Sunday 1 September 1991 King's Cross Station
The month of August flew by as Harry finished getting ready for his big entrance to the wider magical world and education. He managed to get home alright and immediately set about cleaning out the trunk of all the old furniture and furnishings. The carpet was pulled out, the dishes were checked (they were serviceable but he wanted to use the ones he made anyhow), the wall paint was stripped off and a fresh, modern coat was applied (he chose a nice beachfront palette of blues with a sandy tan for the accents). He changed out the curtains and installed new shelves for the books and supplies. He convinced Uncle Vernon to assist him and the look on Vernon's face as he descended into the trunk amused Harry to no end.
"You know, Harry, if that tour guide of yours had demonstrated what magic was like using this, I think I'd be wanting to go up to that school of yours as well."
"Well, if you'd like, I can find out if there are any other trunks like this and buy it for you?"
Vernon shook his head, "No, you need to save that money for your education. Keep saving and work with that account manager of yours to invest it wisely."
He'd finally gotten around to naming his owl after the two of them skimmed through all the names within his History of Magic textbook. They'd settled on Hedwig, though privately he promised to refer to her as 'Her Royal Owlness.'
Riptooth had sent a letter to Harry outlining the results of the audit and who'd been essentially stealing money from his vaults. It turned out it was Albus Dumbledore! The headmaster of the school was stealing his money and claiming it was for Harry's upkeep. Well, needless to say Harry was upset about that and informed Riptooth to proceed as per his parents wishes in the Will.
Harry had decided not to inform his aunt and uncle about the part in the Will that he wasn't supposed to go to them as their relationship was pretty good and he didn't want to wreck a good thing. He did tell them about the money that was going to be deposited into their account, which surprised both adults. Petunia was unsurprised that the money that should've gone to them, or whomever it was that was going to be raising Harry, was being rerouted to someone else.
"Greed is the same, no matter which side of the divide you're on." She commented dryly.
The trunk and its interior were finished just in time for Harry's journey to Hogwarts. Dudley had jokingly remarked that he ought to have something like this when he went to Smeltings, much to Harry's amusement.
The morning of the first saw Harry practically vibrating with nervous energy. He'd already released Hedwig to make her own way up to the school so she wouldn't have to suffer the indignity of being cooped up in a cage on a train. Petunia quietly cried and compared him to his mother when she had acted almost the same way on her first day to Hogwarts. She gave him a clingy sort of hug and made him promise that he'd study hard and stay out of trouble.
"I don't want to lose you to that madness like I lost my sister, you hear me? If it seems dangerous, don't you dare go investigate, just get out of there as fast as you can! Inform a teacher or someone and let them deal with it. The most dangerous thing I expect to hear from you in your letters home is that you got a paper cut."
"I understand and I promise, Aunt Petunia."
Vernon drove Harry down to King's Cross Station and helped him get his trunk onto a cart. "Do you need or want me to go with you?"
Harry glanced around, "Maybe just for the first time, if you don't mind?" Vernon accepted that and followed him into the station. They walked towards Platform 9 and paused as Harry consulted his notes.
"Okay, Hagrid said that the platform I'm supposed to get onto is protected by a shimmering wall between 9 and 10."
Vernon looked around but couldn't see anything, "Nope, I got nothing. Maybe it only activates at a certain time? You've got at least half an hour before your train is supposed to leave."
Harry examined the nearest wall facing towards the train tracks. One of them seemed to glow a dull blue. "Here! I think this is it." He pushed his hand into the wall and pulled it back with no apparent damage. Vernon just snorted in derision at the sight.
"Honestly, some people just don't use the grey matter between their ears."
"Huh?"
"Instead of putting a magical wall and platform here in one of the busiest train stations in London, they could've built their own station somewhere else on the property. Idiots, I tell you." Vernon groused while Harry chuckled. "Okay, Harry, go on through and I'll see you at Christmas unless something changes. If we do end up going away, then I'll be here to pick you up for summer." They shook hands and Harry pushed his cart through the wall and disappeared.
Harry reappeared on the magical side of the barrier and slowly approached the train in open-mouthed wonder. It was a beautiful jet-black steam locomotive with gold trim. The 10 cars behind it shone in their entire scarlet splendor. Everything seemed very plush and screamed of 'old money.' After choosing a compartment and getting help from a platform attendant, he stowed his trunk next to his seat and went in search of other children his age.
He passed by one round-faced, sandy haired boy getting a lecture by apparently his grandmother though there was something about the boy that tickled his memory. 'Have I met him somewhere before? Eh, I'll find out later.'
The platform was busy and noisy with parents wishing their children farewell and animals calling out in all manner of voices, be it hooting owls or yowling cats. Harry spotted a blonde-haired boy dressed in what appeared to be immaculate and expensive looking robes speaking with equally dressed adults both of whom looked like his parents. He saw an older looking redheaded woman with a monocle in one eye speaking with a strawberry blonde girl who was holding the hand of either her sister or a friend.
Then he noticed a bushy-haired girl struggling to get her trunk onto the train and made his way over to help.
"Hi, need some help there?"
The girl looked up and her heart nearly stopped. Standing before her was a boy with the most beautiful, piercing green eyes and easy smile that made her tummy flutter. She must have stammered a reply as the boy reached down and grabbed one handle of her trunk. Together, they managed to shove it into the compartment and into a storage rack.
"Thank you very much for the help. I'm Hermione Granger, would you like to sit with me?" she stammered nervously.
Harry smiled at her shyness, "Sure! Let me go and move my trunk over here." He disappeared back into the crowd before reappearing ten minutes later, dragging his trunk by one handle.
Once secured inside, Harry introduced himself to Hermione. Her eyes bugged out in surprise. "The Harry Potter? I've read all about you!"
One eyebrow quirked up in puzzlement, "Yeahh, that's me. What sort of things have you read about me? The only thing I know that I've published was an article on a child's guide to easy to make pottery."
Hermione's mouth kind of flapped open and closed for a moment, no sound coming from her as she tried to process this. "I mean, you're in some of the history textbooks like 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts' and 'Notable Events of the Twentieth Century.'"
Harry scratched his ear as he thought about this, his face scrunching up briefly. "Sorry to disappoint you but I don't have a clue as to what you're talking about. I mean, I did see those silly adventure books where I've supposedly gone on amazing journeys around the world."
Hermione shrugged and commented that she'd show him the books later. "I was surprised to get a letter as there's no one else in my family that's magical. What about yours?"
A lop-sided grin slid onto his face, "My aunt, uncle and cousin aren't magical either. I've been living with them since that Halloween night. They've long suspected that something was…well, different about me. My relatives would notice that whenever I was doing something artistic, for example working with clay, the piece I was working with would dry unnaturally fast or how if I was in class and doing finger paints, the paints I wanted would suddenly show up."
Hermione was amazed at how normal Harry sounded and appeared. He was nothing like what had been described in the books. It made her wonder what else was different about the world she was getting into.
Once the train got underway, Hermione had left the compartment to look around while Harry had decided to stay there and just read. When the door opened up again, he looked up and saw that the blonde haired kid from earlier was standing there flanked by two large boys.
"I've been hearing that Harry Potter is on the train. Am I right to assume that would be you?" he said pompously.
Harry slowly nodded and rose to his feet, "Yes, it is. You are?"
The boy held out his hand, "My name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person." Harry shook his hand and glanced at the other two.
Draco languidly gestured at the boys behind him, "Oh, this is Vincent Crabbe and this is Gregory Goyle. If you'd be interested Mr. Potter, I could show you around and introduce you to other influential families?"
Harry clasped his hands in front of him and gave a small smile, "Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Malfoy but I think for the time being, I wish to remain low profile at least until I can get a lay of the land on my own." Draco's smug smirk slowly faded away but he nodded in acceptance.
With that dismissal, all three made their departure.
Harry had just settled in his seat when the door opened up again, this time to admit a red haired boy with freckles covering his face.
"Oi, do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full." The boy asked as he plopped down on the bench and made himself comfortable, not even giving Harry a chance to deny him.
Harry warily observed the boy, his clothes and general demeanor suggested that he was a country sort and didn't understand general social cues. The boy had pulled out a wrapped sandwich, glared at it in disgust before tossing it on the seat next to him. Next, he dug out a scruffy looking rat out of another pocket and let it sit on his shoulder. Harry made a face at that.
"Do you always carry around a rat with you?"
"Yeah, this is Scabbers. He's been in my family for ages. He was originally Percy's but he gave him to me when he got made prefect and was gifted an owl. Pathetic, ain't he?"
Harry shrugged, "If it is, then why do you hang onto him?"
The boy shrugged as well, "Dunno, just do. By the way, name's Ron Weasley."
Hermione eventually returned with another boy in tow, the one Harry had seen getting lectured by his grandmother. Introductions were made and Ron showed his lack of social etiquette by yelping about Harry's name and why he hadn't introduced himself before starting in with all sorts of rude questions about that fateful night, his scar, and how awesome it must be to be famous. Harry quirked an eyebrow and gimlet eye at the redhead while glancing at the other two in pained sufferance.
"Ron? I think it would be best if you were to leave now. In the space of a few minutes, you've insulted me and the memory of my parents. You are incredibly rude and ill-mannered." Ron tried to bluster but eventually gave up, grabbed his stuff and stormed out.
Harry just let out a long sigh of relief, "Wow, I can't believe the nerve of that kid. Well, nothing for it. So…Neville, is it?" The sandy haired kid nodded.
"I get the strange feeling that you and I have met before."
Neville thought about it, "It's possible. You and I were born within a couple of hours of each other and I know from the stories my Gran has told me, our parents were friends with each other."
"Wow, that's cool. How about renewing our friendship?"
Neville smiled broadly, "That'd be great, Harry."
The train pulled into the station at an all magical town called Hogsmeade and offloaded its passengers. The first years were taken across a huge lake via boats while the older years went by horseless carriages. Harry shared a boat with Hermione, Neville and a boy named Dean Thomas. After reaching the boat dock and climbing up a steep set of stairs, Hagrid pounded on the door. He greeted a severe looking older witch named Professor McGonagall and transferred the kids to her care. She led them to a small antechamber and explained the basic rules and regulations that existed as well as a basic description of the four Houses and their characteristics.
While they were waiting, Hermione was near panicking with horrific thoughts as to how they would get sorted. Harry wordlessly reached over and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and drew her in for a hug. Surprised by this yet comforted at the same time, she quickly calmed down. It went unnoticed by the two of them of the exchanged surprised glances the other first years were giving each other.
When the professor returned, she spotted Harry holding Hermione in a comforting embrace and smiled inwardly at the heartwarming sight. She gave Harry an approving nod and bid for everyone to follow her. She led the children into the Great Hall where everyone else was assembled. The ceiling seemed to stretch forever into the night sky. Hermione was heard to be saying that she'd read that the ceiling was enchanted. After a brief doggerel song sung by an ancient wizard's hat, the children were called up one by one to find out where they'd be sorted.
When Hermione's name was called, she took a sharp breath and nearly bolted up to the stool but held it together long enough to move forward at a controlled pace. The Sorting Hat was placed upon her head and it seemed to take forever to hear which House was chosen. Finally, the Hat yelled out, "HUFFLEPUFF!" to the cheers of the members of the yellow and black.
The list continued alphabetically until the next one up was Neville. Harry gave him a thumbs up and an encouraging smile. Neville took a deep, trembling breath and marched up to the front where after a few minutes was sorted into Gryffindor.
After another few minutes, it was finally Harry's turn. There were excited whispers when his name was called out and again when he began moving forward. He sat down on the stool and steeled himself as the Hat was placed on his head.
'Ah! Good evening, Mr. Potter. You seem to be all that anyone's been talking about for the past several days.'
"Joy. I'd rather not make a spectacle of myself. I just want to learn how to be a wizard, make a lot of friends and create some art." Harry groused.
The Hat looked within Harry's mind and began rummaging around in his memories. What he found was pleasantly surprising. Family, friends, artistic talent were all of primary importance for the boy. His aunt's admonishment not to go looking for trouble echoed in one section of his memory. There was a darker bit that begged to be examined but the Hat determined that it was of no immediate importance.
'Interesting, very interesting. I can see here that you indeed wish to lay low as it were. You have a keen mind, love to learn and yet also enjoy working as part of a larger group. If you were to choose, which House would you prefer?'
Shrugging his shoulders, "I think I'd like to be part of a House where my supposed 'celebrity' is nothing that needs to be cause for a party every time I accomplish something. I liked hanging around Hermione and Neville, and I think I'd enjoy being in a House where there's a lot of life and love."
'In that case, there's only one place for you, Mr. Potter… Better be "HUFFLEPUFF!"
The House of the Badgers all jumped to their feet and gave a tremendous cheer. "WE GOT POTTER! WE GOT POTTER!" was chanted over and over again. Surprise reigned supreme on the faces of the Gryffindors, especially on a set of red-haired twins, whose mouths hung open.
The Welcoming Feast was an amazing event to behold. There was all sorts of different dishes that he'd never even heard about and was eager to try it all. He didn't make a pig of himself but he did load up rather heavily on the meats and potatoes. When the desserts came, he looked on in overstuffed horror that he just didn't have the room in his stomach to handle even one tiny biscuit!
One of the older students caught the look on his face and leaned over to mention that the kitchens were just across the hallway from their Common Room and that the elves would have no problem offering a plate of whatever he requested.
"What are elves?" he inquired.
The older student was surprised that Harry of all people would ask that question but shrugged his shoulders and explained that elves were tiny creatures that reached up most people's knees. They had large bat-like ears; tennis ball sized eyes and lived to serve the magical community. Hermione overheard this and asked if they were paid for their work.
"They're not paid in the sense of using coins like our currency but they are paid in terms of getting a place to live and work while sharing the magic from their chosen families. They are symbiotic in nature… you know what symbiotic means right?" She nodded. "Okay, they absorb some of a witch or wizard's magic and in return for that, do all the cooking, cleaning and other necessary chores to keep the home running smoothly."
Harry was shocked by this, "What happens in the event that an elf is mistreated by the family they serve?"
The older student looked saddened, "Well, they have a couple of options. One, they try to make the best of it but just work slower and not put as much effort into the job. Two, they can leave the family and search out one who would take better care of them. This is viewed by the other elves as kind of a bad thing but overlooked as long as the case is warranted. Three, and this is only in a last resort sort of case, they will be given clothes as a sort of extreme social punishment before being banished from the family. If that happens, it's practically a death sentence as no other elf wants to be near such a disgrace and no wizarding family wants to run the risk of bonding with a problem elf."
"What about rewarding them? Besides the sharing of our magic, is there some way we can show our appreciation of their hard work?" Harry asked.
The older boy shrugged, "I'm not really sure but I guess you can ask when you meet them in the kitchens."