Wow, it's been forever since I last updated, and I'm really sorry about that. I ran into a bit of writer's block, but I'm hoping with this chapter out I've gotten past that. Yet again, I jumped forward in time and its time for Harry to start Hogwarts. Some of it is similar to the story, but for the most part I hope not.

Chapter 4

"Oh, I like this one! Can I buy her?"

Sirius and Remus looked at the snowy white owl that had perched itself on Harry's shoulder, smiling to themselves as it gave a small 'hoot!' and nuzzled its head against his cheek. Looking towards each other, they silently agreed and nodded their heads. Taking Harry by the shoulder, Sirius guided him to the cashier.

"How much for this one?" he asked, already reaching for his money bag.

"She'll be twenty-five galleons, sir," said the clerk, as he turned around and grabbed an empty cage. "Cages come complimentary when you buy an owl. Would you like to buy any toys or treats as well, while you're here?"

"We should buy a bag or two of owl pellets," said Sirius, grabbing two small bags from the shelf. "But that's all we need for now, I suppose."

"Okay, your total now comes to thirty-one galleons and four sickles, sir," the clerk said, as he rang up their bill. Sirius counted out the money and handed it over. "Thank you very much. I hope you all have a good day, and please feel free to come back if you need anything at all."

"We will thank you!" Shrinking the cage and bags of food, Sirius nodded towards Remus, who had been looking at an aquarium filled with strange fish, and the three wizards walked back out into Diagon Alley. "Well, looks like we've got your shopping list finished. Anything you want to do before we head back to the house?"

"No, I'm good I think," answered Harry, shrugging. Suddenly, he gave a sniff and spun around, standing on his toes to look through the crowd. "I smell Neville!" Pushing his way past the mass of people, he hurriedly rushed into a nearby store and a small howl of happiness could be heard.

The two older wizards chuckled to themselves and followed after him, albeit at a slower, more relaxed pace. Although they lived in America, they'd made it a point to keep Harry informed on where he came from, and who his family was. The Potter family and Longbottom family were long-time friends, and it only made sense that when both their boys were born, James Potter was made Neville's godfather while Alice Longbottom was named Harry's godmother. And although dealing with the boy's grandmother could be quite frustrating at times, they always saved a day or two to visit him whenever they were on vacation here. That, along with the fact that Sirius had given them a pair of two-way mirrors, had made Harry and Neville close friends, almost brothers.

"Harry James Potter! Neville Frank Longbottom! I demand you two settle down this instant!" screeched Neville's grandmother. Around her, the two boys were playing a game of tag, running and weaving their way through the shelves as they laughed and played excitedly. On a rack, Harry's new owl stood watching, making high pitched noises, as if she too were laughing with the children.

"Harry, Neville, stop running around!" yelled Remus, taking charge as he lunged forward and grabbed the two boys by the back of their shirt collars. "Sorry about that Madam Longbottom; you'll have to excuse Harry's sudden intrusion. He caught onto your grandson's scent and raced after him before we could stop him." Although Augusta was not officially a member of the Order of the Phoenix—who had been told of Harry's condition from the start—she and Neville had been informed about it due to the boys' close relationship.

"It's quite alright," she said, somewhat stiffly as she straightened out Neville's collar. "I know it's been awhile since these two have been together, so I'll let it go for now. But I expect Harry to be a little better behaved the next time we meet."

"Of course, and Harry is sorry for his rushed entrance, aren't you Harry," said Remus, turning to look at the black haired boy.

"Oh, yes," agreed Harry, nodding his head. "I'm very sorry for having barged in like that. I promise not to let it happen again."

Augusta nodded her head in acknowledgment and turned back towards the two older men. "I suppose now they've seen each other, Neville and Harry would want to spend some time together. We've just finished up our shopping for school and have a little extra time before we need to get back home and prepare his things for the train ride tomorrow. I also have a meeting in the finances department at the Ministry later today that I cannot miss."

"How about we take Neville for the rest of the day?" suggested Sirius, knowing his godson and Neville would want more than a short hour or two to catch up. "We can take the things you've bought with us to our place, and then Remus or I could pick up his trunk and other belongings later. We'll take the both of them to the platform tomorrow morning."

"Oh, please, grandmother?" asked Neville, looking excitedly to the older woman. "It's been ages since Harry and I last saw one another, and this way, you can go to your meeting at the Ministry without having to leave me with the house elves, or take me along."

"That sounds acceptable enough," replied his grandmother. "One of you can come with me to Longbottom Manor now and gather his things, while the other watches the boys."

"Remus will go with you," said Sirius, immediately volunteering his friend as he stepped behind the boys and placed a hand on either of their shoulders. "I'll take Harry and Neville to get some ice cream while we wait. Goodbye, Madam Longbottom. We'll take good care of your grandson." Without another word, he turned and steered the boys towards the ice cream parlor, smirking slightly at the annoyed glare Remus was sending him.

"Can we get the caramel chocolate volcano like we did last time?" asked Harry, petting his owl as she flew after them and landed on his shoulder.

"That's one of my favorites," said Neville, grinning. "By the way, that's a really nice owl. Did you just get it?"

"Yeah, we bought her today," explained Harry, continuing to pet her. "I've been thinking of a name, and I really like Hedwig. What do you think?"

"Sounds great," Neville replied, reaching out to stroke the bird's soft white feathers. "She seems very friendly."

"Harry, Neville, is the chocolate volcano thing what you really want?" asked Sirius, interrupting them as he gently pushed them towards the counter. They nodded and he took out his money bag. "Okay, we'll have two caramel chocolate volcanoes and a cone of strawberry for me. Think we should get something for Remus as well?"

"He likes butter pecan," said Harry.

"Okay, and a cone of butter pecan as well," added Sirius. Paying for their treats, they went and found a table to sit down and wait. Five minutes later, they were digging into their ice cold snacks, Harry and Neville laughing as each of their ice cream volcanoes magically bubbled and spewed out warm chocolate syrup.

"Looks like you started the party without me," said Remus, as he walked in through the door. "Oh, butter pecan. My favorite!" The four continued to chat and eat their treats, making fun plans for the rest of their day.

"Are you sure you two have all your things?"

Harry and Neville shared a half-annoyed, half-amused look as they nodded their heads. "Yes, we have everything, Uncle Remus," said Harry, patting his pocket where his trunk and other belongings had been shrunk and stowed away.

"Did you bring a spare toothbrush like I told you to? Or how about a thicker jacket for winter time? And you Neville, are you sure you've gotten everything? It's not too late for one of us to apparate to your house and grab it," Remus said, looking between the two boys.

"I've got everything packed, thank you," replied Neville, giving the anxious adult a reassuring smile.

"And as I said, I have everything I need packed away," followed Harry. "Seriously, you don't have to worry. I'll be back for Christmas break, and if I desperately need anything between then and now, I'll just owl you for it."

"Listen to Harry, Remus," said Sirius, putting a hand on the werewolf's shoulder. "Don't worry; he's a big boy and is responsible enough to have properly packed his things.

"Okay, okay," nodded Remus, lifting his hands in defeat. "I give up."

"Good, now uh, Harry? You remember the route we told you to take for nights of the full moon?" Sirius asked, lowering his voice so anyone passing by couldn't hear.

"Yeah, of course I do," answered Harry, just as quietly. "I received a letter from Professor Dumbledore to meet with him and Madam Pomfrey tomorrow morning before class so we can discuss what the procedure will be like on those certain days."

"Make sure you don't forget that then," said Remus. "The full moon is in five days, so you'll need to know what to do while you're at school. No more wild animal parties like with your Uncle Sirius and I."

Harry grinned and nodded before turning to Neville. "Maybe I can convince him to join me," he said jokingly.

Neville, who knew all about the Marauder's escapades, shook his head and grinned as well. "I don't think I'm talented enough to become an animagus," he replied.

"Oh shush, if we could get that fat lard Peter to become one, you'll have no problem whatsoever!" exclaimed Sirius, clapping him on the back.

"We'll see then…" he answered, somewhat quietly.

"Well, I think you two should get a move on," said Remus, checking his watch. "You have about ten minutes to load your things and find a compartment. It's been quite awhile since I last rode that train, but if memory serves me correctly, you'll need the extra time."

"Okay, I'll see you two at Christmas time," said Harry, as he was hugged by his uncles.

"Promise to write at least once a week, and remember, you can always call us with your mirror," Remus told him. Harry nodded, and he went to hug Neville as well. "Have a good year, Neville. Perhaps we can convince your grandmother to let you come and spend the holidays with us in America."

"I'd really like that, thanks," said Neville, smiling brightly. He received another hug from Sirius, who had just finished saying his goodbye to Harry, and then turned towards the train with his friend.

"Need some help?" asked Harry, as a small girl with bushy brown hair struggled to drag her overly-stuffed trunk onto the train. Before she could answer, he easily picked it up with one hand and hefted it into a storage compartment. "You don't have to worry about carrying that up to the castle. My uncles said they have people bring it up for us while we get sorted during the feast."

The girl smiled shyly at him, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear nervously. "Thank you very much," she said, clutching her small, personal bag to her chest.

"Not a problem," he answered, grinning. "Well, we were just heading off to find a free compartment. I can see that you're a first year as well. Would you like to join us?"

Her smile widened and she nodded her head. "Yes, that'd be wonderful, thank you for inviting me."

After a few minutes of searching they found one at the very end of the train and settled down into the seats, Harry and Neville on one side, the brown haired girl on the other. As they got comfortable, the train blew its whistle and began to move.

"You're Harry Potter," the girl said suddenly, causing Harry to jump in his seat, surprised.

"Yes, I am," he confirmed, mentally groaning. Silently, he prayed that she wouldn't be just another random fan of his.

"I read about you in a book," she said, pulling out a thick tome from her bag. "Famous Witches and Wizards of the Last Century; there's a short chapter on you near the beginning. I'm Muggleborn, you see, and bought several books on wizarding culture in order to sort of catch up on what I've obviously missed, being from a non-magical family. I recognized you by the scar."

Harry rubbed his scar and nodded. "It's not hard to miss," he replied with a grimace.

"Yes, it does stick out quite a bit," she said, staring at it thoughtfully. "I'd suggest a glamour charm, but I read somewhere that they don't work on cursed scars or injuries. Perhaps, if you're looking to avoid any unnecessary attention, you could try muggle makeup. I know it sounds rather girly, but it'd certainly cover up what magic can't."

Instantly, Harry found himself liking this girl more than he thought he would, and thanked Merlin that she had not been another crazy fan as he first feared. "I never thought of that," he said. "It won't work at school, but certainly if I go out into the public. Thanks a lot for the suggestion…uh…I didn't quite catch your name?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry! Here I am, knowing all about you, and not even properly introducing myself!" she cried, shaking her head as she looked at Neville. "And I'm sorry for ignoring you, I didn't mean to! I'm…well I'm not very good at starting conversations, and well…I'm good with facts, I suppose and I thought if I could just open up with something I knew, like books…then…I could…oh no, I'm rambling again…"

"Don't worry about it," said Neville, used to taking the sidelines when Harry was around. He didn't mind it at all, and was rather amused by people's usually fanatic behavior around his friend.

"Well, I'm Hermione Granger," she said, sticking out her hand to Harry, who shook it, and then turning back to Neville. "And you are?"

"Neville Longbottom," he answered, shaking her hand.

"It's nice to meet you both," she said politely.

"So, mind telling us more about you Hermione?" asked Harry, trying to keep the conversation going. He knew it was a long train ride—almost half a day's journey—and they'd need something to help the time pass by. Plus, he was generally interested in knowing more about this girl who treated him like a regular human being, despite him being famous.

Hermione, who was not used to getting this much attention from others' her age, smiled and began to tell them about herself and her family. For the next few hours, the three of them swapped stories, Hermione sharing her stories from the muggle world and learning about her being a witch, and Harry and Neville taking turns to tell her about their lives and their summer adventures together. So into their conversation, they barely noticed the compartment door slide open.

"Anything off the trolley dears?" asked a kindly old witch as she looked through the door.

Harry glanced at his watch and realized it was almost three in the afternoon, his stomach growling as it suddenly realized just how long ago breakfast had been. The other three gave him incredulous looks as it growled even louder, and he blushed slightly in embarrassment. Sometimes he hated being a werewolf; his enhanced abilities did not come without their price, and one of them was a super fast metabolism and a voracious appetite.

Glancing at the many treats on display, he looked to the trolley lady and asked, "Do you have anything else beside sweets?" He was more than ready to gorge himself on chocolate frogs and pumpkin pastries, but he wanted something a little more…meaty.

"Y'know, you're one of the few students to ever ask me that," she replied, smiling as she grabbed a small box from the bottom of the trolley. "Candy and baked goods are our best sellers, but we do carry a small assortment of cold sandwiches and salads."

Harry peered into the box she had opened, which had been magically expanded on the inside and charmed to stay cool. Grabbing two roast beef sandwiches and a small salad, he looked to Neville and Hermione and asked, "Do you two want anything?"

"I have my own money, I can buy my own," began Hermione, only for Harry to shake his head and cut her off.

"Nonsense; not to sound arrogant, but I'm the sole Potter heir and I inherited my family's entire fortune when my parents passed away. Not only that, my godfather comes from a wealthy family as well, so I think it's safe to say that I have more money than I know what to do with," he said, grinning at the surprised look on her face. "What are a few galleons spent on food compared to that?"

"Well, when you put it that way, I suppose I'll grab a salad," she said, reaching in and taking a small plastic container.

"Great, and you Neville?" he asked, turning to his other friend.

"A sandwich sounds good right about now," answered Neville, used to Harry's generosity.

"All right, we'll have those, and I think I'll take a few boxes of chocolate frogs as well," said Harry, turning to grab a small handful. Setting them down onto his seat, he counted out the required money and thanked the witch as she closed the compartment and walked away.

"I hadn't realized how late it'd gotten until she came in," said Neville, as he took the wrapper off his sandwich.

"Yeah, I'm starved," agreed Harry, taking a big bite of bread and meat. Looking out the window as they ate, he watched the countryside pass by. "I'd say there's about another couple hours before we get there. My uncles told me they always arrived at night, and the sun won't set for a little while. Better get comfortable."

It was around 7 o' clock by the time they reached the castle, and Harry was more than eager to get up and walk around. Stretching, he opened the door and made his way off the train, Neville and Hermione following right behind him. Hearing a loud, gruff voice calling for first years, he and the other two walked towards a giant of a man as other new students gathered around him. When everyone was there, he led them down a short, wooded path that ended at a dock. There, a dozen boats floated and were tethered down.

"All right now, no more than four to a boat!" said Hagrid, as he had introduced himself earlier.

Luckily, the three of them got a boat to themselves and watched, fascinated, as the rope seemed to disappear and the oars magically began to move them forward. As the castle came closer, they pointed out various things they saw, growing more excited as they neared the other side of the lake. When the boat ride was over, they were led into a room to wait their sorting.

"My older brother told me that we'll have to wrestle a troll!" a red-headed boy exclaimed excitedly, as other boys around him cringed nervously.

"Don't be stupid, Weasel," replied a small, blonde haired boy.

"Shut your mouth if you know what's good for you, Malfoy!" the other responded, scowling angrily.

Before either of them could say another word, a stern looking woman walked into the room and introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and Headmistress of Hogwarts. Instructing them to follow her, she walked into the Great Hall as the scared students trailed behind. Gathering at the front of the hall, before the head table, they listened intently as she told them about their sorting. Next to her was an old wooden stool, and even older looking hat sitting atop it.

The hat sang a song about the school, and Professor McGonagall began calling names from a list she had produced seemingly out of thin air. Harry smiled as both Hermione, and then Neville were sorted into Gryffindor and eagerly awaited his turn. Finally, after what seemed like ages, his name was called and the hall went silent. All around students openly pointed him out and began to whisper to one another. Taking his seat, he looked towards his two friends and awaited the hat's verdict.

"Hm, you'd be great in any of the houses," said the hat, as it was placed on his head. "You're intelligent and well-studied, perfect for Ravenclaw, and yet you're quick-witted and cunning, a natural Slytherin. You're fiercely loyal, which is an attribute of Hufflepuff, and are courageous in the face of danger, which Gryffindors are well known for. Yes, you'd do well in any house, but I can see in your heart where you really want to go, so it better be…GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry's face split into a huge grin as the Gryffindors roared loudly and cheered, missing the slightly triumphant smirk on McGonagall's lips as he passed her. Making his way to the table, he sat next to Neville and waited for the sorting to end. Several minutes later the sorting was over and food appeared on their plates. At the sight of grilled steaks and whole Cornish hens, the wolf in him gave a howl of approval as Harry began loading his plate.

From the Head table, Dumbledore conversed quietly with Professor McGonagall on the new addition to her house. "I know Sirius and Remus said he was very in-tune with his wolf, but just his behavior alone is quite something. Just like a wolf is territorial of its food, look at the way Harry seems to hunch over his plate and block it from view with his cup and utensils. I wouldn't call it bad manners; it seems very clean when he eats. Oh my, this is fascinating…"

"Yes, yes, very fascinating," agreed McGonagall, rolling her eyes slightly. Once a scholar, always a scholar. Sometimes she wondered if Dumbledore would have been better suited for Ravenclaw rather than Gryffindor.

Down at the tables, Gryffindor watched in a mixture of shock, amusement, and slight disgust as there seemed to be an eating rivalry brewing between Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. It started out as Harry unintentionally taking the steak Ron had been reaching for, too busy with his plate to notice until he heard the redhead's annoyed huff. Looking up, the two had locked eyes and Harry furrowed his brow in confusion. Unsure of what was happening, he reached for a bread roll, only to have Ron snatch it from his hand and take a bite. And since then, both had been taking and eating as much as they could get onto their plates. With Harry, he at least had some manners and kept his mess contained to his platter, whereas Ron was a war-zone. Off to the side, Fred and George Weasley were taking bets on who would win.

Ten minutes later, Ron put down his knife and fork and groaned in defeat, holding his stomach in pain. Harry, seeing that he had won, gave the boy a friendly smile. The redhead tried to smile back, but it came out more as an awkward grimace. A few minutes later, their dirtied dishes vanished and were replaced with clean ones as the table filled with freshly baked desserts.

"So you're Harry Potter?" asked Ron, speaking to him for the first time.

"Yes, that's me," replied Harry, grabbing a warm apple tart from the tray. "And this is Neville Longbottom, my god brother I suppose. And she's Hermione Granger; I met her on the train," he said, introducing his friends.

"I've met Neville a few times at Ministry event," said Ron. "Never heard of a Granger family before so I guess you're a Muggleborn eh?"

"Yes, that's correct," she answered, nodding her head.

"My dad is obsessed with muggles," said Ron, laughing a little. "He thinks your gadgets and whatnot are the most amazing things ever. Honestly, I can't see how they can get by without magic."

He soon regretted making that statement, as Hermione immediately launched into a lecture on the differences between muggles and wizards, and how they were able to make astonishing progress despite their lack of magical resources. By the time the feast ended, he could only nod along in hopes it would get her to stop talking. When they were taken to the Gryffindor common room and told where their beds were, he was only too happy to excuse himself and quickly make his way up to the boys' dormitory.

"Well, I guess this is goodnight," said Harry as he, Neville, and Hermione lingered behind in the common room.

"It would seem so," she replied. Unsure of what to do with her new friends, she gave them both somewhat awkward, one-armed hugs and stepped back, smiling shyly. "I'm…I'm really glad I met you two today. I don't know how my first day would have gone if I hadn't. Thank you again for allowing me to join you on the train."

"It was our pleasure," he said, and Neville nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it was no problem at all, and you're a really nice girl," added Neville. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Hermione. Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight you two," she said, still smiling as she turned and walked up the stairs to the girls' rooms.

The two boys then made their way to their own room and found their trunks already set out. Claiming two beds next to each other, they grabbed their night clothes and went to change and brush their teeth. Ten minutes later, Harry, who had decided to take a quick rinse before bed, stepped back into the room and threw his towel onto a hanger by his bed to dry. Bidding Neville goodnight, he climbed into his own bed and pulled the curtains shut. Tomorrow was going to be a long day and he knew he'd need his sleep.

Well that is it for chapter 4! I hope you enjoyed it, and I'll try my hardest to get a new chapter up sooner. I have a general plotline for the story already figured out, I just need to work on fleshing it out. As always, please leave a review and let me know what you think of it.