I woke up exited on the first of September. I'm finally going to Hogwarts. My grandmother had told me to loosen up a little and enjoy my time. I got ready and headed to the floo. I was quite early at the platform and there weren't nany people. I let Hedwig out of her cage. "Why don't you fly ahead Hedwig, You wouldn't like to be caged for the entire journey" I said. Entering the train, I quickly found an empty compartment. I took out a book on runes and started reading it. It was going to be a long journey.
Just before the clock struck eleven, a group of red heads entered the station. I shook his head. I had researched about them of course. They were very poor and were considered Blood Traitors by many of the old families. And they worshiped Albus Dumbledore as the second coming of Merlin and were staunch Gryffindors. I had researched on all the major families I should know of.
Just as the train started moving, there was a knock on my compartment door and a girl came in and asked, "Hey, do you mind if my friend and I sit here?"
I shook his head indicating that I didn't mind. So the girl came in carrying her trunk. With her came a beautiful girl with long dark blonde hair and deep blue eyes. Both girls entered the compartment and put their trunks down. They were about to lift their trunk to place it on the rack when I said,"Please, allow me." Thinking that a little show off won't hurt, I flicked my fingers and my wand came to my hands. I wordlessly gave my wand a swish and a flick, and their trunk slowly ascended and sat cleanly on the rack above.
"Wow, that was non verbal magic"said the brunette," I'm Tracey Davies and this is my friend Daphne Greengrass."
I looked amused and extended my hand. Tracy, understanding the gesture, extended her own hand which I took and kissed. I did the same with the blonde, now Daphne, but this time kept the eye contact. I saw her cheeks go a little red, but she recovered fastly. I wasn't surprised. It was not uncommon for heirs and heiresses to train in occlumency and it turns out that the Greengrass heiress had been trained in it. "Hadrian, Hadrian James Potter" I said. Both girls went shock eyed.
"Potter as in... Harry Potter?" Tracey asked.
"Unfortunately, yes." Suddenly the compartment door opened and came in an brown skinned boy.
"Hey Blaise" said Tracey.
"Well this is Blaise Zabini" said Daphne to me. She turned towards Blaise and said," Blaise, This is Harry Potter".
Blaise took a speculative look at me and then extended his hand."Good to meet you, Harry Potter" he said.
"Well, it's Hadrian actually" I said and shook his hands. Tracey, Blaise and Daphne started to speak by themselves, while I went back to my book. I overheard them talking to Tracey about her trip to Italy and stuff. I was peacefully reading till when someone had rudely opened the compartment door. I took a glance at who opened it and felt a sigh escape my lips. On the door was a boy with bright blond hair and grey eyes and beside him stood two other boys like they were his bodyguards. I instantly recognised him as Draco Malfoy, an irritating peacock. I looked over to the other three occupants of the compartment and even they had a look of annoyance on their face. I didn't want to deal with Malfoy now, so I used a small wand less compulsion charm to make him leave. Tracey was confused why he went without saying anything, but I kept quiet.
The rest of the train ride was peaceful except when Neville Longbottom came in asking if they had seen his toad. Daphne heard her companion tell him to go ask a prefect to summon it for him, accepting Neville's thanks for helping him. Once it got dark, they took turns changing into their uniforms. The train slowly arrived at the station and I got off the train along with the others we shared a same boat to the Castle.
Hagrid, the giant man who had led us there, knocked on the Castle door and the doors opened to reveal a woman in emarald green robes. I knew that she was professor McGonagall, I have read about her in mum's journals.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. I could see people looking at each other and wondering out loud where the Boy Who Lived was. I just had a small smirk in my face. I knew the public's perception of my appearance didn't really match my true looks. According to the books published about me, I was a short boy, who had green eyes, adorned round glasses, had a red lightning-shaped scar on my forehead and looked exactly like my father. But the reality was that I'm was quite tall for my age thanks to the vigorous exercises I do every day, did not wear glasses, my scar was nearly faded and to see it one had to look close. I had in fact, inherited both my parents' looks as well as high cheekbones from my grandmother.
"Looks like the boy-who-lived didn't get invited to Hogwarts" Malfoy spoke and laughed.
"Shut up Malfoy, I bet he's already arrived and that he's already with Dumbledore. He'll be a Gryffindor and my best mate" said Weasley. I just kept the smirk on my face and said nothing. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Tracey and Daphne look towards me.
"No need to wonder who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."
"At least I'm not a Death Eater" said Weasley and students around him gasped.
I saw Malfoy turn a little pink and he retorted," Are you angry that your precious boy-who-lived turned out to be a squib, or maybe he wasn't seen since that night, because he's actually dead. After all a mere baby can't defeat a dark lord."
"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." Professor McGonagall had returned and she seemed oblivious to the tension between the students. Before we knew it, we were being led into the Great Hall. Before we entered, I wandlessly cast a compulsion on McGonagall to read out my correct name. I did not want to be called as Harry. That name was reserved only for family and friends.
The sorting hat finished its song and soon the sorting started. "Abbott, Hannah" McGonagall called out. She was sorted into Hufflepuff. I focused on the sorting and searched for potential allies. Tracey and Daphne had been sorted into Slytherin. 'Potter, Hadrian", my name was called out.
I let a little of my magic out and it pulsed as an aura around me, it was a trick taught to me by Merlin to intimidate people and just to show off a little. I calmly, but confidently stepped forward and walked towards the hat. People had gasped and started to whisper around me.
'Is that the Boy Who Lived?'
'I didn't know his name was Hadrian, I thought it was Harry'
'He looks nothing like what the books said he would'
'Where is his scar? I can't see it'
'He looks so handsome!'
After I sat at the stool, the hat was placed on my head.
[Conversation between Sorting hat and Harry]
"My, my, such an interesting mind Mr. Potter. You are a difficult one to sort. You are loyal to the ones you love, but you don't trust easily. So, Hufflepuff is out. You're intelligent and you have a thirst for Knowledge, Ravenclaw would do you good. Plenty of courage and noble, Gryffindor will be well. But something tells me that others in Gryffindor won't be able to handle you, so that's out. And the life you led till now suggests cunning and survival instinct. A true instinct for Slytherin. You have eidetic memory, one of Rowena's prized talents and a thirst for greatness. Do you have a choice Mr.Potter?"
'I don't have a choice, Mr Hat. Anywhere would be fine.'
"Well the house that will lead you to greatness is SLYTHERIN.." the Hat called out loud.
The rest of the Hall was waiting to see which house Harry Potter would go to. The hat had called out Slytherin and the hall went still. I removed the hat and saw that there was utter silence in the hall. Slowly a few Slytherins clapped, which shook them out of their trance and the entire Slytherin table was clapping wildly along with the Ravenclaw table. The puffs looked confused on whether to clap or cry while the Gryffindors looked like someone had killed their puppy. I didn't let my smirk go down, gracefully walked over to the Slytherin table and sat down. I just gave my attention toward the sorting. Blaise was sorted into Slytherin and he sat beside me.
"I would honestly say that you're not what I expected, Potter" he said.
"Well I'm here break some expectations. Amd also call me Harry" I said.
"And me, Blaise" We shook hands and gave our attention to Dumbledore who had just risen.
Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at thestudents, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there, but on the inside he was worried. "Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before webegin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit!Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!Thank you!"
The entire hall began to eat the food that appeared, so did I. In more than one occasion, I heard my name being discussed among students. I let my thoughts wander towards the sorting and who to make friends with. All houses had gotten 10 students. Gryffindor had gotten Ronald Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Hermione Granger, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Fay Dunbar, Sally Smith and Sally Anne Perks, The puffs were, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Zacharias Smith, Wayne Hopkins, Kevin Entwhistle, Roger Malone, Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, Megan Jones and Sophie Roper. The claws were, Terry Boot, Michael Corner, Anthony Goldstein, Stephen Cornfoot, Oliver Rivers, Mandy Brocklehust, Sue Li, Isobel MacDougal, Padma Patil and Lisa Turpin. The Slytherins got Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, Tracey Davies, Daphne Greengrass and ofcourse me.
At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got tohis feet again. The hall fell silent."Ahem — just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well.I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
I was suspicious but I let it go. A fifth year prefect, Marcus Flint led us to the Slytherin Common room.