Harry Potter woke up to the sound of the CSX morning train passing through the town on August 25th 1991. It was just another day he thought so far. The town he lived in, Maysville Kentucky, was a major yard for the rail company so there were quite a few trains coming and going every day. So many that people sometimes ignored them, other people had grown to be annoyed by them. Harry though loved the sound of the train horns and the rattling clanking of the wheels on the tracks. Sometimes he would stand by the station on the west end of town and feel the air woosh as a coal train would rumble by.

He lived in a nice older house at the end of a street with his aunt, uncle, and cousin looking over the valley. #400 East Fifth Street had been built in the 1930s and had character he was told. It was also the not the home of his parents but his guardians the Dursleys.

He did not want to live with the Dursleys, unfortunately he was an orphan so had little choice. Harry had been told since he was a young age that his parents had abandoned him on their doorstep with no second thoughts about him, then got themselves killed in an accident. Harry did not want to believe that, but had little alternative evidence. So he lived with them in a careful coexistence.

His uncle Vernon was a tall heavyset man, with a thick bushy mustache like a walrus. He had beefy hands that hurt a great deal when he used them to 'correct' Harry's behavior. Not that Harry was a bad kid, just that odd things happened around him, a lot. Vernon worked as the Environmental Compliance Department Manager at the local Hugh Spurlock Power Generating Station. Since that was considered a government stooge position, he was not entirely popular and unable to move into the higher levels of local society. The local country club had denied his application for membership four times already.

His aunt Petunia was a tall, slender, almost skeletal, harridan of a woman. Her nose was narrow, with a slight upturn at the end, and always in her neighbors business it seemed like. She stayed home and kept the house incredibly, surgically, neat and tidy. An almost unnatural obsession with order kept her straightening picture frames and adjusting vases on the shelves.

His cousin Dudley was a jock. With as much muscle between his ears as in his arms and legs. He would probably grow up to be a less educated, and less successful, version of his father Harry thought. Even at the age of eleven he was a thug, a bully, and had fallen in with some of the less desirable crowd in the Mason County public schools. Their hobbies were decidedly not the sort that made the honor roll.

They would have fun chasing Harry around the playground and parks when they encountered him out and about. Harry got very good at riding his bicycle down side streets, alleys and even onto the railroad tracks. Harry was quite proud of his bicycle as he had found it in the garbage and managed to scrounge enough parts to fix it. Dudley and his friends knew that and always tried to break it in front of Harry when they could. So when he rode he was always keeping an eye out so he could escape them. He did not tell anyone about one escape he had managed with his bicycle though and doubted he ever would as he did not believe it himself.

He had been riding downhill towards the gas station when Dudley and his friends had decided to have some fun. Turning down Limestone street he tried to slow down but the brakes had broken preventing him from doing so. Sliding through the intersection with third street between a dump truck and a mini-van he found himself accelerating towards the Ohio River. Dudley and his friends had managed to navigate the intersection safely Harry noticed with a quick glance so he figured he would go off the boat landing into the river and swim over to the boat ramp. He would lose his bike but he could find another he was sure.

What happened though confused him and caused Dudley to go into the river in shock. When he hit the end of the landing pier he flew across the river. Skimming like a stone until he reached the boat ramp into Aberdeen where he just rode along the street like nothing had happened. Walking his bike back across the Simon Kenton Bridge he wondered how he had done that.

It had been the weirdest incident in a life of weirdness he had encountered so he kept his mouth shut. When Dudley tried to blame him for causing so much trouble, the local police had fished Dudley out of the river, he was left unharmed while Dudley got one of the few behavior 'corrections' by Vernon.

Harry spent the day at the library, only a few blocks away from his house, reading quietly and enjoying the alone time. Dudley and his friends reacted to entering the library the way a vampire reacted to entering a church in the movies so he was not bothered by them. He did not enjoy staying at the house due to Aunt Petunia's obsessive cleaning so the library was the safest and best place to stay.

Today though when he was walking back towards the house a stray cat followed him. The cat had some very strange marking he thought as it looked like it was wearing glasses. Shrugging at another odd thing he stopped to pet the cat for a moment then cut through the alley and up the hill towards his house.

Taking his shoes off on the porch he walked quickly and quietly up to his room. The various mechanical things he had rescued from the garbage and repaired buzzing, humming or clicking as they worked. Placing his books on his desk in a clear corner he began to get ready for supper.

They had just sat down at the table when the doorbell rang. Vernon glared at the door and tried to ignore it, but as the person apparently did not lift his finger from the button causing the same ding-dong-ding sound to repeat over and over, that was impossible.

Stomping through the house in his slipper clad feet Vernon flung open the door to stop in shock before his tirade had even begun. Standing on the other side was a wizard straight out of the movies.

The man was tall, with an even taller gray hat, a long white beard reached his waist and was tucked into a wide black leather belt with several pouches hanging off of it. Gray robes flowed around the man as a gray cloak hung from his shoulders. On one shoulder the stray cat from earlier sat gazing at Vernon without amusement. A long crooked nose looked like it had been broken a few times and small half-moon silver framed glasses perched on said nose. Light blue eyes twinkled merrily behind the lenses at Vernon's sudden consternation.

"Who in the name of Jebus H Christ are you?" Vernon drawled angrily as he stood looking at the man.

Laughing lightly the man said, "I my good sir am Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Principal and headmaster if you will, for the Point Pleasant Magical Academy. Sometimes rather colloquially called the Witchling Academy."

"You're a lunatic freak, now get the blazes offa my front porch." Vernon growled, looking like he was about to throw him off if he did not do so.

"I am sorry Mr Vernon A. Dursley, My business here is not with you but your young ward Harry Potter." Albus declared imperiously drawing himself to his full height to tower over Vernon, "Now stand aside before I lose my temper."

"This is still America Mister freak and I will not be talked to in my own home that way!" Vernon shouted throwing a punch at Dumbledore. A punch that never landed as Albus raised his hand freezing Vernon in place. With a flick of his wrist Vernon floated into the corner of the living room. His eyes darting about rapidly in confusion.

Dudley rose to avenge his father but Petunia laid her hand on his arm, "Hello Albus. You could have sent a letter."

"Yes I suppose. But this way is more entertaining." Albus said with a chuckle, "Besides I do so like the theatricals."

Petunia scowled at him, "Yes I know. Now I will reiterate what my husband told you, please leave us alone."

"I thought you would recall the terms of our agreement when I left young Harry on your doorstep. When I told you what would be expected. This is that day." Albus declared.

"Then take your shoes and hat off." She said with a frown as she practically dragged Dudley out of the room, "And release my husband so I can explain this to him."

Albus waved his hand casually letting Vernon continue his forward momentum so that he fell on the floor with a thud. "Woman! What in the nine demons is that? What does he? What? Just what?"

"Come along dear we are going to go up to the Ponderosa for dinner." Petunia said picking up her purse. "When we come back Mr Dumbledore will be gone."

Albus merely smiled patiently as the Dursleys left. Leaving Harry standing in the dining room quite confused.

"Ahh Hello Harry. I believe we have a great deal to discus." Albus said with a smile.

Realizing he was alone in the house with a very strange man that his aunt knew Harry was unsure what to do. He wanted to know more but he also wanted to run as fast as he could.

Dumbledore looked around at the plastic covered furniture, the doilies and the sterile Montgomery Ward catalog décor and sighed, "Your aunt could certainly use some decorating advice."

Harry nodded, "She is a bit obsessed with neatness."

"Well I suppose you have some questions." Albus said, "We will be very happy to answer them. Although I do reserve the right to defer anything sensitive or complicated until a later date when you have a better understanding of things." As he said that the cat leapt off of his shoulder, turning into a gray haired woman wearing a green checkered dress with a sweater over it.

Harry's eyes grew wide as his mouth dropped open.

"Close your mouth, you are not a trout." the woman said in a distinctly West Virginia Mountains accent.

"Sorry but that was absolutely amazing. How did you do that?" Harry excitedly demanded.

The older lady smiled saying, "I am an animagus."
"Minerva is our transfiguration teacher. Although professionally you would be best to refer to her as Ms. McGonnagal." Albus said happily.

"Wait teacher? As in a school?" Harry shook his head in confusion, "I don't understand. What's going on?"

Pulling chairs from the table Albus and Minerva sat, "You have been chosen to be a student at our school. A private institution called the Point Pleasant Magical Academy, although colloquially our alumni call it the Witchling Academy."

"Chosen? By whom? Why?" Harry asked sitting across from them.

"Perhaps we should back up and start from the beginning." Dumbledore said darkly. Harry nodded his agreement.

Dumbledore took a pipe out of his pocket and lit it with a flick of his thumb. After a couple of puffs he began to speak in a deep voice looking into Harry's heart it felt like. "There is a secret world of magic and wonder Harry, a world that is hidden from the everyday normal one. These two worlds, magical and mundane, have coexisted for millennia. This coexistence has not always been peaceful or benevolent on both sides unfortunately. Though people work hard to preserve the peace and teach the next generations the things they need to know to be prepared. You, Harry, are part of this world, as are Minerva and myself and hundreds of others near and far to you. As were your parents before you."

Harry sat spellbound as Dumbledore's voice carried his mind into vast realms. Realizing that the wizard had paused Harry asked softly, "You knew my parents?"

Minerva nodded, "Aye we did young man. They were not wastrels and drunks. They were heroes in a war our world had, they fought with honor and ferocity. They only died because they were betrayed by one of our own."
"A war? Is it still going on?" Harry did not like the sound of that.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrow as he took a puff before replying, "No. There is peace in our world. As much as there ever is. You will learn far more about that once you arrive at our school. Our business here today is to prepare you for your schooling."

"But I already go to school here. I doubt the Dursleys would pay for me to go to some other school even if they did want to get rid of me." Harry frowned, then looking at Dumbledore asked, "Why am I here anyhow? The Dursleys don't like me."
"You are here because your aunt Petunia is your mother's sister. The last living blood relative you have, I am sad to say, and I thought she would raise you better. I see that I was wrong. I shall have to have words with her." Dumbledore did not sound happy.

"Okay. But that still doesn't explain how I can go to your school." Harry said, "I don't have any money."

Reaching into his robes once again Dumbledore produced a strange looking bank passbook. It looked like it was bound in leather with a strange golden symbol on its cover. "Here is access to all of the money you will need. Your parents were not paupers Harry. The Dursleys were not told of this as I did fear what temptations would bring."
Harry ran his finger over the book slowly when he saw in the lower corner the word Potter in the gold lettering. He tried to open it but it refused to budge.

"It is blood locked Harry, so none but the authorized account holder may open it. Run your finger along the edge of the pages." Minerva said.

Harry looked at her oddly for a moment then slid his finger, he felt a slight draw as he watched a red stripe go along the thin paper then vanish. With a pinch of her fingers the small wound faded.

With a nod from Minerva he was able to open the book and see an accounts ledger. Pages of it, far more than it would seem to be held in such a thin book. "How do I use this? What bank does it go to?"

"Any bank with the symbol on their doors will help a holder of these passbooks. The nearest one is in Ripley." Dumbledore said. "As is the shop where you will be able to get your equipment and a few other supplies."

Harry took the piece of paper that Dumbledore handed him, unfolding it he frowned, "Potions ingredients, textbooks. A school uniform. Wow. Do I get a magic wand too?"

Dumbledore chuckled, "Oh no Harry. Only the old fashioned fuddy duddies in Europe still use wands. We teach a much more modern method of controlling and harnessing your magic."

Harry grinned. "This is going to be so cool."
"Yes well until you are an adult you will have to refrain from hexing your cousin and his friends, there will be responsibilities and rules to follow young man." Minerva pointed out firmly.

Harry's face fell, "Oh yeah."
"Don't worry. Most of it is common sense. And of course a matter of not getting caught." Dumbledore winked at him, "The veil separating our worlds relies on discretion and self-control Harry. I presume you have heard of the term witch-hunt?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry nodded, "Yeah our history teacher told us about Salem and all of that."

"Yes, well the truth of the matter was slightly different, but in the end the result was the same, a great many innocent people lost their lives over some injudicious use of magic." Dumbleodore sadly sighed, "You will learn more about that when you arrive at the school as well."
"How do I get there, when do I need to go?" Harry asked quickly warming to the idea, "And how do I come back?"

"It is a boarding school for those who live far enough away, although we have a few day students who live close by as well." Dumbledore reached into his robes once more, Harry was beginning to wonder just how many pockets the man had. "This is the ticket for the Chester B. Goode. It is a boat that will bring you to the docks where our agents will bring you and those others in the region to the school."

Harry opened the stiff thick paper folder to find a manila printed ticket with August 31st, Limestone Landing printed on it. His name and some other things he supposed were for the boat stewards to use were also on there. The name along the top of the ticket read 'Ohio River and Rail Magic Packet Company.'

"One last thing Harry, you may bring your bicycle and a single pet. The details are in your welcome packet." Dumbledore said looking at him expectantly. "So do you have any more questions?"

Harry set the things on the table in front of him, "I don't even know where to being."

Dumbledore's pipe had gone out so he put it into his pocket, "I am sure you will think of where to begin asking them at some point. Perhaps writing them down, I know I like to organize my thoughts a great deal."

Harry nodded, "I will try that."?

Dumbledore and Minerva rose. "Well then Harry. Our contact information is in the packet, should you have any pressing concerns or questions. Until then we must go speak with some others in the area."
Harry stood to walk them to the door, "Oh. Does the shop use real money or some kind of magical money?"

Dumbledore laughed as his wizards robes transformed into a trucker ballcap with the Grateful Dead logo, Cincinnati Reds T-shirt and jeans with work boots, "We're all Americans Harry. We use the dollar."

Harry grinned watching the two of them walk to a classic blue Cadillac and leave. He did not know what was going to happen to him now but he was definitely going to find it amazing.

…...

He had gone to Ripley the next day with his ledger book and welcome packet Dumbledore had given him. His aunt Petunia had been ignoring him for the brief ride as if she did not want to acknowledge any of this more than she had to.

Entering the bank he nervously approached the young lady behind the counter. She looked up with a smile until she saw he had no adults around him then looked back at him puzzled.

"Uh could I withdraw some money please?" he asked presenting his passbook.

The teller looked at the passbook then with a sigh pointed to a balding man with glasses sitting at a desk in a small cubicle to the side. "Mr Perks can help you with this. He's in charge of our special accounts."

"Oh uh thanks." Harry said taking his passbook to the cubicle and waiting for the man to finish his phone call. When he had he waved Harry inside.

"Hello young man. What can I do for you today?" the man asked cheerfully.

"Uh I was wanting to withdraw some money from my account." Harry said holding his passbook out.

Mr Perks looked at the book, "You've not been instructed how to use the book very well have you?"

Harry shook his head, "No sir."
"Ahh. Well. As the account holder you are the only one able to open the passbook. I cannot do so. This is to prevent theft or misuse of the account information. Also to identify the account holder."

Harry flipped open the book causing the man to nod, "Very good, now if you want to withdraw money you turn back to the checks page and simply write out a check for the amount you want. If you want to deposit money you turn to the deposit slips and fill them out. Do you know how to do that?"

Harry had not learned how to fill a check out. "I don't know how to do that, or how much I should take out."

"Oh well. Where are you going?" Perks asked.

"To Point Pleasant. Are there other places?" Harry asked wondering if he was going to the right place.

"Yes. But that's not important right now." Perks sat back chewing on his pen, "Since you're a first year you won't get to have weekend outings and such so won't need much cash. So I'd say a hundred bucks for your supplies and another twenty for incidentals to get you through. Do you have any preferences?"

"Preferences?" Harry asked in a confused look.

"Preference in how you want your money?"

"Oh I have no preferences then." Harry said trying to sound like he knew what he was doing.

"Okay good. Then just write out the check for your amount and we'll get things taken care of." Perks said with a smile.

Harry nodded then followed the man's instructions on how to write out the check. When he handed it over Perks looked at it and then made a humming noise. "Ahh. This originated in a Teays Valley bank. No problem though. Just give me a few moments."

Harry nodded as the man rose and spoke with the teller for a few moments and then came back counting a stack of ones, fives, and tens out in front of him.

"There you go. I just took my daughter to Frisby's last week. She's going to Point Pleasant too so if you don't get too extravagant you should do just fine for the things on your supply list." Perks said with a smile. "With a bit left over."

"Oh okay thanks. Uh. Where is Teays Valley?"

Perks looked at him oddly for a moment then replied, "Its in West Virginia. About a half hour south of Point Pleasant. Its probably got the most magical communities in the Ohio River Valley Conclave."

"Conclave?" Harry asked.

"Uh. You'll find out more about that at school. I'm sorry but I need to take this." Perks said as his phone began to ring.

Harry stood and nodded, "Oh. I'm sorry. Good day."

Perks waved with his off hand as he picked up his phone.

Stepping out of the bank Harry looked around the center of Ripley. Ohio might as well have been the moon as the Dursleys did not like to take him places if they did not have to. Usually leaving him with Patrica Figg, a rather odd woman who lived in a small house with a dozen or so cats at the other end of fifth street.

There was a large building that said it was a library on the sign in front of it. He wondered if he could convince his aunt to allow him to visit as the building had a cannon out front and everything. Across the street was a small pharmacy and across the corner was a antique shop. According to the welcome packet Frisby's was in a thrift shop about a block north of the bank.

Harry started walking north with his aunt primly clutching her purse as if she expected a horde of robbers to leap out of the gutters. The men around the hardware and builder's supply stores ignored her, or if they did notice her chuckled to themselves. Harry tried to ignore the indignant snort of his aunt as they reached the building.

It was a large brick building with glass fronted windows that had been last washed when the river rose this high. The paint was chipped and peeling from the doors proclaiming this to be the Lost Sheep Second Hand Emporium and Thrift Shop. Harry could hear his aunt's teeth grinding as she tensed up when Harry opened the door.

Inside the store had the smell of old people's clothes that had been hanging on the rack far too long. Piles of broken toys and old harlequin romance novels sat on tables among other clothes that had been folded carefully then tossed in piles. Shoes were lined along the wall in regimental perfection, gathering dust.

Walking towards the back of the store Harry approached the only human he could see inside. A dark skinned gray haired woman with glasses lazily waving a fan as she rocked back and forth.

"Uh excuse me. I'm looking for Frisby's Market?" Harry asked politely. He was always polite as people responded better to him that way.

The woman smiled kindly at him and pointed with her left hand, "Go through the curtains, turn right and go up the stairs."
"Oh. Uh thank you." Harry said as he looked at the doorway the woman had pointed at. It said Employees only. With a shrug he parted the curtains feeling a slight tingle go throuhg him. His aunt gave a strangled yelp when she passed through them but Harry wasn't sure if that was something magical or just the strange curtains making contact with her skin. She reached into her purse quickly and used a wet wipe on her face and pulled some rubber gloves out of her purse. Harry sighed as he knew she would be in the bath for the rest of the afternoon due to her phobia about dirt, germs, and chaos. Which since this building seemed to have copious amounts of all three must be her vision of hell itself.

"I'll wait for you in the car." Petunia managed to choke out after she saw the broad wooden stairs they would have to climb to the next floor. Harry did not get a chance to reply as she spun and departed quickly. The faint smell of rubbing alcohol lingering in the air. Shaking his head Harry thought that it would probably be better this way.

Climbing the stairs he found himself in the flea market of flea markets. There was a small kiosk next to the stairs with a change machine and some vending machines. Pepsi,Coke and something called Fizzos stood side by side. Shops stretched out to his left until they reached a set of double doors and to his right where they reached the front windows.

People milled about going from shopping booths to shopping booths. Quite a few of them with red hair. Pulling his list out he decided to start at the top and headed towards a store named Dawson's Duds and More.

Entering the small shop he saw a tall red haired boy standing impatiently while a woman measured him. A chubby red haired woman stood nearby looking at him in resignation while holding the hand of a young girl whose red hair reached the small of her back. She was looking around in the tired boredom of young children.

"I swear Molly. Do you know how to grow any children that are not beanpoles?" the woman with the tape measure around her neck chuckled around the cigarette dangling in her mouth.

"Oh I'm sure Ginny here will take after my side. All of the boys though take after Arthur." the woman apparently named Molly replied.

"Well let me go in the back and see if I have any Point Pleasant uniforms in his size." the woman said before turning and going through some curtains.

"Alright Ron you can get down now."
"Bout time. I was getting tireda being poked and prodded like that."

"Well your father wanted to make sure you looked nice for school at least." The Molly woman declared.

Harry looked at the boy to see if he could figure anything out about him. Since they would be going to school together he hoped he might be a friend. The boy was tall and skinny with freckles across his face. He had picked a Cincinnati Reds ball cap off of the chair beside the podium he had been being measured upon. He was wearing a black T-shirt with a bright blue Corvette on it with crossed checkered flags. Blue denims and work boots completed his wardrobe.

His sister was wearing a pink T shirt under Bib overall shorts with sneakers. She seemed to notice Harry and then her eyes grew wide as she hissed, "Its him! He's here!"

"Who is dear?" The mother asked turning around and seeing Harry but apparently not seeing the significance of him continued her search.

"Him. Harry Potter!" The girl almost shrieked as she grinned broadly.

"Don't point dear. Its rude." She said to the girl before turning to Harry and saying, "I'm sorry. My husband has let her get all excited about Harry Potter."
"Oh. Uh. Why?" Harry had no idea if he should acknowledge he was the Harry Potter or not.

"Because he is the biggest hero ever, he destroyed the Warlock!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly, "And for that he got a lightning bolt scar. Like what you have."
Harry had such a scar and had allowed his bangs to grow over it. A few times when he was out in public people had saluted him and once a man dressed in a purple tuxedo and top hat had tried to shake his hand before Vernon threatened to tie him into a pretzel for being a pedo. "Oh really? Wow. What a coincidence."

Harry decided to try and not confirm he was the Harry Potter this girl was excited about without denying it. Since he had no idea who the Warlock was or how he might have destroyed him. Maybe it had something to do with the war his parents fought in.

Molly seemed to realize how uncomfortable Harry was and said, "Ahh. Ginny he does look a lot like the boy in your comic books but I'm sure he's not him. Remember he lived in Godric's Hollow. That's clear over in West Virginia."

Ginny thrust her jaw out and studied Harry like she was looking for some sign of lies. Finally she frowned but said, "Okay mom. If you say so."

"Ron you stay here and get your uniforms. Ginny and I are going to go down to check on the rest of the brood. Lord knows what Fred and George have gotten into by now."

"Probably shoved Percy in the toilet again." Ron snorted causing Ginny to giggle.

As the two females left the shop Harry smiled politely at them. The girl still studied him the entire time before they left.

"You are him aren't you?" Ron asked as Harry wandered over.

Harry shrugged, "I guess so."

"Hey don't worry. I'm not a fanboy. My sister is the one in the family with the obsession." He snorted as the woman came out interrupting them.

"Ronald, where did your mother go?" the shop lady asked coming out of the back with a back full of clothes.

"She had to go check on the others." He said.

"Oh figures. Those twins are a menace to society you know that?" the woman grumbled.

"Yeah I know." Ron replied taking the shopping back from the woman. "Mom already paid?"

"Yeah she did. You're good to go." The woman said before turning to Harry, "What can I get you sonny?"

"Uh. Standard uniforms for Point Pleasant." Harry said.

"Alright get up here and let's measure you." the woman said. Harry stood still and followed her instructions. After she left to get his uniforms Ron chuckled.

"So. Which are you?" Ron asked.

"Which what?"

"Chevy or Ford. I won't think bad of you if yer a Ford guy but I might not let you date my sister." he grinned.

Harry laughed, "Uh my uncle drives a Dodge and my aunt drives a Honda."

Ron looked disappointed for a moment before shrugging, "Oh well at least your uncle drives a good truck. It is at least a truck isn't it?"

Harry nodded, "Oh yeah."

"Okay sonny that'll be $47.75 three shirts,summer, three shirts, winter, three pants, winter coat, rain jacket, dress shoes." the woman said.

Harry handed her fifty dollars and took his change. Hoping that the man at the bank was right that he would be okay with all of this.

"Don't worry. The school subsidies the uniform purchases so Flo isn't going to go broke." Ron said after they left. "That and the rest of the stuff on our list isn't that expensive, the books are the next biggest expense but we can get some of them used."

"You sound like you know a lot about the process." Harry observed.

"I have five older brothers. So yeah. We've been here a lot." Ron said as he pointed out things on the list, "We can get the potion supplies at Redoak's, they are local grown most of them. Triple P is one of the chain stores so they don't always have fresh stuff, or local. The stuff for Botany class is pretty cheap since we won't be doing anything major yet. We don't get to play with the fun stuff until we're older."

"Oh okay. This place has a lot more than just our school stuff?" Harry observed.

"Yeah its the main magical shopping center along the river since Cincinnati closed down." Ron glumly said. "They left the ORV Conclave and started their own to avoid fighting in the Warlock war."

"Who was this Warlock?" Harry asked as they paused by the vending machines.

Ron glanced over at the pop machines and asked, "You ever try a Fizzo?"

Harry sighed but pulled out four quarters to get himself and Ron a pop each. Ron opened the front of the machine and pulled out a green bottle for himself and a Harry. Inserting the cap into the front of the machine after closing the door the pop hissed and fizzed. Harry looked at it cautiously as the bubbles inside the bottle made the drink look like it was boiling.

Ron had already chugged back about half of the bottle then let out a belch that was loud enough to cause a train horn to sound quiet by comparison.

"Gotta get it quick before the gas gets out or you can't do that." Ron proudly declared.

Harry tried to drink the incredibly bubbly beverage but blew it out his nose. Once he was done choking and coughing Ron said, "Oh well. Maybe you ought to sip at it first."
Harry nodded, "The Warlock?"

"Oh yeah. He was an evil wizard who tried to take over the ORV conclave before wanting to take over everything else. He hated mundanes and wanted to enslave them. He ended a lot of people in his war before you ended him." Ron quickly explained.

"Oh. How did I do that?" Harry asked.

"You don't know?" Ron asked in shock.

Harry shook his head, "Nope no clue."

Ron looked at him in surprise then grunted, "Hunh. Well nobody else knows neither so I guess that makes it ewenanimous."

Harry nodded as he wondered who else was going to expect him to know something about this. "Uh so how does your sister know about me?"

"C'mon I'll show you. We've got to go to the book store anyhow." Ron said and led the way to Paige One Books. It had new books, textbooks, cooking books, how to manuals. Only the how to was not the usual stuff like how to repair a mower or build a chair but how to set up a standing stone, how to align your geomantic circle, how to create a clockwork bird. Harry felt a he was going to be dropping a lot of money in this place unless he restrained himself.

Ron led him to a section of comic books, there was an import title called Dirk Phoenix Auror for Hire, but one called the Adventures of the Boy-Who-Lived! Taking it from Ron he saw a rather good likeness of himself on the cover fighting a demonic looking creature.

"What!?" Harry looked at Ron in confused anger.

"Yeah. She has all of the issues. Plus the poster and the action figure."
"I have an action figure?" Harry scowled, "Who is makign all of this?"

Ron shrugged, "I dunno. The artist of the comic book is someone named Moony. Dad tried to track him down but he may live outside the ORVC."

Harry nodded as he found a collection of the first dozen or so issues. He might as well see what sort of life he had been getting up to. Getting his textbooks he talked with Ron about his life and what he did.

Ron and his family lived just north of Aberdeen on a road named Fishing Gut which ran beside a creek of the same name. Harry chuckled when Ron started talking about the various cars they owned and the hound dogs and all sort of other things he and his brothers dealt with.

Ron loved his mother and dad as they did a lot to provide for their children and give them a decent life. Arthur worked with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Magic Division as a beast controller and wildlife officer. Traveling around the southern part of the state dealing with Bigfoot sightings, encounters with the few other magical creatures and plants around the woods or generally trying to help prevent mundanes, ie non-magical people, from having unpleasant encounters with magicals and vice versa. His mother Molly took care of the house, tried to ride herd on the five kids living at home and occasionally do things to help their neighbors.

He seemed to have a grudging fondness for his brothers which Harry understood when he finally met the rest of them. Percy was in a junior ROTC program at the Ripley School. He wore khaki pants with a crease sharp enough to cut cheese, his shoes were polished mirror finished and his green shirt with lighter green tie tucked between his third and fourth buttons seemed almost unnatural to Harry. He wore his red hair in a very close cropped flat top, but otherwise was very polite and helpful. Especially to his mother.

The twin brothers though were something else. They had an odd way of talking, finishing each others sentences sometimes, or otherwise not talking to each other. They wore their hair almost as long as their sister and were wearing identical clothes. A T-shirt with a giant guitar playing frog on it, and jean shorts. Finding out he as Harry Potter they did not seem to be as impressed as Ginny was.

She seemed to be the typical tomboy. Missing a tooth and dancing with glee to be proven correct that she recognized Harry.

Ron's oldest two brothers had already moved out and gotten jobs elsewhere. William, also called Bill, had become an archaeologist and worked to explore the Yucatan. Charles, aka Charlie, worked in Colorado on a wildlife preserve in the mountains. Trying to keep the few dragons from going extinct and out of mundane's lives. Unfortunately, according to Ron, the Denver Conclave wanted to continue exploiting the dragons for their meat and other magical components by raising them like cattle. So the nature preserve had several conflicts with the Denver magicals.

By the time the Weasleys and Harry had finished shopping it was almost dinner and Harry was worried his aunt would have left without him. Ron had reassured the Weasleys would drive him home if she had though.

Harry sighed with relief when he saw his Aunt's Honda Accord and waved to Ron before loading all of his purchases into the back seat.

"Did you forget anything?" Petunia asked looking at the packages suspiciously.

"Nope. I got everything on the list." And a few things more Harry thought as Ron had encouraged him to try some of the various treats like the chocolate covered, bacon wrapped, cream cherries or the molasses toffee. Harry had been a bit unimpressed with the Fizzos extra carbonated pop preferring his normal Ale-8-1 which Ron had never tried.

"Well good. You can walk yourself to the landing in the morning." petunia declared as they began the drive back to Maysville. Harry saw the large blue chevy van with several red haired teens in front of them. Laughing he finally was looking forward to going back to school.

…...

The next morning Harry packed quickly and rode his bike down the hill to the landing, shouldering his backpack carefully as all of the things he needed to bring to school had been shoved into it. Stopping only at the Gulf station on the corner to pick up a few bottles of Ale-8-1 and some chips. He wasn't sure if they would have the pop in West Virginia but he at least wanted to introduce it to Ron.

Arriving at the landing he found several other teens and pre-teens standing around. Finding the Weasleys with their distinctive red hair he wheeled his bike alongside Ron. Happy to see that Ron's bike was not much better than his own. A few of the others did not have bikes at all. One dark blonde haired boy had a brand new gold rimmed BMX that Ron kept staring at.

"Something wrong?" Harry asked handing him a cold bottle.

Twisting it off Ron sighed, "Nah. Just that's a Huffy Sigma is all. One of the best BMX bikes around."

Harry looked at the bike. It did look rather cool. Gray with sold white wheels. Black knobby tires that looked like they had barely been ridden. The boy standing next to it noticed Harry and Ron looking at him and gave a shy smile.

Harry didn't want to seem to be rude so said, "Nice bike."

"Thanks. I just got it for my birthday this year." The boy said walking over like he was grateful somebody was willing to talk to him. "But I haven't ridden it much, I'm a lot more comfortable with horses."

"Really?" Harry asked, he had never ridden a horse and only been near one in a fourth of July parade that had gone through the center of town. "That's neat. I've never ridden a horse."

"Yeah. We raise them on our farm." The boy said, "I'm Neville Longbottom."

"Cool. I'm Harry Potter and this is Ron Weasley." Harry said.

"Nice to meet you." Neville said politely sticking his hand out. Only for him to let go of the bike, gravity still operating normally caused the unattended bike to fall over with a clatter that made everyone glance at the boys.

Harry quickly shook Neville's hand then helped him pick up his bike. "It seems okay."

"Thanks. I'm not real graceful with things." Neville admitted shyly. "Just animals."

Harry shrugged, "That's okay. I'm not real great with animals but am really good with things."

Ron shook his head, "Great the two of you will make a wonderful couple."

Harry rolled his eyes, "Just drink your ginger ale."
"I already did." Ron said glumly holding the empty bottle. "Now what?"

"What do you mean now what?" Harry asked, "Did you like it?"

"It was okay. There was no burp like from Fizzos."

Neville sighed, "I hate Fizzos. It always make me have foam go up my nose."

Harry laughed, "Well I have another Ale-8 I was going to share on the ride but if Ron's not as exited by it I'll share it with you if you want."
"Thanks. You got any moon pies?" Neville asked relaxing a bit.

Harry grinned, "Of course."

Ron joined the conversation at that point. As the three boys discussed the bike, snacks and life in general. Neville mentioned he lived near Flemingsburg and that he lived with his gramma but otherwise did not talk about his family much.

Harry had glanced back towards the tracks as the morning train passed by the landing when a girl walked through the tunnel under them. She had long, wavy, blonde hair which was held back by a blue hair band. She was wearing a cream blouse under a pinafore dress and carrying a pair of blue suitcases.

She seemed to be utterly lost and nervous so Harry excused himself and approached her. "Hi. Need a hand with those?"

"Thanks. Is this the right place?' the girl breathlessly asked.
"If you're going to Point Pleasant school then yeah." Harry replied with a smile. "Hi. I'm Harry."

"Oh good." She said relieved as Harry took one of the heavy suitcases. "I'm Lavender. I was so scared this was the wrong place. This is all so crazy."

Harry nodded in agreement, "Oh yeah. I know what you mean. So are you waiting on anyone else?"

"No. I'm it." The girl said smiling as she relaxed a bit.

"Come on. I'll introduce you to my other friends." Harry said that without even pausing as he had already begun to consider the two boys his friends.

"Okay that sounds nice." Lavender said picking up one of her cases while Harry carried the other.

Harry led her over to Ron and Neville and had just finished introducing them when a steam whistle blew from his left. Its deep, mellow, almost mournful sound echoed around the valley like a beast calling out. A thrill went through Harry's stomach as he saw that coming around the bend, at a fairly good clip against the current, was a double decked sternwheeler. It was painted bright white with brass fittings glittering in the morning sunshine. The dual stacks where a jet gloss black with thick coal smoke pouring from them. A broad crimson band ringed each stack just below their fluted crowns.

Harry grinned broadly as the boat glided towards the landing with shouted orders coming from the wheelhouse on the top deck's roof. Steam and smoke issuing from the tall stacks and exhaust as they swung around to gently nose against the shore. The name Chester B. Goode was painted in large black with crimson outlined letterds along the flank of the boat. A loud blast from the whistle announced they had docked as the gangplank lowered swiftly and a man in a bright blue with gold trim uniform stepped off., "Tickets please. Everyone form an orderly line and present your tickets."

Getting into line with Ron, Neville and the Lavender girl who had yet to speak much beyond thanking Harry for his help, they dug out their tickets. Ron's was crinkled and he had to smooth it while Lavender had hers in her purse and promptly handed it over like she was relieved to get rid of it.

When Harry handed his over the steward looked at Harry then smiled, "Welcome aboard young man. I've been looking forward to your return."
"Diggle, don't waste all morning gabbing. We have a schedule to maintain and the current is up." A man with three stripes on his sleeve yelled.

"Yes sir." the man said as Harry took his things and found a seat on the open lower deck. He wanted to watch the way all of the things going on worked as he stood amidships.

Students belongings were placed in spaces along each side of the boat, bikes parked side by side in racks down the center aisle of the cargo deck. Climbing the stairs Harry entered the upper deck to find it was a large hall with bench seats that had a variety of students lounging upon them. Each bench had bright crimson cushions with gold buttons on them. The walls painted a rich blue with more gold trimmings. Paintings of famous people from the Ohio River Valley hung in between wide windows that were raised letting the sounds of the river enter.

Harry found Ron and Neville looking over the forward railing watching the last few stragglers come aboard. The ship blew one more loud blast of the whistle before the deep clear tone of a large brass bell ringing three times echoed outwards.

The sound of the wheel beginning to turn as the cranes raised the gangplank signaled they were beginning their journey. Running to the back of the boat he watched as the giant wheel began to churn the water, frothing it first one way as they backed into the river then the other as the pilot managed the throttle and wheel like a maestro. Soon they were passing underneath the Simon Kenton Bridge and gaining speed once more.

"Pretty neat hunh?" Ron asked as he came to lean over the rail and watch the wheel with Harry, "The twins tried to see if they could get stuff to launch off the wheel and almost got locked in the bilges by the steward."

Harry chuckled, "I can imagine."

Looking at the cars moving along the highway that ran alongside the river he had a sudden thought, "How come no one notices a packet steamer straight out of the 1800s going up the river?"

Ron grinned, "Some pretty neat spellwork eh? Dad says its got illusions and stuff over it that makes people think its just another tugboat with barges. There are so many of them going up and down the river that nobody pays attention to one more."

Harry supposed that made sense. He wondered how much more of the world was hidden.

Once the rhythm of the wheel had settled into its cruise speed Harry had suggested they explore the boat. Ron shrugged and followed him. Neville was sitting talking to Lavender and a girl named Hannah Abbott from outside West Union. Harry and Ron said a few words to them and then wandered forward to watch the progress down the river.

Passing the village of Manchester on the north shore they swung around the island seeing people at the nearby campground disinterestedly watching them go by. Fishermen and birds both more interested in the things lurking underwater than the boat gliding by.

Their next stop was the medium sized city of Portsmouth Ohio. Ron pointed at the other river joining the Ohio, calling it the Scioto, as the boat glided under a sturdy iron highway bridge crossing the Ohio.

The whistles let loose their mournful howl once again as the boat glided up to a long stone jetty at a riverside park with high concrete floodwalls hiding most of the city from Harry's view. Some taller brick buildings jutted out above the walls though.

Another crowd of students clambered aboard, including a chubby reddish blonde haired girl that Ron pointed out to Harry.

"That's Susan Bones. I've met her before. Her mom is dad's boss, technically. At least on the magical side." Ron explained.

"I thought you said your dad worked for the Ohio wildlife people." Harry asked.

"He does, but he also works for our side to handle the magical stuff. Susan is the niece of the Chief Administrator for the magical law enforcement for the Conclave." Ron said.

"I still don't understand the Conclave thing." Harry frowned.

Ron shrugged, "Think of it like this. Each Conclave is like their own state, only we don't do all of the same stuff a mundane state does. We just deal with magical stuff. You know like bad guy magicals, magical creatures, plants, and other stuff. As long as we don't cause trouble for the mundanes they ignore us."
"Oh. So is there like a national magical government?" Harry wondered how all of this worked as it seemed rather chaotic. His uncle would really not enjoy the chaos.

Ron shrugged again. He seemed to shrug whenever something was not very interesting or important to him. "Sorta. The grand Conclave council meets a few times a year to talk about stuff that affects all the Conclaves but mostly they just let everyone figure it out for themselves. I mean can you think of how stupid it would be to have a set of rules for us here be the same as the ones for out west in Cascadia? Or the Mesa Verde where Charlie is?"

Harry thought for a moment, "I guess it makes sense." His uncle definitely would not like this as he thought there should be one set of laws to rule them all. "So how many Conclaves are there?"

Ron frowned as he thoguht for a moment before saying, "I think there's a couple dozen. The Warlock's war kinda shook things up so the Cindayco Conclave broke off from us and the Keystone Conclave took some of our lands saying they wanted a stable border buffer. Dad said they just wanted to get the panhandle with the magic places so that's why we pushed them back to the Pennsylvania border."

"The Conclaves go to war?" Harry asked shocked.

Ron shrugged, "Its not really a war, more like when me and my brothers fight. There are so few magicals in comparison to mundanes that its mostly just lines on a map the people who care about stuff like that like to draw."

Harry sighed, "So what did the Warlock do that was so bad?"

Ron looked at Harry strangely then after looking around to make sure no one was close said in a low voice, "He tried to unite all of the Conclaves and proclaim himself the Grand Wizard."

Harry looked confused, "That doesn't sound entirely bad though."
"Yeah, I bet they thought that Histler dude in Germany didn't sound bad to some people either." Ron said shaking his head. "You don't understand man. The Warlock wanted to enslave mundanes, but only after he had reduced their population down to manageable numbers. He thought magicals had a divine right to rule over everyone else and that pure-blood magicals should rule over other magicals. It was crazy."

Harry gulped. He was supposedly the one who had ended the reign of terror that this Warlock had caused? When he was a baby? Something did not add up at all. "Didn't people fight against him? Didn't the mundanes help?"

Ron snorted, "What can a mundane do? They don't got magic. The only way mundanes are a threat is in large numbers and if they know about us. The Warlock, he worked very hard to keep them from knowing he was behind all of the violence and unrest back in the seventies. He used drugs, diseases, a bunch of other stuff to take out mundanes. Only a few of them knew about it and did anything."

"Oh. How do you know so much about all of this?" Harry asked sighing. He had a sinking feeling there was going to be a lot more he would need to learn in his future.

Ron leaned over the rail and watched the water rolling under the bow. He was silent long enough that Harry almost asked him again when he said, "Mom lost her brothers during the war. The Warlock's army, they called themselves Death Eaters, they sent them back in a bucket. What was left of them at least. Dad fought alongside the others in the Order of the Phoenix. That's Dumbledore's resistance group. So he made sure we boys knew what happened. That way we would understand why it was so important to defend ourselves."

"Oh." Harry said. He didn't know what else to say. He had lost his parents, Ron had lost his uncles. Other people apparently lost their lives. How could he think of anything to say in response to that.

They stood quietly for the next few miles as they passed under other bridges and around bends. Another tugboat pushing a string of coal laden barges went downriver opposite them. Giving a toot on his air horn in salute. The pilot waving from his station on top of the tug.

"I thought you said non-magicals couldn't see us?" Harry asked waving back.

Ron shrugged, "Might have been a squib."

Harry looked at him funny.

"A squib. You know like a wet firework. Their magic didn't take off for some reason."

"That seems rather rude." Harry replied.

Ron protested, "Hey I didn't invent the word. That's just what everyone calls them. Well everyone except the blood-purists. But they don't count much anyhow."

"I guess the magical world isn't much different than the regular world after all." Harry sighed turning back to the river.

"I guess." Ron shrugged again, "I mean its a lot better than it used to be. Dad talks about stuff that used to happen a lot. Stuff his grampa told him about the old days."

Harry nodded as Ron started talking about the shoreline and how they should only have one more stop before they get to Point Pleasant.

They soon entered an area where the bucolic riverbanks became more urbanized with cities, barges, factories and industry coming right down to the water's edge. He saw a small airplane take off from a runway behind some trees. Traffic crossed briges overhead and trains hooted and clanked from the shore.

Soon they slowed and their boat's own whistle sounded again. Ron began to grin.

"Hey that's the Big Sandy. Famed in plenty of songs." He said pointing at a river that joined from the south.

"Cool."

"Yeah that's Kentucky, that's West Virgnia and that's Ohio over there. If you go up that river you'll get into the real coal country of Kaintuck." Ron proudly said, "I have a lot of relatives down there."

"I thought you said your relatives are in Ohio." Harry asked.

Ron shrugged with a chuckle, "I gots relatives all over the place. We Weasleys certainly take that be fruitful and multiply very seriously."

Harry chuckled back, "Ahh got it."

The boat came into landing at a point along the east bank of the Big Sandy. There was a group of students and some adults milling about.

"Oh man check her out." Ron said pointing at a girl on the shore line.

Harry followed Ron's outstretched finger to see a brown haired girl hugging two adults before she gathered up a large duffel bag, a messenger bag over her shoulder already, and began to push a bright pink chrome bicycle with handlebar tassels, towards the boat.

Her brown hair was teased up in the current style but otherwise was a wavy shoulder length cascade. She had a pink wind breaker on over a bright blue shirt that said barbie across the chest. Jean shorts showed off tanned legs that ended in converse high top covered feet.

Harry looked at her until she looked up and made eye contact. He smiled briefly as she seemed to study him for a moment then moved along out of view.

Ron pointed out a few others he thought he recognized from his brother's descriptions. Including one tall dark haired girl in dreadlocks that he said was Angelina Johnson, his brother Fred or George's girlfriend. He wasn't sure which because he thought they might be sharing her Ron confided.

"Excuse me." They heard a female voice say as the boat began to make preparations to get underway again.

Turning they saw the brown haired girl looking at them expectantly. Ron grinned bashfully as he had been obviously pointing at her. Harry ran his hand through his hair quickly before saying, "UH Hi."

"Hello. I assume you were discussing me because you wanted to introduce yourselves?" she asked crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh. uh. Well yeah of course." Harry smoothly replied as Ron stammered awkwardly for a moment.

She continued to look at them for a moment before saying, "Traditionally the boy is supposed to introduce himself first, fortunately I am not entirely traditional. Hello my name is Hermione Granger."

Harry grinned briefly as he shook her hand, "Uh Harry. Harry Potter. This is my friend Ron Weasley"

"Hello. Did you say Harry Potter? I read about you in some of the books I picked up for liught reading." she said looking at him, "I somehow thought you would be taller."

"Oh. Well. I'm travel sized, you know so I don't intimidate too many people." Harry replied rubbing his nails on his T-shirt.

She gave a derisive snort then said, "Well you seem to have succeeded."

"Right." Harry said unsure of how to continue the conversation as he had never really talked to a girl before.

"So. Are you both from magical families?" She asked after several moments of silence.

Harry looked at Ron who shrugged, "I am but I live with non-magical relatives. Ron's family are all magical."

"For the last 7 generations." Ron pointed out quickly. "What about yours?"

Hermione replied, "I am the first in my family to exhibit any magic. At least as far as mom or dad know."

Ron nodded, "Or munborn. Cool."
"A what?" She asked.

"A munborn. You know born from mundanes." Ron explained.

She raised her eyebrow while trying to process if she had been insulted or not, "I suppose that makes a slight bit of sense. Especially as each culture and social group develops their own linguistic dialects complete with slang and colloquialisms."

Ron scowled at her, "Do you talk with big words just to sound smart?"

"No I speak using proper words because I am smart." She scowled back.

Harry decided to distract her before her and Ron got into a fight. He wasn't sure which one was rubbing the other wrong but he had a bad feeling that her and Ron were going to be oil and water. "Hey. Would you like to meet some more of our friends?"

She looked at Harry and raised her eyebrow while pursing her lips for a moment before asking, "Are they all like him?"

"Uh. No. Not really, but Ron's not all bad once you get to know him." Harry declared defending him.

Hermione looked him up and down, "Well if you say so. I'll give him a chance."
"Oh thank you most graciously your highness." Ron said giving a sarcastic bow.

She giggled before shaking her head and said, "Well lead on Macduff."

Wanting to give the girl a bit of her own medicine Harry drew himself up and said, "The line is actually Lay on Macduff and its a challenge to fight him. At least according to Parker's interpretation of the play at the Washington Opera House."

She raised her eyebrow in surprise, "Well. There may be some hope for you after all Mr Potter."

Harry turned and walked with her as Ron muttered under his breath, "Show off."

The introduction to Neville, Hannah, Lavender and Susan Bones was much smoother. The three girls had been sitting chatting with Neville and welcomed Hermione politely. Ron sat and talked to Susan about a few things while Harry was just glad that the tension in the air had gone way down.

The steward Diggle came along and warned everyone to prepare to disembark as their next stop was Point Pleasant. Harry and the others began to get ready as he wondered what the next phase of this adventure was going to be like.

…...

The boat slowed down and turned towards the north shore of the Ohio River. Putting its back towards Point Pleasant. Harry watched the maneuver in confusion as they came alongside two other boats. The Hattie Denton and the Patrick Malone, their smoke stacks lazily wafting blue white smoke skyward as the students ambled off of their gangplanks. A heavy, solid, looking rail bridge crossed the river behind them in a straight slash of iron across the sky.

Grabbing their luggage the students began to shuffle up a long concrete walkway inland. A blonde boy who looked about the same age and Harry came off fo the Hattie Denton and stared at him. Harry sighed as he realized his fame was going to cause a lot of attention.

Holding his head high he looked back at the blonde and studied him. He was about Harry's height, with yellowish blonde hair, light blue eyes and a Romanesque nose. On either side flanking him like bodyguards were a short, chubby, piggish, boy with short cropped hair and a tall muscular angry looking boy with dark hair.

The blonde boy was pulling a expensive looking piece of roller luggage and pushing an expensive looking bicycle. The other two had moderately expensive luggage but no bikes.

As they reached the top of the walkway they came to a small train platform. A 4-4-0 Baldwin with a diamond stack, sat billowing black coal flavored smoke and white steam hissing as it sat waiting. Four passenger cars and two cargo cars were linked up behind the tender of the engine with a bright red caboose bringing up the tail end.

"Oh for crikeikies sake." The blonde boy huffed, "As if it wasn't bad enough playing Huck Finn coming down the river now we have to crowd into one of these antiquated relics?"

Hermione had been biting her lip listening to the boy complain about the discomfort on the boat, how they were magicals and shouldn't have to deal with this sort of backwards nonsense. How they should have been able to be dropped off by their parents as it wasn't that far from Charleston to Point Pleasant. How he hoped they would at least have the modern amenities once they actually managed to get to the school. Finally she had enough.

"If you would have at least looked through your books or actually had a parent who talked to you about this you would have known the magical energies required to hide the school and its transportation will fry the electronics of any modern vehicles. As for why you couldn't be driven here by your parents they couldn't have that many students show up without drawing attention to themselves. The whole point of a secrets act is to keep things secret. The valley is a pocket dimension and the train or a special gateway are the only ways in." Hermione angrily exclaimed.

The blonde boy stopped and turned to stare at Hermione with a sneer, "Well who yanked your string Chatty Cathy."

Hermione snorted, "You did by running your mouth like a rude and egotistical jerk."
"Who do you think you are speaking to me like that? Do you have any idea of who I am?" The blonde demanded handing his bike off to the shorter of the two sidekicks so he could step towards Hermione.

Harry and Ron stepped in front of Hermione ready to fight as she said, "A blonde brat that has no clue how to behave?"

The boy's sneer turned angry, "I'll have you know I am Draco Malfoy. My father is very important in the Governor's office in Charleston."
"And? That don't impress me none Malfoy. My pa knows yours, knows him professionally." Ron sneered back.

"Oh yes. You're one of officer Weasley's brood." Draco snorted as if he had just noticed Ron, "I suppose since he can't read he must have some other hobby, that's why there's so many of you."
"At least he ain't some limp wristed.." Ron's tirade had just begun when Harry grabbed his arm as a large man approached.

A part of Harry's mind corrected the other saying that large was an understatement. The person who approached was twice as tall and half again as wide as a normal man. He had a grizzled tan skin with a long wild salt and pepper beard and hair. He was wearing half moon black sunglasses, a heavy leather jacket, a T-shirt with Saint Grobian Christian Academy logo on it and blue denims with the largest combat boots Harry had seen.

"Alright hold it up here." the man growled in a deep basso profundo voice. "Ain't no fighting allowed on school grounds."

"We were not fighting." Draco stated calmly.

"Yet." Ron interjected.

"Don't care if you was or were gonna you ain't. Now git on the train before I toss you over the river to calm down." The man said pointing at platform.

"My father will hear about this." Draco sneered mightily.

"I know who yer father is Malfoy. I ain't gonna be scairt o him so get yer scrawny butt on the train." the tall man growled bending over to emphasize his words.

Draco twitched and tried to look like he was not scared but failed. Ducking his head and scurrying towards the train with his fellows.

"You gotta be Hagrid." Ron grinned looking up at the man.

"And you gotta be another Weasley. Yer not like yer brothers are ya?" Hagrid asked wearily like he was wondering how annoying this year was going to be.

"No. I'm okay." Ron replied.

Looking at Harry and Hermione Hagrid grinned, "Alright then. Better get on up to the train."

"Yes sir." Hermione gulped pushing her bike forward.

Harry and the others followed her. Harry picking his bike up from where it had fallen. Handing it off to the loaders who placed it on the car with the other bikes.

Following the conductor's directions Harry, Ron and Hermione took a seat at he back of the front car. First and second years all crowded in there filling its 60 seats. Hagrid soon joined them sitting at the front.

"So what is a Chatty Cathy?" Ron asked as the train began to move.

Harry listened halfway as Hermione began to explain the history of the Chatty Cathy doll and how Draco should be glad she wasn't a Talkie Tina. Then laughed when he looked even more confused.

Harry was watching things outside of the car as the train began to move. Slowly crossing the bridge then passing through the city. It looked not too different than Maysville Harry thought with the same sort of older buildings, a church or two and a tired business district. The elevated tracks gave him a good view of the area before the train entered a tree lined valley before slowing as another switch was made and the train went through a large stone and steel arch. A brief tingle went through Harry which apparently everyone else also felt as sveral people squealed or giggled. Hermione gasped briefly as if she had received a brief static shock.

"What was that?" Harry asked.

"I think we entered an unplottable region." Hermione said.

"Yep. The entire siding that runs to the valley as well as the valley itself are outside mundane space. Dad says its like a pocket dimension." Ron said smugly, "See I know big words too."

Hermione looked at him like she was re-evaluating him before saying, "Perhaps."

"So what is an unplottable place?" Harry asked with a heavy sigh.

Hermione looked at Ron who gestured for her to continue. She frowned but turned to Harry, "It is basically unplottable or undetectable by mundane means. A pocket dimension bounded by standing stones, earthworks or both has to be developed and formed. One reason the Ohio Valley region has so many effigy mounds."

Draco began to sarcastically applaud her from a few seats ahead, "Congratulations you were able to recite the textbook verbatim."

"I'm impressed you could recognize that." Hermione retorted.

"Its in the first chapter. Of course I was going to recognize it." Draco sighed, "Besides everyone who is one of the right sort already knew that."

"And just who are the right sort?" Hermione demanded.

Draco sneered, "If you have to ask then its obvious you are not one of the right sort."

"Hey shut it Malfoy. Nobody wants to hear the blood purity crap anymore." Someone called from the front of the car. Hagrid turned and glared down the aisle causing everyone to fall silent.

Soon the train pulled into a small village. The buildings looked like an eclectic collection of stone, cut timber, Harry thought he saw a log cabin and something that might have been a chrome metal diner.

The train slowed as it arrived at a station. The students gathered their belongings then following shouted instructions from Hagrid the first years started following him as he began walking towards a large stone arch in a high stone wall. Above the arch it said 'Knowledge is our greatest power, wisdom our greatest tool.'

All of the students walked at their own pace in the afternoon sun coming from behind them down the wide red brick pathway. Some of the older ones jogged or rode their bikes, weaving among the crowds slowly, laughing and joking with their friends. Harry noticed that just inside the wall another broad brick path ran alongside towards a small concrete dam that had a rather large pond or small lake impounded behind it.

Harry felt his heart leap when he saw the buildings on the other side of the arch though. Several uniform buildings stuck partly out of the sandstone wall of the valley, each one was painted a bright white with a dark green roof. Across from these rather utilitarian structures was a tall, four stories at least, Gothic revival style sandstone and granite with a tower in the center of it. A rather solid looking red brick building stood beside it like a squat imitator. The only way Harry could describe the building was government brick of the 1930s style.

Hagrid had stopped in front of the utilitarian buildings which had broad windows in the front of it, the large letter A was painted beside the doors in black. Twin broad, doors stood wide open.

"Right the bike corral is in the front. A reminder of the rules, touching another person's bike without their permission is just as bad as touching them without permission, or worse. So don't do it." Hagrid called out showing them the broad rack just inside the door where they could park their bikes.

Ms. McGonnagal was standing in the middle of the large room Harry and the others found themselves within. It looked large enough to park three semis side by side with their trailers attached. It stood two stories tall as a balcony ran along the wall with a hallway going deeper into the building. A matching hallway was directly beneath that on the lower level. A door was set into the wall under the stairs. Across the room couches, chairs, tables and lamps were scattered on a rather nice looking crimson carpet. The floor by the bike racks was a crimson and gold tile. She smiled, "Thank you Hagrid. Was there any problems?"

"None that twernt unexpected." He said glancing meaningfully at Draco.

"I see. Well I think I have it from here." she replied.

"Yes ma'am." Hagrid said then turned and lumbered out.

"Very well. This is Residence Hall A. Only first years and authorized staff are permitted to enter this building. I am one of those as my office and residence during the school term is located here." She said pointing towards the door under the stairs.

She waved her hand and several manila folders came floating over. Each one had their names stamped on them in bold silver letters. Harry took his and looked at the teacher expectantly.

"Enclosed you will find your room assignment. You will be sharing a room. Should there be any difficulties we can attempt to shuffle people around. Boys are downstairs, girls are upstairs. The entry to each hallway is enchanted to prevent inappropriate entry. We will not have any shenanigans, shall we?" she adjusted her glasses briefly as she looked around at everyone. Several people stopped smiling, including Ron.

"Very well. In your packets are your class schedules, a map of the grounds and buildings, as well as a brief overview of the rules. You have three hours to relax and settle in before supper in the cafeteria. If you have any problems I shall be in my office." She said. When everyone began to try and figure out who their roommate for the next several months would be she stepped back.

Finding his room Harry looked around and was rather surprised. A window between the two beds looked out over the Ohio River. A night stand sat beside each bed with a small lamp on it. A closet stood on the other side of the bed from the window. A small dresser was at the foot of the bed.

Harry turned out to be roomed with Ron while Neville and a obsidian skinned, boy named Dean Thomas were across the hall. Next door was Seamus Finnegan from Wheeling and Terry Boot. Harry wasn't certain who the other boys were as they seemed to be friends of Draco.

A rather swarthy olive skinned boy was named Zabini according to Ron. Apparently his mother was rather infamous for having had several husbands all die under mysterious circumstances. Ron did not recognize anyone else but suggested they talk to Neville as he might know more. As today was a Saturday Harry figured they would have the weekend to sort out who was whom. Right then he was wanting to read a bit to understand what was going on.

His class schedule seemed to be rather usual with math, English, history and other practical classes mixed in with transfiguration, charms, potions, flight, and botany.

Ron tossed his schedule on his bed, "Crap they sure don't seem to believe in idle hands."

Harry laughed, "Well you know what they say about idle hands."

"Yeah they don't get calluses." Ron countered, "I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me when its time for supper."

"What you don't want to explore?" Harry asked incredulously.

Ron sat up staring at Harry, "Harry my man. We are going to be spending the next seven years here. From sixth grade to graduation at twelfth grade. By the time we are done I am going to be sick of looking at every nook, corner and cranny of this place."

Harry frowned, "Still though."

"You go and have fun. Maybe Neville or Hermione will want to explore. I've been up since before dawn and am going to take a nap." Ron grumped before slamming his head back onto the pillow. Within seconds he was sound asleep it seemed like.

Harry shrugged, at least it didn't seem like he snored. Turning he left to find Neville and see if he wanted to explore.

Review Responses:

SMB: Uh Thank you for reading.

Katmom: Thank you.

Timekeeper: So will I when the muse gets back onto this one. Its a sensitive subject so need to do it right.

Sparky40sw: Thank you. I appreciate your comments.

Honeybear84: Thank you. I hope I can get this done too.

Ironhidesh: Thank you.

Muzzarae: Thank you. I am glad you think so.

Roon0: He will eventually. I have some vague ideas right now I hope solidify at some point.

Desireejones99: Thank you for the compliments. Dumbledore definitely needs to look in a mirror. And thank you. I thought it would be fitting.

Dennisud: Thank you. I have some idea of how to continue I just want to take it slow and seriously with this one. I know I say that for all of them but this one is rather sensitive. Oh yeah Ginny and Luna will be involved and we'll see how things go with them. I'll have to see how thigns go.