Chapter 10. A Busy Life

It was hot and muggy outside, a day that drained anyone who stayed in it for more than a moment, but Harry had to get his chores done. Freaks needed to earn their keep. Freaks should be grateful they were even allowed inside the house, let alone given a place to sleep there.

Harry had been outside for hours now, and his baggy clothes were sticking to him, rubbing him, irritating his skin. As usual, they were sticking to him from sweat and the open weeping wounds on his back.

The wounds were partially healed, but still leaked and were hot from infection. He desperately wanted to pull his shirt off, but he had no sunscreen, and he knew he would burn. Also, he did not want to expose his wounds to the dirt, they were infected enough, and he could not afford to get sick and not be able to work.

Harry could feel the hunger pangs cramping his stomach, which meant he was extremely hungry as he usually felt nothing. Oh, what he would do for just one scrap of food. He desperately wanted to go through the rubbish, just for one measly crumb.

He could make it last as he had done many times before. Hold it in his mouth, savor it, swirl the flavor around his tongue, and pretend it was a feast until it dissolved. Harry had a very good imagination.

He had been locked in his cupboard since their trip to the zoo for Dudley's birthday. Somehow, he had accidentally let a python loose on Dudley by vanishing the glass in the exhibit. He had only been allowed out to prepare meals, use the loo once a day, and if Vernon had a bad day at work, he served as his punching bag.

The visit to the zoo was four days ago. The three days of confinement had been terrible, the dark cramped cupboard suffocating, so Harry did not complain about being outside for long hours. It was more than he deserved. He was grateful for the reprieve.

After checking to make sure no one was around, Harry filled his stomach with water from the garden hose, causing the hunger pangs to retreat for a while. He had learned that trick when he was five, but he had to be careful not to get caught.

"BOY! What are you doing, you unappreciative freak! Drinkingourwater! Wateryouhave not earned! Water no one saidyoucould have! SPIT IT OUT NOW!" Vernon bellowed.

Harry froze and could not think. Where did his uncle come from? Hehad not beenthereamomentago! Instinctively Harry swallowed, it was a reflex born of fear. That was a mistake, a dangerous mistake. As soon as he had swallowed the water Harry began stuttering out,

"I-I-I'm sorry Uncle, I'm sorry! Please don't be angry. I-I-I was j-j-just th-thirsty." That was the wrong thing to say, a very deadly mistake. Vernon quickly closed the distance between himself and Harry.

"Thirsty! Freaks don't get thirsty! But you'll soon learn what happens to freaks who steal! And how dare you swallow that water! I told you to SPIT IT OUT!"

Harry backpedaled, and as was his luck, he tripped over the garden hose and fell to the ground. He stared at his uncle in fear, knowing he was truly in for it. Vernon sneered, and with his heavy foot, he stomped on Harry's stomach, causing him to expel the water.

Harry did not make a sound as the water left his stomach through his nose and mouth. Gasping, he struggled to his hands and knees, weak from the lack of food and hurt from the shot to his stomach, and inadvertently his ribs.

While taunting and laughing, Vernon kicked him a second time, this time in the rear, causing him to sprawl onto the ground. Vernon continued to laugh. Nothing made him happier than seeing Harry humiliated. Harry, the fighter that he was, still made no sound and again struggled to get up.

"Weak! Nothing more than an ungrateful drain on our family. I should have taken you to an orphanage or drowned you like a stray dog years ago, boy."

Vernon took his beefy hand and picked Harry up by the neck of his shirt. He wadded it up, so it was tight enough to pick Harry up by the neck. It was cutting off Harry's air, and he began clawing at his throat, trying to rip the shirt, kicking his feet madly while in the air.

His only luck was that the shirt was worn to threads, and as they entered the kitchen Harry was able to tear it and his small form fell to the kitchen floor, leaving the torn shirt in Vernon's hand. This pushed Vernon over the edge, as if he were not already there.

He clouted Harry on the head as the young boy was sitting on his knees, holding his throat, gasping for air. Harry flew forwards, hitting the hard tile face first. It split his lip, which was now bleeding freely from the impact.

"Boy, how dare you destroy the clothes we gave you!" Vernon came at him again with a raised fist.

Harry rolled off his bed as a scream ripped from his throat. He was panting hard, and a cold sweat covered his trembling body. A phantom pain from the beating he had received that day spread through his body, and he shuddered.

He was not shocked when he soon heard pounding on his door. Even with the spells he put up to conceal himself, she always knew. Harry gingerly got up and opened the door, knowing full well who would be on the other side.

Anissa rushed in and pulled Harry into her arms. Instantly, Harry felt peace and calm flow over him. They did this for each other and had done it many times since the first time Harry had found himself in her dreams.

"Oh Harry! I could feel how scared you were, I couldn't stand it." Anissa whispered.

"I'm sorry, Anissa. I think it's because I'm in a new place. My mind was thinking this couldn't be real. I don't think I'll ever be free of my nightmares, but I'm glad I have you to help me afterwards, and I'll try not to be a bother."

"Pft! I'll always be there for you, Harry, just like you're there for me after my nightmares." Anissa sighed. "I wish we could just stay together, that way I could be right there when it happens."

Harry hugged her hard. "I feel the same, but we have to learn to move past it, or at least learn to deal with it. And speaking of moving, we need to get ready for the day."

Anissa nodded and let go. "I was thinking of writing to Min about the Sorting. She looked pretty sad when we weren't sorted into Gryffindor."

"Sure, we can do that. Go get dressed and I'll meet you in the common room."

Minerva was not expecting to see a beautiful white owl pecking at her office window this morning. Nor was she expecting the sweet letter from her two kittens. She smiled as she read it a second time.

Min,

We wanted to say thank you again for taking us to get our school supplies and for letting us into your life. We really appreciate the kindness you've shown us, and we think you're great.

We noticed that you were unhappy that we weren't sorted into Gryffindor. We hope you are not disappointed in us. We plan to bother you a lot, so you won't even realize we aren't in your House.

Mainly we wanted to let you know that we appreciate you and want you to be happy. You mean a lot to us. (Harry told me not to put that part in, but I ignored him.)

Your favorite students,

Anissa and Harry

PS. Harry says he'll get you some catnip if it will help make you happy.

Minerva chuckled again at their cheek. The little rascals were so thoughtful. She had to admit that she had been a little disappointed, but she was still proud of them. She pulled out some parchment to write a reply to her 'favorite' students.

"Is that him?"

"That's Potter right there."

"Did you see his scar?"

"There, look."

"Yeah, he's the one with the black hair and glasses."

"Did you see his face?"

The whispers followed Harry everywhere. People would stand on tiptoe to get a good look at him or double back to pass him several times in the corridors staring. He wished they would not do that, it was embarrassing. He was just another student.

Anissa glared at anyone who stared too long or came too close. Many times, she had placed herself between an over excited wannabe fan and Harry. She knew Harry did not like anyone near him, so she did her best to keep them away. Ron, Neville, and Luna helped when they could, and Harry appreciated the effort.

The only bright spot this morning was the reply they received from Min at breakfast. She made Harry blush with her words, which made Anissa laugh. They looked at Min at the high table and she winked at him. She winked! Harry thought he might die of embarrassment and was glad no one paid them any attention.

Anissa almost fell off the bench, she was laughing so hard, so Harry helped her with a little push. Now they were trying to hurry to their first class, Transfiguration. Hogwarts was so huge and mazelike that it was difficult to find your way, and there was so much to remember.

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases, some that led somewhere different on a Friday, some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump, then there were the staircases that moved.

There were doors that would not open unless you asked politely or tickled them in exactly the right place. Doors that were not really doors at all, just walls pretending to be, and walls that were really doors.

You could not use landmarks to find your way either, as things moved around a lot. The people in the portraits visited each other and Harry was sure the coats of armor could walk. The ghosts tried to help, but you had to watch out for Peeves the Poltergeist, who was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class.

Worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch and his cat, Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-colored creature with bulging, lamplike eyes just like Filch's. Filch knew all the secret passages and could pop up on you as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him, and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick. Then there were the classes themselves.

Harry and Anissa finally made it to the Transfiguration classroom, and luckily before everyone else, as they wanted to see the show. They looked around in wonder at the huge room. There was row after row of desks, enough for at least fifty students. They chose seats right in front so they could see everything.

Harry and Anissa were grinning madly at the tabby cat that was sitting on the professor's desk. Harry could have sworn the cat winked at him, and he could feel another blush staining his cheeks. He glared at Anissa's snort of laughter and gave her a shove.

The rest of the first years filed in a few seconds later and took their seats. They were looking around in awe or waving at the man at the smaller desk off to the side. Once it was time for the class to start, the tabby jumped off the desk and transformed into Professor McGonagall.

Min had told them that she liked doing that the first day of class because she thought it was "great fun" since she knew a secret no one else did. Well, she did, and she further declared that "It is fun to see the expressions on the first year's faces when I transform out of my Animagus form."

"That was bloody brilliant, Professor!" a Hufflepuff Harry did not know exclaimed.

Normally Minerva would scold her students for such language, but she had to admit, it was bloody brilliant, and replied, "Thank you, Mr. Harper, for your assessment of my skills. Now if everyone will turn to page four in the text, we will begin."

Oh yes, Minerva loved the compliment, and she was not let down by the first year's expressions. Their wide eyes and dropped jaws said it all. Yep, she may be getting on in years, but she still had it!

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Everyone sat up straight, no one wanted to be told to leave. This was one subject that would be necessary as an adult. Books were placed on the desks and pages turned so they could start the lesson. Harry and Anissa already had the basics down, after working so hard before the start of term, but they still wanted to make sure they were doing everything right.

"Today, we will be going over the basics of the subject, what you can expect to learn now and in your future years at Hogwarts, and finally, you shall attempt to turn a matchstick into a needle. My apprentice, Mr. Todd, will be watching and helping as well."

The lesson was informative, and Harry took many notes that clarified some things for him and Anissa. Now they understood where they had gone wrong with one of the spells they had tried. At the time, Min had only briefly explained the intricacies of Transfiguration. They had their heads together and were sharing thoughts as McGonagall explained how and why things worked.

They had sheets of notes to go over and were so excited about the possibilities now that they really understood. Minerva decided not to reprimand them for whispering in her class when she saw and heard what they were doing. Though she did give them a look to keep their whispering quiet.

Then Minerva and Mr. Todd passed out the matches and told them to give it a try. Since Harry knew they could already do this, he arched an eyebrow at Anissa who nodded. They wanted to try something bigger, harder. Anissa raised her hand and caught Minerva's eye. She stopped by their desk and looked at the unchanged matchsticks with a frown.

"Did you have a question, Miss King?" Minerva asked.

"No ma'am, we can already do this and wondered if we could try something a bit more complex." said Anissa.

Minerva raised an eyebrow. She was quite skeptical that they could do anything yet, as this was the first day. Well, she did remember all the questions they had whenever she visited them. Now she was looking at them critically, not seeing any confusion in their eyes.

They better not have, she thought. She would have to talk to them about when and where they had practiced. How dare they try without her supervision! They could have permanently hurt each other or have been killed! All they had to do was ask her. She would have helped them.

"We will talk later about your practicing unsupervised. Now, what would this something be?" Minerva asked.

The two shared a worried look. They should be worried, though Minerva could understand why they wanted to learn before they came to Hogwarts after finding out about their home lives. She could forgive them this once, after a sound lecture of course.

"We wondered if we could try to change a pile of matches instead of just one. Your lesson has confirmed and explained some things we weren't sure about." Anissa explained.

"We'd like to see what we can do now that we understand better. We didn't want to push too much without an adult to help in case something went wrong." added Harry.

"I should hope not! You were very irresponsible and reckless to try something like this by yourselves."

From their abashed faces, Minerva knew they understood their error, and she sighed. Still, she was interested to see what they could do and was glad that they liked her subject. She wondered how far they had gotten in actually transfiguring something, so she grabbed a handful each from the box and placed it before them.

This was noticed by a couple of nearby students, who stopped trying to change their own needle, to watch them curiously. Soon all the students around them were watching to see what would happen. Harry could hear Malfoy mumbling something about 'teacher's pet' but ignored him.

"Ladies first," Harry gestured with a cheeky grin.

Anissa rolled her eyes. "Always the gentleman,"

Anissa spread the pile of matches across their desk, then pointed her wand at them. Her eyes started to burn, and Minerva gasped. She had never seen anything like it before. There were literally blue flames dancing in her pupils. It was eerie and beautiful at the same time.

Ten seconds later there was a pile of silver, pointy needles on Anissa's desk. Anissa grinned widely at Harry, her eyes shining at Harry's proud look. That was the first time she had done the spell without words. Minerva was shocked, that was done nonverbally! A skill that was not taught until seventh year!

She snapped back to herself when she heard the other students exclaiming. The students sitting further away came over to see what the fuss was about, and Mr. Todd joined them as well. They were all shocked by what they were seeing and hearing from the other students. Mr. Todd and Minerva shared a telling glance.

"Well done. Five points to Ravenclaw, Miss King." Minerva then turned to Harry. Would he do it nonverbally too? "Mr. Potter?"

Harry's eyes instantly flamed, but his fire was black with a wispy silver outline (it was both scary and mesmerizing to watch) and a mischievous grin appeared on his lips. Harry did not move to use his wand, but a few seconds later not only his pile but every match (including those in the box) had turned into a perfect needle.

"Show off," Anissa muttered.

Minerva was beside herself. Wandless and Nonverbal! That should not be possible in one so young and just beginning one's schooling. She had been sure Harry's magic was weak since she had barely felt it when she had been near him. Was Harry able to restrain his magic and keep it hidden?

How could they have such strength and control over their magic already? It was unheard of. She really needed to talk to them and confer with Albus. Minerva pulled herself together again and eyed the duo. She picked up a needle and looked it over, noticing the Hogwarts crest was etched into the needle. Amazing.

"Take another 5 points Mr. Potter. Now, let's let the other students try, shall we? Can you turn them back?"

Harry flicked his hand, and the needles were matches again. It was so much easier now that Harry had a better understanding of and a handle on his magic. All that time learning from Min before school and reading those books had really helped, although Anissa could not accomplish the wandless part and just barely started to do things nonverbally.

Harry actually preferred doing magic this way, just saying the incantation in his head, but he needed to learn how to do it properly, so he did not hurt himself. He had read about magical exhaustion and how he could really hurt his magic if he did this kind of magic wrong.

The rest of the class period was spent with Harry and Anissa helping those around them. Their classmates kept saying how cool it was that they could do such advanced magic and asking if they could help them too. The Ravenclaws were looking at Harry and Anissa like they were Merlin himself.

The Slytherins just glared at them, and Malfoy made some very rude comments that everyone ignored. Harry and Anissa did not even try to help them, not that they would have accepted their help. So, they stuck to helping the other three Houses instead. By the end of class there were more half-formed needles made than in any other class Minerva had taught.

She wondered how far the two of them had gotten in their books and what they had practiced. If they kept this up, Minerva knew her kittens would soon be the go-to for any help needed in Transfiguration. She wondered how they would do in the rest of their classes and made a mental note to ask the other professors at the staff meeting tonight. She could not help but be proud of her kittens.

History of Magic was with Professor Binns, which was by far the most boring class. Almost the entire class was asleep only minutes into the lesson. Mr. Binns did not seem to notice or care. You see, Mr. Binns was a ghost. Apparently, he went to sleep one night in the staff lounge and when he woke up to teach, he left his body behind.

Binns droned on and on monotonously, but Harry and Anissa helped each other stay awake and wrote down all the notes they could. The most exciting thing that had happened was when he floated through the chalkboard at the beginning of class.

After History of Magic was Potions. They wanted to like the class but were having some doubts because of all the unkind things the older students had said about Professor Snape. They decided they would just have to do their best and see for themselves.

They were shivering when they reached the Potions classroom. Well, they were in the dungeons, and it was quite cold down there. Anissa led Harry to the front of the room and sat at a table to the right of the teacher's desk. Luna joined them when she skipped in.

"Why did you pick this table? It is a very pretty table, but I was told that Professor Snape picks on whoever sits this close. Everyone else is at least a table back." said Luna.

"We want to be close enough to not miss anything. What if Professor Snape demonstrates something?" Anissa explained.

Luna shrugged and turned to talk to someone at the table behind them. Suddenly the door slammed shut and everyone froze in their seats. Even the apprentice had a scared look on his face as he sat at his little desk in the corner. That did not make the students feel any better.

You could have heard a pin drop as the black-haired teacher stalked to the front of the room, his black robes billowing out behind him. It was an intimidating sight and made them all nervous. The temperature seemed to drop even further in the room. Professor Snape spun around and spoke.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he spoke in a whisper, but they all caught every word. "There is little foolish wand waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you to really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Professor Snape's glare passed over each student until it stopped on Harry. A sneer curled his lip. Harry was taken aback by the hatred he saw in those obsidian eyes. What had he done?

"Class, we have a celebrity in our midst. Let's see what fame does for you, Mr. Potter." sneered Snape.

Luna gave Harry a look of sympathy, and Harry could hear the snickering from Malfoy and his group. He ignored them in favor of watching Professor Snape lean over their table. He leaned back to keep space between them, slightly grimacing at the twinge from the wounds on his back.

"Tell me Mr. Potter, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to and infusion of wormwood?"

Harry saw a hand go up behind Anissa, though he could not see who it was. Anissa nodded at him with a smile, she knew that Harry knew the answer, as they had read about it in that advanced book they had bought in Diagon Alley.

"That would make a very powerful sleeping potion called the Draught of Living Death, sir," Harry answered quietly but with confidence.

Severus was shocked that the Potter brat knew the answer, that was not in the first-year curriculum, but his face only showed his disdain. He eyed Harry with a sneer and drawled out the next question.

"Hmm. Where, Potter, would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"

"If you're meaning now, sir, I'd look in your supply cupboard. If not, then in the stomach of a goat." stated Harry, wondering why the professor was only asking him these questions, and why he looked so angry when he answered. He knew he was right.

Again, Severus was surprised by the boy's answer. Maybe Potter was not as much of a dunderhead as his father was. Maybe he was more like Lily. Severus snapped out another question.

"And what is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Snape smirked when Harry looked around instead of answering. Harry noticed the same hand was up, only it was now waving frantically back and forth. He turned back to Professor Snape and gestured to Anissa.

"It seems that others know the answers too, Professor. Perhaps they would like to answer the question." Snape narrowed his eyes. The cheek of this boy! How dare he! He is just like his father. I knew it, the arrogant little git.

"Do not presume to tell me how to teach my class, Mr. Potter. Five points from Ravenclaw for your cheek. Too bad you did not know the answer." jeered Snape as he turned to head back to the front of the class.

"Sir, he knew the answer, he just wanted to let others have a chance." said Anissa.

Snape whipped his head to Anissa. "Another five points, Miss King. Watch how you speak to me." he hissed, then turned but paused when he heard Potter's voice.

"Professor Snape?"

Severus slowly turned back and raised an eyebrow, wondering if this impertinent child had a death wish. He would love to take more points away and give the boy detention. He folded his arms and waited to see what he would say.

"Monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plant, which is also known as aconite, sir, and is deadly if brewed wrong."

Harry looked Professor Snape right in the eyes. Snape could not help but see a bit of Potter's surface thoughts. Hmm, so the brat actually wanted to learn Potions. He would watch and see how Potter did in class before he made any decisions. Snape nodded sharply, turned, and started his lecture.

Luna leaned over and whispered, "I see I was right. Never sit in the front."

Harry nodded, but he did not think his choice of seating was the cause. Professor Snape hated him. He saw it in his eyes. All his insecurities from his relatives came flooding back to him. Making him curl in on himself in his seat. Anissa touched his hand, and Harry mentally shook his head.

Although the professor's attitude would make Potions harder for Harry, he was determined to not only succeed, but to be the best. He would show the professor that he was a worthy student. Harry took out his Potions book and turned to the potion to cure boils.

Class ended and Harry was happy with his potion. Reading the Secrets of Potions Masters and Alchemists had really helped him. Each time Professor Snape walked by their table, he sneered down his hooked nose at his and Anissa's cauldrons and threw out a caustic remark. They tried to ignore him and concentrate on their potion, but it was hard. They really wanted to enjoy this class.

"I hope the next class is better," said Anissa as she gathered her things.

"It should. I don't think any of the other professors hate me," Harry replied.

Severus was not sure what to think of the Potter brat or his cheeky sidekick. Potter knew the answers to some advanced questions, and they both prepared their ingredients like someone who had been trained by a Master. Not to mention, their potions were near perfect.

He knew Potter had been raised by Muggles and that Miss King was a Muggle-born, he doubted they had been taught those techniques at home. They did not even know about magic or Hogwarts until they received their acceptance letters. At least according to Minerva.

She had nothing but praise for those two. She gushed every chance she got, it was quite annoying, but… He decided he would watch them, see if today was just a fluke as he thought it was. If they continued in this mien then maybe he would talk to them about where they learned their technique.

Just maybe, Potter was more like Lily than he thought. But he was sure that Potter would turn out to be just like his father. Spoiled, arrogant and puffed up on his fame. Decision made, he proceeded to prepare for his next class of dunderheads.

Harry and Anissa had an hour break for lunch, and they definitely needed it after Potions class. It looked like they all did. Professor Snape was as mean as everyone was saying. Except to his Slytherins of course, he praised them, even though Crabbe and Goyle melted their cauldrons.

Harry was halfway through what little he had on his plate when Professor Dumbledore stood up and the hall quieted. According to the others, the headmaster usually did not interrupt their lunch, so something must be going on.

"Just a quick announcement. There will be flying lessons starting this Saturday for the first years. Look on your House noticeboards for the time and place. The first lesson is mandatory. Those who wish for further lessons can sign up with Madam Hooch. Thank you."

Hedwig then landed next to Harry's plate. He smiled at her graceful landing as she did not bump into anything on the table. Harry had asked Hedwig to come and share every meal with them, as she never had to deliver mail, but this time Harry was surprised that she carried a note with her.

Hedwig proudly extended her leg to Harry and Harry untied the note from her leg and gave her a bit of bacon as a reward. Hedwig hooted a thank you and enjoyed her treat. Anissa said hello as well and gave Hedwig a piece of toast.

"Thank you, girl. Are you settled in alright?" Hedwig bobbed her head. Harry smiled and stroked her feathers. He opened the note and read it quickly. "It's from Hagrid. He'd like for us to join him after lunch." said Harry.

"Well, you did say you wanted to meet him. Now is as good a time as any." replied Anissa. "He seems like a really great guy, and everyone says such nice things about him."

Harry quickly wrote their acceptance, and Hedwig flew off to deliver it as they finished their meal. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door when they arrived. Harry knocked on Hagrid's door and several booming barks were heard. Harry stumbled back quickly, memories of Aunt Marge's dog Ripper, taking over his mind.

Harry was carrying a stack of dishes back into the kitchen after the Dursleys and Aunt Marge finished their dinner. He was just about to set them into the sink when Harry felt a sharp pain in his ankle. Without thinking, Harry's foot shot out and kicked Ripper, Marge's favorite dog, across the room.

Marge was on him in seconds with a hard backhand, which had him sprawled on the tile floor. Ripper was instantly on him again, shredding his ankle with his sharp teeth. Harry held back the scream that wanted to tear from his throat, knowing that would only earn him some lashings if he did.

Harry struggled to get away, which was hard as Marge kept yelling and kicking at him as he crawled. She did manage to stomp on his fingers a couple of times and Harry was sure she had broken a few of them. Finally, he was able to get far enough away from Marge and shook off Ripper.

He quickly hobbled outside and painfully climbed the tree. He stayed there most of the night with Ripper sitting at the bottom of the tree waiting for him, and his relatives laughing every time they looked out at them. By the time they pulled the dog inside, Harry was weak from pain and blood loss.

Of course, there was no help from the Dursleys. They still made him finish cleaning up the dishes and the blood that had gotten on the floor from his struggles and then locked him in his cupboard for the rest of the night. He would always have the scars from Ripper's teeth.

Loud thumping footsteps and Hagrid's voice brought Harry back to the present. His heart was pounding, but the feel of Anissa's hand slipping into his with a squeeze helped ground him. He knew that not all dogs were mean like Ripper. Snuffles was huge, but a complete teddy bear. Hopefully this dog will be that way too.

"Back, Fang – back."

The door opened and Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared. He was struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound. Harry's eyes widened as Hagrid waved them in. Harry pressed himself against the wall furthest from Hagrid's dog, keeping Anissa between them.

There was only one room inside, but it was very cozy. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a kettle was on the open fire and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it. Harry loved the warm feeling he got from Hagrid's home.

As soon as Hagrid let go of Fang, he ran right to Harry and licked his face. Harry stiffened in fear, sure he was going to be in a lot of pain, before he smiled in relief and Anissa giggled. Both gave Fang a good scratching and many compliments. Harry was relieved the massive dog was a teddy bear too.

Hagrid sighed. "I'm glad yeh don't mind 'im. He gets a bit excited when I have guests, but he's harmless."

"He's brilliant, Hagrid. He reminds me of our fluffy friend, Snuffles." Anissa said.

"Snuffles is a stray dog that kind of adopted me, then Anissa when I introduced her to him." explained Harry when he saw Hagrid's confused look. "We've been taking care of him."

"Ah, I see. Good o'ya to take 'im in. Well, how 'bout some tea?" Hagrid clapped his massive hands and led them to his table.

They talked about how their day had been so far and their plans for the weekend. As they were talking, a piece of paper caught Harry's eye. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet, wizarding Britain's newspaper. There had been a break-in at Gringotts. Harry remembered how McGonagall said you would be crazy to try and rob it. Who would be dumb enough to try that?

"Look Anissa, someone tried to rob Gringotts." Harry showed her the newspaper clipping. He noticed that Hagrid looked uneasy. "Do you know something about this Hagrid?" asked Harry.

"Me? No." Hagrid said a bit too quickly. Harry raised an eyebrow and Hagrid sighed. "Look, I can't tell yeh nothin'. That's strictly between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel." said Hagrid.

"Nicholas Flamel?" Anissa recognized that name but could not remember where she had read it.

"I shouldn't 'ave said that. Never yeh mind. It's about time for yer next class. Yeh better be off."

Hagrid shooed them out the door. Anissa looked at Harry and he just shrugged. Hagrid definitely knew something but was not willing to tell. They wondered what used to be in the now empty vault and where was it now.

When Harry and Anissa walked into Charms class, they waved at Professor Flitwick. He had been really nice as he had introduced himself last night when he went over the rules and expectations for Ravenclaw House. They really liked the tiny wizard.

He was very knowledgeable and was willing to help anyone learn spells, and not just his Ravenclaws. And as long as you proved you were responsible and could handle it, he would even consider helping you with more advanced spells. Again, Anissa chose seats at the front, they were there to learn after all. This time Ron Weasley joined them at their table.

"Welcome to Charms," Flitwick said, in a squeaky voice. "I am Professor Filius Flitwick, and I will be your teacher for this subject. For this week we shall practice the art of Levitation."

Flitwick explained the wand movement and the incantation 'Wingardium Leviosa'. He moved around the room with his apprentice, making sure each student was doing it right. Once they were satisfied that the students had it right, everyone started practicing. Anissa raised her hand, which caught the students' attention.

"Yes, Miss King?" Flitwick asked.

"Sir, can you tell us about doing magic without a wand?"

"Wandless magic is very advanced. It is taught in your seventh year. Many adults have a hard time with it or cannot do it at all. Are you interested in learning wandless magic, Miss King?" Flitwick asked intrigued.

"Well sir, Harry and I have already done some wandless magic. We've moved things many times before." said Anissa. Flitwick's eyes widened in shock. He waved at the two to come to his desk. When they arrived, he eyed them.

"Please explain to me what you mean. I assume you do not mean accidental magic, but that you are doing it on purpose?" The duo nodded.

"Well, we didn't know what it was then, but when Professor McGonagall took us to Diagon Alley for our supplies we found a book on wandless magic. Professor McGonagall said it was too advanced, but if it explained what we were doing, then we wanted it. We studied and practiced the whole month before term. I'm not as good at it as Harry is." started Anissa.

Harry took over. "It said we needed to feel our magic, to accept it as a part of us not just something we use. I never noticed what I was feeling when I made things move until I really looked for it. When I did it hurt a little and the strength scared me a bit."

Here Professor Flitwick frowned, it should not hurt at all, but be warm and welcoming, like a friend. And how did they practice before term started? Where did they practice?

"But once I recognized what it was and accepted it, warmth spread all over me. It was amazing. That's when it became easier to control, and with more practice I could move even bigger things." Harry finished.

"I had no pain when I touched mine, but the warmth spread just the same for me. I feel it all the time, even now. Harry helps me to move bigger things right now, but I'm working on it." Anissa ended their explanation.

Flitwick nodded. He was excited now. He wanted to see what they could do. He was proud that these two amazing students were a part of his House. They would definitely make Ravenclaw proud. And their accomplishments would also give him bragging rights, which was always a plus.

"Would you mind giving a demonstration?" Flitwick asked.

"Of course not, Professor," they chorused.

Harry and Anissa looked at each other, then twin mischievous grins filled their faces. As one they turned and faced Professor Flitwick with flaming eyes. Their eyes made Filius nervous and awed at the same time and he stood there frozen. He had never seen anything like it.

Professor Flitwick started to fidget then squeaked as he suddenly rose six inches off his desk. They held him there for a minute, then put him back down gently. That was the only wandless thing Anissa could do, pick something up and put it back down, but she was working on being able to do more.

Flitwick and his assistant stared at them with wide eyes for a second before Flitwick shook his head. The rest of the class were also staring at the duo and wondered if they were going to be this good in all of their classes. The Slytherins grumbled under their breaths and Malfoy glared.

"Well, I am quite astonished at your control. Next time though, I would suggest not starting with lifting your teacher." rebuked Flitwick. Their faces fell and their apologies were quick in coming, but Professor Flitwick's excitement came back quickly. "How about we start over with something small? We'll see how far you can go. I would like to judge where you are academically." Flitwick suggested.

The duo spent part of the class moving things around the room individually and together. Ron, Neville, Luna and many others cheered them on when they ended up lifting Professor Flitwick's desk, with him still on it. He gave them 15 points each and let them leave class early. Since they had the time, they decided to see if Min was available. They knocked on her office door.

"You may enter." came Minerva's voice. When they entered, she waved them forward. She was glad they came but was concerned as they should still be in class.

"Hello, my kittens. I'm glad you came to see me. How has your day been so far? Is everything alright?" Minerva asked.

Harry blushed at the kitten remark – it was still hard to understand and accept her kindness – and Anissa giggled. Harry pushed her, which made her laugh harder. Ignoring Anissa, Harry answered.

"Besides all the stares, pointing and whispering it's been great."

"Well, I did warn you about your fame. You must remember that these children grew up hearing your story. You are a hero to them, and now they have seen your power as well. That will attract attention to both of you. Just don't let your egos swell with it." said Minerva.

Harry grimaced and Anissa snorted. "Don't worry, Min. I'll pop his big head before it gets too large."

Harry rolled his eyes at his sister in all but blood. "Funny," he drawled. "I'm sure it will be me popping yours."

Minerva shook her head at their banter, and after talking for a while more, shooed them out for their next class. They were excited for their Defense Against the Dark Arts class, or DADA for short. They had read about all kinds of creatures and spells for this class, and they were ready to learn all they could.

Harry had a special interest in this class as well. Here he would learn how to protect those he loved: Anissa, Hedwig, Min, and Snuffles. Nothing would ever hurt them again. They would have to go through him first. Unbeknownst to Harry, Anissa was having the same thoughts, and she was just as determined as Harry to keep them safe.

Sadly, the class was a dud. Professor Quirrell, the teacher with the absurd purple turban, stuttered horribly the whole time and looked scared of the very pictures he was showing them. How did he become the DADA teacher? They were disappointed and whispered throughout the class trying to figure out how they could learn outside of class.

"Mr. P-P-Potter. D-do you h-have something to sh-share with the c-class?" Quirrell asked.

Harry's eyes snapped up to meet Professor Quirrell's. Pain flashed across Harry's forehead, and he twitched. What the heck? No one saw it, as Harry had learned long ago not to show pain, but Anissa could feel it when he was hurting. She turned to him in concern. Harry shook his head minutely.

"Sir, I was just saying how excited I was to be learning Defense,"

"Hmm. Well p-please p-pay attention." Quirrell resumed his lesson.

After class, Anissa pulled Harry aside. "What was that about?" she demanded.

"What do you mean? What did I miss?" Ron asked, looking around like he would see what they were talking about.

A bushy-haired girl in Gryffindor colors stopped with them, looking at Harry in concern. She had introduced herself as Hermione Granger when she sat next to Anissa during DADA. The two had become instant friends over their joy of learning.

"When I met Professor Quirrell's eyes I had a flash of pain in my scar. It was gone quickly, but I've only felt that once before, during the Welcoming Feast." explained Harry.

"Maybe we should tell Professor McGonagall." Harry was shaking his head before Anissa finished the sentence. "She'd want to know, Harry." Anissa pressed.

"I know, but let's wait. I'm not sure it is anything worth bothering her about."

Knowing his scar somehow involved Voldemort made them leery. But he was gone, right? So, it should mean nothing. Anissa looked at Ron and Hermione and they shrugged. Anissa sighed and took Harry's hand. They discussed Harry's scar the whole way to Herbology.

Herbology was amazing. Harry enjoyed the smell of clean dirt and new plants, and the warm greenhouse gave off a homey feel. He and Neville were the most active during that class and they all liked the professor. Professor Sprout was a dumpy little witch but was sweet as could be, and she answered all their questions patiently.

Here they learned about strange magical plants and fungi, how to care for them, and what their uses were. Harry had always enjoyed working in his aunt's garden, it was the only time he was allowed to be alone. Just him and the plants, helping them grow and be strong. Harry knew he would love this class. Anissa was not as keen to get dirty as Harry was, but she knew these were things she needed to know.

Astronomy was only once a week, on Wednesdays. They went to the top of the Astronomy Tower at midnight to study the stars. Harry loved to stare at the sky and wanted to just lie there and watch the stars twinkle.

They studied the movements of the planets, learned the different names of the stars and how everything affects magic. The professor even explained about the stars use in Divination. It was more interesting than Harry thought it would be.

That night after dinner, Harry and Anissa went over their notes to make sure they did not miss anything. They were happy with what they had accomplished, and it was only the first day! They could only imagine what else they were going to learn.

While the students were getting ready for bed, the four Heads of Houses were gathered in a meeting with the headmaster. They went over how the first day went, any troubles they saw, and how they could do things better next year. There was always something they could improve on.

Minerva was fidgeting in her seat. She really wanted to bring up Harry and Anissa. Filius came to her after his classes and told her what they had done with the levitating spell. She was astonished, but proud. Albus could see that two of his professors were antsy. Eyes twinkling, he turned his attention to them.

"Is there something that we have not addressed, Minerva? You and Filius look as if you are about to jump out of your seats. What is so exciting?"

Minerva wasted no time. "It is Mr. Potter and Miss King. They have shown extraordinary talent."

"Ah yes, I have heard of their feats in your classes today. Word does get around here at Hogwarts." Albus's eyes were twinkling brightly as he thought of those two students.

"They certainly are more knowledgeable than I would have thought for first years," said Pamona. She had been impressed with both Mr. Potter's and Mr. Longbottom's knowledge.

"I think their talents need to be cultivated. They could go far if we do this right. They may need to be taught differently from the other students," Filius chimed in. "They seem to be far more advanced than their classmates."

"And what do you propose, Filius? It would not be good for them to be taken from the classes with their peers." said Albus.

Severus was interested in Potter and King as well, not that he would show it. They had shown promise, and if they were showing the same promise in all their other classes, then they may just have a set of prodigies on their hands.

"I suggest that they receive extra training. Once they prove they can do the things we are teaching in class, we can give them something more advanced on that subject." suggested Filius.

"They do pick things up quickly, especially Mr. Potter," added Pomona. "He asked a few questions in class today and then expertly pruned his Devil's Snare without getting caught by it."

"Can you imagine, Albus. Those two could possibly take their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s early. It would set a record." piped in Minerva.

"And what do you think, Severus?" Albus had watched the Potion Master's face throughout the discussion. Although the man's face did not change from his dour expression, he could see the light of intrigue in his eyes.

"They have shown promise in Potions as well. We will see if today was a fluke or if they can keep this up." said Severus.

"Oh, honestly Severus," Minerva scoffed. "Even you can see that they are above the others. At least they don't gloat about it or show off… well, not much. They actually help others in their class."

"My, but do they," Filius put in. "I've never had so many students learn a lesson so fast. They have a talent for explaining things so that everyone understands. And their wandless and nonverbal magic… that definitely needs to be encouraged."

"Well, it looks like we will all be looking forward to seeing what those two accomplish. Write out your plans for the duo and bring them to me for approval. Be mindful to keep an eye on their magic usage. We do not want them to overdo it. This should be an interesting year." Albus dismissed them with a grin.