After years of training, Harry was up at Six am.
He showered in the hot water, and dressed in a fresh set of School Uniform Robes, and as he was tying his tie, he wandered into the common room. He looked the place over, and finally settled in a Queen Anne's chair before the low flame fire. As he sat there, he was reading his book on transfiguration.
He had just finished the section about having to have a clear picture of what you wanted to do, when a female throat cleared itself behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Millie standing there, a tusk poking through her smile.
"Morning Millie." He smiled back at her. "If I am not being rude… what gives you that … underbite."
"I have creature blood in my lineage." The big girl sat in a chair across from him. "Many old families have a touch here and there. I think your bloodlines are all human, going back over ten generations." She fidgeted a bit, before steeling herself. "A creature in the Far East, known as an Ogre Magi, myself, about six generations ago. Think Giant Magic users. The Tusks are a common trait as well as my size. My Aunt on my Father's side is a Dragon Keeper. About the size of Hagrid, and raw power to match Dumbledore. But not his control. Where he can spin spiderwebs, she throws bridge cables. Mind you, she has the power… she just brings the mountains down instead of summoning a stone."
Harry nodded. "I can see the pros and cons of that one." He stood and put the book in his inner pocket. "While it is unusual, it is not ugly. I like your smile."
She smiled, her tusks flashing in the firelight.
"If you two are done flirting…" Tracy had arrived, with a sleepy, but dressed Daphne in tow. The four of them exited the Dungeon Common Room, heading up to the Great Hall. Millie and Harry sat one side, as Daphne and Tracy sat on the other.
HaA
Snape sat at the end of the Table.
He sneered at his hated rivals spawn. The Lad was making all the right moves to usurp Draco's position as the Prince of Slytherin. And the only reason for Draco to have the position was Luscious and his Money.
He thought back to the Head of House meeting that was held every September first after the First Years were settled.
[Flashback]
The four professors had entered the Headmaster's Office after seeing their Houses settled in for the Night.
As was Tradition, Flitwick went first, as his common room was the highest. "Very bright bunch this year. While a little winded by the climb, their hands were as sharp as any in my Roost. Nothing sticks out as an issue among my Ravens."
McGonagall frowned. "Almost all of my Cubs are settling in fine. Miss Granger is going to be a problem, I fear she was mis-sorted. Her mind is too overclocked to be a proper Gryffondor. Also Prefect Weasley had to threaten his youngest brother with their Mother to get him to shut up about Potter not being sorted into my House."
Dumbledore snorted, and looked at Sprout.
Sprout smiled, "All quiet in the Den. My badgers folded them in and made everyone feel welcome."
Snape snorted. "Already the Politics are in play. I too have a mis-sorted. And I am disgruntled that it's not the one you think it is."
"Just send Mister Potter to my Office in the morning after Breakfast and we will resort him." Albus just smiled.
"You did not hear me, Sir." Snape sneered. "It is not Potter that needs to be resorted. If anything, He is going to rule in the Pit. He has already made an Alliance and a Friend. He has won the interest of the upper years, and put his rival in his place, with just a few choice comments. If his Parents ruled in Gryffindor, he will Rule in Slytherin."
[Flashback end]
Snape had just finished his eggs, and was collecting the schedules to give to his Senior Prefect, when Draco Malfoy waltzed in with his two hired goons a step behind. Snape groaned. His ass hat of a God Son was looking to pick a fight in the Great Hall.
"Hey Scarhead. Who said that you could eat with your betters?" Draco's nasally whine carried across the Hall.
Potter turned to look at the Senior Prefect, who turned to look at Snape. Snape nodded, as did the Prefect.
Potter slowly stood and smiled at Malfoy. "They did when they invited me. But I can understand your confusion. did your mommy forgot to pack your kibble bowl?" He picked up an unused bowl nearby. "If I put this on the floor, will it do?"
Draco went for his wand, and the Brute Bulstrode just turned and backhanded the blond.
Potter nodded, "Not Bad. But if you had used your shoulders properly you would have gotten a better topspin. If you had used your hips, you could have gotten some distance."
The troll twins grunted and nodded, before stepping over the downed male to sit a few seats over and began to eat breakfast.
The Senior Prefect stood and collected the schedules from Snape. "Sir, what should we do?"
"Have Mr. Lawrence take the boy to the Medical Wing." Snape stood to exit the Hall. "I will deal with him later."
The Prefect just nodded, and fished out Lawrence's Schedule out of the pack and handed it to the sixth year. "Take the road kill with you. Snape will deal with it later."
HaA
Harry was sitting beside Millie in Charms, waiting for class to start. When Ronald Weasley dropped beside him. "Hey Ron."
"Hey Harry." The Ginger leaned in. "Percy told me how we can fix this. All you need to do is Ask for a Resorting. Then you can be in Gryffindor with me. Where you belong."
"Now, Why would I want to be resorted?" Harry asked, confused. "If you are my friend, it should not matter which House we call home unless we are competing in sports. And then only on the field."
Millie raised an eyebrow at the conversation going on beside her. It seemed that her friendship was in danger…
"You don't need any slimy snakes for friends. You got me." The pushy boy applied the pressure.
"Yes." Harry smiled, and Millie felt a coldness in her chest… Before his voice changed. "But I never said you were my friend. I just sat with you on the train because you had on where else to go. Millie here is different. She was looking for a friend and she found one in me. She took my hand as Draco tried to on the Train." His voice was cold as her chest warmed. "You can either accept my Friends, or you can end up like Malfoy."
"We'll see about that!" Ron huffed, just as the small professor called the class to order.
Millie leaned in close. "Thanks for that."
"Like I told Malfoy. I can determine who is and who is not my friend." Harry smiled at the big lass. "The position is yours to lose. If he was my friend, he would have just set the bridge on fire. Let's see how he does by the end of the day."
Millie smiled her tusked smile.
The Professor started his roll call.
HaA
At Lunch, Greengrass had stopped the husky lad that had a pet toad.
"Heir Longbottom, I would like to introduce Heir Potter." The blond Witch waved a hand at Harry. "Heir Potter, I would like to introduce Heir Longbottom."
"We met." Harry smiled at the hefty lad. "How is Trevor doing?" He offered his hand.
Everyone looked at the extended hand.
"Are you sure?" The Lad asked softly.
"You're not going to bite it?" Harry asked.
"No, I ment, are you sure you want to befriend a squib?"
"Not a squib." Daphne patted the chubby lad on the shoulder. "You just haven't had a real need for magic. Squibs don't get Letters." She turned back to Potter. "Also, his Birthday is the day before yours. Gossip at tea parties say that you two are God Brothers. That means something in our culture. Especially among the traditional Houses. Longbottom, join us for lunch."
The witches moved off and the two lads were staring after them.
"I think we should join them." Harry broke the silence.
"Do you know what she meant by calling us God Brothers?"
"No, and right now I don't care. I have two friends that I made myself, if with a little help. I have two more, as Allies, and one I need to cultivate." Harry then frowned. "And there's Weasley.
"Not talking…"
"...about us…"
"...are you?"
"How Rude!"
Harry snorted as Longbottom groaned.
"Potter, I introduce you to the Twins Weasley." Longbottom sighed as he turned to look at two grinning third years. "If you can tell them apart, tell McGonagall."
"So …" Harry smiled at the twins. "Which is Rude?" His grin shifted, "the talking about you or the not talking about you?" The twins snorted, before Harry's face lost his smile. "No, I was talking about your younger Brother. He thought he could insult my friend just because I let him sit with me on the train. I told him to either accept my Friends, or he will end up like Malfoy."
The twins drew themselves up, exchanged looks, nodded, and turned back to Harry. "Done." They extended their inner hands, "Friend?"
Harry inspected both hands before gripping them and shaking them. "Friends. Now, please excuse us. We have a couple of witches waiting for our company."
The twins nodded. "Yes, you never keep a witch waiting if you can help it… unless you married her." They chorused.
Harry just shook his head and turned for the table where three witches were waiting on him.
HaA
That night in the common room, the Prefects called an assembly.
The Senior Female began.
"Last Night we told you the rules." She was a prim and proper witch…
"And then this morning, Someone broke Rule two." The Senior Male spoke up.
"Will Potter and Malfoy please step forward." The middle Male Prefect called out.
As Potter and Malfoy stepped forward, the rest of the House stepped back to give them room.
"Now who can tell us who broke the Rule, and Who was justified in their actions this morning?" The Junior Female called out.
There was minor grumbling, Before Tracy stepped forward.
"Malfoy broke the Rule." Her youthful voice carried across the room. "Potter only responded when he had permission to do so. And he did it with style."
There were murmurs of consensus.
"You are correct." The senior female spoke. "And as such, both of you take a point for following House Dictates. Fall back."
"Mister Malfoy. You have Assaulted a Housemate in public. You tried to maneuver yourself to a better position within the House, by harming another in the public arena." The Senior Male frowned at the boy.
"Had you done more than just earn a laugh, we might have ignored this. But you let a Muggle raised Half-blood not only get the better of you, you lost your temper and his Ally dropped you."
"Sir. You are wrong. She is not my Ally. She is my Friend." Harry stepped forward. "I will take a fist for my Allies… I will maime for my Friends. You do Not want to know what I will do for Family."
The 'Snakes' around him shifted, as they remembered that he was the boy who lived.
"Now as this was day one of School, we have agreed that a warning and a public showing of your faults should be enough of a punishment." The junior female spoke up.
The middle female shook her head. "Mister Malfoy, the grievous assault on your Housemate, we ding you one point. For doing so in public, we ding you four points."
"Now, some of us have homework. Either retire to your rooms, or the study areas." The senior female barked. "We will have quiet."
Harry turned and headed to his room, as Daphne, Tracy, and Millie followed him. He saw them as he was going to close the door.
"Invite us in, Harry." Tracy smiled at the Lad.
Harry frowned at them, but bid them to enter.
Once inside they asked him to add them to his wards.
"Why?" He put his hands behind his back.
"Because, in a few years, you are going to be in need of a place where you can get under a willing Witch's Robes." Tracy smiled, "Auntie told us to find the best of our year, and to start training him. By Our Research, you are going to be Lord Potter." She pushed him onto the bed, before sitting beside him.
Daphne took the desk chair, as Millie sat on his trunk.
Daphne frowned at the boy. "And we think you might be more. Does the name Sirius Black mean anything to you?"
"No…can't say It does."
"Well…" Millie tilted her head slightly, "Do you have plans for Yule?"
"Yule? You mean like Christmas?" Harry frowned at the witches.
"Yes and no." Tracy grinned. "The Holidays are within a week of each other, but not the same. Mom thinks that the Church used Yule to bring followers to Christmas and Christianity." She patted his hand. "Mom is a squib, and so she practices both. Yule is on the twenty first to twenty second, pending on the lunar calendar. Christmas is on the twenty fifth. Mom, being a traditionalist, practices the full rituals of both… including Christmas Eve and Boxing Day."
Harry frowned. "I think I will be here. My relatives don't want me to return if I don't have to."
"So… you would be able to visit." Millie sat up straight. "Mum would be happy to Host you, Scion Potter. Pa would strut about until Easter just on your acceptance of my invitation, alone."
"If it is offered, it will be accepted." Harry smiled, curling his lower lip to expose his bottom row of teeth while thrusting his jaw forward, encouraging Millie to do the same.
Millie did. "I will confirm with Mum and Pa tonight."
Harry smiled at her. "It can wait until morning. Hedwig will need to exercise her wings. Unless you have your own owl here."
"No." Millie frowned. "I chose a Cat."
"Then We will use Hedwig." Harry was authoritative. "We will need to get your Parents used to her coming and going if you are to be my friend."
"But not our Families?" Tracy pouted, but her puppy dog eyes sparked with mirth.
"Of course I will be conversing with your parents." Harry patted her hand. "I will need to talk about our Alliance after all."
They talked late into the night.
Just before they left, Harry added them to the Wards.
HaA
The next Morning, he was met by his seventh year Neighbour. "I listened to you and your Witches last night. They stay over late…or should I say early?"
Harry choked on his tongue.
"I swear that I won't share what I heard until the end of the year." The guy said, "But I would advise learning the Silencing charm, and runic array. Especially if you are going to have Witches in your room and or talking House Politics. Also…" the older Lad looked about, "During the Holiday Break, Go to Gringotts and see your House Account Manager. My Uncle is friends and works with the eldest of the Black Sisters. She let slip that Sirius was framed, that he could not have betrayed you or your parents. Not only was he your Godfather, You are his Heir. While at Gringotts get an Heir Blood Test. I will tell you that it will hurt and you will bleed, but it is worth it all."
"What do you get out of this?" Harry frowned at the guy.
"I get a minor favour from you before you graduate." the guy extended his hand to shake.
"But I get to refuse it without repercussions."
"If refused, it doesn't count."
Harry glared at him. "Done." And shook hands.
TBC