Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the Harry Potter books and/or movies is not mine.

A/N: I got two chapters up today, because there wasn't much of a change, and I'm hoping to actually get past chapter six for those who have already read this. Nothing much changed in this chapter. Just a few fixed grammar mistakes and two lines at the end. I'll get the next chapter up when I'm finished with it! Thanks for reading, guys. - Min

Preternatural

By: xScenex and Rubber Ducky Loser

Chapter Four: A One Way Ticket

The boy awoke suddenly as the door to his compartment was slammed open. Confused and disoriented from sleep, Harry looked around. It was almost dark outside and the overhead lights were on, swaying in motion with the train, and a light pitter-patter sounded against the train windows, indicating the weather outside had changed from fair to dreary.

He blinked a few times to get the much needed sleep out of his eyes, then looked up to see who had abruptly came into his compartment, hoping it wasn't Hermione again. Although his vision was still fuzzy with sleep, he inwardly groaned as he made out the figure of Draco Malfoy, standing arrogantly in the doorway with his two cronies.

"Potter," he spat with his usual sneer on his face, although his eyes raked curiously over Harry's person, showing a bit of surprise about his physical state.

"Malfoy," he responded quietly, sitting up a bit straighter. "What do you want?"

Malfoy seemed a bit more surprised that the boy didn't cower back from his presence and Harry figured that, just like the Neville in his world, he was usually scared of the Slytherin.

"So you haven't killed yourself this summer I see. Pity."

"It is, isn't it," Harry replied almost emotionlessly, ignoring the dense chuckling from Crabbe and Goyle. "If you're only going to insult me, Malfoy, get out of here. Those childish remarks will get you killed one day."

"What was that, Potter?" he asked coldly.

"I said," the Gryffindor sighed wearily, "If you're only going to insult me, get. Out. Of. Here. Did you understand that time?"

Flushing an angry red, Draco whipped out his wand. "You shouldn't talk to your Betters that way, if you know what's good for you."

Harry uncurled from his warm seat regretfully, thin arms pushing his weight up so that he stood unsteadily on his feet, still feeling groggy. Ignoring the numb feeling in his legs from his hours of sitting, he flicked his hand, allowing his wand to fall out of its holster and into his palm. Holding the holly wand in his hand, he brandished it towards the hall outside of the compartment.

"Leave," he deadpanned, thin fingers gripping tightly onto his wand.

"What if I don't want to?" the blonde retaliated fiercely just as his two cronies pulled out their wands.

"I'll force you to leave, Malfoy," the raven haired boy growled, tired of the charade he'd put up. It only took so much before Malfoy got completely on his nerves. "Now go."

"You'll have to make me," Malfoy sneered, eyes flashing with arrogance.

Malfoy rose his wand just as Harry shouted out a silencing spell faster than could be followed due to his old Quidditch reflexes, efficiently rendering the blonde speechless. The Slytherin's eyes widened and the other two boys stared dumbly at their 'leader', unsure of what to do when they realized that Malfoy wouldn't be able to hex the Gryffindor.

"Want to leave before I do worse?" Harry snapped, holding onto his wand threateningly.

Malfoy glared at him but motioned for his fellow House mates to back out of the compartment. Sending the other boy one last fierce look, he stomped out and slammed the door behind him.

Smiling ruefully at his own temper, Harry sat back down in his now cold seat. He wondered if Neville had always had those problems with Malfoy, but decided not to think of it, knowing he'd just regret it later.

Harry sighed and traced a circle on the fogged up window next to his seat, the trees outside flashing by in blacks and dark greens. He was bored now, realizing it wouldn't do to just fall back asleep as they were almost at Hogwarts. Poking at the inside area of the circle, he made two eyes and a nose and made a squiggly line that almost resembled a frown.

Staring only momentarily at the deformed smiley face - or in it's case, frowning, Harry quickly wiped it away and began doodling again.

After half a minute, he had successfully drawn a very sloppy Grim. Smiling at the memories the small drawing brought to his mind, he sat back in his seat as the lights flickered a bit.

He was actually beginning to wonder what life was going to really be like for him. Would he really be 'just Harry'? Or would he be more or less than that? He remembered Neville from his world, and in all honesty, wouldn't have wanted to be in the boy's shoes.

Although Harry was a bit better off with some things, how would his life turn out to be? He hadn't kept much of an eye on Neville in his world, and he wasn't sure how he was supposed to act around anyone else. It was almost nerve wreaking.

Just before he could work himself up anymore, a voice from overhead announced that they would arrive at the castle in less than ten minutes. Frowning in annoyance, Harry stood up again and struggled to get his trunk out from its compartment above the seats.

After a five minute struggle, he'd successfully retrieved a one of his school uniforms and a tie. He finished changing right as the train stopped at the station in Hogsmeade.

Students began milling out of their compartments and Harry joined in, trying his best not to get trampled over by the students who were taller than him.

Finally, after separating himself from the stampede of students, he trotted off through the light drizzle in hopes of an empty carriage. After a fruitless attempts of finding one void of occupants, a damp Harry set off in search of someone remotely friendly to share with.

With his luck - or without if you look at in in some ways, he ran into none other than Neville, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and Luna. Five pairs of eyes swiveled onto him, staring mindlessly.

Harry glared slightly and cleared his throat, "Excuse me?"

They snapped out of their reverie and Ginny smiled slightly at him, having the decency to look slightly embarrassed, "Hi Harry, you didn't stop by the usual compartment on the train. Were you okay?"

Harry's eyes drifted over towards Hermione, where she was about to join Luna in the carriage. "I was okay. Do you mind if I share a carriage with you guys?"

"No, we don't mind at all," Ginny grinned and motioned for the remaining boys to jump into the coach and then gestured for Harry to follow her.

He let his eyes drift towards where the thestral's stood patiently, awaiting the signal to head up towards the castle. The creatures were just as vivid as ever.

"Harry?"

Shaking his head a bit, Harry looked up into the concerned faces of his supposed friends. "Sorry," he mumbled while joining the others in the dry compartment. He took a seat next to Luna and across from Neville.

Staring at the other boy, he realized the changes in him. He was no longer pudgy, but now lean and slightly fit, albeit at the point of losing weight. He had the upper body muscles that where probably from - to Harry's immense disbelief - Quidditch. He had a determined look in his eyes, plus a look of great sadness that Harry himself was quite accustomed to seeing in the mirror. But the oddest thing was the zigzagged scar on the boy's cheek; that had to be his curse scar.

Under the scrutiny he sensed, Neville turned to stare at Harry, his light blue eyes boring into emerald green. "Is there something on my face?"

"No…" Harry sighed and shifted to the side a bit, effectively taking his attention off the boy as light chatter filled the small, crowded space.

Simple to say, he was quite happy when the carriages stopped at the castle's front doors.

Harry was the first to get out of the coach, purposely ignoring the looks from the teen's he'd left behind as he hurried forward out of the cold. He was already always cold and standing there in the drizzle didn't help his poor body heat.

While walking, a few of his former classmates sent him odd looks which he ignored with ease. After being The-Boy-Who-Lived for most of his life, he'd gotten relatively used to it.

Walking into the castle, he felt the usual welcoming atmosphere and smiled a bit. He was finally home. Looking around, he saw that the Great Hall was just as it had always been, with its sparkling candles and enchanted ceiling. He let his eyes drift up towards the teachers table and felt a painful jab in his heart when he set eyes on Albus Dumbledore, alive and well.

Tears began to well up in his eyes which he hastily tried to blink away. It would be no use in crying over the past - and in the world he was now in, the Headmaster was alive. Alive! It was all too good to be true - but if Sirius was alive, why couldn't Dumbledore?

He hadn't realized he'd had his eyes glued onto the old wizard until Dumbledore turned in his seat from talking to McGonagall and his eyes locked onto Harry's.

Harry felt rooted to the spot, stopping suddenly and causing a few students behind him to grumble in annoyance. He wasn't that far from the teachers table, having walked a bit over halfway across the Great Hall, so he was clearly able to see the expressions on the older man's face.

And to say they were surprised was an understatement. Concerned flashed across his face, attracting the other teacher's attention. When McGonagall looked over, she had a similar expression, as did Flitwick. He could see her lips moving furiously and Dumbledore said something in reply, but what was spoken was unknown to Harry.

Ducking his head down a bit, Harry ripped his gaze away from Dumbledore's and turned around to find a seat at the end of Gryffindor table. He just couldn't find it in his heart to sit with the other students.

When everyone was seated, McGonagall went to go fetch the first years from Hagrid, and soon, the sorting hat was brought out.

Harry was hardly paying attention until the hat began to sing its usual song.

Oh, of all the blatant things to come,
This sorting hat knows all but one
Who resides in these walls of Hogwarts Founders,
Come from a place where all had failed,
Let us join in unity before we fall like before.

Whether it be those from Gryffindor,
Those who are brave and true,
Who's courage wont waver unless subdued.

Or Let it be those in Hufflepuff,
So loyal and devoted,
Lending a helping hand to those they know.

Possibly those who come from Ravenclaw,
So smart and full of knowledge,
Ready to use their logic in the world.

It might just be those in Slytherin,
Who's cunning and ambitious,
Ready and willing to show what they're worth.

We must gather and bond in this prestigious war,
Which will be the end of the end, or the end before the new beginning.
With the help of a newcomer, we shall prevail,
Let no darkness engulf our hearts, don't despair.

So put me on, I'll sort you well,
For this year's outcome will be important as well.

The hall fell silent with a few bouts of clapping from some of the occupants. Why was the sorting hat so determined on House unity? He had remembered the previous worlds warning from the Sorting Hat, and it confused him. What was it hinting, exactly?

He hardly paid any attention to the sorting of the first years. He was rather miffed with that old hat for mentioning him - he knew it had to be him. 'Come from a place where all had failed'. How obvious was that?

Finally, all the younger students were sorted into their respectful houses and the food cluttered up on the tables after a few spoken words.

Harry hardly touched his plate, still not feeling hungry. He picked a bit at his pork and nibbled on a treacle tart, but otherwise left everything else untouched. After a painstaking hour, Dumbledore finally stood up and made the usual announcements, including introducing the new Defense teacher; Professor Eliza Braubaker.

Harry stared at the woman - she had to be in her forties. She was tall, with dark brown hair with grey streaks running through it. She looked stern - almost as stern as McGonagall. She wore her hair in a loose bun at the nape of her neck and had a small smile on her face.

Eventually, Dumbledore dismissed the student body to their dorms for the rest of the night.

Harry gladly stood up, feeling tired and a bit exhausted. The train rides always had a way of making him feel that way. He walked with the rest of Gryffindor out of the Great Hall, avoiding any eye contact from the teachers. He knew that they could easily break through his feeble, almost nonexistent occlumency shields.

After a long, draining walk up to the tower, Hermione told the students the password and allowed them all in, showing them where their dormitories were. Without saying anything to anyone, Harry made his way up to the seventh year's dormitory.

He nearly walked over to his old bed, but realized that his stuff wasn't at the end of it. He looked around, and spotted his trunk, and, Merlin forbid, box containing one very unwanted toad sitting at the end. Sighing to himself, he changed and lay down on the bed that was so unfamiliar to him.

He was beginning to really regret his wish in some ways.

But he knew, that no matter how life turned out - he was stuck. He'd taken his one way ticket to a place he'd have to call home.

And with his luck, things were bound to go amiss.

Review? Pretty please with a cherry on top?