Author's Note: Okay, so this took a little while. I hope you all enjoy. FYI: The soundtrack to "The Phantom of the Opera" gives some good inspiration.
Harry opened the front door and nudged his trunk out onto the walk. He shut the door behind him and pulled his new cap onto his head. He removed the spare house key from under the mat and locked the door. Harry hefted his trunk into his arms and started off to Wisteria Walk. He had left a note to his relatives, explaining his decision as to why he had handled things the way he did, asking that they only understand the decision. He never expected them to accept it. Finding a place to stay would be easy enough for Harry. Money always worked in the wizarding world. The society of magical Britain seemed to have frozen in time in the early days of the nineteenth century. No one would ask questions so long as the Galleons kept coming. Money was often the only language some people spoke, especially in the back roads off Knockturn Alley. True, it wasn't the ideal option for Harry, but it was the best he could find right now.
The trunk was getting heavier by the second. That had been rather interesting once the spells wore off. Harry's little cupboard room had become intensely claustrophobia-inducing when everything he had purchased returned to its original size. Harry had nearly been buried by his clothing alone. He had packed his trunk with everything but his books. He hid those under his cot and behind Dudley hand-me-downs. He had overestimated the space available to him and could not brew any potions, so he studied instead of slept. He practically memorized his first year texts, amazed at everything he had forgotten. He read his new books with equal enthusiasm and took careful notes of the more complicated books he had purchased. He felt very prepared for life at Hogwarts now.
The Knight Bus appeared and whisked Harry off to London. He barely noticed the trip, trapped in his thoughts as he was, and thanked Stan and Ernie when they left him near King's Cross. He pulled his trunk to the station and loaded his trunk onto a cart. The station was nearly abandoned at this hour, but he knew that the overnight trains and morning commuters would soon arrive. He wheeled his trunk to a small kiosk and bought some breakfast for himself to settle down to wait for his train. He removed a tiny book, A Muggleborn's Guide to the Magical World, from his pocket and started reading.
He was halfway through the book when he looked up and noticed the time. He stood and slipped the book back into his pocket. His ticket said 9 and ¾. He went to the barrier and casually slipped through. This was rather different from his first desperate dash through the barrier, thinking he was going to splatter himself all over a solid brick wall. He could almost laugh about it now. The Hogwarts Express was just as brilliant as he remembered and welcomed him with clouds of friendly steam. Ten minutes later found him settled in a compartment and back into his book. It was time to start his persona. Harry Potter – Bookworm Extraordinaire. He hoped Hermione would not mind some competition.
He was just starting the chapter called The Various Means of Travel when his compartment door slid open. "Finally! Someone who looks sane!" A frazzled Hermione Granger came into the compartment. "Do you mind if I sit with you?" She asked as she dragged her trunk in.
"No." Harry answered. He finished the introductory paragraph about travel and looked up. "What did you mean by 'someone who looks sane'?" Harry asked. Hermione only gestured towards the window. Harry glanced out and saw a large crush of people. "Oh." That explained a lot. He was glad he was already on the train.
"You're Muggle-born too?" Hermione asked excitedly after seeing Harry's book. "I was so surprised when I received my letter. No one in my family is magical at all. I've already read all of our schoolbooks and some extras my parents allowed me to buy. My name's Hermione Granger, by the way." Harry was glad his friend was still the same.
"Actually, my parents were both magical, but I was raised by my Muggle relatives. I, too, did not know I was a wizard until I received my letter. All of the books are interesting and my favorites are Transfiguration and Potions. I'm amazed that you said all of that in one breath and my name is Harry Potter." He sat up and offered his hand to her.
"Are you really?" Hermione asked as she shook his hand. "I've read about you and how you defeated the Dark Lord." Oh dear Merlin. It was beginning already.
"You mean Voldemort?" Harry asked. "I find that story a bit dubious myself. He must have said the incantation wrong or something similar. Magical Theory said mispronunciation has caused many accidents."
"Yes. Uric the Oddball did the same thing when he said the Summoning Charm incorrectly. They say that's how he received his nickname." Good old Hermione. Hermione smiled at Harry and moved forward to the edge of her seat. Harry recognized that look. It was her I've found someone of intellectual equality look.
"There you are, Harry! I've been scouring the train for you." Harry looked up and saw Draco Malfoy standing in the doorway. He did notice that Crabbe and Goyle were missing. "My parents were disappointed when they did not get to meet your relatives." I bet they were.
"Draco Malfoy, this is Hermione Granger. Hermione, Draco Malfoy, an acquaintance from Diagon Alley." Harry introduced the pair and waited. "I'm sorry, Draco, if you or your parents worried. I came alone this morning, so they wouldn't have met my relatives in any case." Harry explained. "Do you have your own compartment, or were you looking to join us?"
"Harry, you're sitting with a Muggleborn." Draco told Harry in a loud whisper.
"So?" Harry shrugged. I'm Muggle raised. Hermione and I will be going through the same experiences." Harry stopped speaking and waited for Malfoy to make his decision. Draco muttered something to the effect of "see you later" and left the compartment. Harry had no doubts that he would see Draco later. The boy seemed fixated on him for some reason.
Harry and Hermione were undisturbed for the rest of the train ride. They took turns using the compartment to change into their robes and spent the rest of the ride comparing notes about Hogwarts: A History.
They left the train with everyone else (Harry's cap firmly on his head) and followed Hagrid's booming voice. The half-giant appeared to be searching the crowds for someone. Harry allowed the bill of his hat to hide his face while he fought down the panicked sensation in the back of his throat. He had a feeling that Hagrid was looking for him.
Draco came out of nowhere and pulled Harry towards the boats. Harry, in turn, latched onto Hermione. Hermione squeaked at the sudden tug and shot Harry a glare. Harry could only smile. He had missed his friend.
Draco looked quite put out at the idea of Hermione sharing a boat with him. Harry tolerated his fuming for only a few minutes before he spoke up. "You don't even know her." Harry said. "I've lived long enough with my relatives to know that actions count more than anything else. Stop being stupid." Draco fumed even more after that.
"Harry. You don't have to say things like that." Hermione whispered. "I was warned that prejudice happens, even in the wizarding world."
"Only idiots judge people before they know them. I thought Draco was smarter than that." He explained just loud enough for Draco to hear, but quiet enough to deny that he wanted Draco to hear him. He noticed a slight change in Draco's posture at that and decided to leave things well enough alone for now. Draco was not stupid; perhaps changing the way things happened wouldn't be too hard.
The Slytherin seemed willing to ignore Hermione's presence by the end of the boat ride. He didn't speak to her and he didn't sneer at her. It was better than Harry had hoped.
McGonagall gave the small speech about houses and then mentioned that any headwear that was not magical was not allowed at Hogwarts. Harry was happy, for now, that he was short. He was hidden behind Draco when he took off his cap and shoved it into his pocket. The professor led them all into the Great Hall and up to the Sorting Hat. Harry listened to his first year song again and waited patiently. He cheered when Hermione made it into Gryffindor and Draco into Slytherin.
"Potter, Harry." The whispering started immediately as Harry slipped from the crowd of children and went up to the stool. He perched on the stool, more than aware of everyone's eyes on him, and felt the Hat lowered over his eyes.
"Ah, Harry Potter. I've been waiting to meet you. Well, to business then." There was a moment's pause and then "Mother of Merlin and all the Founders!" Harry knew the Hat was not addressing him. "This will not do at all! How did this happen? I cannot Sort you!"
"I'm not asking you to Sort me." Harry said in his head. "I wish to go to Ravenclaw." He told the Hat.
"No, I refuse!" The Hat snapped. "You're a grown man, not a child. Your appearance does not deceive me." What followed was a fifteen minute argument between an old artifact from Godric Gryffindor and the Chosen One. The argument did not end as Harry hoped. He extracted a promise from the Hat not to reveal his secret, but the Hat refused to Sort him.
"Please, just say 'Ravenclaw'." Harry begged the Hat when the whispers turned into loud questions.
"Absolutely not!" Harry had to resist the urge to set fire to the Hat. "You can't make me Sort you and I refuse!" Harry finally grabbed the Hat off his head and stood up. He looked up at Professor McGonagall with a lost expression and shrugged.
"It refuses to Sort me." He told her in a low voice. "Does this mean I have to go home?" Harry allowed his face to fall into a deeply disappointed expression. Why did Fate always have to work against him?
"Oh, for goodness sake!" Draco stood from the Slytherin table. He marched up to crowd around the Sorting Hat, grabbed Harry's arm, and pulled Harry over to the Slytherin table. "He'll stay with the Slytherins until something is figured out." Draco sneered. "We're all starving and he's," Draco paused to point at Harry, "thin enough as it is!" Harry wondered if Draco knew that Molly Weasley had said the same thing on any number of occasions. He guessed not. Draco was not aware of the true state of Harry's life.
Dumbledore motioned to McGonagall and the Sorting continued. "So much for being normal," Harry grumbled to himself.
Draco only raised an eyebrow. "You were never normal."
"I was trying to forget that, thanks." Harry told him. The Sorting passed quickly and the Feast appeared after Dumbledore's brief words of "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" Harry loaded his plate with vegetables, chicken, and rice. Draco just rolled his eyes at Harry's choices but kept silent until Harry chose fruit salad for dessert instead of the many sweets piled on the table.
"Definitely not normal." Draco said after a serious inspection of Harry's choices.
"Shut up." Harry was glaring at the table now. The table, or the food, obviously felt Harry had not consumed enough food and was making it known. A slice of chocolate cake was attempting to sit in front of Harry. He pushed it away. It slid back in front of him only two seconds later. "This cake is possessed." He informed Draco. "I don't want any cake!" Harry snapped at the plate. "Draco, please save me from the cake. It wants me to eat it."
Draco looked at Harry as though he was mad. "Harry." Harry had to wonder if Draco knew he sounded like Hermione with the way he said that. "Cake cannot…" He stopped talking as the cake slid back in front of Harry again. "Okay. You're not mad. I saw that too." Draco snatched the cake from the table and handed it to Crabbe. "Crabbe, chocolate cake."
Harry thanked Draco and then jumped as a bowl of ice cream appeared in front of him. "Excuse me." Harry said calmly to Draco. He pushed the ice cream away from him and lowered his head to the table. "Just kill me now." Harry requested of Draco. Harry felt something cold touch his head. The bowl had nudged its way up to Harry's head. "Or the ice cream. I don't care which."
"I'll kill the ice cream." Draco said as he pulled the bowl away from Harry. Harry sighed. His life could never be simple, could it?
"Harry Potter?" Harry looked up to see the Head Boy standing there. "Follow me, please." Harry nodded to Draco and followed the Head Boy. Was he being sent home now? No, Dumbledore wouldn't allow that to happen. Harry decided to play the curious eleven year old and peppered the Head Boy with questions about Hogwarts. He was surprised when they were actually answered. "Ice Mice."
Harry watched as the gargoyle jumped aside from the staircase that led to the Headmaster's office. The boy motioned for him to go up the stairs and Harry had to guess that it was a record. The headmaster's office on the day of arrival. He raised his hand to knock when Dumbledore's voice stopped him.
"Come in, Harry." So, I'm 'Harry' already, Headmaster? Harry opened the door and stepped inside with an apprehensive expression on his face. The Heads of House were already gathered and Harry felt a rather odd sensation settle into his stomach. This was going to be difficult. He hadn't expected to be confronted by his past all at once. The familiar faces that were wearing reassuring expressions (except for Snape) only made him think of what their faces looked like in death. He had thought that coming back to Hogwarts would be easy for him. Hogwarts had always been home to him, a place where he felt mostly safe and protected. Now, it seemed as though it only brought his personal demons back to confront him. He took a deep breath and strengthened his Occlumency shields to block out everything. He couldn't allow anything to slip now. "Please, sit down."
Harry lowered himself into the chair indicated and waited patiently. A sudden commotion from the corner startled everyone gathered in the office. Fawkes trilled and streaked from his perch to Harry's lap. Harry jumped out of his chair in shock. He was not used to having slightly deranged magical birds leap into his lap like that. Fawkes trilled again and perched on Harry's right shoulder. Harry turned to look at him and saw tears brimming in Fawkes' eyes, but they did not spill. The familiar trilled once more and head-butted Harry on his forehead. Harry reached up a cautious hand and scratched under Fawkes' beak. The phoenix seemed satisfied and left Harry's shoulder in favor of his perch.
"Odd." Dumbledore commented as he looked at the phoenix that now ignored the goings on in the room. Dumbledore studied Harry for a minute before smiling at him. "We appear to have a student that needs to be Sorted, but the Hat refuses to Sort you. He won't say why, but he has said that he won't Sort you and we can't make him. This is the first time this has happened." Dumbledore said in a speculative way.
"Sir, I'm sorry. I don't know what happ-" Harry snapped his mouth shut when Dumbledore shook his head and smiled.
"This is not your fault, Harry. Not to worry, we'll figure out where to put you, I'm sure of it. Now, these are the Heads of House here at Hogwarts. I'll allow them to introduce themselves to you." Dumbledore said. Dumbledore was just as cheerful as always.
"An honor to meet you, Mr. Potter." Professor Flitwick was the first to speak. "Professor Filius Filtwick. I am the Head of Ravenclaw House. I'm sure you heard the song, but Ravenclaws are not all about study. We have lots of fun too!" Harry smiled at the teacher and shook the offered hand.
McGonagall eyed him a bit before speaking. "Well, there is certainly no doubt you are James Potter's son. You look like him." She said. "Minerva McGonagall. I am Head of Gryffindor." Fair and no-nonsense. Just like her. He had missed his old teacher more than he knew.
"Thank you, ma'am." Harry said as he shook his head. "I'm afraid I didn't know my father at all, so I'll have to take your word about my looks." He gave her a small smile and turned to Professor Sprout.
"Hello, Harry. My name is Professor Pomona Sprout and I am Head of Hufflepuff." Harry had forgotten how nice Professor Sprout was. He couldn't see himself in Hufflepuff, but that was a definite back up plan if he couldn't get into Ravenclaw. Harry shook her offered hand and smiled again before turning to Snape.
Professor Snape stood glaring down at Harry with all of his might. Harry felt something glide along his Occlumency shields, but he ignored it in favor of waiting for Snape to introduce himself. "Severus." Dumbledore whispered from behind Snape.
"Professor Severus Snape. Potions Master. Head of Slytherin." He said shortly with no feeling in his voice at all.
Harry thought quickly. He needed to get along with Snape, regardless of how the man felt about him. It was time for a little, uh, misdirection. "Severus Snape?" He asked as he managed to look like he was searching his brain for some forgotten fact. "'Youngest Potions Master in a century' Severus Snape? You worked on the Wolfsbane potion with Damocles Belby during your studies…I'm going to be learning from you?" Harry took a deep breath before putting out his hand. "I'm honored to meet you, sir. I can't wait for your class." Harry wondered if he overdid for a short three seconds before Snape reached out, grasped his hand, shook it exactly once, and dropped it as though it burned him. Harry grinned at him before resuming his seat (he couldn't remember when he stood up) and smiled at the Headmaster.
Snape was eyeing Harry with an unreadable look. Harry ignored it. He did notice amused looks from the other professors. "Have I said something wrong?" He asked the room in general.
"No, Mr. Potter." McGonagall said. Harry knew that look. He also knew McGonagall well enough from his past to see that she was holding back laughter.
"Let us move on, as it is getting rather late and Harry must be getting rather tired." Oh, no. Not tired at all. I would not be disappointed to never sleep again…though now I have access to Dreamless Sleep…
What followed was a fifteen minute questioning session that had Harry thinking that someone had decided to have a bit of fun with him. The questions were absurd. Do I like rabbits? What kind of question is that? "I don't really have an opinion one way or another, sir." He had answered the headmaster. Rabbits? What did that have to do with anything? Do I like sweets? "No. Not at all." Harry smiled a bit when he answered that question. He couldn't stomach sweets anymore and had real desire to embark on the rotting of his teeth now that they were good again. Harry felt Legillmency several times as he answered questions and was becoming annoyed. They couldn't get in. Why didn't they believe that at first look?
Harry raised a hand to his forehead and massaged the skin there with a frown. "Are you alright, my boy?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, Headmaster. It's just a headache. It's been a long day." Harry frowned again as he felt a familiar touch on his mind. Snape was trying now. Right. Time to stop this. "Ow." He commented, rubbing harder. The Legillmency backed off and Harry noticed Snape and Dumbledore exchanging looks.
"Mr. Potter, would you step out into the hall for a moment?" Harry nodded and left the room as Dumbledore requested. The Heads were obviously going to discuss him. Harry noticed a Silencing Spell up and decided to wait it out. He was ready for some downtime. Rest when you can, Potter. You never know when you will sleep next. The words of his teacher startled him and he smiled a bit. The man had known what he was talking about, though Harry never did learn the sleep thing without being heavily dosed with potions after the first year of the war. Harry jumped as he felt a disturbing vibration in the office behind him. Had someone thrown a chair?
The door opened again and McGonagall beckoned Harry back into the room. Harry stood in front of the Headmaster and waited. "Well, Harry. We've managed to come to a decision."
"Really? What's my House?" Harry was ready to leave. Now. While sleep was not an option, relaxation was possible, and Harry was just a little tense from the situations of the evening. Seeing a lot of people he had known as "dead" was just a bit disconcerting for him.
"The decision is up to you, my boy." Oh this is just brilliant! I could have made this decision an hour ago!
"I'm a bookworm, honestly. I love reading and learning new things. There is a House like that?" He almost smiled when he heard Snape snort under his breath.
"Ravenclaw." Snape said shortly. Snape seemed to be holding his breath. Why, Harry didn't know, but he had a feeling the man was offering up silent prayers to whatever gods he had that Harry not be in his House. Not that Harry minded. The dungeons were too cold for a continuous habitation in Harry's opinion.
Harry smiled and turned back to Dumbledore. "I'll take Professor Snape's suggestion." He told Dumbledore. "I choose Ravenclaw."
Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed. "An Aunt's Love" should be updated soon. Check my forums!