Harry realized surprisingly quickly that he didn't know how, exactly, one got to a Platform that wasn't a proper, whole number. There was a platform nine, and a platform ten, but there weren't any platforms between them. He asked one of the people who worked there, but he just got a funny look and a laugh. It wasn't a lot of good, snooping around the platforms either – He couldn't find anything at all.
He sat there, with his luggage, his trolley, and his pet owl, for what seemed like forever to a boy like Harry, narrowly eleven years old, but then he saw an older girl, pulling a trolley much like his own, with a large, brown owl on it, and two perfectly ordinary people with her, who were most likely her parents. She was talking to her mother rather loudly, saying, "Mum, there aren't dragons at Hogwarts, that's just the school motto."
"Oh thank heavens, I was really worried for a little while there," her mother said, "Oh don't look at me like that Julian, you were worried too,"
"Only a little dear," the older man, probably the girl's father, replied coolly, "I didn't ask about it, though," he added with a wry smile.
Right at about this point, she saw Harry and noticed that he was staring, "Sorry, parents, right?" she asked and Harry just shrugged, "Oy, what's wrong?" the girl said in response to the dejected shrug, "Why haven't you gone into the platform yet?"
"I don't know the way," Harry replied looking down at his feet, somewhat miserably and feeling terribly embarrassed.
"Right, well, no need to be embarrassed then," the girl replied, "I didn't really understand the instructions they gave us either, see that wall over there?" she added, pointing, "You're just supposed to walk right through it. It isn't like it's a weird movable door or anything. I tried that for like, five minutes the first time. You just have to walk through and it'll vanish, bam, you're in Platform Nine and Three-Quarters,"
"Ok," Harry said, a little nervously.
"Look, I'll go through and then you follow, I'll help you get your stuff onto the train and everything, I know it can be a little bit intimidating when you're a muggle-born."
"What's a muggle born?" Harry asked, quizzically
"Wow, you didn't get much exposure when you went to Diagon Alley did you? A Muggle-born is someone like us, with muggle parents."
"Oh, my parents weren't muggles. They were a witch and wizard," Harry replied
"Well," the girl said, a flash of pity sparking in her eyes momentarily before she suppressed it, "It doesn't really make a difference, except in the eyes of people who are not worth mentioning and that it effects how much experience you've had with magic. And you haven't had much of that, have you?"
"No, hardly any at all," Harry replied, a certain dejection in his voice.
"Don't worry about it, Hogwarts has more than enough magic in it to make up for what we missed, growing up in the muggle world," the girl replied, and Harry couldn't help but think that she was very… peppy, "Now come on, we don't want to miss the train," she added, grabbing his hand and nearly dragging him through the portal with her, as he held onto his trolley. Her mother and father followed closely behind them, pulling her trolley along behind them.
Harry spent a moment awestruck by all the noise and people going around.
"Morgan, would you care to introduce us to your friend," her mother said, a faint smile in her eyes.
"Erm, I haven't even introduced myself yet," Morgan said, blushing, "I'm Morgan Strand and these are my mother and father, Julian and Willow Strand,"
"Um, it's very nice to meet you," Harry replied, proffering shaking his hands with each of the Strands in turn, "I'm Harry, Harry Potter."
"Really?" Morgan said, her eyes brightening for a moment, "What's it like being famous?"
"Its' alright I guess," Harry replied, not wanting to disappoint Morgan by saying that it was actually rubbish, "But it isn't like I did anything to earn it."
"But you defeated You-Know-Who!" Morgan said
"I don't remember any of it," Harry replied.
Morgan looked as if she was about to say something else, but then seemed to think better of it and smiled, "Come on, my dad will help us load our stuff onto the train,"
"Oh I will, will I?" replied Mr. Strand, pretending to scowl, "Who says I'm going to do that?"
"I do," said Morgan happily, "Our stuff is heavy and Harry hasn't got anyone to help him load it all and he isn't any bigger than me," Harry felt a little resentful of that, but he didn't say anything – He could probably use the help.
"Alright, well, if you insist," Mr. Strand said, a smile on his face as they went to load their stuff onto the train.
With the help of Mr. Strand and Morgan, Harry got all of his stuff onto the train with very little trouble and was getting ready to climb onto the train while Morgan hugged her parents goodbye and received a small pat on the head from her father and a kiss from her mother and Harry couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous of her for having such good parents.
"Well, Harry," Morgan said, "It was really nice meeting you. You can find your way from here I hope?"
"Yeah," Harry replied, trying to sound cool, "I think I can handle it."
"Awesome! I hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" Morgan said, waving goodbye as she hopped on board.
After he climbed onto the train, Harry walked the long rows of the train, noticing the full seats in each compartment and the people obviously holding seats for a friend. Finally, he looked into one and saw a familiar face – Neville, from Madam Malkin's. He was sitting across from a rather imerpious looking boy with a badge on, who seemed to be eying him as if he were some particularly trifling pet.
Harry knocked and Neville saw him outside and excitedly waved him in as the older boy put his hands on the bridge of his nose. Harry was quickly getting the impression that he had been unhappily burdened with the boy and was putting up with it only out of some sort of obligation. Then he had an idea, "Hey, Neville. I've got another compartment and I was wondering if you'd like to come join?"
Neville opened his mouth to respond in the affirmative but the older boy scowled, "Neville, you're supposed to be here with me. Granddad said."
"Uncle Algernon? Is that why you were sitting with me?" Neville said looking hurt. Harry wasn't quite sure how Neville was so poor at reading faces that he couldn't tell his cousin didn't want him there.
"It's fine, I'm sure that they just wanted to look out for you, make sure you didn't spend the trip alone," Harry said quickly, "But I'm here, so its' fine."
The cousin looked eager to help himself out of the situation and then said, "Yeah… We were watching out for you Neville. I'd been worried, see, and Granddad agreed, but it seems like you've got a good friend here and I'd hate to be the one who stopped you from making friends. I met my best friend on the Hogwarts Express. Go on. It'll be fine," the cousin put on a genuine smile and ushered Neville onward, who bolted out the door to stand with Harry. Harry slid the compartment door closed with a nod to the cousin and then turned to Neville.
"Where's your compartment?" Neville asked eagerly, which caused Harry to make a face. He hadn't quite thought that through, fancying himself Neville's heroic rescuer when it turned out Neville seemed decently fond of his cousin.
"Haven't got one," he admitted, "But I thought it'd be more helpful to get to know people our own age."
"Yeah," Neville said, obviously trying to be cool. It wasn't really working, but Harry didn't like Neville any less for it. He seemed honest and friendly, and he really was excited to be hanging out with him. For Harry, who hadn't had a lot of friends, that counted quite a bit more than actually being cool would have.
Harry and Neville wandered the compartments for quite a bit of time before they came across a compartment that was mostly empty. There was only a single other first year, a thin, lanky boy with dark hair, and Harry and Neville thought it would be worth chancing, so they opened the sliding door, "Ah, excuse us. But all the other cabins were full, do you mind if we join you?" Harry asked, trying not to sound too needy.
The dark-haired boy gestured to the two seats across from him and turned his face towards the window, watching the train begin to pull out of the station. He waved to a man in a long, dark robe and then turned back to the other two boys. "Well, aren't you going to introduce yourselves now that you've joined my compartment."
Neville responded first, fidgeting once he sat down, and the said, "I'm Neville Longbottom," Neville said as he finally settled into the chair.
"And I'm Harry Potter," Harry said, ruffling a little at the boy's rudeness though he supposed he should have introduced himself.
"Harry Potter?" Theodore said before glancing at Harry's forehead and then raising his hand in a stopping motion, "Yes. I see the scar. Well, my name is Theodore Nott. Which houses do you think you'll be in?" he asked, which made Harry remember the unsuccessful discussion with houses he had with Neville earlier.
Neville seemed to understand because he said, "I'm just sure I'll end up in Hufflepuff... I'm not brave or smart or great at anything."
Theodore gave him a quizzical look and said, "An untalented Longbottom? I'm told the Longbottoms are extremely talented witches and wizards. Perhaps your blood just needs time to show its' true abilities."
"I hope so…" Neville said, seeming rather embarrassed to have been recognized, and then asked, "What about you Harry? What house do you think that you'll end up in?"
Harry hesitated and then said, "Err… I don't know. What are the houses again?"
Theodore Nott looked positively offended by the question before Neville replied, "There are four houses I think, there's Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Slytherin, and… um."
"Ravenclaw," Theodore said, heaving a sigh, "The four houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Hufflepuff for loyalty and fairness, Ravenclaw for curiosity and intellect, Gryffindor for courage and honor, and Slytherin, of course, is for the talented and the driven. My family's been in Slytherin for generations, and I reckon that is where I'll be."
Harry felt extremely out of his depth, "Where do you go if you don't have any of those things?" he asked worried.
"Harry," Theodore said, as if explaining to a small child, "The only way not to have at least one of those traits is to be mentally retarded."
Harry felt a mixture of offense at Theodore's tone and relief at his words, so he quickly turned the topic elsewhere, "Do either of you play Quidditch?" he said, remembering Hagrid's description of the game.
"Gran says I'd break my fool neck," Neville replied and then Theodore shook his head, "Dad says that it is 'a barbaric game on backwards transportation.'" Theodore quoted authoritatively, before suddenly leaning in excitedly, "Do you?"
"No. I was just wondering, because I'd heard about it but hadn't gotten to see it," Harry replied unevenly. This was not going very well, he thought angrily to himself.
"Haven't seen Quidditch?" Theodore askedquizzically, "How? Even I've seen Quidditch and Dad despises it."
"Harry was raised by Muggles," Neville said simply.
Theodore looked aghast, as if Neville had just told himthat Harry's parents had been brutally murdered (which of course they had, but that is besides the point), "Oh that must have been horrible, what was it- I'm sorry. I won't pry. Harry," Theodore suddenly switched as if into instructor mode, "if you want a true wizarding sport, Wizarding Duelling is one of a kind. My father was world champion, three years running from 1953-1956. It requires creativity, skill, and most importantly, magic."
"How does it work?" Harry asked, now deeply curious
"Well, obviously, it is a magical duel. But you're probably wondering the rules. Official tournament rules forbid high-end magical curses that could cause permanent damage even with the immediate attention of a mediwizard. Beyond that, the two wizards step inside a circle, and then the battle begins. There are no limits, beyond that they may use nothing but their wands and anything they conjure."
"That sounds awfully… painful." Harry replied, "And pointless."
"I guess it might sound bad, but its' fine. Dad wasn'tever badly injured, and he was in the tournament for about ten years. He said the best duelists relied on surprise, not brute force. He even spun it into a successful franchise, when he was younger, running a dueling supply store. Then he met Mum, settled down and had me."
After that, the three boys had no problem exchanging conversation, talking about interests, subjects that they were learning (Neville looked forward to Herbology. Theodore wanted to learn a lot in Defense Against the Dark Arts, but he was also interested in Potions.). There wasn't a lot of talk about family, because both Neville and Harry nervously skated around the topic like it was especially painful and Theodore wasn't naturally forthcoming on the matter himself.
Eventually a sweets cart rolled around and Harry purchased enough for the three of them. "You can't buy friendship with money," Theodore had quoted to him, "But this is a really good try."
"I'm not trying to buy your friendship," Harry said defensively
"Didn't say you were," Theodore noted, apologetically, "Look, Harry, you were raised by Muggles, so you may not have noticed this yet but here in the wizarding world, you're sort of universally beloved, everybody is going to want to be your friend"
"Is that why you want to be my friend?" Harry asked, worried.
"I didn't say if I wanted to be your friend yet, I've got to see if you've got the stuff first" Theodore replied, a wry smile on his face that Harry quickly repaid. Just then, and at first Harry didn't believe what he was seeing, a large chocolate frog jumped in front of Harry's face and across the table and then quickly leapt out the window, ribbiting the whole way.
"What was that?" Harry exclaimed in wonder
"Chocolate frog," Neville said, "Gran says they're a scam because they always run off, guess I should have been watching out better but I've never gotten to actually have one and I was so excited…"
"It's alright Neville, here, let me show you two how its' done," Theodore replied cockily, popping open a chocolate frog and then pinning the frog with his finger before he fully unwrapped the package and then wrapping the frog in his finger, "Course, sometimes they still get loose. That's why you've got to eat the head first," Theodore asserted authoritatively, biting off the head with the sort of savage pleasure possessed only by ruthless killers, wild animals and children.
"What's that?" Harry said, pointing at the hard, shining bottom of the chocolate frog card where there appeared to be face.
"Chocolate frog card," Neville said, "Lots of kids collect them,"
"This one's Dumbledore," Theodore said, pulling it out to toss it to Harry "It's a little bit overly glowing, but you know. It's got his work with Flamel on here, his defeat of Grindelwald, things like that."
Harry stared down at the picture of a man who he thought looked very much like a wizard should (and from what he had seen, that meant he looked rather odd, even by wizarding standards). He had a long beard and twinkling blue eyes and a tall, pointy hat. He had been staring at the picture for a few moments when he thought he saw the picture wink at him. "Did, did he just wink at me?" Harry asked, startled
"Yeah, course he did, you don't expect him to just stand there do you?" Neville asked
"Neville, obviously he hasn't seen a proper photograph before," Theodore said, trying to come to Harry's defense
"But I've seen muggle pictures move before when we went into town and past the store fronts," Neville replied evenly
"Um, there are moving pictures in the muggle world but they're usually on the telly or big projector screens like the movie theater, not little bitty things like- wait, where'd he go?"
"Oh, pictures and portraits move from portrait to portrait, picture to picture, less so with pictures, but even pictures get bored just standing still all the time," Neville said
"Yeah, when wizards take pictures and paint portraits we put a little magic in them to make them seem more alive, you know?" Theodore said, "Course they aren't really human or anything, but it is a bit comforting."
Eventually, the three boys got around to the subject of chess, "Of course, Harry probably hasn't got any idea what chess even is," Theodore asserted sagely and began to explain the rules, "Pawns can move one space forward, except on their first move-"
"Theodore, I know how to play chess," Harry said, adopting the very tone Theodore had used to explain the movement of the pieces.
"But how?" Theodore said suspiciously, "I thought you were raised by muggles."
"Muggles have chess," Harry said, beginning to get a little bit annoyed at Theodore's condescension.
"Really? How do they get the pieces to move?" Theodore asked, intrigued by this news.
"With their hands…" Harry said, feeling as if this was horribly obvious – How else did one move pieces in a game?
"Ah. Yes. Real chess pieces move on their own, Harry." Theodore said imperiously, "Neville, have you got a set? Maybe we can show him a game."
"No," Neville demurred, "Gran says she shouldn't want to be so harsh to the pieces. I'm rubbish at chess."
"That's too bad…" Theodore said, looking down, "I'll get out my set, they can do maneuvers for you. I'm just warning you, my knights are fierce." Harry watched as, eyes bright, Theodore grabbed a long, black box from beneath his seat and opened it, pulling out the pieces and a fold up board. He laid the board out carefully and then began to set out the pieces. The knights were fierce, the horses stamped in place while the knights on top of them leaned in, looking ready to strike at any moment.
After a bit, Theodore began giving orders to his orders, "Knight to E5. Pawn to B4. Pawn to E4. King to E2." At this, Harry heard a tiny wail, "Oh, what an ignoble way to idle the days of I, a king!" The king said, as if lamenting some horrible defeat. For a moment, Harry felt a little bit of sympathy, but the self-pitying wailing of the king overtook him and he, Neville and Theodore all burst out laughing.
After awhile, Harry and Neville and Theodore were all hopelessly stuffed and a happy sort of tired. The trio might have fallen asleep from there but they were interrupted by the opening of their compartment door and the striding entrance of three boys, the blond leader walked in imperiously and announced, "I've been hearing rumors up and down the train and I had to come and see for myself, are you really Harry Potter?"
Before Harry had any sort of chance to marvel at this incredibly rude introduction, Theodore stepped forward, his irritation hidden beneath a row of smiling, white teeth. "Yes. It is a pleasure to meet you," he said extending his hand, "You may simply refer to me as 'My lord,' of course, that is simple enough."
"There's no need to be a prig, Theo." The boy replied, looking sullen and irritated.
"Nor is there any need to be a barbarian. Introduce yourself first, then inquire after others, Draco." Theodore replied firmly.
"Right, I'm sorry." Draco said without the slightest hint of sincerity while looking incredibly sullen, "I am Draco Malfoy. Are you really Harry Potter?"
"Yes," Harry replied. He got the impression that Theodore had rather viciously taken the wind from the boy's sails, but he also thought that Draco seemed like a bit of a brat.
"Well," he said after a moment, "It is good to see you taking in a good stock of company. The Notts are an exceptionally fine family, you should be glad to have made such an acquaintance. You are?' he asked, gesturing at Neville, at last seeming to notice his presence.
"Neville Longbottom," Neville replied, eying Malfoy with something like disgust. Harry was puzzled by the reaction of the generally well-mannered boy
"Ah, the Longbottoms, yes. Not a bad family by any means. They understand the old ways," Malfoy said, trying to ease of the look of intense dislike on Neville's face. "You see Harry, you need someone who can help you navigate the vast waters of the Wizarding World, after having been in seclusion for so long."
"I can pick friends on my own just fine, thank you," Harry replied, "Now if you could leave, I need to change into my school robes, and I don't fancy you gawking at me like a fish."
"Watch your mouth Potter," Malfoy replied, "The inability to recognize their betters got your parents killed."
There was an incredibly tense moment before Theodore stepped between Harry and Malfoy, so that he was standing so close to Malfoy that he could touch his chest merely by pivoting his elbow. He proceeded to stick a finger into Malfoy's chest, "It was a mouth like that gotyour father under such deep suspicion before he was cleared, Malfoy. Go your merry way and be grateful for the Potters' noble sacrifice to save our world and give our families their freedoms."
Malfoy's pale skin was suddenly flush, "I'm sorry,Potter. I shouldn't have said that," he said before pivotingand gesturing to his goons (Harry couldn't think of any other description for the tall, quiet young lads who were with Malfoy) and they left the room. Theodore, meanwhile, collapsed into a chair, resting his forehead in his fingers as if trying to suppress a terrible headache.
"Well. He's a prick," Harry opined, feeling as if he should say something.
"He's not just any prick, that's Draco Malfoy. His father was a death eater, but he got off because he claimed to be imperiused, as if the Malfoys were ever anything but devoted followers of the Dark Lord," Neville said.
"Imperiused?" Harry asked, curious
"The Imperius curse is an unforgiveable curse. It can force people to do things against their wills. It was part of what made the last war so terrible – Nobody could truly betrusted," Theodore said, "My own father and mother had languished beneath its chains for over a decade before you defeated the Dark Lord. When the war was over, there was terrible confusion. Many claimed to have been gripped by the Imperius curse, but there were dark and, in some cases, persistent rumors that there were those who exploited this terrible curse as an excuse to cover their own crimes."
"The Malfoys' aren't a rumor! Everybody knows," Neville declared forcefully.
"That's not necessarily true, Neville," Theodore said wearily, "And even if it is, what good would it do? Nearly a tenth of the wizarding world were counted at as Voldemort's forces, voluntarily or by coercion. Even if the Malfoys were guilty, it isn't going to make the wizardingworld any safer to put them in prison. The Dark Lord is gone. We must gather the pieces of our world if it is going to heal."
Neville folded his arms in a huff, "But it still isn't right," he said angrily.
"I'm not saying it is," Theodore said in a long, slow voice, "Just inevitable. Anyway, Draco isn't always such an annoying dunderhead, but he'll push you around, giventhe chance. I recommend not giving one."
Harry nodded sagely, taking all of it in. It seemed rotten that people would use something so horrible to cover up for their own sins and he wondered if it was true of the Malfoys'. He also wondered if anyone had gone to jail who really had been imperiused. But before long, he remembered that he had to put on his robes and get ready.He got up and hurried into his school robes, having just heard the announcement that the Train would be arriving in five minutes. He could see that Neville and Theodore were both worried, Theodore having turned very pale indeed and Neville having managed to trip over his robes several times.
Eventually, they all managed to get ready in time and Neville even managed to gain only one or two minor bruises from his clumsiness. He, Theodore, and Harry all clambered off the Train together to hear a booming and, for Harry at least, familiar voice from further down the court, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! Alright there, Harry?"Hagrid said, his big hairy face beaming over the sea of heads, "C'mon, follow me – Any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now!" he shouted
Harry felt this was a very appropriate bit of advice as they tried to follow Hagrid down a very steep, very narrow path and they all seemed to hold their breath (except Neville, who was puffing a little bit) as they tried not fall or run into anyone because it was really dark. Then they came into view of the castle, Hagrid had warned them it was coming of course, but it didn't exactly prepare one for actually seeing it.
After a moment of awe, Harry realized he was gaping like a fish and, remembering that he was next to two people who'd lived with magic their whole lives, he closed his mouth and tried to look cool. But he needn't have bothered, neither Neville nor Theodore looked any cooler than he had, their mouths hanging open in awe as they stared up at the legendary castle where they would be living for the next seven years.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid yelled as they camp up to the shore of a great black lake.
Harry, Neville, and Theodore all clambered into a boat and soon, they were off towards the castle. Everyone was silent as the boats sailed across the smooth water of the lake, which was disturbed tonight only by the presence of the boats themselves. They came into a tiny, stone harbor after a little while
Soon, they were on the way up the cold stone steps to the castle, climbing to a great door at the front of the castle. "Ready?" Hagrid asked, sweeping his eyes over the entire crowd of children with a smile and then said, "Alrighty,"before someone in the group got any chance to admit their stark terror and knocked three times on the castle door.