Chapter 14

Hogwarts Express

Compartment # 7

Neville Longbottom and Draco Malfoy sat and looked at their friend with open concern. He sat rubbing his hands together and cackled like an old witch who got her potion just right.

It was a very disturbing sight.

Harry: Well gentlemen, it would seem our time together has come to somewhat of a pause for now. I do believe we are about to enter Hogsmead Station.

Harry said as he got up from his seat and took down his Carry-On trunk from the space above their heads.

Draco: What is that and where is your trunk?

Harry: This is my trunk; I merely shrunk it down to this size for easier handling.

Draco: I would never have thought of that. Please excuse me while I go and fetch my things.

Harry and Neville waved Draco off and got dressed in their school robes. They then sat and waited for the train to come to a standstill before they waited a little longer for the rush of feet to pass their door first before they stepped out and off the train.

It took them no time at all to find the head of their friend and they walked over to where Draco was standing.

Hagrid: First year students come to me please! All first year students are to come to me please!

Hagrid's booming voice reached over the whole platform and soon every first year student was standing before him and a strange looking man.

Hagrid: Welcome to Hogsmead Station. Your first stop to a new adventure into the world of Magic. My name is Rubeus Hagrid. I am the Grounds Keeper at Hogwarts and your guide to the school this evening. This gentleman to my left is called BEAR. He will be one of your Professors at school in the subject of Creature Studies. I hope you all enjoy your time here and make the best of everything you encounter.

Hagrid finished his small speech to a polite clapping of hands and nodded his head in thanks for it.

Turning on his heel, Hagrid called for everybody to follow him as he led them all in the direction of a large lake. They walked down a well-lit path and soon saw how they were to be introduced to their first look at Hogwarts.

Boats.

Harry: Well this is dangerous and exciting. Did anybody remember to bring life vests?

All the students who heard Harry stood still and wondered why he said that.

Harry: I might be saying this out of my own experience here, but how many of you actually know HOW to swim?

There was a smattering of whispers before a few kids raised their hands. There was more who had their hands down than up.

Harry: So I take it you were all just going to get into boats on a massive body of water without ANY means of safety? Well aren't you a bunch of clever waffles?

Hagrid had in the meantime made his way over to where the kids were standing still and only caught the end part of what Harry were saying.

Hagrid: What is going on here?

Harry: I was merely asking why there was no safety wear for us who did not know how to swim.

Hagrid: That is a good question and 10 points to whichever House you get sorted into Mr?

Harry: Potter sir, and thank you.

Hagrid: Well Mr Potter, seeing as though you have asked the question, how would you make the situation saver?

Harry: Easy, first I would ask who knows how to swim. Then I would divide those kids into the boats with the kids who do not know how to swim. Next I would get every kid dressed into a Life-Vest and only then I would allow them to step onto the boat they get HELPED into.

Hagrid stood and listened to what Harry said and nodded his head in respect. The kid had some valid points and he would be making sure to implement them into his next greeting.

Hagrid: Very well done Mr Potter for catching a major problem before it could get worse. Take a further 10 points for your chosen House.

Harry: Thank you sir.

Hagrid: Did everybody hear what Mr Potter just suggested? Yes, good. Now if you all would line up according to that, we can get started and get on our way to the castle.

Harry heard some remarks from some of the kids about how he handled the situation and he heard some remark of being a teacher's pet. He zeroed in on that remark and saw who made it.

A red headed boy with a face full of freckles stood to one side and was trying to convince two boys close to him that Harry was nothing more than an attention seeking brat.

Harry: I would take those words back if I were you. Name calling and false accusations could land you in trouble you cannot get out of.

Red headed kid: Who says? You are just trying to make yourself look good by being a know it all. Besides Mr Potter, everybody knows WHO you are, so stop with the ass kissing and leave some of the glory to us.

Harry: Glory? Is that what you call it? And do you really know who I am?

Red headed kid: Sure, Harry Potter, the BOY WHO LIVED. What a joke? Living off the fame from a children's story. How desperate do you need to be to do that?

Harry: How long have you known me Mr?

Red headed kid: Ron Weasley. And I don't need to know you at all to see that you run on the fame of others. Just look at your clothes and the company you keep! Even the way you speak isn't normal for a kid our age.

Harry: So let me get this straight… you know WHO I am, but you don't need to know ME. You accuse me of being somebody I am not and accuse me of running off the fame of others.

Ron: Yeah that's it, just like that.

Harry: You must be from a town that does not get many newspapers.

Ron: What do you mean by that?

Harry: What I mean by that is simple. You accuse me of running off of the fame of others, yet you deem it unnecessary to actually know who I am, then you have the audacity to say that I am an attention seeking brat? My name is Harry Potter, son of the late Lord and Lady Potter, who died protecting me from a mad man who tried to KILL the wizarding world in a war. I survived because my mother charmed my crib 6 ways from Sunday and the spell that was supposed to kill me, rebounded onto its caster.

Everything more than that is here say simply because NOBODY knows what happened after.

Nobody else was there when it happened and nobody else was there when it ended, except for me and MY dead parents.

So Mr Weasley, if you are still so sure that I am running off the fame of others and don't deserve what I have worked hard for in MY life, please step forward and accept my hand in a formal duel.

I will not allow MY name or the memory of MY parents to be dragged through the mud by anybody!

If you can't find the time to get to know me and the REAL story, then don't make the time to talk about something you have no idea about.

Well Mr Weasley, are you going to accept my hand for a formal duel or are you going to apologize for being a nasty little boy with a jealous streak a mile wide?

Ron: I am not a nasty little boy and I am not jealous of whatever you have! Besides, only grown ups can make demands for formal duels!

Harry: Is that so…

Harry left that question in the air for a few seconds before anybody realized what he meant by it.

Ron: No way… are you being bloody serious?

Harry: …

Ron: No way, you're lying!

Harry: I would caution you on adding more to the case against you Mr Weasley.

Ron: …

Harry: I thought so. Seeing as though Mr Weasley has so politely put his foot in his mouth, I will ask for his Head of House to step forward and pay retribution for Mr Weasley's gross error.

I just hope that Mr Weasley learned some lesson from this and stops his mouth from running away from his brain in the future.

Harry said this while looking Ron in the eyes and almost daring him to say something about it. Unluckily for Harry, Ron seemed to understand that he made a massive mistake and decided to keep his mouth closed.

Hagrid: I will see to it that the right people get informed about this Mr Potter. We are running late as it is, so if everybody would get into the boats as we discussed, we can be on our way.

The students did as they were instructed and the boats floated across the lake easily.

Once they came to the other side, Hagrid had them walk up a set of steps and across a beautiful lawn up to a set of massive oak doors.

Hagrid knocked on the doors once and waited for somebody to answer.

An old witch with a pointy hat and a very stern look upon her face opened the doors and immediately demanded answers from Hagrid for being late.

Hagrid: Excuse our lateness Professor McGonagall, we had a lesson on safety for the students to cross the lake, yet before we could put the lesson to work, young Mr Weasley over here decided it would be fun to make fun of and slander Mr Potter over there. Mr Potter stood up for himself in a very mature way and settled the argument without violence, but he demanded that the Head of House Weasley pay retribution for the slight against the House of Potter.

Hagrid pointed to the students involved and explained his part in the situation calmly.

Professor McGonagall was not pleased for the interruption in her precise schedule and made her displeasure know.

Professor McGonagall: Thank you for handling the situation so well Hagrid. I will endeavour to see that the demand is met and the punishment fit the crime.

As for the rest of you, please follow me as we are running late and this has already set back MY schedule far more that it was meant to be.

McGonagall walked before the kids and led them to a chamber right next door to the great hall.

Professor McGonagall: I suggest you freshen yourselves up and make ready to be introduced to your fellow Hogwardians in a few minutes.

With that said she turned around and walked out the door, letting in some of the noise inside the great hall.

The kids turned to each other and helped their neighbour to neaten up and soon they were called to follow Professor McGonagall into the great hall.

She led them up to the front of the hall and asked them to line up in front of the teacher's table facing the other students.

They did as asked and the sorting began.

Professor McGonagall: As soon as I read your name, you are to walk up to the stool, sit down and place the sorting hat on your head. What follows are between you and the hat. You will then step down and join YOUR assigned House.

And so it began. Name after name was called and student after student joined their respected Houses.

Professor McGonagall: Harry James Potter.

The hall kind of went quiet at the mention of his name and that made Harry set his jaw.

Bloody sheep.

Harry walked over to the stool and sat down. Professor McGonagall placed the sorting hat on his head and stepped away to allow some privacy.

Harry was met with laughter from TWO beings and he mentally shook his head.

Harry: How did I just know it would be you two I would meet here?

SAM: Hey! I resent that!

Harry: Tough it up. So how's it hanging SAM? Lady Magic, good to see you again. I have missed you.

Sam: Smart ass.

Magic: Quiet you. We have been well young Champion and I have missed you also. The Lady Hogwarts also now accepts you as her Champion and will answer your have been enjoying your trip to Hogwarts and have had some time to learn some disturbing facts about the Old fool.

It seems he has an unhealthy affection to you and what your life was all about.

We plan to stall him for as long as we can to allow you some freedom to enjoy your time here, but it will eventually come to it that you will be tested to see what you are capable of.

For that we apologise in advance, but some things just HAS to run their course.

Harry nodded his head in understanding and then waited for the sorting.

SAM: According to what we have learned from you in the past, I would LOVE to venture and sort you into Gryffindor. Yet we are not planning on mass burials so we have decided on placing you in the one House where you will do the least damage, but the most change.

RAVENCLAW

The hall clapped politely and Harry stepped down to take his seat with the Ravenclaws.

The sorting went on for another 45 minutes before it with the sorting of Mr Blaise Zabini who got sorted into Slytherin House.

After the applause died down, Dumbledore stood up and called for the feast to begin.