Chapter 2

Over the next month and a half Harry read more and learned more than he had in all of his years at "muggle" school. He had read through each of his required course books twice in the first week and a half, the first time soaking up as much as he could, then he re-read them taking careful notes. He was not going to let his parents down, he was going to study harder than he ever had before and try to honor their memory and sacrifice. The next couple of weeks was full of him reading any and all books that he could about the wizarding world he could get his hands on. He went back to Flourish and Blotts so frequently that by this point the owners knew Harry not just because he was the "boy-who-lived" but because he was the "boy-who-read" as they put it.

Harry had ate this much in his life ether, rather than sneaking scraps of food as he cooked it for the dursley's, he was able to eat whole meals and best of all deserts and he didn't even have to cook it! He would never had to cower in fear of the next beating, get locked in the cupboard for days and he would never have to run from dudley and his friends again. He woke up everyday excited that he was one day closer to a whole new life away from fear and sadness, one day closer to Hogwarts. When the morning of the first finally rolled around Harry was ready, both from all the studying and recuperating physically he had done.

After the long Taxi ride to Kings Cross with a very confused taxi drive, who couldn't understand why a fourteen year old boy was traveling around london with a huge trunk and a owl alone but, he didn't ask to many questions he just kept giving harry weird looks. Traffic had been awful on their way there and when Harry walked into the station he panicked when he seen the clock reading ten till. He couldn't seem to find platform 9 ¾, he was about to start tapping on random bricks like Hagrid had to open the door to Diagon Alley. Harry stopped pulling his wand out when a plump redheaded woman corralling four equally red haired boys pushing large trunks like Harry's walked by, the lady was complaining about the station being packed with muggles.

Harry hurried to follow them to see how they got to the platform and his jaw hit the floor when he watched the twins run straight through the wall between platforms 9 and 10. "Umm excuse me ma'am how do you, umm."

"Ahh first year is it dear?" Harry nodded dumbly. "Well no worries it's Ron's first year too." she gestured to her youngest son.

"All you have to do is walk straight at the wall right there, best to get a little bit of a run at it so you don't stop. Go ahead dear."

"Thank you, ma'am." and with that Harry did exactly as she described and jogged straight at a wall, just because some stranger had told him to, was he daft or what. When he made it through the sight that was before him made his jaw drop again. There was a huge old burgundy steam engine connected to at least thirty cars but it was the people that shocked Harry the most there were every size and shape. His eyes first landed on a couple in sharp black almost formal looking robes standing stiffly near a boy Harry's age. The boys slicked back blonde almost white hair matched his father's perfectly, the whole family seemed to sneer down on everyone else like it pained them to be amongst such rift raft. There was an elderly lady wearing the most ridiculous swan hat fussing over a rather plump and awkward looking boy. There were others as well, from a family in bright purple robes soothing s pair of twin girls, to what looked like family of muggles. They were a kind and gentle looking family in normal muggle clothes looking around almost as shocked and astounded as harry must have, while their daughter seemed to keep a constant stream of facts and words flowing at them.

Harry was so distracted looking around that he almost got ran over by the tall red haired boy name Ron and his mother and surprisingly, a cute Red Haired girl who must've been his sister. "Made it alright dear?" She smiled at him with kind eyes. But Harry barely understood what she had said because he was so distracted by this girl. She seemed so familiar like he knew her from somewhere or something but that was impossible, she must've just had one of those beautiful faces.

"Uhh, yes thank you again." He managed to get out.

She looked around "Are you supposed to be meeting someone here dear or...?" She trailed off uncertainty.

"O no i'm here alone."

She looked at him with concern, obviously thinking what horrible parents would ship their child off to school without even saying goodbye.

"Well in that case how about we help you get settled?" she offered helpfully.

"Umm yes that would be very nice indeed, thank you."

"Well I'm Mrs. Weasley, i've already introduced you to Ron he'll be in your year." Ron waved awkwardly. "This is Ginny she'll be starting next year." She gestured to the cute shy girl at her side, and Harry's eyes were once again drawn to the girl, rather than the orangish red of the rest of the family her's was a deep red with big brown eyes. Ginny waved shyly quickly looking down at her feet. "Fred, George come over here." She called loudly. "These two are my twins and Percy is around here somewhere he is one of the Prefects he's probably already helping getting everyone else settled." she said proudly, the twins rolled their eyes at the mention of him being a prefect. "Fred George can you help Ron and…" she looked at Harry uncertainty.

"O, Harry, Harry Potter." he offered with a smile.

Their reactions were priceless, Ginny honestly squeaked and went around to hide behind her mother now officaly in full shy mode. Ron's jaw dropped so far you'd have thought him part boa constrictor, Fred and George looked at each other and simultaneously said "No." and "Way."

Mrs. Weasley bless her managed to just looked shocked for a second before recovering quickly. "Well Harry it's very nice to meet you. Now Fred, George, help Harry and Ron get settled on the train. And you three come back out here once your done, I need to talk to you."

After getting settled in an empty compartment at the back of the train Harry watched the Weasley boys go back to their mother. He felt bad listening in on their family conversation but he wanted to know what people said about him. "Bloody hell, mum can you belive that was Harry Potter!"

"Language Ron! Yes I can now I forbid you three from pestering with questions about you-know-who or anything like that do you understand me?" She looked at each one of the sternly.

"Yes mother," They chimed sheepishly.

"Good, now go get on before the train leaves without you, and don't forget to owl me when you get there."

"Mum, May I go see Harry again?" Ginny asked quietly.

"No Ginny you may not, he's not the boy in your books or an animal to see in a zoo, ok? He's probably very lonely and nervous right now."

"Yes mum." She looked down ashamed of herself.

The train started moving shortly after that and Harry seen the twins leaning out the window yelling goodbye to their little sister, promising to send her a toilet seat which caused her to laugh and cheer up as she waved goodbye to them.

Ron joined him in his compartment later saying the rest of the train was full. It was awkward at first but soon they were talking like old friends Ron found all the Muggle things Harry talked about extremely interesting and Harry couldn't believe all the magic things he heard from Ron. A rather high strung bushy haired girl named Hermione popped in once and talked to them for a bit before continuing to look for a boy named Neville's toad. A little later the boy with the slicked back hair, who's name Harry couldn't hardly believe Draco Malfoy stuck his head in and immediately reminded Harry of Dudley and the other bullies from school, so Harry made a note to avoid him.

The rest of the day went by in a blur of activity from crossing the lake into the castle, to getting sorted into Gryffindor, it was a great day and followed by a great week. Harry and Ron quickly became fast friends. The only dark spot on his time at short time at Hogwarts so far had been the potions professor Snape seemed to hate Harry just because of who he was. But despite the professor always asking Harry the hardest questions thanks to his hard work studying both before the term had started and keeping up with the studying, Harry was able to answer them all easily earning approving looks from Hermione who was rapidly getting to be known as the smartest student in their grade.

About a week into the term Harry got a surprise in the form of a letter, it was the first one he had gotten, ever. Ron got them frequently and even Hermione's muggle parents had gotten an owl to stay in touch with her. Harry had always felt a little lonely during the mail time at breakfast, but he made sure to never show it so the others wouldn't feel bad for him, pity was not something Harry liked. So this simple little letter filled him with happiness it didn't even matter who it was from the simple act that some one had thought about him enough to write him made him happier than he'd felt since the day he left the dursley's. When he opened it the soft scent of summer time flowers caught him off guard.

Dear Harry,

Hi, I'm Ginevra Weasley (but please call me Ginny, Ginevra sounds like and eighty year old lady). You might not remember me but I meant you on platform 9 ¾ I was with my mum when she had Fred and George help you onto the train. Well any way this is quite embarrassing to be writing to you after the way I acted, I can't believe I actually squeaked and hid behind my mum like and eleven year old! I promise you i'm not usually like that, but i've read a lot about you, you're quite famous in our world and i've always found the books about you quite fascinating. Anyway enough sounding like a fan girl, i'm writing to you because Ron said that you and him have become like best friends, which is great because as much of a git as he can be sometimes, he is a great friend.

But if you and him are going to be friends I have to get over my nervous of talking to you, Ron also said that you never get letters which sounded very sad to me, so I thought if you wanted me to I could maybe send you letters. I mean i'm sure getting letters from you best friends little sister isn't that exciting but who knows we might even become friends too.

So I guess i'll tell you a little bit about myself, well i'm thirteen, I really, really love flying. Don't tell my brothers but i've been sneaking out at night to ride their brooms around while everyone is asleep since I was six. I'd love to play chaser for the Holyhead Harpies someday, but definitely on the house quidditch team (hopefully I get Gryffindor like the rest of my family and you).

I think i'm most excited for charms next year when I get to Hogwarts, teal is my favorite color. (I hate pink!) What is your favorite subject so far? Do you have any questions about the wizarding world? Ron said you grew up without having any idea magic was real. Oh and what's your favorite color? Well I got to go and help mum de-gnome the garden. If you want me to keep writing just send me an owl back if not that's ok too. Have a great time Harry.

Yours, Ginny.

P.S. I'm not sure if anyone told you how to send mail with an owl all you have to do is attach the letter to the owls leg, and tell them the name of the person who you want to get the letter and the owl will find them.

Harry was finishing reading the letter when Ron finally entered the great hall (he was awful about waking up at a reasonable time).

"What are you smiling about this early on a day with potions?"

"I got a letter!" Harry exclaimed happily.

"Who from?" His interest peaked since he knew Harry never got any.

"Umm, well, your sister actually." Harry managed with a small smile.

"UGGGHHH, she didn't! Don't worry about it Harry i'll send mum a letter this afternoon and tell her to make Ginny stop bugging you." He slumped his head down in his hands.

"No it's alright it's actually nice to get mail for a change I don't mind."

Ron looked at him quizzically. "you sure?"

"Yeah it's ok I don't mind."

"Ok if you're sure but if she gets to annoying just let me know ok?"

"Will do"

The rest of the day Harry had a harder time than normal focusing in class, he kept thinking about what he was going to write back to Ginny. He ended up writing a letter to her three times ripping it up each time unhappy with how it came out. But finally on the fourth time Harry was happy with it, so on Sunday after getting lost in the castle on the way to the owlery he sent Hedwig out with her first letter.

Dear Ginny,

I would really enjoy it if you kept writing letters to me. Don't tell Ron, but it does get kind of lonely watching everyone else get letters and never getting any of my own. And about the train station don't worry about it I thought it was a cute squeak hahaha. But honestly that isn't a big deal compared to how i've been greeted before, i've had people get down on their hands and knees to thank me for something I had no control over, that's freaky. I can already tell that me and Ron are going to be great friends, once again don't tell him but he'll be my first friend ever, I wasn't allowed to have any growing up.

Getting letters from you Ginny is plenty exciting to me, i've never gotten a letter before except the Hogwarts acceptance letter but that one doesn't really count. So as long as you're enjoying sending me letters i'm sure we can become good friends. Charms is actually my favorite class so far, i'm sure you'll love it next year. It's so fun getting to learn how to actually use magic, I know a lot of the others think it's boring but I made a feather fly yesterday! I know it's kind of lame to get that excited over something that simple but all of this is so amazing I can hardly believe it. The only class i'm not enjoying is potions but that's mainly because Professor Snape seems to hate me for no reason, he keeps trying to trip me up, to bad for him I studied like crazy right before I got here.

I would tell you a little about myself but since you've read books about me i'm sure you know things about my history that I don't even know hahaha. But on that note I just want to say i'm not "Harry Potter the-boy-who-lived" i'm just Harry ok? I'm really excited for flying lessons next week, I never would've guessed you to be the sneaking out at night rebel type from how shy you seemed, but I wish you could show me some tips and tricks on flying so I don't look like a fool in front of the class. My favorite color is deep red and i'll make sure I remember that you really like pink if I ever need to get you a present. Hope you have a great day Ginny!

Your Friend, Harry

P.S. If Ron says I said I don't want letters ignore him he got all weirded out when I told him you sent me a letter. Thanks again for the letters Ginny! Also what is De-Gnoming a garden?

A/N: Sorry for the cliff hanger/abrupt end, I was really struggling on how to end this chapter with how I have the next one set up. Any thoughts on the letter thing? I'm thinking i'll use it a decent amount for the first year. Also if anyone is interested in helping me with editing or proof reading the chapters that'd be awesome since that seems to take me the longest. Leave a comment I really enjoy reading them and thanks for reading!