A Divergent Path

by Amber Esme Hermione

Our story begins with the moment Harry turns 11 years old, on the floor of the hut on the rock. A different stranger brandishing a thin stick faces down Uncle Vernon and his shotgun. This is the beginning of an entirely different future for Harry Potter. We will see the same faces, but different attitudes and a different introduction to the magical world. Minor changes in progress.

5. Platform Nine & Three Quarters

Chapter 5: The Journey from Platform Nine and Three Quarters

Part 1: August

After the first night Horatio's things had been moved to a room adjoining Draco's, which he could have sworn did not exist before he had moved into it. The family ran on a schedule which Horatio fit into well, since he was used to following all of Aunt Petunia's rules. The main difference was that Harry was not asked to clean anything and he was not shouted at, but he learned that Narcissa was particular about order and keeping the house clean. The hardest thing for him to fathom was that everyone seemed to like him and wanted to spend time with him as Horatio. Mornings were spent with Draco tending to the hippogriffs, though he gave Glimmer and her foal a wide birth. Buckbeak healed quickly, and Horatio was able to fly with him a few times without incident, but he also realized that Draco needed time with the creature on his own. At those times he would split his afternoons between members of the rest of the family. He could spend hours in the library with Bella and read, even some books about Harry Potter, which the shy girl could not believe he did not know about already. Stella was more likely found in the drawing room using the light to draw whatever caught her eye outside the window, or else be outside with a sketchbook on her knees. He would leaf through his schoolbooks, or books about Quidditch, or art history, or muggle and wizarding literature while the blond girl drew, asking his opinion when she had finished.

Lucius spent a lot of time at the Ministry of Magic, which was located somewhere in London, but even he found time to sit and talk with Harry as himself and as Horatio. Some days Harry would spend time with him and Aunt Cissy practicing everything he would need to be Horatio and Harry. He would practice writing with a quill and ink, training to use his left hand as much as his right. Narcissa would conduct conversations with him and with Draco, setting up situations where he might need to be either Harry or Horatio on a moment's notice. To study the people around him Lucius and Narcissa taught him how to play wizard's chess, and gave him the added task of developing different playstyles as his two personas. Horatio began to take shape on the chessboard as a tricky player, luring his opponent into openings, and then taking a piece he had left alone for a few moves to sweep the other player's piece aside. Harry was alternately defensive and offensive, using his pieces in tandem particularly his knights to move across the board protecting each other and attacking the opponent's pieces in turn.

Severus visited as often as he could, one day he even took Horatio to an oculis aegris, a healer who specialized in eye care. After several diagnostic spells were cast over him, Horatio had been handed a pair of eyeglasses with frames that could adjust to fit his attire, and his personal preference. Severus even had additional charms placed upon them to make them unbreakable and make them harder to be knocked off his face. Privately, Harry thought the additional charms were a good idea, since he was prone to strange accidents even before he knew he was a wizard.

Some evenings he would sit on the porch with his owl Hedwig perched on his knee, and watch the lanterns come on as the sky darkened to twilight. She had met him as Horatio, but if he were sitting in his room with his glamor dispelled, or practicing being Harry she would swoop into an open window and sit on his shoulder. It never failed to put a smile on his face when she did this, because he knew that no matter how he looked she would be able to find him. Two weeks before term Narcissa had gone to London to pick up a few things and returned with two eagle owls. She had given one to Draco and the other to Horatio. Her explanation had been that a snowy owl would stand out, and if she brought packages and letters to Harry and Horatio people would begin to suspect something was amiss. So, they had named them Castor and Pollux, and for almost a week Hedwig ignored his existence, until he finally convinced her Pollux was not replacing her. Then she had to learn to seek him out only as Harry, so she stayed in his room unless she was out hunting.

The last day of August brought Severus into the house while the family was having lunch. The Potions Master strode into the bright kitchen and paused beside the table, "I apologize for the intrusion, but I would like to speak to my nephew in private."

Narcissa nodded, wiping her mouth with a cloth napkin she swallowed, "You're excused from the table Horatio. Severus, will you join us for lunch?"

"No, I cannot stay long I am afraid, but thank you for the offer."

Horatio stood and followed Severus from the room. He grinned at his godfather, "I assumed you would be far too busy to visit before term began, Uncle Sev."

"Normally, that might be the case, but I have something for you. I also approve of the square-framed glasses for Horatio by the way."

Horatio adjusted his glasses and nodded, "Thank you for the special frames." He grinned ruefully and picked at imaginary lint on his sweater before adding, "I do not require another gift Uncle Sev, but I will gratefully accept nonetheless."

Severus pulled out a necklace on a long chain, suspended from it was a tiny hourglass. He held it gingerly so the pendent did not turn and began to explain, "This is a Time Turner, it is a localized time travel device created by The Department of Mysteries, a branch of the Ministry of Magic. It contains an hour reversal charm which can transport the witch or wizard who wears it back one hour for each time they turn over the hourglass. The farthest back a person can travel at once without harm to themselves is twelve hours. If you use this you will be able to attend Hogwarts for your schooling as Harry and as Horatio, but you must promise me that you will tell no one that you have it, except perhaps Draco, and only because you have shared with him your secret. Professor McGonagall acquired it for you and is claiming to the Ministry that she is using it for research into the effects of time on Transfiguration magic."

Horatio blinked, surprised by the amount of information that had just been given to him. He looked at the trinket in his godfather's outstretched hand, and up into his grave expression, "What will happen if I turn back more than twelve hours?"

Snape winced, "Catastrophic damage to you, or to time itself. There is a recorded case of a witch accidently traveling to 1402 who aged over five centuries upon her return. She unfortunately died in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries as a result, but the damage was not localized to her alone. The following week showed days traveling faster or slower than they should, and she impacted the lives of several people she met, causing at least twenty of their descendants not to be born." At Horatio's dismayed expression he placed his free hand on the boy's shoulder, "That is the most extreme example on record. It should be safe so long as you do not travel outside the bounds of the safe period."

"Right," Horatio said, "So, no traveling back to before I was born and warning my parents not to trust that Sirius Black fellow you told me about?"

"Unfortunately, not," Severus said in a pained voice.

"I'm sorry Uncle Sev," Horatio said quietly, "I was only giving an example…"

Severus nodded before continuing, "There is one more thing you should consider. Normally a witch or wizard using a Time Turner must take great care not to run into their past or future selves by mistake. This will be unavoidable in your case because your two selves may come into frequent contact in the corridors, at meals in the Great Hall, in shared classes and the like. Your challenge will be not to react to seeing yourself because for all intents and purposes you will be different people. Additionally, you must take care to prevent people from observing Horatio where Harry should be or vice versa. For instance, if your personas are sorted into separate houses you will need to ensure that Harry is not seen in the Ravenclaw common room if he is actually a Slytherin student."

Finally taking the necklace, Horatio slipped it around his neck along with is mokeskin pouch. He looked thoughtfully at the little hourglass before asking, "So if I turn back to an hour ago, will I be standing here with you, or will I be upstairs in my room looking at myself reading Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?"

Severus smiled, "An excellent question, you will be exactly where you are standing now, only one hour in the past."

"When is the first time I will need to use this?"

"Tomorrow, after your sorting and the feast, I can meet you outside the entrance to your house common room and can take you to my office under a disillusionment charm as before. You could turn back the required hours to give yourself time to board the Hogwarts Express at eleven o'clock. I could take you to King's Cross from the castle."

"I appreciate your help after my first journey, but will you not be busy in the morning?" Horatio furrowed his brow in concern.

"I might be otherwise occupied on final arrangements for the students to arrive, or preparations for my lessons, but I would take the time to transport you."

Horatio shook his head, "No Uncle Sev, I have a better idea. Why don't I ask Woody to meet me in your office at ten o'clock, then he could take me back to the station."

Severus tilted his head in thought, and recalled Lucius words from almost a month previous, 'Then let us help you, Severus'. He nodded to his godson, "That is a good plan if he will consent to help. You should also ask him to transport you from whichever house you are sorted into first." He watched Horatio slide the hourglass beneath his shirt and asked, "Do you know which of your identities you will go to Hogwarts as first tomorrow?"

"I will go as Horatio first," the boy said confidently, "If Harry Potter is half as famous as the books I've been reading make me out to be, I am disinterested in having my first experience at Hogwarts be complicated by people asking me loads of questions about the night Vol—" he noticed Severus clench his left fist again, "—sorry, You-Know-Who tried to kill me."

"A wise plan Mister Prince but remember your classmates will be curious about your childhood and family. Do you remember what we discussed for Horatio's early life?"

Horatio recited, "My birthday is February 21st 1980, I was the only child of Julian and Irene Gibson, they died in a car crash when we were on holiday when I was three, and I don't really remember much about them. After that I was raised by my grandfather, who gave me my mother's maiden name. He was a squib though I did not know that at the time, and never told me I could be a wizard. He was rather cruel to me when I displayed the first signs of magical ability, because he resented me having the power that he nor my mother were born with. He died this summer from cancer, which is a muggle sickness, and it was only after his death that you found out about me Uncle Severus."

"Just, try not to recite it out like that." Severus considered the boy in front of him, "Let them learn bits and pieces along the way, and if you give a detail you have not listed before, make a note of it somewhere so you can keep your history consistent. It also strikes me as odd that he would give you your mother's maiden name, a magical family name, but then be resentful toward you for showing magic"

Horatio grinned, "Actually, I didn't show magic until I was six. So, I was already Horatio Prince by then."

"Really?" Severus quirked an eyebrow, "and how did your magic first present?"

"Well, I was at home and climbing a tree in the back garden, and I lost my footing, I fell but it felt like I was landing on soft pillows. When I looked up, he was limping toward me with his cane, and as he drew nearer his face transformed from worry to anger. I thought I was just in trouble for climbing the tree, but nothing was ever the same after that." Horatio sighed heavily.

Severus glanced over at the clock on the mantle and scowled, "Now, I am nearly an hour late for that meeting McGonagall called for the heads of house."

Horatio pulled the chain from inside his shirt, "Can this only transport me, or could we go back a couple hours, so you won't be late, and we won't be standing here having this discussion?"

"I suppose that could work, but you will have to stay out of sight, or you might spot yourself, or confuse other members of the family if they spot two of you."

"It will be good practice, Uncle Sev. Besides, I will just go pester Uncle Lucius in his study, we can play a game of wizard chess."

The Potion's Master sighed in resignation, "Oh alright then, but you will have to put it around my neck as well." He stooped to allow the boy to do just that.

Horatio lifted the long chain and draped it over his godfather's neck as well as his own, carefully he turned the hourglass over once, twice, and watched as the shapes around them blurred for a moment. He blinked and they were standing exactly where they had been, only it was two hours before they had started speaking. Horatio beamed as Severus ducked out of the chain.

"Thank you, Horatio, and remember to go back to lunch to finish your meal a few minutes after we began speaking, but above all do not allow yourself to be seen by your past self or another member of the household."

"I understand and I won't forget. Uncle Sev, don't forget to go to your meeting, or Professor McGonagall will be cross with us."

Severus chuckled, "Indeed, and Minerva McGonagall is not a woman to be crossed, I can tell you that as her former student and her colleague." He crossed to the fireplace and took a pinch of powder from the silver pot on the mantle. Sprinkling the powder in the hearth, he stepped into the green flames and said, "Spinner's End" before being whisked away.

Horatio tucked the Time Turner out of sight and headed to Lucius office, making a mental note to ask Woody if he could help him tomorrow.

Part 2: September 1st (Horatio)

After breakfast with the whole family Horatio returned to his bedroom to double checked his two trunks, each engraved with his initials. Behind them two cages sat on his desk, arranged so that Hedwig's cage was behind Harry's trunk, and Pollux's cage was behind Horatio's. One set of amber eyes and another set of orange ones looked back at him in reproach. Hedwig seemed especially annoyed because she had been taught that Pollux was meant to be with him while he was disguised. He sighed as he approached his two feathery friends and was about to speak to them when there was a knock at the door. Turning on his heel he glanced in the mirror to make sure his glamour was in place and asked, "Who is it?"

"Aunt Cissy," Narcissa called softly through the door, "May I come in?"

Horatio smiled, crossing the room, and opening the door for her, "Of course you can."

Narcissa was already wearing muggle attire for the trip to the station. She wore a jade green silk blouse with a loose beige skirt, and a purple scarf was around her neck. Her blue eyes swept the room as she assessed the general tidiness in which he had left it. Turning to Horatio she said, "Remember as soon as you are able exit your house common room and Severus will take you back to his office so you can turn back. I will find a place for you to appear at King's Cross with Woody, where I will be waiting with your second trunk." Drawing her wand from the handbag she was also carrying, Narcissa jabbed it at Harry's trunk, shrinking it down so it would fit in her hand. Lifting the miniscule trunk, she placed it gently into her handbag for safe keeping. Narcissa swished her wand through the air and flicked it at Horatio's trunk which lifted off the ground, and directed it to hover at her side, "Woody will return here for Hedwig, I doubt she would appreciate the treatment I just gave to Harry's trunk."

He laughed, going over to tentatively poke his fingers into her cage, "She would definitely not be keen on that idea." The snowy owl nipped him; a bit harder than she would have normally. He winced pulling his fingers back and said, "I'm sorry, I wish I could take you both with me now." She ruffled her feathers indignantly.

Turning back to Narcissa he asked, "How are we going to travel to King's Cross anyway?"

"Our first stop will be the Leaky Cauldron, which we will be reaching by the floo network. You and Draco will go with Lucius at that point, and I will disaparate to go meet Harry at 10 o'clock. You three will come in a Ministry of Magic car provided due to Lucius connections."

"Wow, I knew Uncle Lucius spent a lot of time at the Ministry, but I didn't realize he was so important."

"It is not so much about Lucius own importance, and more because he knows the right people." Narcissa turned, directing Horatio's trunk toward the door, "now do not forget to grab Pollux."

Hedwig clicked her beak in annoyance as he lifted his eagle-owl's cage, "It's alright Hedwig, I will be back for you, I promise." The snowy owl shuffled on her perch so her back was to him. Horatio sighed, looking over he asked, "Aunt Cissy, could Woody bring me here before we go to King's Cross, so I can come get her myself?"

Narcissa reached out to smooth his hair back and said, "Of course you can, I will inform him of the change when I speak with him."

Horatio hugged her impulsively but briefly, "Thank you Aunt Cissy."

After a stomach-churning sooty trip through the floo network Horatio stepped out into the dark pub. Wiping his glasses clean on the hem of his t-shirt, he looked around. Not much had changed since he first walked through the establishment with Severus; the same bartender was cleaning glasses, and he even recognized the faces of a couple of the women chatting at one of the tables. Narcissa was already gone, but he spotted Lucius levitating his and Draco's trunks to rest beside the door. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Draco grinning at him. "I got a letter from my friend Theo this morning, asking us to meet him here so he can travel with us to King's Cross. His father and mine are old friends, so we hung out together a lot as kids"

"Cool," Horatio asked, "what's his surname?"

Draco smirked, "Nott, Theodore Nott."

Horatio grinned, "I see why he goes by Theo."

Draco rolled his eyes, "Trust me, Theodore is not as bad as some of the names you'll see on the old family trees. Mother's aunt for example, her name was Walburga Black."

Horatio frowned, "Black you say, any relation to Sirius Black?"

"Yeah, sorry to bring the family up…" Horatio waved away the apology as Draco continued, "she was his mother."

Horatio blinked, "So Aunt Cissy and Sirius Black are cousins?"

"Yep but most of the old wizarding families are related, remember?" The fire flared green once more, and a slim boy with black hair stumbled out of the hearth, clutching a trunk that had been stood on its end so he could hold onto it. Draco and Horatio reached out immediately to steady the boy, "Hey Theo."

The boy straightened, "I should have known it would be you helping me not land on my face." He turned and looked politely puzzled at the appearance of another person, "and thank you for your assistance as well stranger."

Horatio stretched out his hand, "Happy to help, I'm Horatio Prince, by the way."

"Theodore Nott, but call me Theo," he shook the proffered hand as he mulled over the name, "Prince, Prince? The only other Prince I know of is Professor Snape—"

"That would be my uncle," Horatio brushed some stray ash from his jacket, "he is my legal guardian, but that is a long story…"

Theo nodded, "There will be plenty of time to swap stories on the train."

"Ah, good to see you've arrived Theo," Lucius joined the three boys. Drawing his wand, he levitated Theo's trunk with a swish and flick as he continued, "The Ministry car is out front waiting for us."

"Good morning Mister Malfoy," Theo inclined his head, "Thank you for allowing me to travel with your family to board the train."

"It's no trouble at all," Lucius beckoned for the boys to follow, "I trust you've been properly introduced to Horatio?"

"I have, yes sir."

Setting the trunk down on the ground Lucius stowed his wand. A man wearing an emerald velvet uniform joined him and lifted the trunk with a grunt of effort. Lucius nodded to the man in thanks and opened the door for him. Stepping out into the sunlight the group was led to a nondescript dark green sedan. The driver slid the trunk into the boot, where it fit easily beside Horatio and Draco's luggage which had already been stowed. Lucius himself sat up front in the passenger seat, and the driver opened the back door for the three boys. As he slid across the back seat to the far side, Horatio noted that the owls' cages were sitting on the floor.

"I take it those are yours?" Theo asked, examining the two birds. "Merlin, how can you tell them apart? They look almost identical."

Horatio pointed to the one on the left, "That's Castor, he's Draco's owl and his feathers are a bit darker than Pollux."

Relaxing into the meddle seat Draco quipped, "I think Castor is more handsome."

"You prat," Theo laughed, "they're both fine birds."

"They are," Horatio agreed, shoving Draco's right shoulder playfully, "but we all know Draco just wishes he could have fit Beaky into that cage."

Draco shook his head, "No way, Beaky would hate that."

"I agree with Prince," Theo smirked at Draco, "His point was that you wish you could be bringing Buckbeak to school."

The blond sighed heavily, "Something tells me I will never win with you two around."

"Probably not," Theo agreed, gesturing to the front seat, "So where is your Mother?"

"She helped father get us and our stuff to the Leaky Cauldron, and then went home to be with Stella and Bella."

"I thought it might be something like that," the slim boy shook his head, "how old are they now, nine?"

"I wish," Draco snorted, "they're ten, which means I have one year of peace before they are first-years and constantly pestering me."

Horatio adjusted his glasses, "You are winging for nothing, we all know you won't mind helping your sisters if they ask."

"You know, he's right about that," Theo mused, "but not many people would know that about you." Looking past Draco, he asked, "So am I right in thinking that you stayed with the Malfoys for at least some of the summer?"

He nodded, "I did, Uncle Sev was going back and forth a lot between his home and Hogwarts because of teaching obligations."

"So, did you live with him before?" Theo furrowed his brow in confusion, I never remember anyone mentioning that he had a sibling, much less a nephew."

Horatio picked at his sweater before answering, "I lived with my maternal grandfather…" Trailing off for a moment he looked out the window before meeting the boy's eyes, "Until this June, when he died… "

Theo soberly met Horatio's gaze, "I'm sorry about your grandfather."

Remembering Narcissa's lessons Horatio thought back to a sad memory so his face would take on the appropriate countenance. He remembered being locked in his cupboard and the sound of the family laughing and chatting at some dinner party. Instead of simply saying thank you and leaving it at that he said, "He wasn't very nice to me…"

Theo looked away and hunched his shoulders, "I can understand that…"

Draco lent subtly against Theo's shoulder in silent support. The blond glanced at Horatio, asking with his eyes if he was ok.

Horatio nodded reassuringly before continuing, "Uncle Sev found out about me, and decided to take care of me after that. He was actually my mother's cousin, which would make him my… second cousin I think." He shrugged in a confused sort of way, "but I call him uncle because it makes more sense with him being my guardian. He even took me to get my Hogwarts stuff at the end of July. We ran into the Malfoys at Olivander's, and after Draco got his wand, we went to spend some time at the Manor."

"It was my suggestion that Horatio stay with us," Draco added.

The corners of Theo's lips quirked into a smile, "Maybe next summer I can stay too; like I did when I was younger."

All three boys lapsed into companionable silence as the London traffic passed by their windows. Horatio noticed that the Ministry cars drove very smoothly and would have made even Vernon jealous. They could squeeze through gaps that his company car certainly could not have, and they seemed to always be at the head of ques for traffic lights. When they arrived, the driver maneuvered the car into a parking space at the side of the road and got out to go into the station. As the boys climbed out with their owls in tow, the man returned pushing a trolley for their luggage. After helping load the three heavy trunks onto the trolley, he saluted to Lucius and returned to his car which magically skipped ahead to the first spot at the traffic light.

Lucius lead the way into the station, pushing the heavily laden trolley. The bustling area was packed with Muggles, Draco and Horatio received some funny looks from passersby since they were carrying two owls in cages. After leaving the car Theo's mood seemed to clear, and he walked along side Draco with Horatio on the blond boy's other side. Glancing around Horatio noticed they were approaching platform nine, when Lucius stopped shortly behind a red-haired family. Three boys stood around a plump woman, who had a girl about Bella and Stella's age on her arm. Horatio and the others were near enough to overhear a bit of the family's conversation.

The woman said, "Fred you next." Horatio wondered, did that mean another child had already gone through the gateway? How many children does she have?

One of a set of identical twins scoffed, "I'm not Fred I'm George! Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother, can't you tell I'm George?"

Uncle Lucius muttered, "… many children for your own good…"

"Sorry, George dear—" the woman apologized.

The boy cracked a smile, "I'm only joking, I am Fred." He pushed his trolley toward the barrier between the two platforms.

His twin called, "Oy, Fred hurry up!" and the next moment the first twin disappeared, with his brother fast on his heels. The plump woman sent her youngest son along next and followed with the girl clutching her arm. Horatio watched each of them walk toward the barrier and vanish before reaching it. He reminded himself, that must be what it looks like when someone enters Diagon Alley from behind The Leaky Cauldron.

"Father, who was that?" Draco asked.

"Molly Weasley," Lucius glanced up at the large clock overhead, "I didn't think she would get her brood through the barrier before the train left."

"I heard her say, you next, when she was talking to the first twin," Horatio asked, "How many children do they have?"

"I'm afraid I've lost count…" Lucius frowned.

Draco snickered, but Theo said, "Sometimes, I wish I had a brother or sister, but that was a lot of children…"

Lucius shrugged, "Now that the children appear to be nearly school age or older Molly could find something more to contribute; perhaps, she could take up a part-time job at a shop or something."

"Mother doesn't work either," Draco frowned at his father.

"I would not say that. Your Mother works quite a lot taking care of you, Bella, Stella, and now Horatio has been staying with us, not to mention our herd." Lucius shook his head, "I am not saying that there is anything wrong with being a stay at home mother, nor am I saying that doing so is not a full time job in itself, only that it makes it hard for Arthur to provide for his family being the sole breadwinner." He tilted his head toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten saying, "Now will one of you walk calmly toward the barrier as you saw the Weasleys do and try not to draw attention to yourselves."

Theo, who was the least conspicuous without an owl, turned and squared his narrow shoulders before walking toward the barrier and disappearing like the rest. Horatio and Draco looked at one another and Lucius said, "Draco" so his son adjusted the cage in his arms—his face did look rather pale, maybe he was more nervous than he appeared—and vanished a second later. Horatio swallowed and before Uncle Lucius could speak to him, he walked briskly forward, shutting his eyes in preparation for an impact that never came.

A scarlet steam engine was waiting beside a platform that was packed with people. A sign overhead read, "Hogwarts Express 11 o'clock". Horatio looked behind him to see a wrought iron archway with, "Platform Nine and Three Quarters" written on it. As he watched Lucius appeared striding through the archway pushing their luggage. Draco and Theo were standing just a little way off looking wide-eyed around at all the hustle and bustle around them. Lucius smiled at the obvious wonder on the three boys faces.

"Come, let us find you three a compartment."

Smoke from the engine billowed over the heads of the chattering crowed, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Castor and Pollux hooted to other owls in a disgruntled sort of way. The first few carriages were already full of students, some hanging out of the windows to talk to their families, others fighting over seats. A boy with dreadlocks carrying a box in his hands, was surrounded by a knot of classmates. He opened it a crack in response to one of his audience asking, "Give us a look, Lee?" A hairy leg poked out of the box to gasps and squeals from the onlookers. Horatio thought he caught a glimpse of a familiar profile with untidy black hair, green eyes, and glasses, but he quickly averted his attention.

"This looks promising," Lucius said, stopping beside a compartment that was mostly empty. Two girls were sitting inside, one had blond hair tied up in pigtails, and the other had straight black hair. "Would you two mind sharing with my son and his friends?"

"Oh no Mister Malfoy, we don't mind." The raven-haired girl smiled politely, "I'm Susan, Susan Bones, and my auntie talks about you." She indicated her friend, "This is Hannah Abbott."

"Your Aunt would be Madam Bones then, she is quite an extraordinary witch, and I am sure you will be too." Drawing his wand from the cane he had tucked under his arm, Lucius levitated each of the trunks up into the luggage racks. The girl beamed with pride at his praise and scooted over to share a bench with Hannah. He swept his eyes over the three boys, "Now you three be polite guests, or I'm sure I'll hear about it from Madame Bones."

Theo snickered, "Oh I'm always the perfect gentlemen, but I can't speak for those two, especially Prince since I've only just met him."

"Prince?" Susan asked in interest.

Horatio nodded, "Yes, Horatio Prince." He climbed up onto the train and slid toward the window seat across from the blond girl. Glancing up he noticed a couple of hooks suspended beneath the luggage rack and stood hooking the loop at the top of Pollux cage through one. The owl blinked his fiery orange eyes at him before resting his head beneath his wing to block out the sunlight streaming through the window of the compartment. Horatio smiled and settled across from the girl called Hannah who grinned shyly at him.

Draco settled between him and Theo again, and glancing up spotted the same row of hooks, "Horatio you're a genius." He stood and began to secure Castor's cage in similar fashion. The owl hooted at him indignantly and ruffled his feathers. By the time Draco had settled again a whistle blew at the front of the train, and there was a scramble as students rushed to board, and their families surged forward for last hugs, kisses, and words of farewell. Draco stood, looking out the window for a last glimpse of his father, spotting him they exchanged a wave and a smile as the train lurched into motion. Then the train rounded a corner and the platform was lost from view.

Houses flashed past the windows as the train gathered speed, the steady rocking motion making the two cages sway slightly. Draco settled back into his seat with a sigh and said, "Sorry about my father, he's always trying to find advantageous situations, no matter what the social encounter."

Susan smiled, "It's alright, I get that a lot when people realize my auntie is Madame Amelia Bones."

Draco shrugged, "Still, I bet what you hear at home about my family isn't very nice, not that you have to say mind you, but we don't have the best reputation."

Susan tucked her dark hair behind her ears, "Well, I know a lot of people think your family served He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named willingly, but my Auntie says that anyone who willingly served someone so evil must be evil themselves, or they wanted a bit of his power. She thinks at least some of his followers were simply too frightened of him to stand up to him. You and your father don't seem to be cruel or unkind people from what I've seen, which means you're not evil in my book. So, I think your family fell in that third set."

Horatio noticed that Theo was hunching down in his seat again. Draco must have noticed too because he nudged him with his shoulder before turning back to Susan, "I'm sorry I know I brought the subject up, but can we talk about something else?"

"Sure," she agreed readily, turning to Horatio, she asked, "So Prince is it, I thought there weren't any Princes left."

Horatio nodded, "Yes, my mother was of the Prince line, but…" He paused casting his eyes down before muttering, "she… she was… a squib."

"Oh," Hannah said, wincing sympathetically, "is that why Mister Malfoy brought you to the train station?"

He shook his head, "No, he was doing it as a favor for my uncle."

"Who is your uncle?" Susan asked keenly.

Horatio grinned, "Professor Severus Snape."

"Of course," Susan said, "he'd be busy today—"

The door to the compartment slid open, "Oh, sorry." The youngest Weasley boy stopped in the doorway. He was tall and gangly with big hands and feet, and there was a smudge at the end of his long nose, "I was looking for a seat, but—"

"I suppose we could make room," Susan offered, glancing toward Hannah.

"What, is, that?" Draco asked pointing. It took Horatio a moment to realize he was pointing at a lump in the redhead's pocket. There was a long bald tail protruding from a hole in his plaid overshirt.

The boy covered his pocket with his free hand, his ears turning scarlet, "Scabbers, my pet rat."

Across from Horatio, Hannah cringed away from the newcomer, "Eww… I didn't know people could bring rats as pets?"

"Well the three listed pets on the school list are just guidelines," Susan mused, putting an arm around Hannah. To the boy she said, "I'm sorry what was your name?"

"Um, Ron Weasley," he gingerly tucked his rat's tail back into the hole in his pocket, "I'll just, go find somewhere else to sit."

"That is probably for the best," Susan nodded encouragingly, "but it was nice to meet you, Ron."

"Bye," he closed the door, hiding his still flushed face as he moved on down the corridor.

"Honestly," Draco scoffed, "if Buckbeak were here, he'd eat that rat."

"I'm just glad it's gone…" Hannah cringed.

"We'll be using rats quite a lot in potions," Horatio said kindly, "at least that's what I've read in our schoolbooks."

Hannah sighed, "I know, I don't mind them like that…" She widened her eyes and held her fingers up to imitate whiskers, "It's just their beady little eyes, and their twitchy noses, and their worm-like tails…"

Draco laughed not unkindly, "Then what are you going to do if a potion calls for two rat tails or something?"

She dropped her hands, "I'll just imagine I'm back home cooking with my mother and pretend it's something else." Even she laughed a bit at herself, glancing about for something to say she asked, "So who's Buckbeak? Is that your owl?" She pointed to the cage over Draco's head.

"Oh, now you've done it," Horatio grinned.

"No, no," Draco snorted, "That's Castor, Buckbeak is one of my family's hippogriffs—" and he was off explaining all about the herd, the ritual of greeting, and general care of hippogriffs. The train carried them out of London as Draco spoke enthusiastically about one of his favorite subjects. Horatio sat back watching as fields of cows and horses flashed passed. He looked around when Draco said, "and Horatio's glasses flew off, but he managed to hold onto Buckbeak's neck—" Hannah had her hands over her mouth and Susan was listening intently, even Theo had turned in his seat to face Draco, "Then mother and father summoned brooms from the shed, and I ran to grab mine. They stunned Snow Fire and I flew up to try to get Beaky down. That's when I noticed Horatio's arm was bleeding."

Horatio shook his head, "I didn't even know I was hurt until you said something about it…"

"Really?" Hannah lowered her hands and stared at him, "how could you not know?"

"It happens," Theo shrugged, "sometimes your body just doesn't tell your brain its hurt to protect itself."

Susan frowned in concern but did not say anything.

Hannah asked, "So then what happened, did you get down alright? Was Beaky hurt?" her cheeks went pink when she realized she used Draco's nickname for his pet.

Draco nodded, "I don't know how they did it, but Horatio held on long enough for Beaky to get to the ground. Then he kind of fell into Mum's arms, and I saw Dad coming over too, but I was focused on Beaky after that."

"That's understandable," Susan picked up the questioning for her flustered friend, "was he hurt very badly?"

"He had some slashes, but I patched him up as best I could. It took me a while though to calm him down."

Susan asked, "What happened to you Horatio?"

"Well," he thought back to those moments in the sky and afterwards. There were some things he would be able to tell them and others he would have to leave out. "I wasn't hurt too badly because Buckbeak had seen the attack coming, and he flipped us over at the last moment. Aunt Cissy fixed me up with the healer's kit." He pulled up his left sleeve and showed the back of his forearm, "See there's not even a scar to show for it." The two girls leaned forward to examine his arm.

Hannah had recovered enough to respond, "She must be a good healer then."

"Yeah, she's the best," Draco praised, "I remember one time when…" he trailed off shaking his head. "Well it's not my story to tell."

There was a clattering outside in the corridor, and the compartment slid open once more. A smiling dimpled witch poked her head in, "Anything off the trolley dears?"

"Oh, yes please," Draco stood up reaching into his pocket for his money bag, "How about a bit of everything for us to share?" He asked the witch politely.

"Oh, you don't have to Draco," Hannah said.

"Of course, I do, we are supposed to be good company or Father will hear about it." He grinned nudging Horatio and Theo with his foot, "Cough up, we're going to all be gentlemen and buy our hosts some refreshment."

Hannah giggled, and Susan turned pink this time. The two dark-haired boys laughed at Draco's teasing, and pulled out their own coins to contribute. When the witch handed back their purchases Draco handed around bottles of chilled pumpkin juice to each of the others and dumped the sweets on the seat between the two girls, insisting they help themselves first. Hannah eagerly hunted through the pile of sweets and pulled out a pack of chocolate frogs.

"Mmm chocolate," she said, "and there's a prize inside. What's not to like?"

"Thanks Draco, "Susan took a cauldron cake as she explained, "Hannah has loads of the cards, do any of you collect them? Her Mum and my Auntie were friends at school, so we practically grew up together." Unwrapping her sweet she continued, "She even has a couple of those binders that muggles keep their trading cards in, you know like for their sports teams and other things?"

Thinking back to his cousin Horatio said, "I bet that keeps them all organized, I knew muggle kids who used to trade all sorts of things for rare cards." He asked, "Hannah may I have one of the frogs?"

She smiled and passed it over, "You could start collecting the cards too, you know."

Draco had told him about all the wizard sweets of course, but they had waited for him to try them on the Hogwarts Express. Now that the moment was here Horatio was eager to share this experience with his new friends and Draco. He unwrapped his first chocolate frog, pealing back the foil he picked up the frog-shaped chocolate, and shrugged before biting off its head. The rich flavor of chocolate—a treat he so rarely had with the Dursleys—filled his mouth. He savored the rest of the sweet before turning his attention to the card. The image was blank above the title Merlin.

Horatio held up the card, "I suppose the cards can go visit each other, like the subjects of paintings in the same house?"

"Oh yes," Susan agreed, "it's just like that."

"Well, I don't know if any of you are aware," He explained, "but Muggle pictures are stationary, they never move or anything like that."

"Really?" the raven-haired girl asked, "how fascinating, it must have been a shock when you moved in with your uncle to see pictures move then."

Horatio laughed, "Yeah, lots of things were, but in a good way."

Hannah glanced at her own card, "Oh its Dumbledore again, I have at least three of him, would you like it?" She held out the card to Horatio, her eyes already glancing to the small pile of chocolate frogs on the seat between her and Susan.

"Sure," Horatio started a small stack of cards, occasionally looking through the pictures to see what their occupants were doing.

Draco asked, "She didn't hear a word you said about the pictures, did she?"

Susan suppressed a laugh, "Probably not."

Hannah looked up from her second card, "What?"

"Nothing Hannah," Susan reassured, squeezing the blond girl affectionately.

There was a knock at the door of the compartment, and a stout blond boy about their age entered, "Sorry for the intrusion," he said a bit pompously, "I'm Earnest, Ernie, Macmillan." He spotted the blond girl, "Oh hi Hannah."

"Hi Ernie," Hannah waved and asked in an amused voice. "What brings you here?"

"Apart from wanting to meet new people, I heard a rumor that Harry Potter is on the train and wanted to make his acquaintance." His gaze lingered on Theo.

Theo shook his head, "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not The-Boy-Who-Lived, just Theodore Nott."

"Ah," Ernie extended a pudgy hand, "still a pleasure to meet you, Theodore."

"Call me Theo," he shook the newcomer's hand. "You already know Hannah, so you probably know Susan, this is Draco Malfoy, and by the window is Horatio Prince." He indicated each of the boys in turn.

"So is Harry Potter really on the train?" Hannah asked.

Susan looked thoughtful, "It would be about the right time wouldn't it? You know, from the time he defeated You-Know-Who?"

Ernie lowered his voice conspiratorially, "You know, no one knows why he survived that night. I wonder if he remembers it…"

"Oh Ernie," Hannah's blue eyes filled with unshed tears, "please, if you meet him, don't ask him about that. Do you really think he'd want reminding about that today?"

"Oh, of course not," Ernie backpaddled, "I wasn't going to ask him… I was simply curious." Hannah wiped her eyes and he looked relieved. "So, are any of you interested in joining me, to go extend the hand of friendship at least?"

Horatio spoke up, "I doubt he'd want to be gawked at by all of us at once though."

Susan chewed her bottom lip, "Horatio has a point, maybe only a couple of us should go?"

"Or" Draco suggested, "we could wait and meet him when we all get to Hogwarts?"

Theo raised an eyebrow, "Wouldn't your father want you to try to meet him, to make a good impression?"

"I'm sure he would," Draco lounged in the seat, "but I'm not going to go looking in every compartment for The-Boy-Who-Lived."

"I suppose you have a point," Ernie drummed his fingers on the compartment door as he thought. "I still would like to meet him and offer to be a friend to him. So, I am going to keep searching if you all will excuse me." He stepped out of the compartment sliding the door closed behind him.

"Wow," Theo said when he was gone, "stubborn that one?"

"Yeah, Ernie can be a little…" Hannah trailed off.

"Pompous?" Draco asked and rolled his eyes, "I thought my father was overly formal at times…"

"He can be," said Horatio and Theo together then looked past Draco at each other in surprise, Hannah and even Susan giggled. Draco looked torn between laughing and being offended; he settled on humor and snorted in amusement.

Draco picked up a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and opened it, "Horatio, try one of these," offering the open end he cautioned. "But be careful because they mean Every flavor."

Reaching his hand cautiously into the bag, Horatio chose a pinkish orange bean and nibbled it, "Wow, you weren't kidding, that's salmon flavored."

The country grew wilder outside the window as the quintet ate their way through most of the sweets; neat fields and lanes giving way to deep forests and wilderness. Horatio proposed a game, where each took a turn to choose a bean and taste it, before passing it around for the others to try. The five friends laughed and teased each other as they sampled; salmon, peppermint, blueberry, marshmallow, black pepper, grass, toast, pumpkin, and Horatio was even brave enough to try a yellow-green one the others would not touch; which turned out to be snot flavored.

There was a knock at the door before it slid open. An older boy with horn-rimmed glasses and flaming red hair poked his head into the compartment, "Is everything alright in here?" He had a badge with a bronze eagle on a blue field embroidered on his robes and pinned above it was a silver badge with a letter P engraved on it. Behind him they could see a girl standing in the corridor, she had curly blond hair and sported the same two badges; the silver P badge pinned above the embroidered bronze eagle on its blue field.

Susan answered politely, "Yes, we're all fine, thank you."

"And none of us is Harry Potter," Draco quipped.

The redhead raised his eyebrows, "No one said anything about Harry Potter. Penny and I came to check on every compartment as part of our prefect duties." The girl behind him nodded.

"Oh sorry," Draco apologized, "it's just the second person to come in here was looking for Harry Potter, and we didn't want you to get your hopes up."

"Well," The boy puffed up, "we'll have to look in on him and make sure he's not being bothered. My brothers did start a rumor that he was on the train…"

"So is your surname Weasley?" Horatio asked.

"Yes, Percy Weasley," he looked on the cusp of asking another question, "How did you—"

"Perce?" The girl called Penny placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, "Shouldn't we continue our patrol?"

"Yes, right you are Penny." He stepped back into the corridor, "Good luck at the sorting, hope to see you in Ravenclaw."

"See you all at Hogwarts," the girl smiled before closing the door.

When the pair was gone Horatio asked, "A bit pretentious isn't he?"

Theo shrugged, "I've heard that most Ravenclaws are, but considering the source I don't hold much stock by it."

"Oh, who's your source?" Hannah asked.

"My father," Theo sighed, "he's very anti-everything but Slytherin."

"Oh…" Hannah opened her mouth as if to ask another question but thought better of it.

The deep forests yielded to mountains, and the sky outside darkened as the sun began to set. The five children sat quietly wrapped in his or her own thoughts. Above the boys' heads Pollux shuffled around in his cage and Castor hooted and ruffled his feathers. Hannah looked up at the two owls and smiled, "I bet they're ready to be out of those cages. It's probably getting close to the time when they hunt isn't it?"

Horatio glanced out the window, "Wow, you're right, what time is it?"

Draco checked his wristwatch, "A quarter till eight o'clock. You know we should probably get changed into our robes." He looked up at the two girls, "we can step outside to give you two privacy."

"Thanks Draco," Susan said as she and Hannah stood up, and began riffling through their trunks.

The three boys trooped out into the hall, closing the door behind them. Draco leant against the far wall bracing himself against the movement of the train. Theo slouched beside the compartment door with his arms folded. Horatio fidgeted with his glasses and swallowed nervously. He had less than three hours to turn back, or he would miss his window for meeting Woody.

Theo finally broke the silence, "Are you both worried about the sorting too?"

Draco rested his head back against the wall, "Yeah, but I'm more worried about you than myself."

Horatio furrowed his brows, "Why, are people supposed to be sorted into certain houses?"

Theo shoved his hands in his pockets, "Some families have a reputation of going into certain houses… The Weasleys like that Percy are usually in Gryffindor, the Macmillan's are usually in Hufflepuff, the Malfoys and Notts usually go to Slytherin, and some families expect their children to go into the traditional house…"

"And what happens if they are not?" Horatio asked.

Draco shrugged, "In extreme cases their family disowns them…"

Horatio cringed at the idea of Severus disowning him, but he shook his head, "My Uncle taught me that all the houses have good qualities and bad ones. I know he will be proud of me wherever I end up."

Theo scoffed, "If only my father was so understanding. If I am not put in Slytherin, I might as well find somewhere else to stay for the holidays."

Draco crossed to stand next to Theo, "You know you're always welcome at the Manor." He nodded his head toward the closed door, "I'm expecting I'll go in Slytherin, but I'm worried our new friends won't trust me anymore after that."

"I doubt they would do that," Horatio said, "now that Ernie fellow might hold it against you, but not Hannah and Susan."

The compartment door slid open and the two girls peered out. Susan asked, "What about me and Hannah?"

Draco explained swiftly. "We were just hoping you two would be finished soon, so we could change before we arrived."

"Well, we did, so you three can change now." Susan quipped back.

Hannah giggled, "Then it will be our turn to stand out here and gossip."

Shaking his head Draco lead the way back into the compartment. Horatio stepped over to the window before carefully lifting Pollux's cage down, so he did not accidently bump it when he was digging around in his trunk. The eagle-owl hooted hopefully as his cage was moved, but Horatio shook his head, "Sorry buddy, but we're not there yet." Draco glanced over and did likewise with Castor's cage, as Theo closed the compartment door. The boys dressed in relative silence each was wrapped up in his own thoughts. When they were all done Theo slid the door open to let the girls back inside. Susan was shaking her head as the two girls entered.

"What's the matter?" Horatio asked.

Susan grumbled, "Just people behaving quite childishly, racing up and down the corridors."

Hannah flopped down into her seat, "They're just really excited Sue."

"I know," the raven-haired girl relented, "but they're still being careless. They could run into someone or slip and fall."

A voice echoed down the train, "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time, please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

"What do we do with these?" Hannah asked, indicating the remains of their snacks.

"Here," Draco scooped up the last couple chocolate frogs, "you have these, just put them in your trunk for later."

They divided the rest of the sweets, as the train continued to slow until finally it lurched to a stop. Horatio glanced around as Susan slid the door open, but the five of them did not leave at once.

"Good luck," she said in a slightly quavering voice. Horatio nodded, not trusting himself to speak at the moment as a wave of nerves roiled in his gut.

Together they disembarked, joining the throng of students on a small dark platform. Horatio shivered in the cold night air, and tugged his cloak closer around himself. Most of the older kids seemed to be moving off to the right, and Horatio was about to suggest that they join them when a voice called from the far end of the platform.

"First years, first years over here!" A lantern seemed to be hovering over the heads of the students, but as they drew closer Horatio realized it was being held by a huge man. His face was surrounded by wild tangles of black hair and beard, and his eyes were black too, but they sparkled with warmth. The truly remarkable thing about the man was his size; he was three times the height of a normal man and at least five times as broad.

"This must be Hagrid," Horatio remembered Uncle Sev talking about him at the manor.

"Is he safe?" Hannah squeaked, and Susan looked a bit uncertain.

"Yes," Horatio reassured, "my uncle says he looks fierce, but he's really quite warm and gentle, unless roused."

Draco added, "He usually takes care of all the animals in the forest."

The man bent to speak to a boy with familiar untidy dark hair, as they watched the snowy owl on the boy's arm took flight. With a pang Horatio realized he hadn't needed to leave Pollux behind after all. He glanced around as they moved into the lamplight, joining other kids of their own age who had already gathered. No one else had owls or cats with them, and even Draco who treated his pets like his friends had left Castor in the compartment. Horatio decided he would make it up to Pollux the first chance he got.

Hagrid called over their heads, "Anymore First years?" When no more appeared to be coming he lowered his voice slightly and said, "Follow me, and mind your step now."

Slipping and sliding they followed him down a steep narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Horatio thought there must be thick trees there, and he missed the well-lit path through the trees at Malfoy Manor. Draco must be thinking along the same lines because he muttered, "Couldn't they have lined the path with lanterns?" No one else spoke much, but ahead someone sniffled once or twice.

"You'll get your first sight of Hogwarts in just a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "Just round this bend here."

There was a collective gasp as the first students rounded the bend, and Horatio felt his jaw drop as he stopped beside Draco. The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a mountain on the far side, its windows sparkling in the stary sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. He thought, Uncle Sev was right to have me wait to see the castle until tonight.

"No more than four to a boat," Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water near the shore.

The five who had been sharing a compartment looked at one another, "Looks like we'll be splitting up." Horatio said, and he was surprised when Hannah hugged each of them before moving off with Susan. So, the three of them took a boat together, and they were followed into their boat by a slight boy with curly hair.

"Everyone in?" Shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then, forward!"

And the fleet of little boats pulled off all at once, gliding across the lake which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer, and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down," yelled Hagrid, as the first boats reached the cliff. They all bend their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a wide tunnel which seemed to be carrying them right under the castle. Until they reached a kind of underground harbor where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles. "Oy, you there, is this your toad?" He asked a round faced boy who had just climbed out of a boat along with Ron Weasley, a girl with very bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth, and himself…

"Trevor!" the round-faced boy cried blissfully, holding out his hands.

For a moment he wondered if anyone would notice him staring, but those who were not tittering about the other boy with his toad were staring too. He shook himself and reminded himself firmly but silently, I am Horatio Prince, and that is Harry Potter. Wordlessly Draco stepped into his line of sight, blocking Harry Potter from view, and Horatio gave him a grateful look.

Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. They climbed up a set of wide stone steps and crowded around the huge oak front doors. The giant peered down at their faces, making sure everyone was accounted for, "You there still got your toad?" Hagrid raised his fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

Part 3: September 1st (Harry)

After the sorting, the sumptuous feast, and the announcements Horatio had joined his fellow first years on their journey through the castle. He had dressed for bed and waited for his housemates to fall asleep. He slipped out of bed still in his pajamas and headed for the common room. Unlike his first entrance into the room he did not pause to marvel at his surroundings but slipped quietly outside. Severus was waiting for him and offered him a rare smile before tapping the top of his head with his wand. He knew by the crawling wet sensation that he had been placed under a disillusionment charm and followed as his godfather turned on his heel and led the way through the darkened castle.

When they arrived in his office Severus removed the disillusionment charm, and retrieved a flask from his desk, "This is wakefulness potion, you should use it sparingly, and I still expect that you will take the time to sleep normally."

"Yes sir," Harry accepted the flask of orange potion.

"Sir?" Severus asked bemused. "We are not in public Harry."

"Just practicing for when we are Uncle Sev." Glancing at the clock on the wall he took a nervous breath.

"Relax," Severus said, "you will arrive at the appropriate time, and Woody will be there as requested."

Harry nodded, drawing the chain from beneath his pajama shirt; he counted under his breath as he turned the hourglass over, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve."

Severus was sitting at his desk reading The Daily Prophet when Harry appeared, "Did all go well for Horatio?"

Harry nodded, "Yes Uncle Sev, and thank you for this." He held up the flask in his hand which he opened and sipped from. He felt his eyes widen as a surge of energy flowed through him. "Wow that's better than coffee, and it tastes better too."

Severus chuckled, "As you grow older you may find coffee more palatable. I did not acquire the taste for it myself until I was a year into my potions mastery, and desperate to stay awake while I researched for my yearly project."

Harry laughed, "Wow Uncle Sev."

Woody stepped over from where he was waiting by the hearth and bowed, "Is Mister Potter ready to go to the manor? Mistress asked Woody to take you there to retrieve your owl before going to the station."

Harry stoppered the flask and nodded. The elf stretched out his hand and Harry took it. He felt the familiar feeling of being squeezed through a tube and when the pressure eased he was standing in his bedroom at Malfoy Manor. He turned and grinned at Hedwig, who was still sitting on his desk. He crossed the room and greeted her warmly, "Hedwig, I told you I'd be back." She blinked her amber eyes at him and hooted softly. "Now it's time for us to go on a trip together." He said turning to his bed, where he had laid out a spare set of clothes that morning. It was so strange to be back in the same room, mere moments after he had left it hours ago. He dressed quickly pocketing his flask in his jacket. Folding his pajamas into a neat pile, he left the clothes on the bed before turning to the house elf.

"Woody will you bring these when you come to get me from one dormitory to take me to the other?"

The elf bowed, "As long as Mister Potter tells Woody where and when to go, he will be there sir."

"Thank you so much, you really are a life saver." He went on to explain where and when he would need his help that evening.

Woody beamed at the praise and nodded listening to the instructions. When Harry was done explaining he asked, "Is Mister Potter ready to go to meet Mistress at the station?"

"Yes, just let me grab Hedwig."

Narcissa was waiting in a secluded corner when Harry and Woody appeared. She smiled at the sight of them and said, "You did well Woody, you're dismissed and go quickly so a Muggle does not notice you." The elf bowed and disappeared with another crack which was missed in the noise of the station around them. "Would you like me to accompany you onto the platform Harry?"

He shook his head, "Sorry Aunt Cissy, but Draco already told Theo that you were home with Bella and Stella."

"Alas this is farewell for now," She stood holding out her arms for a hug. Setting Hedwig's cage atop his trunk, Harry accepted her embrace, she murmured, "I will miss you and Draco both very much."

Harry squeezed her tightly as it hit him that this would be the last time he saw her for a while. He also realized that she had given up this same farewell with her son to help him, "I'm sorry Aunt Cissy…"

"Whatever for?" She asked, running a comforting hand through his untidy black hair.

"You didn't tell Draco goodbye because you were helping me…"

She smiled sadly, "We all agreed this was the best way. Lucius wanted to see Draco off, and we all wanted to make sure you had all the help you needed."

Harry nodded jerkily and looked down, checking that his shoes were tied, and blinked furiously. He looked up again and noticed that one of the ends of her scarf looked a bit damp, but neither commented on the interval. After another moment she said, "You should go sweetheart." He went over to the trolley which held his trunk and Hedwig's cage, and glanced at Narcissa one last time and she smiled, "Have a good term Harry and send Draco my love."

His cheeks warmed at the thought of telling Draco his mother sends her love, but he said, "I'll tell him Aunt Cissy."

It was nearly half past ten when Harry walked out into the station. It was crowded mostly with Muggles, but he spotted some familiar faces trickling toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Harry heard a vaguely familiar voice, "Packed with muggles of course," and turned to spot the Weasley family moving toward them; the oldest boy Percy was leading the group. Then he noticed something he had not before; the girl with the bushy brown hair was standing off to the side with two people who were obviously her parents. She was holding her Hogwarts letter in her hand and frowning at the posted platform numbers. He realized her parents must be muggles, and so they would not know how to get onto the platform. Deciding, he pushed his trolley forward and stopped close by the family.

"Excuse me," He asked, "are you having trouble."

She looked up and he saw relief cross her face as she spotted Hedwig, "Oh yes, please," she dropped her voice, "do you know how to get onto platform nine and three quarters? We've been here since ten o'clock we don't know… I mean my parents are dentists so they wouldn't know how…"

"No, I don't know how," he realized that growing up with the Dursleys he should be as clueless as she was. Her face fell but he reassured quickly, "Look we can find out together, we can just find a wizard family, and ask them how to do it."

"Of course," she sighed in frustration, "why didn't I think of that?"

"It's ok, this is all new to me too. My Aunt, Uncle, and cousin are all Muggles." Lifting his right hand from the handle of the trolley he offered it to her, "I'm Harry by the way."

She smiled showing the gap between her two front teeth, "Hi Harry, I'm Hermione."

Her mother smiled, "Thank you for offering to help our little girl, young man."

After brief introductions Harry and Hermione walked along the crowded station together pushing their trolleys, her parents followed a few steps behind. Harry was watching for familiar faces from the sorting but listening for an audible clue that they were magical. Soon he spotted the round-faced boy he had seen climbing out of the boat with himself, Ron Weasley, and Hermione. He was standing with an elderly woman clutching a bright red handbag and wearing a green dress. He paused momentarily to let a group of tourists go by, close enough to overhear their conversation.

"Gran, what's the platform number again, I've forgotten?"

"Oh Neville," the woman sighed, "its platform nine and three quarters."

Harry pushed the trolley forward, and the pair looked over as he spoke, "Excuse me, but do you know, how to get onto the platform?"

The old woman's eyes studied his face for a moment before flicking to his forehead, and recognition flitted across her lined features. "Of course, you simply walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten, its best to do it so you don't attract too much attention from the Muggles."

"That seems simple enough," Hermione looked relieved again, "Thank you for your help." Turning to her parents she said, "Mum, Dad I think we have it from here."

"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you onto the platform?" Her father asked.

She shook her head, her dark hair moving with the motion, "I'll be alright." Her parents took turns hugging her and kissing the top of her head.

Neville's grandmother extended her hand and said in an undertone, "I am Augusta Longbottom, and this is my grandson Neville. It is an honor to make your acquaintance Mister Potter. I didn't want to embarrass you in front of your relatives."

Harry accepted the handshake automatically and smiled politely at Mrs. Longbottom, "It's a nice to meet you too, both of you but the Granger's aren't my relatives." Inwardly he thought, they seem like nice people, and I bet they would have been a better foster family than the Dursleys.

Mrs. Longbottom's cheeks turned pink, "I apologize for the presumption, I had heard a rumor that you went to live with muggles…"

"I did just not these muggles," Harry explained.

"Ah, well I suppose we better get going, come along Neville."

"See you at school Neville, and thanks again for the help Mrs. Longbottom." Harry waved as the pair headed off toward the hidden platform.

When Hermione's parents were done bidding their daughter farewell, they waved and reluctantly began to walk away. She turned back toward the barrier and blinked in surprise, "Oh you didn't have to wait Harry."

He shrugged, "I figured we started looking for the platform together, we might as well see it at the same time." Hermione smiled gratefully and he gestured for her to go ahead of him, "Ladies first."

She took a steadying breath muttering to herself, "Ok, you can do this," before pushing her trunk forward.

When Harry came through, he noticed she was standing just inside the archway looking around in wonder. He wheeled his trolley beside hers and stopped. Hedwig lifted her head and gazed around alertly as the ruckus of owls, cats, children, and parents surrounded them. She ruffled her feathers and looked at him.

"It's alright Hedwig," he soothed, "it should be quieter on the train."

Hermione looked around, "oh, you named her from A History of Magic, right?"

"Yeah," Harry smiled, "I thought it was a cool name."

"We should go find a compartment to get her out of this noise." She started to push onward, and Harry followed into the clouds of steam that obscured the platform.

They came across Neville and his grandmother near the end of the train. The boy was trying to lift one end of his heavy trunk without much success. "Hey Neville, would you like a hand?"

"Sure," Neville mumbled.

Grunting with the effort the two boys managed to hoist Neville's trunk onto the train and began to haul it down the corridor toward the nearest compartment, which happened to be empty. One of the redheaded twins he had seen before as Horatio walked up to them.

"Want a hand?"

"Yes please," Harry panted.

"Oy Fred, come here, and help." The other twin joined them, and they had a much easier time getting Neville's trunk into place.

Harry straightened, "I hate to ask, but my stuff is still on the platform, along with my friend Hermione's…"

"No problem," George waved away the half-hearted objections, "we're happy to help."

"Besides," Fred muttered, "it gives Mum less time to fuss over us."

The four boys returned to the platform together, and between them managed to get the other two trunks on board and secure. Harry and George carried Harry's trunk while Neville and Fred carried Hermione's and wanting to help in some way, she carried Hedwig onto the train for him. When everything was secure Harry straightened and wiped his sweaty hair out of his eyes. He saw Hermione's brown eyes widen, and for some reason a satisfied smile curved her lips.

One of the twins, he had lost track of which in the shuffle, eyes widened as they fixed on his scar, "Blimey… is that…" the boy shook his head, " I mean are you?"

"What's with you," his twin followed his brother's gaze, and he too began to stare, "He is!" he asked Harry, "Aren't you?"

"What?" Harry asked.

"Harry Potter?!" chorused the twins.

"Oh him, I mean me, yes I am…" The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt his face turn red. Neville averted his gaze, and Hermione opened her mouth as if to say something.

Then a voice filtered in through the open door, "Fred? George? Are you there?" With a last look at Harry the twins called, "Coming Mum!" and hopped off the train.

"Honestly," Hermione said, closing the door, "it's rude to stare."

"Gran told me not to," Neville said, searching his pockets, "Trevor?" he called peering about on the floor.

"Here," Hermione fished the protesting toad out of her own jacket pocket, "he hopped out when you were carrying your trunk, and I caught him for you."

"Oh, thanks," Neville said taking Trevor and looking him in the eyes, "you don't like me, much do you?" He croaked.

"So why weren't you staring?" Harry asked as Hermione sat down beside him.

"Well, I thought you must be," she shrugged and smiled, "well, you. I did some background reading and learned a bit about you. I didn't see your scar or anything, just you were here alone, and you introduced yourself as Harry without a surname, and you said your relatives were muggles…"

A high-pitched voice came through the open window, "Oh Mum, can I go on the train and see him? Oh, Mum please?" The pair looked out the window and saw the red-haired girl tugging on her mother's arm.

The plump woman scolded, "No Ginny, the poor boy isn't something you gawk at in a zoo." She asked one of the twins, "How do you know you met him, Fred?

"Asked him, saw his scar, it's really there like lightning."

The second twin asked, "Do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

Their mother became stern again, "I forbid you to ask him, George. Now don't you dare, as though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."

"Alright, keep your hair on."

The oldest boy came striding into sight, looking just as Harry had remembered him from before. He was wearing his billowing Hogwarts robes, and his prefect badge glinted on his chest above the Ravenclaw coat of arms, "Can't stay long, Mother. I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves."

"oh, are you a prefect Percy?" said one of the twins with an air of surprise, "you should have said something. We had no idea."

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin, "once, or twice, a minute, all summer."

"Oh, shut up!" said Percy.

"How come he gets new robes anyway?" Asked one of the twins.

"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly, "Well have a good term, send me an owl when you get there." She kissed Percy on the cheek, and he left. She turned to continue scolding the twins and Harry stopped listening.

He turned back to Hermione and Neville as the whistle sounded. Hedwig fluttered her wings as the train began to move, and her cage swung gently on its hook, "Are you sure they're meant for that?" Hermione asked in concern.

"Not really," Harry admitted, "but it seems to be settling down now that we're moving." He watched the motion of the cage for another moment until the rocking slowed.

Neville, who had been looking out the window said, "I think Gran left once I was all loaded up, but she said she probably wasn't going to stay. It gets really crowded and she didn't want to get knocked down or something."

"Well, my aunt and uncle just dropped me off," Harry shrugged, even if it were not what happened, he was sure it would be something they would do.

Hermione asked, "Was it wrong of me to not have my parents come all the way with me? I didn't know if they would be allowed."

"They're muggles, right?" Neville asked, and she nodded before he continued, "Well they already know about magic because of you, so it shouldn't be a problem for them to be there."

"I'll remember that for next time."

The door to the compartment opened and the twins poked their heads in, "Hey, Harry we wanted to properly introduce ourselves, I'm George and this is my twin Fred." George continued, "Anyway we wanted to say sorry about earlier."

"Yeah mate," Fred added, "we just didn't expect to be helping a hero with his luggage."

Harry shook his head, "I'm not a hero guys, I'm just someone who got lucky."

Fred gave him an incredulous look, "If you just got lucky, I'd hate to see the odds on that one, with all the people who snuffed it because of You-Know-Who."

George put on a high-pitched voice in imitation of their mother, "Now, Fred don't you dare." The twins laughed and George continued in his normal tone, "We also wanted to make sure we put everything away properly, so nothing fell down on your poor innocent first year heads."

Harry and Neville smiled weakly and Fred clapped his hands together, "There we go, always leave them with a smile."

Before they could close the door, their younger brother tried to squeeze by in the corridor and got grabbed, "Iccle Ronnikens," they said together.

"Haven't you found a seat yet?" asked George

"No," he mumbled trying to squirm free, "get off."

"Why so grumpy?" Fred ruffled his brother's hair. "You heard Mum, we're supposed to look out for you, we can't just leave you without a seat."

"Say," George glanced toward the open compartment door, "Harry and friends, would you mind if Ronnie sat in here?"

"Harry, and friends?" Hermione asked.

Fred shrugged, "In our defense we don't know your names yet."

"Because you didn't ask," Hermione was only partially successful in keeping the annoyance out of her voice.

Harry sensing danger cut in, speaking to the slightly more reasonable twin, "George is it?"

"Look at that, Potter can tell us apart already, I'm touched." Fred sniffed patting his chest with his free hand, "he should give lessons to Mum."

"This is Hermione, and this is Neville," Harry continued, "and we have space, I don't mind if Ron sits here." He glanced toward the other two for confirmation. They both nodded their ascent. Ron wrenched free of his brothers and slouched inside; he slumped into the empty seat beside Neville. The twins took that as their signal to hoist Ron's trunk up into the luggage rack.

"Now be good Ronnie," George said. "If any of you need us, we'll be along the middle of the train."

"Yep," Fred agreed, "Our pal Lee Jordan has a huge tarantula up there."

Ron cringed at Fred's final words as the door closed. The four students sat in silence for a moment as Ron glanced up at Harry several times, opened his mouth as if to speak, and then closed it again. Hermione shook her head and stood up, climbing onto the seat to reach her trunk. She climbed down with a book under her arm and opened it to a marked page. Harry read the title Hogwarts: A History, and wondered if it would be rude of him to also read, but he didn't want to exclude Neville, and he had a feeling that eventually Ron was going to get up the courage to ask whatever was on his mind.

Sure enough, about a minute later Ron blurted, "Are you really Harry Potter?" Harry nodded, and the boy looked surprised. "Oh, well I thought, it might be one of Fred and George's jokes." He paused, "and have you really got?" he pointed to his own forehead. Harry brushed his bangs aside and Ron stared, "So, that's where… You-Know-Who?"

"Yes," Harry said, "but I can't remember any of it."

"Nothing?" Ron asked eagerly.

Harry noticed that Hermione had not turned a page since Ron had started questioning him. Neville's gaze out the window had become fixed, like he was not really seeing the scenery flashing past. Harry sighed thinking that it had been a lot easier to get to know people without them asking him about things that happened when he was one year old. "I mean, I do remember a lot of green light." For some reason that made Hermione wince, and Neville swallowed hard.

"Wow," Ron said and stared at Harry a moment longer.

Hermione closed her book with a snap, "Haven't you realized that Harry doesn't want to talk about this?"

Ron's ears turned red with embarrassment and he turned away growing silent. Hermione sighed opening her book once more, turned angrily through the pages until finding her last place, and resumed reading. Harry looked across at Neville who shrugged. The four of them lapsed into silence again with the only sounds being the movement of the train, and the occasional turning of a page in Hermione's book. Trevor croaked as he slid free from Neville's slack grip and landed with a thump on the floor. He hopped out of sight under the seats as Neville looked down in dismay.

"I keep losing him!"

"He went under here," Ron patted the seat between them, "Honestly if I got a toad, I'd lose it first chance I got." He reached up to dig the lump out of his pocket, "Mind you, I've got Scabbers, so I can't talk."

Neville rummaged beneath the seat, looking a bit comical if Harry were honest with himself. Finally retrieving Trevor, he climbed back to his feet and sat down beside the window. Smoothing his hair with his free hand he explained, "He was a gift from my great-uncle Algy when I got into Hogwarts." His face turned pink as he admitted, "my family thought I might not be magic enough to come…"

Ron grimaced, "So they thought you might be a squib?"

Hermione lowered her book, "what's a squib? In all my reading I never came across that term."

"Well," Ron chewed his lip, "it's not something most magical families like to talk about. It's kind of the opposite of muggle-born witches and wizards." Beside him Harry felt Hermione tense as Ron continued speaking, "a squib is a person born in a wizard family that can't use magic themselves."

"So, what happens to them?" Hermione asked.

"They send them off to muggle schools so they can learn to be part of the muggle world." Ron scratched at the smudge on his nose, "I think my Mum has a second cousin who is an accountant, but we don't talk about him much."

"So, the rest of your family are magical?" Harry asked, "I grew up with my muggle cousin. I think it would be cool to have three wizard brothers and a sister."

"Five," Ron corrected, "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts, my sister Ginny is coming next year." Ron shrugged, looking morose, "I guess you could say we have a lot to live up to; Bill and Charlie have already left, Bill was Head Boy and Charlie was captain at Quidditch, now Percy has been made a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they always make good marks, and they are really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do it's no big deal because they did it first." He gestured down at Scabbers who was asleep in his lap, "You never get anything new with five older brothers. I have Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat." Ron looked up from the fat gray rat on his lap and asked, "But hang on, how did you know I had three brothers, you met Fred and George…"

Neville spoke up, "We um, overheard your family talking on the platform through the open window. He smiled at Ron, "You know it's not all that wonderful being an only child either. There is just as much pressure to do well, even when you are the only child to do it."

"I guess so…" Ron shrugged.

"Neville's right," Hermione placed her book on the seat between her and Harry, "and when your parents are busy at their dental practice, and all the other kids in the neighborhood think you're weird, you spend a lot of time on your own." She smiled but her brown eyes looked sad, "I mean they spend as much time as they can with me, and always supported me in whatever I did, but I'm honestly relieved to know that all the odd things I could do were magic."

"I wish I had been left alone," Harry looked down at the gilt cover of Hogwarts: A History as he spoke, "my aunt always had a list of chores for me to do, my uncle always found things to criticize about me or shout at me for, and my cousin's favorite pastime was Harry hunting…" Hermione soothingly touched his arm but pulled away as Harry flinched at the contact. He glanced up at her apologetically.

Ron's ears went red, "They treated you like you were some sort of house elf." Hermione opened her mouth to ask but Ron explained, "They're these magical creatures that serve some of the old wizard families. They help keep the house and look after children, that kind of thing." Ron looked at Harry, "and I don't even want to know what Harry hunting is, sounds like the twins picking on me every chance they get."

Harry shook his head, "No, like you said Fred and George mess around a lot. What Dudley did was worse, and Vernon too if he were really cross with me, but they couldn't usually catch me." Casting about for something else to talk about Harry asked, "So what do your oldest brothers do, now that they've left school?"

"Well Charlie is in Romania studying dragons, and Bill is in Egypt doing something for Gringotts." Ron snapped his fingers, "Oh, did you hear about Gringotts, it was broken into about a month ago."

"Yes," Neville nodded, "Gran read about it in The Daily Prophet. It happened the day after my birthday. She said it would have to be wizards who used the Dark Arts to get around Gringotts and not get caught."

"Right," Ron agreed, "and everyone gets worried when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who is behind it."

Hermione furrowed her brow, "This is something I've wondered about since I started reading about him. Why does everyone call him You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, wouldn't it be simpler to call him by his proper name?"

Ron blanched, "Blimey Hermione, people are still afraid of him. I mean, we don't know if he's even really dead, do we?"

"I suppose not," Hermione said, "but how do people from muggle families learn about him, or learn what to call him?"

"I dunno," Ron shrugged, "ask kids from wizard families, I guess."

The door to the compartment opened, and the plump dimpled witch poked her head in, "Anything off the trolley dears?"

"Nah, I'm all set" Ron reached into his jacket pocket and held up a lumpy brown package. Unwrapping it he revealed four sandwiches and lifted the bread to inspect one. "Mum always forgets I hate corned beef."

Hermione drew a bundle of her own from her pocket, "My parents sent me with some sugar-free snacks."

Taking a leaf from Draco's book, Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out his money pouch. He smiled to the woman, "I'd like a bit of all the snacks, and do you have anything to drink?"

The witch began to gather some of all her wares as requested, "we have bottles of iced pumpkin juice."

"Then we'll take four bottles of pumpkin juice as well, please."

Ron mumbled, "Really Harry, you don't have to..."

"Nonsense," Harry dumped the snacks on the seat between Neville and Ron, "you have four sandwiches, and we can all share."

"You don't want these, they're all dry." His ears turned red, "Mum doesn't have much time, with four of us…"

Hermione smiled at Harry's generosity and added, "besides the sandwiches will help counteract some of the sugar."

Harry stepped back out into the corridor to settle things with the witch. She handed him the four bottles of pumpkin juice, and he paid her two galleons for the lot telling her in an undertone, "Keep the change."

She reached for a sack of coins on the cart, "If you're sure dear?" He nodded as her gaze did the familiar trip up to his forehead, "Then enjoy your snacks Mister Potter, and thank you."

Harry returned to the compartment and handed around the bottles of juice. He saw that Hermione had added her snacks to the wizard ones. She was holding up a wrapped chocolate frog and giving it a skeptical look.

"Are these really frogs?"

"No, but check the card," Ron was opening his own chocolate frog, and bit off its head. Spotting the confused look on her face he spoke through a mouthful of chocolate, "sorry you wouldn't know." He swallowed and continued, "Chocolate frog wrappers have cards inside that have famous witches or wizards on them. You can collect them, I have about four hundred myself, but I'm missing Agrippa and Tolmie."

Bemused, Harry sat back down and watched as Hermione opened her first chocolate frog. She said, "So this is Dumbledore?"

"Don't tell me you haven't heard of Dumbledore?" Ron popped the rest of his first frog in his mouth.

"Of course, I have," Hermione frowned at Ron, "he's the finest headmaster Hogwarts has ever had." She turned over the card and began to read aloud, "Albus Dumbledore, currently Headmaster of Hogwarts. Considered by many to be the greatest wizard of modern times. Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindalwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten pin bowling." She turned the card over and gasped, "He's gone?"

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day." Ron said, biting off the arm of his second frog, "He'll be back."

"I'm muggle-born, remember?" Hermione asked, "and in the muggle world people stay put in photographs."

Ron arched his eyebrows, "What they don't move at all?"

"Nope," Harry shook his head, trying to affect a surprised look of his own.

"Weird," Ron said picking up a package of sugar-free lemon cookie sandwiches, "Why does everything say sugar free?"

"My parents are dentists," Hermione chewed her lip, "They're like doctors who fix teeth."

Ron paled and his mouth dropped open in horror, "Not those nutters who cut people open?"

Harry looked between the two, recognizing a miscommunication about to happen, "Um Neville, who takes care of people who are sick in the magical world?"

"Oh, they're healers," Neville obviously scented danger too because he asked, "so your parents are healers for teeth?"

"Yeah, so I don't usually have so many sweets." She pointed to a plastic bag near the top of the pile, "This morning we made popcorn and just sprinkled it with a bit of salt."

Harry grinned, "popcorn is delicious."

Still looking dubious Ron picked up the plastic bag instead. He opened it and popped a piece into his mouth crunch he blinked, "This isn't half bad." He took a small handful the second time and bit down, wincing as something hard got between his teeth, "ouch."

"Sometimes the kernels don't pop, you have to watch out for those." Hermione explained.

"Right," Ron tried to fish the offending object out of his mouth, and he still had a finger stuck in there when a knock sounded on the compartment door.

It opened to reveal the boy Harry knew to be Ernie Macmillan. He cleared his throat and introduced himself, scanning each of their faces. Harry decided he would make it easier for him, and ruffled his hair, letting his scar show through his bangs. No sooner had he done this than the boy's eyes zeroed in on the lightning bolt shaped mark. The stout boy straightened and offered a pudgy hand, "You must be Harry Potter, I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."

Ron hurriedly wiped his hand on his jeans and scowled, "Hi there Ernie was it? I'm Ron Weasley, bloke next to me is Neville, and the girl beside Harry is Hermione. We do exist you know."

Neville sighed, "Neville Longbottom," and nodded to Ernie.

Ernie's face turned pink, "My apologies, I didn't mean to ignore any of you."

"It's alright," Harry shook his hand, "people just tend to focus all their attention on me when I'm in a room, I've noticed…"

Ernie rubbed a hand across the back of his neck, "It really is nice to meet all of you." He looked at Hermione, "What was your surname miss?"

"Granger," Hermione waited a beat, "but I'm muggle-born, so that doesn't matter too much here."

"Not so," Ernie gave Hermione a small bow, "There is a fellow in my compartment named Dean Thomas, who is muggle born. I'm not one of those pure bloods who looks down on people because their families aren't magical."

"Nice to know," Hermione accepted Ernie's handshake, but blinked in surprise when he kissed the back of her hand.

Straightening the blond smiled at the group and turned back to Harry, "I just wanted to extend the hand of friendship to you."

Harry shrugged, "Thank you for that…"

When Ernie finally left, Ron stared at the closed compartment door for a long moment, then asked, "Did he really kiss your hand?"

Hermione's cheeks were pink, "Does that happen often?"

Ron shook his head, "No not normally, not that I've seen anyway."

Neville smiled sympathetically, "I mean I've seen people do that with Gran because she grew up in a different time, but never to someone our age."

She sighed looking relieved.

Outside the compartment window the landscape shifted; from fields and winding lanes to stretches of uncultivated moor and wild thickets and forests, as the four students ate their way through the combined pile of snacks and treats. Out of politeness Hermione and Neville both tried Ron's sandwiches, but they did prove to be very dry, and the two gave up the attempt after finishing their bottles of pumpkin juice. The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable once more; Harry once again found himself with a stack of wizard trading cards, and thought I'm going to have to keep both sets separate, or people will wonder how Harry and Horatio have the exact same cards.

There was another knock at the door, and the four students turned toward it apprehensively. It slid open to reveal Ron's oldest brother Percy and the blond Ravenclaw girl who was patrolling with him, "Ah good to see you making friends Ron."

"What are you doing here Percy?" Ron blurted in annoyance.

Percy puffed up, his cheeks burning with indignation, "I'm patrolling, it's my job as a prefect."

Ron rolled his eyes, "Figures…"

Percy scowled, "I would take house points for your cheek, but I don't know what house you'll be in yet."

"Percy," the girl stepped forward again, "your brother might not have known that it was our job to patrol." He seemed to deflate slightly as her gentle words broke over him, "besides term hasn't even started yet."

"Your logic beats me every time," he sighed with a wistful smile. Turning back to his brother he said, "I'm sorry Ron, there is just a lot of responsibility on me right now, and our brothers aren't helping matters." His horn-rimmed glasses swept the room as he continued, "I apologize if I gave anyone the wrong impression." Harry decided he was not going to make it easy this time. He leant back in his seat, so he was partially hidden behind Hermione's halo of brown curls. "If anyone bothers you first years, please feel free to come up front to one of the two compartments behind the driver, and let myself, Penny, or one of the other prefects know."

Penny smiled, "Enjoy the rest of your journey, and we'll see you all at the feast."

Percy glanced at Ron once more, "and good luck with your sorting brother."

"Thanks," Ron mumbled, staring pointedly down at the rat asleep in his lap until they left. The door closed and he looked up and scowled, "whatever house I go into it won't be Ravenclaw. I wouldn't care so much about being in that house normally, but having Percy fussing over me for the next three years would be worse than Mum." Turning back to the other three he asked, "Do any of you have a house you'd like to be sorted into?"

Hermione chewed her lip, "Well, Professor Sprout brought me my letter, and explained things to my parents and me; including a summary about the four houses, their founders, and the qualities they liked to teach. She was a Hufflepuff when she was a student and is head of the house now." She patted the book still resting between her and Harry, "I did some more research in here, and I think Ravenclaw wouldn't be a bad fit for me, but Gryffindor has had some of the best witches and wizards come from there as well."

Neville sighed, "Gryffindor, it's where both my parents were sorted, and Gran wants me to follow in my Dad's footsteps, to live up to the family name." He shrugged, "but I wouldn't mind Hufflepuff, it might be a better fit, and since Hufflepuffs usually are so helpful, maybe I can get extra help in classes."

"That's a good point," Ron grimaced, "but Fred and George would tease me forever if I went into Hufflepuff."

"Why?" Hermione furrowed her brow.

"Probably because Hufflepuffs have a reputation for being dim witted." Harry was relieved that Severus had given him such a balanced lesson on the houses, "Professor Snape gave me my letter, and he told me what you said Neville. Hufflepuffs are hardworking, friendly and very loyal but can be stubborn." He furrowed his brows in thought, "Ravenclaws value intellect, logic, and innovation but that sometimes makes them absent minded or dotty… Gryffindors are brave, chivalrous, but sometimes can be foolhardy and stubborn… and Slytherins are cunning, resourceful, ambitious, but they can be arrogant."

"Yeah, well what about all the dark wizards who come out of Slytherin?" Ron asked.

Harry looked him in the eye and said, "The man who betrayed my parents to Voldemort was in Gryffindor when he was at school."

Ron blanched, and he must have accidently jostled his rat because Scabbers woke up and scrabbled at Ron's coat. "Oy, Scabbers, you idiot, you're going to put more holes in my clothes." He lifted the rat by the tail and tucked him back in his pocket. "There, you happy now?" he asked the lump, and tilted his head toward his pocket for a moment, "I don't believe it… he's gone back to sleep." The four children laughed, and Ron looked thoughtfully past Neville out the window.

Hermione turned her brown eyes on Harry, "What about you, what house are you hoping for?"

Harry thought back to witnessing himself being sorted while he was Horatio, "I'll be happy wherever I end up."

The compartment door opened, but it was not the two Ravenclaw prefects Percy and Penny, or pompous but good-natured Ernie Macmillan this time. A boy with neatly combed brown hair and pointed features stepped in, flanked by two larger boys. His cold blue eyes swept the compartment—alighting on Harry—and he spoke in a cool voice, "They're saying up and down the train that Harry Potter is in this compartment, is it you?"

Harry remembered all three of these boys from the sorting, "Yes, and you are?"

"Dominic Selwyn," he noticed Harry's eyes lingering on the other boys, and he gestured to each in a disinterested sort of way, "oh and this is Crabbe, and this is Goyle."

"So," Harry sized up the trio as he stood, intending to get between them and Hermione if it should come to a fight, "are you three the latest to come and welcome me to Hogwarts?"

"You could say that," The boy did not miss the protective gesture, he looked down his nose at Hermione and said, "funny company for a boy of the noble house of Potter to keep, but then again you're only half-blood aren't you?" He shook his head before extending his hand, "You will find that… association with certain types of people will reflect badly on you, Potter. I could help you find better acquaintances."

Harry's green eyes flashed with defiance, but he kept his voice calm as he ignored the proffered hand, "I'm quite happy with finding my own friends, thanks."

The boy pulled his hand back with a scowl, "I'd be careful, Potter. If you're not, then you will go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them either."

Behind him Harry felt Neville rise, and the round faced boy glared back at the middle boy of the trio, "Harry is a hero, and his parents didn't deserve what happened to them, no one deserves to be murdered or tortured by a lunatic."

Ron was still seated, but that may have had something to do with the fact that the compartment had little standing room at this point. He reached out and grabbed Neville's arm and spoke to Selwyn, "Look we don't want any trouble, you lot clear off? I don't want to pull this card, but my brother is a prefect."

One of the larger boys chortled, "Which brother, Weasley?"

"Yeah," the other boy guffawed.

Selwyn smirked at his cronies words, but when Ron remined seated he turned, "Fine, I know better than to pick a fight before I need to." He gestured to the two other boys, "Come on."

Ron's ears were bright red with either anger or embarrassment as he got to his feet and closed the door to the compartment, "Sorry about that Harry, Neville, but there were too many people in here to pick a fight, and it was three on three, but those other two are a lot bigger than us."

"Excuse me," Hermione sniffed, "but it was three on four."

Harry shook his head, "No, Hermione. We're not saying you can't hold your own, but I wouldn't want to see them hurt you." He sat down heavily beside her, "If they had tried, I would have really lost my temper."

"I doubt it," Ron reasoned, "most pure-bloods like them wouldn't expect a girl to throw a punch." He grinned, "but they haven't met my sister Ginny."

Neville took a few deep breaths before taking his own seat, "He shouldn't have said that about your family, Harry."

"It's alright, Neville," Harry tried to calm his friend, "and you might want to ease up your grip, or poor Trevor is going to explode."

"Oh," Neville relaxed his hold on the toad, who gulped as his eyes returned to their normal size, "sorry Trevor."

The train carried them through wilder country still and the sky began to darken. Harry glanced up as he noticed Hedwig begin to stir. He turned to the other three boys, "We should give Hermione a chance to change, and then get into our own school robes."

"Yeah," Ron agreed as he too glanced out the window, "we should be there soon. My brothers always talk about getting to the station when it's almost dark."

The three boys trooped out into the corridor while they waited for Hermione to change. Having lived the day twice, Harry felt like he had been on the train forever and was eager to get off it and sleep. He thought vaguely of the potion in his pocket, but he had promised Uncle Sev that he would use it sparingly, and it would be hard for him to explain why he had a flask full of potion when he already said he was raised by muggles. Neville was still checking Trevor for injury after nearly squeezing him to death, and Ron was leaning against the wall and looking down at his worn trainers.

"What's up Ron?" Harry asked.

Ron rubbed again at the spot on his nose, trying to clear off whatever had smudged it. "It's probably just the sorting that's worrying me. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was only joking."

Harry smiled, "I bet he was joking, it seems like that's what him and George do most of the time."

"Yeah, that's true," Ron grinned back. "They wouldn't have us fight a troll our first day."

Harry, who had honestly never seen a troll in his life said, "Nah, that sounds too dangerous, and how would that tell us if we're smart or, brave, or any of it?"

Ron snorted, "beats me."

"It would too," Neville chuckled, "beat you, if we had to fight a troll."

"Oh, ha ha Neville." Ron rolled his eyes.

The door to the compartment opened, and Hermione stepped out wearing her Hogwarts robes. She looked pale against the black fabric with her dark hair and eyes, "You three better get changed."

Harry, Ron, and Neville filed back into their compartment and started rummaging through their trunks. Harry took the moment to stow his potion inside cushioning the flask with his jacket. He glanced down and noticed that Hermione already moved her book, likely stowing it back inside her own trunk. Gently lifting Hedwig's cage down from its hook, he stroked her white speckled feathers through the bars. She looked up at him steadily, "We're almost there sweet girl."

Harry nearly dropped her cage when the voice echoed down the train, "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes time, please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." He turned around to check on the other two. Neville's robes looked new and complemented his heavy build, Ron's however were several inches too short, his trainers were visible beneath the hem. Harry crossed the small space and slid the door open. Hermione stepped back inside, but not before nearly being run over by a boy with sandy hair.

"Sorry!" he called over his shoulder.

Hermione shook her head, "Honestly…"

"What's wrong?" Neville asked as he tried to fasten his cloak.

"People being childish," she and Harry said together. They looked at each other and Harry continued, "a boy nearly flattened her in the corridor."

Hermione nodded before moving toward Neville, "Here, let me help you."

"Oh, thanks Hermione." Neville grabbed onto the luggage rack above him as the train lurched to a stop. Hermione finished fastening his cloak for him.

"So, are we ready?" Harry asked, as he placed Hedwig's cage gently on the seat. She looked despondently up at him, "I know Hedwig, I'm sorry."

"Poor thing," Hermione said, "why don't you just let her ride on your shoulder or something?"

"You know, I hadn't thought of that." He admitted and opened her cage. She hopped out at once and stretched her wings. Harry bent down offering her his arm, and she hopped onto it. Harry smoothly lifted her as he straightened, stroking her back gently.

The four students joined the throng exiting the train. The platform was dark as last time except for the single lantern bobbing over the heads of the students. A familiar voice called at the near end of the train, "First Years, First Years over here."

Harry and his friends set off toward the voice, along with almost fifty other students. Hedwig tightened her talons on his arm as she was jostled. As they reached the man Harry looked up into his kind face.

"Excuse me, sir? But I didn't want to leave my owl on the train. Is there somewhere she could go?"

The skin around the man's eyes crinkled as he smiled, "You could send her up to the school, the other owls will be out hunting at the mo.', but they'll show her where to go."

"Thanks sir."

The man patted Harry on his shoulder so forcefully he sank a few inches into the soil. "Name's Hagrid, by the way, call me Hagrid everyone does." He winked and added in a carrying whisper, "nice to finally see ya, Harry." He resumed his call to the other first years as Harry turned to Hedwig, he thought he spotted Hannah's blond pigtails approaching, and he knew that Horatio and Draco were nearby.

"Did you hear that, Hedwig? You get to see the castle before I do. Go, fly, and I'll see you soon." Hedwig spread her wings and launched herself into the darkening sky, where she was a white ghost against the dark heavens. The only things brighter than she were the stars that were starting to appear. Harry took a breath of the cold night air and turned to follow Hagrid down the steep path toward the lake and the castle beyond.

A/N: Hello readers, this is the long awaited chapter 5. I will be working on Chapter 6: The Sorting Hat tomorrow and throughout the week. I have some things going on that may prevent me from publishing on Tuesday next week; in which case I will publish next Wednesday instead. Thank you all for your patience, understanding, and above all your support. Don't worry, you will finally learn which houses everyone is sorted into next chapter. There will be some surprises in store on that front. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and I am looking forward to continuing writing tomorrow.