Chapter One

Change Brings Opportunity

When the Sorting Hat screamed "GRYFFINDOR", I didn't clap with the others. I didn't cheer as I had for the other first years. I sat in my chair, frozen.

'Harry Potter… the Boy-Who-Lived. Oh God… What do I do?'

"Hey, Bram? What's wrong?"

I jerked back to the table at the sound of Percy's voice. He was leaning close to me, concern written all over his face. I shook myself and coughed.

"Don't know, Perce. I hope I'm not getting sick this early in term. It'd be a pain to have to get caught up the first week."

I rubbed at my throat. He drew back sharply.

"Well, if you are getting sick, stay away from me. I can't afford the flu. I've got OWL's to study for."

I smiled.

"But term has even officially started yet. Don't tell me you've been in your books all summer?"

"He has. Been harping on about-" said Fred.

"-school work and OWL's all holiday. Couldn't get-" continued George.

"-a moment's peace," finished Fred. They both grinned at me and their brother. Percy scowled.

"Just because you two could care less about your marks-"

"Oh, but we could care less, Perce," said George.

"Yeah. Only Mum would have our hides, for sure," said Fred. The youngest Weasley boy and I both laughed. I glanced down the table, on the verge of introducing myself to the first years, when the Headmaster rose to begin the feast.

Albus Dumbledore beamed down at us from the staff table and opened his arms wide in welcome.

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

We all clapped appreciatively and rolled up our sleeves to keep them out of the food that appeared in front of us.

A few minutes after the ravenous feeling in my stomach had passed, I glanced around at everyone. The nervous part of my brain expected to see familiar faces missing, but everyone was accounted for. Same as always. So, I turned to Harry and Ron.

They were both eating as much as they could, as fast as they could. Ron, I could understand. He had five older brothers he had to share with and his family wasn't exactly rolling in gold. But Harry Potter…

As I looked at him, I noticed he seemed a bit… small for eleven. He was very skinny and lacked that healthy look in his pale skin.

I nudged Percy.

"Tell him to slow down a bit, or else he'll be spending his first night in the hospital wing."

Percy glanced over and leaned in so he could whisper in Potter's ear. The boy blushed and pretty much stopped eating all together. Ron glared at his brother.

"Leave him alone, Percy. There's plenty here; let him eat as much as he wants."

"Watch it, Ronald. I won't take any disrespect from you here. I'm a Prefect now."

"Just leave him be, okay?"

I nudged Percy again and jerked my head in a way that let him know I wanted to change places. He sighed and stood up. I slid into his place.

"Hi. My name's Bram, Bram Stoker."

"Harry Potter."

I shook his hand, resisting the urge to look at his scar.

"You know," I said, tapping his plate with my finger, "you can keep eating. I just didn't want you getting sick."

He looked up at me with bright green eyes, his dark bangs falling across his face.

"You were… worried about me?"

I shrugged.

"Yeah. I'm sure you'd much rather spend your first night at Hogwarts in bed, rather than throwing up because you ate too quickly."

He nodded and I turned to Ron with a smile.

"Heard a good bit about you, Ron. It's nice to finally meet you."

I held out my hand for him to shake. He hastily wiped his fingers on his robes and swallowed a mouthful of chicken.

"Nice to meet you, Bram. Um… what have my brothers said?"

"I won't repeat any of the embarrassing stories."

"Yeah, only because he knows Perce would kill him," said Fred. Percy frowned.

"I wouldn't kill him. I'd just never talk to him again."

Ron blushed.

"Thanks, Percy," he mumbled. Percy nodded. He turned to me and frowned as I started picking at my food.

"Better hurry, Bram," he warned, "Dessert's about to be served and if you only eat sweet things, Professor Snape will swoop down here in an instant."

"I know. I'm not really that hungry. Must be that cold coming on."

"Well, at least eat something. I don't want to have to witness him pouring soup down your throat."

I rolled my eyes.

"I think I'm a bit too old for that."

"I don't think he agrees. Not from the way he's looking at us."

I looked up at the staff table. Percy was right. Severus was looking at me rather strangely, almost completely ignoring Professor Quirrell. Harry also looked up. And I heard him wince. I turned back in time to see him rub at his scar.

"You alright, Harry?"

"Yeah, I'm… fine… Um, Bram?"

"Yes?"

"Who's that talking to Professor Quirrell?"

"How do you know Quirrell?"

"I met him in Diagon Alley, when Hagrid took me to buy my books."

"Oh. Well, the man he's talking to is Professor Snape. He's the Potions Master and the Head of Slytherin House."

"He's also the guardian of our little Raven," Fred added in a whisper. A whisper I wasn't supposed to hear.

Ron gasped. I glared at the twins.

"Yes, alright. He is my guardian. I really hate it when you two call me "little Raven", you know."

They grinned at me.

"How come you're in Gryffindor, then?" Ron asked. His eyes were narrowed in suspicion. I raised my eyebrow at him.

"Because I'm a very brave, if rather reckless, wizard who gives no thought to the consequences of my actions. And I like the colors better."

There was a general outburst of laughter. Ron didn't look entirely convinced.

"I'm always getting into trouble," I said, shrugging. Percy snorted.

"You mean you're always getting detention."

"How come?" asked Harry.

I grimaced.

"I grew up in this castle. Which means, every single one of those teachers," I said, waving a hand at the staff table, "has known me since I was a little kid."

"Why don't you live with your parents?" asked Ron. Percy, Fred, George, and other friends within ear shot immediately turned and sent him an icy glare.

"Shut up, Ron," Fred hissed. Their brother looked slightly taken aback, but I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, guys. It was bound to come up sometime," I sighed. Ron frowned.

"I don't get it."

"I don't live with my family because they really weren't nice people. It got them chucked into Azkaban."

He nodded, still looking a bit confused.

The table suddenly cleared of the main coursed and was replaced with dessert. I cut a slice of cake and pulled it onto my plate. Then, I glanced up at the staff table again, feeling someone's eyes on the back of my head.

Professor Dumbledore was smiling at me. He raised me a silent toast, which I responded to in kind, and then turned back to Professor McGonagall. She too looked at me and nodded in approval.

Further down, Severus was staring at me pointedly. I cocked my head to one side, asking him from across the hall what was wrong. He shook his head and I knew that meant we'd talk about it later.

Wondering what I'd done this time, I turned back to the table. And found everyone was staring at me, smiles on their faces.

"What?"

"You," said Fred.

"And your family," said George.

"You are so cute when you wave to your relatives," they said together. The table broke out into giggles. I felt the corner of my mouth twitch and a slight warmness in my cheeks.

"Sod off," I muttered. They held up their hands in mock surrender and another round of giggles started. I couldn't resist that one. I smiled at them.

"You guys are going to give these first years the wrong idea about me."

"And what idea would that be?" Percy asked.

"That I'm a really nice guy."

Fred rolled his eyes.

"You are a really nice guy."

The table giggled again. Now that they weren't completely starving, the first years were looking around with wide eyes. One bushy haired girl was telling anyone who would listen that the ceiling was enchanted to look like the sky.

I was beginning to feel a bit tired when the deserts disappeared and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall went silent as every eye turned to him.

"Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

The staff's eyes traveled to look at me and the twins. I blushed and looked away as the twins began to snigger.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madame Hooch.

And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

I frowned.

"What's up with the corridor, Bram? He didn't say anything about it to the Prefects," Percy hissed.

I shook my head.

"No idea. No one said anything to me about it."

Dumbledore continued, his eyes flickering towards me and Percy.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!"

I groaned, clapping a hand to my forehead. Those around me giggled again; my dislike for preforming in any way was rather well known.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune and of we go," Dumbledore cried, waving his wand so that the words were displayed above his head.

We sang and everyone finished at different times. The twins were last, bringing up the rear in a painfully slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here! And now, it's bedtime. Off you trot!"

The first years filed out of the Great hall behind Percy. The twins and I were about to follow when Dumbledore called me up to the staff table.

"You go on ahead, guys. I'll see you upstairs."

Fred and George both nodded and left.

The staff, which had just begun to move from their seats, all paused. Their eyes flicked between me and Albus.

"I'm sure Bram wishes to go to bed," Professor McGonagall began. But Dumbledore shook his head, smiling at me fondly

"He can stay awake long enough for me to ask him for a favor."

"What do you need, sir?" I asked.

"I would like for you to keep an eye on your fellow Gryffindors. Particularly, the newest members of your House. If you could."

"Headmaster, that's why we have Prefects; to watch over our students when we are otherwise occupied," Severus sniffed. I smiled at him.

"An extra set of eyes never hurt. I'll keep two eyes on the little ones, as often as I can spare them, Headmaster."

"Don't neglect your studies, though."

"Of course not."

"Alright then. Off you go, my boy. To bed with you."

"Yes, sir. See you tomorrow at breakfast."

I turned and took two steps before I turned back around.

"Um, sir?"

"Yes, Bram?"

The teachers looked at me again.

"Why is the third floor corridor closed off?"

Dumbledore chuckled, though Severus's eyes suddenly flashed dangerously.

"I thought you would be the first to ask me about that. But I'm afraid I cannot give you that answer."

"Why not, sir?"

"I simple cannot tell you. I'm sorry." His tone was still polite and friendly, but his eyes told me to quit asking questions and go to bed. I inclined my head.

"Alright, Headmaster. I'm off to bed. Goodnight, sir."

"Goodnight, Bram. Sleep well."

I trudged upstairs to the Gryffindor common room, fighting back yawns as I went. Percy was the only one still up and, as soon as I stepped through the portrait hole, he asked me the usual question.

"What did you do this time?"

I snorted. "Nothing. Why do you automatically assume I've done something, whenever one of the teachers calls me up?"

"Because you usually have done something?"

"That's…. well, I suppose that is a bit true." I frowned, realizing just how much trouble I actually got into. Percy smiled and clapped me on the back.

"Forget about it. What did the Headmaster want?"

"Hmm? Oh. He just wanted me to pay more attention in class this year. You know, OWLs."

He nodded. I really hated lying to him, but I knew what would happen if I told him the truth.

"Come on, Perce. We've got to get up early tomorrow."

"I know," he moaned, suddenly. He got his I-am-so-stressed-out look. "I don't know what I'll do if I don't get all my OWLs."

"Then, allow me to illuminate you."

"What?"

I took him firmly by the shoulders and peered into his eyes.

"You'll get over it. I've known you for four years, Percy Weasley You'll get all the OWLs you want and you'll find a good job at the Ministry. That's where you want to go, right?"

He nodded.

"Then, don't worry about these tests. They're not till next spring, so just relax for a bit. Okay?"

"Alright, Bram. I'll try."

"Good. Now, come on. I'm beat."