'I must have been more tired than I thought,' Harry thought the next morning when he was woken by a loud knocking on his door.
"Come on Potter!" Owen was yelling. "If you're late on your first day the Provost will have my head!"
"LATE?!" Harry jumped out of bed and raced around grabbing his things. He snatched up the last of the books he needed for his first classes when he happened to glance at the wall clock. 6.30! He stormed over to the door and yanked it open. "How can 6.30 in the morning be late?" he asked, giving the older boy a glare.
Owen just grinned at him. "You have to get up early round here if you want to get a shower before class. Then I have to show you where your classes are not to mention breakfast." His eyes ran over Harry and his grin got wider. "What were you going to do? Go to class in your pjs?"
Harry didn't dignify that with a response and slammed the door in his face while he went to get his toiletries.
September 6th
Dear Hermione and Ron
Sorry I haven't written to you guys before now but the first week of school has been so busy! When I first got here I had to see the Provost. She a gift called Conlocatio and did some kind of reading on me to decided what areas of magic I would be good at and what I should study. She said that my strongest areas were transfiguration, charms, defence and healing so I'm taking Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Defence, Runes, Arithmancy, Ethics, Theory and History.
She also introduced my to some new friends. They are all older then me and are pretty strange.
"How is it Alex," Misha asked in exasperation, "that you can do these amazingly delicate pieces of magic to enchant some amazingly complex device but can not manage to get your fork from your plate to your mouth without spilling everything."
"I just get so distracted by all the wonderful smells," He said looking mournfully at his now stained shirt. "Besides the Dwarves don't care. It's considered to be a compliment to be in such a hurry."
"Such a hurry that you can only eat half of it while the other half ends up on your clothes?" Owen asked with a smirk.
"That's why they have beards Owen." Drew added. "Its not a fashion statement. It's to protect their clothes. Have you seen Dwarven women? You don't want them mad at you."
"When you loose two feet in height and grow a beard then you may act like a Dwarf." Sara said primly, "but while you are a human attending a human school I will thank you to show a little decorum.
Harry and the rest of the table looked at the very proper American in amazement.
"Wow." Christie said shacking her head in admiration. "You sounded just like my grandmother just then."
"Creepy." The boys agreed.
They are always helping each other out with subjects that the others might not be too good at so I've had plenty of help with my home work. It is weird being the only one my age though. Even Christie is two years older than me.
You should see this place, guys, it's amazing! The weather is still pretty warm so some of my teachers have been taking classes outside.
Harrys looked out over the courtyard they were currently sitting in, listening with half an ear as the professor explained the history curriculum for the year. Beyond the courtyard there were a series of gardens laid out in different shapes and the smell of the flowers and herbs were wafting over them in the warm breeze. They were on the opposite side of the castle to the fields and forests and were close enough to the water to hear it crashing on the rocks that split the river around the island.
I asked Tia about the gardens cause she takes herbology along with potions and alchemy and she said that the shape of the gardens adds to their potency. There are also a bunch of green houses but I wont be allowed in there until I take Herbology.
I'm learning so much, Hermione. You have to see if there is a copy of my Theory of Magic book in the Hogwarts library. It's helping so much with understanding my magic.
Harry shared his Theory of Magic class with the other new students from his first day. Some of them were disdainful to have to take such a 'trivial' class but the boys at least quietened down when they saw the ethereal looking dark haired woman who taught.
Professor Dalma had them cast a lumos spell and attempt to follow the magic back to it's core. It was tricky and Harry kept losing the trail between his wand and his hand until the Professor suggested he try it wandlessly. He called his reading light to his hand with no trouble, attracting a few shocked looks from the other students and a pleased smile from the Professor.
I didn't actually manage to find my magic. I kept getting distracted by my heartbeat. Professor Dalma says it no one has ever found their magic before the first week so I shouldn't feel bad, but now I can feel it when I cast a spell. It helps with control the intensity of the spell.
How are you guys doing? What houses did you get in? What's the school like and the teachers? Hermione I asked Hedwig to stay in case you wanted to deliver a letter to your parents.
See you at Christmas
Harry
Harry arrived back in his room after classes on Thursday the second week of school to find a couple of letters and a smug looking Hedwig waiting for him on his desk. Since everyone at the Academy had different schedules all the mail was collected in the morning and delivered to their rooms during the day. He gave Hedwig a couple of owl treats and picked up the letters. She gave his fingers a fond nip and flew to her perch to rest. Glancing at the clock he saw he still had a few minutes before he had to meet his friends for study. He opened Hermiones letter first.
September 6th
Dear Harry
How was your first week of school? Mine was positively fascinating. I got sorted into Gryffindor which is wonderful I must say. Although it was considering me for Slytherin. Apparently I am cunning and ambitious. I would not have minded Ravenclaw which was another possibility but Ron and Neville are also in Gryffindor so it's nice to have friends here.
Something very interesting happened during our Sorting. In order to be sorted, there is a magical talking hat that all the students try on and it looks into your head and tells you where you belong. Anyway your name was called. I thought it was very odd as you were not supposed to be going to Hogwarts. So Ron stepped forward and told them you were going to the Academy. Well that's when Headmaster Dumbledore stood up. He was really angry that you weren't here. He seemed really nice at first but then he was just scary. I can understand why the Wizarding World would respect the man but I certainly don't want his attention on me.
Ron also said that the Sorting Hat warned him that the Headmaster had plans for you. I don't know what they are but he believes they are connected to the third floor corridor we were warned away from on pain of death.
Hogwarts is a huge castle. There are so many stairs and some of the move. So that a stair will go to a different place on different days. It's pretty tricky trying to find our way around but the older students are helping out. I am really enjoying classes. Professor McGonnagal, our Transfiguration professor, turned her desk into a pig. Of course we wont be doing anything like that for a few years. I was really worried that I would be at a disadvantage because of my muggle heritage but it seems that I am on par with most of my year mates bar a few Ravenclaws. Neville has given me a small reading list that his grandmother suggests for every witch or wizard growing up in the Wizarding World. I have enclosed a copy for you.
It hasn't all been pleasant though. There are a few Slytherins who believe that because I am not Prue Blood I do not deserve to be learning magic. They haven't made a big deal out of it just a few sneering comments here and there. The problem, I think, stems from their Head of House. Professor Snape is said to be a brilliant Potions Master and I was really looking forward to his class despite Ron's brothers saying he was very biased against any but his own house.
He came charging in to the room snapping at us to put our wands away and started asking questions. Ron got the worst of it. He was asked some things that even I had trouble remembering the answers. I wasn't even looked at despite my raised hand. Professor Snape then put a recipe on the board and had us brew it. No preparation, no explanations no nothing. I've a good mind to write a complaint against that man. The twins tell us we were lucky to get out of there without a cauldron exploding, but it was a near thing.
Thank you for the offer of Hedwig. I have written a letter to my parents and I'm sure they are expecting one from you too Harry so don't forget to write.
Now if you'll excuse me I have to go make sure the boys have done their homework.
Hermione
PS: I do hope you have done yours. Homework is very important.
Harry smiled at his foster sisters' letter. It sounded like she was in her element with a couple of boys to boss around and a whole world of new things to learn. His brow creased into a frown as he reread the start of the letter. Albus Dumbledore was the man looking into his accounts according to Gringotts and now a talking hat mentions plans involving him and a forbidden corridor.He read the one from Ron next.
Hey Mate,
I'm a Gryffindor! Of course I was expecting Gryffindor, my whole family is in that House. I made the mistake of telling Hermione that the Hat considered me for Ravenclaw and now she's nagging me about my work. Bit annoying really. I expect Hermione told you all about what happened at the Sorting, I saw the size of her letter. It's a good thing you're not here this year Harry, who knows what would have happened. Everyone always says he's a good guy but they also say he's as mad as a hatter.
Keep writing Harry
Ron
PS: Neville says Hi.
He smiled at Ron's letter and made a note to write to Neville as well. He picked up the last letter and was shocked to see it was from the man himself.
Dear Harry
I can not tell you how happy I am to see you return to the wizarding world again. As you know I am the Headmaster here at Hogwarts but you may not be aware that I was a close friend of your parents both during their time at Hogwarts and after. That's right both of your parents attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and is in fact where they first met.
For this reason I was rather surprised not to see you on the arrivals list of first year students here at Hogwarts. Thankfully your friend Mr Weasley managed to tell us where you had got to before we became concerned about your absence.
It is a shame you will not be attending Hogwarts this year Harry. I know your parents would be so disappointed. Your name has been on our lists since your birth. They had many great plans laid out for you. Your father even left some things in my care to be delivered to you once you started school. Unfortunatly due to the lack of security owl post has it is not possable to sent them to you.
Should you wish to learn more about your parents or perhaps transfer schools or even just to talk I place myself humbly at your convenience.
Your faithfully
Albus Wulfric Percival Brian Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed of Wizards)
Harry read the letter over again with a frown. What did the man want from him? It almost seemed that he would get his fathers things if he didn't transfer to Hogwarts. He looked up at the clock and saw it was time to meet the others in the Library. He brought the letter with him to ask the other what they thought.
"Hey guys." He said when he found his friends in the usual spot in the Library. "What do you know about Albus Dumbledore?"
"Albus Dumbledore." Alex stated, "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."
Everyone looked at him in shock. "It's on the back of his Chocolate Frog Card." He smirked. Misha swatted his head.
"Probably not what he was after." She turned to Harry. "Are you doing him in History class? I thought they were doing the sinking of Atlantis for your year."
"No they are." He said. "I just got a letter from him and was wondering-"
"No way!" Owen exclaimed snatching the letter from him. "What is the Albus Dumbledore doing writing to you?"
The others started reading Dumbledore's letter over Owens shoulder. "Disappointed?!" Drew exclaimed. "The Academy is the best school of magic in the world. Parents dream of getting their kids in here."
"And what does he mean lack of security with owl post?" Christie wondered. "It would have been easy enough for him to secure it. There are dozens of spells that can be keyed to only open for one person."
"He sounds a bit rude to me," Sara said. "Why would anyone want to transfer out of the Academy?"
"Well of course he's not going to leave." Owen insisted. "But guys. I place myself humbly at your convenience. Think of the questions we could ask him. Well Harry would ask but still. In this world what you know is never as important as who you know." He nodded sagely.
"I have a few things I'd like to ask." Tia said.
"No!" Misha said. "There will be no taking advantage of Harry. My dad worked with him when he was on the International Confederation of Wizards, and he doesn't trust him. He plays with his words so that you think he's agreeing to something when he's not. He stepped on a lot of toes during the last war in England and he didn't even have anything to do with the Dark Lords eventual defeat. Just take everything he says with a grain of salt, okay?" She told Harry. "He always has his own agenda. ."
Author Note:
People have commented on Hermione being considered for Slytherin. I think it's obvious. She have no shortage of ambition and though it's not really in her nature to be cunning she can when the situation calls for it. As for Ron being considered for Revenclaw, look at his family. None of them are anything less than sucsessful in their chosen fields. Even Mr Weasley is doing what he's doing because he loves it. Ron is just lazy and now Hermione is going to kick him into shape. Without Harry there to goof off with him Hermione will have an easier time of it. Neville wont goof off for fear of his Gran.
I haven't intoduced Draco yet for the simple reason that he has abolutly no reason to pay attention to them at this stage. He may be a snob but right now he has no reason to go after them. He may pop up terrorising a few Hufflepuffs, but for now they are not his target.
As to the Dursleys I have done much with them for the simple reason that I don't like them. They will make an apperance later in the story when Dumbledore finds out they are not Harry's guardians but that won't be for a while. I didn't put them in jail because I need them to be where Dumbledore can find them. Just not now.
Till next time keep up the reviews.