How, I have a lot of reviews and it will take forever to answer all of them (my secretary is lazy at the moment so I'm on my own)
Anyway, I'll address some general concerns:
1. Arrogant Harry
Alright people. My Harry is not arrogant, he is just confident and sure of his knowledge and abilities. Put yourself in his shoes for a minute. He's been alone by himself while at the Dursleys. He practiced his magic alone. He lives in alone in Potter Manor. He had no friends and bullied all his life. If you were bullied and you know how to counter them, wouldn't you do it especially when you can get away with it?
2. Uber Powerful Harry
No. My version of Harry is not powerful. Sure he has Magic and Sorcery to fall back on but he doesn't know how to use it except for those he already mastered on his own, which isn't much compared to an educated witch or wizard. I aim to make my version of Harry work for his powers. Besides, a powerful Harry at the start to end is just too boring.
3. Harry's uber long name.
I would like thank those readers who gave me an idea on how to shorten Harry's name. Henceforth, he shall now be named properly. Harry James Potter, Lord of the Houses of Potter, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Aldur. It sounds better, doesn't it?
To DexterZ: Harry Potter Gryffindor Pacino Stallone? Bwahahahahahahah I so love you!
4. Harry's Magical Inclination
No, this isn't a Dark Harry story. If you take time to see his views on magic, you will realize that Harry is a Gray - between Light and Dark with knowledge of both.
5. Harry's Life Partner
No pairings here as of yet boys and girls. He's eleven years old. You expect him to make girls swoon and sigh? Yeeesh. Get a grip people. He will make FRIENDS...that's it. And no, there won't be any gay partners here (the pleasure is reserved to my brother...grin) though i do have a penchant for furry... hmmmm Harry furry...hmmmmmm...
attis89mackan: Yes, Harry will still have his parseltongue ability even if the Soul Fragment is removed. It is already a part of him or will become a part of him (refer to the explanation of the ritual from Griphook in previous chapters. And no, he didn't get to meet the Runespoor yet since the snake usually relocates to the greenhouses if it is cold...sooo... winter?
SalemTheSpeakerOfTruth: Point taken my friend. But there is an explanation why Harry is not the Peverell Heir (I have my own version of how one inherits the Peverell title and it concerns the Hallows and it will be revealed far into the bowels of this fic)
Fanfiction Fanboy: Thanks for the heads up. Will do it.
James t: Don't worry. Me and brother is working on this fic so no burning out between the two of us. I do the original story, he improves and adds to it. We both read it again to see if it is good enough then boom...update! Thanks for the concern though.
autumngold: I have plans for Dumbledore. Let me put it this way. Dumbledore isn't a bad guy. He is just plain nosy. Since he got all these titles in the Wizarding World, his head swelled to the point that he thinks that he knows better than everyone. It happens in real life. (discretely gives brother a look)
DraconicWrath: yeah. My version of Harry has a backbone. He walks the walk and talks the talk. Oh yeah. (though he will never be a ponce except for those people who messes with him)
redstickbonbon: If you really look into the story, you will see that Harry didn't really tell anyone about his abilities. The result of the Abilities Test gives you the general side of Harry's magic and abilities (remember, Griphook explained it to him and it is not written on the test). The specifics, however, is locked inside Harry's head. For example...he can do Telepathy but they don't know the specific abilities of Telepathy he can do. They know he is a Shadow Mage, but they don't know what he can really do with it. To put it simply, they will THINK they know Harry since they know his abilities but they are in for a rude awakening.
RebeliousOne: That is a secret, dearie. I don't want to spoil the surprise. (evil grin) bwahahahahahah
konatachan603: To be honest, i don't know what to do with Skeeter. Any ideas are greatly appreciated.
Ciroth: Thanks for pointing those out to me. Will keep watch in the future.
Dreamweaver: I guess I'm not the only one who saw the similarity between characters. *grin*
Thanks to Yoru no kodomo, I now have a name here in fanfiction.
From this day onwards, I am called...
The Sorceress of Stories
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Fear me! Please, fear me!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or characters and abilities from other literary works. I'm just using them as base for my creative juices.
Harry Potter: Shadow Sorcerer
Chapter 12: Off To Hogwarts
September 1, 1991
Potter Manor
Harry woke up with a loud yawn followed by an excited grin. Today was the day he was going to Hogwarts and the excitement was making his body tingle. He translocated directly into the tub while mentally thanking Flippy for the warm water in the bath. The elf never failed to prepare everything beforehand for Harry. The elf was a godsend for the young sorcerer.
It didn't take long for him to finish his morning ritual in the shower. He saw that his clothes were already laid out by his in-house fashion expert (Flippy). From the clothes laid out on the bed, it seems that his elf wanted him to make an impression on the way to school. Harry shrugged since he didn't want to hide his true self anymore.
His clothes this time was all muggle but all of it was high-class – A black Armani polo, Calvin Klein jeans partnered with a dark green snakeskin belt, and a pair of Ferragamo Wing Tip Oxford. Aria seems to want to add to the outfit by floating beside the apparel in her cane form. Harry grinned at the potential shock value of the outfit before putting everything on. Grabbing Aria, Harry looked at himself in the mirror and couldn't help but grin.
"Wow. Flippy outdid himself today." said Harry, flabbergasted at how good the elf was getting in picking his outfit. Well, he didn't have any choice in the matter because the elf bought everything in his wardrobe. Harry was sure that he lost around a hundred thousand pounds from the shopping trip but he didn't care since all of it was good stuff so he didn't begrudge the elf his fun - even if it was expensive.
Harry exited his room and walked over to the study to double-check everything in his trunk to make sure he didn't forget anything. Sure, he could always call Flippy to fetch things for him but it would be too irresponsible on his part to rely on help when he could do the task himself.
While Harry was cataloging his potions supplies, Godric's voice echoed throughout the room.
"Grandson, I have a favor to ask of you when you get to Hogwarts." said Godric.
"Sure, grandfather, anything for you. What do you need?" Harry asked as he closed the lid of his trunk, shrinking it before placing it in his pocket.
"When you get to Hogwarts, I want you to renew the wards."
Harry's face turned to confusion at the weird request. The wards of Hogwarts were always on...well, according to Hogwarts: A History anyway.
"Renew the wards? Isn't that supposed to be the Headmaster's job?" he asked the essence of Godric Gryffindor. Harry read in Hogwarts: A History that one of the jobs of a Headmaster is to make sure that the wards of the school are at peak efficiency, usually undergoing a ritual within the catacombs of the school to recharge them. Some Headmasters usually add more to the wards, if they were talented to do so anyway.
"True, it is the Headmaster's job to strengthen the wards but there are ancient wards in place that can only be activated and strengthened by those of the Founder's blood." explained Godric.
Now this little tidbit was something new. He couldn't help but ask for more information regarding these 'ancient wards'.
"Now that's interesting? What kind of ancient wards are we talking about? I read in Hogwarts: A History that the school is protected by Anti-Portkey and Anti-Apparition to restrict travel directly to and from the school . A Dark Creature Ward to make sure that the creatures of the Forbidden Forest doesn't make it into the grounds and…hmmm…I think that's it." said Harry as he tried to remember that specific passage in the book mentioning the wards of Hogwarts.
"True, those are the standards wards that a Headmaster can easily strengthen and renew." Godric agreed. "However, the ancient wards that Rowena and I created involves a modified Intent-based Ward tied to boundary of the school. It's like an automatic defense system just in case someone tries to enter the school with intent to harm the students."
"Similar to the Potter Manor wards then but less complicated." Harry mused. "But why does it need activating now, grandfather?
"Well, my grandson, these ancient wards require renewal every 200 years. It's been almost a thousand years since the last time the ward was renewed. Also, deactivation of the ward erases all commands that it previously had. So when you activate the ancient wards, you need to guide it to conform to what defenses you want the school to have. And with your presence there, it will necessary to get them up and running so you're better protected."
"I can take care of myself grandfather." said Harry with a scowl which caused Godric to chuckle.
"True but the other students are not. If someone attacks you while you're in Hogwarts then there is a possibility of collateral damage. You can take care of yourself but the others cannot."
Harry couldn't refute that. If his magic failed then he could always fall back on Sorcery to get him out of tight situations. However, if there was a full-out battle then the students there would have no defense unless they are trained to do so which he doubted. The older students could but the younger students could not.
"Fine. Where can I find the ward stone?" Harry relented.
"In the Great Hall, there is a shield bearing the Hogwarts Crest. Tap each animal of the shield in a specific order – Griffin, Badger, Raven, and Snake. Once done, tap the Dragon ten times. A door shall appear that will lead you down to the catacombs where the ward stone resides. All you need to do is to cut your palm to draw blood and touch the face of the ward stone. DON'T push your magic into the stone. Let it take care of everything."
Harry huffed. Godric never forgot Harry's blunder with the ward stone and kept reminding him of his mistake. It seems that the essence of the ancient wizard had a mean streak a mile wide - or possibly more.
"I'll do it, grandfather. I think it would be best to settle down for a few days before I activate and power up the ancient wards. However, I promise you that if I sense a threat then I'll do so immediately the day I get there.
"Thank you. The castle has always been a bastion of safe haven for magical beings - humans and creatures alike. It is good to see it become so once again after hundreds of years." said Godric. "Anyway, why are you so early? The train doesn't leave till 11:00 and it's still 9:00 in the morning."
Harry grinned.
"I'm just excited grandfather. I'm a kid going to his first day of school after all."
Since Harry had no idea where King's Cross was, he bribed his familiar with a dozen fruity treats to get him to the station in one piece. Of course, Hedwig agreed immediately since his familiar's sweet tooth, er beak, was a demand that needed to be immediately satisfied.
The young Potter Lord arrived at exactly 10:20AM in Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters, which was pretty early for everyone but not to him. Early meant less crowds, less crowds meant no mobs. So there.
Harry felt the familiar weight of Hedwig on his shoulder as he looked around and saw that there weren't that many families on the platform since it was still a bit early, which suited him just fine. In most cases, witches and wizards tend to procrastinate so they either arrive 20 minutes before the train leaves or the minute that it does.
Deciding to use the time to secure a comfortable compartment, he approached the Hogwarts Express – a red steam train – and walked over to the last compartment. He knew that people tend to choose the nearest compartment and it would be very noisy. Also, this location offered a perfect way to get out of the crowd and avoid a potential mobbing. Not that he was afraid of the people recognizing him; he just didn't want to get run over by over-excited witches and wizards.
He arrived at the last compartment and immediately fell in love with the interior. It had a nice rustic theme to it that spoke of tradition. Well, Hogwarts Express IS a steam locomotive so modern fixture was non-existent. He entered the compartment, pulled out the trunk from his pocket, returned it to its normal size before floating it on the rack. He knew that the Hogwarts elves would be taking the trunk directly to their respective dormitories after the sorting so he wouldn't begrudge the hardworking beings of a job they found happiness in.
Hedwig just flew to the air and landed in one of the suspended racks on top of the compartment before promptly going to sleep. It was still too early for her to be up and about.
Harry took a seat and peered out the window. Families were slowly trickling onto the platform, offering encouragement to their kids and ushering them to a compartment for the journey. Harry felt a twinge in his heart when he saw a mother crying while hugging her daughter. If his mother was alive then he would be subjected to the same treatment. He shook the emotion away. He won't break down now. It would be dishonorable for him to think like that since his parents sacrificed their lives for him. They helped prepare him for this day so he'll do everything in his power to make them proud.
Harry spent most of the time watching the different witches and wizards in the platform. He didn't recognize any of them, well except maybe for Madam Bones ushering her niece, Susan Bones if he remembered correctly, into a compartment along with another girl about Susan's age. Harry made a mental note to make a lot of friends at school even if he was sorted into Slytherin. House rivalries be damned.
Harry thought hard regarding his house placement in Hogwarts a week ago. If he was honest with himself, he could be in any of the four houses. He had bravery in spades for Gryffindor, loyalty for Hufflepuff, obviously the brain cells for Ravenclaw, and his foray into Wizarding law and politics qualifies him for Slytherin. After an hour of analyzing his personality, Harry decided that the houses had their own set of advantages and disadvantages.
For example, Gryffindor house was mostly for those who were brave of heart. Meaning, they are mostly for people who tend to be reckless and foolhardy. He wasn't like that anymore thanks to his experience with the Potter Manor wards.
The house of Hufflepuff was for the loyal and hard workers; however, their shy nature made sure that they disappear into the shadows with their merits not shown to the rest of the houses, which was one of the reasons why a lot of people were saying that Hufflepuff's house was for idiots. Harry certainly disagreed with that.
Ravenclaw, on the other hand, was famous for the intelligent children under her wing. However, Ravenclaws tend to spend so much time in the library and on their studies that they tend to shy away from socializing with the rest of the school unless it had something to do with academics. Also, Ravenclaws tend to consider books as the be all and end all of everything which was a fool's thinking. Knowledge and wisdom were two different things after all.
Finally, we have the Slytherin house – practically the most misunderstood house in Hogwarts. It was said by many that Slytherin house breeds Dark Wizards. Yes, some did turn to the Dark Arts but this was because Slytherin house prize ambition and cunning. Everyone wants power, who doesn't? Sadly, Slytherins tend to over-achieve with their desire for power which was why many cross the line of Gray into the Dark. Voldemort was said to be a Slytherin, which was another reason why the house was so disliked by everyone.
He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard a woman shriek at her sons that they were going to be late. She was right since the Hogwarts Express just bellowed telling everyone that the train was about to depart.
Harry pulled out a shrunken book on potions theory from his pocket and enlarged it. He was about to read when the door to his compartment opened revealing two girls.
"How can I help you ladies?" asked Harry with a polite smile.
"Can we share this compartment with you? asked the blonde. Harry found her beautiful with her ice-cold blue eyes looking at him in coldness. Harry immediately knew that it was just a mask. The other girl, a brunette, just stayed silent behind her, checking him out.
"Be my guest." Harry said indicating the seat in front of him.
The blonde gave a nod and entered the compartment, dragging her trunk with her. The other girl followed. Harry saw them struggling with the weight decided to help them.
"Let me help you with those." offered Harry as he used his Telekinesis to levitate the trunks and floated them over to the rack before securing them firmly in place for the journey. The two girls were shocked at the casual display of magic that they just stood there staring at Harry with wide eyes.
Harry just smiled and snapped his fingers causing the two girls to get out of their shock.
"Please, take a seat. It is going to be a long journey to Hogwarts so might as well be comfortable." said Harry, smile not leaving his face. He was trying his best not to scare the girls but he vowed to himself not to hide what he's capable off.
Also, this was a test that Harry devised for such a situation. He wanted to meet people who saw him as himself, not the Boy-Who-Lived. The best way to do that was to shower them with demonstrations of his power to see how they would react.
If they fawn over his talents then they were not friendship material.
If they are curious about his abilities and ask him appropriate, non-personal, questions then they had a chance.
Those who ignore it needed to be observed since it was possible they had an agenda.
The girls took their seats and looked at each other with uncertainty before looking at Harry as if he was a ghost. The girls gasped when they saw the scar on Harry's forehead, finally realizing who was in the compartment with them.
"It's not polite to stare you know." said Harry with a smile, his emerald eyes twinkling merrily. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Harry James Potter. May I know your names ladies?"
The first one to recover from the shock was the blonde girl with the cold blue eyes.
"A pleasure to meet you Harry Potter. My name is Daphne Greengrass and this is my best friend Tracy Davis."
"A pleasure, Ms. Greengrass, Ms. Davis." greeted Harry with a nod. "I take it that both of you are first years the same as I am?"
"Yes. This is our first year at Hogwarts." answered Daphne. Her lips parted as if wanting to say something but stopped. She paused as if struggling with something. "You aren't what we expected you to be."
One of Harry's eyebrow was unexpected.
"Oh? What did you expect me to be, Ms. Greengrass?" he asked curiously. He never had any interaction with people of his age and he would try his best not to scare these two out of the compartment.
"Well, there were a lot of rumors going around and the Daily Prophet spreading the news about what you did at Knockturn Alley." said Daphne with a little hesitation followed closely by a sharp nod from Tracy.
"Yeah. They say that your 10-feet tall wielding a wicked looking weapon and cut off all their heads in a single swipe. They also said that you called down lightning bolts from the sky and fried your enemies to a crisp." Tracy blurted before blushing.
Harry gave them an amused laughed which caused the Daphne and Tracy to relax. They were afraid that the Boy-Who-Lived might have been offended by Tracy's sudden rant.
"Sorry girls. I think you got the wrong Harry Potter though their version is more…shall we say…filled with action?" he said in amusement. "Anyway, as you can see I'm only 5'1 give or take a few centimeters. I don't have any wicked looking weapon though I do have Aria. Finally, I didn't call down lightning. I simply called for Hedwig to get me out of there."
"Aria? Who's Aria?" asked Tracy in confusion. "and what's a Hedwig?"
Harry grasped his cane-staff resting beside him then willed it to return to its natural form. The girls looked at the beautiful staff in awe.
"This is my beloved Aria, my staff, and Hedwig, is my phoenix familiar and currently sleeping." He pointed a finger above them where they saw a white phoenix sleeping peacefully.
The conversation just flowed from there.
It was an hour into the journey that Daphne finally relaxed around the famous Harry Potter. After correcting Tracy's description of him, the conversation that followed was quite pleasant.
Instead of a stuck up pureblood, Harry Potter was quite down to earth. She could easily say that the boy was intelligent, charismatic, handsome, and most of all, unfailingly polite. Not once did he say anything bad about them and Daphne's training in pureblood circle kicked in, telling her that the boy wasn't lying or pretending to be someone else.
The boy in front of them was the real Harry Potter, not the Boy-Who-Lived that everyone portrayed him to be.
Daphne could easily say that she was having fun sharing a compartment with one Harry James Potter and couldn't wait to get to know him better at school.
Tracy Davis was in heaven. She was, and still is, a Harry Potter fan. She read all the books published about him and had always dreamed that he would whisk her away to a floating castle to live happily ever after.
However, when she confronted him about the truth of the stories, all he got was laughter. When he saw her hurt look, he immediately apologized and Tracy could easily tell that it was sincere. Harry explained to her that books were just fantasy stories some writer cooked up to make some money out of him. He couldn't blame them of course since it was an untapped market considering his popularity after the fall of the Dark Lord.
Instead of losing interest when confronted with the truth, Tracy Davis interest peaked as she started to get to know the real Harry Potter, not the Boy-Who-Lived, but the actual boy who was starting Hogwarts the same year as Daphne and her.
Tracy Davis, for the first time, could say that the stories about the Boy-Who-Lived wasn't worth a grain of salt.
Harry had fun having a lively conversation with his two new friends, Daphne and Tracy. It was a bit tense at first but he was able to steer the conversation into a more general topics that all three of them could relate. Conversation branched out from there.
They discussed the feeling of going to school, what subjects would be interesting for them, doing magic in a controlled environment, the lessons they would be getting from experienced professors, and so on.
Heck, they even discussed Quidditch and Harry was bombarded with information about the sport when he told the girls that he never flown on a broom before and have never seen a game. Tracy took the reign in this conversation and showered Harry with so much Quidditch information that the Boy-Who-Lived felt that his brain just short circuited.
Thankfully, Daphne was able to calm her friend enough to stop talking about Quidditch and gave Harry some breathing room to process the information overload.
"Please! No...More...Quidditch!" pleaded Harry to Tracy as he rubbed his temple. The girl was just too enthusiastic about the sport. Daphne just grinned at him.
"Now you know what NOT to say when Tracy is around." said Daphne before getting swatted on the shoulder by a fuming Tracy Davis.
"I'm not that bad." Tracy defended herself. When she saw Daphne and Harry's eyebrow rise in question, she explained. "I just love the sport, that's all."
"Right…" Harry drawled. A knock on the compartment door stopped his sarcastic reply. Harry stood up and opened the door revealing a lady pushing a trolley filled to the brim with sweets.
"Can I interest you in some snacks, dears?" asked the kindly lady, waving a hand to the cart showing off her stock.
Harry turned to the girls with a raised eyebrow.
"Anything you want? My treat." He offered while pulling out a couple of Galleons from his pocket. It was a good thing that he followed Flippy's advice to bring a few coins with him just in case.
"Are you sure, Harry? I have some money here for snacks." said Daphne as she pulled out her own money.
Harry shook his head at the offer since he wanted to treat his new friends. It was a great feeling, using his money to make other people happy.
"Don't worry about it girls. I'm not sure what you would like so why don't you pick your favorites then let's eat them together. I'm somewhat hungry thanks to Tracy." He got a glare from said girl. "Hey! Too much thinking can make you hungry, you know." he said defending himself.
"Really? Do tell." said Tracy with sarcasm dripping from her voice. She rose from her seat followed by Daphne towards the food cart.
It took five minutes for Harry, Daphne, and Tracy to pick their favorites since there were plenty of others that caught their fancy, especially Harry.
Daphne ended up choosing some Chocolate Frogs and a Cauldron Cake while Tracy went for Licorice Wands and Pumpkin Pasties. Harry, however, decided to splurge so he bought three of each kinds of sweets along with three Butterbeers. The girls eyed his purchase as he dumped them on the seat beside him. Harry saw the looks.
"What? I'm hungry alright. Besides, I haven't tried all of them so I was curious." explained Harry as he took a bite out of a Cauldron Cake. It was delicious. Too sweet but the taste of pumpkin tickled his tongue. "Wow. This is good."
"Don't tell me this is your first time trying sweets?" asked Daphne as she nibbled on a Chocolate Frog.
"Nope." answered Harry before finishing off what's left of the cake in a single bite. He grabbed a Butterbeer and popped the cap off with a whispered word. He took a long pull of the flavored drink then sighed. "That was good."
"Yeah. Butterbeer always bring out that reaction in people. My dad told me that it can be addicting so I didn't get to drink much of it." admitted Tracy, eyeing the half-empty bottle in Harry's hand.
Harry just gave her a look before finishing off his drink. He banished the empty bottle with a thought before grabbing another. This time, he theatrically pointed a finger on the cap and used his Telekinesis ability to pop it off much to Tracy's delight. Daphne just raised an eyebrow at the action. Grinning, he passed the bottle to Tracy who happily took it before taking a sip.
Harry quirked an eyebrow at Daphne who simply nodded at the unasked question. Harry repeated his performance and gave the bottle to her.
The three ate and drank in silence for a few moments before Daphne asked something that made Harry tense.
"Harry, I could not but notice that you casually do magic without a wand or even a verbal spell." observed Daphne. She saw Harry tense up so immediately explained. "You see, Harry. Me and Tracy live in the Wizarding World all our lives so magic is a common occurrence for us. However, this is the first time seeing someone casually do wandless magic. I'm not asking you to tell us anything. It was just an observation."
Harry relaxed after hearing Daphne explain her side. He eyed them both for a bit before sending out a brief Telepathic probe. All he got from the two of them were curiosity and nothing else so he decided to explain since these two weren't up to something.
"Well, I discovered magic at a young age. I think the term to describe that is Accidental Magic?" He got a nod from both girls. "You see, I was curious one time so I tried to remember every instance of Accidental Magic in my life. I was able to somewhat control my magic when I was 8 years old. I can do small tricks at first but was able to learn some spells and abilities when I entered the Wizarding World." explained Harry. He didn't lie. He just didn't tell them the whole truth.
"Interesting." said Daphne, deep in thought. "Wandless magic is considered to be a difficult skill to master since it requires magical power, control, and focus. In most cases, wands are used to focus the magic within and bring it out. I think you just discovered a unique way to do wandless magic on your own."
"You know, Daphne, if I didn't know any better, I would say that you're interested in learning wandless magic." chided Tracy but the twitch of her lips clearly revealed that she was just making fun of her best friend.
Daphne huffed, crossing her arms over her chest before glaring at the brow-haired girl.
"Tracy, you're my best friend but sometimes you can be a bit dense." Daphne said in a condescending tone.
"What does that supposed to mean?" growled Tracy.
"It means, Tracy dear, that I am merely curious. Unlike you, I love to read and study the theories of magic. Even if I can't do it, I still have fun learning about it." explained Daphne in a manner as if explaining to a child. In Tracy's case, it was.
The two argued back and forth while Harry was smiling at them amusement. These girls were unique. The normal reaction of a typical kid when they found something interesting was to give it a try. However, these girls was just curious about it. Heck they didn't even pester him with details.
"Alright girls, cut it out." He cringed when both girls turned their ire on him. "Woah! Civilian here. Collateral Damage!"
Both girls just shook their heads at the poor attempt of a joke. Harry saw the action and thought that maybe these two were twins.
"Anyway, what's your favorite subjects in magic?" Harry asked finally since he didn't want to end up being a referee to two strong-willed girls.
"Don't you think it's too early to ask about that, Harry?" asked Tracy.
Harry shook his head.
"Nope. I'm not saying that you already have a subject you want to pursue in. I'm just asking if you have any subjects taught at Hogwarts that you find interesting. Something that caught your fancy. You did read your books right?"
"Of course, we did." Daphne paused. "Well, I did anyway. I'm not sure about Tracy. To answer your question Harry, my favorite subjects are Potions and Charms."
"Mine's Charms." Tracy piped in while glaring at Daphne for her earlier comment.
"How about you, Harry?" asked Daphne, totally ignoring Tracy's Glare of Doom.
"I'm not really sure what I like since I'm curious about all forms of magic. But if you ask what strikes my fancy then I would say Charms, Ancient Runes, and Transfiguration." Harry admitted since most of his skills revolve within those areas outside of Sorcery. Ancient Runes because he wanted to continue the Potter's tradition involving that specific field.
The conversation continued the same way until the three retreated to their respective books, aiming to relax and enjoy a good read as they traveled to Hogwarts. However, they didn't get to enjoy a quiet moment of academic relaxation when someone entered their compartment without so much by-your-leave.
"Hi, can I join you guys? Everywhere else is kind of full." a boy with red hair said as he barged into the compartment.
All three of the occupants just looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Harry, Daphne, and Tracy knew that the Hogwarts Express was never full since it changes in size according to how many students would be attending Hogwarts. They ignored the slip, however, and see where this meeting would lead.
"Sure. Grab yourself a seat." said Harry before going back to his reading. The girls also followed his example, not wanting to talk to the boy who clearly had an agenda though they don't know what it was.
The boy merely sat on the seat beside Harry watching the three in the compartment reading their respective books. A grimace marred his face and kept silent. It didn't take long for him to speak out, unable to stand the silence permeating the compartment.
"So, have any of you seen Harry Potter on the train?" the boy blurted out.
Daphne was quite quick on the uptake when he saw one of Harry's eye twitch in annoyance.
"No, haven't seen him. Is he even coming to Hogwarts?" she asked as he eyed Harry who was pretending to ignore the conversation. Good thing his scar was hidden by his hair since he was bent over his book.
"Of course. Where else would he go? I mean, Hogwarts is the only school of magic." The boy bragged, puffing his chest up in pride for being able to attend such a prestigious institution.
"Well, I'm not too sure about that." said Tracy from her reading.
"What do you know?" the boy growled, clearly not happy that someone disagreed with him.
"I just know that there are schools other than Hogwarts though they're not here in Britain. Beauxbatons is in France and Durmstrang is…ummm…" Tracy floundered, trying to remember the location of the last school.
"Sweden. Durmstrang is in Sweden." answered Harry without looking up from his book.
The redhead just gave both of them a scathing look.
"Well, Hogwarts is still the best school there is." said the redhead.
He was about to say something else when a blonde-haired boy entered the compartment.
"I heard that Harry Potter is on the train. Are you him?" he asked, looking at the only black-haired boy in the compartment. This question caused the redhead to turn to Harry sharply.
Harry looked up from his book but not before disguising his face with Harold Evans using his wandless magic.
"Uhhh no. This guy," Harry pointed at the redhead "was also looking for him as well. No Harry Potter in this compartment. Just me and the girls." said Harry with a curious expression on his face which almost made the two girls laugh. Fortunately, they managed to hold it in so it didn't give away Harry's act.
The blonde looked down at the redhead and sneered.
"I see that you're looking for Harry Potter too. Why do you believe that he will hang out with a poor boy like you?" said the blonde with a scoff, looking down at the boy over his nose as if he was garbage.
"I'm a Weasley. It is only normal for Harry Potter to hang out with me. I'm a Light Wizard after all." The redhead Weasley declared as he puffed up his chest.
The blonde was about to retort when Harry decided to end the argument and possibly send them away…without resorting to magic or Sorcery that is.
"If both of you are looking for Harry Potter then you might want to check the other compartments." Harry suggested.
"Of course I checked the others you dolt. This is the last compartment on the train so obviously I already looked." said the blonde with a sniff. "Who are you anyway?"
"Oh me? My name is Harold Evans. First year." Harry cheerfully answered.
"Evans…Evans…I don't recall a pureblood with an Evans family name." said the blonde with a frown, eyes narrowing.
"Well, of course, you haven't heard of Evans. I'm a muggleborn. Well, that's what the Hogwarts professor said anyway when she visited me this summer." lied Harry with an innocent look on his face. The girls hid their faces behind their respective books to hide the twitching on their lips. Harry was just a good actor, playing around the redhead and the blonde masterfully without giving anything away.
"A mudblood then. Not worth my time." said the blonde who gave Harry a disgusted look. He finally noticed the girls. "Greengrass. Consorting with mudbloods now I see. Davis, what is your half-blood arse doing here?"
Daphne's Ice Queen persona materialized.
"Malfoy." She said in a frigid voice. "I suggest that you control your mouth before something happens that you might regret."
"You don't have any right to speak to me that way, Greengrass. The Malfoy family is better than yours. You need to learn to respect your betters."
Daphne just quirked an eyebrow.
"Really Malfoy, your delusions are getting out of hand. If I recall correctly, the Malfoys are originally from France and immigrated here in Britain 200 years ago. My family existed since the founding of Wizarding Britain. If we are going to be talking about 'betters' and 'respect' here, Malfoy, then I suggest that you start groveling at my feet."
Malfoy blushed before growling at the Greengrass heir.
"My father will hear about this, Greengrass. Mark my words."
"Bold words for one who only barks. If you really belong to an honorable family, Malfoy, then you shouldn't be talking about fathers here. This is between you and me, or are you so inbred that you have to hide behind your father when faced by your…betters?" the last part was said with a sneer. Harry noted that Daphne was very good at acting judging from how she switched from a happy girl to a cold calculating pureblood in seconds.
Malfoy didn't say anything but stormed out of the compartment. The trio immediately noticed the lack of redhead in their midst.
"Well, will you look at that. I didn't even notice that he left." said Tracy when she noted that Weasley was no longer in the compartment.
"Amazing talent if you ask me." said Daphne in amusement since she already dropped her Ice Queen persona. She looked at Harry curiously who already dropped the glamour from his face. "Why did you hide, Harry?"
Harry rolled his eyes before giving out a huff of annoyance.
"Those two are the reasons why I am in the last compartment. I am NOT in the mood to make friends with people who clearly have an agenda. Those two are prime examples of what I'm talking about." He said in disgust. He really hated it when people suck up to him just because of his fame.
"I see. Well, good thing that you're good at wandless magic then since I feel that you will be using a lot of that in Hogwarts." Tracy said cheerfully.
Harry groaned.
"Great. Just great. Shoot me now." he said sarcastically before going back to his book closely followed by Daphne and Tracy. The trio prayed that there won't be any more interruptions until they reach Hogwarts.
The trio's prayers were answered when they weren't bothered by any other visitors or annoyances throughout the rest of the ride except for a Prefect who came in and told them that they would be arriving at Hogwarts in a few minutes and needed to put on their robes.
Harry told the girls to change in the compartment while he went to the loo. Harry took his time freshening up and arrived at the compartment seeing the girls already dressed to impress. Grinning, Harry just snapped his fingers and translocated his current clothes with his Hogwarts outfit inside his trunk. Daphne was grumbling how lucky he was to have a way to get dressed in seconds where it took them almost an hour to do so. Harry had a smug look on his face when she said that.
It was slightly raining when they exited the train to Hogsmead where a very large man with a full-beard was shouting for Hogwarts first years to come to him. The older students just made their way towards the horseless carriages parked in one corner of the station.
Harry, Daphne, and Tracy decided to stay together for the remainder of the trip – which was a boat ride across the lake to Hogwarts Castle. They were joined by Hermione Granger who Harry recognized from his trip to Diagon Alley.
The boat ride was silent though Granger was eyeing Harry with a curious expression on her face. Harry, of course, noticed the obvious observation of his person but chose to ignore it since the girl wasn't doing anything to harm him or his friends.
The boat ride passed in silence, mostly silent anyway since some of the occupants of the boats behind and in front of them were shouting and throwing up their lunches due to the swaying motion of the vessel thanks to the choppy waters . One kid fell overboard but a tentacle rose out of the lake, pluck him out of the water and tucked him back into the boat. Of course, this action earned a few awed looks and gasps from muggleborns.
When they disembarked, Harry, Daphne, Tracy, and the rest of the students were ushered by their guide into a large chamber. The stop allowed Harry to cast a Drying Charm on the girls and himself since they were a bit soaked from the boat ride. The girls thanked him and commented on how handy Harry was. Again, Harry just leveled them a smug look which Daphne wanted to correct. Tracy just smirked at her friend's reaction to Harry's expertise in wandless magic.
Again, Harry had to resort to his disguise when Weasley and Malfoy started asking around for him. Tracy was trying not to snicker at their useless actions since Harry's disguise was foolproof. Daphne put on her Ice Queen persona that practically scared Malfoy away from them. Harry didn't bother to hide his amusement when he saw that.
Harry found it amusing, however, when Malfoy got tired of searching for him and decided to flush him out by mentioning his name. Clearly, the blonde ponce was an idiot. Upon hearing his name being called out by the blonde ponce, every single student in the room started to look around.
Harold Evans just looked at them innocently. Granger, however, was looking at him with suspicion.
Their time in the entrance hall was lackluster to say the least. Professor McGonagall came in and informed them that they would be sorted into different houses – Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin – and told them to wait until they were called before entering the Great Hall to be sorted. The only excitement that happened was the presence of the ghosts.
Harry was idly listening to the conversation around him, mostly on Tracy and Daphne discussing how they were going to be sorted, when the ghosts floated into the room from the wall. He found Sir Nicholas and Fat Friar to be funny, the Gray Lady to be a bit stiff, and the Bloody Baron having a stick up his arse. He didn't voice it out though to avoid putting him in the spotlight. He didn't want to get mobbed in such an enclosed space.
It was 20 minutes later that Professor McGonagall returned and ushered them into the Great Hall which made everyone look at the ceiling in awe. Harry barely heard Hermione Granger telling those within hearing range about the enchantment in the ceiling that she read in Hogwarts: A History.
McGonagall introduced the first years to the Headmaster before bringing out a tattered hat and placed it on the lone stool in front of everyone. The hat started to sing a song about Hogwarts and the qualities belonging to each of the Houses that the Founder coveted. Harry chuckled at the hat. He couldn't deny the fact that it was quite good at its job of coming up with songs every year. When the hat finished with its show, McGonagall pulled out a roll of parchment informed the first years to sit on the stool when their names are called.
Harry found the sorting process interesting. It seems that the hat was used to determine the qualities of a person and assign them to a specific house where they will flourish in their time in the school. It was quite funny that Hogwarts: A History didn't mention the hat. It seems to be an ongoing joke to scare the first years into coming up with vivid scenarios on how they will be sorted, like how Weasley informed those who listened that they will have to wrestle a troll during the sorting feast.
Harry just shook his head and snorted when he heard that. First years wrestling a troll without any magical education? Absurd.
Tracy and Daphne were sorted into Slytherin and each girls looked at Harry to see what his reactions would be for being sorted into the snake pit. They were relieved, however, when Harry just gave them a thumbs up and a grin. The girls realized that no matter what house they were sorted into, Harry was still their friend.
The sorting continued without any interruptions though Harry found it interesting for Malfoy to be sorted immediately into Slytherin just before the hat touched the blonde's head. It's either the hat already knew of the boy or it didn't want to catch anything that Malfoy was having. Harry suspected that it was the latter.
Eventually, it was his turn to be sorted.
"Harry Potter." McGonagall called out. Of course, everyone in the Great Hall started whispering when his name was called to be sorted while looking around to catch a glimpse of the Boy-Who-Lived.
Harry pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on and walked confidently towards the stool, dropping his Harold Evans persona in front of everyone much to their shock. Malfoy and Weasley were both looking at him as if they were betrayed by Harry for hiding. He smiled at McGonagall that was returned by the stern woman before taking his seat on the stool. His vision became black when the oversize hat was placed on his head.
"Ahhhh finally you come to Hogwarts, Mr. Potter. I've been expecting you." said a voice in his head.
"Hat?" asked Harry.
"Correct, Mr. Potter. Welcome to Hogwarts. Now let me sort you," said the hat and Harry could feel a mind probe leaching its way into his defenses. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't block it. The hat saw what he was doing. "Mr. Potter. You need not worry about me poking in your head since I was enchanted by the Founders to make sure that I sort the students properly. Anything I see will be kept between us, even the Headmaster can't get the secret from me."
This little tidbit caused Harry to relax, letting the hat's probe inside his mind.
"Now, Mr. Potter. You're a very interesting boy. Oh my. Such a powerful boy you are, Mr. Potter. A sorcerer, a shadow mage, and parseltongue to boot. Interesting…interesting. Wait…what's this…you're a real Sorcerer with powers from the Sorcerers of old. Ordained by the last. Intriguing, very intriguing. Where should I put you….hmm? You're a very complicated young man."
"Just place me where you think I can do my best." stated Harry, not really caring where he might end up.
"Oh I will, Mr. Potter. It's just that you are quite complicated to sort. You have bravery in spades that would make Gryffindor take you with pride though I don't think that would be the case since he is your ancestor so the trait will surely bleed through. You have the wisdom to be placed in Ravenclaw and your goal for knowledge easily places you in Slytherin since it is a huge ambition. You don't give out your trust easily due to your childhood but you are amazingly loyal to people who you think deserves it. I am in quite a quandary, Mr. Potter."
"Any of the Houses will do fine for me hat." Harry said, amused at how the hat described his personality which was quite accurate.
"Let's put this into perspective shall we?" said the Hat. "Slytherin is out. I don't think the students there will survive if they manage to ignite your temper. I daresay Poppy will be getting a lot of patients in the next seven years if you're placed in the snake pit."
Harry snickered at that causing everyone in the hall who heard him to look at him strangely. McGonagall just raised an eyebrow not saying anything else though she was wondering why it was taking so long to sort the young Potter.
"Gryffindor is also out since you crave for anonymity and the Lion's Den will surely put you in a place where you don't want to be….ummm….mobbed?" Harry snickered again at this. "Also, the Lion's Den is not for you since your brand of bravery is tempered with your common sense. Foolhardy is not in your vocabulary, Mr. Potter, but I do find what happened with the ward stone quite stupid."
Harry groaned. Now the hat was doing it. Damn nosy enchanted object.
"Nosy I am not, Mr. Potter. But I do see it in your head. Gryffindor is not for you. That only leaves Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Hmmmm I see…no no…possible…yes, quite possible…that would work…I will sort you now, Mr. Potter. I hope you do well in all your time here in Hogwarts. If you have a free time, please visit me for a chat. I daresay that the Headmaster's office is a dreary place to be. Now Welcome to Hogwarts… APPRENTICE." The hat shouted the last part.
Everyone, including Harry was stunned. Apprentice? What in the world is an Apprentice? Is that even a house?
Silence reigned for a few seconds before shouts echoed around the hall ranging from disbelief to few hysterical screams courtesy of a pair read-head twins which Harry found quite amusing. The teachers weren't faring any better. Each sporting their own set of emotions from the Sorting Hat's revelation.
The Headmaster finally got hold of his shock and stood up from his seat. A large bang echoed around the hall coming from his wand. Thankfully, it did the trick; everyone in the hall became quiet and all attention was focused on him. Harry just turned on the stool so he was facing the Headmaster. He tilted the hat back to free his eyes so he could see better. Harry could feel the Hat's smug smile, which was quite a feat for a piece of ancient head wear.
"Thank you. Now I think a lot of you are quite curious as to the hat's decision to not sort Mr. Potter into any house, instead, placed him under an Apprenticeship." said Albus, eyes twinkling merrily. "If I recall correctly, it's been 300 years since an Apprentice graced the halls of Hogwarts and I'm proud to be present for such an event."
"What is an Apprentice, Headmaster?" asked McGonagall, inadvertently putting the sorting on hold to satisfy her curiosity, well in this case, everyone's curiosity.
"An Apprentice is a specific position in Hogwarts awarded only to a student with a single quality – a quality to amass knowledge for a purpose. Now many would think that this is under the Ravenclaw house but it is not so. You see, an Apprenticeship is awarded only to a student with exceptional control over his magic partnered with the drive to learn EVERYTHING about magic. This is the difference of Ravenclaw House and that of an Apprentice. While Ravenclaw prize knowledge above all else, an Apprentice seeks wisdom to better themselves and others."
"Now, an Apprentice is still a student undergoing similar subjects as with the other students though the schedule might be quite different to accommodate extra lessons. The only difference is that an Apprentice will be subjected to private lessons with every professors in Hogwarts. Core classes will be scheduled but he will be met with the professors to designate a time for private tutelage. Some might find this to be a great opportunity but an Apprenticeship is a heavy burden. If he fails the tests of one of his professors within the year then his status will be revoked and sorted into a house."
Everyone heard the Headmaster's words and the disbelief turned into awe at the great opportunity given to Harry. Said boy, however, groaned since the Sorting Hat just placed him in a pedestal putting him in the spotlight…again. Harry was brought out of his bout of angst when the Headmaster spoke again.
"Now, Apprentice Potter, you can pick any of the House Tables for meals. I will personally hand you your schedule tomorrow. Professor McGonagall here will lead you to the Apprentice's quarters after the feasts so you can settle down for the night. You will be called to my office in the morning for a meeting with the professors in regards to your education here in Hogwarts. Consider it an interview if you will to determine your position in the school since, aside from being a student, a Hogwarts Apprentice also acts as an Assistant Professor if we deem you are ready for the position." said Headmaster Dumbledore before nodding to McGonagall to continue with the sorting.
The hat was taken off his head and McGonagall beckoned for him to sit on any of the House Tables with a nod. Harry stood and looked around. He saw that there were mixed reactions to his sorting.
Gryffindor House was sporting a lot of sad faces since they were expecting the son of James and Lily Potter to be sorted into their house similar to his parents. He did note that Granger was giving him a jealous glare, Weasley - who was still waiting to be sorted - giving him a betrayed look, and the pair of twins at the Gryffindor Table fake crying Harry's position in school.
Ravenclaw House, however, was eyeing him like a piece of meat which made Harry nervous. A mobbing in the future was a good assumption from this house. Harry made a mental note to stay away from the students of the Raven's Nest.
He glanced at the Slytherin table and saw the calculating looks from the students of the snake pit. Malfoy, in particular, was sporting a scowl when he realized that Harry Potter was on the train and missed him. He saw Tracy and Daphne giving him a smile, telling him through their expressions that they were proud and happy of his sorting though the curiosity in Daphne face made Harry decide to meet with her during breakfast to discuss a potential schedule to meet and maybe study together.
Harry decided to enjoy the Sorting Feast in the Badger House since most of them weren't giving him any weird looks.
Edited by Corruptmonk
May 26, 2012