Chapter 5: School of witchcraft and wizardry
AN: Hey guys and welcome to the 5th and longest chapter so far. Please let me know if you enjoy my story. I am also very thankful for any feedback, as this is the first fanfic I've ever started writing.
The recognizable sections belong to JKR.
Enjoy!
Chapter 5
September 1st, 1991
Today was the day. The day he would finally go to Hogwarts and discover aspects of magic he that he had never heard of before. Controlling his excitement, he went downstairs and greeted Tom. After a healthy breakfast, Harry went back upstairs to finish his packing and get ready to leave for King's Cross Station.
The train would leave at 11.00, so he still had some time to do some light reading. He also finished some Occlumency exercises to mentally prepare for his important day.
At 10:30, Harry stepped downstairs to the fireplace of the Leaky Cauldron. It took him almost a full week to get the shrinking and featherlight charm on his trunk done correctly, but the result was certainly worth it. Hedwig would fly to Hogwarts on her own, so Harry simply stored her cage in his trunk with the rest of his belongings.
This would be the first time Harry travelled by the Floo-Network. After having read a bit about the most common transportation method in the Wizarding World, he confidently threw the powder into the fire. Stepping right in after wishing Tom a farewell, he loudly and clearly called out "King's Cross Station".
It was certainly not a pleasant feeling, however, a couple of seconds later Harry appeared at the other side of the connection and managed to step out without falling to the ground.
Well, that could have gotten worse, Harry thought. He looked around the platform and saw the bright red Hogwarts Express gleaming on the rails, with dozens of families and children milling about the platform, greeting friends and hugging their parents goodbye.
Harry boarded the Express and made his way to the back of the train, stopping at the last compartment. He placed a very low-powered notice-me-not charm that he had been practicing all summer on the door and started to read his book on Parseltongue.
This might just be the only book that Harry hadn't made great progress with yet. Sure, it was very interesting, but the magic and spells were far too difficult, powerful, and dangerous for anyone at his age. Then again, Herpo the Foul most likely never thought his book would end up in the hands of an eleven-year-old, so Harry simply had to wait a couple of years until his magical core was strong enough to handle the spells and techniques.
A couple of people walked by his apartment, but they seem to be lower-classmen, so Harry's weak notice-me-not charm was strong enough to keep them away from the compartment. He watched as a red-haired boy walked down the aisle, seemingly looking for someone. A bushy-haired girl also kept running around with a slightly overweight blond boy right behind her.
The girl stopped right in front of his apartment and seemed like she was about to enter. In the end, Harry's charm held and she turned around and walked back down the aisle asking people about someone's missing toad.
His last potential visitors were a group of boys. The platinum blond-haired boy in the middle seemed to have a permanent sneer on his face and walked towards the door as if he owned the entire express. The two gorillas to his left and right seemed like his personal bodyguards and most likely carried a combined two-digit IQ.
Harry was not looking for confrontations at Hogwarts yet. Sure, he could properly beat any first year in a duel at this point, but he wouldn't underestimate the connections to upperclassmen some of these children might have. He already had a powerful enemy out there somewhere. There was no point in creating even more tension so needlessly.
Having arrived at King's Cross in his Hogwarts uniform already, there was no need to change for Harry. Instead, he simply stepped out of the train after the Express stopped at Hogsmeade Station and made his way over to the giant Hagrid, who seems to gather the first-years around him.
Together, the first-years made their way over to small boats that carried them across the great black lake to Hogwarts Castle. The view was phenomenal. The dark stone of the Castle with its hundreds of torches, windows, and towers stood illuminated at the edge of the lake. It was truly a spectacular moment and Harry knew that over the next seven years, this might be a place he could truly call home.
The group of first-years arrived at the Entry Hall and were greeted by a stern-looking witch who introduced herself as Professor McGonagall. Harry remembered the deputy Headmistress from his letter and paid attention to her short speech about the four houses, house points, and entry feast.
He spent a great amount of time over the last couple of days thinking about what house he might get sorted in. Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were the least likely options. His loyalty had to be earned and while he might consider himself brave, he would never charge into any situation simply to show courage.
Ravenclaw and Slytherin were far more likely. Out of those two, he would probably prefer Ravenclaw. It was a neutral house, that mostly stuck to themselves and valued knowledge and wisdom, both traits Harry agreed upon. Slytherin however, was also very likely. Harry could literally talk to snakes, a talent Salazar Slytherin valued highly. He was also very ambitious in his goal to become the most powerful wizard and would certainly be ruthless and cunning on his journey. Slytherin's house would however, put him in the spotlight and get him lots of attention he desperately tried to avoid. He decided to just wait and see what happens. Harry might be able to influence the Hat's decision.
Harry and the rest of the first years followed the Deputy Headmistress into the Great Hall. Over 100 hundred students sat along four long tables with the high table far end of the Hall. In front of the high table stood a chair with the famous Sorting Hat on top of it. The hall suddenly went very quiet and everybody listened to the Sorting Hat's song:
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
Interesting song, Harry thought. Now let's see what the old hat is all about. McGonagall started calling out the names and Harry paid close attention to the famous and well-known last names. There was Susan Bones, who he met in Diagon Alley, a Greengrass girl, and a Longbottom. Quite a few important names Harry thought.
Finally, McGonagall called out:
"Potter, Harry"
Students in the entire hall started whispering. Harry could easily make out certain phrases, like "The Boy Who Lived" or "Famous Scar" and even "Dark Lord". Harry chuckled. How easily impressed other children truly were…
He made his way up to the Hat and without further ado put it on top of his head.
"Mhmm, how interesting Mr. Potter… Occlumency shields on someone so young. Do not be afraid, young wizard. Whatever I see in the minds of the students, I can't tell a soul."
Harry reluctantly dropped his shield and allowed the Hat free passage through his thoughts and memories.
"Well, Mr. Potter, as you correctly guessed there are only two houses that come in question for a mind such as yours. I see lots of magical power and the will to finally prove yourself. I also see your thirst for knowledge and your ultimate goal of freedom and independence… Now where shall I put you?"
"Do I have a choice?" Harry asks the Hat.
"Of course, you do, and I see that your mind is already made upon it. How ironic that a student who Salazar would have loved to have in his house, is cunning and ambitious enough to actually choose a different one for all the right reasons. You could do great things in Slytherin, but it seems like for the next seven years Hogwarts shall house a snake under the mantle of a raven. I shall expect great things from you Mr. Potter, in
"RAVENCLAW!"
The hat shouted the last word out to the Great Hall and the students with a blue crest on the third table started clapping and cheering excitedly. The sorting finished soon after and Dumbledore held his welcome speech, ending with a deadly warning for anyone taking a walk in the corridor on the third floor.
Even though Harry didn't have a death wish it was still curious for the Headmaster to tell the students about it. Why not simply put up an age line at the passage and prevent anyone younger than 18 from passing? Surely the professors could also ward the corridor so that it requires a password or other means to enter?
Dumbledore wanted to test his students. The only question was why? Why set up this challenge and to what end? And more importantly, should Harry participate?
The Welcome Feast came to an end and after the worst school song Harry has ever heard, the Ravenclaws escorted by their prefects made their way to Ravenclaw tower. Harry decided to share dorms with a brown-haired boy named Terry Boot, who seemed nice enough and after some small talk and a quick introduction decided to head to bed. As usual, he finished the day with some light Occlumency exercises and drifted into a deep peaceful sleep soon after.
The first week of classes were also very interesting:
His first class, Transfiguration, was the perfect opportunity to showcase his power to his peers. He was one of the first students to enter the Transfiguration classroom but couldn't spot Professor McGonagall yet. Instead, he saw a cat sitting on a chair and watching the incoming students curiously.
This can't be a normal cat, Harry thought. The cat stood way too still and when Harry shifted his head from left to right while looking at the cat, it mimicked his movements. This must be the professor, Harry figured. But what kind of Transfiguration is this? It must be very advanced?
Harry took one of the seats in the front row, looked the cat directly into the eye, and said:
" Good morning, Professor!"
"The cat's eyes widened and within a couple of seconds, it transformed into the stern-looking woman. A smile twitched on the corner of the professor's mouth.
"Mr. Potter, I would take points for ruining my surprise for the other students, however, I can hardly blame you for recognizing an advanced piece of Transfiguration now, can I? Do tell, what gave me away?"
"No cat sits that still, Professor. Besides you kept mimicking my head movements, that was pretty much the main reason."
"Very well, Mr. Potter. I will make sure to do a better job next year!"
Since every student had arrived at this point. McGonagall started her lecture on the dangers of Transfiguration and proceeded to impress the class with some advanced Transfiguration on her desk. Afterwards, every student received a matchstick that they were supposed to transfigure into a needle.
Harry already knew how to do this piece of Transfiguration, so he ignored the instructions and instead tried looking for some more interesting topics in his book. He was hoping to get some information on the human to cat Transfiguration the professor showcased at the start of class.
"Mr. Potter, have you tried transfiguring your match, yet? Now, young man, I do not appreciate you ignoring my instructions!"
"I already know how to do it, professor. I was bored and started looking for some more advanced pieces of magic." Replied Harry.
"What do you mean you already know how to do it? Surely if it comes so easy to you, you would be able to handle a demonstration?"
Harry shrugged, closed his book, and turned to his matchstick. With a flick of his wand, he whispered the incantation and transfigured a perfectly sharp needle for the professor. The entire class was watching him in awe.
"10 points for Ravenclaw Mr. Potter. I am glad you inherited your father's talent for transfigurations. It could have been 20 points; however, it seems like you inherited his cheek as well."
Harry didn't really care about the points, but since he did not want to get on the Professor's bad side, he started transfiguring his needle back into a matchstick and back into a needle a couple of times. He could use the practice and the only person in the room he wanted to impress was McGonagall anyways.
The lesson finished with only Hermine Granger from Gryffindor having slightly changed her matchstick. The girl however didn't seem to be happy with her result. She cornered Harry after class and practically demanded an explanation from him.
Harry just told her that he had practiced before and quickly left for Charms, his next class. The lesson with his Head of House was quite interesting. He only wished Professor Flitwick didn't fall from his chair while calling out his name. He already hated the attention he was getting at Hogwarts so far.
The Lumos charm was no problem for Harry, instead, he focused on slowly increasing and decreasing the brightness of his spell. It was a very good exercise for controlling the amount of magic one pushes into the spell. Since your magical core works as a muscle one could also use this technique to build stamina. This would be extremely important if he ever wanted to duel someone stronger and more experienced than him. Flitwick gave him 20 points for excellent control of the Lumos spell and started squeaking about Harry being just like his mother when it came to Charms.
Harry's other classes were pretty boring unfortunately. DADA was a complete disappointment. Quirrell didn't teach his students anything, the entire classroom smelled like garlic and Harry always left with strange headaches that he couldn't explain. He was positive it wasn't a direct attack on his mind. However, the headache seems to be right above his scar. Maybe there was a connection?
Astronomy was relatively interesting, but not really useful on a day-to-day basis. History was a total disaster. Harry vowed to simply do some reviewing on his own before any exams and instead focused on reading some books or finishing his homework for other classes.
Herbology was interesting as well. For Harry, its main use was expanding his knowledge on magical plants that could be used for potions or perhaps in other fields. Speaking of potions… His first class with Professor Snape was definitely one to remember.
As always, he was one of the first students in class and prepared his desk and cauldron for any potion, they might potentially brew. Snape swept into the class looking like a vampire and started spewing about the dangers of potions and the importance of his own subject. An ugly sneer formed on his face while taking attendance and reading Harry's name.
Harry didn't know what the man's problem was, but he vowed to not antagonize him any further and simply keep his head down in his class.
"Potter!" Snape practically shouted all of the sudden. "Let's see if the rumors about the Sorting Hat are true. How else could a dunderhead like you have been sorted into Ravenclaw?" The Hufflepuff snickered, while the Ravenclaws looked very intimidated and avoided Snape's gaze.
Not getting any reaction from Harry, Snape stated his first question to him:
"Potter, what would I get if I added a powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
"That would be a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death, Professor."
"Fine, I guess everyone gets lucky sometimes. Where would you find me a bezoar?"
"In the stomach of a goat, Sir. But perhaps your storage room has one as well."
"That will be five points for your cheek, Potter! Now, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?
"They are one and the same Professor, also known as aconite, Sir," Harry replied calmly.
"Well, why aren't you all writing that down and taking notes?"
The sound of parchments being pulled out of bags rang through the classroom and everyone took notes. Afterward, Snape instructed them to brew a simple Cure for Boils. Harry was among the first to finish and started reading his potions book after taking a vial of his brew to Snape's desk.
"Potter, why aren't you paying attention. Do you think your time is too valuable to be wasted on my teachings?"
"I have finished my potion, Professor. How would you like me to spend the rest of the time until the lesson finishes?"
Snape shot him a murderous glare and Harry felt a probe against his mind shields. Instinctively he started putting more power behind them while quickly avoiding eye contact.
Snape fumbled back and barely caught his desk to keep him from falling to the floor: "Potter, that will be 50 points from Ravenclaw for attacking a teacher!" Snape roared in anger.
"But Sir, Harry did not even touch you or pulled his wand, he is just sitting here." Terry Boot complained at the loss of points for his house.
"Out! Everyone out now!" Snape shouted and the students quickly left his class.
Smiling inwardly, Harry made his way to lunch. Unknowingly to him Snape furiously sprinted to the Headmaster's Office just at the same time.
"Headmaster! The Potter brat must be expelled! He attacked me in the middle of class!"
"Now Severus, I doubt that young Harry could do any serious harm to you, why don't you just tell me the entire story."
Snape told the Headmaster that he thought Potter was cheating somehow since he managed to answer all his questions and brew a perfect potion in record time. Not even he himself managed that in his first lesson.
"Severus." Dumbledore sighed: "You must stop this personal vendetta against young Mr. Potter. His father is dead and has been for almost 10 years. Do not hate a child for whatever pain his father might have caused you once."
Snape looked like he was about to do anything but listen to Albus' advice.
"I would also ask you to stop using Legilimency on your students, Severus. Either Mr. Potter is a natural at Occlumency or he learned enough about the mind arts to spot your attack and defend himself. If he was to report your actions to the school's board you might not only lose your position as a teacher but face criminal charges as well."
Snape reluctantly agreed but vowed to keep an eye on the Potter brat.
As his potions master left his office Dumbledore was again deep in thought: An eleven-year-old wizard having mind shields was simply unheard of. The boy also seemed to be a very competent brewer, even if Severus would never admit it. Harry Potter was a prodigy… How did the boy gather such a large amount of magical knowledge in such a short amount of time? Could someone have taught him everything he knew for months before he started Hogwarts? Albus knew he had to get to the bottom of things.
October 31st, 1991
The weeks he had spent at Hogwarts so far had been the best of his life. Harry's classes were interesting but usually, he was far ahead of his peers. Since his teachers didn't want him to be bored, they sometimes gave him special tasks, much to the annoyance of the Granger girl, who got furious every time Harry performed a spell better than her.
Harry didn't really care. He spen