Chapter 8

The Hogwarts Express

A/N: Thank you to everyone who's been reviewing and reading this. It really is amazing to see people responding like this to something I'm writing.

MrBojangles3154: I have no intention to do any bashing of anyone in this fic. I will, however, be attempting to bring each person's true character more to the forefront and try to make them more realistic. That being said, I think that there are some negatives to Ron's character that this fic will bring out. I will not be specifically bashing him though.

Penny is wise: That will be revealed in time : ) .

NathanHale2: I agree entirely with everything you've said. Make no mistake, it will be addressed. There just might be a difference between what you're expecting and what happens.

Anotherboarduser: I think that in the end, you will be satisfied with what happens between Harry and the Dursleys. I will not be addressing this situation immediately, but it will be addressed.

Mychakk: I'm glad you've enjoyed it thus far. There's nothing like seeing people responding to something I've written in this way. As for him going to the Tonks rather than the Weasleys, I will certainly be giving him some time at the Burrow, but I feel that if he were to go now, with his current emotional state, the Weasleys would overwhelm him entirely.

Harry sat on a red vinyl cushion aboard the unmoving Hogwarts Express with The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) in his hand. As he lay there reading on the various spells he would have to learn throughout the year, it occurred to him that Hedwig might enjoy arriving flying to Hogwarts on her own. Standing, Harry extricated her from her cage and walked out to one of the train's entrances. People were pouring in still, so Harry was forced to stand awkwardly with the snowy owl perched on his arm while person after person shuffled past him. Finally, a break in the torrent occurred and Harry raised his arm out of the train.

"I'll see you there girl." He said to the owl. Hedwig hooted in response and took off in a flurry of flapping wings. Before Harry had the chance to return to his chosen compartment, he was startled by the appearance of a brown-haired girl rushing past him through the hallway with tears streaming down her face. Harry followed her with his eyes as she continued down the corridor. As Harry walked back to his corridor behind the girl, she dropped one of the several books she had clutched in the crook of her arm.

Taking a quick step to catch up as the crying girl looked down at the semi-unreachable book, Harry bent down and picked it up for her. "Here." He said quietly, meeting her gaze for the first time.

When Harry saw the girl's brown eyes he inhaled, almost gasped, in recognition. Her eyes were the color of milk chocolate. She had brown, bushy hair that extended down to her chest. Her face was soft, with angled jawline and she was just slightly taller than Harry. It was the girl from the zoo. She looked at him for a longer moment than was entirely acceptable with a somewhat puzzled look on her face.

Shaking herself out of her stupor, she spoke. "Thank you." She said primly, as if trying to use her voice to remove her introductory tear-streaked appearance.

They watched each other warily, as two animals watch each other having first met.

"I'm Hermione." She said, breaking the silence between them and holding her hand out to Harry.

"I'm Harry." Harry responded a bit nervously as he lightly grasped the proffered hand. He wasn't sure if he should remind her of the zoo or not. It seemed as if she didn't remember him, and he didn't want to seem strange.

Hermione sniffled softly as Harry looked at her wet face. "Are you alright?" He asked. He was unsure if the question was appropriate, but it was all he could think of.

"I'll be fine." Hermione said, shrugging off his question. Another silence began to build between the two, taking on its own life and gaining an almost physical presence. A pair of redheaded twins boarded the bus and stopped briefly behind Harry.

"Oy! Let's move it!" One of them shouted. "You can get to your snogging in your compartment!" the other finished.

Both Harry and Hermione turned a violent red and began walking. They reached Harry's claimed compartment and he slid open the door. He looked at Hermione, gesturing to the open door. "I'm in here. If you'd like…" He trailed off, unsure of how to word his request. He had never been around people his age, and he certainly didn't know how to speak to pretty young girls, and he found this girl beautiful.

Hermione nodded and entered, understanding his unspoken question. She entered and stashed her trunk in the upper storage space and sat down across from Harry. They allowed the pink to fade from each of their cheeks before either spoke.

"Thank you for helping me." Hermione mustered. "It wasn't the easiest decision to come here. I was worried about not knowing anyone."

"Of course." Harry said with a smile. "I kindof had the same fear." He admitted.

At this, Hermione's expression brightened. "So you're a muggleborn too?"

Harry shook his head. "No, well, not exactly. It's a bit confusing."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked inquisitively.

"My parents were killed when I was young. I was raised by my aunt and uncle. They're muggles."

"Really?" Hermione asked. "How'd they die?"

Just as Harry was about to answer, there was a knock at the door before it slid open. A redhead that looked to be the same age as Harry stood beyond it. "Mind if I come in here?" He asked. "Everywhere else is full."

Harry looked at Hermione, as if for guidance, and, seeing nothing except a vaguely puzzled look, turned back to the boy. "Come on in." He said with a small smile. It would be much easier to talk to a boy, at least he had experience from Dudley.

The boy shuffled in and stowed his trunk. "Blimey, I thought I was never gonna find a seat." The redhead said, slumping down next to Harry. He wore robes that were clearly secondhand, just as Harry's muggle clothing was. Harry recognized all the telltale signs: torn seams, patched knees, and a ripped hemline. "I'm Ronald Weasley, by the way. You can call me Ron, though." The boy held out his hand.

Harry was reaching to grasp the boy's hand when Hermione suddenly burst out, "You're the boy from the zoo!"

Harry looked up sheepishly, as if he had been caught. "I wasn't sure if you'd remember me."

Hermione rolled her eyes in exasperation. "I've been sitting here wondering why you look familiar. You should've told me."

"I didn't want to seem strange. I didn't know if you had even noticed me that day."

"Of course I did, you vanished the glass."

"How did you know it was me?" Harry asked.

Hermione gave him a dry look. "You shouted at the boy who pushed me and then the glass disappeared, it wasn't hard to figure out. Especially not once you got that guilty look on your face."

Harry looked at Hermione's face. He was surprised both by her remembrance and by the intelligence she had shown in discerning that he had been the cause in the first place. She met his eyes, as if in challenge; what challenge that was, Harry had no notion.

"I didn't realize I was so obvious." Harry said quietly.

Hermione opened her mouth to respond when Ron interrupted. "What is it you two are on about, then? I'm quite confused, here."

Looking at Ron, Hermione responded. "I've met him before. Also, I'm Hermione Granger."

Harry suddenly remembered his outstretched hand, and closed the gap between his and Ronald's, shaking it firmly. "I'm Harry Potter."

There were several long moments of silence, accompanied by startled facial expressions from both Ron and Hermione. Harry realized that somewhere in the past two months with the Tonks, he had misplaced the thought that he was famous. He hadn't quite forgotten, just left the idea in the corner of the room under a blanket.

"You're the Harry Potter?" Ron asked. "With the scar and everything?"

Harry nodded slowly as Ron and Hermione's eyes locked to his forehead.

"Can I see it?" Ronald prompted lightly, clearly worried about Harry taking offense.

Harry felt somewhat awkward as he nodded and lifted the hair that covered the lightning-shaped scar. Hermione let out a small gasp as she looked at it.

"Wicked." Ronald said with a satisfied grin. "I've never met a celebrity before."

"What's that?" Harry said after a pause, hoping to redirect the conversation by pointing out what was clearly a rat that Ron held in his hands.

Ron looked at his own hands, as if in surprise. "Oh, this is Scabbers, he's my pet rat. Got him from my brother Charlie last year." He explained quickly. "So what's it like to be famous?

Harry's sense of discomfort increased moment by moment as he ignored the question. He looked to Hermione for some sort of salvation, but all he found was a thoughtful look. "I've read about you. I did some extra reading so I could fit in here and you were mentioned in several books on recent history."

"Really?" Harry asked. He had no idea that there were books about him. He had never considered that Voldemort's destruction was that important.

"Well of course!" Ron chimed in. "You killed You-Know-Who, didn't you? He was the most powerful dark wizard that ever lived."

Harry nodded at Ron, trying to think of some response in words, but failing.

"Is it true, then?" Hermione asked quietly, almost reluctantly. It was as if she was scared of the question, but some inner force required her to speak.

"Is what true?"

"The books all said that the night You-Know-Who came to your house, you were the only one who survived…" She trailed off, leaving an unspoken question drifting in the air above the trio.

Harry nodded. "My parents died trying to save me. Tonks told me that my father destroyed half the house trying to keep Voldemort away from me." He said all this in an even, measured tone that did not in any way match his emotions.

Hermione didn't so much as flinch at Voldemort's name, but Ron nearly jumped from their shared compartment. "Don't say his name!" He said startled.

Rather than respond to Ronald's request, Harry remained quiet. His mind had been set adrift, he was thinking about his life at the Dursleys and what it would have been like had his parents been around. This was a fantasy that had played heavily in Harry's thoughts since he had found out what really happened to his parents.

"I'm sorry, Harry." Hermione said from the bench she occupied alone.

At that moment, Ron's startled expression fell into one of thoughtfulness, as if only just realizing that Harry had just told them about his parents being murdered. "Where did you stay? After they—After it happened?"

This was one subject Harry had learned not to approach from his stay with the Tonks and he searched his brain for some way to change the subject into a safer territory, when the compartment door slid open, saving him. Standing at the other side of the door was a women with a trolley covered in treats and snacks. "Anyone hungry?" She asked cheerfully.

"I'm fine, thanks." Ron said, holding out some sort of coagulated mess that may have once been a sandwich, but now appeared to have been severely crushed out of shape. Harry cast a glance at it and understood Ron's motivation. He didn't have money for any alternative. Looking at Hermione and Ron in front of him, Harry smiled.

Ten minutes later, after each had consumed several snacks, conversation resumed. "Have you ever had a chocolate frog, Harry? They're amazing!" He gestured at one of the boxes. Hermione leaned forward slightly as Harry opened it.

"I haven't, actually." He said as he pulled out a wriggling frog. It leapt from his grasp as he raised it, landing on the vinyl seat cushion. Harry grasped toward it and it jumped onto the wall behind him. He was just turning when it made a final jump toward the open window of the train.

"Immobulus!" Hermione incanted, pointing her wand at the frog in mid-air. It froze completely and Harry caught it just before it struck the ground.

"Blimey, how did you do that?" Ron gaped at Hermione.

"It's only a simple freezing spell. I've been practicing some of the spells I've heard about since I found out I would be attending Hogwarts. Do you know any spells?" She asked with an interested look in her eyes.

"Well there is one." Ron said with an uncomfortable look on his face. "My brother's, Fred and George, taught it to me." He frowned at the rat that sat on his lap comfortably. "I guess I can try it."

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow." He flicked his wand toward the rat at the end of his spell, but nothing happened. He flicked the wand toward it several more times as if extra movement would increase the spell's effectiveness.

"I don't think that's a real spell." Hermione said confidently. "What was it supposed to do?"

"Turn the rat yellow." Ron muttered. "Fred and George must've thought it would be quite funny, me trying to use a spell that doesn't work."

"Well don't feel bad." Hermione said. "I'm sure that if it were real you could do it. After all, I've been able to do all the spells I've tried so far without a problem."

The door opened again and a round-faced boy with dark hair appeared. He was clearly upset, his cheeks red and his eyes watery. "Have you seen a toad?"

The trio in the compartment each shook their heads and his face fell. "His name's Trevor. If you see it, he belongs to me. My name's Neville. Let me know if you find him?"

"I'll help you look." Hermione said. "You two should probably get your robes on. We're going to be at Hogwarts soon."

As Hermione left the compartment, Ronald turned to Harry. "Whatever house she's in, I hope I'm not in it."

"Why not?" Harry asked. Ron's statement bothered him. It wasn't exactly anger that he felt, but something about Ron's words had caused a rise in him.

"She seems like a know-it-all." Ron said. "Oh, all the spells I've tried have worked." He said in a poor imitation of Hermione's voice.

"I rather liked her." Harry said, and they left it at that.

They threw their Hogwarts robes on over their regular clothing. Harry wondered if that was how wizards always wore their robes, considering that the only alternative would be for the students to change in front of each other, which seemed altogether scandalous to Harry. He and Ron made small talk until the train slowed as they arrived. Gathering their things, Harry and Ron exited the compartment and entered the river of students heading for the exit.

There was rain pouring from the dark sky and the ground in front of the train's steps had become muddy from the many students walking over it. They were in a rudimental train station, the ground they walked was gravel, rather than concrete, and there were no platform numbers. To their right as they exited the train was a large lake with a tall castle resting on its far side. To the left was the silhouette of what appeared to be a small town.

"Firs' years! Firs' years this way! Four to a boat!" Harry heard a familiar voice call. Turning, he saw the large man he was looking for.

"Hagrid!" He shouted, happy to have someone whom he had at least some experience with.

"'arry my boy! It's good ta see you. Hurry along. We wouldn't want yeh to be late ta the sorting!"

Ronald and Harry walked toward Hagrid and he ushered them onto an empty boat. Harry gazed across the lake at the magnificent castle and felt the weight of the boat shift. Looking back, he saw Neville stepping onto the boat with Hermione following close behind. She stepped uneasily over the side of the boat and nearly fell into the cold water before Harry reached his hand up and gripped her arm to steady her.

"Thank you." She said, her voice thick with nervousness and discomfort.

"Did you find your toad, Neville?" Ron asked.

Neville held it up for all of them to see. "Hermione found Trevor actually, she cornered him underneath a seat near the back of the train."

They sat there as the fleet of rowboats was loaded with first year students. When the boats eventually launched, they rowed themselves. Harry watched the movements of the rowboats carefully, amazed at a type of magic he had not yet seen.

"So," Neville began. "Which house are you hoping to be in? My gran wants me to be in Gryffindor like my da', but I don't know if I'm brave enough." He finished sulkily.

"All my family's been in Gryffindor. Me mum and da' and all my siblings." Ronald said. "It'd be embarrassing if I ended up anywhere else. Especially in Slytherin. My parents hate Slytherin House. You-Know-Who was from Slytherin after all."

"I've given it a lot of thought and I think I'd prefer Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. I mean all of the houses have their merits, but Slytherin focuses on ambition and isn't the most loyal; Hufflepuff is all about hard work, but they don't focus enough on individualism; Ravenclaw, however, is based on intelligence and knowledge, which are inarguably vital to success; and Gryffindor is based on bravery and nobility, which are both good goals." Hermione finished her mini-soliloquy and took in a quick breath.

Harry sat there for a moment before realizing that every eye was now locked on him, clearly expecting his response. "I'd like to be in Gryffindor. It's where my mum and dad were from."

This seemed to appease the curiosity of those on board, and silence reigned until they reached the other side of the lake. They each exited the boat, Harry lending a helping hand to Hermione as she stepped onto the slick ground, and followed Hagrid up a hill to the castle entrance. They climbed the stairs and the wooden double doors swung open for them to enter.

Students began to shake out their now-soaked robes one by one, scattering droplets of water across the stone stairs in the entranceway. They were at the peak of a grand stone staircase with vaulted cathedral ceilings and they waited before another wooden door. As they shuffled from foot to foot in nervousness, a poorly-aimed shaking of a hat struck Neville's arm, causing him to drop Trevor with a squeak.

The boy who had struck Neville laughed. "Idiot can't even keep hold of his own pet!" He said smugly. Harry looked up and saw Draco Malfoy staring down at Neville. "What's your name?" Draco demanded.

"Neville Longbottom."

"You actually came?" Draco said incredulously. "I heard you were half-squib!" Behind Draco stood several other boys who chuckled along at his wit. Neville turned an impressive shade of red at his words.

"What's a squib?" Harry asked Ron in a whisper.

"It's someone from a magic family who can't do magic."

Just then, Trevor the toad began to hop away but Hermione caught him as she had the chocolate frog, sending a freezing charm to halt the toad.

"And who have we here?" Draco said, looking impressed.

"I'm Hermione Granger." Hermione said proudly.

"Granger. That's not a name I'm familiar with, and I know most of the pureblood families as my father's so highly ranked. Are you from out of the country?"

"My parents weren't wizards." Hermione said, much less confident now. Draco lunged back, repulsed.

"A muggleborn?" He whispered in shock. "Let's go boys, we don't want her to rub off on us." Another set of laughs arose at his newest joke.

Casting a look at Harry and Ron, Draco's expression changed. "Ahh, it's Harry Potter. Do you remember what I told you when we last met? I can show you who can help you in the wizarding world. Get you away from ravel like that Weasley." he gestured to Ron. "I can't believe there's more of you. Father always did say that you were poor wizards who bred themselves into the ground."

Turning his attention back to Harry as Ron fumed, Draco said, "The Malfoy name goes a long way around these parts. I can be valuable to you."

"No thanks." Harry replied. "I'm quite sure I don't need anything a pompous git like you can offer me." Draco stepped back, clearly affronted. Harry's temper had been rising since the boy started speaking. He was a bully, and Harry had had enough of bullying at the Dursley's to last a lifetime.

"What did you say to me?" Draco asked.

"I said sod off and leave my friends alone."

Draco was about to reply when the great wooden door in front of them was thrown open and an old witch came out.

"First years!" She called. "I am Professor McGonagall. If you will please follow me down the hall, it is time for the Sorting Ceremony to begin!"

A/N: Chapter 8 is done! Let me know what you think! Thank you for reading and please review!

Where were you when I was the weakest?