A/N: Some portions of this chapter are direct quotes from the book. Also, this chapter is special for me as it's Harry's first major POV chapter! There will be more of those as time goes on, but it's nice to get it started.


"Surely wandering the corridors is not so strange an activity?" Albus asked patronizingly.

Severus scoffed. "Wandering, yes; but the girl's actions are deliberate. Always in the same pattern. She's searching for something. I've even spotted Potter with her on one occasion."

Albus frowned a touch at the new information. "Very well. Let me know if you discover what she's searching for."


The weeks passed by in a fun-filled blur for Harry. Only two months into living at Hogwarts and already he has everything he's ever dreamt of. He has lots of friends, is free to talk about magic and learn more about it, and he has family and friends he can talk to both at school and through letters. Even small dreams like having study groups in the library or joining the art and flying clubs are things he is free to do here. This whole experience has been liberating in a way he could have only fathomed as a young boy.

Today is going to be a special day, though. Today is Halloween! The day of fun and chocolate, as his friends were wont to say in their descriptions of the holiday over the years. True, he now has a slight sadness for the holiday (on learning that this is the 10 year anniversary of his parents' death), but he didn't want that fact to dampen his spirits. He misses his parents, undoubtedly. That said, in his heart, he knows that they would want him to enjoy his life after everything that's happened. That, and Sirius promised him that they will go to Godric's Hollow to visit their graves over Christmas. He wants to be able to tell them of all of the good things happening in his life, not the sad ones. After everything, it's the least he can do to let them know that everything's alright now.

All of that considered, he took today's charms lesson with an extra spark of enthusiasm. After all, it will not only be the first active charm they try, but it will also be the levitation spell, Melly's signature "mutant" move.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Harry rolled back his shoulders and gave the spell a try. He tried to do the motion, as the professor described, yet the little feather didn't so much as move a bristle. While his partner for the day, Lily Moon, continued to work at the spell, Harry sat pensively at the feather. He drifted through his memories, back to a day from four years ago of talking with Melly about her powers. Allegedly, one time when Melissa had used accidental magic, she was pretending to be a conductor. She had been really getting into the music and, on a downbeat, her sheet music began to float. Since then, the girl was convinced that going on a musical downbeat was the key to unlocking her "mutation", which probably also explained her obsession with being a composer instead of a full-time musician.

Inspired by the idea, Harry closed his eyes for a moment, picturing the movement in his head. Then, opening his eyes, he repeated the spell, treating his wand as if it were a baton. "Wingardium leviosa!"

The feather remained on the table.

"What are you doing?" Lily giggled at his odd pose.

Harry blushed lightly at being noticed. "I was trying a different tactic with casting. Swishing like a conductor using a baton."

"Oh?" Her head tilted slightly at the idea. "They are similar for the swish, I suppose, but the flick is much shorter for the spell. Don't conductors go the full way down?"

Harry nodded at the description. "I suppose so." He looked down at the feather, thinking over his attempt with Melly's description. With an amused smile, he shook his head at the silliness of the gesture, wondering if any of that story was ever true to begin with?

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

Harry and Lily turned to the Gryffindor side of class and saw that Granger had her feather flying four feet off of the desk. Harry had to admit he was impressed, and a bit envious that she had gotten the spell so quickly. Looking to her side, Harry also caught Ron looking rather upset at her success. He was likely feeling the same way as Harry, but Harry understood that it wasn't a huge shock. Granger is a bit of a know-it-all, from what he can see. Passionate but, well, abrasive about those passions when others don't know the things she knows. That said, he tried to put it out of his mind and went back to working on the feather. By the end of class, Harry was happy to find that he and a few others managed to get their feathers to float.

As they left the class, Harry could hear Ron loudly complaining ahead of the large column of students walking through the corridor.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her." He complained to Seamus Finnigan. "She's a nightmare, honestly."

Immediately behind Ron, Harry saw Hermione visibly tense. Then, the girl broke from her tense stance, and pushed past Ron and Finnigan further into the crowd.

"Seems she heard you, mate." Finnigan said casually.

"So?" said Ron. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

Something bubbled uncomfortably in Harry's chest. The way Ron was talking about Granger, it made him feel something …painfully familiar.

"Harry?" Lily turned to him. Both of them realized at that moment that Harry had stopped walking.

"I have to go do something. Tell Professor McGonagall that I'll be late."

"She won't like that, Harry." Lily stated. "She'll take points from Hufflepuff if you cut class."

"I know…" His voice roughened in uncertainty. "I just want to make sure Granger is alright."

Lily's shoulders slumped and her eyes glittered, the spirit of the debate leaving her. "Alright. I'm sure she'll understand."

"Thanks, Lily." Harry smiled, then pushed past the others in the crowd, actively ignoring Ron and Finnigan as he searched out Granger. He caught her bushy hair easy enough just before the girl turned to another corridor. Harry maneuvered through the crowd, breaking out just in time to see that Granger had broken out into a run. Harry sprinted behind her, the energy from his healing potions giving him strength to gain on her.

"GRANGER! WAIT UP!" He called out to her. The girl flinched from the call, but kept on running. "GRANGER, PLEASE, WAIT!"

In a few moments, the girl began to slow her run, stumbling somewhat as she turned another corridor. Harry slowed down to a jog as he caught up to her. Turning the corridor he found Granger sitting against the wall, body curled in and her face obscured. A hic in her voice showed that the girl was already crying.

"Granger," Harry knelt down just above eye level to her, "I understand why you're upset. What Ron said was mean of him. He shouldn't have said that."

"But, he's right." Granger muttered through her sobs. "I don't have any friends! I hoped… being in Hogwarts would be different; but, it's not!"

Harry's eyes cast down in guilt. He actually had spent time with her at the start of the year, mostly in the library when students had started making study groups. Though, with how abrasive she could be towards others, and when he drifted off to do a self-study of werewolves, he and the others had started to push her away. He hadn't realized how badly Granger had fared since then, so wrapped into his own happiness in life at Hogwarts. With a short sigh, he turned to rest his back against the wall next to her.

"I know what it's like. Not having people to turn to at school."

"How can you?" The girl mumbled. "You're Harry Potter. You have plenty of friends in our year, even some of the upper years talk to you."

"I don't mean here." He replied. "Before Hogwarts, I mean. You know about the trial with my family, right?" Granger gave a stiff nod, her face still obscured in her knees. "When I was younger I didn't have any friends. Anyone who was nice to me would be bullied by my cousin, so everyone learned to avoid me so that they wouldn't be hurt by him. When he wasn't hurting other kids, he and his friends would go 'Harry Hunting'. It was his favourite game."

Hermione wiped one of her eyes, then tilted her face up towards him. Harry only half noticed as he continued the confession.

"When I was seven I was able to make a couple friends, neither were my age. One of them didn't even live in my town, but both of them had to hide being my friend for their own safety. It was lonely. I hated it."

"How did you cope with that?" She asked.

"It was easy at first. I was used to being alone. Just having a friend or two seemed like the greatest thing in the world. After a while, though, it became hard. I couldn't be seen with them. And after… my uncle, I was too scared to even talk to them. I sort of resented them for making me realize how bad my life had been. I know, it sounds crazy, but I just wanted people I could talk to without having to hide it or be hurt by it."

"At least you had them, even briefly." Granger assured, her voice quiet yet stronger than it had been with the tears. "Whenever I feel alone, I only have books for company."

Harry turned to her with a small smile. "Well, books aren't all bad. They may not talk, but they make good storytellers."

The comment had Granger giggling slightly. "I suppose they are." After a pause, Granger sighed. Her head leaned back against the wall. "What am I going to do, though? It doesn't change how things are here. I still have no friends."

Harry gave a half-hearted frown at the statement. "Well, then, let's change that." He lifted himself off of the ground and turned to Granger with an outstretched hand. "Care to sit with me in transfiguration, friend?"

Granger stared at him, wide-eyed. Her gaze moved to the hand in blinks of confusion. Her lip quivered in uncertainty, but Harry felt relief as she grasped his hand and allowed him to hoist her up.

"Perfect. Come on. Lily already let her know that we would be a little late."

"Oh." She looked bashful. "I hope no one stares when we come in."

"It's alright. It's nobody's business, anyways." He assured her. "So… have you read the Narnia books by C.S. Lewis?"


Harry and Hermione Granger spent the whole lesson and their lunch break in each other's company. They talked about their favourite books growing up, and Hermione gave him a verbal list of books he ought to read since his school library had been lacking in selection. After eating their lunch, he convinced her to come up to the hospital wing to visit Melly. The older girl was bed-ridden due to a hoof-foot hex. The second time this month that the girl was here for a badly launched prank. Melly laughed the whole thing off, though. 'All in good fun' she assured with a grin. She also welcomed Hermione warmly to the impromptu circle of friends. When the younger girl distracted herself by asking Madam Pomfrey about healing spells, Melly leaned in to Harry, telling him how proud she was that he reached out to Hermione. 'Today would have been a very bad day for her if you hadn't been there.' she commented. 'And trust me when I say that you're a wonderful person to have as a friend.'

His heart had swelled with pride at the remark. Doubly so when Hermione gave him a bone-crushing hug and a teary thank you after he offered to hang out both during the feast and tomorrow at lunch. Those thoughts were all on his mind as he went through today's flying lesson.

"Are you alright, Potter? You're faltering in formation more than usual." Malfoy commented playfully as they moved through an off-shaped V-form flight.

Harry rolled his eyes at the comment. If anyone was known for messing with formations, it was the blond's penchant for always wanting the lead position. "Just distracted, Malfoy." He assured him.

Lily took Harry's comment to mind. "Are you still worried about Granger?"

Malfoy looked bemused by the question. "Granger? What about her?"

"Ron said some hurtful things about her and made her cry. It's alright, though. I talked with her afterwards." He informed them. "I can't say much for Ron, but she's feeling better."

"That's good." Lily smiled.

Malfoy opened his mouth to speak, then closed it as he became pensive. "I can't say she's… the easiest person to get along with, especially given her… history. That said, it's unbecoming for a member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight to make a girl cry. Weasley ought to apologize for his behaviour."

Harry frowned somewhat at Malfoy's comment. From what his tutor, Mister Perrot, described to him, talking about someone's "history" is a pureblood's polite way of saying a person of lesser blood. Much as it shouldn't have surprised him, given his family's view of blood status, it grated on Harry that Malfoy would consider that a factor in what Ron said. That said, he had to admit some sense in what Malfoy was saying. "I agree. I'll talk with Ron later about it."

"I can help, if you would like." Malfoy offered, with a glint in his eyes as he asked.

It's a political trap. Harry thought to himself. He and Malfoy are cordial to each other, like his tutor had advised back in August, but cordial can only go so far. To have Malfoy with him while talking to Ron was a 'statement', especially considering who each of their parents are …and which side they each fought on. That, and Ron would likely blow a gasket if Malfoy made one of his few snide remarks about the Weasley family.

"That won't be necessary. Ron is easier to talk to when it's one on one, but thank you for offering."

Malfoy pursed his lips slightly, but nodded as they made their descent. "My pleasure, Potter. If he's any trouble, just let me know."

Harry kept his eyes on their descent with only a slight nod. "I'll keep it in mind."


The Halloween Feast was nothing short of a spectacle! From above, a thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet. Harry dug in greedily, enjoying the tastes of the holiday. So overcome with food and conversation, he almost missed the voice quietly calling out to him.

"Harry?"

Harry turned, finding Hermione Granger standing nervously beside the Hufflepuff table. "Hi Hermione!" Harry grinned. He scooched over to make room for her. "Come on in. The barmbrack bread is delicious!"

"Thanks." Hermione nodded, a light blush of nervousness still on her face. Harry didn't let that phase him as he turned to the others.

"You all know Hermione, right?" He gestured to his housemates. They all greeted her with polite and happy smiles. It was slow going, but Hermione slowly became more accustomed to the group as the night went on. She and Kevin notably got into a discussion about their troubles in flying class. Then Justin joined in when talk shifted to adjusting from muggle to magical life. Harry brought on the occasional comment, but mostly spent his time with the meal and in talking with Megan Jones and Oliver Rivers about the flying club.

Suddenly, conversations died out as Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall with a look of terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll, in the dungeons, thought you ought to know." He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was an uproar from the students. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

At once Gabriel Truman jumped over to where the first years were sitting. "Alright, everyone, you heard the Headmaster. Miss, be quick back to Gryffindor tower. The rest of you, stay close and follow me. Gina, keep an eye on the second years."

Everyone got together at once. Walking in pairs, the prefect and first years made their way down to the basement towards the common room.

"I can't believe a troll got in." Ernie agitated. "This school is supposed to be the safest place in Britain!"

"It doesn't make sense." Susan agreed. "I should write to my aunt about it. Maybe the wards have a fault?"

"You think? More than likely Peeves brought it as a prank." Wayne suggested.

Susan shook her head. "Peeves? Can he even leave the school to find a troll?"

The other first years looked at each other and shrugged. Nobody could say for certain of the cause. "Either way, I'm sure the professors will handle it." Lily commented. To that, the rest of the students agreed. Trying to put the thought from their minds, they entered the common room. Inside, they found a selection of plates already waiting for them from the feast.

"Well," Harry thought to himself as the first years gathered round the serving line, "at least Halloween hasn't ended on too strange a note."