CHAPTER 11
01 September 1991 - The Evans Keep - 9:35 AM
Harry was positively buzzing to begin his first day at Hogwarts, barely able to contain his excitement. He was in the foyer of his home sitting atop his fully packed trunk, quietly whisper-hissing to Selma. The snake was wrapped firmly around Harry's torso, just as excited as he was to begin his first day. His mother was doing some last minute tinkering in her potions lab. She would be joining the Hogwarts staff as the Muggle Studies Professor, and she was surprisingly eager to begin her new role. She had connected the Floos of her Hogwarts quarters and office to the Evans Keep's home Floo, allowing her easy daily access. Harry secretly thought she was more eager to covertly babysit him once he formally began school, but he was more than willing to oblige her. It would also be the first time she would have somewhat limited access to see and interact with Jim, and Harry knew (in spite of her bravado) that she was eagerly looking forward to seeing him.
Lightly kicking his feet against the trunk, Harry unsheathed his brand new wand from its customized holster (gifted to him by Sirius). The wand was 11" long, made of holly, and with a phoenix feather core, purchased from Ollivander the month prior. The minute he'd placed his hand on the wand he'd been filled with a glowing warmth unlike anything he'd ever experienced before. The wand practically pulsed with power, and beautiful golden and orange sparks shot out of the wand, bathing the shop in warm light. He'd turned to see Lily's reaction, and he had been inordinately pleased to see her smiling brightly, her eyes radiant with pride for him. The wonderful mood was soon spoiled by Ollivander's whispered words of "curious, very curious", prompting Harry to ask what exactly was curious. Apparently, the core of his new wand - a phoenix feather - was from the same phoenix (Fawkes, Dumbledore's familiar) that had given cores to both his brother's wand and the Dark Lord's wand. He'd mumbled on about the latter doing "terrible, but great things", before a pale-faced Lily had quickly paid for the wand and ushed him out of the store, telling Harry to ignore the 'natterings of a quasi-senile old man'.
They'd ventured to Gringotts to make a withdrawal for Harry's personal use, allocating some spending money for his use in a moleskin pouch, charmed with a variety of anti-theft and anti-removal charms. When asked by the Evans' Account Manager - Griphook - if they wanted to perform an ancestry test, Lily had deferred to a later date, citing that she wanted Harry to have more time to get settled. Once their business was complete, they'd continued the trek through Hogsmeade. Their first stop at Madam Malkins', then much-needed stops at Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, Flourish and Blotts, and Slug and Jiggers' Apothecary, Harry and Lily recouped at Florean Fortescues where Sirius met up with them. As always, the excitable man had ordered ungodly amounts of ice-cream for their group, prodding Harry to eat more double chocolate ice cream that he normally would. Lily had taken her leave to give Harry and Sirius time together, which Sirius had used to show Harry all of the 'fun' stores. Together, they'd embarked on a whirlwind tour of Quidditch Quality Supplies, Zonko's and Honeydukes, ending their trip at Eyelops Owl Emporium, where Sirius purchased Harry a gorgeous snowy owl for use at Hogwarts. Per the owner the owl was an orphan, her mother having been killed by a hunter. As such, Harry affectionately named the owl Hedwig.
Later that night, Lily had cuddled with Harry on the couch after dinner, and given Harry a rundown of all the Potter/Evans family drama. He learned that he'd briefly become a squib a few nights after the Dark Lord attacked their home, an unforeseen consequence of the spells traded between Lily and You-Know-Who. While his brother may have done… something that vanquished the Dark Lord, Jim had inadvertently drawn on Harry's power, momentarily rendering his twin a squib. Believing that it would occur again - potentially killing Harry - James (along with Dumbledore) had decided to send Harry away to his mother's muggle relatives for his own good and protection. Lily had stiffened at this point, prompting Harry to hug her fiercely while she gathered strength to continue. She'd gone on to describe her sister as a 'loathsome religious zealot' who - just like their deceased parents - would have caused Harry a greater than harm that could possibly be fathomed. Lily had refused to give Harry up at James and Albus' insistence, instead choosing to invoke an arcane marital clause that granted her divorce from her husband, and full custody of Harry. In his right as Lord Potter, James had kept custody of Jim as his heir, and legally taken away Lily's right to any visitation. As Lily continued on with her story, all Harry could think about was that his father had been willing to abandon him to a terrible fate, and that it was only his mother's intervention that he was whole and sane. The thought was terribly sobering.
"Ready to go love?" Lily strode into the foyer, outfitted in her smart traveling cloak. She summoned Harry's and tied it around him, tickling him as she did. She hissed for Selma to enter a secret pocket within the cloak, charmed to keep her hidden and warm with small bits of dried apple in case she became peckish. Once finished, she took a step back and checked him over, eyes shining with love and pride. Harry gave her a beaming smile, and Lily hugged him fiercely.
"I'm so proud of you my precious boy," she whispered against his ear, "so proud! You will do marvelously in Hogwarts, and remember that regardless of whichever House you end up in, I will always love and be proud of you. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mum, I know. I love you too, always." Harry hugged her fiercely and they huddled quietly for a few moments, a million words passing between them soundlessly. Soon, Lily wiped her tears and stood, her wand shrinking Harry's trunk to the size of a thimble that she tucked into her cloak pocket. Hedwig had been allowed to fly ahead, the bird loathing being caged. With a shared smile Lily held Harry's hand, apparating them away.
King's Cross Station - 10:22 AM
Harry and Lily finally made their way through the entrance at King's Crossing, thankfully incurring no delays. Along with Harry's trolley, they ran straight through Platform 9 ¾, both wearing identical smiles when they spotted the gleaming fire engine red Hogwarts Express. Harry openly marveled, excited to see the incredible train his mother, uncles, and Hogwarts, A History had so vividly described. They spotted Sirius and Tom chatting with the Weasley family, a small army composed entirely of ginger-haired relatives, all of whom gazed at Tom and Sirius with varying degrees of adoration. The ginger kid he'd briefly seen in Madam Malkins was there and was bickering with his little sister, while an older brother with a most severe expression quietly reviewed the contents of their trolley to ensure all was in order. There was a set of identical twins who seemed to idolize Sirius, pestering the grinning man with all manner of Marauder-based questions.
The mother - 'Molly Weasley' Lily had mentioned - was practically gushing at Tom, the man dazzling her with his winsome smile, sparkling eyes, and movie-star hair, a lock of which was charmingly dangling in his eyes. Molly was positively blushing, tittering her thanks to Tom. The latter had paid for Charlie's internship at the Swedish dragon reserve through his Program. It was part of a series of introductory internships he would undertake as part of his budding Care of Magical Creatures Apprenticeship, after successfully garnering a NEWT for the subject in his previous Sixth Year. The Liaison Program covering all of Charlie's costs was a major boon the Weasley family (especially Molly and Arthur) were deeply grateful for. Soon Tom and Sirius noticed Harry and Lily, and both bidding their goodbyes, made their way over.
Sirius reached Harry first and scooped him up into a bear hug, the two laughing all the way. He set him down and ruffled his hair, chattering on in excitement at what Harry could expect for the Welcoming Feast. For his part, Tom smiled indulgently at Harry and gave his shoulder a firm squeeze, telling him that he was 'very proud' of him and he would do wonderfully at Hogwarts. He and Lily spoke briefly before bidding them a quick goodbye, citing work needs. After another hug, Sirius bid his goodbyes, needing to be at the Auror Department before Mad-Eye 'chewed his arse up again'.
A far-off camera flash caught Harry's attention, and he had to resist the urge to laugh at the disgusted look on his mother's face upon seeing the Daily Prophet on hand eagerly snapping pictures of Jim and his father. It seemed the press was on hand to chronicle the Boy-Who-Lived and Potter Heir as he started off for Hogwarts, and Rita Skeeter was practically glowing as her quill blurred on parchment. She suddenly paused and looked in the direction of Harry and Lily, only quickly looking away when Lily affixed her with a look that promised nothing but regret should she even attempt to accost her and her son.
This was apparently something the Potters were used to, with Jim and James stately posing, giving the cameras their 'best angles'. As one two turned to Harry and Lily's direction, eyes mutually cycling through various emotions upon seeing the estranged members of their once-family. Shock, anger, and confusion dominated, along with betrayal in James' eyes. Jim made to approach but a firm grip on his shoulder by James stopped him. With a sneer, James steered his son into a different direction. For her part Lily scoffed and rolled her eyes, muttering 'immature prat'.
Some minutes passed, and soon, the train gave its warning whistle. Lily gave Harry another hug, telling him that she loved him and promising she'd see him at Hogwarts. With watery eyes, she kissed his forehead and waved him off, watching as he boarded the train. He mouthed 'Love you mummy', watching with a wide smile as she mouthed 'Love you more.'
The Express - 11:13 AM
Once aboard, Harry deliberately sought a compartment near the rear of the train, eager to not be accosted by anyone, especially those who gave him overly curious glances. No doubt in shock at his identical visage to the Boy-Who-Lived. Whilst the train moved along, he sat alone for twenty peaceful minutes reviewing his well-loved copy of Dilworth's Guide to Wizarding Etiquette, gifted to him by Tom some years prior. Suddenly the door opened, and a bushy-haired, brown-eyed girl stepped into his compartment, eager to speak with him.
"Excuse me, but have you seen a toad come this way? A boy named Neville has lost his."
"The blond First Year boy? Next to the intimidating lady with the vulture hat?" At her responding nod, Harry continued. "Yes, to answer your question, I noticed them both on the platform prior to us leaving, but I have neither seen him nor his toad since we departed." Harry paused for a moment, considering his next words. "You should ask one of the prefects. There's a summoning charm 'Accio' that can be used to retrieve him. Since it will be a few years before we're expected to know and use it, it's best to have them try for you. At least if it doesn't work, I am certain they know a slew of detection spells that can assist you." Harry already knew quite a few of those detection spells, but he was not eager to share them with a stranger.
"Oh, that's an excellent idea, thank you so much!" Harry smiled politely. Her eyes suddenly lit up in the direction of his book, and he braced himself for the slew of questions he knew would come his way. "Is that a book on wizarding etiquette? How fascinating!" And then the girl was off, rattling off a startling number of personal details without so much as breathing – how much she liked reading, how she was the first witch in her family and hoped she wouldn't be disadvantaged by that, how she'd read every single textbook assigned to First Years and even done a few spells, how her parents were both dentists – before finally pausing to say "Oh, I'm terribly sorry! I haven't even introduced myself! I'm Hermione Granger!" Ironically enough, Harry was reminded of his mother when she went on her excitable tangents about her research with Severus and Tom.
"I'm Harry Potter. A pleasure to meet you."
"Potter? Are you by chance related to Jim Potter?"
Harry took a breath, and allowed a fake smile to slide onto his face. Curiously, Hermione immediately picked up on the insincerity of his expression, her face growing concerned at her perceived rudeness. Harry's expression relaxed, before he honestly answered her question.
"Yes. He's my brother. Our parents are divorced, and I lived with my mother, my godfather, and uncles, while he lived with his father." If Hermione noticed the difference in how he addressed his parents, she made no mention.
"Really?" Her nose wrinkled in confusion. "I've read several books about him and none of them mention him having a twin brother."
"I'm quite aware. I've been living with my mum for various… reasons."
"... reasons?"
Harry paused and sighed. "Yes, reasons, only one of which I will share now because you have been rather polite. Miss Granger, I was ostensibly deemed a squib at a year old, and my father threatened to send me to my magic-hating muggle relatives for 'my own good' and that of the 'Greater Good'. But thankfully my mother intervened, causing her to be divorced from my father so she could raise me. As I am currently on this train and officially matriculated at Hogwarts, my father and brother have realized that I am not in fact a squib. I was also recently informed of the whole 'Boy-Who-Lived' mumbo-jumbo, which is a contributing factor to my first situation. It's quite a bit of a sore subject, and I am decidedly in no mood to further discuss with, no offense, someone who's ostensibly a stranger." Hermione blushed, fidgeting uncomfortably.
"I understand. That… that is certainly a lot to have to deal with. I apologize for any offense."
"None taken."
She fidgeted some more, before asking: "And the other thing?"
Harry hesitated. "Well, now I'm worried that I might offend you. I promise it isn't my intention …but… are any of those books you read include wizarding etiquette?"
Hermione stiffened at the preemptive apology but then was intrigued by his question. "No, no I haven't. There weren't any mentioned on the list we were given and it didn't occur to me to ask. I mean, other than the magic, Hogwarts is still just another British boarding school… isn't it? Granted I've never attended Downe or St. Mary's, but I cannot imagine that they would be so diametrically opposed to a regular British school… right?" She looked genuinely concerned, and Harry felt his heart warm at her open honesty.
"Actually, they are quite different. Thankfully my mother, godfather, and uncles are all alumni, so they've been able to provide me a comprehensive crash course. Going to Hogwarts will be a lot like moving to a foreign country. Thanks to this thing called the 'Statute of Secrecy' enacted around 300 years ago, Muggles and magicals live in near-total segregation. While Muggles have made many leaps and bounds with inventions such as electricity, television, computers, even the space program, magicals have made no such strides, choosing to ignore what most Muggles did. Overall, wizarding Britain hasn't seen the need to advance since the English Victorian era, relying on magic as the steadfast means for maintaining the overall sanctity of their society, be it for transport, food, healing, and such. Now, I don't mean to say the wizarding world is backwards or too ridiculously arcane; there are some facets where it's more progressive than the Muggle world, but others where it is not. For instance, magicals have zero qualms about a woman in a position of authority, such as, say, the Minister of Magic. But, it is considered exceptionally rude if one doesn't properly refer to a woman as 'Madame' if she's married or widowed, and 'Miss' if she isn't." Harry paused to take a breath, quietly gauging Hermione's reaction. For the most part, the girl looked both stunned and flummoxed.
"Is that why you made a point of calling me Miss Granger when we first met?"
Harry held up his copy of Dilworth's. "There's an entire 15-page chapter in here on when it is or isn't appropriate to address someone - regardless of age- by their first name. Granted to most people it really doesn't matter… but, to the magicals who run the country, it matters a lot."
The girl nodded at that. "But why did you think I might be offended at that?"
"Well, you're obviously smart, but you are obviously proud of your Muggle heritage. As you should be! My mother is a Muggleborn and a Hogwarts professor who will be teaching Muggle Studies. Which makes me a Halfblood, who was raised in a mixed magical and muggle household. As such, I have no issue at all with Muggleborns. But the last Wizarding War – the one that ended when Jim Potter destroyed You-Know-Who – was started by Purebloods who wanted to kill all the Muggleborns because of the ridiculous and quite frankly bigoted belief that they were somehow stealing magic away from Pureblood children. And the Wizarding War before that was started by Purebloods who wanted to conquer the Muggle world because they believed magicals to be naturally superior, and it was only proper that we should subjugate Muggles for their own good. Now, I certainly don't think you should hide your Muggle heritage, just as I don't plan to. But I honestly believe our time at Hogwarts will be considerably less enjoyable if we don't address the differing aspects in how and why we'll be outsiders.
The two continued to talk for a good five minutes. About what little they both knew about wizarding politics and history. About the incredibly vague but highly influential definitions of Pureblood, Halfblood, and Muggleborn. About the vast number of unwritten rules that marked Purebloods as insiders and Muggleborns as outsiders. About how in the otherwise highly secular Wizarding Britain, it was a horrible faux pas to take the Lord's name in vain, so most magicals used "Merlin!" and other such variations as generic expletives.
"Honestly," said Harry. "I only care about this stuff because ... well my birth father James Potter is from a very old Pureblood family. And in spite of all he's done to spurn me, I am still considered a son of his House. My godfather - Sirius Black - is also Lord of an equally old and Pureblood family, and in spite of his laissez faire attitude and general Gryffindor regard about these things, I want to keep up a good impression and not accidentally insult anyone important needlessly."
"Merlin... willing," she repeated while shaking her head. "That's going to take some getting used to."
"Certainly. That along with 'Circe's sake', 'Morgana's sake, 'Merlin's beard', and a few other swears that are much too bawdy to repeat in polite company."
"I see. Are there other major blunders I should avoid making? Bearing in mind that I don't plan on changing my principles just to appease bigots."
"Me neither. And like I said, I don't think most wizards care about etiquette unless you do something very offensive or the wizard is a Pureblood from a very old family, but better safe than sorry." Harry thought for a second. "Oh, here's a major one that's important to remember since we're First Years. Never raise your hand in class."
"What?!" Hermione said incredulously.
"Well, more specifically, never raise your hand in class unless you're asking the teacher a question or they have clearly asked for a volunteer, usually after someone else has tried to answer and flubbed it. Whenever the teacher first asks a question, he usually has someone specific that he plans on asking but is just giving the student a few seconds to prepare an answer. My mother was very specific about this. Apparently, when she was a First Year, she was treated as an outcast and couldn't figure out why, though one aspect as to why was plainly obvious. Finally, her best friend too pity and told her that raising her hand to answer every single question implied that she thought her classmates too stupid to know the answer."
"Wow," she said. "I would never have considered it like that if you hadn't explained it to me!" She blushed slightly. "Before Hogwarts, I went to a gifted school where classroom participation was a considerable part of the grade. I… I'd have made a complete fool of myself if I'd gone into Hogwarts with the same attitude."
Hermione looked down at the floor. It was a lot to take in. "Do you think, Har... Mr. Potter, that I'll be discriminated against because my parents are Muggles?"
Harry hesitated. "I'm ... not sure. Personally, I reckon I'll be treated like an outsider to some degree at the onset, and I will figure out how to react from there. I'm certain some people will be biased against both of us because of our heritage. Of course, not everyone will feel that way, and even the bigots will hopefully be somewhat restrained since their side lost the last war." Harry paused, his expression contemplative. "Have you thought about what House you want?"
"I was hoping for Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. Why? Do they have different attitudes towards Muggleborns?"
"Well, as far as I know, Ravenclaw House is the most academically focused, with an emphasis on traditionalism and quite the reputation for elitism, academic and otherwise. Hufflepuff House prides itself on tolerance and acceptance of all who make a concerted effort in whatever they do. However, they are often looked down upon by the other Houses for lacking standards. Silly really, since there have been more Ministers of Magic than from any other House. Surprisingly, my mum said that Muggleborns do best in Gryffindor House. The quintessential 'House of Rebels', they embrace Muggleborns and Hallfbloods with gusto, all in apparent desire to thumb their collective nose at bigoted Pureblood traditionalists. They have very little interest in formality and etiquette, so they'll be much more forgiving of minor social mistakes. As far as Slytherin House is concerned, a considerable number of Slytherins and their families followed the Dark Lord during the last war, and even the Dark Lord of the war before that. I am certain that some of their children will be among our peers, so I'd expect them to be hostile to Muggleborns and to the brother of the Boy-Who-Lived. It should be said that my mum was a Muggleborn Slytherin who was married to a pureblood Gryffindor, and is best friends with two other Slytherin Halfbloods and a Gryffindor pureblood. So, take this with a grain of salt." Hermione tilted her head in concentration, before giving him a firm nod.
"Well, thank you H- Mr. Potter. You've given me quite a lot to think about, and I appreciate your time. I'll go and find Nev- Mr. Longbottom, and see what luck he's had finding his missing toad." She turned at the door. "Mr. Potter, what books would you recommend to learn more about what we talked about?"
Harry gave another genuine smile, rattled off the name of three etiquette books Tom and Severus had gifted him. "If you find they don't have those in the Hogwarts library, let me know and I'll let you borrow mine."
"Thank you." She paused while trying to remember how the people in Pride and Prejudice spoke to one another. "And Mr. Potter, if I am not being presumptuous in my saying, I would be most honored if you would call me Hermione," she said with a nervous smile of her own.
Harry laughed, feeling oddly endeared to the girl. "You are not being presumptuous at all, Hermione. And I would be equally pleased if you called me Harry."
She nodded and left the compartment, as Harry returned to his etiquette book, pleased at having made his first tentative friendship. About fifteen minutes later, the door flew open and Jim entered, along with the red-headed boy Harry had seen on the platform.
"Oh, I didn't realize this was occupied." Jim gave Harry an odd look, while Harry stared blankly, completely unmoved. The staring contest continued for a few more moments, before Ron nervously interrupted.
"Um, hello, my name is Ron, Ron Weasley. I - um - wasn't aware Jim had a brother." Jim flashed Ron a particularly unfriendly look at that comment, causing Ron to swallow uncomfortably.
"And I'm Harry, Harry Potter." said Harry blandly. He gave a start as Jim snorted rather rudely, before barging in and taking the seat opposite Harry, with Ron awkwardly following behind.
"So, you're my brother?"
"Yes, I imagine that was obvious."
"Funny, I was told you were a squib and didn't have any magic, so how are you on the Express on your way to Hogwarts?" Harry internally bristled at Jim's rudeness, though he responded calmly.
"As you can see, I am not in fact a squib. I received a Hogwarts Letter just as you did, purchased my supplies, and I'm en route to Hogwarts, same as you." Jim snorted rudely and made to respond, before suddenly, the compartment doors opened again, and yet another person barged in. This one was a thin, blond boy with aristocratic features. Behind him out in the corridor stood two stocky boys, who would probably grow to formidable brutes within a few years.
"I was told that James Potter, Jr., the Boy-Who-Lived, was in this car," said the newcomer imperiously. "Is it really true?"
"He is," said Harry with some bemusement at the boy's presumptuousness. "And you are?
"Malfoy. Heir Draco Malfoy of the Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy." Both Jim and Ron sniggered at Draco's pomposity, but for the strangest reason, Draco focused his ire solely on Ron. "I can tell what family you belong to. Red hair. Freckles. Ghastly hand-me-down robes. Undoubtedly a Weasley," he sneered viciously.
Both Ron and Jim turned red in anger, while Harry's eyes narrowed. He recognized the name Malfoy and was quite shocked at Uncle Severus' godson behaving so rudely! Even more so as the scion of an important House. The oddly specific insults were also strange, considering Ron and Draco were previously unacquainted.
Completely ignoring Ron, Draco turned back to Harry but was surprised to finally notice that there were two very similar looking boys in the car. Hedging his bets towards the more respectably put-together one, he spoke to Harry: "So, are you James Potter?"
Harry shook his head and pointed at Jim who had stood up and moved threateningly close to Draco. "I'm Jim Potter, what's it to you?"
Draco made a placating gesture with his hands to ensure he meant no harm. "Potter, please. I apologize if I offended you in any way. But you're a national icon and the Heir to an Ancient and Noble House. You're obviously going to need help finding the right sort of friends. I can help steer you away from the wrong crowd." From Draco's posture, it was clear "the wrong crowd" included Ron, whose face twisted into a mask of anger.
"I can find the right sort of friend without your help, Death Eater," sneered Jim.
Draco's eyes narrowed, while Harry watched the display, idly wishing he'd brought popcorn with melted apple butter
"Well obviously, there is no possibility of me being a Death Eater since I'm only eleven years old. And if you're referring to my father, then you ought to remember that the Wizengamot - a panel of father's peers - found him not. guilty. So try to be more thoughtful, lest you wish to be sued for baseless slander."
"Oh, come off it, Malfoy!" said Ron contemptuously. "Your family is as Slytherin as they come, and there's never been a dark wizard who wasn't a slimy Slytherin, from You-Know-Who to Grindelwald all the way back to Salazar Slytherin himself."
"Well that is just ridiculous," interjected Harry, his expression completely placid. "Firstly, no one knows what house You-Know-Who was in or even if he went to Hogwarts, and Grindelwald definitely attended Durmstrang. And yes, while most of the convicted Death Eaters were Slytherins, there were also Death Eaters from other Houses. Barty Crouch Jr. and Antonin Dolohov were Ravenclaws. Besides, the worst Dark Lord to have ever attended Hogwarts was Emeric the Evil back in the 14th Century, and he proudly boasted that it was his Gryffindor nature that gave him the courage to defy all mundane standards of decency and morality."
The other boys gawked at Harry in various degrees of shock, and Jim stared at Harry as if he'd grown a second head.
"Uh… you sure know a lot about dark wizards Harry," said Ron nervously.
Harry shrugged. "It was all in The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts." He turned to look at Jim. "I bought it to read the section about yourself and You-Know-Who, but it had chapters on all the other major British dark wizards since the founding of Hogwarts. Admittedly, most were Slytherins, but Gryffindor and Ravenclaw have each had plenty of dark wizards, and even the Hufflepuffs have produced one in the last five centuries."
Draco stared at him in confusion. "Who are you? Since when has the Boy-Who-Lived had a twin brother?"
Harry stood up to look Draco in the eye. "Since birth, obviously. And you were mistaken earlier; I am Harry Potter, second-born son to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, oath-sworn Godson to Sirius Lord Black, reigning Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, and the Noble House of Lestrange. Now while I will not be as blunt as my brother, I must tell you, Mr. Malfoy, that you really have made a bad first impression. At this time I think it would be best if you gave us leave, lest things escalate more… unpleasantly."
Draco studied Harry carefully. "Alright then, so be it." Then, he left the compartment and headed down the corridor, his minions in tow. Jim turned to Harry, speaking in a slightly more polite tone than before.
"Well, that was impressive. You almost sounded like a library book. But do remember just who is the Heir, yeah? I can speak for myself and for my friend, especially when dealing with Death Eater spawn like Draco Malfoy." He spat the words viciously, sneering at the end of his statement.
Harry's head snapped towards Jim, and his eyes lit up as if he'd been slapped at the boy's rudeness. For his part, Jim just glared in equal measure at Harry, before turning to Ron to ask to play Exploding Snap. Nervously, Ron agreed.
Harry studied his brother as if examining a bug, wondering once more why his father had thrown him and his mother away, only to raise such an ungrateful brat. He quickly schooled his expression and made to take his leave, insisting that he needed to find a bathroom. "I assume this train has one if the ride is six hours long."
Jim gave him a particularly patronizing look before answering: "Oh yeah, we passed the restrooms on the way here. Just follow in the direction the three mini-Death Eaters went, pretty simple to do." He went back to the game while Ron gave Harry another uncomfortable glance.
"Thank you." Harry stepped past his brother and out the door, closing it behind him. He walked a few feet down the corridor, paused, and quietly crept back to the edge of the compartment, ear lightly pressed against the side of the door. Then, he listened.
"No offense mate, but… that was weird."
"I know. When he was a baby, Dad and Dumbledore thought he was going to be a squib, so Dad wanted to send him to live with Lily's muggle relatives, to make his life easier so he wouldn't be so jealous of me being magical. Apparently he and Lily took offense to my Dad 'being mean', so now she's taught Harry to blame my dad for whatever his problems are. Hopefully he gets over his issues soon because I can't really be bothered with a crybaby while we're in Gryffindor. He should be feeling lucky that he gets to go to Hogwarts, the guy's basically been a squib for most of his life. Whatever."
Quietly seething at Jim's temerity, Harry exhaled very slowly. He quickly turned and moved down the corridor and into the next car. Malfoy and his as-yet unnamed goons were up ahead. "Mr. Malfoy!" he called out.
Malfoy stopped and turned as Harry walked up to the trio, his face marred by a rather impressive scowl. "What do you want, Potter? I thought you'd made your feelings quite clear."
"I did. And, to be fair, Malfoy, you did make a poor first impression. Thankfully, I have learned the value of not making snap judgments based on first impressions. And while I am capable of deciding for myself whom the 'right sort of people' are, I will not be influenced by my father and brother's biases in the process. Now, I don't know yet where I'll be Sorted, but I hope you and I can maintain, at the very least, an amicable relationship regardless of our Sortings. If for nothing else, we do represent our respective families, you more so as the future of House Malfoy." Harry gave Draco a measured stare, as the boy pondered his words.
"I find it unlikely, Potter, that there can ever be an amiable association between a Slytherin and a Gryffindor." In a pique of genuine amusement Harry gently laughed, immediately reminded of the friendships between his mother, godfather, and Uncle Tom. In that moment, Harry resolved to show Draco all those possibilities.
"Then we're in luck, Malfoy. Though such associations can and do exist, it is highly unlikely that either of us is ever going to be a Gryffindor." And then, Harry stuck out his hand in a gesture of goodwill, and after a brief second of hesitation, Draco took it.
Some hours later at the Sorting Feast, the Sorting Hat gleefully whispered into Harry Potter's head. " Oh ho, another Evans within these halls! Most excellent news!" After some moments, it bellowed out...
"SLYTHERIN!"
AN 1: AAAAND WE MADE IT TO HOGWARTS! This chapter was quite a doozy, but we made it! There was quite a bit of source material used for PoS, but it made it much easier since I wanted the two scenes to be almost identical.
AN 2: Jim was inordinately rude to Harry, and the proceeding chapters will show why (thanks a lot James Potter!)
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