I do not own Harry Potter nor World of Darkness
Diagon Alley, London, 15th July 1991 (Monday)
Harry wasn't too pleased with the robes: despite being tailored to his measurements, they were so long and flowy that he would have a very hard time reliably using his wall climbing ability while wearing them. Despite his desire to buy more books than necessary, Sir Harold had explained that he was going to a school which, in all likelihood, already had an extensive library with those same books, making the purchase completely pointless. And since his last weeks before going to Hogwarts would be spent under the personal tutelage of Sir Harold himself, he wouldn't have the time to even open said books.
The last stop on his list was a wand shop. Although there were a handful of options, headmaster Dumbledore heavily recommended his old friend's shop, Ollivanders.
Harry and Instructor David stepped into the wand shop, causing a small bell to ring.
"Good afternoon." said an old man in a soft voice, his wide, pale eyes shining bright through the gloom of the shop as his head peeked from behind a stack of small wooden boxes.
Harry was about to introduce himself when the man cut him off.
"Ah yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter."
It was a statement.
"Your eyes are… peculiar. Certainly unique, but I can see your mother's in there. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work. - The man approached the counter and looked at Harry. - Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it… it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."
With a sad expression, he looked at Harry's forehead, stepping closer and forcing Harry to retreat.
"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it - he said softly - Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands... well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..."
The man moved his gaze toward Instructor David, who was ready to step in between Harry and the old man.
"Ah, you must be Harry's guardian. Garrick Ollivander, wandmaker. Pleased to meet you. You must be a muggle, I do not remember selling you a wand."
David frowned, crossing his arms.
"You make it sound like you're the only wand seller in Diagon Alley."
Ollivander smiled. "I'm not the only seller, but I am the best. Family business since…well, let's just say we were among the first ones to introduce wands to the British isles. Other sellers will offer a vast collection of second hand wands, and don't get me wrong, they work just fine, but no wand is just like your first and no wand is like Ollivanders."
"Is wandmaking that difficult?" asked Harry, curious.
"Making a wand isn't that complicated. Making a wand that lasts a lifetime, on the other hand…"
He turned his attention to Harry.
"Well, now, Mr. Potter. Let me see. - He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. - Which is your wand arm?"
Harry extended his right hand and the man started to measure it.
After a few seconds, Ollivander disappeared in the back of his shop, returning with a handful of wands.
"Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."
As Harry waved it around, the old man snatched it from his hand with surprising speed, before handing him another wand.
"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try it."
The wand was snatched away before even finishing the sentence.
"No, no. Here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight…"
As soon as Harry touched the wand, the black wood started to turn white, and the wand was snatched away immediately.
"Curious. It seems, Mr. Potter, that your magic is incompatible with unicorn hair. I suggest you make note of this and avoid handling any wand with said core or they might be damaged beyond help. Of course, I also suggest avoiding the creature, but unicorns are quite rare and the chances of you encountering one are quite slim indeed."
The man stopped for a few moments, staring at Harry, as if contemplating something. He took out another wand, hesitantly handing it to Harry, without even describing it.
Harry took the wand, feeling a barely noticeable sensation of warmth under his fingers. He raised it above his head and swung it down.
Ollivander seemed almost disappointed as he took the wand back.
"Possible. The wand recognizes your potential, but doesn't wish to offer its services to you just yet. A good backup, if you wish for it, but right now… Perhaps we ought to try something a bit more… unusual, maybe?. Please, wait here."
The man disappeared in the back of the shop, rapping after a few seconds holding a black and white wand.
"Hawthorn wood and curupira hair. 10 inches. Unyielding."
As Harry held the wand, he could feel it. A pleasantly warm sensation in his palm, while at the same time his fingers felt chilly. He waved it around, leaving a trail of red smoke that disappeared a second after.
"Interesting. Hawthorn wood makes for strange, contradictory wand, as full of paradoxes as the tree that gave it birth. Curupira hair chose individuals who were talented, but also unpredictable. A 10 inch wand offers plenty of room to grow and change, yet the wand itself is unyielding... Truly, a mysterious wand, impossible to predict."
He was interrupted in his musing to look at Harry with a big smile.
"Mr. Potter, it would seem we will have to watch your career with great interest."
With a final nod, Harry paid for his wand and left the shop.
King's Cross station, London, 1st September 1991 (Sunday)
Harry showed his ticket to Samuel and John.
"See? It says plattform 9 ¾."
"Amazing." said a wide-eyed John.
"How do we even get there?" asked Samuel.
"You walk through the wall between platform 9 and 10, that's how. The Deputy headmistress gave us instructions." barked back Instructor David.
"That's so cool! I'm jealous, man."
"Hey, maybe when I finish school we'll all be together on the same First Strike team unit as Edwin? I bet you could use a wizard on the team." offered Harry.
"That'd be fantastic! Did you know Edwin has the superstrength to lift a whole car? With passengers inside!?"
"I bet that when I come back I will be able to do that! Without even touching the car!"
"Oh yeah? Well, when you come back I will be so fast that I will be able to dodge bullets!"
"Shut it you three! Samuel, you aren't in First Strike team and if you don't start putting some effort into your morning exercises you never will!" barked Instructor David, earning the concerned look of nearby travelers.
The group reached the wall between the two platforms, just in time to notice a pair of redheads running through the wall with their carts.
"Wasn't this whole wizarding world thing supposed to be secret?" asked John, attracting the attention of a plump woman with flaming red hair.
"Hogwarts?" she asked.
Instructor David nodded, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder.
"First year for this one."
The woman smiled at Harry.
"Hello, dear. It's Ron's first year as well. - she then turned her attention to David - Molly Weasley, this is my daughter Ginevra and my son Ronald. My other sons Fred, George and Percy already went in."
David extended his hand, shaking the woman's.
"Instructor David Charlston, currently in the services of Homogenity Incorporated, Pentex subsidiary. These are my charges Samuel Davis, John Machintosh and Harry Potter."
The young redhead's eyes bulged.
"You're Harry Potter?"
He was about to say more, before instructor David interrupted him.
"Yes, yes, he's Harry Potter, you'll have time to talk on the train. If you don't mind, school starts tomorrow and I have twenty-five other kids to pick up from all over London, so if you don't mind moving this conversation along…"
The Weasley were taken aback by the man's brazenness, but Harry and friends were used to the man's attitude.
"Well mate, I guess we'll see each other for Founder's day."
The trio hugged, then Harry offered a small salute to instructor David.
"Goodbye sir."
David snorted, a half-smile appeared on his face as he turned around and guided his two charges out of the station while the two kids waved at Harry.
"Who was that anyway?" asked a curious Ron.
Harry turned to look at the redhead "Instructor David. He's… well, I suppose he would be something like our gym teacher."
"That man was a teacher? He sounds worse than Snape."
"Ronald Weasley, you will refrain from saying bad things about your Professors, is that clear?"
Ron rolled his eyes.
"Yes, Mom."
Molly then turned to Harry.
"Sorry about that. Would you like to go first?"
Harry nodded, pushing his cart toward the wall like he had seen the two redheads doing.
He closed his eyes, almost expecting to slam against the wall, but after a few seconds, he opened them again, to see a scarlet steam engine waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven o'clock.
After a few seconds, he saw the Weasley group catching up to him.
Under the watchful eye of Molly, who was somehow keeping Ginevra from wandering off, warning Fred and George to not blow up any bathrooms and keeping an eye on both Harry and Ron, he got aboard the train, sitting up in a compartment with the redhead.
Ron seemed nervous for a while, then he finally asked.
"Have you really got… you know..."
He pointed at Harry's forehead. Harry raised an eyebrow while showing the scar.
"So that's where You-Know-Who…"
"... spell rebounded? - finished Harry, shrugging - Seems so. Sir Harold thinks it was because of some form of Backlash, but he's not too sure. He doesn't have any books on it."
Ron sat and stared at Harry's scar for a few moments, then, as though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out of the window again.
"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry.
"Er… Yes, I think so. I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."
"So you must know loads of magic already."
Ron shrugged.
"A little, but dad said that it was better to learn magic at Hogwarts the right way instead of having the professors correct any mistakes he does while trying to teach me. - He paused for a second - You went to live with Muggles, right? What are they like?"
Harry shrugged "You've seen Instructor David and my roommates. Before John, Samuel's brother lived with us, but then he got accepted in First Strike team."
"What's First Strike team?"
Harry beamed. "They're the coolest and strongest people in the world. They get super powers and go out fighting Garous and monsters all day!"
"What's a Garou?"
"Werewolves. Sorry, Sir Harold gets really angry whenever I use the wrong words."
"There are muggles that fight werewolves? That's wicked! How do they do that without magic?"
Harry opened up his trunk, searching for one of his 'Buck Racer of the First Corp' comics, flipping through the pages to show Ron one of the fight scenes between Buck Racker and the Savage Howler in all of its gory violence.
"Wicked."
The duo was so engrossed in their reading they barely noticed an older woman opening the door of their compartment.
"Anything off the cart, dears?"
Both kids shook their heads, Ron showing off a pair of sandwiches while Harry pulled a pair of Gut Buster burgers from an O'Tolley's paper bag that seemed to be bursting.
"Sir Harold said to bring a few extra if I made friends on the trip. Want one?"
Ron put his sandwiches to the side, biting in the burger.
"This is so good. Is all muggle food like this?"
"O'Tolley's is. It is a Pentex subsidiary, after all."
"What's this Pentex, by the way?"
"Only the greatest company on the planet. The comics, the trunk, the food, the school I went to… It's all Pentex. Even First Strike team work for Pentex."
"Wicked. And they…"
They were interrupted by a knock on the door and a round-faced boy Harry came in, tears in his eyes.
"Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?"
When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"
He left.
"Don't know why he's so bothered - said Ron. - If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."
Ron pointed at a rat snoozing in its cage.
"I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look..."
He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.
"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway."
He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him: bright brown eyes, a bushy mane of brown hair and noticeably large front teeth. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.
"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one,"
She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.
"You asked it not even a minute ago!"
Complained Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, too busy looking at the wand in his hand.
"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."
She sat down. Ron looked taken aback and a bit annoyed. He cleared his throat.
"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."
He waved his wand, but nothing happened.
"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard. I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough. I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"
She said all this very fast. Harry looked at Ron's stunned face. He wasn't sure if the boy was shocked by the girl's lack of manners or the fact she had learned all the course books by heart either.
"I'm Ron Weasley" Ron muttered.
"Harry Potter."
"Are you really? - asked Hermione. - I know all about you, of course. I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."
Harry was annoyed. After all the hours spent learning proper etiquette from Sir Harold and the numerous times his domitor had slapped his hands with a stick, the lack of manners of this girl was really getting on his nerves. "Well, Miss Granger, you are being incredibly rude at the moment."
Hermione was shocked, her mouth agape as she stared at the boy.
"You open a door without knocking, enter without waiting for permission, interrupt a conversation without apologizing, sit down despite not being offered a seat, question my friend's magical ability and finally, you act like you know all about me because I'm mentioned in a book you read? Excuse me, but this is all extremely disrespectful."
Harry looked at the red-faced girl and the slack-jawed face of Ron. Was that a bit too harsh? He was fairly certain that Sir Harold would have said the same thing… he even tried to copy his tone. Still, perhaps that was excessive?
"Apologies, I think I have adapted a bit of the mannerism of my etiquette teacher."
He stood up, offering the girl a small formal bow, as sir Harold had instructed him to do.
"My name is Harry James Potter. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Granger."
Hermione nodded, still dazed by Harry's words.
"Uh… yes… well… we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, we'll be there soon."
And she swiftly left, taking the toadless boy with her.
"What was that, mate?"
"Sorry, Sir Harold is very strict and he's been drilling etiquette in my head for all August. I guess I picked up his mannerism as well."
"No offense mate, but your teachers don't sound too pleasant."
Harry considered it. "I suppose not. But their methods do work, I guess."
The two had finished Harry's O'Tolley's bag and had just changed into their school uniform when they heard a knocking on the door.
Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one: a pale boy with blonde hair in what Harry seemed to recognize from one of his many hours spent studying heraldry and lineages. Sure, these lineages ended in the early 1800, but he was fairly certain this boy was a descendant from House Tharsis. He was looking at Harry with interest.
"Is it true? They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"
Harry frowned. Hadn't anyone on this train heard of etiquette? He extended his hand.
"Harry James Potter, heir apparent of house Potter. I assume you are the scion of House Tharsis?"
The boy looked a bit confused, but shook Harry's hand.
"Name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. These are Crabbe and Goyle."
Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigget. Malfoy looked at him, but was interrupted before he could speak.
"Pardon my companion, he's coming up with a bit of a cough. He's…"
"… a Weasley, no doubt. Red hair, freckles and, according to my father, more children than they can afford."
He turned back to Harry.
"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, heir Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."
Harry smiled. He didn't like this boy at all, but the situation called for what Sir Harold had called a 'polite fuck off'.
"While I am moved by your generosity and deeply appreciate the offer, not trusting in my domitor's teachings in recognizing the wrong sort would show my lack of faith in their judgment and I do not wish to disrespect them. However, should I ever need assistance, I will make sure to come knocking and hold you to your most generous offer, scion Malfoy." he said coolly.
Malfoy nodded, clearly unhappy, but etiquette demanded he smiled regardless, before leaving and closing the door behind him.
"What a prick." muttered Harry.
"I've heard of his family. - said Ron darkly - They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side."
A voice echoed through the train.
"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."
Notes
Harry's got a different wand! Or did you honestly thing being a Fomori would influence him? (in case you don't know, a Fomori is a human that is half possessed/half fused with a spirit. In Harry's case, it's a Rust Hunter Spider)
Merlin's beard, I had forgotten how insufferable Hermione is at the beginning of book 1. Her dialogue is canon to the book, I barely changed anything. Hopefully, Harry's slap in the face is the realization she needs to mature into the more likeable character she is in the later volumes
Due to Sir Harold teachings, Harry is more diplomatic (some may say more cunning), but that doesn't mean he has to like Malfoy or dislike Ron
What's this? The Malfoy line is connected to a family of pirates that colluded with demons? I'm shocked! Jokes aside, I wanted to establish some connections between the old Hermetic dinasties and the sacred 28. I'm not sure if they'll end up being relevant, but better plant the seed now as an easter egg and do nothing with it than spring it out as a plot point outta nowhere. On a similar note, which houses should the Potter and Weasley families be connected to?
one extra note: while the character of Harry is different, I don't plan to break away from the main plot too much. That means the golden trio will stay (even if it won't be atrio anymore) and don't expect a Fist Strike team to break into Hogwarts or a Technocracy orbital strike on the Ministry of Magic... for now. Story isn't finished yet, so I'm keeping all possibilities open. Except reviving an antideluvian. Maybe
Answering PM/Reviews
That is an EXCELLENT idea. So excellent that I had to go back and rewrite a few scenes in Prisoner to justify the inclusion our beloved cainite Taxi driver (he essentially takes up the spot of the Knight's Bus). As to Pentex (or anyone, really) being aware... well, I guess you'll have to stick around and see for yourself!