AN : Hey guys. Thank you for all reviews and opinions. I am sorry that I couldn't upload the chapters for some days as I was extremely busy with exams and other things.
Many readers have given reviews about the revelation of Harry's dimension travel to Lily. I've been thinking about it and have come to a conclusion that if many people do not like that scene, I can scrap it and continue with the fic. So please send your reviews so that I can make corrections.
Anyway, that's all for now.
Here's Chapter 7
Disclaimer : I don't own Harry Potter.
Last Chapter :
They Flooed to Potter Manor and the Blacks bid goodbyes to the Potters. Alex hugged Harry tightly and kissed him on the cheek and said, "We can have our talk tomorrow, is it alright with you?" Harry replied in the affirmative. Both teens blushed when Alex kissed him on the cheek.
Harry went to his room and fell on the bed. He was tired from today's events but was happy about how the day went well. He was also surprised when Alex kissed him on the cheek.
He fell asleep thinking, 'All in all, it was a good day today'
Chapter 7 - The Ride to Hogwarts and The Sorting
The last weeks of August flew by in a blur for Harry. During that time he continued to build upon the relationships he formed with his new family. The family was delighted by Hedwig's presence. Hedwig in turn seemed to feel the same for the family, and she would often come whenever one of them would call her name. The only one who had so far been banned from calling for her anymore, was Padfoot.
Apparently Hedwig was not thrilled by his calling her to help him pull off a prank at the Ministry. When she realized what he wanted her to do, she cuffed him to the back of his head with her wing, and disappeared in a blaze of blue fire. To this day she refused to answer any more of his calls.
Harry also discovered that Hedwig could turn into the snowy owl that she was in her old dimension. Harry was extremely thankful for this as he knew that being the Lord Peverell would put him under Dumbledore's radar and if he came to know about Hedwig being a phoenix, he would try to watch Harry more closely than he would normally.
Harry and Alex also had their talk about the betrothal contact and both agreed that they would remain friends for now and see if it leads to something more in the future. They did not want to hurry into their relationship and regret anything.
Harry had also given the ring he had brought from the vault for Alex and he remembered the day very well.
Flashback
On the fifteenth of August, Harry was extremely nervous. Today his entire family was going to have lunch at Black Manor. Harry had decided (after much deliberation from his parents and Hedwig) that he was going to present the betrothal ring to Alex today after lunch.
Harry, his parents and siblings Flooed to Black Manor and Alex led the family to the dining room. Throughout the lunch, Harry was extremely nervous and he kept glancing at Alex. Alex had no idea what was going on with Harry and why he was looking so nervous. Perhaps it was a prank he played or something. After lunch they proceeded to the dining room where they sat and talked. After some time, Harry stood up and asked for everyone's attention. Lily smiled encouragingly at him while James winked at him. Hedwig was also present in the room and trilled at her companion.
Harry cleared his throat and said, "Alex, I have something for you. I was wondering when to give this to you when I decided that today was the perfect day."
He took out a small box from inside his robes and opened it. Inside it was the most beautiful ring Alex had ever seen. "This is for you. This ring has been in the Peverell family for centuries. The large centre stone is a a rare blue diamond, and there are several small white diamonds, surrounding it encrusted on a platinum band. It was given by my ancestor, Hardwin Potter to his wife Iolanthe Peverell in the early fourteenth century. From what I have read, she was an enchantress, and it is said that she herself enchanted this ring with many protection spells and such. The blue diamond also matches your eyes and when I first saw this ring, I thought of you. That is why I want you to have it. It signifies that we are betrothed to each other. What do you think?" Harry asked nervously.
Alex stared at the ring in the box. Her voice shook as she said, "Thank you for presenting me with something so special, Harry. I will be honoured to wear this ring."
Harry took out the ring and looked at Sirius and Amy. They both smiled and nodded at him and Harry took a deep breath and put the ring on her left ring finger. The ring flashed and resized to fit her finger. Alex immediately grabbed her betrothed and hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. Harry also put his arms around him and blushed. Alex immediately showed the ring to the females in the room and they squealed and hugged her. The men patted Harry on the back and Sirius said, "Congratulations Harry. I can see that you are trying your best to keep her happy."
Harry smiled and nodded. He thought about something and said, "Now that the contract has been enacted, it would become public record in the Hall of Records in the Ministry. It won't be very long before the media get their hands on it. I'm not sure how people are going to react to it."
Sirius nodded "I don't doubt that everyone would be happy. I'm already sure some would be pissed. But I do have to say that I'm relieved. It looks like Rachel Peverell and Arcturus Black really did know what they were doing" he said grinning.
Flashback ends
Eventually, the September 1st arrived and the family now found themselves at Platform Nine and Three Quarters bidding goodbye to Harry and Alex.
When Harry saw the tears falling down his mother's face, a part of him felt horrible for leaving her side. If it weren't for the tasks he needed to complete to keep everyone safe, nothing could have torn him away from the mother he spent his last life dreaming about.
"Don't cry, mum," Harry said, as he tried to calm the older woman. "I promise I'll write you all of the time. Before you know it, a few months will be over and I'll be home for the Yule break."
Lily tried her best to be strong for her son. She just dreaded the thought that the distance between them would change the relationship they now shared. She already lost so many years being estranged from her eldest child, and she never wanted to feel that again.
Not wanting to ruin her son's special moment with her own insecurities, Lily forced a smile onto her face and said, "I'm going to miss you a lot, Harry, but I always knew this day would come. You've grown into quite the remarkable young man, and I want you to know how much your father and I are proud of you. I know you will study hard and do well in school, but I also want you to take some time and make some friends. Hogwarts is a wonderful experience, but it's even better when you have someone to share it with. If you give it a chance, I just know you will end up with friends that will be with you for the rest of your life."
Harry nodded his head, and promised himself that this time around he would get to know more people. In his old world he always hated how quickly everyone was ready to believe the worst about him, but now that he was older he realized a part of that was because no one really knew him except Ron and Hermione. This time he would make sure things would be different.
"I promise I will, mum."
After the hug with his mother was complete, Harry moved down the line to say goodbye to his father.
James hated that the son he only recently reconnected with was leaving the family so soon, but at the same time he was happy Harry would have a chance to experience Hogwarts. For the longest time he feared his son would never get this chance, and now that it was here, he was happy to see him take advantage of it.
When he saw Harry making his way towards him, James felt his heart skip a beat. Since the moment his eldest son was born, he often dreamed of this day and in those dreams he always saw himself handing Harry the invisibility cloak his father had given to him.
James was about to give the cloak to Harry when Harry stopped him and said, "Don't worry about the cloak, Dad. I know you wanted to give the cloak to me as it was mentioned in Grandfather's journals about how he gave the cloak to you on your first trip to Hogwarts. I found a cloak exactly similar to the one you have in the Peverell vault. Whoever made your cloak, made the one I found in the Peverell vault. You can continue using it on your Auror missions as it may help you."
James was stunned to hear the news. He knew his son had visited the Peverell vault a few days ago, but he didn't know the boy had found another cloak just like his own. When he realized Harry had been planning to sneak the cloak to Hogwarts all along, the Marauder within him couldn't help but be proud of his son wanting to use it to play some pranks.
Holding his son in a tight embrace, he said, "I'm going to miss you, kiddo. I know you probably have every intention of taking full advantage of the education that Hogwarts can provide for you, just do your old man a favor and stop and smell the roses every once and awhile. Don't work so hard, that you forget to enjoy yourself."
When he pulled back from his hug, Harry nodded his head in agreement and smiled. "Don't worry, dad. I have every intention of being a good student while I'm at school, but I also know that I'm the son, godson and nephew of a Marauder. I won't let you down."
James was thrilled to hear Harry's declaration, and his chest puffed out with pride at the thought of his son following in his footsteps. After spending the past two months getting to know his estranged son, James was pretty sure he had lost the boy to his wife and her books. But to hear that his son would now continue with the Marauder tradition, made him want to jump up and down with joy.
"That's good to hear, Harry," he replied with a grin. "I have just the thing to help with such a noble cause."
With that James pulled out the Marauder's Map from his pocket and handed it to his son.
As soon as Harry saw the Map in his father's hands, he felt his throat suddenly constrict. His own copy was lost during the Battle of Hogwarts, and despite how hard he looked for it afterwards he was never able to find it again. In this world he expected to have to re-quire it from the Weasley twins, and he was thrilled he wouldn't have to make the effort to do that anymore.
"Is that really the Marauder's Map, dad?," Harry exclaimed, his fake awe masking the happiness he felt at having the Map in his possession again.
"Yes it is, son. Now, to activate it you just have to say the password...I Solemnly.."
"Swear I'm Up To No Good," Harry finished for his father.
James grinned when his son finished saying the password for him. He felt thrilled to know that Harry had been actually paying attention to the the stories he'd told him about the Marauders.
"You're absolutely right, kiddo. I guess you won't be needing any instructions on how to use it."
After he promised his dad that he would write a letter about the sorting tonight and send it with Hedwig, Harry turned to say goodbye to his three siblings. He would miss them a lot along with the twins' bickering even if it irritated him some times.
Grabbing all three of them in a tight hug, he leaned down and whispered, "When you guys get back home, I left you each of you few presents under the bed in my room. There's a box of Zonko gags for Rose, my old Nimbus 1800 for Daniel, and an Owl order form for Violet."
Harry grinned when he saw two of his siblings begin to cheer quietly in his embrace. Once he pulled back and saw the confused look on Violet's face, he realized he forgot to mention the account he created at the bookstore for her.
Pulling her closer to him, he said, "I know how much you love books, Vi. I set up an account at Flourish and Blotts for myself and I added your name to it. You're restricted from any advanced or dark books, but other than that feel free to use it whenever you want. Just don't tell mum, or she'll kill me for spending money uselessly."
Violet nodded dumbly as she saw her brother walk towards her uncle Padfoot.
Harry went to Sirius and Amy and hugged them tightly and exchanged farewells with them while Alex was exchanging goodbyes with Lily, James and Harry's siblings.
When the platform rang out with another warning whistle, Harry knew the Hogwarts Express was moments away from departing. He quickly pulled away from his godfather and gave his family a final wave goodbye with his hand along with Alex on his side, before boarding the scarlet train. The two found an empty compartment after searching some of the other compartments and settled themselves in. Harry levitated the two trunks onto the luggage rack and the two sat next to each other while chatting.
Harry could sense Alex's excitement and he himself was excited at the prospect of going back to Hogwarts.
Just as they were going to open their trunks to read their books, they heard the knock on the compartment door and called the person in. The girl who walked in was a blonde with ice blue eyes wearing expensive robes that accentuated her petite frame. She looked at the two occupants and said in a polite tone, "Hello, my name is Daphne Greengrass and I was wondering if I could share the compartment with you two."
Harry replied, "Of course Miss Greengrass. We would definitely be open to more company. My name is Harry Potter-Peverell and the girl sitting next to me is my betrothed Alexandra Black." Harry definitely remembered Daphne from his timeline. She was sorted into Slytherin but her family was neutral in both wars and Daphne was also considered as one of the most prettiest girls in the school and had a famous title - 'The Ice-Queen of Slytherin'. Harry remembered that many boys were hexed for trying to pursue her in a relationship.
Daphne was shocked that she was sitting with two heirs of Most Ancient and Noble Houses. She had thought by looking at their Muggle outfits that they were half-bloods or muggleborns. She immediately apologized for not following the pureblood traditions and Alex laughed softly, "We are not blood-purists, Miss Greengrass and the only reason we learnt the pureblood traditions was to present a good image to other families. And please call us Alex and Harry. We do not need to be so formal."
"Oh all right and you can call me Daphne." The conversation continued from there and the three spoke about their likes, dislikes and which House they wanted to be sorted into and so on.
After some time there was another knock on the door and Harry had to control the urge to run and hug the figure who had just entered the compartment. He was stunned to see the very familiar bushy brown hair of Hermione who was standing nervously in front of the three.
Hermione Jean Granger walked down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, refusing to let hurtful words make her cry again. When she first learned about the existence of Magic, she was finally able to explain all the weird things that happened throughout her childhood. Between her own massive intellect keeping people at bay and the myriad of strange events that always seemed to follow her, Hermione was no stranger to being alone and made fun of.
A part of her truly believed all of that would change, as soon as she entered the Magical world. She was so thrilled to meet other Witches and Wizards, that when the train left the platform and her compartment suddenly filled with fellow first years, she was eager to introduce herself to the others.
Unfortunately, no sooner was her name out of her mouth, that her fellow peers began to shun her. One in particular, a blonde headed boy, was very mean and hurtful with his words. She wasn't sure what "Mudblood" meant, but Hermione Jean Granger was no one's fool. She knew the name was somehow derogatory towards her, and when the other kids started laughing, she chose to leave the compartment.
After five minutes of checking through various compartments, Hermione finally found one with only two people in it. Not wanting to have to spend the entire trip waiting out alone in the corridor, she summoned all of the courage that was inside her, and gently knocked on the door.
When she heard someone call out for her to come in, Hermione cautiously opened the door and walked into the cabin. As soon as she was inside, she quickly took note of the two other occupants in the compartment. The first was a beautiful girl with silky black hair and alluring bluish-grey eyes. Despite the robes she had on, Hermione could tell the 4'5" girl was in decent shape for an eleven year old.
The second occupant was just as pretty but had blonde hair and blue eyes that mirrored the sky in their color. While slightly shorter than the other girl, the blond wore robes that accentuated her petite frame. All in all, with her bushy hair and large front teeth, Hermione suddenly felt intimidated by the beautiful pair.
The third occupant was a handsome boy with raven black hair which had a windswept look to them and emerald green eyes. He was quite tall for an eleven year old.
Once she realized the three occupants were now staring at her, Hermione forced herself to say, "Hi, my name is Hermione Granger. I'm sorry to bother you, but I was hoping I could share the cabin with the three of you."
Alexandra Black looked at the new arrival, and she immediately noticed the bushy hair and large front teeth that seemed to take away from the girl's natural beauty. Her searching gaze took in the girl's blue jeans and cream colored shirt, and it didn't take a genius to deduce the new arrival was a muggle born Witch.
It wasn't until she noticed Hermione's red and puffy eyes, did she realize the girl had been crying. With the amount of pureblood bigots that were currently on the train, Alex had no doubt that some arrogant arse had probably insulted the girl for being a muggleborn.
Just the thought that someone had called her a Mudblood, made Alex's blood boil with anger. Unlike the past generations of Blacks, much like her father Alex refused to let blood status dictate who she would hang out with. She knew such an ideal made her an anomaly in the Magical world, but she didn't care. Both of her parents taught her to treat everyone the same, and that's exactly what she intended to do.
Hoping to make Hermione feel at ease, she smiled warmly at the girl, and said, "Hello, Miss Granger. My name is Alexandra Black, and you're more than welcome to share the cabin with us. It's not like we don't have enough room."
Harry and Daphne introduced themselves to Hermione and after Harry helped Hermione to place her trunk on the luggage racks, the four children sat down and talked to each other.
Daphne watched as the new girl made herself comfortable, and she was unsure how she should act around her. While she was proud of her pureblood heritage, she was in no way a blood purist. Other than the fact that she was a firm believer in maintaining the Statute of Secrecy, she had no issues with muggles or muggleborns. Her reticence came from her inability let go of her Icy persona around people that were not from her immediate family, and the jealousy she was feeling at seeing her only friends be friendly with someone else.
Two years ago, her best friend through childhood Tracy Davis betrayed her trust and told all her secrets to Pansy Parkinson, just so the purebloods would look past her half-blood status and pretend to be her friend. Since that day, Daphne created her Icy persona to deal with Tracy and the others. Over time that persona became a part of her, and now she uses it with anyone other than her parents, sister and brother.
Daphne was pulled from her thoughts, when she heard Hermione ask, "What does Mudblood mean?"
Before Alex could respond, Daphne answered, "It means someone who has bad or dirty blood. Pureblood bigots often use it to refer to muggles and muggleborn Witches and Wizards. Did someone call you that, Miss Granger?"
Hermione was taken aback by the sudden arrival of Daphne into the conversation. By the cold greeting she received from the girl, she wondered if she shared the same views as the bigots she described. Not wanting to be rude, she replied, "Yes. Just before I came here, a group of first years joined my compartment, and after hearing my name, a blonde boy called me that and told me to leave."
Daphne's eyes narrowed at the mention of the blonde boy, and her first assumption was that it had to be Draco Malfoy. "Did he have grey eyes, slicked back blonde hair, and a permanent sneer plastered on his face?"
When she saw the answering nod from Hermione, Daphne shook her head in disgust. "That boy is Draco Malfoy. His father is a former Death Eater, named Lucius Malfoy. He somehow managed to evade Azkaban by claiming he was Imperiused and probably bribing half the Ministry. Since his dad is an important person in the Wizengamot now, little Draco likes to throw around his family name to get what he wants."
In between memorizing all her books for first year and researching the world she was about to enter, Hermione recognized Azkaban as the Wizarding prison, and the Wizengamot as the magical community's governing body. But she was confused by what a Death Eater was.
"I'm sorry, but what's a Death Eater? I didn't come across it in my reading yet."
As soon as she heard Hermione mention reading, Alex had a good inkling that the girl would probably join her in Ravenclaw. "They were soldiers for he-who-must-not-be-named during the last blood war."
When she saw the still confused expression on Hermione's face, Alex reminded herself that the girl was muggle born. "A few years ago, there was a movement based on blood purity that was led by a man named Lord V-V-voldemort. He was considered one of the worst Dark Lords in the past several centuries, and he was obsessed with blood status. It was his belief that Wizards should rule over muggles, and that purebloods should form the ruling class of this new world. During the war he killed thousands of muggles, muggleborns and pureblood families that spoke out against him. His name was so feared, it was considered taboo to say it outloud. My dad was an Auror at the time, similar to a muggle policeman, and he said the war was going badly for the Ministry. If Neville Longbottom hadn't destroyed him that night during Halloween, it's a good chance that the Dark Lord would have won."
"You keep mentioning blood status," Hermione said. "What is that?"
Daphne could see the curiosity clearly in Hermione's brown eyes, and it reminded her a little of herself. "Blood status can be separated into three categories," she answered, her voice almost similar to her mother's when she was explaining something. "Purebloods are Witches and Wizards who can claim a purely magical family for at least 15 generations. After that you have half-bloods. These can be split between three different types. The first type has one pureblood parent and one parent being a muggleborn. The second type has one pureblood parent and one parent that is a muggle. The third type is considered the worst kind of half-blood and it is made by having one parent that is a muggleborn and the other being a muggle. The next stage is formed by muggleborn Witches and Wizards, with muggles being considered the absolute bottom of the chain."
Hermione was absolutely horrified by the blatant bigotry that seemed to run rampant throughout the magical world. Professor McGonagall never once mentioned any of this when she came to tell her family about Hogwarts. Suddenly realizing why the kids from her last compartment hated her, she was curious about the blood status of her new acquaintances.
"If you don't mind me asking, what are the three of you?," Hermione asked hesitantly.
Harry saw the worry and unease his potential new friend was feeling, and he quickly tried to put her at ease. "Daphne and Alex are both purebloods while I am a half-blood, Hermione, but none of us believe in blood supremacy. My mother is a muggleborn like yourself. So me and Alex spent a lot of time in the muggle world. Daphne's parent were neutral during the last war, and I know they don't have anything against muggles or muggleborn Witches and Wizards."
"Since I'm a muggleborn, how will this blood status affect me at Hogwarts?"
"A few purebloods might be a little rude to you, but as long as you don't end up in Slytherin, it won't affect you too much," Daphne answered politely. "The number of muggleborn and half-bloods is actually greater than Purebloods, and since not every pureblood is a bigot, you should be all right while you're there. You shouldn't really face any problems until you graduate and look for a job."
"How so?," Hermione asked, furious at the thought that her blood status might affect her future career.
"Unfortunately, not only is the Ministry a male dominated place, but it's also steeped in traditions," Harry replied with a grimace. He knew how Hermione would act about this topic as he had already experienced it in his past. "This usually means purebloods get the best jobs. If you're brilliant and score high on your O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, as a muggleborn the best you could hope for is a job as a senior undersecretary to a department head. If you could secure the backing of a powerful pureblood house, several more options will open up for you, but you will never be considered for any of the high ranking positions in the Ministry. There are exceptions like my mother who is and Unspeakable."
"THAT'S HORRIBLE," Hermione raged in response. "Why is this allowed? It's completely unfair."
Alex winced at the anger she could hear in Hermione's voice, and she felt badly for the Witch. "I'm not going to lie to Hermione. It is unfair. But until we can get people to make a difference, we're stuck with the stupid laws and traditions we have in place right now."
Hermione could see that her cabin mates were not at fault for the laws of the Magical world, so she did her best to reign in her anger and frustration. She wondered if Professor McGonagall didn't mention all of this to her parents on purpose. Hermione was positive if her father knew about the way the Ministry was run, he would have refused to let her go to Hogwarts.
While a part of her desperately wanted to learn everything she could about magic, it still hurt her to know she would never be properly recognized for her talent in the magical world.
Hermione asked her next question to Harry, "You mentioned that your mother was and Unspeakable. What is and Unspeakable?"
Harry replied, "An Unspeakable is a person who works in The Department of Mysteries. What work goes in there is a complete mystery as the Unspeakables are very secretive in their work and you need extremely high scores in your OWL's and NEWT's to get into the DoM. From what my Mum is able to tell me, I think the Unspeakables do different kinds of research on different types of Magic."
Daphne changed the subject by asking, "Daphne could see the multitude of emotions flash across Hermione's face, and she decided it might be best to change the topic. "So, Hermione. Do you know about the houses at Hogwarts? Any preference?"
"I'm not sure," Hermione replied cautiously. "I know about the houses, but I think I'd be best in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. I think I would be happy with either one."
Daphne arched her eyebrow at the answer, and she was surprised the girl would think of Gryffindor as an option. From the second year text she had in her lap, it was obvious the girl was intelligent and belonged in Ravenclaw. She herself was considering the house, since her first choice would leave her alone in the snake pit. Sometimes her mother shared stories of her time at Hogwarts and the rumors behind what happened in the Snake pit were awful to hear. Daphne really didn't want to be in the house of the cunning and ambitious, without someone she trusted watching her back.
"How about you three?", Hermione asked.
Alex shrugged her shoulders and replied, "My dad was a Gryffindor and my mum was a Ravenclaw, so I guess I would be happy with either one. If I had to choose I'd like Ravenclaw over Gryffindor."
When Daphne saw Hermione look towards her, she replied, "I would like to be in Slytherin since I think I'm both cunning and ambitious, but I really don't want to be in the Snake pit by myself. I think Ravenclaw would be best."
Alex shivered at the thought of being in Slytherin. Up until her father, the majority of Blacks usually fell into the house of cunning or in some cases the house of the intelligent. Anything else would have led to dire consequences for past Blacks. After hearing stories about Slytherin from her mum and dad, she had no intention of ever being part of that house.
Harry replied, "I think I would choose Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. Mum and Dad were in Gryffindor. While I know that I am cunning and ambitious, I think I would slaughter all the pureblood morons in Slytherin before breakfast tomorrow. The House is actually not the House of Evil as many people say but the students in it are pureblood morons like Malfoy who think they are the best since they are purebloods. Also Snape is the Head of Slytherin. So I think me and Alex should stay away from Slytherin."
Alex agreed with Harry's assessment of the House of Snakes. Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, 'Anything off the trolley, dears?'
The four of them bought Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Chocolate Frogs and a packet of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and introduced Hermione to the wizarding sweets which she hesitantly ate after revealing that her parents were dentist. Harry said, "Hermione, witches and wizards don't get cavity from eating the sweets you know. And even if there is toothache, then there are spells and potions to cure it."
After that explanation Hermione tried out some more of the things they had bought.
After sometime Hermione asked Harry and Alex as they were sitting pretty close for a boy and a girl and holding their hands, "Are you two boyfriend-girlfriend? You are sitting pretty close to each other and holding hands."
Harry and Alex blushed at the question and Harry replied to her, "Me and Alex are betrothed by a betrothal contract and we are not boyfriend-girlfriend." 'Yet' he added in his mind.
Mentally Harry was counting for when Hermione blew her gasket, 'Five...Four...Three...Two...One'
Hermione was shocked, "WHAT?! How can you be betrothed to each other? That's barbaric. Besides we are too young to be married."
Hermione shut her mouth as soon as she she saw Harry and Alex glaring at her. "Sorry," she apologized. "It just took me by surprise."
Alex and Harry softened their glare, the moment they saw the repentant look appear on their new friend's face. A part of the two could realize the reaction as this world was all new to her and she was a muggleborn and betrothal system was abolished centuries ago in the Muggle world.
"It's not something that's common anymore, Hermione," Alex patiently explained to the muggleborn Witch. "Atleast it is Harry who is my betrothed and not some pureblood idiot. The betrothal contract was made centuries ago by our ancestors and since it is bound by blood, we have to marry each other in the future or we lose our magic. It was on accident that Harry activated the contract when he went to take the Peverell Lordship as he has Peverell blood from his Dad's side. He didn't know about the contract and it got activated when he took the Lordship. He also gave a betrothal ring to me some days ago." Alex flashed her ring to the other girls. They were in awe of the beautiful ring. The girls continued chatting to each other while Harry napped for a while.
Harry was happily dreaming about spending time with his friends and family, when his mindscape suddenly blurred and he found himself once again in the Gryffindor common room. As soon as he recognized the place, he heard the now familiar voice of Death say, "Hello, Harry. It's good to see you again."
When he turned around, Harry saw Death sitting behind the desk she was so fond of, and bowed gracefully at the waist. "The pleasure is all mine, Lady Death. To what do I owe the honor of this visit, my Lady?"
"Relax, Harry. You're not in any trouble, at least not from me. As my Master the rules permit me to meet with you periodically."
Harry wasn't sure how to take her statement, so he decided to ignore it. "What can I do for you, Lady Death?", he asked politely.
Death stared at her Master, unsure how she should deal with the current situation. This meeting was much earlier than she originally planned, because her Chosen One hadn't actually done anything yet. But the future was too important for her to allow Harry to return to Hogwarts with his preconceived notions about the people he knew from his old world.
"You will need allies for the coming war, Harry. I cannot afford to let you return to Hogwarts expecting people to act like the versions you knew of them in your old world. While in some cases it might be true, in others the personalities can shift quite drastically."
Harry was uncertain why she was telling him this. He was already aware of this, and planned on interacting with people all over again.
"Thank you for the warning, Lady Death, but I already decided to give everyone a fair shot."
Death stared at her Master, uncertain if he truly meant what he said. "Are you sure about that, Harry? Will you also give the Weasleys a fair chance?"
Harry felt his anger erupt at the thought of spending time with the family that pretended to love him. "Is that what this is about?", he asked, his voice laced with the cold fury he was barely suppressing.
Death sighed when she heard the rage in her Master's voice. She didn't want to anger the man, but she couldn't risk him shunning an ally, just because of his problems with them in his old world.
"To be honest, Harry, I have no idea if the Weasleys are important. But I can't afford to let you throw away a potential ally, just because you hate them in your old world."
Harry wanted to rage against the idea, and refuse to have anything to do with the Weasleys, but when he thought about Death's warning, he knew he couldn't afford to make such a mistake.
Once he finally accepted that he couldn't judge people by their counterparts in his old world, Harry sighed and said, "I understand, my Lady. I will try my best to judge each person on their own merits. Even Dumbledore and the Weasleys."
Death smiled when she looked into her Champion's green eyes and saw that he meant every word. Now that she was assured he wouldn't waste a chance at a potential ally, she decided to end her meeting on a lighter note.
"How go things with your betrothed, Mr. Potter?"
"Alex and I decided to be friends for now and then see if we can be more. But we are happy that we are betrothed to each other and not someone else."
"That is a good idea as you get to know each other better. I have no doubt that the two of you will lead an extremely happy life."
"Thank you again for all your help, Lady Death," Harry replied politely.
Death just shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "No thanks are necessary, Harry. All of this is to help you succeed against Voldemort, and a victory for you is really a victory for me."
Suddenly Death saw a vision appear through her Sight. Luckily, since it was of the present she was still allowed to know about. "I do believe our meeting is over, my Master. It's time for you to wake up and deal with the current problem."
Before he could ask what the problem was, Harry felt Death's palm slam against his forehead and suddenly he was thrown out of his own mindscape.
Draco Lucius Malfoy, heir of the Most Noble House of Malfoy, walked down the Express corridor surrounded by the friends his father's money had paid for. Walking in front of him for his viewing pleasure were Pansy Parkinson, and the half-blood Tracy Davis. Walking behind him to protect his back, were Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. The latter two didn't really do much talking, but Draco knew they were the perfect type of muscle to help him take over the Snake pit.
As he looked in yet another compartment, Draco failed to find the person he was looking for. Knowing he was almost at the end of the train, he felt his frustration begin to grow with each failure.
Just when he was about to yell at his "friends" for not doing a better job, Draco heard Tracy say, "I found the compartment, Draco."
As soon as he looked into the cabin and saw the object of his search, Draco opened the door without knocking and made his way inside. The moment he entered he immediately searched for any further people of importance, and he shook his head in disgust at those that were present.
"There you are Greengrass," he drawled, with the famous Malfoy arrogance oozing with each breath. "I've been looking everywhere for you. What are you doing here with a Mudblood, a squib and a blood traitor. Gather your things and we can return to my compartment."
Daphne was startled when she saw the door to the compartment suddenly open. As soon as she recognized the ponce that walked in, it was all she could do to not hex the bastard on site. Ever since they were children, Draco had been infatuated with her. It's part of the reason that he allowed Tracy to join their little group. He thought learning her secrets would make it easier to get her to like him. Little did he know that nothing in the world would get her to like an idiot like him.
"That won't be necessary, Draco," she replied coldly. "I am quite comfortable where I'm at. You can go ahead and return to your own cabin. Just make sure to take your goons with you."
Draco's eyes narrowed in anger, once he heard the casual dismissal from the blonde. "You should watch how you speak to your future betrothed, Daphne. Upsetting me could cause you a lot of problems in the future."
Daphne replied coldly, "What are you talking about, Draco? I will never become your betrothed. I would rather marry a Muggle than you."
Draco snarled his displeasure and took a step forward. Alex stood up and said, "That is enough Draco. If you dare to touch any of my friends here then you and your mother will be kicked out of the House of Black. And Harry is not a squib. He is a Lord of a Most Ancient and Noble House and Heir to another. Be careful."
Unable to control his fury at not getting his object and that his cousin had the gall to talk to him like that, Draco slapped Alex as hard as he could. When he saw the her fall to the ground and noticed the trickle of blood that appeared from the cut on her lip, he was happy with the results of his actions. His father always taught him that a Lord should be in charge and any who dared to defy him, should be punished swiftly and harshly.
When he saw the stunned expression turn to rage on Alex's face, Draco had his wand out faster than she could get to her own. His actions caused the rest of his "friends" to do the same thing, and suddenly the trio of girls had four wands pointed in their direction.
Just as he was about to show his prize who she really belonged to, Draco suddenly heard the Potter boy growl. When he looked in the squib's direction, he was stunned by the glowing green eyes that stared back at him. Like the color of the killing curse, they were enough to give him pause.
Before he or any of his friends could even react, Draco watched in awe as Potter jumped up from his seat, and had his wand out in a flash. He was stunned when the supposed squib banished Crabbe and Goyle into the corridor, and then moved fast enough to grab the wands that were held in Pansy and Tracy's shaking hands. He then banished the two girls out of the compartment and then turned to Draco with a look of anger on his face.
Draco looked into the Harry's eyes and realized that he had made a mistake. Draco still tried to look superior to Harry by saying, "How dare you attack me and my friends? Do you know who I am you filthy halfblood? I am Draco Malfoy, Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy. When my father hears about this..." That was all Draco managed to say before Harry punched him on the nose.
Malfoy fell to the ground clutching his bleeding nose and whimpered about the pain. Harry replied in a cold voice that sent shivers down Malfoy's spine, "If you even dare to hit my betrothed and my friends again, I swear even Merlin will not be able to save you from me. And tell your Daddy that his Master is dead and just because he is the Minister's friend does not mean you and he can do anything you want. If you ever insult my friends, then you will face the wrath of House Potter, Black and Peverell. Even your Death Eater of a father won't be able to save you. Am I understood?"
Malfoy gulped and nodded. "Good. "This is your only warning, Malfoy. If you ever hit or harm any of the girls in this cabin, I swear that your death will be as slow and painful as I can arrange it. Do you believe me, heir Malfoy?"
When he looked into the green eyes of his attacker, Draco could see no remorse or fear. He didn't doubt for one second that the boy would ever hesitate to kill him. Shaking his head in response, Draco continued to cry, praying the pain would stop soon.
As he lay panting on the floor of the cabin, Draco looked up to see everyone staring at him. His face flushed at the thought of his public humiliation, and he quickly got up to leave. Just as he reached the door to the cabin, he heard Potter's voice come from behind him, "Malfoy, I do believe you owe the ladies in the room an apology before you leave."
Hating himself for the weakness he was about to show, Draco turned around and bowed slightly at the waist. "My apologies for my earlier actions ladies. I was wrong, and I hope you can forgive me."
The moment he saw the girls nod their heads, Draco left before Potter could think of anything else for him to do. He would show Potter that he was stronger than him and would have his revenge.
When the last of the Malfoy goons left the compartment, Harry slammed the door shut and used his wand to Scourgify the mess Draco had just made. As soon as he turned around and saw the trio of girls staring back at him, he went to Alex and cast a healing spell on her lips and cleaned the blood on her jaw. He asked in a concerned voice, "Are you hurt anywhere else Alex? Should I take you to Madam Pomfrey before the Sorting?"
Alex replied, "I am fine Harry. I didn't know that he would slap me. I thought he was only bark and no bite. I should have been more careful."
Harry hugged her tightly, "Hey, it is not your fault. He was the one who came here to insult us and hit you. You don't have to feel ashamed of being weak. You were surprised. I have dealt with him and I hope he doesn't try to stir up any more trouble." Though even as he said the words, he doubted it.
The rest of the time passed blissfully while talking about things. An hour and fifteen minutes after the Malfoy incident occurred, the Hogwarts Express thankfully pulled into the station on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. When the train finally came to a stop, Harry silently followed the trio to the nearest exit. With the house elves in charge of transporting and placing the luggage into their future rooms, he knew the students didn't have to worry about moving any of the trunks.
Within a few minutes Harry watched the large collection of eleven year olds gather around the massive frame of Rubeus Hagrid. The moment he saw the gentle giant, he couldn't help but feel thrilled at the sight of the man. As the person who introduced him to the Magical world, Harry always considered the half giant his first ever friend. By the jovial manner and obvious gentleness he could see in this world's Hagrid, Harry was happy that this wasn't one of the differences Death warned him about.
"Hullo there everyone," Hagrid's voice boomed over the gathered children. "My name is Rubeus Hagrid and Im'a the gameskeeper here at Hogwarts. All you firs' years will be travellin' by boat t'get ta' the castle. Come on now and foller me. Make sure der ain't no more'n four ta' a boat."
As soon as everyone starting moving, Harry headed for a boat near the end of the line with the trio of girls behind him. The rest of the trip was held in silence, except for the loud gasps he heard once the Hogwarts Castle finally came into view.
The sight of the gorgeous castle under the pale moonlight was truly a breathtaking sight and Harry didn't begrudge the girls their awestruck expressions. He knew in his old world he'd felt the same way when he first made this trip and a part of him still felt like gasping along with them.
The little boats they were on continued their trek through a curtain of Ivy which hid a wide opening in the cliff face that surrounded the school. Soon the first years were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right under the castle, until they eventually reached a Magically hidden underground harbour.
Once the boat came to a complete stop, Harry jumped off first and politely reached out to help the girls out. After the three girls had safely disembarked from the boat, Harry led them to the Castle doors, where he knew Professor McGonagall would already be waiting with the other first years. Once Harry and the girls finally joined their peers, the stern Transfiguration teacher made a final check for any more students and then ushered the group quickly into the small antechamber at the entrance of the Castle.
There she proceeded to give them a well rehearsed speech on the virtues of each of the noble houses they would be sorted into, and at this point Harry was quick to zone her out.
Eventually the speech came to an end and Harry was thankful when the Gryffindor Head of House finally led them into the Great Hall. There she had the gaggle of nervous children line up alphabetically, while the rest of the school looked on quietly.
At the sight of his peers' actions, Harry remembered this was supposed to be his first trip to Hogwarts as well, and so he did his best to imitate his fellow first years by gawking at the floating candles and expressing his excitement at the site of the bewitched ceiling.
The whispered chattering that rumbled throughout the Great Hall, quickly descended into a solemn silence once McGonagall placed the patched and frayed Sorting Hat onto the three legged stool in front of the first years.
While his fellow first years waited nervously for The Sorting to begin, Harry turned his attention towards the Professors gathered at the head table. His eyes narrowed dangerously at the sight of the stuttering fool Quirrell and it took all his resolve not to attack the man immediately.
When he noticed the man staring intently at one of the first years in line, Harry followed the Professor's line of sight and winced once he saw the Boy Who Lived massaging his head in pain. The tell tell signs of a Legilimency attack from Voldemort was easy for Harry to identify and now he certain that the Quirrell of this world was possessed by the Wraith form of the Dark Lord.
Once Harry was fairly certain that the DADA teacher was indeed a Voldemort lackey, the man's presence in the Castle was enough for him to assume that the Dumbledore of this world was as manipulative as the one from his old world. As the Headmaster of Hogwarts the wards around the Castle would have alerted him to the possession right away. The fact that Quirrell was sitting at the table right next to him, was enough for Harry to believe that the Philosophers Stone would be used to test Neville this year.
At the thought of his god brother, Harry returned his attention to the gathered first years and once again found him in the crowd of eleven year olds. From the little he was able to learn from his mother, after Frank and Alice Longbottom died in this world, Augusta quickly took over custody of her grandson.
In the days immediately following the Longbottom deaths, Augusta had without any hesitation allowed his mum to visit her godson on the weekends. But after Neville turned four, she suddenly became incredibly paranoid about her grandson's safety and placed the Longbottom Manor under the Fidelus. Ever since that day, she only made trips out of the family Manor to deal with business in the Wizengamot and kept Neville hidden from the rest of the world. Which sadly included Lily Potter as well.
Harry was suddenly startled out of his thoughts, as the whole hall burst into applause for the end of the hat's song. Once the clapping came to a close, Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a large roll of parchment in one hand and the sorting hat in the other.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said sternly, her eyes daring anyone to be disobedient. "Good. We shall begin. Abbot, Hannah."
Harry watched the blonde girl eagerly make her way to the sorting hat and put it on. Her knees bounced in excitement, as she waited for the hat to make a decision. As soon as the hat shouted out HUFFLEPUFF, the table full of badgers erupted in applause and welcomed their newest member.
The next person to be called was Alexandra Black. No sooner was the hat on her head, did it shout out RAVENCLAW. To be honest, Harry wasn't particularly surprised by the choice. Harry knew she was really smart and an excellent fit for the House of the Intelligent.
As the next few names were called, Harry was able to accurately predict the majority of people to their houses. So far the only names he had a problem with were the ones that didn't exist in his old world. Like Jessica Boot. Apparently Terry Boot had a twin sister in this world, and unlike her Ravenclaw brother, she was sorted into Gryffindor.
The next name to be called was Hermione Granger. Harry remembered her sorting from the old world, because it was almost as long as his own. She eventually admitted that it took a lot of time convincing the hat not to put her in Ravenclaw. When he saw the hat placed on top of her head, Harry wasn't surprised by the sudden shout of RAVENCLAW that followed.
Hermione was the first person that changed houses from his previous knowledge.
The Daphne of his world was commonly known as the Ice Queen of Slytherin, and from the brief bit of time he'd spent around the girl in this world, he was more than certain their personalities were a match. He was expecting Daphne to be sorted into Ravenclaw or Slytherin, so it didn't come as a big surprise when the hat shouted out RAVENCLAW.
Between Hermione, Daphne and other first years, Harry could easily see why Death's warning was so important for him to heed. Despite how many accurate prediction he'd already made, there were still quite a number of new students and old students that were defying the norm from his other world.
With this new information at the forefront of his thoughts, Harry realized he had to be careful in dealing with the people of this world. If he didn't want to lose a potential ally, or make an enemy out of one, he would have to give each person a fair shot at a new first impression.
The names following Daphne flew by with a quickness, until the one everyone had been waiting for was announced. "Lord Neville Longbottom."
As soon as his god-brother's name was called, Harry along with the rest of the hall was stunned by the title that came with it. In his old world Neville had never taken up his lordship as a first year. Since he was the Boy-Who-Lived in this world, Harry could see Augusta's hand clearly in this maneuver. By granting him his emancipation and allowing him the Lordship early, the Dowager Longbottom had made Neville nigh untouchable at Hogwarts. Sure he might deal with some hazing, or minor duels in the hallways, but no one truly attack a Lord of a Most Ancient and Most Noble House. For someone to attempt that, well, not even Lucius Malfoy's influence could keep that person out of Azkaban.
"Oh my god, that's him. He looks so cute."
"I can't believe he already has his Lordship."
"Do you think he actually did any of those things in the books."
Thanks to years of practice he received during his own tenure as a child celebrity, Harry had no trouble ignoring the multitude of people whispering about the Boy-Who-Lived. When his eyes zeroed in on the boy reaching for the sorting hat, Harry saw him completely for the first time and he was startled by the differences this Neville had to his own.
While this world's Neville matched the old Neville in height, that's where the physical similarities came to a crashing halt. The Neville in this world was much thinner than the chubby eleven year old Harry had once known, and it was obvious he was in excellent shape. By the way the boy walked to the stool, Harry could tell he was filled with a sense of purpose. It wasn't the arrogant swagger that Malfoy used, but it was the confident step of someone who knew exactly what they were capable of.
Along with everyone else in the hall, Harry looked upon this sorting with keen interest. At the three minute mark, it had long ago surpassed the sorting that the old Neville had undergone. Just before the five minute mark the sorting came to an end and the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR."
Harry had to force himself not to glare at Weasley twins, as they jumped up and began singing, "We got Neville. We got Neville. Yeah, we got Neville."
A part of him knew that he would need to give all of the Weasleys a chance in this world, but a larger part couldn't forget how each and every one of them pretended to care about him, just so they could leach from his fame and fortune.
Soon the sorting began to pick up pace and as he got closer to his own name, Harry wondered if the Hogwarts book of names was updated after he accepted his own Lordship. His question was soon answered when he heard McGonagall call out, "Lord Hadrian Potter-Peverell."
Harry ignored the myriad of whispers that erupted after his Lordship was announced. As he made his way to the sorting stool, he could see the stunned expressions on the faces of the Professors at the head table, but none interested him more than that of Dumbledore. The shock was clearly evident on the old man's face, and when he saw the headmaster's eyes narrow dangerously at him, Harry knew the man was busy calculating how to use him in his little games.
While Harry was concentrating on the reactions of the teachers, the girls of the Great Hall were concentrating on him. At 5'4" and with two months of rigorous exercise under his belt, his muscles rippled under his blue and silver Acromantula dress robes, and he cut a striking figure on his way to the stool. From the confidence and power his stance seemed to exude, girls of all ages were quick to admire him. If a survey of the hall was taken at that very moment, the larger consensus would agree that the emerald eyed youth was good looking now, and would be devastatingly handsome by the time he grew up. He saw Alex glaring at the girls who were ogling him and stifled a chuckle.
As soon as Harry sat down on the stool and placed the hat on top of his head, Harry lowered his Occlumency shields for the Hat. "Hello hat."
"Thank you for lowering your shields, Mr. Potter. Now my young Lord, let us see what's in your mind. Hmmm...a dimensional traveler?That's incredible. You were also the Boy-Who-Lived in your own world, and you defeated Voldemort by the age of sixteen? That is absolutely remarkable, Mr. Potter. You must have been quite the powerful Wizard. What's this? Merlin's balls boy, you're a Shadow Mage and an Elemental?! And the Master of Death? How in the world am I supposed to sort someone like you?"
"Take a deep metaphorical breath, Hat. Can Dumbledore find out anything you learn from me?"
"No, Mr. Potter. The founders built me to be loyal to Hogwarts over the headmaster. Everything I learn from the sorting is strictly confidential. No headmaster has ever learned of the secrets I hold, and none shall for as long as I exist."
"That's good to know. I was worried about what would happen if Albus learned of my past."
"Be careful around him, Mr. Potter. I have seen the memories you have from the Albus in your old world, and sadly the two men are quite similar. I am no longer certain that the headmaster is a Light Wizard."
"Thanks for the warning, Hat, and I have every intention of staying clear of the headbastard. So, you want to finish this sorting now?"
"I leave it up to you, Mr. Potter. You have all the qualities to be in any of the houses. With the knowledge and power you now possess, it wouldn't really matter where I placed you."
"In that case put me in Gryffindor, Hat. If Albus plans to test the Boy-Who-Lived, than Nev is going to need all the help he can get to stay alive. He won't even have the luxury of having Hermione help him, like I did."
"If you're sure, young Lord..." GRYFFINDOR.
When Harry sat down across from Neville at the Gryffindor table, he could see several sets of eyes staring at him curiously, and he ignored them all with practiced ease. He turned his attention back to the last of the sorting, and took careful note of where all the new and old faces were going. By the time the last person was sorted, Harry was surprised that there was a female version of Blaise who still ended in Slytherin. He thought a female version would mean she'd end up in a different house, but he was wrong.
With the sorting now complete, Harry watched Dumbledore stand up to make his standard Start of Term speech, and cringed when he heard the headmaster's fake grandfather act. After learning about all of the old man's manipulations, it always disgusted him how easily he fell for the man's kind persona.
"The very best of evenings to you!," Dumbledore orated in a strong and powerful voice. "To those of you who are just joining us, Welcome to Hogwarts. To those who have already been here, Welcome Back. Another wonderful year of magical education awaits all of us, and I know we will all have a great time together. Before we begin our banquet, I would just like to say a few words. And they are...Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you."
Once the headmaster was done with the opening speech, Harry fixed himself a plate of steak and vegetables and quietly ate his dinner. As the conversation at the table slowly began to pick up, he was casually watching the students around him and his curiosity was instantly piqued by the Boy-Who-Lived.
Thanks to the lessons he learned in the time Chamber, Harry could tell Neville had been trained with proper pureblood etiquette. His manners were exquisite, and the confidence with which he interacted with other people was a far cry from the chubby boy who thought he was a squib.
What amazed Harry the most was that Neville was definitely embarrassed by all the attention he was receiving and yet he wasn't shying away from it. It was clear to him that while the boy was obviously aware of his fame, he wasn't used to the adulation in public. Yet like a natural leader, he accepted the praise but didn't allow it to let him become arrogant. Overall, Harry was quite impressed with the new Lord.
When he saw Neville break off from his conversation with Seamus, Harry was surprised when the boy looked at him and said, "It's good to finally meet you, Mr. Potter. I know Aunt Lily tried often to arrange some time for the two of us to meet, but my gran was adamant about not having people over. Sorry I didn't get a chance to see you before today."
Harry remembered his mother telling him that once Longbottom Manor went under the Fidelus, Augusta refused to let anyone know the secret. She wouldn't even let Lily go over and visit Neville. For the past seven years she'd been exchanging letters and gifts with Neville, through a Gringotts authorized mailbox.
"It's not your fault, Mr. Longbottom. My mother told me about the circumstances behind your disappearance and as far as I am concerned, you have nothing to be sorry about."
"Thanks, and please call me Neville."
"You're welcome, Neville and please call me Harry."
"So, how come you took up your Lordship so early, Harry?," Neville asked, curious about the reason.
"It was a chance to activate an Ancient and Noble House, and I thought it would be useful when my dad takes his seat in the Wizengamot. Since I've assigned my proxy to him, he now has an extra vote to work with."
After a few moments of silence, Harry was curious about why Neville took up the Lordship. "How about you, Nev? Why did you take the Lordship so early?"
"Protection," Neville replied honestly. "Since I was a kid I've know about me being the stupid Boy-Who-Lived, but since I spent all my time at the Manor, I didn't have to worry about people trying to hurt me. Once I convinced my gran that I wasn't going to be home schooled anymore, she decided if I had my Lordship, it would help deter most people from trying to hurt me. If it meant getting out of the Manor, I was more than willing to do it."
Soon the pair began speaking of lighter things, and Harry learned how different this Neville really was from his own. His gran had gotten a special permit to get the boy a wand two years early, and she hired tutors to teach him all of the core subjects. While the new Neville was only adequate in Herbology, he apparently was really good at Transfiguration and DADA.
When he thought about how prepared the Boy-Who-Lived already was, Harry knew it was in his best interest to speed up his god-brother's training. Between Dumbledore's manipulations and all the threats Neville would face over the next few years at Hogwarts, Harry wanted to make sure his god-brother would be prepared enough to live through it all.
Once the feast finally came to an end, the tables were magically cleared and Dumbledore rose to make his final announcement.
"Before everyone leaves for their beds, I have a few start of term notices that I wish to announce. The first years please note that the Forbidden Forest is strictly forbidden for all students. Also, our caretaker Mr. Filch, wishes me to remind you that the number of items prohibited on the Hogwarts banned list is now at 372 and a copy of it can be found in all common rooms. Finally, this year the third floor corridor on the right hand side, is completely out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. That is all. First years please follow the Prefects to your common rooms. Good night everyone."
When he saw the Gryffindor first years begin to follow the Prefects out of the hall, Harry got up to join the group, but stopped when he saw Neville still sitting at the table.
"Aren't you coming, Neville?", Harry asked politely.
"Ahh, no, Harry. I actually asked for a Lord's room, so I'm waiting for McGonagall to come get me."
Harry was stunned when he heard about the Lord's rooms at Hogwarts. During the years he spent in the time Chamber in his old world, he learned all about pureblood customs, etiquette, wizarding law and the rights and privileges afforded to Lords and Ladies. Not once in any of that training, did his damn teacher ever mention the option of having your own room at Hogwarts. Harry was expecting to share a dorm with four other guys for the next seven years of his life, but now that he knew there was a better option available to him, he was going to do everything in his power to secure it.
"Are you sure about this, Nev?," Harry asked, hoping his new friend wasn't trying to pull a lame prank on him.
Neville pulled out a History of Hogwarts and flipped it to the Lord's section. He pointed to the relevant paragraph, and then gave the book to Harry. It only took him a second to read through the rule, but once he was done, Harry was satisfied he would be getting his own room tonight.
"If you don't mind, Nev, can I wait here with you?"
Neville shrugged his shoulder and replied, "Sure mate."
By the time McGonagall made her way to their table, only a handful of upperclassmen were still left in the Great Hall.
"Mr. Potter, what are you doing here?," McGonagall asked sternly. "You should have followed the Prefect to the Gryffindor dorms."
Harry flashed the strict teacher a smile and in his best Lordly manner, he said, "My apologies Professor, but as a Lord of a Most Ancient and Most Noble Houses, I would like to request my own room."
McGonagall was taken aback by the request. She knew of Harry's status from the sorting, but she still hesitated to grant him the room. In the rare event when a student became a Lord while still at Hogwarts, they were usually in their sixth or seventh year. At that age she didn't mind allowing them their own personal space. But first years were out of the question. She only agreed to Neville, because there were safety concerns associated with the Boy-Who-Lived and Augusta had personally flooed her over it.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, but I can't allow that. Those rooms are reserved for older students and you are much too young to be on your own."
Had he been a normal eleven year old, Harry would have wilted under her stern gaze and instantly agreed with her. But since he wasn't a child, he had not intention of doing so.
"I apologize Deputy Headmistress, but in this situation the correct form of address for me would be Lord Peverell. According to Hogwarts a History under the Lords heading, paragraph 2, section 1, it states: In the event a student has taken up the Lordship/Ladyship of his or her House, for an additional fee, they will be allowed to room separate from their peers. As long as the student can prove he or she is the Head of their House, this privilege can not be denied to them. As you can see Professor, nothing in this rule states what the student's age should be."
Harry then handed the book to McGonagall to read, and at the same time flashed his Head of House ring, so she knew he could verify his claim of Lordship.
Professor McGonagall stared into the emerald eyes of the first year in front of her, and she was surprised when he calmly met her stare without flinching. Students regardless of their age quivered under her glare, yet this first year didn't even seem to be phased by it. A part of her still didn't want to grant the request, but he was right about the rules.
"Are you certain about this, Lord Peverell?," she asked the first year, hoping she could still get him to see reason. "Part of the experience of Hogwarts is to spend time with your peers and form new friendships. Don't you want to spend time with kids your own age?"
"I thank you for your concern, but I'm sure about this professor," Harry replied politely. "If it's any consolation, I have every intention of befriending my peers. I plan to spend a lot of time in the Gryffindor common room doing just that. The only thing that will change, is that I will have some privacy when it's time to go to bed."
McGonagall still didn't like it, but the Transfiguration Professor really didn't have a choice. The rules were the rules, and since she was already granting a room to another first year, she reluctantly agreed to do the same for Harry. "Very well, Lord Peverell. I will arrange for a room to be cleaned for you right away. Please wait here while I escort Lord Longbottom to his new quarters."
As he watched his god-brother leave with McGonagall, Harry couldn't stop the grin from appearing on his face. With a room of his own, not only wouldn't he not behave to worry about living with a bunch of eleven year olds, but he could also use his apartment trunk to continue with his training. All things considered, he was happy with the way things turned out.
AN : That's all for now. The chapter was pretty long and I believe Harry in Gryffindor would be best. Neville and Harry will definitely have their adventures with the girls helping them. Next chapter will be about the first days at Hogwarts and maybe the Troll on Halloween. Again I am sorry for the delay in updates. Hope you liked the chapter.
Stay Safe. Stay Happy.
LightningLord139