The Rise of Overlord Vulcan!

by The Dark Dragen

DEAD, BUT BEING WRITTEN IN THE REWRITE...

2. Chapter 2 - Into the Wizarding!

'Thoughts'

Chapter 2…

1st of September 1991:

Harry Potter was sitting in an end compartment on the Hogwarts Express with his pet owl Hedwig sitting on the overhead bars, whilst his new familiar Aneira, in her cat form, was sitting in his lip as he read The Rise and Fall of Dark Lords through the Ages. As he was reading the book, he was thinking about the last month. It had been a very short thirty days since Hagrid had taken him to Diagon Alley. Harry was surprised at the Alley and the magic behind it; it was much bigger than it should have been. There was no way something of that size would fit into the area between the Muggle buildings surrounding it from the road outside the Leaky Cauldron.

Despite the impossibility, and mobbing he got from his 'fans', it was amazing to see. Their first stop was the Wizard Bank, Gringotts, where he met his first magical creatures, the Goblins, who ran the bank. Harry was amazed at how much money he had; about half a million Galleons in his Trust Vault alone! The goblins informed him that he would get his Family Vault when he was of age, which he found was at the age of seventeen, along with his seats in Wizengamot. When he asked about what the Wizengamot was, the goblin told him that he should look this up himself, since it was a human thing and the goblins couldn't care less about human legal affairs that had little to do with them, unless it was dealing with money or they were being paid to care. Harry realized then that Goblins didn't like humans all that much, and that, for some reason, Hagrid was uneasy about him hearing all this. Either way, after getting the package from Dumbledore's Vault, which only contained the small bundled package Hagrid left with, they left the bank. While Hagrid went off to get a drink to calm his nerves from the cart ride, Harry had entered Madam Malkins to buy his robes.

31st of July:

As Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop, he looked around to see the shop had many mannequins with different kinds of robes adorning them. He also saw many shelves and glass cabinets as well as counters, all full of buttons, cloths and other item to make clothes.

As he was looking round he saw the person he suspected was Madam Malkin, she was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve. "Greetings dear, my name is Madam Malkin, are you Hogwarts too?" She asked just as Harry opened his mouth. "Got the lot here - another young man being fitted up just now, in fact," she explained to his slightly surprised face.

In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length.

"Hello," The boy said with an air of pompousness. "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes." Harry replied, wary of the boy, something about the way he held himself and acted seemed… off, like his politeness was fake.

"My name is Draco Malfoy, my father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands." The boy said in a bored, drawling voice. "Silly really, from what I've been told a wand picks the wizard, and not the other way around. Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow," he rambled.

The boy reminded Harry of Dudley in the way he acted, he would bully his father or others until he got what he wanted, his brain instantly classified him as a bully, and someone to avoid if possible - the only difference between the two was one was a fat bastard and one was a thin bastard. Oh he wasn't going to avoid him out of fear, he would kick his skinny ass if this boy got too much out of hand; no it was to avoid confrontation at his new school. He was famous and from what he knew of famous people on the telly, people watched their every move waiting for them to do something wrong and, when something happened, jumped on it, making life hard for that person. He would avoid confrontation until he could learn to get away with it.

Before he could say anything, Draco asked, "Have you got your own broom?"

"No I haven't." He answered. Why would he need one when he could fly well enough on his own? He wasn't about to tell anybody about this though; he wasn't dense enough to think that what he could do was normal from what he'd seen so far. 'Why would someone confine themselves to flying a broom?' Harry mused to himself, 'Learning to fly without one would allow you to do more then you could on a broom.'

"Do you play Quidditch at all?" came the bully's second question.

"No." Harry said again, wondering what the hell Quidditch could be, maybe some kind of sport with the way this idiot asked him; he seemed to have that silly obsession in his tone that his uncle and loads of other people had for football.

"I do - Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my House, and I must say, I agree. Know what House you'll be in yet? I'm hoping to be Slytherin…" the pale-faced boy rambled on once again.

"Houses? Are they like some kind of dorms were people sleep and that?" Harry wondered. He was going to a boarding school, and he knew from hearing from people who go to other boarding schools that the students slept in dorms. Maybe Houses were just different wings of the building?

"Yes they are." Draco answered suspiciously. "Don't you know anything about Hogwarts?" he asked contemptuously.

"No, I only found out about Hogwarts today." Harry replied honestly, not liking the tone he took.

"Are you a Half-Blood or a Muggle." Draco said, spitting Muggle in disgust.

"What's a Half-Blood?" Harry inquired.

"You must be a Mudblood if you need to ask that." Draco sneered at Harry.

Harry noticed that Madam Malkin gasped in horror as she heard Draco said Mudblood. Making an assumption, he guessed this was something that shouldn't be said in polite company, like calling someone a bitch or bastard. It was likely a racial slur, which bumped Draco up to 'racist' on his mental checklist.

Harry remained silent, since this would likely be the last time he and the blond ever spoke civilly again he may as well let him say his piece. "A Half-Blood is someone who is born from a Pureblood, someone who can trace his magical line back at least ten centuries or so, unbroken of course." Draco explained. "Normally, it's a Blood Traitor having a kid with a Mudblood or a Muggle."

"Ah, in that case I don't know if I'm a Half-Blood or a… Mudblood as you call me, as my parents were killed when I was a baby, during the war against Vold-I mean You-Know-Who, and I was raised by Muggles. For all I know, I could be a Pureblood like you seem to be." Harry grinned internally at the other boy's rapid 180 after his words sunk in.

Draco paled, there were many Purebloods families that were killed during the last war and many of them were forced to live the awful Muggles, never knowing who they were. "My… my deepest apologies, I didn't think of it like that, I-I didn't realize." Draco back peddled. He knew that, should his father hear of this, he would surely get grounded for life for turning a possible Pureblood ally against their family.

For a moment, silence reigned between the two boys before Draco opened his mouth again, "Let me explain, at Hogwarts there are four house where you live and sleep." Draco explained, hoping that if he could make up for his earlier mistake, he might be able to gain an ally. He never thought of asking who the black haired boy was, if he did, he would have acted differently. "The houses are Slytherin - this is the house I want to be in as it prides itself for traits in cunning, resourcefulness and ambition. And it wouldn't allow Mudbloods into it."

Hearing the bit about cunning, Harry had to hold in his scoff, if that is true about being cunning he didn't think that Draco would be in it. A truly cunning person would hide what he thought of others, and would only show what he truly thinks of a person once they learn about him.

"How disgusting, look at that man!" Draco said suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.

"Oh that's Hagrid." Harry said, holding in a smirk that he knew something the boy didn't. "He works at Hogwarts."

"Oh." Draco said thoughtfully. "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"

"He's the gamekeeper." Harry corrected easily. He really was starting to dislike this boy more and more, sure he was suspicious of him, why would someone send a gamekeeper to pick up a student, wouldn't a teacher be better? They would know more about the school he was going to than a gamekeeper would, then again a gamekeeper would know about the grounds and that could be useful to know if Hogwarts Grounds were as big as Harry thought it would be.

"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage - lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed," Draco continued with a condescending frown on his face.

"I think he's brilliant." Harry argued coldly. Inside he was smirking, with this bit of info about Hagrid often getting drunk he may be able to get info from him from time to time if he played his cards right. He knew that, more often than not, when someone gets drunk, they talk about things that they shouldn't. It would be worth his time to make friends with Hagrid.

"Do you?" Draco said with a slight sneer, forgetting that he was trying to make Harry an ally, "Why is he with you?"

"As I said my parents were killed, so the school sent him to pick me up and get my things." Getting sick of the boy's attitude he decided to rub his nose in his own shortcomings. "For someone who wants to be in the House for the cunning, you're not acting like someone for that House. In fact, if there was a House for the bold and foolish, then you would be a shoe-in."

"How dare you say I could be a Gryffindor!" Draco raged. "I'm not impulsive and foolish as them. What's your last name, I want to know who you are so I can tell my father about this insult…"

Before Harry could say something about Draco being a daddy's boy, Madam Malkin said to Draco, "That's you done, my dear."

Harry was glad to see Draco hop down from the footstool and leave, but not before Draco said as he left. "I'll be seeing you at Hogwarts, and a word of advice, be careful."

As Draco left, Madam Malkin spoke up. "I'm sorry about him dear, I'm ashamed to say that there are some people who think they're better than others because they've had magic longer than others." Madam Malkin gave a sad sigh. "And sadly the Malfoys are one such family, although Lord Malfoy, the father of that boy, knows how to keep it to himself. I wonder what happened to skip that skill in that child."

"No worries Madam Malkin, he's just a Daddy's Boy, I've dealt with them before." Harry said, getting a chuckled from Madam Malkin. "He thinks that his father can get him anything that he wants, and his father can sort it out for him. He'll be in for a rude awakening one day. So…"

1st of September 1991:

Harry sighed as he remembered that after Draco left, he'd gotten himself some Wizarding and Muggle clothing for himself. He'd been meaning to get some 'Muggle' clothes for a while, but he often forgot to do so. Once he learned Madam Malkin could make these kinds of clothes for him he ordered himself some jeans, shirts and some other items. As he was ordering them, Madame Malkin gave him a lesson of what Mudblood meant; it implied that the individual has 'dirty blood' and it is considered extremely offensive. Harry was annoyed to say the least, but for the most part didn't care. It was an insult that he's never heard before, and thus, couldn't really bring himself to be offended when some stupid little shit referring to him as one. There was no context there, so the racial slur lacked any sort of weight.

After Madam Malkin's, Harry went to the trunk shop, something Hagrid was against, as he told him that Dumbledore only wanted him to take Harry to get the things he would need for school and nothing else. He didn't word it like that of course, Hagrid said he was in a hurry and they should just stick to the essentials. Harry response was two pronged; at first he asked Hagrid to tell him why he was helping him out if he was so busy, instead of one for the other staff members. In the silence that followed that, he gave the large man an easy out; asking him how he would able to carry all his things and keep them safe without a trunk. Predictably, Hagrid took the out and gave in. In the end, Harry brought a five compartment trunk: the first compartment was divided into smaller compartments, to keep things separate and easy to find. The second compartment was an empty compartment where he could place his bigger things that he couldn't fit in the first compartment. The third compartment was a place to keep his clothes. The fourth was a small common room, where he could bring his friends and relax when they went to come and talk. The last compartment was of a study and library, this place would be where he and his friends could study when they want.

After they got Harry's trunk they went to get his things from the Apothecary, Potage's Cauldron Shop, Scribbulus Everchanging Inks, a street peddler to get his telescope, and lastly Flourish & Blotts. At Flourish & Blotts, Harry had to fight Hagrid to get some of the books he wanted, like Curses and Counter Curses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian. There were a few other books that Harry wanted, but because it wasn't on the school list, Hagrid wouldn't allow it. Harry played the guilt card, saying that he wanted to learn everything that he could so he could make his parents proud of him, and he couldn't do that if he was forced not to learn. This softened Hagrid up and he allowed Harry to get the books he wanted.

Harry smiled as he remembered how he got his wand and Aneira…

31st of July:

Harry and Hagrid were outside of Apothecary and Hagrid was checking Harry's school list again to make sure there wasn't anything left apart from Harry's wand to purchase.

"Just yer wand left." Hagrid nodded to himself as he placed the parchment into his pocket again. "Oh yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."

"You don't have to-" Harry tried to tell him.

"I know I don't have to." Hagrid said with a smile, "But I want to… tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at, an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."

Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing. As they left the shop, Harry expressed his gratitude. "Thanks Hagrid."

"Don' mention it." Hagrid replied happily, happy to have helped a student form a bond with an animal. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivander's left now; only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."

A magical wand… now this was what Harry had been really looking forward to. Sure he might be able to learn to do magic without one, but most of the wizards and witches that he'd read about had one, that or a staff. He thought that they all had one, as it made doing magic easier.

However, as they were heading towards Ollivander's Harry suddenly stopped outside of Magical Menagerie when he felt a pull from the shop. Hagrid stopped as well a few steps after his much shorter companion. "Are yeh ok 'Arry?"

"I'm fine Hagrid, I just felt some kind of… pull coming from this shop." Harry answered as he pointed at Magical Menagerie.

"A pull yeh say?" Hagrid said thoughtfully, he started to wonder if it was possible that young Harry might have felt a Familiar Pull, it was very unlikely because of Harry's age, but it wasn't impossible. He had heard stories where a person found their familiar at an early age, it was rare, but had happened before. "Why don' we go an' see if we can see wha' is pullin' at yeh?"

"Thanks Hagrid." Harry agreed before the two of them entered Magical Menagerie.

As the two of them entered the shop Harry saw many animals in cages and fenced areas. Below the cages were bags of feed and beddings, as well a few other miscellaneous items needed for the various species that the store sold. While Hagrid stayed near the door, so he wouldn't get near the cats, Harry was looking around. As he was doing so, Harry followed the pull on his magic towards the back of the shop.

As he got to the back, he saw a white kitten with black strips along its face and body. He felt the pull was coming from this kitten. As Harry was opening the case, the Sale's Wizard shouted out, "Stop right there kid, that's a dangerous animal."

However it was too late as the cage had already been opened, the cat jumped out and into Harry's arms. With the cat in his arms Harry turned back to look at the shop owner a tad condescendingly. He stroked the cat, causing it to purr; the very epitome of kitten cuteness. "He doesn't look that dangerous to me," Harry said coldly.

The Sale's Wizard looked at the scene in shock, "Impossible." He sputtered in shock and fright, "That damn thing attacked anyone that tried to buy it."

"What's wrong with him… or her?" Harry asked, wondering why the Sale's Wizard would be so frightened of a kitten.

The Sale's Wizard said, "Her, and that thing is an Ice Tigran, they're a race of powerful magical tigers."

"It doesn't look like a tiger to me, even a young one. More like a house cat really," he commented.

"That's because she's in her cat form and just a baby herself. All Tigrans have two forms, a cat form for stealth and their tiger form, which they use for fighting. In a few years, once it becomes an adult, and if it's powerful enough, it can gain a more human-like form. Often though, Tigrans with this ability don't bother using it for one reason or another. The Tigran have many different types, you can tell them apart from their fur colour. This one is from the ice tribe, granting it the ability to control ice to a degree."

Harry was impressed when he heard this, he was amazed that such creatures existed; he supposed he would have to get used to that feeling, he doubted the Magical World was through shocking him. He had to wonder if this Tigran would be fine with him when she found out he controlled fire. As from all the reading he had done, people or creatures don't often mix with the opposite element. Regardless though, it would either work out or it wouldn't, and as he thought about it he liked the idea of having such a creature, it could be useful down the line. "So how much is it for this Tigran?" Harry asked to the shock of the Sale's Wizard.

"W-what?! I can't sell it to some kid like you; it's too dangerous for you to handle." The clerk sputtered.

"Oh come on, are you crazy. Does this cute little thing look dangerous to you?" Harry asked as he tickled the kitten's belly, and to the shock of the Sale Wizard, the Tigran started to play with Harry's fingers.

"Im-impossible." The older wizard gasped. "She's attacked anyone who tried to hold it," the wizard repeated.

"Well I don't care, this little thing doesn't seem too bad to me. Either way, my magic pulled me to this little one and I won't be leaving without her." Harry said bluntly.

"Magic, pulled?" The Sale's Wizard said faintly, his eyes went wide as he realized what this could mean. "How old are you kid?"

"Eleven today." Harry replied distractedly as the kitten in his arms squirmed as Harry's fingers found the perfect spot to scratch. After years of looking after Figg's cats he knew where to scratch them to make them happy.

"Impossible. A Familiar Pull at the age of eleven, impossible." The man insisted, mostly to himself.

Growing annoyed at the man's continued disbelief Harry took a deep breath and finally asked, "A Familiar Pull? What's that?"

Hagrid was the one who answered, he had moved closer when he heard the Sales Wizard cry out. "A Familiar Pull is where a wizard or witch feels a pull towards their Familiar." At Harry's questioning look Hagrid went on to say. "hmm, the bes' way ter explain a Familiar, is that the animal is the bes' match ter a wizard's or witch's magic. Once bonded, a Familiar can help their Master in many ways, but the main way is tha' they can help control their Master's magic better. There's also some bleedover o' abilities, mostly boosted senses, which one depending on the animal, or increased balance and reaction speed fer the human. The Familiar gains increased intelligence and lifespan too. They are able ter communicate ter their Master though their link tha' they share with their Master, they can also share their feelin's and emotions though the link. Some Familiars can use some low level spells from their Master. They are also very loyal."

As Harry heard all this, he wanted this kitten even more, not only was it going to be powerful, but it would be very loyal to him too once they bonded. Something he would ask Hagrid later, but for now he needed to complete the transaction. "So how much do you want for this cute girl?" asked Harry.

Greed overcame over the Sale's Wizard; yes he was shocked that a eleven year old would have found his Familiar at a young age but still, he knew that the kid wouldn't leave without his Familiar and would pay what was asked. So, hiding the greed from his voice, "It'll be sixty Galleons for the Tigran."

Although Harry didn't know much from about Wizarding Money, from the gasp from Hagrid, he knew he was being swindled. After some thought Harry spoke up, "I don't think so, that's too much. I think ten Galleons for her is fair enough for her. You did say that she's been attacking people whenever they try and hold her, so I bet you wouldn't even get this. So I'll give you ten Galleons for her, and I'll promise to buy a carrying cage and anything she needs from here. What do you say?"

The Sale's Wizard frowned but knew he had no other choice. "Fine, you win…"

And so, after paying fifteen Galleons for the Tigran and the items needed for her, Harry and Hagrid left the store; Hagrid sneezing a few times because of the Tigran. Once they were all finished they headed towards Ollivander's.

The last shop was narrow and shabby with peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivander's: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. and a single wand lying on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. Harry felt strangely as though he had entered a very strict library; he swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic. Feeling… something, behind him he spun around, his left hand up to block an attack and his right hand curled inward, ready to generate a deadly fireball at a moment's notice.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry's eyes flickered over to where Hagrid was sitting as he heard a loud crunching noise, noticing the man was sitting on a pile of splinters that used to be his chair. "You're the first in over a hundred years to be able to sense me back here before I made myself known. Oh yes, I'll be keeping an eye on you, I suspect great things from you." As this was said, an old man walked out of the shadows, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Hello." Harry said awkwardly, relaxing his stance slightly.

"Anyway, I thought I would see you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You may look like your father, but you have your mother's eyes and a very similar demeanour. It seems only yesterday they were in here themselves, buying their first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for Charms for your mother."

Ollivander moved closer to Harry. He wished he would blink, the man's silvery eyes were a bit unnerving.

"Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it - it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course." The ancient man laughed, as if the very concept of a Wizard choosing a wand was so ludicrous it was comical.

"And that's where…" Ollivander suddenly reached forward and touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger. "I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it." He said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do…"

He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid. "Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again… Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"

"It was, sir, yes." Hagrid replied.

"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" Ollivander said, suddenly stern.

"Er, yeh, they did." Hagrid admitted, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces, though." He added brightly.

"But you don't use them?" Ollivander sharply.

"Oh, no, sir." Hagrid said quickly. Harry noticed he gripped his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke. He suspected he knew where Hagrid's wand was and that he used it sometimes.

"Hmmm…" Ollivander hummed, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well now, Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"If you mean what hand do I use, I can use both hands, but I normally use my right." Harry answered as best he could.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he talked. "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another Wizard's wand."

Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"That will do." He said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."

Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try-"

Harry tried - but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.

"No, no, here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out."

Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.

It took a dozen wands before they were apparently a close enough match for Ollivander to actually let him wave the things. That, apparently, was a mistake, because every one of them suddenly burst into flames. Some violently, and others were more tame but no less destroyed. One second he was holding a solid wood wand, and the next they flashed crimson, like they were made of magma for but a moment, and then just proofed into ash.

Despite the loss of nearly twenty wands Ollivander looked almost excited, rather than angry or frustrated.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere. I wonder, now… yes, why not." Ollivander said as he went to the back of his shop and brought back a box, as he took it out he went on to say, "-unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

For several seconds the wand seemed fine, he gave it a swish and reddish orange sparks poured from the tip of the wand. Something felt… off, about the wand though, and just as Harry was going to examine these feelings. The sparks pouring out of the wand tip increased. More and more sparks flew from the wand, like a firework, before it suddenly stopped. The sound of a bird giving a sort of deathly, screeching squeak before it just… imploded. With a sound like a wet cloth tearing it just collapsed in on itself. Both Harry and Ollivander stared down at the Harry's empty hand for several moments before Ollivander muttered, "Oh… so close there, I thought that that would be the one for you."

Recovering his composure Harry wondered, "May I ask why you thought it might be the one for me?"

"The phoenix whose tail feather was in that wand, gave another feather - just one other. It would have been like destiny should you have been a match for this wand when its brother - why, its brother gave you that scar. I thought that since you defeated You-Know-Who you would gain this wand too… oh well." Mr. Ollivander then had a thoughtful look appear on his face. "Mr. Potter, can I ask, do you have any skills you might want to tell me about?"

Harry wasn't sure what to do, as he didn't want to inform him nor Hagrid about his skills, Ollivander saw that Harry wasn't willing to say anything, so he said, "Mr. Potter, you may not want to answer, but I need to know. As without this information, I can't match you with the right wand.

Harry sighed, knowing that he would need to tell him if he wanted a wand. Making sure his hand was away from Hagrid he beckoned Ollivander closer and held his palm up, close to his chest. A small flame blossomed to life in his hand.

"Oh my, a Fire Elementalist, no wonder I was having problems find you a wand. I haven't had an Elementalist in a while." Ollivander said happily, his voice quiet as he picked up on the lad's choice to keep this information from Hagrid. "Now let me think. Oh yes, I think have a few wands that may be a match for you." Mr. Ollivander then went off to the very back of the shop and brought back three boxes, as he put them on the counter he said, "These belonged to three last Fire Elementals that my family knew over the years. So pick each one and see if they are a match for you."

So Harry did, but the first two did nothing for him; they didn't explode or disintegrate though, they just didn't react, so there was that at least. The moment Harry picked up the last one of the bunch he felt a burst of energy. He felt a great warmth, and his inner flame felt a connection to this wand. The air around him grew hazy the temperature in the shop skyrocketed. Hagrid panted as he and Ollivander, who didn't react at all to the heat, watched on in amazement.

When the blaze settled down Harry took the moment to examine his new wand: The wand itself was a dark red in colour, it was about a foot long give or take a few inches. However, unlike the other wands that he tried, it had a strange handle; instead of the plain looking handles, this one had a claw-like handle which held some kind of red crystal. The claw had silver scales covering it and the nails were about an inch long. The shaft of the wand was covered in a line of symbols, likely Runes from what he'd seen in Flourish and Blotts, that were just slightly darker than the wood of the wand; concealing them nicely.

"This looks amazing and it feels great." Harry said in awe.

"Bravo Mr. Potter, we have found your wand." Ollivander said proudly.

"Bravo 'Arry." Hagrid parroted.

"This is one of the oldest wands that I have in my store Mr. Potter," Ollivander explained. "Thirteen and an half inches long, Makore wood, which is excellent for light or dark magic. It be can be used to improve life, or destroy it. Its core is a Dragon Heartstring from a powerful extinct dragon known as an Archdemon. It once belonged to the Dark One-"

"The Dark One?" Hagrid asked, interrupting. Harry nodded in agreement to his question.

"He was one of most feared Fire Elementalists of his time that is on top of being the Dark Lord of his time." Ollivander began to explain. "If he were still around today he would make you-know-who look like a puppy by comparison. At the time his wand was like the rest you've seen today, but as he grew in power he wanted to make his wand more powerful. So he engraved runes onto his wand, and put an unknown focus onto it - that red gem there - it is said that the claw that holds the focus is also magical, and the wand has been altered too, but it is only a rumour. It is also rumoured to be more powerful then the Elder Wand."

"Runes? Focus? Elder Wand?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Runes are something you'll learn when you're in your third year - if you so choose - but mainly runes are magical symbols that make things more powerful." Ollivander explained. "A focus is a crystal that makes the wand not only more powerful, but helps to cast spells easier. As for the Elder Wand, it has many names, but it is from a child's story book from The Tales of Beedle the Bard, you can buy the book and look up the story 'Tale of the Three Brothers' to find out more about it and the other items that are connected to the wand. As for the Dark One, hmm…" Ollivander said thoughtfully before he pulled a dark red book from under the counter with black words The Overlord. "You should read this. This book is everything my family learned about the Overlords and about the Dark One and how he became one, it should be an interesting read for a child such as yourself."

"Overlord?" Harry wondered.

"It is a tale that not many know about, but you should find out about it in the book I mentioned before, but the main thing you should know is that the Overlord is the ruler of another realm, yes others realm exists. But like must evil people, he was defeated, though it was a close call to be honest. The only reason he was defeated was because this realm got involved, that and a few people on his side betrayed him too. In fact, the Dark One made this wand when he was the Overlord."

Harry looked at the wand in awe, this was one powerful wand with a history to it too. Hagrid looked at the wand in fear, and seeing this, Ollivander lectured sternly. "Hagrid, remember it is the person that makes the wand evil, not the other way around. So you don't need to worry, young Mr. Potter is safe and won't become corrupted because of the wand. I'll be expecting many great and interesting things from you, Mr. Potter… after all, the Dark One did great things - terrible and awful things, yes, but still great all the same. Oh and just a precaution, now that the wand has bonded with you I wouldn't suggest letting anybody else hold it; the security spells set by the previous wielder are… quite nasty."

Harry and Hagrid didn't know what to say about that, although for Harry he wasn't as bothered about it as Hagrid was. After a few moments, Harry said, "So how much do I owe you?"

"Ten Galleons for the wand and the wand holster." Ollivander answered easily.

"Wand holster?" Harry asked.

"A holster is to keep your wand safe. Coincidentally, this holster is made from the skin of the Archdemon, the same one that's heartstring is in your wand. The latent magic in the hide should give it an extra layer of protection, as it wished to protect the heart, even if both parts are no longer living." Ollivander revealed as he handed Harry a dark purple holster. "As you place the wand into the holster, the wand shrinks to fit into holster. Also as long as the wand is inside, the holster can't be seen by anybody but you, which is already on top of being impossible to summon."

"Thank you for the wand Mr. Ollivander." Harry said as he placed the wand into the holster and strapped that to his arm Once he'd done that he paid the ten Galleons for his wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

Little did Harry know, but as he and Hagrid left the shop Ollivander chuckled as he said, "Oh yes Mr. Potter, great and interesting things are soon going to happen to you." He chuckled even more as he thought about Dumbledore, "Oh yes old friend, things won't be going as you planned… Ooh I should at least tell you about the brother wand of Voldemort's, you did ask about it…" Ollivander chuckled in myth as he thought about it, Dumbledore really wanted Harry Potter to have that wand for whatever reason. He couldn't wait to see what chaos was sure to happen in the future…

1st of September 1991:

Harry sighed as he remembered that day, after returning 'home' his uncle instantly hated that he'd brought back extra mouths to feed. Harry chuckled as he remembered how the fool tried to attack Aneira and Hedwig in an attempt to kill them, Aneira transformed into her Tigran form and stood in front of him, ready to attack should Vernon try to do anything. Vernon paled at the sight and decided as long as he looked after them and they kept out of the Dursely's way, Harry could keep them.

Harry named her Aneira from reading The Rise and Fall of Dark Lords through the Ages, Aneira was a Dark Witch in the 1400's, it also meant snow and Harry thought it was a pretty name for her. As for Hedwig, he found her name in A History of Magic. It just seemed to jump out at him, and Hedwig was very pleased with the name so they kept it.

So that's how it was, for the next month Harry stayed away from the Dursleys, to their unforeseen dislike because they had to do most of the chores themselves. He stayed at his hideout and read all the books that he would need for his school year, and some extra reading like Hogwarts: A Historyand The Rise and Fall of Dark Lords through the Ages. In fact The Rise and Fall of Dark Lords through the Ageswas Harry's favourite, it had loads of information on the Dark Lords and what they did during their time. Harry knew that it was strange to like the concept of being a Dark Lord, but Harry did; to him they represented freedom. Free from being chained down by what people thought of them, free from rules and what people expected. A part of him wouldn't have minded becoming a Dark Lord, but another part of him didn't. That hesitant part realized how lonely such a life would be, as you wouldn't have any real friends, and would probably end up becoming paranoid, fearing betrayal constantly.

As he read The Rise and Fall of Dark Lords through the AgesHarry realized the one mistake that Voldemort committed that was probably the reason he failed; he tortured his own people for no reason. Although he was still young, Harry knew that while Voldemort might have been powerful and might have offered them something that kept them with him, repeated torture without reason would make his people betray him eventually.

Apart for readingthat, Harry also read The Overlord. The book was very informative about the Overlords and what they did and were; the very first one was created by a being called The Source. This being was meant to be the source of all evil, and he created the Overlord to be his General in the war between good and evil. Not just the factions, but the very concepts themselves.

From what Harry read, there could be only one Overlord at a time and no one knows for sure how someone is chosen to become an Overlord… but it said that they were picked by some sort of powerful crystal. It was never said how this crystal picks the new Overlord, some say that they were known for being Evil for evil's sake; they didn't have sappy backstories (though some did, but that was more life's fault) or were shunned as children, or raped, or some other reason most have for turning evil; they were just born that way. Some said they had some evil deep within them, awaiting for it to awakened somehow. Normally, these people often needed to nearly die and become the Overlord before that evil was unleashed. Either way, the Overlords lived lives dedicated to the cause of Evil, no matter how minor the act they always enjoyed acts of wrongdoing and general badness.

Either way, Harry read that these Overlords come from a realm known as 'The World', and unlike the Dark Lords from his realm, the Overlords don't really have human followers but creatures known as Minions, otherwise known as Gremlins. The Minion race is split up into four types called Tribes: Brown Tribe, were melee fighters and strong, they would fight anything in their path. The Red Tribe were the Archers of their kind, although weaker then the Brown Tribe, they could throw fireballs and were resistant to fire. The Green Tribe were the ninja's of their kind, they were slightly stronger than reds and are valued for their stealthiness, ability to pass through poison gas, and absorb poison clouds. The last of the Minion Tribes were the Blue Tribe: these are the weakest of the Overlord's minions. However, they are the only Tribe able to swim where all other minions would drown. They can also revive dead minions, and they also have the advantage of magic attacks allowing them to attack ethereal enemies, like wisps and ghosts. Harry read that as long as the Overlord got the nests for the Tribes, and enough life-force that creates them, the Overlord could make as many as he wanted.

Harry read about a few of the Overlords, many having their own pasts and reasons they were defeated. His favourite was the sixth Overlord, the Fire Elementalist that Ollivander talked about. The sixth Overlord, like the fourth, tried to defeat The Source, so they could take his place, as they didn't like being controlled by someone else who wasn't them. Harry could sympathize with this, he didn't liked to be controlled either. As Harry read about the Overlords and their power he dreamt what it would be like to be if he was an Overlord.

Oh how Harry wished that his sister was real. He knew that, no matter what, with her there he knew he could do anything. He could become a Dark Lord and wouldn't have to worry about anything; he wouldn't worry about betrayal, loneliness, nor would he have to worry about incompetent followers.

Thinking about Lucy, it reminded him of the last month. He'd been trying to learn all his first year spells, but for some reason he couldn't. He tried many times, but the results were dismal. That was when he realized how much he relied on Lucy for help in training in his magic. He was surprised how much she knew what to say and how to help him, specially consider she only had access to his knowledge - but she knew what he needed to learn how to master his skills, or at the very least knew how to work it out. It was after some thought that he came up with a reason why she knew these things, although she was only an imaginary sister, she was also part of his magic - that's why she could inform him about his surroundings when he couldn't see anything. So, seeing as she was part of his magic, Lucy would know how or had a rough idea of how to help him train.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a knock on his compartment door before it was opened without waiting for a response. As the door opened, a redheaded boy came in, the same boy that he saw earlier with his family. "Do you mind if I sit here? I'd rather not spend the train ride alone in an empty compartment I've found and the other compartments with other kids in said no." The boy asked.

"No problem, take a seat." Harry answered.

Just as the boy sat down the compartment door opened again and two red twins Harry saw with the boy who'd just entered burst into the room looking excited. "Hey Ron, listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there!" One of the twins said giddily.

"Right…" The now named Ron mumbled. He looked a bit frightened at the thought of the spider.

The twins then seemed to realize that Ron wasn't alone. "Sorry mate, let us introduce ourselves, we're Fred and George Weasley, and this is Ron, our brother." They said grandiosely, and in perfect unison. "See you later Ron." They chirped before ducking back out.

"Your brothers I take it?" Harry asked a smile.

"Yeah, they like to prank people whenever they can." Ron said with a sigh.

"Oh really, I do like a good prank." Harry commented slyly.

"Oh I think you'll like the twins then. Just be careful what they give you; they like to prank people by giving them food that's been spelled to do something embarrassing. I ate a biscuit once that turned into a sock."

Harry laughed. "Thanks for the warning, Ron. Anyway, my name's Harry Potter."

"Blimey, really?" The redhead breathed. "Do you really have - you know…" He pointed at Harry's forehead.

Harry sighed as pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron continued staring like a slack jawed moron, at least to Harry, and he ended up have to cover it up again with a hopeless sigh before the other boy blinked and broke from his trance. Harry knew he'd be getting some attention for being famous but the boy was acting like famous people were a rare thing. Some level of shock or surprise is expected, but it was like he was the only celebrity in Magical Britain or something silly like that.

"So that's where You-Know-Who…?" Ron began to ask.

"Yes." Harry answered shortly. "I can't remember it though."

"Nothing?" Ron investigated further.

"Green light, but that's it." The last Potter replied. He was growing annoyed, but calmed himself as he realized nobody actually knew what happened, so curiosity was perfectly natural, even if the boy sitting across from him was being pretty tactless about it.

"Wow." Ron breathed again, like Harry had just revealed that the secret of the universe was cheese. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he quickly looked down. As he did he saw the books; Hogwarts: A History and The Rise and Fall of Dark Lords through the Ages sitting in Harry's lap. "You're reading them then?" He sputtered.

"Yeah, I read them and my other school books over the last month."

"What!?" Ron shrieked. "Did you really read them all? Didn't you have any fun at all?"

"Of course I read them all, and I had fun reading them." Harry explained. Judging by the horrified look on Ron's face Harry guessed that Ron was the kind of kid that only worked when he had to and only wanted to have fun. Thinking of a way to explain it, Harry thought of an idea while Ron was busy trying to wrap his mind around reading=fun. "Ron, is all of your family magical?"

"Err - yes, I think so," Ron said thoughtfully as he tried to remember something. "Although I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"So you know a lot about the history of the Wizarding World right?" Harry pressed. Ron nodded, so Harry finished his point. "That's why I read all my books, to find out everything that I can about the world I'm now entering. I hadn't even heard about magic until a month ago." He gave a half-truth.

"Ah I can understand that, I guess…" Ron admitted, "I heard you went to live with Muggles, what are they like?"

"Well most of them are awful, at least the ones I lived around, but there are a few good ones. My aunt uncle and cousin are especially awful, though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers like you," Harry commented.

"Five brothers," Ron corrected automatically. For some reason he was looking gloomy, "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left the house - Bill was Head Boy and Charlie was Quidditch Captain for his team. Percy's a Prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."

Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was currently asleep. Before he could explain anything about the rat Harry quickly said, "Ron can you put your rat back in your jacket."

Ron did so, wondering what the other boy was so jumpy about all of a sudden. "Why? Are you afraid of rats?"

"No, but Aneira here might eat it." Harry replied as he pointed to his Tigran,

"Oh, I didn't even notice it, thanks for the warning. Anyway, his name is Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a Prefect, but they couldn't aff- I mean, I got Scabbers instead." Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.

Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. After all, he'd never had much money in his life until he started to steal, but he wasn't going to tell Ron this. So to change the subject, away from his past with his own family or things he didn't want Ron knowing, Harry asked, "So, tell me, what should we do until we get to Hogwarts, if you're averse to reading?"

This got Ron thinking, what should he do, and then he thought of something, "Do you know the game Exploding Snap?"

"No, how do you play it?" Harry replied.

With that Ron started to teach Harry how to play Exploding Snap. During their time, Harry talked about how, until Hagrid picked him up, he didn't know about his parents and Voldemort. Ron was shocked that Harry said You-Knows-Who's name, but Harry told him he wasn't trying to be brave or anything, he just didn't know he wasn't meant to. He was afraid that with all his reading he would still be the worst in his year, but Ron assured him he wouldn't be, as there's loads of people who come from the Muggle World as well, and even those growing up in the Magical World weren't that far ahead, since they couldn't get wands until they were eleven.

As they played Exploding Snap Harry felt nice to finally having a real friend at long last. It felt nice, and the more he played with Ron and talked to him, Harry realized he didn't want to lose that feeling of friendship. So, after some deep thought, Harry decided to try and be… nice. He wasn't about to start letting people push him around, nor would he give up his plans of integrating the ideals of the Overlords with his own and make them his, but he could take a break for a while and just be a kid. It's not like he had an entire country judging his every action or anything silly like that that would cause his decision to try and have a normal childhood to erode.

It was around half past twelve that they stopped playing Exploding Snap that they heard clattering and clanking sound outside in the corridor before a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door. "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, accepted the offer and started perusing the cart, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches.

Even with the money he'd stolen candy was hard to come by, he'd had to stash it in his hideout lest Dudley find it and steal it all, but now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry. Unfortunately, she didn't have Mars Bars, or any other candy or sweet he'd grown to love indulging in for that matter. What she did have were Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his life. Not wanting to miss anything he got some of everything, making sure to purchase the rest of the Chocolate Frogs for himself, after getting confirmation they were just enchanted chocolate and not candy coated frogs, like the Cockroach Clusters were. After hearing some of what the Magical World considered candy, Harry was looking forward to a bit of normal chocolate, even if it was enchanted to move. He ended up paying the woman eleven Sickles and seven Knuts.

Ron stared as Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and made a pile next to Aneira, who'd jumped off his lap when he'd sat up, and started to organize his stash.

"Hungry, are you?" Ron joked.

"Starving," Harry replied, unwrapping a Pumpkin Pasty and taking a cautious bite. He nodded slowly as he chewed. It was a little weird tasting, but overall a good flavour.

Ron took out a lumpy package and unwrapped it, which revealed four sandwiches. He pulled one of them apart, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef." Ron declared glumly.

"Trade you a few of those cauldron cakes for two of those." Harry offered. Sweets were all well and good, but he did skip breakfast and candy wasn't much of a substitute for real food.

"You don't want this, it's all dry." Ron protested. "She hasn't got much time, you know, with five of us." He finished lamely.

"Then I guess I'll be eating a dry sandwich." Harry quipped with a smile as he snagged two of the wrapped sandwiches and replaced them with six cauldron cakes. Ron was probably getting the better deal, but he had fourteen of the things, so he could stand to be generous.

They ate in silence, Harry trying one of everything before he moved onto the sandwiches. As Ron predicted, the meat was a little dry, but it was good to have some real food in him so it didn't matter in the slightest. Considering he had almost thirty Chocolate Frogs, Harry gave Ron five of them before he stored the rest of his stash in his trunk, keeping one out for himself.

After he'd finished the frog, Harry was about to toss the wrapper into the section of his trunk he'd been using for garbage, only to pause as he fund a small card with a person on the front. "What's this?"

"What?" Ron asked, looking up from where he'd been wadding up his Chocolate Frog wrapper into a ball. Seeing the card in Harry's hand "Oh, you wouldn't know about those would you? There are collectible cards that come with the Frogs. Ooh, that one's Agrippa, I'm missing that one!"

Harry absently tossed him the card and checked through the trash for the card from the Frog he'd eaten earlier, only to find the very stereotype of a wizard staring back at him testily. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair. His beard and moustache were truly wizard quality, and Harry wondered if it was a requirement for Wizards to have beards, after having met Hagrid. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.

"So this is Dumbledore!" Harry blurted.

"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" Ron said, only to remember their previous conversation. "Oh, right. Muggle World. Nevermind," He mumbled as Harry flipped the card over and read the information on the back.

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

Currently Headmaster of Hogwarts

Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times,

Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the

Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the

twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work in the field of

Alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore

enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.

Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his confusion, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared. "He's… gone?" Harry wondered aloud.

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day." Ron joked, as if it was obvious. "He'll be back. Bollocks, I got Morgana again and I've got about six of her… do you want it? You can start collecting."

"In the Muggle World people just stay put in photos." Harry revealed.

"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!"

Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card, just like Ron said. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep his eyes off them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcraft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. He finally tore his eyes away from the Druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to snatch one of his bags of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans from his trunk.

"You want to be careful with those." Ron warned Harry. "When they say every flavour, they mean every flavour. You get all the ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and malade, but then you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a booger flavoured one once."

Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner. "Bleaaargh! See? Sprouts."

They had a good time eating the Every Flavour Beans. Harry got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper.

The countryside, now flying past the window, was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone, replaced with woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills.

There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced boy Harry had passed on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters came in looking tearful.

"Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?" He asked with a sniffle.

When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"I'm sorry that we couldn't help you." Harry said, only for a bit of knowledge to pop into his head. "Have you looked in the Luggage Compartment? From what I read they like the dark, cold, damp places to rest. He may have ended up there to sleep."

"Thank you, I'll look there now." The round-faced boy said before he hurriedly left to find his toad.

"Don't know why he's so bothered." Ron said. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk." He pointed towards his pet; the rat was still snoozing in his pocket.

"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference." Ron grumbled in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I can show you, if you'd like?"

"Sure, just let me get a hold Aneira so you can cast it." Harry said before picking Aneira up and setting her in the crook of his arm on her back, gently rubbing her belly just how she liked. Normally cats didn't like lying like that, but Aneira loved it; it was the only time he'd ever seen her drool. She'd hissed and scratched him when he'd teased her about it, he remembered with a small wince.

He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end. "Unicorn hair's nearly poking out," said Ron, as his ears going pink again as he took Scabbers out of his jacket. "Anyway -"

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. A girl entered the compartment; she was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes. "Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville Longbottom lost one." She asked. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.

"He stopped in earlier. Harry told him to look in the Luggage Compartment." Ron answered, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh! Are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." She blurted, entering the compartment and setting across from Ron, next to Harry, and leaning forward to see the spell up close. Ron looked taken aback by her initiative.

"Err, all right." He cleared his throat.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow." Ron began to chant as he waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep. So he put the rat back into his jacket.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" The girl asked, her bossy tone coming out. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've memorized all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" She introduced herself, seemingly all in one breathe.

Harry looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he hadn't learned all the course books by heart either. He'd read all his books, and even a bit extra, but he hadn't memorized them. If that was the norm he'd be in trouble. Thankfully, that didn't appear to be the case, and he wasn't going to be left in the dust.

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Harry Potter." Harry said, barely finished before the girl next to his was suddenly invading his personal space.

"Are you really?" Hermione gushed, seemingly ignoring the small growl from the cat in Harry's arms that was quickly getting louder. "I know all about you, I got a few extra books for background reading. You're in Modern Magical Historyand The Rise and Fall of the Dark Artsand Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

Harry quickly scratched a few spots on his pet to calm her down before she transformed and did more harm than good, namely crushing him and then ripping the throat out of the bushy haired girl. "I've read those books too, and I can tell you that they're nothing but lies," Harry argued. If there is one thing that he hated it was people who assumed they knew things about other people.

"B-but the books said-" Hermione began.

"I know what the books said, and while they have a few good theories as to how I survived," Harry admitted, "That's all they are; theories. There were only two people that knew what happened that night. You-Know-Who certainly wouldn't say anything; even if you agree with some of the theories that think he's still alive out there somewhere. And me, and seeing as I was only a baby, I don't remember what happened that night apart from a flash of green light. So unless there was a third person there - and they'll have a lot to answer for if there was - all the writers are only guessing as to what happened that night."

"B-but…" Hermione tried to say something, but went silent as she realized he was right, if there was anybody alive who could argue with the history books, it was the boy in front of her. Harry sighed as he realized he was venting at her; she didn't deserve that. "Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to throw all that at you. I'm just sick of people assuming they know everything because they read what some hack wrote for a quick Qui-er, Galleon. It's a good lesson though, not all books are completely correct, just because it's published doesn't mean books are free of human error." Harry explained.

"…Yeah … I need to think about this." Hermione said softly. Harry couldn't really blame her, he knew her type, and what he'd done had, hopefully, just flipped her world view on its ear. "I'll go and find Neville and help him find his toad while I think this out." Just as she was leaving, she turned, seemingly regaining some of her bearings, "You two had better get changed, I expect we'll be there soon," before she left.

"Whatever House I'm in, I hope she's not in it." Ron mumbled as he threw his wand back into his trunk.

"Normally I'd agree with you, I really don't like people like that, know-it-alls, but I'm hoping what I told her will make her calm down before she gets too zealous about it." Harry defended.

"Oh boy, another Percy, he's like that." Ron said with a sigh, ignoring what his friend had been trying to do. "Stupid spell - George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."

"What House are your brothers in?" Harry asked, interested.

"Gryffindor," Gloom seemed to be settling on him again as he answered. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw'dbe too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

"That's the House Vol- I mean, You-Know-Who was in?" Harry asked curiously.

"Yeah…" Ron replied sourly. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.

"So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?" Harry asked, trying to take Ron's mind off Houses. He'd also been wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," Ron answered, he wasn't too sure what Bill did since his second oldest brother moved around so much. "Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet -but I don't suppose you get that with the Muggles - someone tried to rob a high security vault."

Harry blinked. "Really? What happened to them?"

"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get around Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it."

Harry turned this news over in his mind.

"What's your favourite Quidditch team?" Ron asked, trying to help his new friend get his mind off the news when he noticed how hard he was thinking about it.

"Err, I don't know any." Harry confessed.

"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, just you wait, it's the best game in the world-" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the money. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again. It wasn't Neville or Hermione this time though.

Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one at once. It was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop; Draco Malfoy. He was looking at Harry with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

"Is it true?" He said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?" Draco sneered the last part.

"Yes Draco, it's me." Harry replied. He was looking at the other boys; both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle." Draco tossed out carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking, "I'm sorry about how I acted back then."

"Do you know this kid mate?" Ron asked.

"Yeah this is Draco Malfoy." Harry said.

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him. "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford." He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some Wizarding Families are much better than others, Harry. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it. "I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks." He drawled, using a similar tone to the one Draco had just used.

Draco didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks. "I'd be careful if I were you, Potter." He said slowly, his mood doing a 180. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

Both Harry and Ron stood up. Harry could sense that Ron was going to say something, so to stop Ron from doing something stupid Harry smirked and said, "I see… for someone who wants to be in the House of the cunning you're still not acting very cunning at all. In fact, one could even call the tactic you're using brash and, dare to say… Gryffindor."

Draco pulled out his wand. "How dare you say that I'm a Gryffindor, when my father hears of this." Draco cried, his controlled and cultured voice flying out the window, replaced with a petulant whine.

"Still crying to your father when you can't get your own way, what a Daddy's Boy," Harry waved dismissively, his own wand appearing his hand as Aneira, in a small flash of frost, suddenly grew to the size of a large dog. Ron sniggered as Harry gave his ultimatum. "Either you use that wand, and please do, or leave us alone. I'd prefer if I can claim self defence when the Professors are trying to punish me for sending you to the infirmary."

Seeing the strange wand and the Tigran, Malfoy made a wise choice and left in a hurry.

A second later, Hermione appeared in the still open doorway. "What has been going on?" She said, her tone significantly less bossy than the first time she'd appeared. She blinked as she caught site of Aneira changing back. "What… is that? She looked like a tiger a second ago."

"So you've met Malfoy before?" Ron asked, ignoring Hermione's question in favour of asking Harry what he wanted to know. Seeing as Hermione looked curious as well, Harry gesture for her to take her old seat before he explained his and Draco's meeting in Diagon Alley.

"I've heard of his family." Ron said darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Hermione. "Can we help you with something?" He said rudely, ignoring Harry's hard look.

"Yes, what is that tiger, uh, kitten?" Hermione corrected herself as saw it transform into a kitten.

"Oh Aneira is a Tigran." Harry answered.

"But you're not allowed it, and you've already got an owl. Isn't that against school rules?" She asked, seemingly learning her lesson from earlier, she didn't want to anger Harry if she could help it.

Harry nodded, smiling at her progress. "You would be right, normally." He admitted. "But Aneira is my Familiar, and there are loads of rule to allow Familiars." Harry said, quickly adding, "And yes, I'm aware of how abnormal it is for someone my age to feel a Familiar Pull."

Hermione had the good grace to blush, having already set up a whole lecture about how rare his situation was. "I just came to tell you that you'd better hurry up and put your robes on." She answered Ron's question, "I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"No we weren't fighting." Ron snapped, as he scowled at her, "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right - I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors." Hermione snapped back at him, something Harry couldn't fault her for, seeing as Ron was being rude. Cutting them off before they could start sniping at each other Harry said, "Alright, thanks Hermione. Can you wait outside for a bit?"

Hermione shook her head. "I need to get back to my things, I'll see you once we get there?" She asked, to which Ron glared at her. Harry ignored him, giving the girl a smile and a quick "Sure." before she left.

A few minutes later, after getting his robes on, Harry peered out of the window. It was getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down. Ron, who'd procrastinated, finally put on his robes. Harry couldn't help but notice he they didn't seem to fit him; he could see the boy's sneakers underneath the hem of his robe.

A voice echoed through the train. "We will be reaching Hogwarts in ten minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

The two boys crammed the last of their candy wrappers into their pockets, in Ron's case, or into their trunk in Harry's before joining the crowd thronging the corridor. Aneira was once more cradled in the crook of Harry's arm, relaxing on her back and drooled very lightly on Harry's sleeve as he scratched her belly. Hedwig was in his Common Room Compartment of his trunk…

Ron finally got around to saying what he'd been meaning to say for a while, "Bloody hell mate, you have a pretty cool Familiar there. I did wonder why you had two pets."

"Thanks Ron." Harry said with a proud smile. "I think she's pretty cool herself."

Before Ron could ask more, the train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out onto a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air, huddling Aneira closer to his chest, both for personal warmth and so she didn't get cold; which he would later realized was pointless, consider her race, she was probably more comfortable in the cold anyway. A lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Harry heard a familiar voice; "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?" Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

As Ron and Harry followed Hagrid, Harry felt that this was a new start for him, and many interesting things were waiting for him around the corner.

TO BE CONTINUED!

Authors Note: Here end the second chapter of Vulcan, I hope you like it, and if you did, please take a few moments more and let me know what you think.