The Boys and the Painting

"So, you are not disappointed that I got scolded on my first Express ride to Hogwarts?"

Harry gave James a small smile and looked him in the eye. He said, "James, even if you got scolded by Dumbledore, I will not be disappointed in you. I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't take something too far and, well, if you do, I am here to smack you down."

James gave Harry a radiant smile.

Harry asked his little brother, "So, James, who are your new friends?"

James looked at his new friends, the three boys were working in front of the two brothers so that the two could talk before Harry left the friends to do his own thing.

The younger Potter said, "Well, the guy with the long black hair is Sirius Black." He looked at Harry and continued with a grin, "He is the black sheep of the Blacks."

Harry gave him a deadpan look but James continued, "The one with the cool scars on his face is Remus Lupin, he is a little nerdy but yeah, he is nice. The last boy is Peter Pettigrew, he is a really shy but nice boy."

James finished with a softer tone in his voice, "I really pity Peter. Apparently, he saw his dad blow up in front of him due to some gas pipeline accident that muggles had."

Harry gave James a grin and said, "Well, then, it's good that you decided to make friends with him. Maybe you can help him be less shy?"

James' big smile was all the response Harry needed. The older Potter said, "Now, go on, Jamie, I will do my big brother things while you hang out with your friends."

James gave a deadpan look and said, "You are not that old and you know it" but ran away to join his friends nonetheless.

Harry chuckled as he watched his little brother run away, laughing. He muttered to himself, "Now, if only I can get some friends like those."
_

Harry was feeling unhappy.

Scratch that, he was miserable.

Despite what many would believe after hearing his life story, Harry is in tune with his emotions though he does not express them as often as he probably should. But that's not important right now.

The important thing is that Harry forgot about Ron and Hermione until he saw James with Sirius, Remus and Pettigrew.

Harry forgot Hermione and Ron.

How?

Harry closed his eyes, took in a deep breath and exhaled.

Alright, he forgot his brother and sister from other mothers, no big deal, right? He can deal with this, it's probably something that he can magic away, like every other problem.

Harry turned a left and stood in front of him was a giant wall with no painting. He looked around and saw that in front of this giant wall was a small portrait of a wrinkly old lady with a tight bun and stern blue eyes.

She looked at him and exclaimed in surprise, "How did a child like you walk up here?" and then thought for a moment before exclaiming again, "Correction, how did a boy like you walk up here?"

Harry, having no idea who she was, decided to say, "I walked up the stairs."

She mumbled something to herself before speaking loudly, "I can see that, you buffoon. What I meant was how did you get past the enchantments on that staircase? No boy or man can enter this place and no girl or woman unworthy shall grace this place."

Harry, thoroughly confused, asked her, "Why would you place that enchantment?"

The woman scowled and demanded, "Answer me, boy. How did you get here?"

Harry, getting angry himself, let out a sigh and repeated his earlier words, "I came through the staircase. How else would I come up to a place I never knew about?"

The woman's scowl grew larger and she told him, "Well, then, go back, boy, I have no need to talk with any of your kind even if that means that I have to wait a thousand millennia for a worthy woman."

Harry's mouth moved automatically, "What is your problem, woman?"

The old lady gave a huff but decided to answer, "No man, except the legendary Odysseus, is kind or empathetic. Men are prideful, arrogant and so sure of their power."

As if a light bulb suddenly flickered on, Harry's mind reached an answer. He realised who she was and said, "You are Circe the Hateful, the sorceress who turned sailors into pigs and the one who charmed the girls' dormitories in Hogwarts."

While the former was well known from her Chocolate Frog Card, the latter was a bit obscure as it was only written in her biography by her favoured student, Medea, and Hogwarts: A History. While he hadn't read either, Hermione had and had told Harry all about it in their sixth year when she was angry at Ron.

Circe huffed and said in her angry voice, "I guess you do know about the best witch Europe has ever seen then, boy. You must be one of the smart ones, as smart as they can be, of course."

Harry asked angrily, "Has anyone told you that you have a huge log of wood up your arse?"

Circe countered back, "Not many since I turned them into pigs before they can say so."

Harry said, "Yeah? Turn me into a pig then."

Circe stared at him for a long time as if trying to turn him into a pig before looking at her hands in confusion. Even through the painting, Harry could feel the legendary sorceress' magic but no matter how hard she tried, the pale old witch could do nothing to Harry.

Circe muttered loudly, "This is impossible. Hecate blessed me with power and power I still have in spades. How can I not curse you, boy?"

"Gee, I don't know, woman, 'cause you are in a painting", Harry suggested 'kindly'.

Circe let out a growl but before she could say anything, the ground began shaking heavily. The painting was rattling heavily and a frost began to form on its frame.

The old woman suddenly exclaimed, "It is you!"