A/N: Hey reading people. A totally new chapter.Pretty long. I'd like to shout out all my readers and reviewers. Sorry it takes so long but I have to get this completely and totally right so you guys enjoy.
R&R
Same Day
Ollivander's: Maker of fine wands, Diagon Alley
Harry, Sirius and Elizabeth walked into the dark shop. There was one lone candle, sitting on the counter that lit the entire shop. The counter formed a barrier between them and long, seemingly endless rows of dusty boxes on shelves that lined the walls. Harry made to ring the small silver bell on the counter, but suddenly a man materialized before him. He was old, that much was obvious and he had sparse, grey hair that retained a small amount of color at his temples, being dark brown. His eyes were light grey, eerie and moonlike. He looked past Harry at Sirius.
"Mr. Black, Hazel wood, Shave of Dragon's tooth, 13 inches. Very whippy, flexible; good for defensive spells." Sirius nodded, apparently knowing exactly what the odd man was speaking of. Said man turned to Harry.
"I've been expecting you Mr. Cullens. Yes, I am aware of the name change. It has resonated around Diagon Alley. I believe Lily's wand was Willow, Tail of Unicorn, 10 ¼; Very good for Charms. James – Mahogany, Dragon heartstring, 11. Excellent with transfiguration, very Sturdy."
Harry stared at the man with amazement. Did he really memorize every wand he sold?
The man whipped out a measuring tape and instructed for Harry to spread his arm. The measuring tape leapt from the man's hand and began to measure him everywhere. It even measured the width of his nose. When Harry realized why it was descending down toward his belt, he swatted it away. Behind him he heard Sirius chuckle.
Ollivander's began to rustle through boxes. Wand after wand Harry tried with no avail…
"Maybe you should try this one," rasped the man as he brought forth a velvet case. He opened it and carefully took out a long wand. It was smoothly textured, its handle and body very thin with what looked like sunrays etched into its sides.
"Holly, Phoenix Tail Feather, 11 inches; Whippy, very light weight, good for defense"
Ollivander spoke low with an omniscient tone, as if he'd known all along that this would be the one. Something told Harry that he was right in thinking so. Harry took the wand from the man's hand, looking back at Sirius and Elizabeth. Sirius's face was expressionless and his mother looked a little confused. He turned back to Ollivander.
"Well," said Ollivander, "Go on."
Harry didn't really know what was supposed to happen, but he flicked the wand nervously. Suddenly he felt a rush of air as every hair on his back stood on end. He could see the hairs on his arms stand, though they were sparse and damn near invisible. Harry resisted the urge to throw the wand away from him.
"Curious" said Mr. Ollivander.
"What's curious, Mr. Ollivander." asked Sirius. It seemed as if Ollivander had desperately wanted to be asked that. An eerie smile spread across his grim features.
"It is curious, Mr. Black, that this wand would choose him when it's brother gave him that scar." He said, his voice becoming deeper with every word, "Yes indeed, it was curious. The Dark Lord did great things. Terrible, but great…I'm sure we can expect much from Mr. Potter. Shan't we?"
Harry felt a hand grip his shoulder and he was hauled out of the shop. He heard Sirius snarl behind him and he heard the clinking sound of coins. His mother was standing behind him looking a bit paled. Harry had no way to know what Mr. Ollivander meant by the latter of what he spoke of when he said the wand chose the wizard and had no time to ponder on it as Sirius stormed out of the wand shop, took his wand from him and put it in its case before placing it in his caldron. Harry somehow felt that he shouldn't, for once, succumb to his curiosity and ask what happened.
One thing he did know: With a wand, he was truly a wizard.
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Later that night
The Cullens Residence
Elizabeth unlocked the door to her apartment and Sirius carried a sleeping Harry inside. He carried him to his room where he allowed Elizabeth to undress him and put him into his pajamas and then he placed the boy in his bed, drawing up his covers. Elizabeth looked on with silence as Sirius patted the boy's head and kissed his temple. Sirius walked past her into the hallway and Elizabeth flicked off the light, shutting the door. When she went into the living room, Sirius held a picture frame in his head that she recognized as one of Harry's baby pictures.
"He was a gorgeous baby," she said, startling him. He placed the frame back on the mantle.
"I'm sorry Ms. Cullens-" he started, but she raised her hand to stop him.
"No, no, it's okay Mr. Black. I can't say I understand how you're feeling, I don't. But I can say that I see your pain." Elizabeth gestured for him to sit, "I want to thank you for today…everything, you know? You didn't have to do anything after the way that I treated you."
Sirius laughed. "It was no problem Ms. Cullens. I do this all the time."
"Oh, so you must have a lot of godsons." said Elizabeth, folding her arms across her chest. It took a minute for Sirius to catch just what she meant.
"Ooh. That's what you mean." he sighed.
Elizabeth joined him on the sofa. "You must have been in Gryffindor house, because what you did today was brave." Sirius looked surprised at her reference to the Hogwarts house, to which she answered, "I do pay attention when you speak."
"I was indeed in Gryffindor. But I don't see how brave I was. Like I said, even though he's my godson, I do this all the time. It's just like those other times, only it's for someone I care about." said Sirius exasperatedly.
"No, it's not Mr. Black. You feel as if you owe something to him for not being there. What you did today is something I may have been incapable of in your position. You felt like he wouldn't love you like you love him, but you decided to face him anyway. To treat him as you would treat anyone else instead of like the son of your murdered friend. That takes balls, something that, as a female, I don't have." said Elizabeth, unconsciously taking his large hand between both of her own.
He looked into her eyes and she looked into his. His eyes are amazing she found herself thinking. The teacher suddenly leaned forward and kissed her. It was a sweet kiss, nothing hot and heavy; Sweet and tender. At first, she melted into it, but then she realized something, She was kissing her son's future teacher! She pushed him back, breathing heavily.
"I shouldn't have done that," Sirius breathed, closing his eyes, a small smile on his face.
Elizabeth jolted up from the sofa. "Uh, yeah…I mean you are his teacher and all…"
"No, I'm not. I don't have him until third year."
"Oh really,"
"Yep"
There was an awkward silence before Sirius rose from the sofa and made his way for the door.
"I should go."
Elizabeth walked him to the door and as he stepped out he turned around. "It was nice speaking with you Ms. Cullens."
"Likewise; please, don't hesitate to call. You're always welcome here." Sirius waved and began making his way down the stairs. Suddenly, despite herself, Elizabeth called to him.
"Sirius,"
He came back up the stairs. "Yes, Ms. Cullens."
"Call me Elizabeth. Ms. Cullens sounds stuffy. And…uh…here's my number." She slipped a paper in his hand with her number on it, "Use it."
"I will."
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September 1, 2007
The Cullens Residence
The first of September came all too fast for Harry. He had spent little time with Hermione, who was also going to boarding school this year and he would miss her much. The only times he had been separated from her for a long time was when he went to America. He had to wake up early and finish packing his trunk, a mahogany one with gold embellishments and his name carved into a plague above the lock that read Harry Apollo Cullens in cursive. He began throwing last minute items in it like his recorder for his songs, extra pairs of clothes that he hadn't thought of before and his birthday gift, a two way mirror from Sirius. His mother had made him fold and store his clothes the day he had gotten the trunk. His school robes were on the top.
They were made of a thick satin like material and had silver buttons. They were accompanied by a grey sweater with plain black lining, a black tie and black khakis. In a little box that fitted in a square compartment in his trunk were two badges. One had the Hogwarts crest on it and the other was blank. Apparently, the lining in and on his robes as well as the blank badge would magically become the colors of whatever house he ended up in. One thing he had insisted on a college messenger bag in black. With the number of books he had to carry around, he was sure that he would rip right through the bags that were sold at the wizard stores. Sirius had assured him that they were charmed to handle such stress as well as be comfortable to the wearer, but Harry wanted to be sure.
Harry also made note to feed his owl. He had named her Hedwig and she was a gift from Remus. She was a snowy owl and had black marks on her and large yellow eyes. He would have preferred a dog or even a raven, like the one he had seen at the pet shop in Diagon Alley. However he was thankful. The owl was beginning to grow on him. His mother condemned the bird to his room, however, due to her fear of owls. Harry laughed at the thought of her nearly pissing herself when Remus had brought it to him.
He quickly took a shower and dressed, this time simple, in a pair of fitting jeans, a Maroon 5 shirt (Which managed to be Maroon in some sick way) and a pair of black converses. He threw a black cap into the mix and tossed his black pea coat on the bed so he could throw it on before they walked out the door. He made to go wake his mother up, but before he began walking to the back of his house, he glimpsed his mother sitting on the armchair in the living room. Quietly he walked over to her.
"Mom"
Elizabeth jumped in her seat and dropped the picture frame he hadn't noticed her holding.
"Oh, Harry, babe…What's up?"
"What's up with you mom?" asked Harry raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing' Love." She bent to pick up the picture which he could now see was of him in the Café with him mom. He was about eight and it was right after they had bought the shop, as he could see the wallpaper in the background that he had taken so much joy in ripping down. Horrid pink wall paper with orange ducks on it. Gods he hated orange. "It's just; I'm going to miss you around here; what with you being gone for nine months. You told Hermione, how'd she take it."
"She's going to boarding school too, though she didn't say where. I didn't ask. But back to you mom, are you going to be okay?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Hun'. Like I said, I'm going to be missing you is all. But you better behave. Sirius will be there watching over you, as will Remus. I better not get any…reports."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Mom, me? I'm the most innocent person you'll ever want to meet."
"Hm, then I must want to meet the Devil himself," she sniggered and ushered him in the kitchen.
Harry stuffed his mouth with a real breakfast this morning, one which consisted of eggs, beef sausage (his mother was not a fan of pork) & waffles. His mother could cook breakfast, that he would admit.
"Ish Siwiush comin' tosay?" he asked through a mouthful of sausage.
"Yeah, he should be here soon." said Elizabeth nonchalantly. Harry nodded. Sirius seemed to have grown on his mother, though Harry sensed something on the surface that he didn't quite understand. Sirius had definitely been spending more time around his house lately. However, the arguments that they had, Elizabeth and Sirius, always seemed more serious than they let on, Almost as if they spoke when Harry was not around.
Harry was on the verge of not giving a damn though. He was too excited about starting school. He finished his breakfast and reached up into the cabinet, taking out three full sized boxes of Fruity Pebbles. There was no way he was going to survive an entire school year without them.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They reached King's Cross at half past 9. Sirius lifted Harry's trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for him. "Well, there you are kiddo. Platform nine — platform ten, your platform should be somewhere in the middle, I don't remember which one, it's been so long since I've used this entrance." Sirius scratched his head dumbly under a look of extreme contempt from Elizabeth.
Harry's mouth went rather dry. "Wow, Sirius, that's really nice."
"So how's he supposed to get to school then Mr. Bright Guy." said Elizabeth, plopping down on a bench.
He almost stopped a passing guard, but Sirius shook his head no.
"They will think your losing your mind." he said.
At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a few words of what they were saying.
"— packed with Muggles, of course —"
Harry swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of him — and they had an owl.
Sirius walked over to them and tapped the woman. The woman spun around and when her eyes fell on Sirius a wide smile spread across her face. Harry couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was obvious that she was complimenting him because Sirius blushed suddenly and waved them over.
"Harry," said Sirius as he pulled him in front of him self, "This is Mrs. Molly Weasley. She was apart of the order and a close friend of Lily's. Molly, this is my godson, Harry Apollo Cullens. And this is his mother, Elizabeth Cullens."
Harry could see the boys over her shoulder as he shook her hand. There were two that appeared to be twins and the gaped openly at him. The oldest looking one looked on with only slight interest, but was too busy fixing the gold and red badge fastened to his pullover. The two younger ones, a boy his age and a girl not that much younger than him, were in the same position as the twins only they seemed to be in disbelief.
"Oh, he looks so different than what I imagined. I thought he might look like James, but he doesn't look like either of them. No, let me not say that, I see a little of Lily. Nevertheless he is very handsome."
Now it was Harry's turn to blush. Sirius laughed and brought up his point.
"Um, Molly, I know this might sound really bad, but I can't remember where the platform is."
Molly patted his cheek, "Oh, you poor dear. That's no fault of yours. You've been through so much. Why if I ever get my hands on that minister I'll—"
A dark look crossed Sirius' face and caused Molly to pause mid-sentence. Harry looked between the three adults present and it seemed that something private passed. Molly then plastered the most obviously fake smile across her face and turned to face her children.
"Okay boys, let's go. On to the platform. Let's show Mr. Cullens how we do it."
The oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it — but just as the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.
"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.
"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"
"Sorry, George, dear."
"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later, he had gone — but how had he done it?
Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was almost there — and then, quite suddenly, he had just disappeared, gone through the barrier.
Mrs. Weasley pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.
"Ron's about to go through." she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."
"Er — okay," said Harry.
He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very solid.
He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their way to platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash right into that barrier and then he'd be in trouble — leaning forward on his cart, he broke into a heavy run — the barrier was coming nearer and nearer — he wouldn't be able to stop — the cart was out of control — he was a foot away — he closed his eyes ready for the crash —
That didn't come…he kept on running…he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead saidHogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock. Harry looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, He had done it.
Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs.
Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks. The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed a round-faced boy, who was saying,
"Gran, I've lost my toad again."
"Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh.
A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.
"Give us a look, Lee, go on."
The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.
Harry pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train. He put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot.
"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through the barrier.
"Yes, please," Harry panted.
"Oi, Fred! C'mere and help!"
With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner of the compartment.
"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.
"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.
"Blimey," said the other twin. "I thought you were —?"
"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.
"What?" said Harry.
"Harry Potter." chorused the twins.
"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."
The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. Then, to his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.
"Fred? George? Are you there?"
"Coming, Mom."
With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.
Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. Their mother had just taken out her handkerchief.
"Ron, you've got something on your nose."
The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.
"Mom— geroff" He wriggled free.
"Aaah has ickle Ronniekins got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the twins.
"Shut up," said Ron.
"Where's Percy?" said their mother.
"He's coming now."
The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a red and gold badge on his chest with the letter P on it.
"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front; the prefects have got two compartments to themselves —"
"Oh, are you aprefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of sarcasm. "You should have said something, we had no idea."
"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once —"
"Or twice —"
"A minute —"
"All summer —"
"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.
"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.
"Because he's aprefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term — send me an owl when you get there."
She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.
"Now, you two — this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've — you've blown up a toilet or —"
"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."
"Great idea though, thanks, Mom."
"It's not funny. And look after Ron."
"Don't worry; ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."
"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.
"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"
Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking.
"You know that Sirius' godson is really Harry Potter?"
Harry heard the little girl's voice.
"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, eh please…"
"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. And I don't think he nor his mother or Sirius would appreciate any of you boy's treating him as so. Besides, his name is Cullens now. Befriend him, don't be rude either."
"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"
Their mother suddenly became very stern.
"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare; as though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."
"All right, keep your hair on."
A whistle sounded.
"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.
"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."
"We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat."
"George!"
"Only joking, Mom"
The train began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, and then she fell back and waved.
Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to — but it had to be better than what he was leaving behind.
The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.
"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. "Everywhere else is full."
Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw he still had a black mark on his nose.
"Hey, Ron"
The twins were back.
"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train — Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."
"Right," mumbled Ron.
"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley.
And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then."
"Bye," said Harry and Ron. "And good riddance, too" Ron added and he stood and slid the compartment door shut behind them.
"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.
Harry nodded.
"Oh — well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got — you know…"
He pointed at Harry's forehead.
Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.
"So that's where You-Know-Who —?"
"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."
"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.
"Well — I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."
"Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.
"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who was interested about the workings of a fully magic family.
"Er — Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."
"So you must know mad magic already."
"Mad? What's your accent?" asked Ron
"Oh, me," said Harry, "I was raised in America for sometime. That's just some slang. Mad means very or a lot"
"Oh"
The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.
"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"
"My mom is great. She's the nicest, sweetest person I know. I mean, I guess mugglesare just like wizards as far as personality, some are nice, some are not. Only thing they don't have is magic I guess. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers."
"Five actually," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left — Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."
Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.
"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff — I mean, I got Scabbers instead."
Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window. Harry understood at once. Ron wasn't exactly rich. He really couldn't tell thought. Ron's clothes looked quality; a maroon sweater and a pair of loose grey pants. Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl.
"My mum made this," said Ron, noticing where his eyes wandered.
"Wow she's amazing. I sure couldn't tell."
They were quiet for a moment then Harry decided to tell Ron about finding out he was a wizard.
"…and until Sirius told me, I didn't know anything about being a wizard or about my parents or Voldemort —"
Ron gasped.
"What?" said Harry.
"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people —"
"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, "But fear of the name only gives him power. He killed my parents; I'm definitely not giving him that power. I didn't know there was such a problem with saying his name though." he added, voicing for the first time something that had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."
"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and they learn quick enough."
While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.
Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said,
"Anything off the cart, dears?"
Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor. With the hundreds of pounds and wizard money that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to splurge; buy as many Snickers as he could carry — but the woman didn't have Snickers. What she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.
Ron stared as Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.
"Hungry, much?"
"You don't even know," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty. "Mom's not much of a cook. Baking yeah, anything else noooooo."
Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."
"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on —"
"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."
"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, "I love corned beef. I bet your mom's is better than the ones they sell near my house."
It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies. They were partly through the mountain when there was a knock at the compartment door. A boy with a long black braid and black rimmed glasses waved from the other side.
Harry waved him inside. "What's up?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you guys, but my sister kicked me out of the compartment and there's no where else and well—"
"You can stay here if you want," grumbled Ron through a mouthful of chocolate.
"Thanks," said the boy, plopping down on the seat and placing a basket on the chair. Harry started when the basket jumped. The boy held the basket down and shot a look at Harry that said "You don't want to know" He shook both their hands
"Mun-Hee Cha, First Year. Call me Rook, what about you…"
"Harry Cullens"
"Ron Weasley"
"Cool. Hey, Cullens, you're the one Draco was talking about. Say you guys are cousins?" asked Rook.
"Somewhat. His cousin, Sirius Black is my godfather. That makes him my god cousin." explained Harry. He was about to go into an explanation about the whole family ties thing, but Ron cut in.
"Your cousins with that slime-ball?" he said incredulously.
"God cousins and he doesn't seem like a slime-ball to me." said Harry.
"No. He only looks down his nose at anyone that isn't pureblooded or rich."
"Well I just met him not long ago, so don't mind me if I'm reserving judgment. How do you know Draco, Rook?" asked Harry.
Rook looked up from the Drooble's blowing gum wrapper comic and asked, "What?" Harry repeated his question. "Oh, Drake? The big wizarding families from all around the world keep in touch for business transactions. I've know him since I was really little. Were not best friends, but were very good friends. I have to agree with Ron though, something we've never got along about is his families — disdain for those not of their status. In Seoul —"
"Where's that," asked Ron.
"Korea — but yeah, in Seoul we are taught to honor all people. My family is one of the most prominent; so many families emulate us so we have to set a good example. My Fa is taking a chance sending us here." finished Rook. He looked as if he really didn't want to talk about his father as a look of disgust passed across his face at his mention. They turned back to their junk food.
"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?" He was starting to feel that nothing would surprise him.
"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."
"What?"
"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know — Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect — famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."
Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a very familiar man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.
"I met him, he came to my house," said Harry.
"Did you really! Mind you, I've never met him in person," said Rook.
"Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa — thanks —" said Ron
Harry turned over his card and read:
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.
Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.
"He's gone!"
"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her…do you want it? You can start collecting."
Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.
"Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people just stay put in photos."
"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Must get awful bored"
Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes away from the Druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.
"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavor, they mean every flavor — you know, you get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and marmalade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger-flavored one once."
"I got shit once." said Rook randomly. Both Ron and Harry startled by the comment.
"Um, Rook," started Harry,
"Yeah,"
"You'd have to had tasted shit in order to know what it tastes like." Rook looked up and them and blushed furiously before throwing a bean at him.
"It had to have been shit, it was horrible." he said as an excuse.
"Yeah, okay," laughed Harry.
Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.
"Bleaaargh — see? Sprouts"
They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper.
The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.
There was another knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on platform nine and three-quarters came in. He looked tearful.
"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"
When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"
"He'll turn up," said Harry.
"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him…"
He left.
"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."
The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.
"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look…"
He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.
"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway —"
He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. Harry heard the voice of a girl, but he didn't bother looking up
"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said.
"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.
The girl ignored him however. "Harry, is that you?" Harry looked up suddenly and bright green eyes met hazel.
"Mione?"
The girl launched herself at Harry and all he saw was a blur of black and brown.
"Oh, Harry, I didn't know that you were going to be here. If I had, I would have told you."
Harry pulled back from his best friend and observed her, as he hadn't seen her all summer. She didn't seem any taller, but he did notice her lack of braces. He made note to bring it up later.
"No worries Hermione, I didn't exactly tell you much either. Wow, this it lucky." Hermione noticed suddenly that she'd interrupted something.
"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."
She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.
"Er — all right."
He cleared his throat.
"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."
He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.
"Are you sure that's a real spell?" asked Rook.
"Well, it's not very good, is it?" started Hermione "I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter — let me stop," she added from the your-doing-it-again- look Harry had given her " I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"
She said all this very fast.
"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.
"Mun-Hee," said Rook, not bothering to give his nickname.
"Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I'm sure that Harry's a shoe in for Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad…Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon, Harry do you mind if I join you later, I've been sitting all alone."
Harry nodded an affiramative.
And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.
"Thanks Harry, now we have to suffer through motor mouth there. Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell — George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."
"Hey Ron, Jeez, you could have a little respect. She is my friend." said Harry.
Ron blushed furiously, "Sorry mate.
"I thought you guys said that all the compartments were full? Hermione just said she was by herself."
"They were," said Rook, "Only hers wasn't filled with people, it was filled with her ego. Really, you need to assist her with that."
"I try my best," muttered Harry before turning the conversation away from Hermione bashing. "What house are your brothers in Ron, and what about your sister Rook?"
"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."
"That's the house Voldemort was in?"
"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.
"Hey, some of the people who are in Slytherin hate Voldemort, like my sister. Don't be a bigot."
"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter," said Harry, trying to take steer the conversation away from the eminent argument that was about to take place between the two boys. "So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"
Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.
"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron. "Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles — someone tried to rob a high security vault."
Harry stared.
"Yeah, I heard it was a big mess," said Rook
"Really? What happened to them?" asked Harry.
"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."
Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but he was a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.
"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.
"The"
"Er — I don't know any." Harry confessed.
"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world —" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy or Hermione Granger this time.
"Cousin,"
Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one at once: Draco. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.
"Cousin, you're the talk of the town these days." he said. "Making use of your infamy already"
"Hm, I wouldn't call it that, but if you say so…" said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.
"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said Draco carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. "For those who don't know, my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.
"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."
"Whoa Draco, that was too far. Calm it down or I'm going to ask you to leave," said Harry, having difficulty hold Ron back, even with Rook's help.
"Oh, my apologizes dear cousin. I just didn't know you associated with this sort. My mother told my not to antagonize, so I'll stop for the both of your sakes. Weasley, you've got dirty on your nose."
Ron sneered angrily and raised his hand to his nose to get the same spot that his mother had tried to clean. "Sit down and Calm down Ron." Ordered Harry, "Drake, I'll talk to you later, perhaps its best you go."
Draco nodded, "Very well Harry, I'll be seeing you around. Rook, Weasley."
He waved his hand motioning for the two larger boys to follow him. On their way out, Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron — Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.
Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle — Malfoy spun suddenly and was two feet short of getting knocked out of the window by Goyle's girth. Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, he ran out, blubbering like a baby.
Draco rubbed his temple with his fingers and shot a look at Harry that said "Why"
Harry laughed and Draco smirked before he ran down the hall hollering for the crying boy.
Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.
"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail as she set her bag on the chair.
"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No — I don't believe it — he's gone back to sleep."
And so he had.
"Can we help you with something?" he said suddenly and rather rudely to Hermione
"Harry said I could sit in here, remember." said Hermione before walking out again.
Harry stuck his head out of the cabin, "Where you goin'?"
"To change into my robes. You'd better hurry up and put yours on, too, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"
"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her from over Harry's shoulder.
"You've got dirt on your nose, did you know?" said Hermione in a sniffy voice
Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.
He and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him; you could see his sneakers underneath them.
A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in half an hour minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."
Hermione returned after the boy's had cleaned their mess. Scabbers was in a sleeping Ron's pocket and Rook sat nearer to the window reading a book in Korean and absentmindedly petting whatever was in the basket of his. Hermione sat carefully next to Ron, across from Harry as to no disturb the snoring boy.
"So give me the unedited version of how your mom reacted when she found out," said Hermione, leaning it. Harry told her every thing then had her tell him about how the Grangers had taken it.
"…didn't want me to come. A big fuss was made about whether or not I'd still be taking normal classes and the like. They were dead set about me going. I'll say it was one hell of an argument." She said, clicking her tongue. Rook looked up suddenly at her causal cursing, a curious look on his face before turning back to his book.
This went unnoticed by Hermione. She turned off the subject of her parents and on to her expectations of the school and how her holiday was. It wasn't a long, drawn out conversation, only touching on the finer points. Then Hermione was resting against the window, casually observing the other occupants of the compartment. Harry himself had fallen into a light rest, awaiting their arrival at Hogwarts.
A:N 2: Sorry it takes me so freaking long to update, but when your a teenage girl with a budding social life, it makes it quite difficult. I'm going to try my hardest to update when ever possible. Oh and if anyone could draw pictures of my characters for me, I'd love it. Just let me know. I'll provide celeb photos for you to base them off of.
R&R