Harry Potter in: What Could Have Been
Disclaimer: Most characters belong to J.K., I only drag them into my world to manipulate them to fit in my sick fantasies. No money is being made.
Chapter 1
At the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a foot stool while a second witch pinned up his long, black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry up on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length.
"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts too?"
"Yes," said Harry.
"My father's next door buying my books, and my mother is up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into buying me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."
Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley.
"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.
"No," said Harry.
"Play Quidditch at all?"
"No," Harry said again, wondering what Quidditch was. "After my parents died, I was sent to live with my Muggle aunt and uncle. My parents were witch and wizard, very brilliant I've heard, but I don't remember them. Being raised in Muggle surroundings, I don't know much about the wizarding world," he explained.
"You don't know what Quidditch is?" the boy asked. "Want me to explain things?" he offered.
With a nod from Harry, he started off. "It's only the greatest wizarding sport ever! It's played with four balls, and seven players on brooms. The four balls are the quaffle, a red ball about so big," he held his hands up about a soccer-ball sized distance apart, "and is used for scoring in the three giant hoops that serve as goals. There are two bludgers, black balls that fly around trying to knock players off their brooms."
"Isn't that dangerous?" Harry asked nervously.
"Of course!" The boy replied, "But no one really gets hurt. A couple broken jaws maybe, perhaps a nose or arm, but nothing life threatening. At least not at Hogwarts."
"Oh," Harry said, as if that explained everything.
"Anyways, the bludgers are smaller than quaffles, but they are charmed to act like they have a mind of their own. The last ball is one of the most important, it ends the game. It's called the snitch, a small golden ball that flies around, trying not to get caught. The catcher earns his team 150 points and, as I said, ends the game. Now to the players. The three Chasers score with the quaffle. The Keeper is supposed to guard his team's hoop and keep the other team's Chasers from scoring. The two Beaters keep the bludgers from hitting their teammates and hit the balls towards the other team. Reduces the number of injuries. The last player, and highest target for injuries and fouls, in my opinion, is the Seeker."
From what he'd heard so far, Harry took a guess, "They catch the snitch?"
"Yes. Even though they may be the most in danger, they are the most important players since they determine the outcome of the game. Usually, the team that catches the snitch wins, but if that team is behind too many points, that might not be the case."
"Wow," Harry said. All though he'd never been very good at sports, this one sounded interesting. Maybe he'd get a chance to play.
"Although Father wishes for me to be a Seeker, I'd rather be a Chaser. It's somewhat dangerous, but not as dangerous as the Seekers or Beaters. If the Beaters miss the bludgers, they'll get hit."
Changing the subject to gain more understanding about his new school, Harry asked, "How are students divided up at Hogwarts. At my old school it was by grades, but…" he trailed off, getting the feeling that this boy liked explaining things and feeling superior.
"The new students are sorted into the four houses named after the four founders. Slytherin," he said with pride, "Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff," said with slight disgust or contempt, then finally he spat, "Gryffindor." out like a vile curse word. "Slytherin is the best house. People there are all understanding and very loyal to their housemates. Students in other houses might say that they're evil or dark wizards, and that there wasn't a witch or wizard that went dark that wasn't from Slytherin. Although that last fact may be true, the only reason why they study a lot is because they prefer quiet activities to interacting with other people, not because they're planning world domination." He lapsed into silence for a moment before continuing.
"Ravenclaws tend to be the smarter students, and Hufflepuffs are nice enough, but they're generally nobodies."
"I bet I end up there," Harry sighed.
"Not true," the blond told the brunette, "If your parents were 'great witch and wizard' as you've been told, you'll probably end up in Slytherin. Plus, you're a great listener."
"Thanks," Harry said, feeling slightly better. It was the first time he'd actually been complemented for something. ((A/N: He didn't count the fact that Hagrid said that he looked like his dad. Harry didn't remember him.))
The blond started up again. "Everyone wants to be in Gryffindor. They're stuck up, although pretty much everyone mistakes it for bravery or courage. They'll take any chance to look good or like a hero. They're supposed to be loyal, but do something they don't like, they'd turn against you in an instant, the hypocrites." A look of disgust crossed his pale, face, just as the witch working on the other boy announced that she was finished.
"Would you like me to wait with you, and then we can finish buying school supplies together. You might need the help." The boy said, hopping off the stool with an air of grace. "Father isn't expecting me for a while, and there were a couple of people I was hoping to run into."
Harry looked around. Not seeing Hagrid around, he agreed. The two boys spent the rest of the morning talking about the wizarding world, and school, and buying their supplies. He even bought Harry some of the basic supplies and some clothes that actually fit.
"For your birthdays," He had said with a smirk after Harry had let it slip that he hadn't really had any actual birthdays. "The truth is," the blond explained, "I couldn't stand to see you in those old, baggy clothes."
"Gee, thanks," Harry said.
"No problem." He said with a smirk. All of a sudden, his face lit up as they rounded the corner and heard loud shouting.
"Why you, I oughtta-"
"Awwwwww, Are you mad 'cause she beat you?"
"Damn straight!"
"Now now, there are children about."
"Where?"
"There."
"DRACO!" A short girl with waist-length black hair bounced over. She was rather pretty, with shining blue eyes and makeup done to accentuate her features. "It's been forever!" She swept him into a bone crushing hug.
"You stayed over the other week." Draco gasped.
"Yes! It's been too long!"
"For her it has. The last time I saw you was at the end of last year. Chloe, let Draco go before you kill him."
"Awww," Chloe pouted, but then her eyes landed on Harry. "Who's your new friend, Dray?"
"I met him in Madam Malkin's." Draco replied. "His name is-"
"Harry." Harry supplied his name.
"Harry, then. These two girls are two of my friends that go to Hogwarts. Chloe is from Romania and tends to get over excited." Chloe waved happily, then:
"HEY!"
Draco smirked then continued, "Kaidi is American, but was born in Japan. She moved here two years ago and still hasn't told me why. She's two years older than me, going into her third year, and Chloe is going into her second. They're Slytherins." Kaidi gave a short bow as Chloe jumped up and down like a spaz. Chloe was wearing varying shades of light red and dark purple. Kaidi wore a turtle-neck long sleeved dark green shirt and a pair of blue jeans, despite the fact that it was rather warm out. Her dark red hair came to the middle of her back, and her eyes were a cool grey. Her skin was pale, and she was tall. She didn't look like a third year. In Harry's opinion she looked more like a fifth year. ((A/N: Not because of height though))
"Nice to meet you." Kaidi said.
"Formal as ever, I see, and Chloe is still acting though she's on a sugar high."
"Yes, I was trying to take my dear sister to Ollivander's to replace the wand she broke the other day, when this guy challenged us to a quick round of poker. All or nothing. I politely declined, but he said, and I quote: 'Awww, are the two girlies too chicken? Afraid you'll lose everything?' Unquote. Of course that made me angry. You know how good I am at poker. Anyways, I agreed, and won. He got mad, and you know how other people's anger brings Chloe pleasure."
"Ah. Yes. Well, it was nice seeing you again. How was your summer?"
The two immediately got into conversation. After a while, Harry saw Hagrid coming out of a shop a little ways down the street. "Um, Draco, it was nice meeting you and your friends, but I've got to go now." Harry said. "I'll see you at Hogwarts?"
"Sure thing. I hope we'll be in the same house." Draco said. Harry went to Hagrid, who had evidently been looking for him for a bit.
"I figured yeh wanted sumthin to eat, and o' course we still need to get yer wand," Hagrid said, leading Harry to an ice cream shop. There, the large man was surprised to find that Harry had most of his school supplies and that all he was lacking was his wand and pet. "Did yeh find someone ter help yeh out?" Hagrid asked, and Harry nodded. "Well, now yeh'll have at least one friend at Hogwarts. Now we've got to get ter Ollivander's."
"Is it a wand shop?" Harry asked. "One of the girls I was talking to mentioned having to go there to get a wand."
"Yeah," Hagrid replied, standing up. Harry quickly followed him to a dusty shop, which was seemingly empty except for a chair for Hagrid to wait on, and the piles of boxes that went right up to the ceiling. It was kind of creepy, in a way.
"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must've jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he quickly got off the chair.
An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop. "Hello, Harry Potter. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. You have your mother's eyes. It seems like only yesterday-" He started but Harry cut him off.
"Excuse me, not meaning to be rude, but could you please not talk about my parents? It's rather a sensitive subject for me. Eleven years of never knowing them, then learning so much about them in one day. It's- it's…"
"Yes, I understand," Mr. Ollivander. "Let's get started. Which hand is your wand hand?"
"Um, well, I'm right handed."
"Very well, hold out your arm, that's it." Ollivander said, taking measurements. Then he left the tape to do its job and began going from shelf to shelf, taking down boxes and muttering to himself. He came back over and said, "That will do," and the tame measure crumpled to the floor. "Try this wand, beechwood and Dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible." Harry took it and waved it around a bit, but it was taken back by Mr. Ollivander. "No? How about this one?"
Harry went through many wands, all of varying woods, cores and lengths. It felt like he tried every wand on the shelf until he came to a wand, holly and phoenix feather. Eleven inches long. He felt a strange warmth surging through his fingertips as he waved the wand through the air, as if drawing a sword. Glittering silver and blue sparks burst from the tip of the wand, throwing shifting spots of light onto the dark walls.
"Very well done, Mr. Potter, but this is indeed curious." Mr. Ollivander said.
"How so?" Harry asked.
"The phoenix that gave the feather for your wand also gave one other. Your wand's brother was the wand that gave you that scar."
Harry shivered slightly and quickly paid for his wand so he could leave. The shop keeper's pale eyes were creeping him out. He was almost out the door before two names popped up in his memory. "Um, Mr. Ollivander, do you remember selling a wand to a brunette by the name of Chloe? She was with a red-head named Kaidi."
"Ah yes, Chloe Rose. Ebony wood, hair from a unicorn mane, little guy that one, almost seven inches. One of the shortest wands I had. Kaidi Dark, her friend and self assigned keeper, her wand was red cedar, an aromatic wood, the core was dragon heartstring. This dragon was as big as the unicorn colt was small. Thirteen inches long was her wand. Those two girls, I've never seen such difference in a pair of friends. Kaidi, she's tall, pale as the moon, elegant, and refined. Chloe, she's tanned, bouncy, loud, and tends to get into trouble in the most extraordinary ways. She's broken five wands within one year of Hogwarts and is now going on her second year." He shook his head. "One was broken when she was bungee jumping. Another eaten when she tried to go fishing at the zoo."
He was still mumbling to himself when Harry and Hagrid left.
"Now all you have left is yer pet. Yeh can really bring anythin' 's long as it's nuthin' dangerous, but most bring a cat, a toad, or an owl. Toads went outta style, and cats make me sneeze. I'll get yeh a bird. Come on." Hagrid led Harry to a place called Eeylops Owl Emporium.
"Hello, welcome to Eeylops, Mr. Potter, we sell a wide variety of birds, not just owls. I'm so pleased you chose us, please, take your time! May I suggest looking over here?" The shop keeper said, leading Harry to a collection of large cages, each holding magnificent owls. He was almost about to pick a large, snowy owl, when two weights landed on his shoulders. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry," the shop keeper said, wringing his hands nervously, "These birds have horrible manners, they spend most of the time frightening the poor customers. Here let me get them," He tried to remove them, but they refused to budge. "Oh, these horrid creatures," he cried.
"Actually," Harry said, surprising himself, "I find the weight comforting. I like it."
"Really? No one likes ravens." The shop keeper said. "People mistake them for large crows. Maybe there is some hope for you two after all." He addressed the birds. "Now, take care of these two boys. They eat pretty much anything edible. Bread, meat, berries, eggs, but I would suggest letting them hunt as often as they want. They can be odious creatures when they want."
Harry nodded in understanding. "I even have the perfect names for them. Found 'em in a book I read and bought in Florish and Blotts. Hugin and Munin, the messenger birds of the Chief Norse God. They were said to be ravens that sat on Odin's shoulders and whispered news of the world to his ears."
It was Eeylops's turn to nod. "Bright boy there, Rubeus. Very bright, and not afraid to open a book. Good qualities to have." Harry paid for his birds and supplies, and left with them in cages.
The sun was balancing on the horizon as Harry and Hagrid made their way back through the brick wall and a now-empty Leaky Cauldron. Both Harry and Hagrid were quite and didn't notice the people staring at them. Hagrid bought them hamburgers at a place near Paddington station. As they were finishing up their meals, Hagrid put him on the train back to the Dursley's and handed him an envelope. "Yer ticket for Hogwarts. First o' September at King's Cross. All on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursley's, send Hugin or Munin. They'll find me if they're as smart as Eeylops says. See yeh Harry. By the way, like yer new clothes."
Harry waved and boarded the train back to the Dursley's. Now the fun part of his day began.
At the Dursley's, Harry had to explain the birds and convince his aunt and uncle to take him to King's Cross on September first. It wasn't hard. All he had to do was point out the fact that Hagrid was only a bird's flight away, ((A/N: That is, an unladed bird's flight away. I mean of course more than two laden bird flights, but… you get the point.)) and that they were planning on taking Dudley to the Hospital. "I mean, the less you complain, the less you have to deal with. I promise I'll stay in my room when I'm not needed, and I'll look after the birds and keep the cage and the room clean." After a while, the Dursley's grew tired of Harry and decided it was worth it if he'd stay out of the way.
"Yeah, fine, we'll take you to the bloody station, now leave us in peace." Uncle Vernon had growled and snapped open the paper. Harry turned quickly and escaped to his room before letting the grin spread across his face. How the Dursley's would react if they'd known they'd been making Harry happy. Maybe the rest of the summer wouldn't be so bad.
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That's about it for now, so tell me what ya think, m'kay? R&R
A.W.