afraid of Malfoy. To be honest, I think he's kind of a joke. He talks a lot but can't do anything. What do you think we should do with his wand? Break it?"

"No, I wouldn't do that. That would certainly give you trouble. By the way, what were those spells you've just casted?

"The first one was a protego spell. I thought that Malfoy would try something stupid the moment he entered our compartment so I casted it when he was talking to you. He was so absorbed in insulting you that he didn't recognise. The other one was a disarming spell. I guess he didn't expect that."

"I've heard about these from my brothers, but "Expelliarmus" is a second year spell while "Protego" even is a fifth year spell. How comes it you know them?"

"Oh, I found them in a book. Enough about that. I think we're still there, we should put on our robes."

As soon as they had changed clothes, the train started to slow down. When they left the train. Harry could hear Hagrid's voice roaming over the platform

"First years, over here. Over here, first years."

Harry and Ron headed, together with the other first years, towards where Hagrid was waiting while the other students went to the carriages waiting for them..

"Welcome, lads and lasses. As it is tradition, first years sail over the lake in order to get to Hogwarts. Therefore, follow me to the shore were the boars are waiting."

He lead them to the lake's shore where a boat fleet was waiting for them. They mounted the boars, four in each. Ron and Harry were together with a boy called Neville Longbottom and a girl who introduced herself as Hermione Granger. The boats took off, engined by magic as there weren't any sails or Ruder. When they rounded a cliff, they could see the magnificent Hogwarts castle all light up and heard Hagrid's words:

"Welcome to Hogwarts."

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Here is it, third chapter. As usual, please read and review and try to convince others to read it as well, if possible.

Special thanks to Hunter-Harrington1982 for the review of chapter 2.