Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the intellectual property associated with Harry Potter.

Hi all,

Here's the next chapter. Not too happy with this one, as it is quite a slow chapter, but it is bigger than my usual chapters.

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Chapter 15

September 1st

Harry levitated his trunk down the stairs while holding Hedwig's cage in his other hand. The owl was none too pleased with her confinement, which she demonstrated by nipping his fingers when he put her in the cage.

He was already dressed in his robes, to save time changing on the train. He wore jeans and a shirt underneath since a drafty old castle didn't sound like the warmest place to be. Besides, he would feel naked with only a robe on, because he was still not used to wearing them.

Harry found Sirius and Remus sitting in the dining room with his grandfather. Charlus was unable to escort him to Kings Cross station, so they were going to take him instead. There was no need for them to bother in his opinion, as he was directly flooing to the platform of nine and three-quarters.

"Ready for the big day, Harry?" Remus asked him.

"I suppose," Harry replied, setting Hedwig down on the table, and his trunk on the floor. "I hope there is not a big commotion at the station when I arrive and everyone leaves me alone."

"That's not going to happen," Sirius smirked, reaching out and ruffling his hair.

"Not the hair," Harry protested. "I had a hard time getting it just right this morning."

"Girls love the messy hair look," Sirius said.

"I am not taking advice from you about girls," Harry stated, sitting down. He surveyed the empty table with a frown.

"Serve yourself your own breakfast," Charlus said from behind the newspaper he was perusing. "Your grandmother is not here to spoil you."

Harry made a face at him and got up to make some oatmeal. He was capable of feeding himself, but he had grown accustomed to his grandmother's delicious cooking over the last few weeks. He sure hoped Hogwarts provided decent food.

"Harry, are you planning to take Fawkes with you to Hogwarts?" Remus asked. "You won't be able to avoid drawing attention with him around."

"He will stay at home today," Harry said. "He is feeling a bit under the weather. Can you keep an eye on him, grandfather?"

"Sure," Charlus replied. He looked at the two men standing there. "I want to speak with Harry before you take him to the station. There are a few things he needs to know."

"Sure, Gramps," Sirius said, checking the time. "If we want to arrive early, we will need to leave soon. Remus and I will get out of your hair for ten minutes. Is that enough time?"

"That will be plenty, thank you," Charlus said.

"Why don't we check Harry's room and see if we can figure out what's wrong with Fawkes?" Remus asked, sharing a glance with Sirius.

"Sounds good to me," Sirius agreed.

"Don't mess with my stuff," Harry called as they left the dining room.

"Don't worry. We will leave the stash of adult magazines alone," Sirius shouted back.

"They sounded suspicious," Harry commented. "What are they really doing in my room?"

"It's not hard to figure out," Charlus replied. "The word has already spread that Dumbledore's Phoenix is now attached to you."

"So?"

"Harry, he could potentially lead the Aurors to Dumbledore's hideout."

He hadn't thought about that point. If he had, he could have let the Aurors know sooner. It had been over a week since then, and it was probably too late to do anything, as Dumbledore most likely had taken some precautions to hide himself.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Harry asked.

"Because it's a waste of time. I can think of two different methods to hide from a Phoenix's magic, and I am sure Dumbledore is aware of them as well. He is too experienced to be caught so easily."

"So what are Sirius and Remus up to?"

"I suspect Amelia Bones approached Sirius about asking Fawkes for information," Charlus explained. "She was his trainer when he joined the Aurors after leaving Hogwarts."

Harry scowled, "They could have asked me. Was it not obvious that I could communicate with Fawkes already?"

"They are probably trying to shield you from the unpleasantness," Charlus said mildly.

Harry finished preparing his oatmeal and sat down to eat. Since there were only snacks available on the train, he had made himself a huge bowl to tide him over until the opening feast.

The overprotective adults in his life irked him. They didn't need to shield him from the harsher realities of life since he wasn't a naive boy. He witnessed some disturbing things on the streets of his neighbourhood over the years, which cured him of any innocence he once had.

"Before you leave, Harry, I must tell you two things. The first is about family magic." Charlus said. "Do you know where it comes from?"

"Are you talking about Modor, the deity that the magical community refers to as Mother Magic?"

Charlus looked surprised. "You are well informed. How did you learn about her?"

"Daphne."

"That makes sense," Charlus said, taking a breath. "Did she tell you anything else?"

"She told me how you enlisted her grandfather's aid to denounce family magic."

"The girl knows too much," Charlus snorted. "Let me guess. You already know what happened to her grandfather and me after we left to perform the ritual."

"Nope. We don't know about that."

"Let me tell you the entire story. Dumbledore played a significant role as to the reason why I decided to take the path that I did."

His grandfather explained the sordid history between Harry and Dumbledore, as well as the man's actions against the Potter family. Harry seriously underestimated his grandfather. He didn't expect him to be powerful enough to defeat Grindelwald, a powerful wizard in his own right.

Then he explained what happened when he summoned Modor to rid the Potter line of family magic. He was not surprised that Modor turned out to be a cold-hearted bitch, as he and Daphne had already speculated that was the case. When he got to the end and told him how he and Isiah Greengrass were petrified, he shook his head in disbelief.

"It was the right thing to do," Harry said. "It's a shame Dad didn't believe you."

"That was my fault," Charlus confessed. "I spent so much time on the Wizengamot and tending to the family businesses, that I neglected James. He slowly closed himself off to me, which allowed Dumbledore to get his hooks into him. If only I could go back and change things."

Harry began to understand why his grandfather took the steps he did in order to protect the Potter family. Charlus might have been hasty in the approach he took, but that may have been a result of the family magic getting the last laugh. He did not consider losing the family magic such a significant loss as he had the Source, which was more omnipotent than any family magic.

"Wait, when did you say you woke up from your petrification?" Harry asked, suddenly struck with a thought.

"The twenty-third of July," Charlus answered. "Why?"

Harry's eyes widened in disbelief. It was the same day he discovered the Source and its unusual power. Was it just a coincidence that he gained such a powerful ability on the same day his grandfather was freed from his prison? Was the Source another form of family magic? The idea that he might be subconsciously influenced by a malevolent deity troubled him.

"Harry, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Harry replied, putting aside his concerns for the moment. "I just find it a strange coincidence that I escaped the orphanage the same day you escaped from your prison."

Charlus chuckled, "It's almost like it was supposed to happen."

"It's cool that you told me the entire story, but I'm surprised you did."

"One of the reasons I told you is because I think you are mature enough to handle the information. Don't go telling anyone else, though."

"I will share it with Daphne. She deserves to know."

Charlus grimaced, "Fine, but no one else. The real reason I told you is because of your godfather. The Black family was one of the original families that inherited family magic just like the Potters."

"So?"

"Your grandmother told me that Sirius performed a partial blood adoption on you when you were a baby. I'm afraid that he inadvertently passed the family magic, and its negative aspects, onto you."

"Do I have the family magic?"

"I don't know," Charlus admitted. "Logic would dictate that the mere act of sharing blood isn't enough to pass on family magic. However, you are now the Black Heir, so I may be wrong in that assumption."

"What negative effects do the Blacks suffer due to the family magic?" Harry asked, dreading the answer.

"Some family members are driven insane. They have it worse off than the Potter family in my opinion."

"Sirius said his family was insane because of inbreeding."

"That may be part of the reason," Charlus sighed. "But the insanity dates back centuries, to the days when the Black family was much larger, and they weren't resorting to marrying cousins or in some cases, siblings."

"Gross," Harry grimaced.

"So, are you okay?"

"What?"

"You're not feeling anything unusual? Not hearing voices in your head?"

"Grandfather!"

"Relax. I don't think you have anything to worry about, but keep it in mind at least."

What did he mean by that? Should he keep a diary so he could write his thoughts down and observe when he was going off the deep end? Not a chance in hell.

"What was the other thing you wanted to talk about?"

Charlus' expression changed, and he appeared angry. "It relates to the families that switched their allegiance from the Potter family to Dumbledores. I can forgive some of their actions because Dumbledore is a manipulative bastard, but their betrayal is unforgivable. They didn't come to me with their concerns, or warn me about Dumbledore's actions."

"So, how does it affect me?" Harry asked.

"Now that the wizarding public is aware of Dumbledore's crimes, the families who once supported him may attempt to get back into Potter's good books. I need you to be careful."

"You think that the families will have their children approach me at Hogwarts?" Harry guessed.

"Yes. I don't want you to agree to anything without your grandmother's approval. She will keep an eye out for you, but she will be busy with her duties, so she won't be able to protect you all the time."

"I am only the Heir though," Harry said. "I can't make any concrete decisions like forming an alliance, can I?"

"Your grandmother is only the caretaker of the Potter family. Everyone knows that you will be head of the family in the future. So, you have enough influence to strike deals with other families, even if they are not official yet. A promise holds just as much weight, and you will be held to task if you break it."

"Which families should I watch out for?"

Charlus named a few families, but he was warned that the Longbottom family was the one he had to be especially wary of. Madam Longbottom's decision to abandon them was the worst betrayal since the two families had been in alliance for centuries. It was likely that Madame Longbottom will attempt to resume the alliance, and she was ruthless enough to use questionable methods to accomplish this.

Sirius and Remus returned, saying they needed to get moving. Harry picked up Hedwig's cage, and Sirius carried his trunk for him.

"So did Fawkes answer your questions?" Harry asked as they entered the parlour.

The two men froze and shifted their feet awkwardly as if they were kids who had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

"We couldn't get any answers out of him," Sirius admitted eventually.

Harry asked, "Are you forgetting that I can communicate with him?"

"No, we just didn't want to bother you," Remus said.

"Right," Harry drawled, his expression revealing just how stupid he thought that decision was.

"Set that aside," Sirius waved his hand in dismissal. "Remus believes that Fawkes is about to have his burning day sometime in the next few days."

"Is that what is wrong with him?" Harry sighed in relief. He may complain about the Phoenix sometimes, but he was quickly becoming a close companion.

After passing through the floo, they emerged inside a small building that had a row of fireplaces lined up against the wall. The floo network was set up here so wizards could travel to and from the platform without having to navigate the Muggle side of Kings Cross station.

There was a gleaming scarlet engine waiting outside. Smoke from the engine drifted over the bustling crowd on the platform. It looked and sounded totally chaotic as parents were saying goodbye to their kids, and a number of cats and owls voiced their displeasure at the disruption to their routine. Hedwig added her voice to the cacophony.

"I thought we'd get ahead of the crowd," Sirius groaned. "It seems everyone has the same idea as us."

Harry scanned the platform to see if Daphne was there. Knowing how organised she was, she most likely had already boarded the train and found a compartment already. But it seems like she decided to wait for him, as he spotted her standing with her parents near the front of the train.

"Come on," Harry said, hurrying to meet his girlfriend, forgetting his apprehension about the crowd in his excitement.

Sirius and Remus marched by his side, looking around vigilantly, ready to protect Harry if the crowd got rowdy. It seemed that everyone was busy with their own affairs, as they didn't immediately notice the boy walking across the platform.

"Harry," Daphne stepped forward and hugged him.

"Hi, Daphne. Who is this?" Harry asked his girlfriend, looking at the girl standing next to her.

"This is Tracy Davis, my best friend," Daphne said.

"Hello, Harry," Tracy said, her hazel eyes quietly observing him.

If he could describe Tracy in one word, it would be understated. There was nothing about her appearance, her clothes or her demeanour that made her stand out from the crowd. She did, however, wear a blue barrette on top of her curly brown hair, which was the only thing that gave her any sense of individuality.

"Hello," Harry said politely.

"Harry, you better get on the train before you are seen," Sylvia suggested.

Hedwig let out a bark from her cage, telling her human that she wanted out right now.

"Good idea," Harry said. "Come on, let's go and find a compartment."

Sirius and Remus hugged him goodbye, and he said farewell to the Greengrass parents. They had taken the news quite well about him dating his daughter, and he thought Daniel was more pleased than his wife about their relationship. He struck Harry as highly ambitious, a trait he passed onto his daughter. Given how prominent the Potters and Blacks were, Daniel Greengrass couldn't have chosen a more suitable partner for his daughter.

Harry had almost made it up onto the train when something upset the apple cart. Fawkes appeared above his head in a burst of flames, causing people to cry out in alarm.

"That's Dumbledore's old Phoenix," someone yelled.

"Harry Potter is here!"

It seemed like the entire crowd on the platform turned their eyes in his direction. Harry was struck by anxiety when all the attention focused on him.

Fawkes landed on his shoulder, trilling softly in greeting as if he wasn't aware of what he just did.

"On the train," Daphne hissed, pushing him towards the steps, as people started moving towards him.

Harry lifted all three trunks and Hedwig's cage onto the train and climbed aboard it as quickly as he could. They walked down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, and found one at the end of the train.

"That scared me," Tracy admitted, sitting down.

"You're not the only one," Harry replied. He summoned his wand and levitated their trunks onto the rack above the seats and sat down next to Daphne. He opened the cage for Hedwig, who flew up onto the window sill and tucked her head under her wing.

Fawkes hopped off his shoulder and onto Daphne's. He nudged her incessantly until she began stroking his feathers, and he trilled in satisfaction.

"I can't believe Dumblerore's Phoenix is now your companion," Tracy said.

"Fawkes was never his," Harry said. "Dumbledore bound him with a dark artifact and used him for his own selfish purposes."

"What an asshole," Tracy said flatly.

Harry blinked. The expletive sounded wrong coming from the quiet girl.

"So, Gabrielle sent me a letter last night," Daphne poked him in the side. "I read it this morning. She went into extensive detail about the kiss you shared."

"Oh," Harry froze. "Was I supposed to get permission from you before kissing her?"

"No," she laughed. "But I'm slightly jealous now, so you better kiss me as well so I don't feel neglected."

Harry glanced at Tracy. She watched their interaction with a small smile. "Right now?"

"No. I am not one for public displays of affection. At least not yet. I will get it from you later."

Harry nodded happily. It wasn't a hardship on his part.

They watched the goings on outside, with Harry trying to keep out of sight. He was glad that the people on the platform didn't board the train in order to meet him. However, there were still a number of people searching for his face in the windows.

When there were only five minutes left until eleven, a whistle sounded, and the last of the students on the platform scrambled onto the train. A minute before the train departed, a group of redheads appeared, running and pushing their trolley in front of them. Harry grinned when he recognised the Weasley family.

Molly Weasley looked frazzled, shepherding her flock onto the train, while Ginny looked on sadly. She wouldn't join until next year.

"Is there a more chaotic family in the entire British magical world?" Daphne snorted with amusement.

"I think the twins are the most chaotic element in their family," Harry said with a laugh. "The rest of them just get dragged along by their momentum."

The Hogwarts Express started moving, and they settled down for the long trip. The first few minutes were uneventful, but there were a number of students that looked into their compartment but didn't have the courage to enter.

A familiar face appeared outside their compartment, surprising Harry. The witch opened the door with a huge grin on her face.

"Wotcher, Harry," Tonks said.

"Tonks?" Harry questioned. "What are you doing here?"

"Attending my seventh year at Hogwarts."

"Didn't you say something about having to have a Newt in Enchanting to join the guild?"

"Yep. I took the test last year."

"Well, okay," Harry said. "Do you want to sit with us?"

"I thought you would never ask." Tonks grinned. She sat down next to Tracy. "Hello. It's Daphne right?"

"That's right," Daphne showed her a brief smile. "It's incredible that you already have a Newt already. Not many people skip ahead a year."

"I have been interested in creating things since I was little," Tonks shrugged. "My Dad dabbled in Enchanting as well, which is where I got my interest from."

Half an hour later, a woman slid the door open and asked if they wanted anything from the trolley. Harry pulled out his pouch and spent twenty galleons to get a bit of everything.

"Help yourselves," Harry said. He grabbed a chocolate frog and unwrapped it carefully, so it wouldn't hop away. Astoria had introduced him to collecting wizarding cards when she gave him some for his birthday.

Harry turned the wizarding card over, hoping for one he hadn't received yet. He grimaced when he saw it was Dumbledore, and tore the card up.

"I bet there are a few kids doing the same thing," Tonks said. "A lot of them worshipped him as if he was Merlin, so it must have been a shock when his crimes were revealed."

"Astoria almost did," Daphne smirked. "Her justification as to why she didn't was that villains should be allowed to appear on wizarding cards as well."

The next hour passed without anything happening, and Harry brought out his rune cards and started to practice as a way to pass the time. The others were curious about what he was doing, so he explained that they weren't real playing cards. He briefly touched upon his idea about creating Spell cards that he could throw around like a spell. Tonks appeared interested in his ideas, and he was sure she would be hanging out with him in the future.

They had another visitor in their compartment. The pudgy blonde-haired boy looked nervous when he entered, avoiding eye contact with everyone.

"Excuse me, has anyone seen a toad?" He asked.

"Sorry," Harry said. "No toad here."

"I lost Trevor on the platform," the boy lamented. "He is always getting away from me. My grandma won't be pleased."

"Aren't you going to introduce yourself? It's the polite thing to do," Daphne said imperiously.

The boy almost quailed under her stare. Harry could have told her that it was the wrong approach, as he already looked like he was about to faint.

"Sorry," the boy said. "My name is Neville Longbottom."

Harry looked at him with suspicion when he heard the boy's last name. Was he here to try and insinuate himself into his life? Did his grandmother put him up to it? First impressions suggested that the boy didn't have the confidence to do it, but it didn't mean he wasn't going to try at least. Or maybe he had no interest in following his grandmother's orders and really was looking for his pet. He would have to observe him more before passing judgement.

"Hello, Neville," Tonks said cheerfully, trying to ease his anxiety. "The name's Tonks. This is Harry, Daphne, and…sorry, I didn't get your name, miss…?"

"It's Tracy Davis," the girl replied.

"Nice to meet ya. Well, I know a quick way of finding your toad, Neville" Tonks rose from her seat and stepped out of the carriage, summoning her wand.

"Accio Trevor the Toad."

A moment passed before a toad came flying down the corridor, and Tonks nimbly snatched him out of the air.

"Trevor!" Neville took him from Tonks's hands. "Thanks, Miss Tonks."

"No problem," Tonks replied. "Do you want to sit with us?"

Neville glanced at Harry before shaking his head. "Thanks for the offer, but I already have a compartment with some friends."

Neville left and they returned to their compartment.

"Do you think you could lock the door?" Harry asked Tonks. "I don't feel like getting any more visitors."

"Sure," Tonks said, waving her wand, and the lock snapped close. She added another spell to it, and a brief shimmer appeared over the door.

"What was that spell?" Daphne asked with interest.

"Notice-me-not Charm," Tonks explained. "It will keep most of the students from noticing that there is a compartment here. It's not really effective, as it doesn't work really well if someone is actively searching for someone or something under the charm, but it's better than nothing."

Several hours later, they heard a voice echo throughout the train, stating that they would reach Hogwarts in five minutes. Outside, night had already fallen, leaving him to wonder why the Hogwarts Express didn't leave the station at an earlier time. Arriving at school during the night was really strange.

"Leave the trunks there," Tonks said. "They will be brought to the castle later. I suggest you put Hedwig back in her cage as well. She will be transported safely to the Owlery."

The train stopped at a platform. They waited a bit until the initial rush of students had passed, before exiting the train onto the platform.

"'Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!"

The voice belonged to a literal giant of a man that towered over everybody else.

"That's Hagrid," Tonks explained. "First-years need to go with him as he will take you up to the castle separately. Don't worry, he's a real teddy bear."

Tonks left and the three teens walked over to where students were gathering around the giant. Harry could feel numerous eyes on him as he walked. Having a phoenix perched on your shoulder would certainly attract attention.

The man was certainly something, with a big hairy face and long untamed hair. His dark eyes were kind though, which seemed to reassure the first years who had till been slightly apprehensive of him.

"Firs'-years get a treat. Boat across the lake to the castle, yer will," Hagrid explained. "Yeh'll love it. C'mon, follow me, and watch yer step, now."

They followed him down a steep narrow path, completely in the dark, which was really stupid. It seemed like such a simple oversight that could cause an injury to a student. Daphne cast the Wand-Lighting Charm and illuminated the surroundings so the students could see where they were going.

The path suddenly opened up onto the edge of a great black lake, where there were some boats waiting to take them to the castle. Harry helped Daphne and Tracy into a boat, and another girl approached him.

"Hello. Do you mind if I share the boat ride with you?" The girl with bushy brown hair asked hopefully.

"Sure," Harry said easily. He helped her into the boat and climbed in after her.

"Righ', everybody in?" Hagrid asked. "Let's go now. Forward."

The boats started moving across the lake, and Harry tried not to feel queasy as he stared at the pitch-black lake below. He didn't know how to swim, so the thought of falling in there was slightly terrifying.

"Don't know how to swim?" The new girl asked, discerning his thoughts.

"That's right," Harry replied, and Daphne reached over and grabbed his hand in support.

"My name is Hermione Granger," Hermione said with a raised chin. "A Muggleborn witch."

She almost said it like a challenge, as if she expected a negative reaction from them.

"You don't need to say what kind of witch you are," Daphne said dryly. "We could care less about your blood status."

"Sorry," Hermione blushed. "I met a very rude boy on the train who found me offensive for being a Muggleborn."

"You are going to get some of that here," Tracy said sympathetically. "I am a half-blood, and even I get grief from some of the more narrow-minded Purebloods."

"There is no need to say who you are," Hermione said, turning to look at Harry. "Are you aware you have a Phoenix on your shoulder?"

"He is a burden I have to bear," Harry sighed.

Fawkes took offence to that. He started messing up his hair with his beak. Harry was tempted to throw the Phoenix into the lake but restrained himself.

The castle came into view, and Harry was amazed at the sight. The castle was lit up with numerous lights, which made an amazing contrast against the backdrop of the night sky. The boat carried them through an opening in the cliff and into a dark tunnel. At the end of it, the boats stopped at a small dock, and everyone got out of their boats.

Theirs was one of the first to arrive, so they waited for everyone else to disembark. As they were doing so, they were approached by a pale-blond-haired boy with an arrogant expression. Behind him, were two hulking boys that looked like they had only a single brain cell between them.

"Greetings, Potter. I'm Draco Malfoy," he introduced himself. "This is Vincent and Crabbe. While I approve of Miss Greengrass, your other two companions leave a lot to be desired. I can show you who is worth befriending among the students."

Draco held out a hand, and Harry looked at him in bemusement. Beside him, Daphne groaned in annoyance.

"That must be one of the rudest introductions I have ever heard," Harry said, aware that others were watching their interaction with interest. "I am obviously standing together with these witches, but you have the nerve to insult them to my face. Apologise to them, and I might shake your hand."

Draco drew back, his face pinched with anger. "Think you're special, Potter? Just because you have a Phoenix on your shoulder? It only makes you look like a showoff."

Fawkes sent him an image, encouraging Harry to take care of the arrogant boy, but he didn't heed him. He didn't need to get in trouble before he even started Hogwarts, and his grandmother would tear him a new one if he did anything. Was Fawkes always so violent, or was this a recent thing?

"Walk away, Draco," Daphne said calmly. "You're making a scene."

"What's going on 'ere?" Hagrid asked gruffly.

"Nothing," Draco said tightly. "I just cannot get over the horrendous smell of -"

Fawkes launched himself off Harry's shoulder and flew at Draco. The boy yelled in fear, backing up quickly to avoid the Phoenix. Unfortunately for him, he stepped right off the dock and fell into the water with a splash.

Laughter erupted among the students as the boy flailed in the water. Hagrid reached down with one massive hand and pulled the boy out with ease. The boy stood on the dock, his hair plastered to his skull, and shivering from the cold. He no longer wore an arrogant expression.

"Wait to my father here's about this, Potter," Draco hissed. "That bird will be executed for having the audacity to attack me."

"He is a Phoenix," Harry said with an incredulous expression. "It's impossible to kill him."

Draco flushed as the students sniggered. It was not the best impression he had wanted to make among his peers.

"Let's get yer up to the castle. The Professor will warm yer up," Hagrid said.

Fawkes flew back onto his shoulder and trilled.

"I am not talking to you," Harry muttered. "Grandmother is going to be mad at you. Fear her wrath."

Hagrid led them up a passageway that opened up into the grounds next to the castle. They approached the front steps and a huge oak door. Hagrid knocked on the door three times and waited.

The door opened and his grandmother appeared.

"Here are the firs' years, Professor McGonagall. All accounted for," Hagrid said. "This boy fell into the water."

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take it from here."

She led them across the flagged stone towards a door on their right. The Entrance Hall was illuminated by a number of torches set into recesses in the wall, and the light bounced off a magnificent marble staircase that led up to the upper floors.

She stopped before a door, where a cacophony of hundreds of voices sounded from behind it. Taking out her wand, she cast a warming charm on Draco, until his robes were dry and he stopped shivering.

"Harry, what is Fawkes doing on your shoulder?" Minerva asked him with an annoyed expression.

"Hi, grandma," he said, causing her cheeks to colour. Some students giggled at Harry's greeting. "Fawkes flamed onto the platform back in London. It's not like I can just dismiss him."

"He attacked me," Draco shouted, pointing at Fawkes. "I want him expelled from the castle."

"Silence," Minerva ordered. "Miss Greengrass, please tell me what happened."

Daphne told her what happened truthfully, but put great emphasis on how rude Draco was to Tracy and Hermione.

Minerva looked at the Phoenix with a thousand-yard stare. "Fawkes, if you dare attack a student like that again, I will pluck every feather from your body and then cast a spell on you so you will never grow them back ever again. Do you hear me?"

Fawkes trilled, ducking his head into Harry's shoulder, hiding his face from the terrifying witch.

"That's it?" Draco protested. "I demand that he be severely punished."

"Be quiet, Mr Malfoy," Minerva ordered. "Do I have to give you a detention so you can learn how to treat others with respect?"

The boy subsided and looked at the ground with an angry expression.

"Now, that is taken care of," Minerva said. "We can get back to the reason you are all here."

She talked about the Houses briefly, how they were just like a family, and how each one had an illustrious history. Curiously, she did not mention the Sorting Hat, which played a vital role in the sorting. His grandmother looked at him pointedly when she mentioned Gryffindor, and Harry got the message. Please be sorted into her house. Harry complained inside his head. It's not like he had a choice in the matter.

She had them line up before opening the door and leading them into the Great Hall. Harry looked around with interest. The room was lit by thousands of candles floating above four long tables, where all of the students were seated. Up at the front, there was another table that was reserved for the teachers. Headmaster Flitwick sat prominently on a tall throne chair in the middle of the table. Harry almost laughed at the comical sight of the diminutive man being dwarfed by the chair, looking like a child. It looked like he hadn't changed the seat from when Dumbledore was Headmaster.

Instantly, he could feel everyone in the hall turn their attention to the group of first years. Harry knew he stood out, with Fawkes on his shoulder, and he tried not to squirm under everyone's scrutiny. Hushed whispers broke out in the hall, and Harry knew they were talking about him.

Professor Flitwick rose from his seat. "Good evening, first years. Welcome to Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry. At this point, we would usually sort you into your Houses with the Sorting Hat, but unfortunately, it was stolen when the previous Headmaster fled the castle."

What? Dumbledore had stolen the Sorting Hat? Then, what would replace it?

So, what do you think? Why did Dumbledore steal the Sorting Hat? And how will the first-years be sorted?

Thanks for reading