Sorry it took so long to update. I'm just lazy. It's winter soon though so I'll stay in more I think, so that means more updates probably. Thanks for all the reviews! They've been really helpful and have wanted to make me write more.
Disclaimer- I don't own any of the characters or places in this story. They all belong to JK Rowling, who is now incredibly rich thanks to them. Sigh.
Almost four weeks later and Harry Potter was once again sitting on his bed watching the smoky London sunset. This time, though, he was much more excited. Tomorrow he was going to Hogwarts, and getting his first real introduction into the wizarding world.
He had spent the last weeks studying and preparing himself. He was going to be ready. He swore to himself that nobody would think he was inferior. He would be as knowledgeable as the wizarding kids, and even if he wasn't he wouldn't let himself show it.
He had all his schoolbooks practically memorised, as well a lot of the books he had bought himself. The subjects he was looking forward to most were transfiguration and charms, since they seemed to involve the most spell work. Defence against the Dark Arts didn't look so bad either.
Potions seemed like complicated cooking, although some of the effects looked rather interesting.
Herbology was gardening, except on a slightly more adventurous scale. Harry was pretty certain it wouldn't interest him too much.
He had tried some simple spells, like the levitating spell and the colour change spell. He had also tried some transfiguring, beginning with, as the book had, matches to needles. He found that quite easy after a while and so continued to harder things. He got as challenging as changing books into different books. He wasn't very impressed with the things they transfigured in the beginner book, but the more advanced books were definitely intriguing. He couldn't wait until he got to the level of Albus Dumbledore, as some of the things in the book The Feats of Albus Dumbledore were incredible.
It was the history books that shocked him the most, though. He was famous! He hadn't even known who he was until a mouth ago and yet he had been famous practically his entire life. Well in the wizarding world anyway. He wasn't entirely sure how famous, but the books seemed to make him out as a hero of sorts.
Apparently, when he was 15 months old, the Dark Lord Voldemort had attacked his home. Voldemort was an evil wizard who tortured and terrorised the wizarding and muggle world for about a decade before he was born. Anyway, Voldemort had killed his parents and moved to kill him. The spell somehow backfired and instead of him dieing, Voldemort did, or disappeared. The "innocent Harry Potter" (Harry had almost gagged at that) was only left with a lightning shaped scar on his forehead. The book, however, or any book at that, failed to mention how the great hero of the wizarding world, or the boy-who-lived ended up in a crappy, dead-end muggle orphanage.
He had learnt more of his parents anyway. They were called James and Lily, and he had lived in Godric's Hollow with them. They had been a big part in the fight against Voldemort as well, and had been symbols of hope, courage and light for the average. Harry was proud. They too had wanted to defend the weak and wronged. Perhaps he would be a defender too. He had thought it weakness before, but perhaps he had been wrong. Perhaps it was strength.
The book on occlumency and legilimency had been very eye opening. He had begun to build walls around his mind, as it seemed wizards could read the thoughts of others if they trained. Harry most certainly did not want people in his head. The technique, strangely, also helped his ability with hearing magic. He could now tell roughly how long ago a spell was cast, and could tell what a spell did. He suspected he would be able to tell what a person was best at as well, but being in a muggle orphanage it was rather difficult to come across wizards to practice upon.
What had really changed his day-to-day life at the orphanage was his owl, whom he had decided to name Hedwig. She was wonderful. His first ever friend. When she was there she made his room more homely, and even when she wasn't there he could sense her. That must have had something to do with the whole eye change thing. The wizarding world was definitely going to take some getting used to.
He had packed all his things hours before. He had set out his clothes for the morning, uncertain as to whether he was meant to wear his robes. To be sure, he put his robes at the top of his trunk so he could get them easily if need be. Harry was nervous, and kept double and triple checking his room, even though he knew he had already checked. Anyway, he had done a summoning charm, and nothing had flown into his grasp. Magic was proving to be very useful.
His one main worry had been what to say to Ms Teams. He could just imagine it- "Umm, Ms Teams, I'm gonna be away for nine months since I'm magic, 'parently. See you next year." Somehow he didn't think it would fly. However, magic once again saved the day.
He had been looking through books, procrastinating, when he found the solution. It mentioned a spell that could make a piece of paper look like anything to convince someone of something. It could look like a letter or a certificate or anything. It would be perfect to solve the solution.
The book, unfortunately, had only mentioned the incantation, and not the wand movement. He had searched many other books but to no avail. In the end he decided to give it a go. His will and intention would help, surely? And so he had tried, and there had been a blinding flash. The paper had looked the same, but he risked it anyway.
Two days before he had approached Ms Teams, who had just returned to her office looking harassed. Apparently Splinter had been caught shop-lifting. Harry sighed when he heard that. Some things never changed.
"Ms Teams?" he said evenly. He had decided on the innocent, quiet persona.
"Yes, Bolt? What is it? I'm rather bust right now." She replied without looking up from some forms she was filling out.
"I got a letter yesterday. I seem to have won a place at a school in Scotland, but I can come back later…" he trailed off. Ms Teams always felt bad if she felt she was ignoring someone. Manipulation at its finest was Harry.
"No no, Bolt, that won't do. Did you get a letter, dear? Do show me. Wouldn't it be nice if it's real?"
Harry wordlessly handed over the spelled paper, hoping it would work. To him it looked blank, but Ms Teams was reading it avidly. Harry would have prayed, but he didn't believe in any god. Too many years in a hellhole did that to you. Finally, Ms Teams looked up.
"It seems you have been accepted to a school. Strange I've never heard of it…but this seems to explain everything. Well, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't go, but I would like to see a letter when you get there. It's very convenient you can go by train, isn't it?"
Harry owed magic big time. The paper totally worked. Not that Ms Teams was that assiduous anyway, but he had needed documentation of some sort. In just a day he was going to be free of St. Mary's Orphanage, and out in the real world full of magic and power. It was going to be brilliant.
And so, almost exactly four weeks after he found out about magic, Harry Potter lay down to sleep dreaming of flying trains, green flashes and echoing, high pitched laughter.
# I'm still not at Hogwarts! Next time though, I promise. There will be the train ride and the sorting and maybe more. I know this was mostly boring, but I felt it necessary for the story.