The last few days leading up to his departure for Hogwarts passed in a heartbeat, and Harry locked the door to his room in the Leaky Cauldron before walking downstairs. Tom had been a great help during this past week, often checking up on him to see whether he needed something to eat. Harry was thankful.
"Ready to leave for the adventure, eh?" The bald man asked as he grabbed the key Harry dropped on the counter, putting it in the drawer and smiling at him. Harry smiled back.
By now, Tom knew who he truly was, but the kind barman had taken care not to make too much of a fuss about it. Yeah, Harry had to sign an autograph for the man's little daughter but that had been it. He had met the girl once – a little thing of four who had looked at him with adorable blue eyes as she kept her firm grip on her father's sleeve. Harry was not a fan of all the flourish, but he had not minded it that once.
"Yeah. Wish me luck," Harry smiled before adding, "And my usual, Tom."
"Grab a seat and I'll be over in a moment," the barman smiled at him and quickly started to fix his breakfast. Harry didn't need much. Just a nutritional meal to start the day was enough. He smiled when the man levitated his plate and glass over to the table and dug in.
Fifteen minutes later, he was walking through the main entrance of King's Cross with his trunk trailing behind him. His eyes took in the large crowd and he wondered just how people missed it when witches and wizards vanished in front of them. Chalking it up to another quirk of magic, Harry took the staircase to the overbridge that would take him to the platform concerned, and once again he thanked the fact that his trunk came with those charms. He had no idea how he would've lifted it otherwise.
Walking down the stairs, Harry came to a stop between Platforms Nine and Ten and looked at the broad pillar in the middle. It didn't look out of the ordinary and he walked further ahead. The platform was less busy than the others, he noted absently. He also noticed a few other people carrying a trunk behind them and guessed they must be going to Hogwarts as well.
For a few minutes, Harry observed them as they went through the pillar. He wondered just what kind of magic allowed you to create something like this, and he was more than a little intrigued.
He had promised to sit with Neville on the train, so once he walked through the pillar, he started looking around. However, he crossed the entire length of the train without meeting the boy. Shrugging, he boarded the last carriage and entered the first empty compartment he found. He had already told Neville that he would be in the last carriage when the boy had sent him a letter the day after they had met, so he was not worried.
Once he was done, he took the seat by the window and closed his eyes.
He had been making steady progress in his Occlumency, and the barrier was well on its way to completion. Harry was confident that he could easily detect it when someone tried to intrude in his mind, even if he might not be able to keep a determined intruder out. Still, he was sure that he could create the barrier within two months if he dedicated himself to it, and if there was something he had in abundance, it was dedication.
Isolated from the populace, Harry Potter immersed himself in the trance. The sounds from outside soon became nonexistent.
-Break-
It was fifteen minutes later when his eyes opened and he turned towards the door, smiling when the familiar face of Neville came into focus. He waved his wand and relished in the wonder on Neville's face when the door slid open. It felt good to be admired.
"Wow, you can already use magic so easily," Neville remarked, watching as Harry levitated his trolley on the overhead rack. "Didn't you say you had no idea you could use magic?"
Harry chuckled as he leaned back, "Yeah, but I've read up in advance, so it was slightly easy to practice in the past few days. I'm in no way an expert but I'd like to believe I'm progressing nicely."
Neville nodded, "Very nicely."
A knock on the door made them turn, and they saw a slightly chubby red-haired boy trying to open the door. Harry frowned but waved his wand. The door slid open.
"Merlin, why'd you lock it?" The boy complained as he entered and shoved his trunk under the seat before sitting down beside Neville. His eyes fell on the blonde before he looked at him, and Harry sighed when the redhead gawked at him, or rather, the scar on his forehead. He had forgone his cap and decided to be upfront with his scar instead, accepting it as a part of him.
"Blimey! You're Harry Potter!" exclaimed the redhead, eyes wide and mouth hung open.
"Yeah, I am," he deadpanned, already the least bit interested in talking to this boy. He hated people like this.
"Is it true?" The redhead continued, and Harry frowned.
"Is what true?" asked Harry, confused.
"Well, you know… the whole bit about you being trained by Dumbledore?"
With furrowed eyes, Harry turned to look at a confused Neville who shrugged.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
The redhead shrugged and sat back, leaving a pair of confused first-years who exchanged a look.
"Are you looking forward to Hogwarts, Harry?" Neville asked after a few seconds of silence. Harry nodded with a smile.
"I've already read ahead. Just need to master my spellcasting. I'm sure there will be a lot to learn," said Harry. Neville nodded.
"Oh come on mate, you sound like a bookworm," the redhead interjected with a chuckle. Harry turned to glare at him. The boy flinched.
"Listen here, you dumbass. First you barge in and don't even introduce yourself, then you ask weird questions, and now you're mocking me. I don't know where you learned the art of introduction, but let me tell you something. Whoever taught you needs to be fired. Now either sit here silently or fuck off for all I care," Harry sneered. The redhead stared at him in shock.
"And remember, I'm not your mate, so don't presume to address me with such familiarity. Now piss off."
Neville sat near the window in silence, conveniently ignoring the spat inside the compartment and busying himself with the rolling countryside.
The redhead's face turned into a shade that matched his hair as he stood up and snarled, "Seems fame's gotten into your head, Potter. I should've known what a ponce you'd turn out to be."
Harry sighed.
"Just go away, you moron. I'm in no mood to continue this."
He paid the redhead no mind as he pulled his trunk out from under his seat and forcefully pulled the compartment door open before walking away, fuming.
"Are all people like that here?" Harry asked Neville in exasperation. The boy sighed.
"He seems like a special case," said Neville, earning an eye roll from Harry. He chuckled.
"Well, I hope I don't meet any special people then. One is enough for today," Harry replied and waved his wand towards the door, whispering the incantation for the notice-me-not charm he had read up on and practiced the previous day.
-Break-
During the next few hours, a few people walked by their compartment, but no one bothered them. It seemed his notice-me-not charm had held up. He saw a boy of their age with platinum-blonde hair slicked back like some aristocrat looking around and being followed by two gorilla-like boys who seemed to be drooling and a brunette who walked beside him with a simpering smile on her face. The boy's face was fixed with a permanent sneer that Harry had seen many times on people who thought they were God's gift to this world and whatever they saw was their plaything. A glance shared with Neville told him all he needed to know. It was better to keep away from that sort.
A girl with bushy hair also passed their compartment a few times but didn't disturb them. Harry's faith in his charm increased.
He had already had one altercation today, and he was not looking forward to too much trouble so early in this new world he was going to be a part of. Sure, he had confidence in himself and he knew he could handle a fight with this lot, but it was better to avoid a confrontation altogether. That redhead had just got on his nerves, and Harry didn't want to bother with him. It didn't seem as if he was a remarkable wizard anyway.
The train gradually slowed as it entered the Hogsmeade station, and Harry nodded toward Neville before standing up. He had already arrived at King's Cross with his uniform underneath his robes, so he simply changed his robes before getting out of the compartment.
As he stepped on the platform and waited for Neville to change and emerge, he looked around. It was dark and the only light came from lamps that were floating over the platform. A deep voice seemed to be asking for the first-years to follow, and Harry looked over at the hulking man holding up a lamp in one hand and oddly, an umbrella in the other.
Neville came out five minutes later, and Harry nodded at him before they walked together to where the giant was gathering the first years. Once they all were assembled, he introduced himself as Hagrid, the Gamekeeper of Hogwarts who would lead them to the school. Silently, they followed behind the man and as instructed, got inside one of the boats lined up along the bank of the river.
Harry sat with Neville and they were joined by two other witches – a redhead and a blonde. The redhead was the curvier of the two – a fact Harry couldn't help but notice.
"Hi! I'm Susan Bones and this is Hannah Abbott. Nice to meet you again, Neville."
Harry looked at the redhead with interest, who noticed his gaze and flushed slightly at his smile.
"I'm Harry Potter. Nice to meet you too," Harry greeted politely. Their eyes widened as the boats started moving.
"Truly? It's an honor to meet you, Heir Potter," Susan said courteously. Beside her, Hannah also greeted him in kind. Harry smiled.
"Please, no heir business. As far as I've heard, our houses have been allies for decades. I wouldn't want such formalities between us. I've said the same to Neville here as well," Harry replied, clapping the wizard on the back.
Susan stared at him with wide eyes before a small smile came over her face.
"Then you have to call us by our names as well. Deal?"
Harry chuckled, "Sure, Susan. And nice to meet you too, Hannah."
The girls beamed.
"I'm sure my aunt would like to meet you sometime," Susan remarked. "Is it okay if I write to her about this?"
Harry knew what she was talking about, and he gave her an easy nod.
"Mind yer heads!" The deep voice of Hagrid boomed, and they ducked their heads under the arch as the boat passed. They looked ahead as they turned to the left, and gasps echoed around as the magnificent castle came into view.
Perched upon a massive cliff that overlooked the entire landscape, Hogwarts looked like a castle straight from a fairytale. The magnificent citadel of knowledge was lit up from top to bottom, with torches shining fiery gold. Harry's eyes flickered with light as he couldn't help but stare in wonder.
"This is paradise. This is home," he whispered to himself, smiling.
-Break-
The students walked up the stairs behind Hagrid, who knocked on the massive set of double doors. The doors opened with a loud creak that made a few students wince, and they walked up until they entered the massive hall where someone was waiting for them. Harry saw her and smiled to himself.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid beamed. McGonagall nodded and thanked Hagrid, who bowed and walked away before she turned to look at him.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," she greeted curtly. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be your family within Hogwarts.
"As you must be aware, they are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has produced legendary witches and wizards and covets unique traits which are present in all of you. Your triumphs will earn you house points while rule-breaking and negative behavior will make you lose them. The house with the highest points at the end of the school year will be awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope you become a credit to whichever house you are sorted in.
"I would advise you to make yourself presentable in the few minutes you have left. I shall be back with you shortly."
The professor gave meaningful glances to a few students before giving them a curt nod and turning around to walk away. Harry started to think about the house he would like to join. He knew his parents were Gryffindors, and that many might expect him to join the House of the Lions as well. However, he didn't feel like joining them. Hufflepuff was also out for similar reasons. He was indeed hardworking, but the house just didn't feel right.
The ones he liked the most were Slytherin and Ravenclaw. He knew he was highly ambitious and had ruthlessness in abundance. His past actions were very cunning indeed. Another fact remained that he could talk to snakes; something he had discovered all those years ago, and the house's guardian beast was a basilisk – the king of the serpents. It made sense for him to join that house.
However, Slytherin also carried a negative reputation, and if he had gathered something about the Wizarding World so far, it was the value they put in Hogwarts houses. It wouldn't do if his image was somehow sullied because of the house he was in.
That made Ravenclaw the best possible house for him. The house kept itself out of the drama that engulfed Hogwarts, and the students were primarily focused on academics. He firmly believed that Knowledge was Power, and didn't have any reluctance to join Ravenclaw either.
The Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts arrived after a few minutes, during which a few students had tried to fix their clothes, hair, or faces. She instructed them to follow behind her, and they entered through another set of doors.
Four long columns of tables greeted them on either side as they walked in the middle, and Harry looked around. Tapestries belonging to either house were hanging off the enchanted ceiling which reflected the night sky, and Harry faintly heard someone preach how it was an enchantment. He didn't bother looking behind, busily gazing around the massive hall.
Candles were floating in the air, and Harry closely observed how the melting wax rejoined the candle at the base. Magic was truly a marvel.
Further ahead in the distance atop a raised dais sat the professors on a wide table that extended from one end of the hall to the other, and Harry saw the massive throne-like chair in the middle and its occupant.
He didn't have to be an expert to know that this was a powerful wizard. There was a certain presence about him as he gazed at them with a kind smile on his face. That must be Dumbledore, the headmaster with so many titles.
Professor McGonagall stopped in front of the dais, and Harry saw a worn-out black wizards' hat on a stool. His eyes widened slightly when eyes and a mouth formed on the hat and it started singing.
"For I'm a Thinking Cap!" The song ended, and claps rang out around the hall.
"Come over and take a seat on the stool when I call your name. Abbott Hannah!"
Harry watched as Hannah walked up the stairs and sat on the stool, her pigtails bouncing with every step. The hat's mouth quirked up and it shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
Harry clapped politely as the house of the badgers erupted into a cheer.
"Bones, Susan!"
Similarly, Susan walked up the stairs and sat on the stool. The hat didn't waste even a second, and the Hufflepuff table erupted into cheers once again.
A few more students were sorted into different houses until it was Neville's turn. Harry saw the boy walk up and sit on the stool. The hat stayed silent, and soon, murmurings started around the hall.
Finally, after over three minutes of stalling, the hat's mouth quirked up and it shouted for all to hear, "HUFFLEPUFF!"
Harry smiled at Neville when he looked over at him and watched as he took a seat on the cheering table with Susan and Hannah, who welcomed him with large smiles.
"Malfoy, Draco!"
The slick-haired blonde walked up the dais with an air of superiority about him, something that earned him a stern look from McGonagall. She placed the hat on his head, and there was not even a second of indecisiveness on part of the Sorting Hat.
"SLYTHERIN!"
The table at the far end of the hall erupted in cheers as Malfoy smirked and walked off without a backward glance.
Finally, McGonagall called out his name, and the entire hall started to whisper furiously. Harry made out certain phrases like "The Boy Who Lived" or "The Harry Potter" and chuckled to himself. He saw McGonagall smile at him, and he smiled back before sitting on the stool. She placed the hat on his head, and Harry's vision blackened.
"Well, well, well, how very interesting," the hat drawled, and Harry saw its apparition appear in front of him.
"Are we inside my mind right now?" Harry asked. The hat's mouth quirked up into a smirk.
"Indeed. Quite an astute young wizard you are, Mr. Potter. Understandable, considering your past exploits. My, I never expected I'd be sorting an individual like you after him."
"Him? Who are you talking about?" asked Harry, frowning. The hat's smirk seemed to widen.
"Why? You know him so intimately. You bear his scar, afterall."
Harry's eyes widened.
"You're talking about Voldemort," he stated coldly.
"Attaboy," the hat crowed. "You two are so similar, it's uncanny. He was the same when he first arrived. A young orphan who had made a reputation for himself in the orphanage he lived in. Someone with big ambitions. A brilliant young mind. So similar to you."
"I'm nothing like him!" Harry retorted hotly, seething when the hat chuckled.
"Oh? You're not? You felt remorse when you killed Mrs. Jenkins then? Or when you manipulated those young lads' minds to send them away from your orphanage? Believe it or not, you and Tom Riddle are more alike than you can even imagine. And that is not a bad thing, Harry Potter. Not at all."
Harry stayed silent, listening.
"Tom Riddle had everything in him to become the most remarkable wizard since our esteemed headmaster himself. However, he made wrong choices. As Dumbledore likes to say, 'It is our choices that define us, far more than our abilities.' You too have it in you, Harry Potter. Choices. They are in your hands. I would only tell you to make the right ones."
"I am not like Voldemort," he repeated, teeth gritted.
The hat chuckled, "No, I never said you were like Voldemort. You are like Tom Riddle, Harry Potter."
"What's the difference? Both are the same people."
The hat's mouth quirked up. "To a large extent, yes. But Voldemort is nothing compared to what Tom Riddle could've been. Remember that, Harry Potter, and enjoy your stay in RAVENCLAW!"
The silence that had enveloped the Great Hall for the past five minutes was broken by the loud cheers that erupted from the table on the far left of the hall, and Harry saw McGonagall take the hat off his head and smile at him. Harry gave a tentative smile back and walked over to his house table. He didn't even notice the color of his tie change or the crest of Ravenclaw appear on his robes as he sat down. He paid no attention to the rest of the sorting or the curious gaze of his housemates as he stared at the table with a penetrating stare.
He finally looked up when the headmaster started speaking.
"Welcome!" The headmaster said, beaming. His arms were opened wide as if hugging them all. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. Before we begin our impressive banquet, I have a few words to say. And they are Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you."
Harry stared at the headmaster with a disbelieving look on his face before he took in the assortment of dishes that suddenly appeared out of thin air. He had never been a heavy eater, but for the first time in his life, Harry indulged in the feast on offer.
The headmaster walked over to the podium once dinner had ended, and he cleared his throat. Everyone turned to look at him.
"Just a few start-of-term notices now that we're all fed and watered. First-years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all, and a few older students would also do well to remember that.
"I have also been tasked by Mr. Filch to remind you that no magic should be used in the halls and corridors outside the classroom. Quidditch trials shall be held in October, so interested students ought to contact Madam Hooch.
"And finally, I must implore you to stay away from the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side if you do not wish to die a very painful death."
Harry's brows furrowed as he stared at the headmaster amidst the few laughs that sounded out around the hall. The man looked entirely serious, and he wondered just why the corridor was declared out of bounds.
"He's not serious, right?" Harry asked the girl sitting opposite him, identifying her as an older student. The girl frowned.
"Looks serious to me. Normally, he tells us why something is forbidden. Like the forest has many dangerous beasts, so it makes sense. This one though… it confuses me."
Harry frowned.
"I'm Cho, by the way. Cho Chang, second-year."
Harry took her hand and gently shook it. "Harry Potter."
The girl smiled.
The feast came to an end after what was the most horrific song Harry had ever listened to, and soon, he was walking alongside his fellow first-year Ravenclaws behind the fifth-year prefects. The female prefect who introduced herself as Penelope Clearwater told them how the entrance to the Ravenclaw Tower was a riddle. However, one could also use a password if one didn't know the answer.
They filed inside the common room and Harry looked around, taking in the expansive hall that was richly decorated with portraits, tapestries, and royal blue paint on the walls. He was looking at the large cabinet full of books along one wall when they were instructed where the dormitories were.
Harry walked up the stairs alongside his fellow housemates and they saw the dormitories with names designated on the doors. He saw that he would be sharing his room with Terry Boot. The first years quickly introduced themselves to each other before they decided to head for bed.
As was usual for him now, Harry spent half an hour in his meditative trance, working on his barrier before he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
-Break-
Albus Dumbledore sat in his office, deep in thought.
Harry Potter had finally come to Hogwarts, but things didn't turn out the way he had expected.
The boy didn't have any surviving blood relatives, so the only option he had was to put him in an orphanage with a caring warden. It was an easy enough task, and Dumbledore had observed Harry's early life and how he was taken care of. Things seemed calm, and satisfied, Dumbledore had pulled himself away from the muggle world and let Harry grow up as any normal child.
It was when Minerva went to bring Harry Potter to Diagon Alley did the truth come out. The old warden who he had entrusted to care for the boy had died years ago and had been replaced by a woman who had also died a few years later.
However, what troubled him was the report Minerva came with after visiting Harry. His deputy was convinced that those were mere rumors, but Albus was not inclined to believe her at face value.
He remembered another young orphan who grew up in an orphanage and had amassed a notorious reputation with children he lived alongside and the caretakers. That young orphan also showed a degree of intelligence and independence he had observed in Harry Potter. To think that the boy had discovered the Wizarding World on his own and had been familiarizing himself with it for so long gave him cause to be concerned.
Tom Riddle and Harry Potter were too similar. He knew they shared a connection. That scar on Harry's forehead was not a normal curse scar. He didn't know what it truly was, but something had happened that Halloween night when Tom had attacked the Potter family in Godric's Hollow. A connection had been formed between Harry and Tom, and Dumbledore wondered whether it was this connection's influence on young Harry which made him so similar to Tom.
Albus had kept tabs on Harry when Minerva came back from meeting him and told him everything she had seen and heard, and the knowledge made him apprehensive and proud in equal measure. The rumors surrounding Harry in the orphanage gave him cause to be troubled, and the fact that he already had remarkable control over his magic without even knowing about the existence thereof was another matter of concern.
However, he had talked to Tom, the barman of the Leaky Cauldron who was one of the few people who knew about Harry's true identity when he stayed over. The man had only positive things to say about the boy. The same was true for Ollivander, who described Harry as a driven young lad who would achieve greatness.
He had also come to know that young Harry had purchased books for all Hogwarts years and many additional texts about magic and wizarding society, which coincided perfectly with the house he was sorted in. So far, as per his observations, Harry seemed like a driven and studious individual, something Albus garnered he had gotten from his remarkable mother.
He also witnessed how Harry had formed a friendship with Neville Longbottom, and how the young Longbottom heir had already started to become more self-confident, constantly encouraged by Harry, and it all filled him with relief.
Yet, there was a voice in the back of his mind that told him not to let go of his concerns. If there were rumors surrounding Harry's life in that orphanage, it required utmost consideration from him. After all, there was no smoke without fire.
Dumbledore absently stroked the legendary cloak on his table as he stared at it. Its rightful owner had finally arrived, and he would have to return the artifact. It was high time anyway.
He would need to build a close relationship with the boy so that he would come to trust him. Only then could Dumbledore ascertain the truth and rest easy.
After all, the fate of the Wizarding World rested on it.
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