Hogwarts Express, September 1st, 1991
Harry entered an empty compartment of the Hogwarts Express and fell into a seat with a tired sigh. He closed his eyes and, for the first time in many long days, allowed himself to relax. The past week had been exhausting. From being betrayed by his only friend to learning that he was going to a school of magic and had less than a week to prepare, Harry had his fill of things to do. Yet, despite the many things he had to do, his mind always wandered away from the task at hand and towards that wretched woman who lied to his face and used him like a toy, something to be disposed of when it outlived its usefulness.
Harry's fist clenched, and his face contorted into an ugly scowl. He was foolish to have believed that Hathewiga cared for him. Why would she? To her, he was but a random kid to be enticed by the wonders of magic, a means to an end. The fact she gave him his share of the spoils almost made it worse. It made it feel like a mutually agreed-upon transaction as if her actions were anything but the greatest of betrayals. The frosty tone of the letter only pushed the knife in deeper.
"*"
Dear Harry,
I will keep this letter short as I have no doubt you don't want to hear more of me than the strict minimum. As you have probably realised, I have made the necessary arrangements for your stay in the Leaky Cauldron until September 1st. After that, you shall go to Hogwarts, a school that will continue your journey to wizardhood. Enclosed is your acceptance letter, on which you shall see the details.
The mission was a complete success and would have been impossible without your cooperation. Your help is greatly appreciated. On the mantlepiece, you will find your share of the night's haul, the Smith family grimoire and the yellow gem. I have not yet found its application, but I have no doubt you will be able to uncover it.
Your stay ended too abruptly, yet it was for the best.
Farewell Harry,
HN
"*"
When he had first read the letter, Harry almost burned it in anger. He wanted to hurt her, to show her the pain he felt at her betrayal, to get the answers he deserved. Now, however, Harry felt nothing. Why should he be angry at her? It was the most logical thing to do, he had served his purpose and held no more use. No, he wasn't angry at Hathewiga. If anything, he was disappointed in himself for being such a naive child, for having believed in her act of love. Not anymore, though. He had learned his lesson and would never repeat the same mistake.
With another tired sigh, Harry leaned his head back in the soft seat and peered outside of the window. He had arrived earlier to snag an empty compartment and to avoid the crowd. Yet, as the train's departure approached, the magical platform began slowly filling with late arrivals. Wizards, Harry found, were of no great difference to normal people. They wore robes and carried hooting owls in cages, yet when you filter out the aesthetics, they are all the same. Some hide behind masks of arrogance and superiority, others of pride and confidence, others yet of humour and goofiness. But beneath all that lie simple beings who are scared. Scared of standing out, of being ostracized for their distinctions. And due to that fear, they copy those around them, yet still try to show uniqueness in their delusional idea of ego and dignity. Their hypocrisy disgusted him.
Harry's lip curled as he pulled down the blinds and turned away from the window. He couldn't wait to reach the Hogwarts library. Then he could finally get back on track towards gaining more power. The stagnation of the past week had left him frustrated and irritable. He yearned to feast on the knowledge of the acquired grimoire. With all that was happening around him, he hadn't had the time to study it. His curiosity, however, had to be abated for the time being. It would do no good to be caught red-handed with a highly illegal stolen relic, one that could land him in serious trouble. The severity of which he only realised when he had read the newspaper two days after the heist.
As he had guessed by the grimoire's name, the mansion they had robbed had been the Smiths'. What he hadn't guessed however was the importance of the Smith family in the wizarding world. He soon learned that they were part of the wizarding elite and if he were discovered, not even his significant fame would protect him from Azkaban. A cold shiver travelled along Harry's spine at the thought of that horrid place. He had seen them in Hathewiga's pensive, and even through the shield of memory, their oppressive aura had left a mark on him. Yet, to temper that fear was excitement. Despite his uncertain feelings about the heist, to say he regretted it would be a bold lie. Truth be told, the rush he had felt that night was incomparable to anything in his entire life. Hard as he tried to suppress it, his love of stealing was now an integral part of who he was and it was about time to accept it.
Now, however, was not the time for such frivolities. Enjoyment should be present, but only if it isn't at the expense of his main goal. And right now, the means to attain that goal were loudly chattering outside his compartment. As much as he despised Hathewiga, he would be a fool to discard her teachings. One such lesson was the importance of allies in gaining power. While magically powerful, one must never disregard the knowledge and the information that others can bring. As the most prestigious school in the Isles, Hogwarts will know no shortage of important students. They may be kids today, but they will be political and social powerhouses tomorrow. That was why, when a non-descript curly mass tumbled into his compartment, Harry didn't scowl, nor even grimace, and instead greeted it with a toothy smile.
"Hi! How can I help you?"
"*"
Hermione Granger had had a long day. She had known for a few months that she was a witch and had done her utmost to learn as much as possible about magic. And who could blame her? During the many years of her existence on this planet, she was told that everything followed a set of rules determined by the great scientists of the past few centuries. Ever since she had read her first science book at the age of four, it had been her dream to be among the greatest scientific minds such as Newton, Einstein or Curie. When she learnt that due to magic, all those laws were no longer laws but mere suggestions, she decided to aim higher and uncover all the secrets that magic holds.
Yet, however brilliant she was, she remained an eleven-year-old girl. Too clever or too young to find friends who would accept her. Bookworm, swot, teacher's pet. Those nicknames followed her throughout her entire primary education and only further deepened the chasm between herself and any potential friend. So she found solace in the only place she thrived in, the library. Hermione didn't mind, she loved reading. But sometimes she wished that she could talk with someone other than the characters from her books, that she could experience those things she read about. When she received her acceptance letter, she had been excited at the prospect of learning about such a brand-new world, but also anxious. Would the kids be like those at school? Stupid and crude, without an ounce of empathy. Would she still be called names for being smart? Would she finally be able to make a friend?
All these questions floated around her head the entire morning, which was why, when she found herself in the middle of a carriage blocked from both sides by a crowd of rambunctious kids, her anxiety-addled brain sought the quickest way out and threw its host through the closest door in sight. Slamming the door behind her, Hermione breathed out in relief, only to squeak in fright at the sound of a voice behind her.
"Hi! How can I help you?"
Hermione whipped around, cracking her neck in the process and nearly tumbling back into the doorway. In the corner of the compartment sat a young black-haired boy grinning at her with undisguised amusement. He would've looked rather average if not for his emerald eyes, shining with a particular fire.
"What are you doing here?"
Hermione regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth. This was supposed to be her new life, a blank canvas on which she could paint her story and relationships for the many years to come. And here she was shoving a metaphorical boot in her mouth. Stupid Hermione. Stupid! The boy in front of her seemed to think along the same line if his lifted brow was anything to go by.
"Sitting in a compartment, to my knowledge", the boy answered in a sarcastic drawl, the amused grin never leaving his face, "Harry Potter, at your service".
Hermione was shocked to the core. Not only had made a fool of herself, but she did so in front of a celebrity. She wanted to bury herself in the ground in embarrassment. However, not wanting to aggravate her case further, she opted against mentioning her surprise and simply answered "Hermione Granger, a pleasure", before taking out her copy of Hogwarts A History and resolutely hiding behind it.
"*"
The girl, Harry decided, was an amusing witch. She was so... obvious. The way she tried to hide her surprise at the sound of his name was quite pathetic but in an endearing way. The fact she didn't bother him further was also a plus in his books. Maintaining his amiable persona was getting tiring. Harry was dreading his school year when he would have to maintain it all day long. He sighed internally at that idea. Perhaps friendly and open was the wrong way to go. Maybe he would reserve that mask for a select few, feeding their ego at being better than others... It was something to ponder.
Harry doubted the girl in front of him would be part of that circle. She didn't seem particularly impressive. He would however wait before passing judgement. He knew better than anyone that appearances can be deceiving. It would do no good to alienate a potentially powerful ally.
All this would have to wait until the start of school classes. For the moment, all he could do was sit. Thankfully, having predicted a compartment companion, Harry had prepared a detective novel for the occasion. He deserved some rest after his hectic week.
The remainder of the train ride passed in the blink of an eye. Harry was so engrossed in his book that it took Hermione three coughs and a prod to grab his attention. Not able to ignore her any longer, he forced his eyes to pause the devouring of the juicy pages of his book and turned towards the girl with a thinly disguised scowl.
"Yes ?" he asked, annoyance seeping through his question.
"We're going to be arriving soon! We'd better get changed into our uniforms", Hermione responded excitedly, oblivious to Harry's irritation.
All of his previous annoyance bled out of him as swiftly as it came. Finally! The moment he waited for the last week. Hogwarts, the place where he would go back to his mastery of magic. The place where he would learn to become powerful, starting with the Smiths' family grimoire. Harry couldn't hide the look of glee in his eyes.
For fifteen minutes, for fifteen horrendous, excruciatingly long minutes Harry waited impatiently for the train to arrive at its destination. He wanted to bounce in his seat, and it was only Hermione's presence that refrained him from doing it. Finally, the rays of moonlight fell on the majestic castle of Hogwarts. It was a sight to behold. With its towers and turrets and the lights shining from the many windows, it looked magical.
With a lurch and a wheeze, the train screeched to a halt, and its doors opened wide. As soon as it happened, the mass ofstudents exited their seats and rumbled past Harry and Hermione's compartment. After a few moments, the rumbling quieted and Harry glanced back at Hermione.
"Shall we?"
Not looking back to see her nod of assent, Harry opened the door of their compartment and made his way out of the train.
As soon as he stepped off the train, a gust of wind almost blew him off his feet. Unprepared for such a welcome, Harry stumbled, barely steadying himself.
"Ye alright there?", a booming voice resounded from Harry's left.
Harry turned towards the voice, only to come face to face with a mountain of a man. He had known of such hights for giants and trolls, but never for wizards. Nevertheless, he didn't fluster and answered in a polite, if trembling voice.
"I'm fine, thank you. Even if a little bit cold."
A thundering laugh came underneath the tangle of hair that hid the man's face, "Ain't that the truth? I'm Rubeus Hagrid, by the way, but everyone just calls me Hagrid. First-year are ye? Come along now. Shouldn't dally for too long. Don't want Professor McGonagall to be upset now, do we?"
Without waiting for a response, the man stomped towards a group of small kids who were waiting nearby.
"First-years, this way! Everyone here? Alright, let's go then. Four per boat now, come along."
Hagrid directed the kids through a row of trees which gave way to a gigantic lake. The castle's lights reflected upon the smooth surface of the lake, mesmerising all of the present students. Harry gaped at the sight, taking in the beauty of the glimmering water and the sound of the wind rustling the leaves. He was pulled out of his reverie when Hermione tugged on his sleeve.
"Come on, Harry. Or all the boats will be taken."
Harry reluctantly heeded her words and climbed into an empty boat. Two other boys joined the duo. One had sharp features for his age, with pale blond hair that shone in the moonlight. The other had a round face and a short mop of brown hair. A third boy tried to join them, but the pale-haired boy rejected him, stating that the boat was full and that he would have to find another. Soon afterwards, the boat took off.
Having had time to admire the castle, Harry opted to observe his companions. Hermione was on the edge of the boat, her face alit with anticipation and turned towards the castle. Her entire body displayed her amazement and eagerness. The pale-haired boy sat calmly, with his back straight, poised like a true noble. Yet, his slight wriggling showed his inexperience, as well as his reaction to the chilly night. But he wasn't the person who attracted Harry's attention the most. The round-faced boy, head turned towards the castle, was hunched in his seat. To an uneducated eye, the boy would seem dull, plain in every way. But underneath all that, Harry saw the boy's eyes, darting to the people surrounding him, analysing them, just like Harry was. At that exact moment, the boy's eyes met Harry's. Harry smiled widely in response, hoping to cement his amiable persona. The boy grinned lazily in return, before turning his gaze back towards the castle, his eyes blank of their previous sharpness. That change was so sudden that Harry wasn't sure whether he had imagined the boy's cunning look. Perhaps he was simply observing his surroundings and Harry was projecting. Hathewiga had warned him of the dangers of overanalysing.
Harry was shaken out of his musing by a nasal voice, "So, what are your names? Mine's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy".
Harry turned towards the pale-haired boy who had broken the silence of the ride, "Harry Potter, nice to meet you".
"Hermi-", Hermione started, only to be interrupted by the nasal voice.
"Are you really?" he asked, his body now fully turned towards Harry, "I had heard that Harry Potter was supposed to be at Hogwarts this year, but no one had seen him enter the train."
"Yes, I am him," Harry answered testily, that boy was quickly beginning to irritate him, "I came early to avoid the crowd".
"Avoid the riffraff. Smart. I would have done so myself, but my father insisted on meeting some of his associates. He sits on the Wizengamot, you know?" Draco continued, shrewdly side-eyeing Harry "It's a real shame that the Potter seat is taken by Dumbledore. Such a powerful heritage controlled by a young family like the Dumbledores. It simply isn't right".
"I agree", Harry acquiesced with an exuberant sigh. He sensed a unique opportunity and would be damned if he were to let it go. "Alas, he is my magical guardian and has full power over the seat until my majority".
"I could help you there, Harry. It is a little-known secret, but Dumbledore seems to have had some trouble with the Potter seat lately. He has also been seen in Gringotts being barred entry to the Potter vaults. It's only rumours and hearsay, but I could help you investigate it, you know?"
Harry saw the greedy glint in the boy's eyes. It was obvious what he was trying to do. Put Harry in his debt, or more likely his father's debt. Harry had learnt of the Malfoy patriarch and his close ties to the Minister. He seemed like a dubious individual, but Harry had no reason to refuse. Having such a family on his side, as well as his seat on the Wizengamot would be a major boon in his future undertakings. It was a mutually beneficial agreement and Harry knew that. Having come to a decision, Harry plastered a bright smile on his face and answered joyfully, "I would be delighted".
Draco's smile matched Harry's own as he offered his hand. "I believe that this is the beginning of a great friendship".
Harry grimaced at Draco's words but met his handshake, "I don't do friendships, but I'm sure we can be great associates."
Draco's smile dimmed a bit but he shook Harry's hand with fervour nonetheless.
By the time their conversation ended, the boats had already arrived at the castle and Hagrid was looking at them impatiently, "Well come on then, what are you waiting for?"
The two boys hurried out of the boat and followed the herd of students to the castle. Hagrid led them through torch-lit corridors and up winding ornate staircases until finally, they arrived in front of a massive double door.
"Here we are. A bit early, actually. Didn't expect to gather you lot so quickly. It'll be just a minute", Hagrid said before knocking on the massive doors.
A deafening sound resonated throughout the corridor and, after a couple of seconds, the doors opened to an astonished old witch. Harry only assumed she was astonished as the only sign towards such a feeling was the slight rise of her eyebrows. She wore dark green robes and a green pointed hat. She looked like a severe witch, who had never smiled in her life. Although the wrinkles on each side of her mouth contradicted that idea.
"Hagrid? What are you doing here so early? The older students have only barely arrived!" she asked in a stern voice, her Scottish accent present and strong.
"Sorry, Professor McGonagall", the giant man replied, "Didn't expect this bunch to be so quick to gather".
"Oh, never mind, Hagrid. It's not a problem". Professor McGonagall then turned towards the kids, "Hello students. My name is Professor McGonagall and I will be your transfiguration teacher. If you do join the noble House of Gryffindor, I will also be your head of house. I do hope none of you will be as rambunctious as our previous bunch, I have enough grey hairs as it is", her lips turned up in the shadow of a smile. "You will now proceed to the sorting ceremony, during which you shall be sorted into one of the four houses. All you have to do is put on the Sorting Hat and it will do the rest".
Sighs of relief echoed from all sides, the students' chattering steadily increasing in volume.
"Yes. Students love to trick their siblings into thinking it is something of great difficulty. Now please be quiet. We shall enter the Great Hall".
The first years filed behind Professor McGonagall in a straight line. As Harry entered the Great Hall, his mouth opened in admiration. The Sorting Hat started to sing a strange song, but Harry paid it no mind. He had learnt of the Sorting Ceremony from Tom, the in-keep of the Leaky Cauldron, and knew that the true ceremony wouldn't start until the end of the song. Instead, Harry took in the Hall's ambience. The feeling was akin to that of Hathewiga's chapel. Despite the stone floor and walls, a warm sensation permeated the atmosphere. The ceiling, which was charmed to look like the sky, showed the moon as a thick pale crescent, glimmering in the slight distortion of the charm. He had read about it in Hogwarts a History, but reading and seeing are completely different things. Thousands of candles floated above the four house tables, never dripping wax or burning out. It exuded cosiness and comfort. It felt like a place where you belong, a place you could call home.
Harry shook his head. This wasn't like him. He wasn't here to find a home, he was here to learn and grow stronger. Was Hogwarts charmed to feel like that to everyone or only him? Did Dumbledore do it? From what he had heard of the man, it seemed like a possibility. He would have to be careful in the future. Harry waited for the hat to finish its song and then came the time for sorting.
Harry watched as many people he didn't know were sorted into various houses. He watched as the round-faced boy from the boat, who he now knew was named Gregory Goyle, was sorted into Slytherin. He watched as Hermione was sorted into Gryffindor and Draco into Slytherin. Then, before he knew it, it was his turn.
"Harry Potter"
McGonagall's voice reverberated and left a silence in its wake. Then slowly, very slowly, murmurs started filtering through the silent hall. First a sparse whisper, then ten, then thirty, and soon the entirety of the Hall was chattering energetically. "Harry Potter? Did she say Harry Potter?", "The Harry Potter?", "He looks a bit scrawny", "Did you see his face?", "Did you see his scar?"
Harry was starting to get overwhelmed with the amount of comments bombarding him from every angle. His breathing became rapid and shallow, and everything around him seemed to lose its shape. His world began to resemble one of those abstract expressionist paintings Harry had read about in one of his Aunt's magazines. His vision started to darken, when suddenly
"SILENCE!"
A mighty voice resounded through the Great Hall, carrying power and authority. The Great Hall fell still. No one dared to oppose that voice. The mere weight the word held made them feel insignificant.
Harry's head slowly cleared and he looked up at the voice's owner.
There stood Albus Dumbledore, tall and unyielding, gazing out at the students. He seemed to tower over them as he pierced every single student with a stern look. His eyes then softened as they fell back on Harry.
"Harry", he said in a much gentler tone, "please sit on the stool".
Having been aware enough during Dumbledore's outburst, Harry found it wise to follow the man's instruction. As soon as he sat on the aforementioned stool, something was dropped over his head, covering his eyes, and the sound of the Great Hall disappeared completely.
"Well well well, not listening to my song, eh?" an old, cranky voice resonated inside of Harry's head. "I spend the entire year composing my masterpiece only for some snot-nosed brat to ignore it completely? Kids these days... They have no shame whatsoever, it's disgusting! You're not the first you know? Three people in this year alone. I wonder if you'll go to the same house they both did, hmm?"
"I'm sorry", Harry responded insincerely. It wouldn't be wise to antagonise the hat. Who knew what it could divulge to others?
"No you're not", the hat responded, amusement colouring its words. "At least now we know you don't belong in the house of the brave. Minnie will be disappointed, I'm sure."
Harry didn't know how to respond to that statement and decided to keep his mouth closed.
"Smart. More of you kids should know when to shut your mouth. Ain't that right, boy?"
Harry gritted his teeth. The hat knew what it was doing, and the worst part was, it worked. But he wouldn't give in to its games, wouldn't give it the satisfaction of showing his anger.
"Hyeh heh heh", the hat's cackling laughter echoed throughout Harry's head. "No, a Gryffindor you are not. Very well, you have my acknowledgement. Now let's see. Where do you belong?"
The hat took a long pause as it examined Harry's mind, "Hmm, a lot of compassion, but only for those you keep closest. An owl and - oh... You have experienced great treason, my condolences. Hufflepuff could help you get over your pain, you know? It will help you to gain trustworthy friends, find happiness and be fulfilled".
"I don't need new friends", Harry responded aggressively, venom dripping from every word. "Friendship is but an illusion created by the weak to compensate for their inadequacy. An illusion that stops you from progressing and that only ends up making you suffer". Harry took a deep breath after his impassioned tirade, gritting his teeth in anger.
"Angsty little brat, aren't you? You'll be a menace in a couple of years, I'm sure". Harry's eyes burned with unadulterated fury, but before he could retort, the hat continued. "Anyway, I wouldn't be so hard on the girl. Hathewiga, was it? Every time she finds the strangest names. Every time". The hat chuckled endearingly as if laughing at an inside joke.
"What was I saying? This old piece of cloth's memories are starting to falter. Ah yes, I wouldn't be so hard on Hathewiga. Her methods may be questionable, but her heart is in the right place and her intentions were initially good. You know what they say 'though, the road the hell is paved with good intentions. You would do well to remember that, young one".
"What do you mean ?" Harry interjected, "Did you talk to her in the last week? Do you know where she is? Tell me!"
"I've already said too much. All I can tell you is that she is far far away, or she will be in a couple of minutes. I've taken too much time already, old Albus is giving me the stink eye. It's obvious where you belong."
"Wait", Harry said, "Please, te-"
"It's got to be SLYTHERIN!"
"*"
Unknown location, At the same moment
A cloaked woman finished drawing the final loop of the ritual circle. It had taken her the better part of ten hours and she had had to restart it five times, but now it was done, and it was perfect. She had made sure of it. The symbols on the circle seemed to branch out of the centre in every direction, only to all connect back into the centre in a perpetual and unending spiral. In three corners of the circle lay three identical objects. Three small hourglasses, glinting gold in the candlelight emanating from the side of the room.
The woman let out a trembling sigh of anticipation. This was it, the moment she had prepared for the past eleven years. With shaking hands, she slid out of her robes and walked into the circle's centre. Pushing her pale hair out of her face, she gripped the dagger in her left hand. Letting out a final sigh, she slashed the dagger across her right wrist, before launching it out of the circle's perimeter.
She clenched her fist, making the scarlet liquid flow out of her wound before raising it over the circle.
As soon as her blood touched the chalk, the circle lit up in a yellow glow. The spirals seemed to move in a winding motion over and over and over again. The woman felt a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach. It started as a tingle, building up in a crescendo until a searing pain suddenly enveloped her body. The circle started glowing brighter. The hourglasses shattered under the sheer power emanating from the circle, their sand seeping out to be absorbed by the circle. Soon the pain became unbearable, and the woman screamed in utter agony as the yellow glow engulfed the room.
Suddenly, small swift steps could be heard outside the room's door. The woman looked uplifted her gaze towards the door as her eyes started to water with tears of pain. With her last strength, she uttered her final words, "I love you". Then her world turned white.
The door slammed open as a small girl entered the room with a scared look on her face. "Mummy? Mummy, where are you?" But all that greeted her was an empty room and a sizzling stone floor.
"*"
Heyo! I'm pretty proud of how the chapter turned out. It came out a bit longer than usual but it felt just right. Harry's finally at Hogwarts! And Slytherin of all places, even though that was to be expected, what with his obsession with power. He seems pretty angry at Hathewiga too, and she still plays an important part in this story. This is obviously an Alternate Universe, but Hathewiga is actually an alias for a canon character. Her identity will be revealed later on, but you can already guess who she is. The hints are there. Anyway, I'll wrap this up. I've spoken quite a bit already.
Once again, thanks a lot for reading!
Burgundy Phoenix signing off
Edit/ I've corrected the formatting mistakes. They were missing words and spaces that for some reason were excluded when I copied the chapter to ffnet. Big thanks to GinnyPotter6891 for alerting me of it. I'll make sure to reread my chapter in ffnet next time so that this doesn't happen again.