Thank you so much for all the alerts and favourites, it makes me want to make the story better so I don't let you all down

This chapter has a bit more Harry/Tracey than the other chapters, so enjoy, later on the bit in normal text is from the first Harry Potter book - the Philosopher's Stone

I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters

Chapter 4

Tracey released a huge breath of air. It was only Wednesday and she was already drowning in the amount of homework the professors had so lovingly given them. She walked into Transfiguration with Daphne and Hermione. The former rather reluctantly and Hermione nearly ran into the room. She sat on a desk near the back and waited for Professor McGonagall to arrive. Only a handful of students had selected to continue with Transfiguration at NEWT level, and most of them were in Slytherin. McGonagall arrived with her bun looking as severe as always and she looked over the class pensively.

"This year is the one that will shape the rest of your lives. Not in all my 30 years of teaching have I had a student fail in this class, and nor do I wish to start now. I will push you until you have given the best of your ability. Then I will demand more - then and only then will I be happy and secure in the knowledge that you will all pass your Transfiguration NEWT with an O. As this is the first lesson back I thought I would start you all off with a project"

The whole class groaned, and if Tracey was honest with herself she was one of them.

"However," McGonagall continued "This will be done with a partner you don't usually work with. This is to encourage team work because once you go into the world after Hogwarts you will not be able to pick who you work with. Who ever you are paired with is final - no exceptions. When your name is called you find your partner then find a desk and await further instruction."

McGonagall read the list out to the class. All the students accepted their partners. Well that was until Hermione got paired with Draco, " at least now they'll learn to get on with each other" Tracey thought amusedly as she watched the pair of them shoot evil looks at each other. Daphne was paired with Terry Boot an intelligent although shy Ravenclaw. The next words to come out McGonagall's mouth were, "Potter, Davis"

Oh.

Harry was bored. He didn't see the point in doing a project with a partner who would be incompetent as well as a idiot. He smirked when Draco was put with Granger. Harry wasn't surprised as they were academically matched though neither would ever admit it. At last his name was read out and he was paired with Davis. She was a mystery to him as he knew next to nothing about her, apart from the fact she was the girl that had borrowed the paper off him the other day and that Draco and Theo spoke of her sometimes. This was usually tagged onto the mentioning of balls - all the boring kind of traditions that he had no interest being involved in.

Davis glanced over her shoulder and he raised an eyebrow at her that said I am not moving. She rolled her eyes, huffed as she collected her bag and books then proceeded to throw herself into the chair next to him. She didn't speak, and Harry didn't want her to. Once everyone was settled in their new sets McGonagall continued with her lecture

"Now as you know there are four parts to Transfiguration; Transformation, Vanishment, Conjuration and Untransfiguration. If this is not ringing any bells then I don't know what you are still doing in this lesson or how you got this far. " Harry smirked after hearing this, McGonagall was a good teacher and okay for a Gryffindor he supposed. "We looked briefly at Conjuration briefly last year but as this is seventh year material we will be studying this in more depth later on in the year. Until then I want you to work on a detailed essay with your partner on all four components and this should also help to consolidate your understanding. You have till the beginning of October to complete this and if you don't, then be prepared to familiarise yourselves with the trophy room and all 212 trophies and medals." She looked at each of them sternly then proceeded to write out what was required for them to earn an O on the board.

Tracey rounded on him. Her face was the mask that all Slytherin's wore when in unfamiliar territory. "So Potter how we going to work this then?" she said as she jerked her head to the board "Will we each take two sections or research all four, then compile all the notes together". Harry just looked at her blankly. He didn't want to do this any more than he desired to be in Hufflepuff. The girl just huffed in irritation, and proceeded to take notes out of her text book. No more was said for the rest of the lesson.

The Great Hall was filled with chatter as Harry at his lunch. He hadn't seen Theo since breakfast as he took different classes to him. He was telling him about the cycle Jupiter was taking and how it meant trouble was on the way. To be honest Harry had tuned out as Divination was a pointless subject - he just nodded and raised his eyebrow now and again to make it look like he was listening, were as Draco wasn't even trying.

"Would you just shut it for one minute before I ram this piece of chicken down your throat. No one cares except you and I would like to eat my lunch discussing things that don't make my brain cells die". Hurt flashed briefly in his eyes before he then stared moodily at his plate. To try and stop Theo from brooding to much Harry leant across the table and whispered "You'll never guess who Draco got paired up with in Transfiguration, his favourite witch in the whole school"

Theo barked a laugh and questioned "Granger?"

"The one and only, lets hope that the next few lessons will be eventful before I die in by seat from boredom ". Now Theo had a topic to tease Draco with mercilessly. "So Granger huh? Oh the joys of this union. Just think you have to spend more time with her now then you already do. And she'll boss you around and make you do everything her way, and this I guarantee will end in a few detentions as we all know what happens when you are in the same vicinity as each other longer than required. " Theo shook his head and placed a hand over his heart dramatically, " What will your mother think now?" Harry watched the amusedly until Draco turned on him, cuffed him round the back of the head and hissed "I hate you". Harry just smiled in return and watched their antics. He still remembered the day he meet them all those years ago.

It was the first of September and Kings Cross Station was flooded with children carrying a variety of trunks and cases. For the guards who worked here, the sight never ceased to amaze them as well as the fact that they just seemed to vanish into thin air. Some of them even questioned whether they were really there or they had lost the plot with out realising it.

Harry was standing on platform 9 ¾ with Sirius and Remus. He stood in front of them but his eyes kept flickering to the train without him realising. He chewed on his lip as he watched older students get on. It was a lot louder then what he was used to, and busier than he expected. Sirius laid a hand on his shoulder and said in a reassuring tone "you'll be fine pup. Hogwarts isn't as scary as it looks."

"But what if I'm not good enough for any of the houses and they send me back… and I.." Harry could feel himself getting more hysterical with every wood but yet he couldn't seem to stop the words that were pouring out his mouth

"Calm Harry take a nice deep breath, you'll feel better" Harry inhaled and felt himself relax just a little. "then" continued Sirius, "You are going to get on that train and when you get there you are going to show everyone just how much Harry Potter deserves to go there. And always remember that no matter what you to Remus and I will always be proud of you" Remus looked at Harry and gave him a small smile of encouragement.

"Okay, I think I'm ready". with one last glance at the train Harry hugged his godfather and Remus tightly. Both wished him well and Remus carried his trunk over to the train. Once it was safely on board Remus murmured "Bye Harry, have fun and we'll see you at Christmas. Please try and stay out of trouble" Harry nodded and climbed aboard waving before turning and walking down the aisle with his trunk.

Many of the carriages had students already in them. Some were already in the their uniform while some were still in their casual clothes. He came upon anempty carriage and entered it. He put his trunk by the window and sat down searching the crowd for the two familiar faces. He found them, but Sirius seemed to be glaring at some one Harry couldn't quite see. Remus muttered something to him nodding his head towards the train. Sirius glanced at him nodded then also looked at the train. When he noticed Harry his face split into a wide grin. The whistle sounded shrilly and edged away from the platform. The last Harry saw of the pair was them waving before the train went round a bend and they were out of view. Before Harry had time to ponder what the matter could've been about, the compartment door opened and two young boys entered talking quietly to themselves. They both stopped short when they noticed that the compartment wasn't as empty as they initially thought. The first boy had white blond hair that had so much gel on it, Harry thought that it could break a rock. The second boy had short light brown hair and he was the tallest of the two. Both boys sat down facing each other and carried on with their conversation. Harry turned and carried on looking out the window. Outside, the countryside was flying by while Harry wondered about what Hogwarts would be like.

Some time later the door opened again and this type it was an elderly lady pushing a cart full of sweets. "Anything from the trolley dears?" she asked in a kind voice. Having eaten wizarding sweets most his life, on a normal day Harry would've jumped at the chance, however to day wasn't any normal day and he didn't want to chance his stomach that was still turning with nerves. So, Harry shock his head in response. From the sound of money jingling he assumed the other two had taken the lady up on her offer. He closed his eyes thinking a sleep might help when he was awoken to a question

"Want one?" it was the brown haired boy and he was holding out a box of Bertie Bott's - Harry's favourite so not wanting to appear rude he smiled and took one. He ate the sweet quietly until he realised what flavour it was. His face screwed up at the taste while he forced it down his throat. The blond boy was looking at him with a faint smile.

"What was flavour was it?" he inquired.

"Tripe" Harry replied with a scowl. The answer seeming to satisfy the boy he nodded and then stuck his hand very close to Harry's face. "Draco Malfoy" he drawled in a superior tone.

This didn't impress Harry, he hated snotty people so in a cold voice he answered "Harry Potter". Draco looked offended that someone should talk to him in such away as the other boy barked out a laugh

"Seems you've finally meet your match eh, Malfoy" the boy said to him. He turned to Harry and introduced himself, "Theo Nott, don't worry about Draco he's to far obsessed with his own importance but you'll get used to that. Then he's alright"

"Potter did you say your name was?" Not waiting for an answer Draco continued "how come I've never seen you before. Mother always sends out an invite to the Potters but you always ignore them and don't come. I personally think it's just rude to ignore it and now you're at the disadvantage of not knowing any of the worth while people in this school"

"We like to keep to ourselves" Harry replied. From his tone the others realised that this topic was out of bounds and proceeded onto another

"So what house do you reckon you'll end up in" Theo asked cheerfully " I'm set for Slytherin for definite as it Draco here. But you're a Potter and they are renowned for being Gryffindors."

"Well, Sirius said he doesn't care were I'm put as long as I think it is the right one for me. Well that's a lie, he said anywhere but Hufflepuff. If I get put there then I'll be disowned" he replied with a grin thinking of that particular conversation he'd had with Sirius.

Many hours the later train pulled into the station and all the first years were escorted to the castle by from the looks of it, a half giant. Hagrid, Harry though his name was. Apparently he was games keeper when Sirius and Remus were there as well. They all listened to a stern looking woman called McGonagall's speech about houses being your family for the next seven years. Finally the time came when all the first years were at the front of the Hall awaiting to be sorted. Harry wasn't listening when all the names were being read out and he couldn't remember any of the names apart from a girl called Granger who practically ran up the steps and a boy called Longbottom who ran off with the hat. Theo had been right when he said himself and Draco would be put into Slytherin. The hat barely touched both their heads before it had yelled Slytherin.

"Potter, Harry" he heard his name and walked numbly up the steps to the hat. His hands were cold and sweating and as he had the hat placed on his head he could almost feel the weight from all the stares on him.

"Hmmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes - and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting… so where I put you?
"Where is the best for me to be sorted? Asked Harry, "I want to go were I'll do my best."
"Is that so? Then it better be - Slytherin!" the hat yelled. Harry took the hat of his head, placed it on the chair and walked towards the house that was cheering with shaky legs. He sat down in a spare place that so happened to be opposite Draco and Theo
"Slytherin then Potter? That's a surprise, but I have a feeling that this could be the start of an interesting friendship" Draco told him. Harry just smiled.