Hi, I'm back with this story. The train ride to Hogwarts is up. Happy reading and thanks for all your reviews for the last chapters.

Beginning of a Journey

Harry stood at the entrance of Kings Cross Station. His trunk was on a trolley to deceive the muggles. He could have just shrunk it and carried it in his pocket, but the guide had said it would be best if he looked like a normal muggle student on the way to his train to boarding school. Hedwig's stand was in the third compartment of his trunk, Hedwig would join him on the platform. She disliked being in a cage, so he had given her the options to meet him once he had crossed the barrier and reached the platform or fly to Hogwarts on her own. She had taken the first option. Harry had noticed over the last month that he more and more understood what she wanted to say with her hoots and behaviour. He guessed it was part of the familiar bond he had with her.

Harry was wearing clothes that could double as a school uniform in the muggle world. It was a relatively warm day, so he had forgone a jacket. He wore black pants, trainers, a dark blue pullover with his family crest on the left side of his chest and under the pullover the collar of his white polo-shirt could be seen. He had been shopping in muggle London two weeks before he started Hogwarts. He had exchanged five hundred galleons in pounds and went on a little shopping spree. He got a complete wardrobe including sportswear for him to continue his training. He also got some board games to pass time in the common room in the evening; he guessed there would be at least some students interested in playing as well. For the journey he had two card games. One simple double set for several games like poker, rummy and so on and one was a newer game called wizard fittingly. The description sounded interesting enough. Those card games together with a bottle of cooled pumpkin juice and a lunchbox were in a backpack on his back.

He walked up to the barrier between platforms nine and ten. He was glad the way how to reach the platform had been in the muggleborn guide as Hagrid, while he had given Harry the ticket for the train, had forgotten to explain that part. He didn't notice any others that were there, so he just walked a little faster, being a little nervous for being about to go through a wall. Then he reached the wall with his trolley and he closed his eyes, but nothing happened. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the platform where the red, steaming Hogwarts express was waiting for the students to board. He grinned. He would go to Hogwarts, the same school his parents had gone to. He looked up and saw Hedwig swooping down to him. He held out his arm for her to land.

"Hey, girl. Did you have a nice flight?" He asked and got a positive hoot.

Hedwig climbed on his shoulder while he looked around. There were a lot of people assembled already, even if the train wouldn't leave before eleven, which was still half an hour away. He took his trunk, tapped it with his wand and it shrunk to fit into his pocket again. He saw that most students were clothed in robes. He wondered how they got here without causing a stir with the muggles. Perhaps side-along apparition like Professor McGonagall had done with him on the way to St. Mungo's. He knew there wasn't a floo connection here as the coordination wouldn't be possible. He had asked Tom for that as it would have been the easiest way to get here from the Leaky Cauldron. Tom and his crew had made sure to pack him a nice lunchbox for the journey. He had really enjoyed his stay at the Leaky Cauldron. Sadly he hadn't managed to keep people from recognizing him for the whole time, so one evening at dinner many had greeted him after one man had heard Tom call him by his name and asked if he was Harry Potter.

He had had to shake a few hands, but Tom had prevented that it got too out of hand. After a while the regular patrons of the Cauldron had got used to him and Harry got to listen to some of their interesting stories. He had already resigned himself to the fact that something similar would happen once the students at Hogwarts found out his name during the sorting. Hagrid wouldn't tell him how the sorting went, it was part of the whole experience to not know it beforehand, but he said the students were called forth by name and then sorted while the rest of the school watched. Well, tonight he would find out. It couldn't be too bad. He listened to some bits of conversation that parents held with their children. Many wished them fun for the new year, some reminded them to study hard for their exams, one father told his son this would be his house's year for the Quidditch Cup. Owls all around hooted, he could hear toads croaking and some cats meowing.

He climbed into the train, intent on finding a compartment where some other first-years were in. He looked for some minutes, then he spotted a compartment where two girls and a boy were sitting in. They looked nice enough, so he knocked and opened the door.

"Would you mind if I joined you?" He asked.

"No, come in. We still have some free seats and the more the merrier." The blond girl said.

"Thanks." Harry answered and stepped inside.

"Where is your trunk?" The red haired girl asked.

"Shrunk in my pocket. I didn't think dragging it through the corridors would be smart if I could just use the shrinking feature." Harry explained.

"That's true. I wanted one of them, but we still had the old three compartment trunk from my uncle on the attic and it's still perfectly good to use for me. At least it is spelled feather-light." The brown haired boy said. "I'm Terry Boot by the way."

"I'm Hannah Abbott." The blond girl introduced herself.

"Susan Bones." The redhead said.

"I'm Harry Potter, nice to meet you all." Harry said, getting the estimated reaction of shock. "Come on, I'm just an eleven year old kid like you. And if you read any of the books Romanio Lockhart wrote, forget them, none of the things he wrote are true. I grew up with my muggle aunt and didn't know of the magical world until I got my Hogwarts letter."

Terry laughed. "I told you so." He said addressing Susan who was blushing. "I have been trying to tell some of the girls that I know from growing up that there was no way any kid, not even the one that defeated You-Know-Who, could do some of the things in those books. That Lockhart just has a blooming fantasy."

"But why didn't it say that they were just made up stories?" Susan asked miffed.

"I don't know, but my barrister is on it. I don't like that my name is used without my consent and especially if people make up ridiculous stories about me. While I'm no slouch in what I learned at school and in sports, I doubt I could ever have tamed a rampaging Hippogriff with four. I only could walk and talk properly at that age. And stopping a flood by freezing the water with six? I didn't even have a wand until a bit over a month ago." Harry said scoffing.

Hedwig hooted agreeing with him.

"Oh yes, sorry. This stunning lady here is Hedwig, my familiar. She's a moon owl and a feather from her is part of my wand core." Harry said while Hedwig looked around smugly.

"She's really a moon owl?" Hannah asked awed.

"Yes. I felt a pull coming from Eeylops when I walked by with Hagrid, the gamekeeper of Hogwarts who was looking after me while I stayed in Diagon Alley until school started. I went in there and found her. I think she tested me when she stared into my eyes when I found her in a dark corner. I just couldn't look away. Then she flew down on my arm, nicked my finger and I felt my magic connecting to her. It was amazing. On the way back to the Leaky Cauldron Hagrid told me she was a moon owl." Harry told them.

"Wow. That's an even better story than those in the books." Susan said. "I mean, there hasn't been a moon owl that was bonded to a witch or wizard for centuries. Some people have seen one flying in the night, I know Auntie Amelia told me about having seen one when she had just started her career as an auror and had been on a stake out at a full moon night. She looked up information about the owl as she was sure to have seen silver feathers, but she never saw one again. It's seen as a sign of good luck to see a moon owl." She explained.

"Why did you stay in Diagon Alley and not with your muggle relatives?" Hannah asked.

"My relatives will have to defend themselves in court for several crimes against me. Let's just leave it at that." Harry said curtly.

The other three looked at each other, but realized that Harry didn't want to talk about it and dropped the subject.

"Did you all grow up in the wizarding world?" Harry asked.

"Susan and I did, Hannah grew up in both worlds." Terry said. "My dad is a barrister at law and works with two others in their law office. My mum is working as his secretary."

"I live with my aunt. My parents died in the war against You-Know-Who. She is the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry." Susan said.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Susan." Harry said.

"It's okay. Auntie Amelia is great and treats me like her own daughter. I still miss my parents, but at least I have Auntie." Susan assured him.

"My father works as a Herbologist for a nursery in Suffolk for magical plants that are used in potions. My mum is a muggleborn and as she didn't find a good job in the magical world, but my muggle grandparents have a successful chain of boutiques, she started working for them. First she was a shop-assistant, but she made her degree in design and management and is now responsible for half the boutiques my grandparents have and will take over the business once grandpa and grandma retire." Hannah told them.

"Good for her. Does it happen often that muggleborns don't find good jobs?" Harry asked.

"Sadly yes. There are many prejudices against them, especially at the Ministry. It depends on the department, but in most cases you only make career if you're at least halfblood and from an influential family. The Law Enforcement department generally only goes by skill; Aunt Amelia knows that all the heritage in the world doesn't help you in the field if you can't cast a proper shield charm. There are recruiting tests every year in summer to find the best candidates for the auror program and the magical patrol. It's sometimes funny to hear auntie rant about the incompetence of some applicants when she's at home." Susan told him.

"So what do qualified muggleborns do after graduation?" Harry asked thinking of his mother.

"Many start as trainees in bigger companies to learn a craft. The main problem are governmental institutions and businesses that are owned by pureblood supremacists, which are a lot. But many halfbloods and purebloods that don't care who works for them as long as they do good work also have businesses. It all depends on which area you want to work in. I know of an enchanter that is muggleborn and who is said to be the best in the craft. And dad said since the war ended, things have got better." Terry added.

Harry nodded. Hedwig flew to the luggage rack and took a position of observation. Harry took out his trunk and placed it in the rack and tapped it to enlarge it again, in case he wanted to get some things. He had a smaller backpack with his things for the journey which he put under his seat.

"What houses do you think you'll get sorted in?" Terry asked.

"I guess Hufflepuff. Most of my family on dad's side was there, though mum was a Gryffindor." Susan said.

"I think I'll also go to Hufflepuff. Both my parents were there, though Gryffindor could also be possible for me." Hannah said. "My mum sometimes scolded me that I was as reckless as a Gryffindor."

"I'm relatively sure I'll go to Ravenclaw. I love learning new things and I don't think I'd fit in with the Gryffindors." Terry said.

"Probably Ravenclaw for me, but Slytherin is also possible. I'm pretty ambitious." Harry said.

"Really? I'd never have thought you to go to any house other than Gryffindor, but then again, if all the stories were just made up. But I can't really see you as an evil Slytherin." Hannah said.

"I think those superstitions are stupid. I mean, come on. If all Slytherins were evil, they'd have closed up the house decades ago. And nobody can tell me eleven year old kids are evil monsters just because they get sorted into a certain house. I mean from what I read about the traits the house favours it's nothing inherently bad. Cunning and ambition are needed to get to the top. It's what you do with those traits that makes you who you are. If not most fanatics that supported Voldemort had come from Slytherin this wouldn't even be a point." Harry said, getting gasps from the other three when he used Voldemort's name.

"You said his name." Hannah squeaked.

"And? It's just a name. By calling him those ridiculous pseudonyms you only give him more power. I can accept that people feared him, but with the way they don't even dare to say his name, they only make him more fearsome than he was. He was human, no god, no supernatural being, just a very powerful wizard. And the name I think is made up by the way, I mean seriously, Lord 'Flight from Death'?" Harry asked snickering.

"Flight from death?" Susan asked astonished leaning forward in her seat.

"Yes, Voldemort is French and translates to flight from death. You can't tell me anybody would name their child like that and there were no records on any child born with that name. I heard he claimed to be the heir of Slytherin and Hagrid told me he was at Hogwarts years ago. Well, you'd have to look for a family tree of the Slytherin line to be sure, but I don't think there are many descendants left. Otherwise there'd be more parseltongues." Harry explained. "So if you assumed his age to be around fifty to sixty when he was at the height of his power, you'd have to look back to the Hogwarts graduates in the late thirties to the late forties to find him. But from the history books he appeared practically from nowhere, meaning, he can't have used his true name, or people would have recognized him."

"That makes sense. So he made up a name for himself to make himself look more mysterious and frightening?" Hannah asked tipping her chin with her finger.

"That's my theory. Humans tend to fear things they don't understand and they can only understand things if they analyse them. So as they couldn't find any information on the roots and past of Voldemort, added by his ruthlessness and that of his followers, irrational fear spread. People made Voldemort worse than he was. No doubt he was one of the worst dark lords in history, but there were others that were stronger than him, but still fell. The thing Voldemort did in perfection was to use the fear of people. Why else would groups of ten to twenty Death Eaters have been able to overwhelm groups of hundreds? If only all of those that were in the raids had stood up and faced them, things wouldn't have gone down the drain like they did." Harry said. "Greater numbers do work against strong opponents. And not all the Death Eaters were at Voldemort's level. Some were close, but not nearly all of them."

The others nodded lost in thought. Having it explained like this, it made sense.

"I think we talked enough about serious issues, anybody wants to play a game of cards?" Harry asked.

"Sure. Exploding Snap?" Susan asked.

"Er – I don't know that game but I'd like to learn it." Harry said.

"What games do you know?" Terry asked.

"Well, my old football team liked to play rummy after theory sessions. But I also have learned to play poker and I found an interesting looking game in a muggle toyshop called wizard." Harry said.

"Okay, we have enough time until we get to Hogwarts to play different games. I think we'll start with explaining exploding snap to you." Susan said and started to explain the game while Terry got out his deck of cards.

The four had fun playing card games. When the lady with the trolley came by, Harry bought himself some chocolate frogs and two liquorice wands. He had enough food in his lunchbox. A few hours into the journey a blond, round-faced boy came to their compartment. He looked tearful.

"Sorry, have any of you perhaps seen a toad?" He asked.

"Hi, Neville, no we didn't. I didn't know you had a toad." Terry said.

"Oh, hi Terry, hi Susan, hi Hannah it was, right?" Hannah nodded.

Neville turned to Harry.

"I'm Neville Longbottom." He introduced himself. Harry remembered his name and what had happened to his parents.

"Hi, I'm Harry Potter, nice to meet you, Neville." Harry said.

"R-Really? Nice to meet you too." Neville got out.

"Don't worry, I normally don't bite." Harry joked. "So your toad escaped?"

"Yes, he keeps getting away from me." He wailed.

"Have you tried asking an older student to summon him for you?" Harry asked.

The others looked dumbfounded at him.

"What? I read about that in a muggleborn guide as an example what magic can do." Harry said defensibly.

"I didn't know there were those examples in there, but you're right, my mum often uses that charm to find things she lost." Terry said.

"Why would you have a guide for muggleborns? Your parents were a witch and a wizard." Neville wondered.

"I'm muggle raised. Don't want to talk about it." Harry deflected.

"Oh, okay, thanks for the advice." Neville said and left looking for an older student.

"Typical Neville. He's a nice guy, a bit forgetful and clumsy and his family is a bit harsh at times. Thought he was a squib for a long time, didn't tell nice things about him." Susan said.

"Yes and his grandmother is so intimidating. Can't be easy to please her." Terry added.

A little later a bushy haired girl appeared at the door.

"Did anybody see a toad? A boy named Neville lost his?" She asked in a bossy sort of voice.

"No, we already told Neville and advised him to ask an older student to summon it." Harry answered and placed his card on the staple.

"Is that a wizarding game?" She asked interested.

"No, a muggle game that is named 'Wizard' funnily." Hannah said, placing her own card.

"So, you're muggleborn too?" Hermione asked Harry.

"No, my parents were a witch and a wizard, but I was raised by my muggle aunt." Harry answered.

"Well, my parents are dentists and it was such a surprise when my letter came. First they thought it was a joke, but then Professor McGonagall came and explained it all to us. I'm so excited to go to Hogwarts. It's said to be the best school for magic. I'm Hermione Granger by the way." She said very fast.

"You should breath occasionally while talking." Hannah commented.

Hermione blushed. Obviously that wasn't new for her to be told.

"Sorry, I'm just a bit nervous." She admitted.

"No problem. Just try to slow down while speaking and you'll be fine. I think it's our turn for introductions now. That's Terry Boot, Susan Bones, Harry Potter and I'm Hannah Abbott." Hannah said.

Hermione looked at Harry.

"Are you really the Harry Potter? I've read all about you. You're in Modern Magical History, The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century." She said.

"Yes, I know, but don't believe everything that's written in books about me, especially not the Lockhart books. They're all made up. And from what I saw in Modern Magical History they're only guessing what happened. The only facts they had in there are that Voldemort came to our house at Halloween in 1981, killed my parents but couldn't kill me. Everything else is speculation." Harry said.

"But … " Hermione started.

"Listen, Granger, nobody but Voldemort, my parents and I were there that could probably tell what happened. I was just fifteen months old and only remember a little bit and I was never interviewed. I don't believe it was a power I had, I rather think my mother did something to protect me. Perhaps I'm wrong, but Professor Dumbledore told me something similar when I was in St. Mungo's. My mother's sacrifice activated ancient magic that saved me if his guess is right. Books are only a source of probable information as long as things haven't been proven. You can take the spells in The Standard Book of Spells as fact. They have been tested and proven to work like they should if you perform the spell right. But things like history are trickier. A History of Magic was written by a renowned historian, so most of the facts should be correct, but history is also always written by the winners and therefore documents from that time are written in the perspective of the ones that won the wars.

"There is nothing wrong with wanting to learn all you can and be the best you can be. I'd be a hypocrite if I told you otherwise. But take everything with a grain of salt and get your information straight and more importantly complete. And think about it, you said you read everything about me, but does that mean you know me? No, it only means you know about me. If you really want to know people you have to talk to them and get to know them." Harry patiently explained.

Hermione looked at him in surprise. She had never thought about it that way. People had always mocked her and she had taken refuge in books, but with how Harry explained it, perhaps she should try to change that at Hogwarts. Perhaps she could finally get some friends that way.

"You're right, Potter. I think I was too concerned with my grades that I forgot other things." She admitted.

"The first step is always to realize a mistake to be able to change something." Susan said. "That's a favourite saying of my aunt."

"Yes, right next to 'Be who you are and don't try to be who you think others want you to be or you'll fail for sure'." Hannah added.

"Ah, a wise woman your aunt." Terry agreed.

"Thanks, you've given me something to think about. I'll go back and see if Neville got his toad back yet." Hermione said and left.

When the door of the compartment had closed, Terry turned to Harry.

"Why did you give her such an extensive lecture, Harry?" He asked.

"I had the impression she'd have tried to completely rely on the information in books. And that would have made her an outsider soon. Being lonely at school isn't nice, so I thought I needed to give her a push in the right direction." Harry answered.

The resumed their game. Then the door was opened again without so much as a knock.

"They say all down the train that Harry Potter is in this compartment, so it's you?" A blond boy asked.

Harry thought he had seen him in Diagon Alley. What did Hagrid say his name was? Malfoy?

"Yes, and you are?" He asked.

Behind the boy two bigger boys stood. They were thickset and looked very mean.

'Great a spoiled brat with his bodyguards.' Harry thought. 'Well, time to show him why his approach is complete rubbish.'

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle." He pointed at his bodyguards carelessly. "And I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." He said.

"Your family has a long Slytherin tradition and owns that plantation in Yorkshire for acromantula silk, doesn't it?" Harry asked.

"Indeed. You seem to be well informed, Potter. If you want to make friends with the right people, I could help you there." Draco offered, holding out his hand.

"That's a very generous offer and I would be an idiot to not accept to be on friendly terms with those whose families are successful in our society, but I have the principle to first get to know people before I accept their friendship." Harry said shaking Malfoy's hand, knowing to refuse to do so would be seen as an affront. "So, I'll wait until I know you better before calling you a friend. By the way, you should work a bit on your approach. You'll have to do better to have success in Slytherin." Harry commented.

"What do you mean, Potter?" Draco asked confused and a bit annoyed.

He was pleased that Potter had more or less accepted his offer of being acquaintances, but what did he mean his approach wasn't the best.

"That's easy, Malfoy. Why don't you sit down? This can take a while. I'd offer your friends a seat as well, but we seem to be a bit full already." Harry said. "By the way, what are your first names? Malfoy only told me your last names?" He asked Crabbe and Goyle.

They seemed to be taken aback at the question.

"Vincent." Crabbe said.

"Gregory." Goyle answered.

"Good to know. I always prefer to know the complete names of somebody. Too many possibilities for mix ups otherwise. Okay, Malfoy, we were talking about your approach. First thing: I'm sharing this compartment with two lovely ladies and another fine gentleman. The proper thing to do would have been to greet everybody in the compartment after knocking at the door of course, but especially the ladies. It's very rude to not follow the principles of etiquette. With you being raised following old pureblood tradition I thought you'd follow them instinctively." Harry said.

Terry, Susan and Hannah followed the exchange interested. Susan and Hannah blushed when Harry called them lovely ladies. Malfoy looked properly chastised. It was true; he should have followed proper protocol.

"You're right. Miss Bones, Miss Abbott, I apologize for my inappropriate behaviour. Boot, sorry for ignoring you." Draco said, trying to regain his composure.

The Boots and the Bones' were important pureblood houses and to not acknowledge them was bad performance. And if he ignored Hannah Abbott, even if she was a halfblood, he would commit another faux pas.

The three nodded; surprised that Harry got the arrogant Malfoy heir to apologize to them all.

"Good, now that that's out of the way, the next part. You didn't know me before you came to this compartment, you just barged in and practically demanded if I was the one you were looking for. How you ask a question and the kind of voice you use are very important for a first impression. Now I'm not a very resentful kind of guy, so I'll just let it slip but I expect a politer behaviour in the future. It wouldn't look good on me if I was acquainted with somebody who didn't manage to keep polite and behaves respectful, even if he doesn't like a person. You see, even if you think somebody is below you in station, you never show it to them. Everybody has his own strengths and weaknesses and you never know when you need to ask for a favour. Perhaps you insulted the only person that knows how to solve a problem you have before and you would therefore be unable to solve it. Or you insulted said person's best friend, boyfriend or girlfriend. You limit yourself by that behaviour." Malfoy looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"Then, and this is only a well-meant bit of advice, so please don't take offence, you seem to be used to get what you want by using your family name. While it's okay to be proud of your ancestors, you should make a name for yourself. Slytherin is the house of cunning and ambition. What do you want that people say about you in ten years when you've graduated from Hogwarts and are working? Oh, that's Lucius Malfoy's son, or, oh, that's Draco Malfoy. You know the one who did…insert what you think you'd like to hear, perhaps was headboy at Hogwarts or led his Quidditch team to victory?"

Harry let the message sink in. The art of manipulation was to let people do what they wanted to do, but what still worked in your favour. And the Malfoy name meant influence, even if Lucius was suspected to be a Death Eater. If he could get Draco to think for himself, much could be won.

Draco was deep in thought. He had never thought about things this way. He was used to use his father's power and influence to get his way, but did he want to stay in his father's shadow forever? The perspective Potter had described was really tempting. To be known for what he did, for his great achievements. A spark that had glowed for some time in Draco Malfoy was ignited. He would show just how ambitious he could be. Show he could reach the top on his own, making his family proud of him.

"Thanks, Potter. You've given me something I'll think about." Draco said and left the compartment, Crabbe and Goyle following him.

"Just how do you manage to handle people like that? Draco normally is an arrogant ponce who only needs to use his father's name and people jump out of fear of his father." Hannah asked. "He normally completely ignores me."

"I took him by his family's honour. I know his type of people. We had somebody like that at primary school. He's the only child of a rich family that is caught up in traditions and their own beliefs. He was spoiled all his life and didn't need to work for anything. The only thing he must have got drilled into his head is to not sully the family name. The pureblood traditions are similar to the behaviour of the muggle nobility. In public you are representing your house. You follow the code of conduct. At least as long as others know about it. I knew and he realized it. So me calling out his blunder meant he needed to keep face. That's the reason he apologized. Additionally he had always been told that he had to get to the top.

"With his whole family being in Slytherin, he had to have certain goals he wants to reach and he knows that being on friendly terms with me is a good way to get more connections. Not only is my family nobility, I also have that cute little moniker the Boy-Who-Lived." Harry explained.

Terry snorted at the comment and Harry grinned.

"So I could use his ambition to give him a little push in the direction I want him to go. It doesn't always work out completely, but now Malfoy is thinking about what he wants to achieve, not what his father wants. I know the rumours about the family, but if Draco can prove he is his own person, I won't hold his father's sins against him. And I made it clear that my acquaintance is subject to his proper behaviour as I won't be associated with people who blatantly disregard others. So it's a win-win situation. I keep on neutral to friendly terms with the Malfoy heir, having him as an enemy would only have been troublesome, and he can get some beneficial contacts through me." Harry said.

"Now I know why you think you could be a Slytherin. If that wasn't a cunning plan, I don't know." Susan said impressed.

Okay, first contact with Neville, Hermione and Draco. Just what will happen from here on? You will find out in the next chapters ;)