To the reviewers: YOU GUYS ROCK! There's so many reviews on this story! The only other story of mine that comes close is 'Well the Wizarding World is Screwed Now' and that only has 154 reviews for 9 chaps.
Voting is in and Dumbles is…dun, dun, dun…good but manipulative.
Questions (Or Things) I Decided To Answer (Or Comment On)
Q: Canon (Things like Harry's and Voldemort's wands being 'sisters' and Harry being sorted into Gryffindor are not just arbitrary niceties of canon. They're ESSENTIAL to the Potter universe and the storyline.)
A: In the Potter universe however, Harry was raised by the Dursley's, in a cupboard, and was a living human. In this universe he was raised by Elders/Whitelighters/Angel of Death/Grim Reapers/Cole and is a dead Whitelighter/Grim Reaper with Demon Blood. The fact that Harry is dead means that there is no connection to Voldemort through his scar. (In my opinion the connection through the scar is why Voldie's sister (brother?) wand chose him.) In the Potter universe he was made to believe that all Slytherins were evil. In this universe he was raised with several Slytherins (Regulus Black for instance) and therefore treats all houses equally. So…those things may be essential to the Potter universe, but they are not to this universe. Harry was raised an entirely different way then he was in canon.
Q: Making Siri freak out when he comes into the picture because Harry's a Slytherin.
A: Hey! Harry won't necessarily be in Slytherin…and Siri can still freak out that he's not in Gryffindor. ('OMG! You're a puff!' or 'OMG! You're a bookworm!' or 'OMG! You're a snake!') Hmm…I think I will definitely make Siri freak out (cause it definitely doesn't look like Harry's getting into Gryffindor.
Q: Don't do any pairings until at least fifth year.
A: Wasn't planning to do anything until they were older. They're only eleven. Hell, Draco and Hermione haven't even met yet.
Q: Why Herms/Draco?? Draco's a pureblood, Hermione's a muggleborn/mudblood. You honestly think that'd work without one or the other getting killed? I mean neither Lucius or Narcissa would accept it. They'd have Hermione killed, Lucius might've gone as far as killing Draco too.
A: You're right…neither of Draco's parents would accept it. But they can't exactly disown him for his taste in women (and even if Lucius would try to kill them, they have Harry as a Whitelighter.) Anyways, pairings aren't coming for a while
Q: Please reconsider pairing Harry up with anyone! Especially a slash paring.. He's dead. Necrophilia is on the same level as pedophilia and male-homosexuals
A: What's wrong with Homosexuals…I can understand pedophilia - bad. But as for Necrophilia…hello? - What about Piper and Leo? Leo was technically dead when they started dating and when they fell in love and when they had their kids. And I've already decided upon slash…just not with who yet.
Q: How about making the chapters longer instead of using half the word count on a Q&A.
A: (bows head in shame and wails) I'm sorry! But I will try and make the chaps longer.
Q: Will Cole be brotherly to Harry? Protect him even though he may not need it?
A: Cole's going to be the older brother/father type figure in Harry's life for a while.
Chapter 3
Regulus blinked, looked down at the supply list, looked back up at Harry, and blinked again.
"That's a bit more books than you need," he said.
"Not that many more," Harry replied, causing Regulus' eyebrow to go up.
"You've got to have at least fifty books there!"
"Yep." Regulus sighed and shook his head, before glancing at the titles. Well, at least he had Standard Book of Spells (Grade One), The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, and the rest of his school textbooks. Regulus saw some of the other books and groaned.
"Madcap Magic for Wacky Warlocks and Saucy Tricks for Tricky Sorts?" Regulus asked, "Don't you do enough pranks as it is?"
"Oh, don't tell me you didn't have those books when you went to Hogwarts," Harry returned.
"I didn't," Regulus replied, truthfully, making Harry look at him, "They weren't out yet." Harry chuckled a little before adding two more books to the growing pile.
"Voyages with Vampires? Wandering with Werewolves? You do realize that Lockhart's a fake, right?"
"Yeah I know. I'm getting them to discredit him. He had to screw up somewhere."
"You are your father's son," Regulus muttered.
"What was that?" Harry asked, adding Asiatic Anti-Venoms, and Moste Potente Potions to the pile.
"Nothing," Regulus replied, smiling slightly, "You might want to add Basic Potion Theory, Advanced Potion Theory, and Advanced Potion Making to your collection if you're getting Moste Potente Potions."
"Right," Harry said, setting off to find the books Regulus listed.
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"I'm not falling for that one," Harry said seriously, looking at Regulus.
"It's not a joke!" Regulus insisted, "You have to go through the wall between platforms nine and ten to get to the Hogwarts Express!"
"Riiiiiight," Harry said, disbelievingly.
"You don't believe me - look - that's the Weasley family. Watch them." Harry watched as the (extremely large in his opinion) red heads started walking one by one into the wall and disappearing.
"Whoa. You really do have to walk through the wall," Harry admitted.
"Thank you!"
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Harry put his trunk in one of the back compartments, before taking a small box out of his pocket and opening it, and taking a small mirror out.
"It's about damn time, brat," Cole said, his face appearing in the mirror.
"Well sorry," Harry said, "But I kinda had a little trouble with how to get on the platform."
"Trouble? All you have to do is walk through a wall! How can you have trouble with that?"
"I didn't believe Regulus when he told me that." Big grin.
"Figures. You find your charges yet?"
"No. I just got on the train," Harry looked at the compartment door.
"What is it?" Cole asked.
"I think I made a new friend," Harry said, picking up the toad that had entered the compartment and holding it in front of the mirror.
"Riiiiiight. New friend. Sure. Uh…I'm just gonna go now." Cole's face disappeared from the mirror. Harry snorted.
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Harry had been watching the scenery go by when the compartment door opened making him jump. He could just see Cole scolding him about keeping his guard up at all times. He turned to see one of his charges and another boy.
"Have you seen a toad?" Hermione asked, "Neville, here, has lost one." Harry looked thoughtful for a moment, before looking under the compartment seat cushions, and pulling out the toad from earlier.
"This it?"
"Trevor!" Neville exclaimed, taking the toad from Harry, "Thank you for finding him!"
"More like he found me," Harry said smiling, as the two left, shutting the compartment door behind them.
"Well, that's one charge," Harry thought out loud, "Now I just need the other one to come by." Not three seconds later the compartment door opened again, making him jump yet again.
'I am so getting scolded if Cole ever finds out about this,' Harry complained in his head.
"I heard Harry Potter was on the train," Draco said, haughtily, "Are you him?"
"Hmm…Green eyes…black hair…lighting shaped scar on the forehead…yep, I'm him." Draco smirked.
"I'm Draco Malfoy," he held his hand out. Harry looked at it for a second, then looked back up at Draco.
"Loose the boulders, drop the mask, then maybe we can talk," Harry said, making Draco's eyes widen in surprise.
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Hermione walked back to her compartment, only to find her things out side, and the compartment filled with other girls. Hermione grabbed her things with a huff, and went back to the other end of the train. She opened the door to another compartment.
"Um…d-do you mind if I stay in here?" she asked, "I was kicked out of the other compartment."
"You can stay here," Harry said, smiling. Hermione smiled back.
"I'm Hermione Granger."
"Draco Malfoy."
"Harry Potter."
"You're Harry Potter! I've read all about you!"
"So have I…and half the stuff they wrote was wrong," Harry replied.
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The three first years continued to talk throughout the train ride. Hermione's parents were dentists. Draco's were, in his words, 'aristocratic pains in the ass', making Hermione gasp. Harry laughed at that, before telling them only a little about how he was raised, only giving out Cole's name as he wasn't as well recognized in the Wizarding World.
"Firs' years! Firs' years, this way!" The three of them turned to see a huge, rough looking man calling for the first years. Harry vaguely recognized him from Gringotts.
"He's huge," Hermione whispered.
"Don't worry," Harry said, "I'm pretty sure he doesn't bite."
"Hard," Draco added. Hermione looked at Draco in horror.
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The trip over the lake wasn't too eventful. The three of them shared a boat with Neville, and all the first years gasped at their first sight of Hogwarts. Trevor escaped again when they hit land, only for Hagrid to catch him, and give him back to Neville. Hagrid led them up to the castle and knocked on the doors. They opened to reveal a stern looking woman.
"The firs' years, Profess'r McGonagall."
"Thank you Hagrid," Professor McGonagall said, leading the students inside, before beginning to lecture them about Houses and Points. Having heard it all from Regulus, he tuned it out, wondering how they were to be sorted. Regulus kept his mouth tightly shut about it, claiming it was tradition to keep it secret. Not even leaving snakes (non-poisonous of course) in his bed would make Regulus talk. Strangely enough, for a Slytherin, Regulus was absolutely terrified of snakes. He felt a tug on his robes, bringing him out of his thoughts, and got in line next to Hermione.
"The ceiling is charmed to show the sky," Hermione said, "I read about it in-"
"Hogwarts, A History," Harry interrupted, "You're not the only one." Hermione smiled slightly. They were unable to talk anymore, as the ratty hat, McGonagall placed on the three-legged stool, opened at the brim and began to sing:
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I am the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
Everyone but the first years clapped. The first years just stared at the hat.
"When I call your name, you are to come up and place the Sorting Hat on you're head," McGonagall said.
"That ratty thing on my head?" Harry heard Draco ask from somewhere behind him.
"Don't worry Drake," Harry said, "You're precious hair will be fine."
"But what about…lice?"
"I'm sure there are spells to prevent lice on the hat," Harry said, before muttering to himself, "There better be, or I'm suing!"
"Granger, Hermione." Hermione nervously walked up to the hat. A few minutes later the hat called out "GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry continued to tune out the sorting until his next charge was called.
"Malfoy, Draco." Draco walked to the hat smugly, and the hat called out "SLYTHERIN!" before it even touched Draco's head.
'Great,' Harry thought happily, 'Hermione's in Gryffindor, and Draco's in Slytherin. Now I just need to get in one of the other houses and we can start breaking the whole House rivalry thing.' Harry's thoughts were interrupted by McGonagall calling out his name.
"Potter, Harry." Whispers immediately broke out. Dumbledore immediately tensed, scanning the rest of the first years for Harry.
"Did she just say Harry Potter?"
"The Harry Potter?"
"The Boy-Who-Lived!"
"Where is he? Do you see him?" Harry sighed.
'Well, here we go,' he thought as he walked up to the stool, and placed the hat on his head. Dumbledore smiled, now that he knew his future Golden Boy was alive. Little did he know just how wrong he was (on both counts).
"Well, now, Mr. Potter, let's see where you be…long. I can't sense your life energy! You're a vampire!" the hat exclaimed in his head.
'Actually, I'm a Whitelighter and a Grim Reaper, and I would appreciate that not getting out.'
"Are you saying that you're the White Reaper?"
'Yep. No telling Dumbledore or anyone else, or your essence will meet my scythe.'
"Well, I'm not supposed to tell anyone what I find out under here anyway, so don't you worry about that. Now…where to put you? Dumbledore wants me to put you in Gryffindor."
'I don't want to be in Gryffindor! Even if one of my charges is there.' the last part was muttered.
"Well, why not Gryffindor? You are brave, after all."
'Yeah, but I'm also loyal, intelligent, and cunning, so bleah!'
"Did you just mentally stick your tongue out at me!" the hat exclaimed, "How rude of you! And you just snickered at me! How dare you!"
'Aren't you supposed to sort me?'
"Fine. Fine. Let me think…"
…Ten Minutes Later…
'Hello? Anyone home?'
"Still thinking…"
Voting
Dumbles is good but manipulative...you'd know that if you read the above part. (And at some point he might turn into a lemon drop and Fawkes eats him (Big Grin). Thanks to Joker for that idea. I will no doubt use it a some point in the story.)
Harry should get in: (Halfs are given to those who voted for two houses)
Hufflepuff 39 1/2
Ravenclaw 43
Gryffindor 6 1/2
Slytherin 42
Last chap for voting for Harry's house. I am so hoping that Hufflepuff wins, but if not, oh well. I can still do the story. Doesn't look like the Gryffs will win at all. Anyways…read and review! Smiles.
Rune