Chapter 3

For Harry's eleventh birthday, Minerva and Remus rather outdid themselves. Muggle-repelling and notice-me-not charms were erected over the backyard of Number Five, followed by the space shielded by them to be turned into a visual winter wonderland. The actual temperature was not overly cooled, so the children could remain in their summerweight clothes, but there were great heaps of snow to play with, a small frozen-over pond to skate on, and a maze of ice barriers to explore. Harry was thoroughly delighted not just in watching the transfigurations take place, but also in getting to see the expressions of awe on all his guests' faces when they arrived.

As for the guest list, it of course included his three closest friends Ginny, Luna, and Theo, but also some others that Arabella had agreed to inviting. Arthur and Molly came with their three youngest sons as well as their daughter, since the boys were eager to finally meet this best friend their baby sister had kept to herself for five years. Luna's father also came, though he had a bit of a hard time interacting with others, as the man had never been quite the same as his old, personable self since his wife's death a couple years before (Luna practically lived at the Figg household while Xenophilius recovered himself in the months after the tragic accident). There was also a boy by the name of Blaise Zabini, whom Theo was relatively close to thanks to encounters in the pureblood circles and who was there on an invitation extended through the Nott boy. He'd mentioned to Harry and the girls one day that Blaise was one of the few decently interesting kids he got to talk to at high brow parties, yet also one of the loneliest since he was technically a halfblood, and therefore sneered at by more than a few of their agemates. Something about that struck a chord within Harry, and so the other eleven year was welcomed at the birthday party.

This also caused the happy side effect of there being four to each side when the children decided to start the inevitable snowball fight. There wound up being several rounds, with every arrangement of teams possible: the Weasleys versus the others; the four soon to be first year boys against the twins and the girls; Harry, Ginny, Theo and Fred battling Luna, Blaise, Ron and George.

Watching from the safety of the shielded back step, the adults cheered them all on. Sadly, this just meant that when the children grew tired of battling each other, they turned their attention to the grown-ups who'd yet to have gotten into the snow. That particular fight began with a carefully timed ambush, consisting of all eight little devils dashing into the shielded area in order to launch snowballs up into their parents and guardians' faces. Remus, Arthur and Arabella all laughed while the others spluttered, and then the children were sent fleeing when Minerva and Molly worked together to conjure up several large snowmen that were sent to seek vengeance.

All in all, it was a good day. Made all the better when the Transfiguration Mistress produced Harry's Hogwarts letter from her pocket as his final present.

-N5WW-

"Thank you for allowing me to accompany you and Harry, Mrs. Figg."

"Oh nonsense, Theo, it's always a pleasure to have you around. I'm actually quite selfishly pleased that your father was called off on business." The look on his friend's face made Harry think that Theo was pretty pleased about it, too. He didn't know what made the pair of elder and younger Notts get along so poorly, but whatever it was, he didn't mind taking advantage if it meant the two boys got to spend more time together.

Ginny had been rather put out over not getting to go on the school shopping trip with them as well, but was grounded for slipping gnomes out of the garden and into her brother Percy's bed. She would have blamed it on the twins and probably gotten clean away, if her mum hadn't come into the room at exactly the wrong moment.

"Well now, if it's alright with you boys, I think we'd best start by putting in an order for your uniforms, then go get most other things while we wait for them to be made." That said, Nanna Figg led them to Madam Malkin's, where all she had to tell the seamstress witch was that the pair were about to start Hogwarts and the woman whisked them away. Harry and Theo were immediately set upon dual stools so that their measurements could be taken with enchanted tapes, just like the pale haired boy already there.

"Nott. Preparing for Hogwarts already, I see."

"Malfoy." Theo inclined his head towards the other. "Never hurts to get ready ahead of schedule."

"Quite so. And you are...?"

"Harold Figg. I'm a friend of Theo's. Who are you?"

The blonde boy blinked, looking from Harry to Theo and back again. "Draco Malfoy. I don't think I'm familiar with your family, Figg."

"Wouldn't expect you to be!" Harry replied cheerfully. Theo had to bite back a snicker at Malfoy's bewildered expression. "We tend not to have much to do with folks who aren't already our friends. So, what house are you aiming for, Draco?"

"Slytherin, of course." The boy responded automatically, though he was clearly still trying to process Harry's previous statement.

"Ah, you'll probably be housemates with Theo, then, unless I can convince him to try for Ravenclaw with me."

"Not a chance," Theo immediately shot back. "You read as many books in a month as I do over the course of a full year." Even as he said it, though, he couldn't help but wonder. Theo had spent his entire life being conditioned to expect to become a Slytherin, along with the others of his wealthy, pureblood circle. But the past few years of being close with Harry and the girls had opened his eyes to a world of new possibilities.

"Well, Ravenclaw's not so bad," Malfoy eventually got around to saying, before unleashing his usual sneer. "Certainly better than Hufflepuff or Gryffindor."

"My parents were in Gryffindor." Harry said idly, watching with bemusement as a enchanted tape measure went around his kneecaps. "I don't remember them, but everyone in my family says they were good people."

Theo jumped in before Malfoy could say anything derogatory towards his friend. "What did you think of the latest Quidditch League match?"

That, fortunately, was enough of a distraction for the blonde, who chattered on about different teams until his measurements were finished. Both Theo and Harry offered him polite goodbyes when the other boy left, but then the latter turned to look at the former with an incredulous expression.

"He's the one you have to kow-tow to at all those pureblood parties? Merlin and Morgana, no wonder you like hanging out we me and the girls instead!"

"That is what I've been saying for a few years now," Theo rolled his eyes, smiling.

Once the enchanted measuring tapes were finished and their orders added to Madam Malkin's cue, the pair headed off with Nanna Figg to one of Harry's favorite places in the world: Flourish and Blotts. Not only was it his best source of new reading material, but it was also where he'd first met Theo and created a great friendship.

The boys split up to get their school texts, each retrieving two copies of half the list each. Afterwards, Nanna Figg agreed to get them three leisure books as well, prompting Harry to immediately dive back into the stacks while Theo strolled along after him. While debating between a tome comparing types of written magic and a new adventure novel, they encountered a bushy-haired girl walking around with an armload of books almost as tall as she was.

"Do you need a hand with those?" Theo asked, warily eying the pile when it tilted a bit.

"Hm? Oh, no thank you, I can manage." The girl didn't even glance at him, still browsing the shelves.

"You do know they have shopping bags with extension charms," Harry mentioned, recognizing a fellow bookworm. "Just ask at the front desk."

That got her attention, and the girl beamed a thank you at him before hurrying off.

"Just think," joked Theo. "It won't be much longer before you're in Ravenclaw and get to be surrounded by people just as book-mad as her and you."

"I know, I can't wait!" Harry grinned back.

After finally dragging the boys back out of the store, Nanna Figg led them around Diagon to get their other supplies, wands, and as a special treat because the stop at Ollivander's took so long, a new pet for each of them.

By the end of the day, Harry wasn't sure whether to be more delighted with his new books, his holly and hippogryph-wing feather wand, or the beautiful snowy owl, newly named Hedwig, who'd made herself quite a home in his room.

Theo didn't have any such dilemma. The white and grey magical siamese cat whom he'd dubbed Sun Tzu was by far the best new addition to his household.

-N5WW-

"Ready to set off on your new adventure, Harry?" Remus asked with a grin, ruffling the boy's wild hair.

"You bet, Uncle Moony!" Holding tight to Hedwig's cage with one hand and his Nanna's arm with the other, Harry was practically skipping towards the magical barrier he'd heard so much about over the years. Stepping through, the three of them emerged onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters, exchanging the busy muggle crowd for an even busier one of witches and wizards seeing off their children.

"My word, is that Augusta?" Nanna Figg murmured as they maneuvered towards the train. "So it is! Would you mind if we went and said hello, Harry love?"

"Not at all!" That said, they shifted destinations, coming to a stop beside a woman with a vulture hat and large red purse delivering some last minute instructions to the round-cheeked boy beside her.

"...and for Merlin's sake, don't lose that bloody toad again!"

"Augusta!"

Startled, the stately woman turned around, her eyebrows shooting up at the sight of Harry's Nanna. "Goodness, Arabella, I haven't seen you in years! What in the world are you doing here of all places?"

"Just coming to see my boy off," she answered, giving Harry a fond pat on the shoulder. "Much as you yourself, I should imagine. Harry, this is an old friend of mine, Augusta Longbottom. We played together as girls before she left for Hogwarts, and her son and daughter-in-law were good friends with your parents."

"Pleasure to meet you, Madam Longbottom!" Harry chirped, dropping into a short bow. "My name's Harold Figg, thought I suppose I'll have to start going by Harry Potter again after tonight."

Augusta's eyebrows just about rose off her face. "Mister Potter. It's been many years since I last saw you. Ah, I doubt you'll remember one another, but this is my grandson, Neville." She gave the other boy a sharp nudge, prompting him to bow to Harry and Nanna Figg as well.

Remus gave a slight cough, gently intruding onto the conversation. "I hate to interrupt ladies, boys, but it won't be long now before the train leaves." That said, he pulled Harry's shrunken truck from his pocket, and with a wand-tap returned the thing to its proper size.

"Quite right! Neville, I expect you to write directly about your Sorting tonight."

"Yes Gran."

"Goodbye, Harry, and send Hedwig with a letter as soon as you can - I want to hear all about your exciting first days!"

"Of course, Nanna! Love you."

"Love you too, Harry." The pair hugged for a good minute, before Harry gave the same treatment to Remus, then grabbed his luggage and hopped aboard the Express. He started to head down the train to try and find Theo, before noticing that Neville was standing still and looking quite lost.

"Do you want to come with me to find my friend?"

Surprised, the chubby boy looked at him with wide eyes. "D- do you mean that?"

"Sure! Merlin knows I was worried enough about starting school without knowing anyone. Come on, even if we can't find Theo, we'll snag an empty compartment to share."

"O-okay, thanks!"

"Don't mention it."