Harry Potter still doesn't belong to me. It's J.K Rowlings. This chapter has been edited.
July 16th, 1987
The young Black brother threw a tattered ball back and forth in the tiny yard of Grimwald place. Never had the neighbors seen a more opposite pair. The older, by barely under two months, was thin faced and wiry, his pale blonde hair pulled back into a tight pony tail. The other boy was thicker, more solidly built, and had a equally think mane of messy black hair that framed a strong face. They laughed and carried on as if they had no cares in this world, oblivious of the gossip of the neighbors.
"I hear they aren't really brother. Cousins or something of that sort. "
"The father is an odd ball, he is. Brings in all sorts of unsavory characters into the house. Full grown men, wearing bathrobes in public. Like a cult of some kind. And those boys are at such an impressionable age."
"How does a man who doesn't even look at women suddenly have two baby boys under his care? He's up to no good, I think. "
"They're such polite boys. Can't be older than 7 years, yet they have better manners than my 13 year old daughter. It ain't normal. "
"Polite? You haven't heard about the toads in old Mr Wallace lory then, have you? Couple of right trouble makers, those boys. And the father is nothing but encouragement for that behavior. Know what he did when Mrs Wallace complained? He laughed at her, he did. Right to her face! Took the little hellions for ice cream right after. And the explosions in the middle of the night! Polite my left foot. "
"My son Jeffery says they're in his class at the primary. Says they make nothing but top marks, the both of them. Teacher's pets, Jeffery calls them. I just don't see it."
Neither of the black boys paid attention to the whispers of the neighbors. They tossed the tattered ball back and forth, talking of the day they'd be accepted into the school they're adopted father went to.
"I wanna be in Gryffindor, like dad. You?" The darker one said, dribbling the ball football style. The pale one shrugged.
"Dad says that my real father was a Syltherin. Not sure how I feel about that. Gryffindor doesn't appeal to me much either."
"Well, so long as we're together, we'll be okay, right Drake?"Harry grinned. Draco laughed at his brother.
"Together, and not Hufflepuffs." He replied. This earned him another grin from Harry.
"What if we don't get letters, Draco? What if we aren't magical?" Harry's face filled with concern. Draco scoffed.
"You? The boy who blew up Mrs. White's dog when it bite him? Not magical? Yeah, and I'm the queen of England." He said, rolling his eyes. Harry grinned and bowed dramtically.
"I'm so sorry I offended you, you Majesty! How could I express such doubts in front of a lady." Harry waved his arms about, making as big of a display as he could. Draco threw a rock at him.
"Oh. You'll pay for that." Draco's eyes narrowed at Harry. Harry just smiled and blew a kiss at Draco. He then dodged a sloppy punch aimed at his head and took off, leaving the ball forgotten. "Come back here you pansy! I just want to punch you a few times!" Draco chased Harry around the yard, occasionally bending down to hurl clods of dirt at his brother. A house elf, Tibbly, called the boys in for dinner. They ran up the stair into the large house, Draco nearly tripping over a large black dog sleeping peacefully on the porch. The poor beast yelped when the child landed heavily on his tail.
"Sorry dad, didn't see you there." Draco said, leaning over the dog. The dog looked up, yawned, and shuffled inside with the boys. There, he transformed into a clean shaven man in his mid thirties.
"Its alright son, I was just keeping watch over my boys." Sirius said, hugging both of them. Draco gave him a curious look.
"Couldn't you have done that as a person rather than a dog?" He asked.
"What? And take away a confusing bit of gossip from the neighbors? Where's your generosity, Draco?" Sirius laughed. "What would those people do with them selves if they thought I was around to watch you two during the day? That would completely destroy the entire theory that I'm a low life good for nothing that leaves his kids in the care of a mangy mutt most the time. "Sirius smiled at them and mussed their hair, "Now go wash up. It's dinner time. Tibbly made Shepard's pie. "
July 20th, 1987
The Black family sat around the tiny parlor table inside Grimwald place. Sirius sipped on a cup of tea while pouring over Harry and Draco's current report cards. The decision to send them to muggle primaries had been difficult. He had never had much contact with muggles in his own childhood, but his years at Hogwarts gave him a peek into their world. He didn't' want his sons growing up as ignorant as he had. But sending the heirs to the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Black and Potter to a muggle school had cause a mild uproar with some of the move conservative families. Smiling at their high grades, Sirius knew that those old codgers had been very much wrong when they'd said nothing good could come of it.
"Another year down, another class you boys took the top of. You two aren't using my old cheating quills, are you?" He said, setting his tea down. Harry looked up from the book he was currently devouring. He blinked at Sirius, confused.
"Why would we cheat? Classes are easy." Draco didn't bother looking up from his book to give his reply. Harry nodded in agreement, then went back to his book.
"Bloody Ravenclaws, just you wait." Sirius mumbled, lifting his tea back to his lips. The sudden flaring of the floo caused him to choke, and spill his tea.
"Uncle Sirius! I got my letter!" A cheerful voice announced from the next room. The now 11 year old Nymphdora came running into the parlor, waving a her Hogwarts accptance letter high above a head of ever changing hair. Between the door and the table her cousins were sitting at, Her hair changed from blonde to black to an odd shade of green. Harry and Draco set their books down and hugged Nymphadora.
"Oh Nymmie! We knew you could do it!" They said together. The girl went red, her hair turning a bright orange.
"I told you not to call me that! My name is Tonks!" She started bapping the boys on the head, as they had yet to release her from the hug. "Let me go."
"Never, Nymmie! We love you!" Draco cried, clinging tighter. they both rubbed there faces enthusiastically against her's, squishing her in between them. She turned slightly purple from lack of air, and tried to shove them off. While Draco held her arms down, Harry swiped the letter from Tonks's fingers. Releasing their cousin, the boys dashed away, staying just out her reach.
"Oh man. This is so cool. Hey Drake, look at all these books she needs!" Harry had to stop running to read. His green eyes sparkled with excitement. Draco leaned over his shoulder, neither caring if Nymmie caught them now.
"Oh, Tonks, can we please, please,borrow these when you're done with them. Please?" Draco gave the girl his best smile. She frowned and snatched the letter away from Harry.
"Maybe. If you guys promise to stop calling me Nymmie. I hate that name." She huffed, folding the letter. Sirius, who still had a lap full of tea, chuckled. He stood and cleaned his lap and chair with a quick wave of his wand. Both boys had stuck themselves to Tonks's side again, praising her greatness and swearing their loyalty to her.
"Boy. Give the girl some air." Sirius pried them off of her, causing her to gasp in relief. "What house are you hoping for, Tonks?" Tonks shrugged.
"Mom says I'll likely be Slytherin, cause She and all her sisters were in that house. But I don't know. I don't think I'm cunning enough for it."
"Or evil enough." Draco put in, his face twisted into a sneer. Tonks glared at him.
"Not all Slythrin's are evil. I just said Mom was one. Is she evil?" Tonks put her hands on her hips and stood over him. She was only two or three inches taller, but it was enough. Draco paled.
"N-no. Aunt Annie isn't evil. Sorry Nymmie." Harry put a hand on his shoulder. Draco gave him a small smile. They both knew why Draco feared Slythrin, and why he was set in thinking they were evil. Tonks let them have that moment of mutual comfort, then sprung a new attack. She smacked Draco on the top of the head.
"You just promised not to call me Nymmie! Now you don't get to read my text books! Ugh! Boys!" She stomped out of the parlor, Draco and Harry following close behind begging for forgiveness. Sirius watched them, laughing to himself.
"Ravenclaws. No doubts about that."
July 20th, 1991
Breakfast that morning was tense. Neither of the Black brothers could eat, the excitement of what was to come making their stomachs churn. Sirius watched them with one eye on his bacon. He could remember the anticipation of his own Hogwarts letter, and knew he would only make matters worse if he spoke. A clacking on the window made him jump. Two large Barn Owls pecked the glass, slightly peeved that it wasn't open for them. Draco leapt from his chair and threw the window open. The owls glared at the child as they landed on the table. Sirius put a protective arm around his bacon.
"No. I don't care how long the flight from Scotland is, this is my bacon." He growled. The Owl barked, and stole a piece anyway. Sirius and the owl continued their bickering, oblivious to the two excited boys opening the one letter they'd been waiting for. Harry smiled to Draco as he unfolded the note.
Harry Potter
Number 12, Grimwald Place.
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
M. McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Harry could hardly contain his joy and a quick glance to Draco confirmed that he was just as excited.
"Dad, can we go to Diagon Alley today? I know we already have all the book on out lists, but I want to get my wand, and maybe an owl!" Harry asked. Sirius smiled at his sons, and nodded.
"Go get the floo powder from my study, and we'll be off. But remember boys, no Quidditch stuff. You'll be first years, and that means you wont be able to join the team, regardless of talent." He stared at Harry, who only blushed. He'd had a brilliant plan for smuggling in brooms, involving shrinking charms and a lamp shade. But the stare he was getting now made it clear he wouldn't be getting away with it. This time. Draco dragged Harry upstairs to prepare for the shopping trip, leaving Sirius alone with two bacon thieving owls.
"Leave my bacon alone you blasted birds! It's mine!"
July 20th, 1991. Later that day.
Diagon Alley was packed with students and their families. Muggle Born children lead their dumbfounded Non-magical parents around, seeing everything they could possibly see in one short day. Those from magical families hurried along quickly, collecting the needed supplies and leaving as fast as the crowds would waved to the boys as they dove into the crowds, opting to stay at the Cauldron while they dealt with the craziness of Diagon Alley. They skipped over Flourish and Blott's and Gringotts, having just about everything they could possibly need from those respective shops. Their first stop was Olivander's Wands, at the far end of Diagon Alley.
"Welcome boys." The tired man behind the counter greeted them as they walked in. They walked together up to the counter.
"We need wands, sir." Draco stated the obvious. Olivander laughed.
"Why of course you do, son. Why else visit my little establishment? Now, let's see what we can do for you." He measured their arms and shoulders. After several minutes of hrms and other various thinking noises, Olivander lifted several boxes from his selves.
"Try this, Mister Draco, 16 inch oak with Dragon heart strings." Draco barely touched the wands before Olivander snatched it away. "No, no. Here. This one. 11 inches, Ash, phoenix feathers. No!" Draco's fingers grazed the wand, only to have it removed from his reach. "Ahaha! 10 inches, Hawthorn wood, unicorn hair core." Draco smiled as the end light up.
"I'm next sir." Harry said after Draco paid for his wand. Olivander eye'd him carefully.
"Ah, yes. Mister Harry Pott- er, Black. Harry Black. I wonder..." It took them much long to find harry a wand than Draco. Nearly an hour passed, and Harry tried dozens of wands. Finally, as Draco began to yawn from the long wait, Olivander disappeared in his back room, leaving the boys for several long, and silent, moments. He returned with a dusty box. "11 inches. Holy and Phoenix feather. Give it a twirl." Harry did, and was surprised buy the lovely golden glow the wand let off at his touch.
"Interesting. Very...interesting." Olivander said, hand on his chin.
"What is?" Draco asked. Olivander chuckled.
"That's wand has a brother. The wand that gave you that scar, Harry Potter. You will do great things, mark my words. Great, great things. I only hope they will be light deeds." And with that, Olivander vanished into the back of his shop. The boys exchanged weary looks and left to continue their shopping.
Their next stop was Madam Malkins, to purchase new robes, and to dodge more crowds. The clean little robe shop was nearly empty, having only one other child inside. Harry stepped up on the pedestal to be sized, and was immediately bombarded with questions by the dark haired boy next to him.
"You're first year at Hogwarts?" The boy asked. Harry nodded happily.
"Yep. I can't wait, you?"
"Same here. Have you heard that Harry Potter is supposed to be in our year?" Harry cringed. A fan. Lovely.
"Y-yeah. I heard." He said, slightly put out. The other boy didn't notice.
"It's gonna be great, going to school with a real celebrity, don't you think? I hope he's in Slythrin, like I plan to be. Oh, by the way. I'm Theodore. Theodore Nott." Theodore held out his hand, earning him a dirty look from the girl measuring him. Harry tried not to frown as he looked at the other boy. He wasn't going to be a Slythrin, that much he knew. He let the girl taking his measurements finish before he accepted the hand Theodore had offered.
"I'm Harry Black," He said, hoping Theodore wouldn't make the connection,"It's been a pleasure." He stepped down from the pedestal. Theodore gave him an odd look, but shrugged and ignored him as he made for the door. Draco was waiting for him, holding a fairly obvious package behind his back.
"Hi Harry. Having fun yet?" Draco moved around, still trying to hide the package. Harry raised an eye brow at him.
"Sure. What you got there, brother of mine?" Harry started to walk around to get a look. Draco smiled and kept his front facing harry.
"Oh nothing. Just a little something I grabbed. It's almost the birthday of a very special git in my life, and I thought I'd show him how much I care."
"Oh yeah? Why don't you show me, maybe I can tell you wether this 'git' will like it or not." Harry walked around, but Draco kept the package just out of sight.
"I don't know harry, that git may just hate it. I should take her back." Draco turned and ran, pulling the package in front of himself.
"I would like it..hey, wait. Her?" Harry chased after Draco, calling after him. "What do you mean her? Show me Drake!" The two boys raced back to the Leaky Cauldron, Draco trying to smoother the obvious chirping coming from the package. Harry caught up to him at the door, mostly because the package had decided this rough handling was intolerable. The package jumped and barked at Draco, who could only just hold on.
"What have you in there, Drake? A puppy?" Harry asked. He helped his brother hold the package down. Draco sighed.
"It's not a puppy. Open it now, before she breaks free and tries to eat me." He shoved the package into Harry's arms. Harry tore back the wrap and was greeted by two very large yellow eyes. The wrapping fell away, the Snowy White Owl that hoped out leaving him speechless.
"Pretty, isn't she?I know you wanted your own owl, and when I saw her, I knew she would be perfect. What do you think, Harry?" Harry smiled at Draco.
"She's perfect. I'll call her Hedwig."
"What? Hedwig? Can't pick a normal name, like Fluffy or Birdy? You're a weird one, Harry."
"Says the guy named after a star, Draco." They walked into the Leaky Cauldron, Hedwig perched on Harry's shoulder and giving Draco the stink eye.
"Nice owl, Harry." Sirius called from a back table. Once the boys joined him, he continued,"Why's it staring at Draco like that? She seems pissed."
"Probably has something to do with the fact that he put her in a box and wrapped her up." Harry said nonchalantly. Draco glared at him.
"You did what? Have you no respect for animals?" Sirius gave Draco a stern, fatherly look, that looked completely out of place on Sirius's face. Draco's blush only grew worse with Harry's next statement.
"Then he shook the box."
"You what? Oh come on, Draco. I thought I raised you better than that! I.. That devil bird is eating my bacon!" Sirius had glanced down to see a big snow coloured beast beak deep in his bacon plate. "That's two plates in a day! Why do the fates hate me so? I'm only a man, I can only take so much!" He cried. Draco and Harry laughed. Hedwig blinked at the now crying Sirius, then went back to bacon munching.
September 1st, 1991
If Diagon Alley had been crowded, the King's Cross was a zoo. Children and parents alike were swept up in the tension and tears of goodbyes. Thankfully, he and Draco had made it early, and had already said their goodbyes to Sirius. Now, Harry was plowing through his third reading of Magical Theory. He and Draco sat on either side of the compartment, already changed into their school robes. The time ticked away, and just before they set off, a red-haired boy barged in to their compartment.
"Hey," the ginger child said, sitting down." Do you guys mind if I sit here? All the other compartments are full."
"Bullshit." Draco said without looking up. "Leave."
"What? But I told you, this is the only place left to sit." The red-head didn't budge from his spot. Harry set his book down.
"That's a terrible lie, you know. Anyone who's read Hogwarts, A history, would know that the train is spelled to accommodate all the students. If there weren't anyplace to sit, the train would make another compartment. But, since this is the lowest enrollment year ever, that shouldn't even be necessary. Now, what's the real reason you want to sit with us?"His emerald green eyes bore into the ginger's skull. The boy blushed, his face turning a very interesting shade of red.
"I'm not a liar." He mumbled.
"Yes. Yes you are. And a poor one at that" A very annoyed Draco set his own book down and glared at the boy. "Judging from your hair, you're a Weasley. So don't you have siblings you could be annoying with your lies?" Weasley glared right back at Draco.
"Why should I take orders from a Malfoy?" Weasley spit. This had the Black brothers on their feet in an instant. Harry only just caught Draco before he launched himself at the young Weasley boy.
"If you have any brains at all, Weasley, you'll leave before my brother rips you apart." Harry said, struggling to hold Draco back.
"I'm not scared of him! I'm friends with Harry Potter!" A dark silence fell over the compartment. Harry and Draco exchanged a look and sat back down.
"Oh! why didn't you say so?" Draco said, leaning back in his seat. Harry took the spot on the other side of Weasley.
"Yeah, if we had know you, uh... what did you say your name is?"
"Ron. Ron Weasley." Ron looked very pleased with himself.
"Well, Ron Ron Weasley, why don't you tell us everything you know about Harry Potter. You see, we fancy ourselves huge fans of the Boy-who-lived." Harry said, with a nod to Draco.
"Oh yeah. We're his number on fans. Have you ever seen his scar?" Draco leaned closer to Ron, who was basking in the attention and perceived admiration of his peers.
"Of course I have! Me and Harry have been friends for years. You could say I'm his best mate."
"Oh yeah?" Harry asked, "What's it look like?"
"Well...uh... it's a lightening bolt, just like everyone says." At this, Harry grinned.
"You mean, like this one?" He lifted the hair on his forehead, showing off the famous scar. Ron paled.
"Y-you're him. You're Harry Potter!" He exclaimed. Draco and Harry laughed.
"Well sure I am. You mean you didn't notice? Aren't you supposed to be my best mate?" Harry snarled, standing up to opened the compartment door. Ron sat there, speechless.
"You should leave now Weasley. You aren't welcome here." Draco said, giving Ron a small push. Ron snapped back to reality.
"But if you're really Harry Potter, why are you hanging out with a mini Death Eater?" He pointed harshly at Draco. Harry narrowed his eyes.
"That, Ron Weasley, is my brother. Draco Black. Leave. Before you piss us both off." Harry pushed Ron out the door. As soon as the door clicked shut, Harry sent a light locking charm on it. The rest of the ride was peaceful, the only disturbances being a bushy hair girl who spent several minutes trying to unlock the door before stomping off with a huff, and the lady with the treat trolly. As the sun went down and they drew nearer to the Castle, the boys packed up their books and sat quietly by the compartment door. the train slowed to a stop.
"Are you ready for this, Harry?"
"As ready as I'll ever be."