Mother Magic and the Philosopher's stone

Chapter Eight

'Hey! I've seen you before! Harry Potter.' Harry was shaken from his thoughts and looked up to greet the boy and his hulking bodyguards behind him.

'Draco right?' The boy puffed his chest out, clearly proud that the boy who lived had remembered his name.
'Yes, and this is Crabbe and Goyle.' Harry wondered what sort of name Crabbe was, reminding him of those ugly sour apples that people leave to rot in parks.
'Nice to meet you.' Crabbe and Goyle were clearly the strong and silent type, nodded in response and then filing in after their clear leader, who took a seat opposite Harry.
'I told you we'd meet again, didn't I? Hogwarts at last! I just wish I didn't have to share it with Dumbledore in the castle. He drives my Father nuts he does.' It was clear Draco liked the sound of his own voice, and with Crabbe and Goyle hanging off of every word like it was gospel, Harry knew that he talked a lot. With the mention of Dumbledore, Harry made a face.
'What, you like Dumbledore do you? That lousy wizard parading around like the leader of the light. Pleeeaaassee don't tell me you're a fan.' The chosen one huffed in indignation.
'I most certainly do not like Albus Dumbledore, he really needs to keep his nose out of everyone else's business.' Draco nodded eagerly, pleased that they had common ground.
'This is fantastic! Dumbledore's professed golden boy doesn't even like him! Oh, wait till my Father hears about this! Mother and he will have a field day!' Harry tuned him out, nodded here and there, and mumbling a small 'mhm' every so often. He so desperately wanted to just crawl into his trunk and go to sleep, not used to such boisterous social interaction.

'I can bite him and shut him up Speaker, if you want!' Ouroboros whispered, but it didn't go unnoticed by Draco that the boy had a snake wrapped firmly around his neck. Harry stifled a laugh.
'I don't think that's a good idea, what did mother say? Don't make enemies.' If snakes could pout, this was the equivalent. But it was too late to delay the flurry of questions thrown at him by the soon to be Slytherin.
'Merlin's beard! Is that a snake? I thought snakes weren't allowed? Did you just talk to it? Are you a Parslemouth? Does that mean you're going to be in Slytherin?!' Harry sighed, taking apart his word vomit bit by bit.
'Yes, that's my pet Ouroboros-' Ouro hissed 'Fine, fine, Companion, Ouroboros. I am indeed a parslemouth, and the Hogwarts policies dictate that a parslemouth cannot be stopped from having a snake as a familiar. I sincerely doubt I'll be in Slytherin though, far too much of a Ravenclaw for that.' Harry grinned, finally satisfied that he had shut Draco up.
'That's amazing. Does he bite people that you tell him to?'
'I more often than not have to tell him not to.' Ouroboros lifted his head and bared his teeth, showing the fangs glinting menacingly. 'He can do a lot of damage I'm sure, but I only let him eat mice.'

'Crabbe, Goyle, why don't you see if Pansy and Blaise need some company? Stars know what kind of trouble they could get into.' This wasn't a request, it was an order, but after they left Draco visibly relaxed. The rest of the train ride was surprisingly pleasant, and Harry spent it discussing their expectations of Hogwarts, with small inputs from Ouroboros that surprised Draco every time Harry spoke back.

The sky seemed to be dark now, an inky black painted with a light speckling of stars. A voice echoed through the train: 'We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it would be taken to the school separately.' Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and he could see Draco was slightly paler than before if that was even possible. Harry left Ouroboros on the seat, with strict instructions to get in the trunk and not bite the house elves, and the pair joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train did seem to be slowing down, but the soft rocking of the carriages made it difficult to stand unbalanced. People pushed their way towards the door, and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in the cold night air. A lamp came bobbing over the heads of students and Harry heard a loud, booming voice that made him jump.
'Firs' years- Firs' years! over here! C'mon follow me!' It sounded more like a child training a dog than any responsible adult, and he felt rather patronised by his tone. The man was tall and wild looking, with a dense bushy beard and tiny beady eyes. Harry had to crane his neck to view him properly, he was easily eight foot, possibly more, and built like a tank.

Slipping and stumbling, they followed the man, called Hagrid but the whispers around him, down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much, not even Draco had anything to say.
'Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in jus' a sec!' Hagrid called over his shoulder. 'round this bend 'ere.'

There was a unanimous gasp as the path opened suddenly on to the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, it's windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
'No more'n four in a boat!' The giant instructed, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Draco filed into one, behind them a ginger boy and a girl with enormously bushy hair.
'Everyone in?' shouted Hagrid, and it seemed he had very little control over his volume. Being close to this man was sure to give him a headache, and he tucked that information away for later. The fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, in awe of the great castle ahead, and in no time at all all the first years were waiting outside, as Hagrid gave three great thumps on the castle door.