Chapter 8

Today was 1 September, meaning that the staff at Hogwarts would be greeting new and returning students later this evening. There is a certain air of excitement in the air due to the fact that this year's batch of first years would play host to arguably the most famous child Magical Britain has ever seen. However, there were those amongst the staff who did not share in the excitement as their fellow colleagues did.

Severus Snape, former best friend of the deceased Lily Potter, was one who was absolutely dreading meeting the child. To him, Harry Potter would always be seen as the child of his childhood tormentor. The thought that he could be anything other than an arrogant little bully just like his father never once crossed his mind. No, Snape decided long ago that he would do his best to prevent Harry Potter from ever getting away with things that were allowed to his father.

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, was another that was not looking forward to meeting young Harry Potter. His carefully laid plans to have Harry introduced to the magical world as a young and naïve young boy were torn to shreds the moment he walked through the doors of the last Wizengamot meeting. Very rarely do things ever surprise Albus Dumbledore these days that he was completely unable to respond to the situation at all. He simply watched from the side-lines as the young boy took complete control of the meeting, as if he had been doing it his whole life. He was even more surprised to witness the power that young Harry possessed. No matter who you are, to beat both Lucius Malfoy and Lord Nott was no easy feat to accomplish. Granted he didn't really use much magic, the fact still remains that he won the duel.

If that was not bad enough, all of his assets were frozen. It seemed that both Harry and Gringotts found out about his meddling with the Potter accounts and were now doing a full-scale investigation. There was nothing he could do to stop it. Molly Weasley was also the cause for his many headaches as of late. Not a day would go by that he didn't receive a howler from her complaining about her lack of access from her personal vault or the destroyed marriage contract between Harry Potter and her daughter Ginevra Weasley. Albus was more worried about the fact that the contract was discovered. It just added to the lists of offences he has made against the Potter House.

Albus was not worried about the consequences of his actions; he had the utmost confidence in his ability to talk his way out of things. No, he was worried about what all this could mean for his future plans. He needs young Harry to come to him for guidance. Only by the guidance of Albus Dumbledore could the young boy face his destiny.

Albus was sad that he had to send young Harry to his death but it was all for the greater good. He would unsure that Magical Britain thrived upon the sacrifice that was to be expected of young Harry Potter.

Appearing on platform 9 ¾ the Greengrass family searched for the long time friends, the Davis family. Cyrus and Bethany both attended Hogwarts in the same year as the parents of the Davis'. Daphne is a best friend with their only child, Tracy. The girls had been practically inseparable since birth. They always attended balls and galas together, choosing to keep each other company rather than to mingle with the other children from well-known families in Magical Britain. In the past couple of years they have even added a third member to their small group. A young dark skinned boy named Blaise Zabini.

While both Daphne and Blaise had rather quiet personalities, Tracy was a real chatterbox, often making conversation with the other two. The group of three became really close due to the attempts of bullying done by the children of the pureblood supremacy.

Finally Bethany found the Davis' standing close to the back of the train. Walking closer they saw that Blaise and his mother were there as well. Greetings were given all around as everyone got caught up on recent events.

Before to long the three families noticed the drop in noise on the platform. Glancing towards the front of the train they watched as the crowed parted to make way for the youngest member of the Wizengamot.

If Harry noticed the reaction of the crowed around him then he was doing a very good job of hiding it. He had an almost bored look upon his face, which Daphne has come to realise is the 'mask' he wears in public, as he walked towards the Greengrass family. He was lazily bobbing his head to the music playing through the buds of his earphones.

Before he could get any closer to the family a short red-haired woman who began shouting at him stopped his progress. The sound and sight of this woman shouting at Harry just ensured that what little attention wasn't on him was now entirely focused on the scene being made. Cameras from a few reporters hoping to get a scoop started flashing as the red-haired woman kept up her rant. When he saw the woman take a breath Harry took the opportunity to interrupt her.

"Are you done?" Taking the shocked silence that greeted him as a yes, Harry easily moved around her to continue on his way.

"Your parents would be ashamed of you Harry James Potter! They would be so disappointed in the little boy you are now! They were stupid to sacrifice themselves for your sake! You are a disgrace to them and your family!"

Everything and everyone became dead still. No one could believe the audacity that this woman had to shout out such things to an 11-year old boy.

All eyes turned to Harry, who had his head bowed. Everyone could see the trembling of his body as he tried to suppress his rage. He clenched his fists so tight that blood began to drip from his palms onto the floor of the platform. As one, everyone stumbled back a few steps as Harry finally lost control of his emotions as well as his magic. His magic alone was enough to make a few people in the crowed fall to their knees in fear.

Harry flicked his right wrist and everyone caught a glimpse of the wand the suddenly appeared in his hand. As he raised his head to deal with the disrespectful woman, Daphne managed to catch a glimpse of the glint in his eyes. Knowing that he was about to do something he might regret, she rushed towards him as quickly as she could.

Daphne managed to reach him just as he turned around, slamming into his back as she wrapped her arms around his waist. With her head pressed against his back and her voice muffled so that only he could hear her, she began trying to reason with him.

"You can't do it Harry. Not like this. Not without reason that will save you from punishment. Find a different way. I'm not saying that you should let her go free but you can't kill her, especially surrounded by all these people. Please Harry, don't do it."

With great difficulty Harry managed to reign in both his temper and his magic before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Opening his eyes, he focuses his intense gaze upon the woman standing in front of him. The emerald flames around his eyes on display for everyone around him to see; a look that many recognise from his duel with Lucius Malfoy.

Harry relaxes his shoulders and rubs one of the hands around his waist, indicating that he is back in control of himself. Instead of letting him go, they tighten around him fractionally before go back to their loosened state around him. When he speaks, the voiced heard by everyone is one laced with power.

"Molly Weasley I presume. Even though your opinion means nothing at all to me, I cannot and will not overlook the fact that you have just insulted my parents. Should you not be the one who is supposed to be ashamed by her actions? Was it not you and Mr Dumbledore who stole money from my family's vault mere days after my parents were murdered? Was it not you and Mr Dumbledore who set up an illegal marriage contract between your daughter and myself?" Whispers and murmurs break out on the platform and the news of Molly and Dumbledore stealing funds from their Boy Who Lived. "Molly Weasley, I have done my fair share of research on you after learning what attempted to do. Was it not you who used a love potion on Arthur Weasley in your final year at Hogwarts so that he would sleep with you and then force him into a marriage? Was it not you that stole money from your own family vault and then place it in a name belonging to a Molly Prewett. Was it not you and Dumbledore who tried to take advantage of a 1-year old child to benefit your own selfish greed? You stand before me, have the audacity to insult my parents and family yet you are the one stealing from her own!"

Harry feels the arms around him tighten up again and it's only then that he realises he has been exhorting pressure on everyone around him subconsciously. He takes a moment to calm himself before continuing.

"Blood feuds between Houses have started for much less. Luckily for your family, I do not bestow the sins of the parents onto the shoulders of the children. Know this Molly Weasley, you have just made enemies with the House of Potter and its allies. If another member of you House is to anger me again, I will break them and send you the pieces so you can attempt to put them back together." Harry glances around at everyone standing around him before sending magic to his throat to project his voice to the entire platform. "Do not make the mistake of thinking I am the second coming of Dumbledore or that I am the so called Champion of the Light. If you attempt to hurt me or mine, I will destroy you as quickly and as brutally as I possibly can. It was Dumbledore's kindness that allowed Voldemort to gain so much power before and during the war. It was Dumbledore's repeated forgiveness that allowed Voldemort to murder my parents and so many of your loved ones. The House of Potter neither forgives nor forgets."

Harry gently releases himself from Daphne's hold before walking her back to her family. Locking gazes with Cyrus, they both give each other a nod in understanding before Harry quietly makes his way onto the train.

As Harry disappears from view, everyone stands up a little straighter, only now realising the amount of pressure put upon them by Harry's magic.

A humourless chuckle made everyone turn to Cyrus Greengrass in confusion.

"You people really don't understand who you are dealing with when it comes to that young man. Due to Dumbledore's manipulations, young Harry was denied a childhood, instead being subjected to what I'm guessing to be daily physical and mental beatings. The young man who you are expected to be some happy child and a hero for you all to worship, never ever existed. If I am being completely honest with you all, that young man is the exact person that Magical Britain need to take us out of this Dark Age we have been stuck in."

Cyrus makes a show of loading up Daphne and Tracy's trunks onto the train as he continues speaking, his voice travelling quite far in the silence created by Harry.

"I respect and fear him more than anyone I have ever met in my life. Respect him because of what he went through and what he became because of it. I fear him more than anyone else, including Voldemort and Dumbledore, because even though they have vast magical power and knowledge when compared to almost anyone else, they do not, will not, and cannot possess the sheer determination that that young man possesses. If you become his target, sort out all your affairs as quickly as possible because he will find and destroy you."

Cyrus gives one last kiss to Daphne's forehead before he allows her to run onto the train in search of Harry. He picks up his youngest daughter before reaching for his wife's hand and walking away, leaving behind a still silent platform.

Daphne managed to find Harry sitting in the last compartment at the end of the train. He was sitting on one of the seats closest to the window, leaning his head back with his eyes closed. She could see his body trembling with all the built up emotions.

Daphne quietly sat in the seat closest to the door and pulled his head down onto her lap. She brushed her hand through his hair, getting him to slowly calm down. She tried her best to ignore the silky feel of his hair. Just as the train started moving he fell asleep.

A few minutes later, Tracy and Blaise looked inside the compartment. When they saw Daphne they both quietly made their way inside to sit in the seats opposite her and Harry. She quietly asked Tracy to hand over her potion's book so that she would have something to read until Harry woke up.

The compartment fell into a comfortable silence after that. Daphne and Blaise were each reading a book while Harry and Tracy both took a nap.

Harry woke up to the sensation of someone rubbing a hand through his hair. Normally he drew away from any contact with others but he was completely comfortable with whoever this person was.

"You can get up anytime you want Potter. I know you are awake."

Harry can't keep the smirk off his face. There's only one person who has such an angelic voice yet still spoke with such an ice-cold tone.

"I would get up if I wasn't so comfortable with you playing with my hair Greengrass. Why would I ever give up such a comfortable pillow?"

"Maybe because I would like to introduce you to my two best friends, who are sitting in the opposite seats while giving us weird looks, and it would be quite strange to do that while you are currently using my lap as a pillow."

Harry opens one eye to glance at Tracy and Blaise. Tracy looks like she can barely contain her excitement while Blaise just looks at Harry and Daphne with an eyebrow raised in amusement.

Harry looks up at Daphne only to see her using the hand not combing through his hair holding up what looks like the potions book they will be using this year. He sighs before sitting up for a stretch that had him sighing in happiness at the feel of his bones popping back into place. He faces Tracy and Blaise and then stretches his hand out towards Blaise.

"Harry Potter. It's a pleasure meeting friends of the Ice Queen."

Daphne snorts in a very unlady like manor before questioning Harry without taking her eyes off her book.

"Ice Queen? Really?"

"Well, you always put on that mask of indifference when you are around people. It makes you look cold and unapproachable, therefore Ice Queen is the perfect name for you."

"Oh yeah? What about your mask? You know, the one that makes you look like you couldn't care less about what's happening around you even though I now for a fact that you manage to take in every single detail in your near vicinity."

"I know I should be amazed that you picked up such a fact about me but I can't help but feel a bit smug at the knowledge of you paying such close attention to me."

If it weren't for then slight tint of her ear, Harry would have thought that his comment had no impact on her. Daphne lowers her book to send a smirk Harry's way.

"I doubt you feel as smug as I do at the moment, knowing that you see me as a queen and all."

At the sound of a giggle they both snap their attention to the other two occupants in the compartment. Blaise has a full-blown smirk on his face while Tracy looks like she's barely holding in her laughter.

"Well would you look at that Tracy? It seems that our little Daphy finally has a crush on someone."

"And it seems like said someone has a crush on her as well."

Both Daphne and Harry blush at the comments made before Daphne fixes her friends with her signature glare.

"I don't even know why I keep you two around. You guys are so annoying."

Blaise gets up and gives a low bow towards Daphne. "My deepest apologies, Your Highness."

Blaise and Tracy proceed to laugh out loud at the two blushing kids sitting in front of them. When they are finally able to regain their composure, Blaise sticks out a hand towards Harry.

"It's a Pleasure to meet you Potter. I'm Blaise Zabini. I must say, its really quite refreshing to see Daphne converse with someone else in a tone that holds none of her usual coldness."

"And I'm Tracy Davis, Daphne's best friend. I can already tell that we are going to get along quite wonderfully if the blush still on Daphne's face is any indication."

Harry shakes Blaise's hand before kissing the back of Tracy's. He turns to Daphne and tilts his head in a way that she finds is downright adorable.

"Daphne, I think I am going to enjoy being friends with these two."