Alright, fourth chapter, bitches! Sorry it took a bit of time- work's been crazy lately.
I wanted to expand both of Harry's worlds in this chapter, granting him access to the magical world as well as the muggle world. Let me know if it translates well!
I'd just like to thank all of the very kind and generous people leaving reviews, you're warming my heart and only encouraging me to write more.
Harry Potter does not belong to me, but to JK Rowling.
Forget him for a while, his family did. Once again, Harry was forgotten by the next morning. Perhaps this time it is out of respect for his wishes, but Harry has a sinking feeling they have just forgotten about him. Again. Either way, Harry will be taking this as a sign to remain steadfast with his forgiveness campaign, as the new wave a pain left a bitter taste in his mouth.
The only person to not forget Harry was Dumbledore. Dumbledore seemed to ache for Harry. He sent owls at least once a week, books of magic included despite Harry's insistence that he can handle his own magical study. After a few weeks of receiving owls and books, Harry gives in, returning the owls and growing somewhat of a relationship with another human being. Harry, however, was adamant in his family forgetting him, making Dumbledore promise to let his family situation rest. Dumbledore reluctantly agreed, but only because he knows that Harry needs distance from his family (which he will not get if his family is continuously reminded of his existence).
Harry received books on defense, transfiguration, charms, potions, occlumency, you name it. Dumbledore seemed to recognize Harry's intelligence and is taking full advantage, wanting him to learn what he wants to learn. Dumbledore became an odd, owl-ordered mentor to Harry, never seeing each other in person, but keeping a continuous stream of communication. Dumbledore fueled Harry's thirst for knowledge, all the while sneakily getting to know the boy, caring for him immensely. Dumbledore became Harry's first friend… a Grandfather almost.
Despite this odd turn of events, Harry was still almost more excited by the muggle world than he was his vastly expanding magical knowledge and strength. He pored over his textbooks, reading them all within a week of receiving them. Noticing he seemed to have gaps in his Muggle Academic knowledge despite his personal studies, Harry goes to the public library nearest his family's manor in Manchester to dive further into the wonder of science, math, history, and literature. Not without his tail, however.
Mitsy and Popsy don't let Harry leave the house without Milly anymore, as punishment for his vanishing act. Milly and Harry are a bit rocky right now, due to her breach of their unspoken trust. Really, Harry has already forgiven Milly, but he doesn't want to let her off the hook yet- she needs to know that that was not okay to do. He appreciates her concern and love for him, but she needs to understand that these decisions he is making are his to make. If they turn out to be mistakes they are his to make and to learn from. She can't empathize with his situation, so she can't understand his solutions. He gets that, but she needs to respect how he is handling his own life, which means NOT exploding at his family about their treatment of him. They're reconciliation is emotional, but quick.
"Harry?"
"Yes?"
"... I'm sorry. It was wrong of me to lose my temper and make your situation even harder for you. That wasn't my intention."
"I forgive you, Milly. I agree, it wasn't okay, but I know it came only from a place of love. Don't worry about it, yeah?"
She nods and hugs Harry.
"Okay… if it makes you feel any better, I'm not allowed to knit for the time being."
"That does make me feel better, thank you," Harry teases, ducking Milly's fist.
Harry is constantly astounded at how simple his relationship with Milly really is. They're brother and sister. They love each other, but they're not into big declarations. They're protective of each other to a fault and will fight tooth and nail for each other. They mess up sometimes, but they will always forgive each other easily and quickly, grudges not even crossing their minds. They're simple. Easy.
Their trips to the library pay off, and by the time a month has passed, school is a week out and Harry is caught up with- and ahead of- his classmates. At the end of the month, Mitsy and Popsy lift Harry and Milly's punishments, Harry, once again, allowed to be out alone and Milly, once again, allowed to knit.
Upon his freedom, Harry immediately asks Milly to drop him off in Muggle London near his school so he may visit Rosa for his uniform and go to see Coop.
Seeing Rosa again was fun, though she did scold him for not picking his uniform up after the two weeks they had agreed upon. After apologies, Harry left, a smile on his face, promising to visit throughout the year for socks and ties when he tires of his own.
Harry shows up at The Page Turner around noon this time, immediately seeking out Coop, who was very excited to see Harry.
"Harry! I was so worried, you disappeared for a month! What happened?" he asked, limping to Harry and settling a hand on his shoulder fondly.
"Well, I was kind of really late meeting my aunt last time I was here, and I was grounded for worrying her," Harry sheepishly admits, rubbing the back of his head.
Coop snorts and leads Harry to the counter, wheeling out a cart of books and stopping it in front of Harry before going to sit at the chairs in the next room.
"Er… Coop?" Harry calls, confused by the turn of events.
"Did you not want to work? I'm not just going to give you money, sonny, you need to earn it! Put those away and we can have a snack afterward," he chuckles when Harry grins.
An hour and some chocolate pudding later, Coop teaches Harry how to run the counter, explaining the register and the dialogue to exchange with customers. After that, he shows Harry the way to clean most efficiently. Then, he explains how they receive books to Harry. By the end of the night, Harry is proficient in most ways of taking care of the shop, getting to know Coop better the entire time. At the end of the day, he sends Harry home with a smile on his face and a promise to see him tomorrow.
Arriving at the manor, Harry hugs Popsy and Mitsy, talking about his day excitedly.
"Well, I'm certainly glad you're taking to this Coop man so well, Honey. And he paid you for your work?" Mitsy asks, worried that this man was taking advantage of her little boy.
"Not yet! He said he'll pay me my wage on Tuesdays," Harry shrugs, "It's not really a big deal to me. I like Coop a lot, and I love his shop. I'm completely willing to help out in exchange for being able to hang around there!"
.~*~.
The next week before school passed similarly, with Harry helping out in The Page Turner until close and learning more about how to run a bookshop while growing close with Coop. Turns out, Coop wasn't lying about being paid on Tuesdays, and Harry was almost uncomfortable with the amount of money he now possesses. Knowing that the wage will be steady, Harry decides to make his first trip to Diagon Alley- at least in conscious memory.
Upon gaining permission from Mitsy and Popsy, Milly drops Harry off at the entrance of Diagon Alley, his money in hand and wonder in his eyes. Despite growing up around and studying magic, Harry had never seen such an amazing display of magic. The amount of magic he could feel buzzing through the air stirred Harry's own magic, much like Professor Dumbledore's magic had. Goosebumps erupted up and down Harry's body, a shiver passing up his spine.
Noticing he was blocking the entryway, Harry swallows down his reaction to the amount of magic alive around him and move through the quirky alley, his eyes focused on Gringotts.
Stopping at the entrance of Gringotts, Harry takes a deep breath and recalls everything his elf family had taught him about Goblin etiquette. Straightening his posture and neutralizing his expression, Harry strides confidently into the bank, stopping in front of a bank teller and waiting for them to finish their task and acknowledge him before speaking.
"Wizard child, what business do you have here?" the goblin acknowledges Harry, softening his tone as much as he could upon noticing Harry's young age.
"Hello Teller… Tagnuk," Harry bowed his head after finding the goblin's name plate, "May your riches flow and the blood of your enemies be spilt. My name is Harry Potter. May I be granted the honor of continuing our interaction in gobbledegook?" Harry asked, lifting his head to maintain eye contact as a show of respect.
Taken aback by the polite wizard child, Tagnuk agreed, his curiosity peaked.
"Thank you for this honor, Teller Tagnuk," Harry continued in gobbledegook. "My business here is that of the wish to open my own bank account. I have a steady income of muggle money and wish for a safe place to store said income. Gringotts is by far the safest place on Earth for the storing of money," Harry finished, once again bowing his head in respect.
"I see. Mr. Potter, you are aware you already have a trust fund here under your name?" Tagnuk offered to Harry.
"I… I was not aware of this, actually, no," Harry blinked, astonished. It must have been set up when he and Evan were babies. "Will my parents be able to see the transactions of my trust vault?"
"If you do not wish for them to, then no, Mr. Potter. The vault is essentially your vault, though it is refilled to one thousand galleons every month, if money has been withdrawn from said vault. While they will not be able to see your withdraws or deposits, they will be able to see the galleons transferred from the main Potter vault to your trust vault every month," Tagnuk explained, adjusting his glasses when they slid down the bridge of his nose.
"Hmm," Harry contemplated, "Would they see the money going to my trust vault, specifically? I know that if I have a trust vault, then my brother must as well. Will the transferrance of money say "Mr. Harry James Potter's Vault" or will it say something along the lines of "Trust Vault" with no specification of vault number?" Harry asked, hoping to be able to use his trust money and vault for his various endeavors.
Impressed by the child before him, Tagnuk smiles slightly, "The latter, Mr. Potter. The transaction will be seen as "Trust Vault Transference" with the number of galleons listed. Would you like to make a deposit in your trust vault?"
Elated at this news, Harry nods enthusiastically, "Oh, yes please, Teller Tagnuk!"
Chuckling at the child's happiness, Tagnuk continues, "Alright, Mr. Potter. You will need to provide the key for the vault."
Harry feels his heart sink at these words… he didn't even know he had a trust vault, let alone he needed a key to gain access to it! "Oh… I'm so sorry, Teller Tagnuk, but I do not have the key to my trust vault. Is there a way for me to procure a key, however?"
"Ah, of course, Mr. Potter. You will have to provide a few drops of blood to verify your identity, then we may give you another key."
Harry nodded and followed Tagnuk's instructions throughout the process.
After this, Tagnuk called another goblin who had been watching their encounter with wide eyes and a warm smile.
"Griphook!"
"Hello, young Potter, are you ready to visit your vault?" Griphook asked in gobbledegook upon facing Harry.
"That would be wonderful, Mr. Griphook," Harry bowed his head and turned back to Tagnuk. "Teller Tagnuk, your aid has been most helpful and I deeply appreciate your kindness. Thank you very much. May your vaults flourish and your body always be free of chains."
"May your knowledge grow and your enemies perish, Mr. Potter," Tagnuk returns, his smile growing slightly at this wonderful young man before him.
Smiling once more, Harry turns to follow Griphook to his vault. They climbed into a cart on a track and took off, Harry's arms thrown up and a smile lighting his face into the sun. They stopped in front of vault 872.
Climbing out, the two walk up to the vault and Griphook pulls out the key that Tagnuk handed him.
Griphook opens the vault and Harry's jaw drops. Sure, he had heard Tagnuk say one thousand galleons, but he didn't truly understand what one thousand galleons looks like.
Piles upon piles of gold coins were stacked around the small room. Shaking his head in wonder, Harry placed this week's wages on the ground and moved to a pile of coins. He pulled out a leather pouch and filled it with galleons, deciding to shop in the magical community today.
Returning to the cart, Harry nodded to Griphook and they set off to the Teller Chamber. Once they slow to a stop, Harry exits the cart and turns to Griphook, a small smile on his face.
"Thank you very much for your services today, Griphook. I appreciate your hard work and kindness. May your fortune swell and your pride glow." Bowing slightly, Harry looked back to Griphook's eyes.
"Aye, young Potter. May your money multiply and your peace prevail," Griphook nods back, elated at receiving respect.
Smiling, Harry turned and exited the bank with a confident stride, holding the door open for a family before walking down the steps, spirits sailing at his success with the goblin community.
Harry looked around the alley and formulated his plan for the day.
Harry headed for Ollivander's, deciding to get a wand so he may begin his practical studying of magic. Upon entering Ollivander's secluded little shop, he has another intense reaction to the amount of magic lingering in the atmosphere. Ollivander creeps from the back of the store, seeing Harry shuddering and clenching his fists.
"You can sense magic," Ollivander states softly, an awe in his voice that Harry wonders at.
"Er… I suppose," Harry shrugs. "I'd never really thought of it in that way. It only began recently, when I met Professor Dumbledore."
Ollivander nods. "Yes, Dumbledore has a large magical core, it comes as no surprise to me that someone who senses magic reacts to his presence."
"I had guessed that was what it was. I also felt it when I entered the alley… then again when entering your store," Harry revealed to Ollivander, wanting to know more about these strange occurrences.
"Hmm," Ollivander nods, a far away look in his silvery eyes.
"Does… does it mean something special? Or is it just something that happens every once in a while?" Harry asks at Ollivander's lack of verbal response.
"Very few people can sense magic, Mr. Potter. Very few people indeed…" Ollivander whispers out, pensive eyes studying Harry.
"How do you know my name?" Harry asks, defenses raising at Ollivander's vague statements and knowledge of Harry's identity.
"You look very much like your father, Mr. Potter. Although, I was not expecting you here for another four years," Ollivander raises an eyebrow, "Though, I have already sold your brother his wand… it's not that terribly unusual you are also receiving yours early. Where are your parents, Mr. Potter?"
"Work. I couldn't come with them when Evan got his wand because I had a meeting with my muggle school officials… my house elf dropped me off here to get my wand for practical lessons," Harry lied, knowing Ollivander saw through it but wouldn't question further.
"I suppose we should get started, then," Ollivander turned from Harry and strode to the back of the shop, rooting through the floor to ceiling shelves of wand boxes. While he was doing this, an enchanted tape measurer zoomed to Harry and zipped around him, expanding and shrinking with its measurements.
A few moments later, Ollivander crept back to Harry, four boxes in hand. Placing them on the nearest table, he picked the topmost wand up out of its box and turned to Harry.
"9 and ⅔ inches, oak with a unicorn hair core. Rather bendy," he told Harry, handing him the wand.
Harry grabbed the wand and without waving it, knew it was wrong. He simply handed it back to Ollivander.
"It feels wrong… I can tell those ones do too," Harry admits, feeling nothing calling him from the pile of boxes. "Would you mind if I took a stroll along your aisles… try the wands that call to me?" Harry continues, nervous he is overstepping his boundaries.
"Oh, my boy, please do!" Ollivander smiles, excited for this unusual request.
Harry smiled in thanks before moving toward the countless aisles of wands. He walks slowly up and down the aisles, eyes closed as he unknowingly expands his magical core out to search for the perfect wand to match his aura. A few wands rubbed against his aura pleasantly, but none thus far have resonated with his soul.
Ten minutes later, Harry is in the very back of the store, the wands covered in dust and in old leather boxes. He comes to a stop in front of the last shelf and gasps, his body on fire. His aura sings out and his hand shoots forward, grabbing a dark green leather box. The box has intricate golden designs along the edges and an actual latch. Harry's breath catches as he opens the box to reveal a long fawn wand with red streaks licked up and down the wood. It looks delicate, but when Harry reaches out and grips the ornately engraved handle, he feels a hugely strong power sweep through him, the power both carefree and sober at the same time. Harry feels humbled by the wand in his hand, it's delicate appearance hiding a strong will and a fair core.
Harry is too wrapped up in discovering his new companion to notice his magic reacting to its perfect match. Dark green and pure gold crept from the tip of the wand, falling to settle on the floor at his feet before tornadoing up around his body in a formidable swirl of magic. When it settled, Harry and the wand were bonded and his grip on the wand had tightened considerably.
"Oh my," Ollivander breaths out, the display of the bonding to such an ancient wand leaving him in awe. "I never thought I'd see the day that that particular wand would find its companion, Mr. Potter."
"Why this particular wand?" Harry asks bitingly, coming to the defense of his wand.
"That wand appeared in this store at its opening and has been in this store since that day, Mr. Potter. This store was opened in 382 BC. Father and Mother have passed down that wand in particular for generations upon generations to their son or daughter, knowing the wand is picky and unlikely to pick a companion. It is a mystery as to where it came from, and guessing at its origin is all we can really do," Ollivander finished, a smile forming on his face, an unrest he hadn't realize he felt being settled.
"It feels perfect in my hand, my magic, and my soul. I… I don't know how to explain it. Like I'd been missing my hand for years without even noticing, but now that I have it back… I feel whole," Harry smiled, exhilarated.
"That was one of the strongest bondings I'd ever witnessed," Ollivander admitted, grateful to have witnessed such an event.
"What is this made of, Mr. Ollivander?" Harry asked, wanting to understand his new companion even more.
"It is 11 ¾ inches, made of elder wood, and unyielding… It took my family many generations to figure out the core of this wand, it is a most unusual core as it has dual components. The core to your wand is that of thestral hair and a phoenix feather. A very harmonious, if complementary, pairing. Birth and death- the perfect balance to the wand," Ollivander gets lost in his explanation, awe and admiration heavily coloring his tone.
"That makes sense," Harry agrees, "I feel the balance and natural power in this wand. There is a certain air of fairness, inevitable equality that I can feel in this wand. Unforgiving, yet gentle. The balance between life and death… I definitely agree." Harry smiles again, feeling his bond with the wand grow warm at his further understanding of its disposition.
"Well, Mr. Ollivander. I thank you greatly for the help you have shown me today. All I have left to ask of you is a holster, and a wand servicing kit," Harry continues, wishing to keep this wand in perfect condition.
"As you wish, Mr. Potter," his eyes twinkle at the mention of wand care. He goes to retrieve said items, showing Harry how to use them, before returning to his desk.
"How much do I owe you, Mr. Ollivander?" Harry asks, following Ollivander to his desk before digging for his leather pouch.
"For the holster and servicing kit, 4 galleons and 13 sickles. I'm afraid I dare not accept money for your wand, as it was not made in this store," Ollivander continues before Harry can protest, "I dare say I will miss having that wand in my shop… though it was not made by family, it has been a pleasure hosting temporary housing for it."
"I'll make sure to stop in every once in a while to let you check up on it, reacquaint yourself with it?" Harry asks, knowing his wand enjoyed Ollivander's presence, as he pulled out the required coins.
"That would be lovely, Mr. Potter. Thank you for your time today, and enjoy your new bond," Ollivander said his goodbyes, disappearing into the back of the shop with the money.
"Odd man," Harry muttered fondly as he exits the shop, immediately making his way to Flourish and Blotts.
This trip was less eventful. Harry bought advanced books in the core subjects of Hogwarts, also buying beginner books in Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, Healing, Warding, and Occlumency. He bought supplemental books in Potions and Herbology, wanting to understand the ingredients as much as he would like to be able to know the process of potion making. His only interaction was with the cashier who couldn't care less that the child was by himself. After asking for his books to be momentarily shrunk, Harry left for the Apothecary.
Harry bought all the necessary ingredients and equipment for potion making, enjoying his time in the shop immensely.
Deciding he had spent enough time shopping, Harry called for Mitsy and went home in time for lunch.
He was eating a turkey sandwich and an apple in the kitchen when Milly popped in.
"Hey bro, how was Diagon? Wudjya do?" she asked, stealing a slice of his apple and shoving him over in his chair.
"It was amazing, Milly! I gained access to my trust vault, I got a bunch of books, I got potions supplies, but, Milly, the best part BY FAR is my wand! It's ancient and so powerful and beautiful and it's my perfect match and it's perfectly balanced and it's just SO COO-"
"I GET IT, HARRY," Milly interrupted, rolling her eyes fondly at Harry's enthusiasm.
"It's cool," Harry grumbled, grumpily biting into his sandwich.
Huffing out a chuckle, Milly bumps shoulders with Harry. "Excited for your first day of school?"
Harry immediately brightens, grinning and nodding wildly. "VERY!" He exclaims before his face falls and his eyes widen in horror. "I need to revise all of my materials! I've gotta go!" He calls as he hustles from the room.
"COME DOWN FOR DINNER!" Milly yells after him, shaking her head and eating the rest of his apples.
.~*~.
Harry can't stop smiling, a feeling of contentment wrapping around him. Oh! He has to pee!
"Excuse me, but may I please use the restroom?" Harry asks, hand raised and already getting out of his seat.
"Sure thing, Harry! Hurry back, though!" the teacher smiles brightly at Harry, halting the lesson to speak to him. His classmates smile at him before turning back to the front of the room.
Smiling once again, Harry exits the classroom to find himself in the guitar room.
"LOOK AT HIM!" a voice calls out.
"WHAT A FREAK!" another yells, laughter rising up around Harry.
Confused, Harry turns back around and is faced with what looks to be the entire students body and staff of his school, all pointing and laughing, some frowning and shaking their heads.
Puzzled and panicked, Harry looks around him then down at his own body. He's NAKED?! But he just had clothes on! He would swear his life on it! What on Earth is happening?
"Mr. Potter, what do you think you are doing?" Headmaster Wilson charges from the crowd, anger written all over his face. Mrs. Roberts is stalking behind the Headmaster, a scowl overtaking her youthful features, twisting her pretty face into an ugly mask.
"Beep… Beep… Beep… BEEP!" Harry screams out, trying to defend himself but only making blaringly irritating noises.
The pointing and laughing become to much, and Harry turns back to run away but can't seem to move from the spot on which he standing.
"Harry… Harry! HARRY WAKE UP!"
"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" he feels phantom hands shoving at his shoulder and he is pulled from this world.
Harry gasps and springs up, falling out of his bed in an ungraceful tangle of sheets and confusion. Harry looks around hurriedly to find Milly standing above him, puzzled concern covering her face. He looks down at himself to find his usual pyjamas and breaths out a sigh of relief. Just a dream… thank Merlin.
"Harry, what happened? Your alarm has been going off for five minutes, it's not like you to sleep through that!" she says, kneeling down next to him to help him out of his cloth prison.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Harry stands up and rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry, sis, just had a weird dream."
"Do you want to talk about it?" indulging in a brief show of affection, Milly rubs Harry's shoulder and relaxes her face into her concern.
"No, no, it's fine," Harry tells her, patting her shoulder and smiling at her concern. "I think I'll pop down for some breakfast before getting ready, yeah?"
Rolling her eyes once again, she punches his shoulder and pops out the room, presumably to the kitchen.
Rubbing his shoulder, Harry dismisses his dream as pre-first day jitters. He shakes his head once more before leaving his room, excited to begin his day.
As he reaches the kitchen, he hears the sound of sizzling pans and the smell of bacon. A contented sigh escapes his lips and he can't help but smile. He enters the kitchen and sits at the table, automatically scooting over for Milly while calling out his greetings to Mitsy and Popsy. A moment later, Milly comes over with a plate full of bacon, eggs, toast, and orange slices. They sit quietly, content to share their breakfast and bask in the hazy mornings of peace and home.
Mitsy comes over to them and pours two glasses of water, kissing both of their heads before moving back to the stove to continue breakfast with Popsy.
As they finish their food, Harry turns to Milly and rests his head on her shoulder, slipping further into the haze of familiarity and comfort, smiling when she sighs reluctantly and rests her own head atop his.
A few minutes later, Popsy moves to them and hugs them together before turning to Harry. "Alright, kiddo, you better go get dressed if you don't want to be late," he says, affectionately ruffling Harry's hair.
Harry leans into the touch, smiling widely before darting from the room to get into his uniform.
Rather winded upon reaching his room, which is not exactly close to the kitchen in his large home, Harry walks to his wardrobe and pulls out his uniform. He decides on the emerald blazer, a grey button up, the pearl and navy lattice tie, his slacks, and his wingtip shoes with the spangled socks. He smiles at his reflection and runs his hands through his hair, not bothering to try to style his messy head. His glasses only served to make him look intelligent, and Harry giddily grabbed his book bag filled with books and supplies, completing his student look.
Grinning, Harry walks out of his bedroom doors before heading to the kitchen to meet up with his family one last time. As that thought enters his head, Harry grows suddenly nervous.
As soon as he enters the kitchen, he is ambushed by his family, strangled in a chokehold/hug from his Aunt Mitsy and Milly.
"Oh, have fun, honey," Mitsy gets out, tears entering, but not exiting, her eyes.
"Don't be a dufus, okay?" Milly gets out, weakly punching his shoulder as she pulled back from the hug.
Smiling gently, Harry nods at Milly. "Got it, sis."
"Can… can Uncle Popsy take me to school today?" he asks, not wanting to hurt Milly or Aunt Mitsy's feelings, but needing the reassuring presence Popsy provides him.
This seems to be an unnecessary fear, however, because they both nod in understanding, smiling at Harry again before moving back slightly.
"Ready to leave, then, bud?" Popsy asks as he moves forward, grasping Harry's shoulder.
Nodding with a weak smile, Harry turns back to Mitsy. "Oh, and before I forget, I am going to be working at The Page Turner after school as often as I can, so I'll not be home until late most days. Is that okay?" Harry asks, nervously awaiting the answer.
"That sounds perfectly fine, honey, but don't forget everything you wanted to do for school, as well. Don't load too much onto your plate, okay?" she says, moving to kiss Harry's forehead fondly.
"Okay, Aunt Mitsy, I'll make sure I still have time to hang out with you guys," Harry smiles. "See you guys later, have a great day!" He says as he grabs Popsy's hand and they pop out.
When they reappear in the alley, Popsy turns to Harry and squeezes his hand. "What's happening, buddy?" he asks softly.
"Just nervous, I guess," Harry admits, moving forward to snuggle into Popsy.
"It is rather scary, isn't it?" Popsy says, hugging Harry further into him.
"What if they don't like me?" Harry asks, his mind flying through every terrible thing he had ever said to himself in his moments of weakness.
"Oh, Harry," Popsy sighed, frowning at his boy's pain. "I don't know how anyone could ever not like you, as you're the most amazing human I've ever met. That doesn't mean everyone will like you, though," he sighs again, hoping Harry won't face conflict from peers so young.
"And that's okay, Harry. You won't like everyone, either. Some people just don't mesh well, their personalities just don't match. But that doesn't ever give you reason to be mean or rude, okay?" Popsy says, wanting Harry to understand what he's trying to say.
"So… I won't like some people, and some people won't like me, but don't let that stop us from being nice to each other?" Harry asks, hanging on every word Popsy is telling him.
"Exactly, Harry. Never lose your kindness. You're so advanced for your age, you've never really been around your peers before. Kids can be mean, Harry. But don't let that bother you. You know your value, and their words can only hurt you if you let them hurt you- you give them their power over you," Popsy tells Harry.
"Okay," Harry sighs, feeling his heart sink a bit lower at the prospect of his new classmates not liking him or being mean to him.
"Having said that, I don't think you'll run into this problem often, Harry. You're a sweet, intelligent, wonderful kid. You'll make friends, no problem," Popsy concluded, ruffling Harry's hair.
"I hope," Harry mutters, flinging himself into Popsy for one last hug before backing away.
"Go get 'em, champ," Popsy smiles, staying in the alley until Harry fades from view.
Harry can hear the screams and laughter of children reuniting as he nears the school, and he takes a deep breath and shakes off his doubts. This will be great. If he runs into people who don't like him, so be it. Nodding to himself and smiling once more, Harry enters the iron gates and weaves his way through the crowds of families, intent on entering the school.
Once he's inside the school, Harry heads to the main office.
"Harry!" Mrs. Roberts greets him excitedly, putting her paperwork down to walk around her desk and stand in front of Harry.
"Oh, look at you! So dashing! And I love your tie, very you!" she smiles, straightening his tie a bit before going back to sit at her desk.
"Thanks, Mrs. Roberts," Harry smiles, feeling himself relax in her warm presence, relieved to get her ugly nightmare mask out of his head.
"How can I help you?" she asks as she sits down.
"Actually, I was hoping you could point me in the direction of my first class?" Harry asked as he pulled his class schedule out from the textbook he had originally found it slipped into.
He looked at it for a moment before handing it over to Mrs. Roberts
Name: Harry James Potter
Student ID: S2009556
Year: 3
Mondays and Wednesdays: Room Number:
Period 1 (8:00-9:05): Writing and Composition 123
Period 2 (9:10-10:15): Space Science 214
Period 3 (10:20-11:25): Health and Social Education 225
Lunch/Free Period (11:30-12:30) Cafeteria
Period 4 (12:35-1:40): Drawing I 105
Period 5 (1:45-2:50): Self-Defense Gymnasium
Tuesdays and Thursdays:
Period 1 (8:00-9:05): Advanced Mathematics 222
Period 2 (9:10-10:15): World Geography 232
Period 3 (10:20-11:25): World Culture and History 115
Lunch/Free Period (11:30-12:30) Cafeteria
Period 4 (12:35-1:40): Spanish I 129
Period 5 (1:45-2:50): Guitar I 103
Fridays:
Period 1 (8:00-8:30): Writing and Composition 123
Period 2 (8:35-9:05): Advanced Mathematics 222
Period 3 (9:10-9:40): Space Science 214
Period 4 (9:45-10:15): World Geography 232
Period 5 (10:20-10:50): Health and Social Education 225
Period 6 (10:55-11:25): World Culture and History 115
Lunch/Free Period (11:30-12:30) Cafeteria
Period 7 (12:35-1:05): Drawing 105
Period 8 (1:10-1:40): Spanish 129
Period 9 (1:45-2:15): Self-Defense Gymnasium
Period 10 (2:20-2:50): Guitar I 103
"Hmm… Alright, Harry, your first class is in room 123, which will be down the hallway to the right of this office. It will have the number outside its door. And just so you know, rooms in the one hundreds are on the first floor, rooms in the two hundreds the second. You'll pass the staircases throughout your day," she smiles at him, handing him his schedule.
He goes to thank her but is interrupted by the warning bell, signalling that it is 7:55 and he has 5 minutes to get to his first class.
"Thanks for all of your help, Mrs. Roberts! I'll visit again before going home!" he calls out as he leaves the office.
"Have a great first day!" she calls back.
He walks down the hallway, a sea of students crashing around him as they clamber to get to their homerooms. He follows the room numbers as they get bigger, eventually stopping before classroom 123. He takes a deep breath before entering the room.
He is met with a vibrant assault of colors, his senses taking a moment to adjust to the room. The walls are a soft lavender interrupted by multiple brightly colored posters proclaiming phrases such as "You miss 100% of the chances you don't take!" and "If you shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you'll land among the stars!". The windows have drapes with brightly colored flowers pushed to the side to allow sunlight to stream through the windows, and the teacher's desk in the front of the room has a vase of sunflowers resting next to a nameplate that reads Miss Page. Once he adjusts, Harry can't help but to love this class already.
Noticing a number of unclaimed name tags around the room, Harry walked up and down the rows of desks until he found his own name tag in the back of the room. His name was proclaimed in bright green letters over a soft yellow background surrounded by floating anthropomorphic apples and pencils. Smiling brightly, Harry sat down at his desk and pulled out his textbook, a notebook, and a pen.
Harry thought about turning to his neighbors to try to make friends, but chickened out at the last moment, opting instead to look through his textbook one more time. Why is it so easy to connect to adults? Harry can always, always speak to adults- start the conversation, rule it if need be, and leave on good terms. What's so difficult about children, his peer group?
As Harry grew more and more frustrated with himself, the bell rang as if the snap him out of his brief funk.
A tall woman with dark skin and curly black hair walked in, a smile on her face and a bounce in her step.
"Hello, students! I am Juniper Page, but you can all call me Miss Page. I will be your primary homeroom teacher for all of this year. This is Writing and Composition. Is there anyone who is in the wrong class?" she paused and when no one raised their hand or spoke up, she smiled and continued, "Wonderful. I'll just take attendance and then we can get to know each other, yes?"
At their happy exclamations, she smiled and laughed, "Great. Okay, now, when I call your name, raise your hand and say 'present' please!"
"Erin Alexander… Terra Abbey… Jonathan Cadman…"
After roll call was completed, Miss Page smiled widely at the class and spoke in an exuberant, yet somehow gentle, voice. "Alright, students. Before we can get to know each other better, I have to give you guys a few important papers for your parents or guardians. These need to be given to them as soon as possible, to be returned to me on wednesday."
She passed out multiple forms with titles like "Emergency Contact Information", "Emergency Medical Information", and "Photo/Video Permission". Harry tucked these away into his notebook and turned back to Miss Page, who had turned to the chalkboard to write a list of questions.
"Okay, class, today will be a simple 'get to know me' day. We'll move on to actual learning next week, but I want to know all about you guys before we move on," She smiles widely, her bright white teeth gleaming in the sun.
"Now, by now you'll have noticed the questions I've written on the blackboard behind me. I want you to find three other people in this room that have the same answer as you. Throughout this game, I would appreciate if you guys could keep your voices at the indoor level and your feet at the indoor pace. Okay, let's start with the first question: What is your favorite color? Now find three other people in the room who share your answer!"
Harry felt a tap on his arm and turned to see an asian girl smiling shyly at him.
"So… what's your favorite color?" she asked, briefly making eye contact before looking at her feet.
Harry smiled nervously at the girl. "I'd have to say I really like a dark blue… I'm Harry, by the way."
She looked up in relief at his answer and relaxed marginally. "Nice to meet you Harry, I'm Jen. I also like blue! Want to go find someone else who likes blue?" she asked, tugging on her green skirt nervously.
"Nice to meet you, Jen, and I would love to," Harry relaxed, smiling at this endearing girl.
The rest of the game passed in similar fashion, someone approaching Harry or vice versa, introducing themselves then answering the questions. Harry relaxed more into the social environment. Most of these kids already knew each other, but none of them had a problem introducing themselves to Harry.
By the time they were done with the game, they were all comfortable speaking to and in front of each other. As Miss Page reiterated the importance of getting their forms to their parents, the bell rang and the students gathered their supplies and left.
Harry's next two classes, Space Science and Health & Social Education, passed similarly, with the teachers introducing themselves, taking attendance, then playing a get to know me game. Harry recognized some faces from his previous classes and was greeted with recognition from a few people.
As the bell rang releasing them to lunch and a free period, Harry reflected on his day thus far. His teachers all seemed incredibly nice, friendly, and enthusiastic. He had met a few people who didn't seem interested in him, but Harry wasn't going to let it bother him. He knew a lot of people by name now, but he couldn't call any of them friends. Maybe he'll make some friends when he finds somewhere to sit at lunch.
Harry didn't know where the cafeteria was, but he just decided to follow the flow of students, assuming they all had lunch together. As Harry entered the lunch room, he is overwhelmed with the sheer amount of students congregated. Deciding to worry about it later, Harry went to the lunchline and waited with a tray in hand.
"What are we having today?" Harry hears from behind him. He turns to find a taller and broader boy with blonde hair and brown eyes, shifting from foot to foot with an angry look on his face, clearly trying to see the menu near the lunch ladies.
Harry turns and bends to peek through a hole in the crowd then turns back to the boy. "Looks like we have the choice between fish sticks and chicken tenders," Harry answers, smiling in hopes of settling his frustration.
The kid makes a face and says, "Chicken, definitely."
After a few moments of silence, Harry introduces himself. "I'm Harry, by the way."
The blonde looks at Harry and raises an eyebrow with a sneer. "Okay?
Harry nods, waiting fruitlessly for the blonde to say more. He seems angry… Harry knows how terrible being angry is.
"So… what year are you?" Harry asks, wanting to make an actual friend.
"Fourth," the blonde boy answers, looking at Harry with growing interest, as if impressed he is still trying to talk to him. "What about you, Harry?"
Harry smiles, relieved that the boy is actively participating in the conversation. "I'm a third year. This is my first year here, though."
"Mm," he hums in response, a look of understanding and pleasure crossing over his face. "A newby. Well, I'm Bryce. How are you liking this school so far. Any friends yet?" Though his words were conversational, they were said in a tone that suggested he wasn't asking for Harry's sake.
"I like it a lot, everyone seems very nice so far. Having said that, no, I don't believe I could call anyone a friend yet," Harry answers, moving forward with the line, hoping maybe Bryce will lose interest in him.
"Mm," Bryce hums again, his interest definitely peaked, looking at Harry with greedy eyes. This put Harry on edge, but he smiled through it, thinking of what Popsy told him this morning.
As they were grabbing their food, Bryce pinned Harry with a hard stare, and asked, "Would you like to sit with me and my friends at our table?" though the way he said it sounded more like a command than a question.
Harry swallowed hard and agreed, both excited to have a table at which to sit and unsettled by how… predatory Bryce was acting. This is not how any of the other children had acted this morning.
"Good," Bryce said matter-of-factly, making it clear to Harry he didn't actually have a choice in the matter.
As they walked between the tables with their trays, Harry looked around, almost helplessly, for a face from his earlier classes. Before he could find one, though, they had stopped at a circular table in the middle of the cafeteria with three other boys already sitting. As they noticed Bryce coming, they stopped their conversations and straightened in their seats.
"Hey, Bryce," one red haired boy said, "who's this?"
He asked the question as if puzzled by the new person at their table.
"This is Harry. He's new," he smiled with bared teeth, causing the other boys to smirk and look to Harry with renewed interest.
"Hi," Harry didn't like how small his voice sounded, but he didn't feel safe at this table, where he was being watched like cattle on its way to the butcher.
"Harry," Bryce waited until Harry looked at him before nodding at each boy and introducing them in turn. He nodded to the red headed boy who greeted him and said, "That's Thomas," a brunette, "Richard," and another blonde, "and Stanley. They are fourth years like me."
"It's.. hem… it's lovely to meet you all," Harry says, feeling weak in the bones with the amount of discomfort he felt under their stares.
"So… new to the school, huh?" Richard spoke in a soft tone that lacked the warmth a soft tone naturally complements.
Harry swallows before answering with a hesitant, "Yes."
He looks back down to his tray, his appetite having left as soon as he was "invited" to this table.
Bryce spoke up after a few moments of silence, a pleasant smile on his face that starkly contrasted with the shifty look about his eyes. "Why so quiet, Harry?"
Harry cleared his throat and nervously chuckled. "Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about… a, er, a book I read," Harry blurted the first excuse he could think of.
Bryce narrowed his eyes very slightly, his mouth tightening. "Read a lot, do you?"
Harry couldn't help the gulp that came forth at the tone of displeasure in Bryce's voice. "Uh, yes, yes I do. Just a way to pass time, you know?" he nervously chuckled, looking around the table for a set of friendly eyes and finding none.
"No, I don't. Not much of a reader, myself," Bryce slowly lifted his food to his mouth, his eyes never leaving Harry.
"O-oh yeah, not everyone likes it," Harry says, weakly chuckling before trying to move on. "What do you like to do, then?"
Bryce gave Harry another hard stare before relaxing slightly into his seat, which signalled the other boys to relax into their own meals, starting conversations of their own.
"My dad started me on boxing. Got a mean left hook," he smirked.
"That's- that's fascinating! Tell me more?" Harry asked, desperate to keep him talking, to keep him talking about not Harry.
And so Bryce launched into his boxing rant, revealing much about himself such as his enjoyment of the power boxing gave him over other people and his seemingly poor relationship with his father. From the jittery way Bryce spoke about boxing and his dad, Harry felt it was an unhealthy way for Bryce relieve his pent up aggression and frustration that streamed from his father and into him.
"So- so boxing is the way you bond with your father, then?" Harry asked when Bryce paused in his speech.
"Yep," Bryce says in a way that Harry can tell is supposed to carry pride but only sounds strangled to his own ears. This doesn't stop Bryce from trying to convince Harry, though. "He's an amazing boxer himself- he's won a lot of titles. Wants me to be just as good as he was, better, even," Bryce gloats, a vicious determination overtaking his features briefly at the mention of him surpassing his father.
"I can already see your potential and- and strength," Harry assures Bryce, shuddering on the inside at the amount of aggression and malice Bryce carries.
Bryce smirks proudly and pounds Harry on the back. "You're alright, Harry. You can hang with us whenever you want," he tells Harry, as if offering him the key to the gates of heaven.
The boys around the table whip to attention at hearing this from Bryce, smirking toward Harry and looking him up and down.
"What year did you say you are again?" the blonde one asks.
"Third," Bryce answers before Harry can.
"A bit small for a third year. Are you sure he can hang with us?" the redhead spoke, raising an eyebrow in disdain at Harry's lithe stature.
"I said he can, so he can," Bryce snarled out, the other boys stiffening and nodding their heads.
Harry decides to just keep quiet, not wanting to incur the wrath of Bryce or even regain his attention.
Another boy breaks the tense silence, and the four boys begin to talk, Bryce controlling the conversation with an unpleasant look on his face to match his friends.
After a few more minutes, students started getting up to throw their trays away. Harry moved to throw his uneaten food away, wanting to excuse himself from these horrible people. Before he could even make it out of his seat, however, a girl fell hard to the floor next to their table, her trash scattering around her and her breath being forced from her body. The boys around the table laugh nastily, vindictive pleasure written on their faces. Looking closer, Harry sees Bryce's foot stuck out not an inch from the girl's foot, obviously having tripped her.
"Oh, look, it's Beaver!" the brunette boy sneers through his snickering.
The girl simply stood and ran from the room, tears flowing down her face.
Aside from the four boys at his table's boisterous laughter, the cafeteria was silent. This was broken by Harry's loud and automatic exclamation.
"WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL?" he screamed, standing from his table, his fear and discomfort forgotten. "WHAT WAS THAT?" he continued, turning angrily to Bryce and the boys, fists clenched so tightly his fingers had turned white.
At his exclamation, the cafeteria turned completely silent, the boys' laughter choking to an end.
Bryce blinked once, astonished, before his face quickly turned red, a vein in his forehead bulging. "You don't shout at me, kid. I was nice enough to let you sit with us, you listen to me now. You follow me, now. You're mine now," he snarls out, standing and stalking toward Harry.
"I think not," Harry hisses out angrily, grabbing his tray and bending to pick up the girl's trash. "I may be new here, but I can already tell that you're a bully. You're a menace, a maggot. I may be smaller and weaker than you, but hear this, Bryce. I ever see you messing around with anyone like that again, you WILL regret it," Harry threatens, moving closer to Bryce than he was comfortable with, but his anger not allowing him to stand down.
Unbeknownst to Harry, he spoke with a power that gripped the whole cafeteria. His face had tightened into a frightening mask of rage, his eyes emptying into a merciless, cold void of fury. Because Bryce was so close, he was the only one to get the full affect, and he backed down, shaken to the core of this deceivingly weak looking seven year old.
Satisfied that Bryce had sat back down at his table, he whipped around with both his and the girl's trash and stalked to the trash cans, dumping the trays and not responding when Bryce tried to save face by mocking Harry.
Shaking, Harry stomped down the hallway, passing countless doorways and closets and blindly stumbling through the school while trying to calm down. He hadn't been this angry in a couple of years. All of the fear and discomfort had just… transformed.
Harry sighed tiredly and stopped in the hallway, dropping his face into his hands, rubbing them vigorously up and down.
What a turn his first day had taken.
Harry startled when the bell rang and looked incredulously at his watch, not willing to believe he'd wandered the school for the entirety of his free period. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized it signified the start of his free period, not the end.
Shaking his head, Harry looked around at his surroundings and brightened considerably upon realizing he'd wandered his way to the library. He immediately bound inside, taking in the incredible sight around him.
The library is made of a mahogany wood and burgundy leather, books at every angle of eyesight. The center of the enormous room is filled with tables and couches, offering comfort to those who utilize the library. Most impressive to Harry, however, is that the library took up both floors the building has to offer, a sunroof claiming the ceiling giving Harry a glimpse of the bright clouds and warm sunlight.
Smiling peacefully, Harry looked around for people but found only one, small and trembling figure tucked into a couch in the corner, sobbing over a large tome. His smile slipped off his face and his heart clenched- this was the girl who had been bullied in the cafeteria.
He moves toward her, needing to speak to her- to comfort her.
As he drew closer, the girl seemed to draw into herself, pulling her knees to her chest, hugging the book to her chest and allowing her long, bushy hair to conceal her, as if to protect her from the stranger.
"Hello," Harry spoke softly, standing hesitantly in front of the girl, not knowing if he should sit next to her or give her her space.
"Hi," she choked out, sniffing heavily before and after, her arm frantically wiping at her face to hide her tears.
At her somewhat welcoming response, Harry moved closer and perched himself on the edge of the couch, a good few feet away from the girl so as to not scare her or weird her out.
"That was," Harry began, swallowing when his throat dried suddenly, "that was terrible… back there, in the cafeteria. I couldn't believe what had happened, I've never seen a person act so abhorrent in my entire life. I'm sorry they did that to you," Harry spoke as calmly as he could, though he knows some of his anger leaked into his voice.
The girl tenses and looks closely at him, allowing him to see her big brown eyes and slightly-larger-than-normal front teeth.
"You," she gasps, eyes widening in fright and anger, the emotions warring for dominance, "You're the boy who was sitting with them- you're one of them," she shrieks, anger winning out when she reels back, a snarl taking over her features as she drops the tome to the floor.
"NO-NO I SWEAR I'M NOT-" Harry cuts off, realizing his shouting was only making her swell more, "No, I'm not. I promise you, I'm not. I just met Bryce," Harry spits his name out like the boy was responsible for the death of millions, "in the lunchline and he… talked… me into sitting with them. I wasn't comfortable the entirety of lunch and was just about to escape when you- when they-" Harry stops to take a deep breath, anger filling his body once again. "I don't think I've ever shouted like that- I've never witnessed such a loathsome scene, I just got so angry," Harry broke off, realizing he was rambling, getting lost in his contemplations.
He looked back to the girl and she was staring at him with a puzzled frown on her face. The anger drained from Harry's body and he softened at seeming confusion.
"I'm sorry I didn't take action until after you'd gone already. I just couldn't get myself to believe what I was seeing. Frozen in place, I guess… Anyways, I'll stop bothering you, now," Harry continues softly, moving to stand when a hand shot out form the girl's direction, slapping around his wrist clumsily.
"You… you stood up for me?" she frowned, as if she is baffled by the concept.
Harry frowned, as well, in response of her disbelief. "Of course! They were bullying you! I know I'm new to this school, but I don't let that kind of stuff slide- especially from malicious cockroaches like Bryce!"
She swallowed heavily at his exclamation and tears came to her eyes. "No one… no one's ever stood up for me before," she spoke in a small voice, terrified of the rejection she had apparently received from everyone else.
"Well… now I'm here. I'll stand up for you all the time- no matter what," Harry promised, feeling an intense surge of protectiveness for this girl who he had just met.
She shakily smiled and flung herself at Harry, her arms winding tightly around his neck and her hair invading his senses completely.
"I'll do the same for you!" she exclaims into his shoulder, arms winding somehow tighter.
"You'd be my friend?" Harry asks in wonder, pulling back to gape at her.
She smiles widely, "I'd love to be your friend- er… I'm sorry, I've no idea what your name is!" she exclaims, appearing to be embarrassed.
"Oh! I'm Harry- Harry Potter! And what's your name, friend?" he asks, a grin overtaking his face.
"It's wonderful to meet you, Harry. I'm Hermione, Hermione Granger," she smiles again before bending over to retrieve the book she'd dropped onto the floor.
"The Chronicles of Narnia?!" he exclaimed, "That's my favorite book series!"
She looked back up, stunned, before her face broke out into a smile brighter than the sun.
"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Harry."
I'M SO EXCITED THAT I FINALLY INTRODUCED HERMIONE
I don't know if their relationship will be that of siblings or romantic just yet- but don't worry, we have a long time until Harry comes into his romantic side.
Also, sorry, something weird happened to the formatting of Harry's class schedule when copying and pasting the document, so I don't know if it'll look like I wanted it to in the actual story!
I'll update again soon, hopefully!
Reviews welcomed and appreciated!
