Chapter Five: Sorting and Start of Classes:
Harry could barely contain his excitement on September first to the amusement of both men as they watched Harry finish packing his things. He kept his invisibility cloak in his satchel as Moody instructed him and made sure he had everything he needed on the train. He carefully put Hedwig into her cage, put on his light jacket and waited by the front door for Moody and Remus. Mrs. Black was watching Harry but she did not yell at him as she did not mind the polite well behaved boy. He may be headed for Gryffindor and her home was the home of an old scarred Auror and a werewolf but she actually liked the boy. She got along with Moody very well as he was Slytherin and she had accepted him here. Now she watched the small boy ready to head to Hogwarts for the first time.
"Ready Harry?" Remus asked walking up to the small boy.
"Yes, but will you be okay?" Harry asked. "Will you be okay with out me here?"
"I think I can manage, I have Moody and I will be visiting with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Longbottom and writing my book as well." Remus said referring to the children's book he was writing.
"Well we look all ready then." Moody said.
"Yes uncle Al." Harry said beaming.
"Let's go then." Moody said.
Remus pulled Harry's trunk and Harry walked as calmly as he could to the train station. He knew that there could be danger at school and that he was viewed as the boy who lived because of his parents. He had been raised to be a kind caring boy and how to take care of himself and to not be vain or prideful. He would do fine at school though his two guardians were going to miss their boy. All too soon they came to the train station and after looking around quickly Moody took Harry through the barrier and onto the platform. Remus came soon after and gave Harry a quick hug and Moody squeezed his shoulder.
"Now then, remember what I taught ye." Moody said.
"Yes sir, I will." Harry promised.
"Have fun, don't fight and be kind." Remus reminded Harry. "See you at Christmas."
"Okay see you at Christmas!" Harry said.
Fred and George Weasley, two identical twin boys helped him load his trunk onto the train and into a compartment. Harry took a seat as Ron and Neville came into the compartment and put up their trunks and took seats. Ron was grinning and Neville looked nervous, the train's whistle went off and the train gave a lurch and they were off. They soon left the city far behind and started up through the English countryside. The lunch trolley came and Harry and Neville got a bit of everything and shared with Ron. They ate pumpkin pasties, cauldron cakes, licorice wands, chocolate frogs and even Bernie Botts Every Flavor Beans.
"Wonder what house we will go to." Harry mused.
"Gryffindor." Ron said. "Same as all my brothers, it will not be a big deal as everyone else has been there before me."
"It will be a big deal to us." Neville said. "I bet I will get Hufflepuff."
"Uncle Al says there is nothing wrong with Hufflepuff, he has loads of friends from there, many Aurors come from Hufflepuff." Harry said.
"As long as it is not Slytherin." Ron said. "Too many bad wizards came from there."
"Uncle Al is Slytherin." Harry countered.
"I would not want to be in Slytherin." Neville said. "I hear that the head of that house is a vampire."
As they talked and ate of the sweets and pastries Harry and Neville bought from the cart, Ron's rat came out of his pocket sniffing looking for food. Ron acted as if he did not like the rat, but it was clear he did as he fed the rat little tidbits of food. In fact the rat was fat, sleek and though it was missing a toe on one of it's paws it was really a hansom creature. Scabbers the rat looked up at Harry and Ron and squeaked and went back to eating.
"Stupid rat, all he does is eat and sleep." Ron said. "He is so fat too."
"That is because you keep feeding him well." Harry said.
"Yea, I got Trever, hey have you seen Trever?" Neville said looking around for his toad.
"Here, he is hiding," Harry said taking out the toad from where he was hiding. "Put him in your coat, he should stay there."
"Thanks Harry." Neville said.
The door to the compartment opened and Harry looked up to see the spoiled petted Malfoy heir standing there. He was tall for his age, though not as tall as Ron who was the tallest though not nearly as stocky as the two boys who flanked Draco. They were ugly troll-like boys and like Draco and the three boys here they were already in their school robes. Harry knew a bit about the Malfoy family from Moody, the head, Lucius gave monies to St. Mungos every year but it was well known he had followed Voldemort. Now his son stood before Harry and Harry was not impressed, he however was smart enough to be polite.
"So it's true, you are Harry Potter." Draco said. "I am Draco Malfoy."
"I know, my uncle told me about your father." Harry said and he saw Draco turn pink at those words. "Seems your father does a lot of good now."
"I see, you need to choose your friends carefully." Draco said looking at Ron and Neville coldly. "You would not want to choose those who are inferior."
"Thank you for that advice Malfoy. "Harry said, "but I have good friends here."
"I see," Draco said and knowing better than to attack a boy raised by Alastor Moody he left the compartment.
"I hate him!" Ron said. "He is just like his father! Thinks just because he has money he is better than everyone else!"
"He may have money but he is far from rich." Harry said remember something Remus taught him. "You mate have a great family, lots of love and are far richer than he ever will be, I actually feel sorry for him."
Ron looked thoughtful and realized Harry was right. He felt happier even when a young girl with lots of bushy brown hair and bossy voice told them they needed to get ready as the train was coming to the station and they would be getting off soon. Her name was Hermione Granger and she was a first year like them. Harry realized she was muggle born as he had never seen or heard of her before. Harry helped Neville wrap up his toad and put him in his basket, then drew on his warm cloak and walked off the train and saw the large comforting frame of Hagrid towering over them.
"First yer this way!" He called swinging his lantern. "First yer this way!"
"Brilliant!" Ron said seeing the boats.
"You have been here before have you not Harry?" Neville said.
"Yea but I don't remember anything, I was just a baby." Harry said.
They came to the school in the boats and climbed up the long stairs up to the doors of the school. They entered and Harry grinned as he saw professor McGonagall. She was a strict old fashioned woman with a heart of gold and she was head of Gryffindor. As deputy headmistress it was her job to greet the first years. She was an older lady clad in a gown of dark green, her dark hair done up in a bun and square glasses perched on her nose. She led the first years to a small room where they were to wait. Finally it came time to be sorted and the first years came out trembling in fear and excitement. When it came to Harry's turn he took a seat on the stool, the old hat falling over his face.
"Hmm I since greatness in you young Potter." The hat said. "Where to put you."
"Not Slytherin, it's a great house and all but well how about Hufflepuff." Harry said cheekily.
"Well though you could be great in Hufflepuff that is not the house for you." The hat said.
"Fine Ravenclaw, I am so very smart you know." Harry said.
"Delusional my dear boy." The hat said.
"Where then would you put one such as I?" Harry said having way too much fun with the hat.
"Cheeky one aren't you, well I hope like GRYFFINDOR!!" The hat shouted out.
Harry took the hat off and joined Ron Neville and the new girl Hermione Granger at the table. There were just as many cheers greeting him as there had been for Draco at the Slytherin table. Harry was very hungry now and once the speech was given and the food appeared he dug into the food. He looked up at the head table and saw Snape who looked at him briefly, over the last six years he had seen Snape off and on as he came to give Remus his Wolfsbane. He very rarely spoke to him as he knew Snape was a very private man. It was as he was looking at the defense against the dark arts teacher Quirell his scar hurt.
"Ow!" Harry said rubbing his forehead.
"What is it?" Ron asked him.
"Nothing, I am fine." Harry said.
That night he walked up to the Gryffindor common room tired, happy and he made two more friends that night, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan. He unpacked his PJs, got into them then got into his four poster bed and was fast asleep at once…
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