Mean Wizards - Drarry

1: Off to Hogwarts

'What year are you in? I don't think we've met before.' She finally asked when it seemed like she couldn't hold it anymore.

'Sixth year. And that's because I'm a new student.'

'We are sixth years too! How come were you transferred?' Ron asked, his curiosity piqued by Harry's sudden appearance after five years.

'I was homeschooled my whole life,' Harry explained, his voice tinged with a mixture of apprehension and excitement. 'My parents had some very bad experiences with dark wizards and preferred to have me at home, where they could protect me should something happen.'

Of course, nothing had ever happened. Nor to the Potters, nor to any student at Hogwarts. It had been years since the last official Death Eater capture and the ones who hadn't been found didn't seem interested in making themselves known by attacking anyone or dealing with dark magic.

However, after the Potters had had to go into hiding because of a prophecy that claimed their then one-year-old son Harry was destined to end Voldemort -which was, later on, proved to be nonsense, as Dumbledore himself killed him- and after they were betrayed by their close friend Peter Pettigrew, they hadn't wanted to take any chances. Yes, they had managed to escape unscathed, but two people had failed them that night: Pettigrew and Dumbledore, who hadn't been able to protect them enough. So, by the time Harry had turned eleven, they had been very reluctant about sending him to Hogwarts under Dumbledore's protection, even after Voldemort's death.

Harry couldn't blame them, but it still had pissed him off at the time because he had never been as excited as the day he received his Hogwarts letter, only to be taken away from him by his own parents.

'But there's no safer place than Hogwarts!' Hermione interjected.

Ron snorted and she shot him a dirty look. 'I mean... I know everyone says that, but have you suddenly forgotten about the moving stairs, the Giant Squid, the forbidden forest with its fucking giant spiders and-'

Harry could feel himself starting to become paler. His parents might have been onto something, after all.

'Ok, yeah, but there is no real life-threatening danger,' Hermione hastily interrupted, eager to dispel Harry's growing concerns. 'Not if you don't do stupid things, but that's hardly the staff's fault. No one has died in more than fifty years, after all.' That didn't sound reassuring either - 50 years wasn't that much time - but Harry didn't comment so Hermione went on 'And anyway, Hogwarts' wards are the safest out of all the wizarding schools. You'd know it if you had read Hogwarts: A History.'

'Yeah, yeah, yeah. We all know you're in love with that book Hermione,' Ron teased, a playful smirk on his face. Harry somehow got the feeling that their dynamic was always like this, bickering like an old married couple. He wondered if he would be third-wheeling if he became their friend. Ron continued with his teasing, 'No one, and I mean no one, in this school except you has read it.'

'You don't know that,' Hermione retorted, a hint of defensiveness in her tone. 'I'm sure most of the Ravenclaws have read it. The rest of you are simply comfortable being uncultured.'

'Or maybe we don't have time for reading books about school,' Ron countered, his tone light but firm. 'Honestly, I have enough with the books we have to read for class. Anyway, I still think your parents were exaggerating, mate. There haven't been any dark wizard attacks since You-Know-Who was defeated more than ten years ago.'

Harry nodded in agreement, grateful for Ron's attempt to ease his worries. 'I know. They were being paranoid, if you ask me. But I've always wanted to study in Hogwarts and this summer I convinced them that I'd get way better grades in my N.E.W.T.s if I could be taught by real professors.'