Talk"
'Think'
"Parseltongue"
Chapter 8 - First Day
It was amusing, the different reactions the teaching staff had to Harry and the others sitting together with out any bloodshed to be seen. Harry mused silently to himself that Hogwarts might not have ever seen a group as mixed as the one he was now sitting with since the founder's time. Some of the teachers look on at them with astonishment and amusement but a few look on in disgust like they couldn't believe that a diverse group could be around each other. Harry truly didn't care what any of them thought. When they were given their schedule Hermione was bouncing in her seat.
"Our classes must be mixed." Hermione scanned her schedule, grabbing Harry's and Neville's to compare without any warning. Harry only chuckled at the excited girl while Neville looked at his hands in confusing wondering where his schedule went. With a nod of her head, Hermione handed Harry and Neville their schedules back after comparing them to her own. "We can always eat together so we can see Fred and George too. I say we eat lunch over at Hufflepuff."
"Dinner at Slytherin." Draco added, "That way we can eat breakfast at Gryffindor." A thought must hit him as he groaned after offering. "We are breaking so many unwritten rules."
Harry laughed as the twins wrapped an arm each around Draco's shoulders teasing him about such a statement. "Oh, but it will be so fun to see-"
"- the faces of the house we sit at." The twins gave an evil looking grin.
"We need to play nice or the Professors might make us all sit at our own tables." Hermione scolded the twins.
"Yes ma'am" The twins saluted her but their eyes kept darting around the room like they were planning as many ways to get into trouble as they could. Harry got the feeling that they would get along very well.
"Finish eating. We won't want to be late to class. Snape doesn't like me as it is." Harry added a piece of toast and two bacon strips to Neville's small plate of eggs. Neville gave a sigh but didn't complain, eating everything on the plate.
"Uncle Severus doesn't hate you, Harry. I asked Father and he told me Severus had the misconception that you would look and act like your father. He never told me why that could be bad but I guess they didn't get along." Draco added more bacon to his plate and took a drink of his pumpkin juice before continuing. "I bet he didn't even know he was one of your godfathers. He takes responsibility seriously and being a godparent is a serious responsibility in the wizarding world. He would have wanted to be around."
Harry nodded. "I guess that's why he stayed in the medical wing with me when he found me in there."
Fred looked up from his plate of bacon. "Medical wing? Harrison, were you hurt?"
"No, not really. My home life isn't the greatest because of my muggle uncle and cousin. My aunt wanted me to have a full checkup to make sure there was no permanent damage. There were only a few bones that needed to be re-broken and fixed." Harry shrugged not really caring that he was able to tell them about his home life in even the smallest sense, that included the chip.
Hermione slowly set her juice down and cleared her throat. "You are abused?"
"It's in the past. My aunt is moving into a place down in Hogsmeade and opening a little café. When she is settled and set up I plan to press charges for neglect, child endangerment, battery, and attempted murder. Those will only be in the muggle world. I know the Wizarding world have stricter laws about children so I'm going to have to talk to a law Witch or wizard." Harry finished the last of his tea and grabbed his bag. "I have everything taken care of Hermione, so don't worry." He smiled at her before turning to Draco who had his own bag ready. "I'll see you at lunch Hermione, twins. Neville, we'll sit together in Defense yes?"
Hermione gave a goodbye, as did the twins. Neville gave his own goodbye after agreeing to sit together. Harry and Draco made their way out of the hall. Draco led the way down to the dungeons. Other students were already waiting in front of the potion door. Harry leaned against the wall next to Draco. It wasn't long until the Slytherins made comment.
"Draco, how did you come to find such a well-trained pet?" The girl who spoke reminded Harry of a pig her scrunched up nose and beady eyes.
"Shut up Pansy. Harrison is a friend, not a pet." Draco sneered at the girl. Harry gave a chuckle at the likeness Draco had to his father while doing that.
"Find something funny mutt?" Pansy tried glaring but it came off as a constipated look. Not very attractive at all.
"First of all I am not a mutt, I am a pureblood. Second I can do anything I wish." Harry turned his eyes down the hall where he could sense Snape coming from, conveniently dismissing the girl as unimportant. He heard Pansy go for her wand. Amara rose from her prone position around his neck, hissing threats at the pig-faced girl that only Harry could hear.
"You ugly girl. Trying to hurt my master when he turns away. I will bite you and cause your insides to melt slowly as you scream withering on the floor." Amara gave a fake lunge at the frightened girl. She even dropped her wand as she huddled back into the wall as far from them as she could.
Harry watched as all the students, besides Draco, moved as far as they could from the enraged snake in fear of being attacked themselves. "Amara, my beauty. You cannot bite her. Now you must stop before Snape tries to have you banned from the school because you endanger students."
Harry stroked Amara's head as she settled down muttering about how she wanted to bite the girl and how she was only dangerous to people who wish harm to her master. Draco gave her a small scratch on her head when Snape walked into sight. He looked at the Slytherins and Ravenclaws who were pressed against the opposite wall from Harry and Draco who were petting the Viperesk.
"Mr. Evans if your snake keeps scaring students she will have to be confined to your room or be sent back to your aunt." Harry gave him a nod of understanding, patting Amara back down to her lounging position. "Good, now everyone find a seat."
Harry and Draco claimed a table in the front together. The others sat by house and eyed Amara wearily. Snape shut the door signaling the start of class. "There will be no foolish wand-waving here, and as such, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will 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, and even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
Harry hid his smile behind his mask hearing some of the students squirm. Snape went through roll call before throwing questions out to different students. "Ms. Parkinson, where would I find a bezoar?"
Pansy straightened in her seat, nose in the air like her being called to answer a question made her better than her classmates. "In a goat's stomach, sir."
"Five points to Slytherin." He turned to a Ravenclaw sitting on the opposite side of the room. "Hathaway, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
A small mouse-like boy with big glasses bit his lip in thought. "Monkshood and Wolfsbane are the same plant, sir."
"Five points Ravenclaw." Snape turned to Draco. Draco met his godfather's eyes calmly. "Mr. Malfoy what is another name for monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"Aconite, sir." Draco didn't even hesitate to answer, Harry almost thought it an unfair advantage with having the man as a godfather. Draco got extra lessons whenever he could.
"Five points Slytherin. Mr. Evans, what potion do asphodel and wormwood get added to?"
Harry took a moment to go through his memory, looking through all the potion books he has read. "A sleeping potion known as the Draught of Living Death, sir."
"Five points to Ravenclaw." Snape then went into the proper protocol of the class and the potions they will be learning that year. The class was calm and orderly. Harry knew he was going to enjoy the class even if he was on the fence about his professor and godfather.
Class ended far too soon for Harry. Outside the door, Harry and Draco split ways. Draco went to his common room and Harry went to the library to look up some charms to make his room more his as he was allowed to do so. Harry walked ignoring the other students trying to get his attention. The library was empty of all but the librarian and a student or two. Harry was soon browsing the shelves picking book after book up. Half an hour he went through getting four charm books, two potion books, and one rune book. He found Hermione at a table in the back of the library surrounded by piles of books.
Harry set his seven books down across from her. Hermione glanced up. "Hello, Harry. How was potions?"
"Surprisingly good. Snape was fair. I think I am going to enjoy it. How was Transfiguration with Neville?" Harry opened the first book on charms looking for anything that caught his attention.
"I liked it. Neville was struggling." Hermione finished her book and grabbed the second one. "I'm going to help him all I can." She paused, looked up at Harry and grinned. "We should all get together on weekends. We could do up one of the old classrooms into our own little hang out. What do you think?"
Harry chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Sure." Having friends was a new but enjoyable thing Harry decided.
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Dumbledore couldn't understand it. Harry wasn't anything like he was supposed to be. He wasn't a mirror image of his father nor did he act shy and uncertain. The boy, Harrison Evans Potter but insisted on not being called Potter, was cunning and confident. He already had three friends all in a different house. Longbottom and the muggleborn didn't worry him but the Malfoy did. What were those two doing together? Why wasn't the younger Weasley with him? That was what the boy's job was, befriend Potter and keep him in control. Then Potter went and got himself sorted into Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor like his parents were.
Dumbledore's plans were falling in around him. He needed to get control of that boy and soon. Ravenclaw and Slytherin weren't all that different and he didn't want that boy there. He was the boy's magical guardian; he could call for a resort and persuade the hat to put that brat where he wanted him. Dumbledore grinned at the idea. He would get everything back in order. he grabbed a hand full of lemon drops, throwing a few into his mouth happy with his plans.
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Snape sat at his desk wondering what he had started wondering the day he met Po-Evans in the Leaky Cauldron. Why wasn't he like his father? Where was the spoiled brat that got everything he ever wanted? Why didn't he know Harrison was his Godson? A new question popped into his head as he remembered walking in to see Poppy giving the boy a check-up and hearing how Harrison was treated by his uncle. Why didn't anyone know? Dumbledore swore he was taken care of. Hell, he was the one that painted the picture of a spoiled, James look-alike in everyone's minds.
The boy was nothing like his father. Yes, he had the Potter family hair color but he didn't have the bad eyesight, the messy nest hair, or tan skin. He had his mother's eye shape and color, even if the green was a different shade, her high cheekbones, her smirk; He even held traits from his grandmother who was born a Black. He had the family hairstyle and porcelain skin. Harrison did have traits that were his entirely. He was observant, small (though Snape was sure that will be fixed with the nutrition potions he was going to make the boy take every meal), intelligent (more so than even his mother), polite, and didn't discriminate people because of family or house. Snape felt at a loss for how he was to approach the boy who was his second Godson. He also knew that he couldn't let Dumbledore know. If he wanted to get to know his Godson, he would have to do it in secret.
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Harry spent an hour with Hermione in the Library. In that time he fed his little Nightshade, whom Hermione kept cooing at, wrote his first letter to his aunt detailing his medical results, warning his aunt to get a magical check-up, and read many useful spells/charms he could use on his room. It was after that hour Hermione decided to drag him out to try and find a room. They already looked through the main floor, the second floor, and none of the rooms they looked at Hermione liked for one reason or another.
"Why can't we find just one room? It shouldn't be that hard." Hermione grumbled walking a step ahead of Harry who was amused at her muttered ranting. "The third is off limits and none of the other floors offered the right location, lighting, structure, or feel our room needs. Why is this so hard?"
"Hermione calm down. Lunch is going to be starting. Let's get going and then after class, we can all look again." Harry pulled her back when she started to get farther ahead of him. She took a deep breath to calm herself down and nodded. "it's not like finding a room is going to make or break the friendship Hermione."
Hermione huffed, lowering her head down. "This is the first time I've had more than one friend at school Harry. We're all in different houses and I don't want to lose my new friends because the houses put pressure on us."
"That won't happen. Do you know why?" Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close in a half hug. Hermione looked up from under her hair with a hopeful smile. "Because I won't be pushed around when it comes to who I befriend. You all are my first friends and I think I'm going to keep it that way."
Lunch was just starting when they got to the Great Hall door. The rest of the group stood waiting. Harry lifted an eyebrow in question. It was Draco who answered his silent question. "If we are going to all sit together at different house tables and cause scenes, then we are going to do it together to make them big," Draco smirked. He loved being the center of attention when it came to making scenes. Harry only let a laugh out as he linked one arm with Hermione and pushed the door open with his other. He walked in with Draco walking to his left as Hermione was on his right. Neville walked between the twins behind Harry. Fred grinned flinging an arm around Neville's right shoulder and George did the same on Neville's left.
The whole hall froze as the doors opened. Students and teachers watched them walk together to the Hufflepuff table. They split to walk on either side of the table but still, they were together as they walked. The eyes on them watched as the Hufflepuffs moved to give them room to sit, too shocked to do much else. Harry sat in the middle of the space pervaded. Draco and Hermione sat on either side of him. Neville and the twins sat in the same order they walked in. They all ignored the shocked and calculating looks they received for such an act. They might not have known the statement they were making with such an act but the older students did. This was a group to be watched carefully to see how it developed in the future. Older Ravens and Snakes looked at each other seeing a threat while said threat sat unknowing what he was about to start.
When Harry's plate was filled, he drank the potion that Madam Pomfrey told him would appear on his plate, he turned to Draco, "What do you think of a mixed curriculum like they did in the founder's times?"
Draco paused, mid-bite, to consider what Harry asked. "You mean when they taught all magical arts?" Harry nodded wanting him to continue. "I think it is wise."
"Wait, what? All magical arts like in dark arts too?" Hermione looked shocked. "Those are outlawed."
"Only because people fear what they can't understand or can't do," Harry replied. The hall was filling with soft whispered voices. Students were gossiping again. Harry ignored them all. "Hermione is elemental magic good, bad or neutral in your mind?"
"It would be neutral. The elements are neither good or bad, they just are." Hermione answered after a moment of thought.
"You would be right." Neville's shy voice caught Hermione's attention. "Elemental magic is neutral but for many years has been classified as dark because there are very few families that carried the abilities in their blood. My family is one, but we cannot show if we have inherited our abilities because we would be sentenced to Azkaban as dark wizards and witches."
"But why? If it is a gift in the blood, why?" Hermione couldn't understand.
"It's because those outside the blood wanted those abilities but couldn't have them. If they couldn't have them then the powers was too dangerous for anyone to have and those who did have them need to be stopped." Draco explained to her. "It was all for selfish reasons. Some magic can only be passed through blood and other people don't like that. Many magic in the 'dark arts' are like that. So yes Harry, I think a well-rounded magical education is wise."
Harry nodded but didn't say anything else on the matter. The other dropped the topic and moved on to others. Neville loosened up and the twins kept grinning like loons. Ten minutes before lunch was over they found out why. Loud shrieks erupted from the Gryffindor table. Everyone turned to see a group of first years, including one Ronald Weasley, covered in boils that popped, covering their skin with green goo. The twins grinned and high fived each other over Neville's head.
"What did you two do?" Hermione looked outraged at the display.
Fred spoke first. "We put a potion-"
George cut in, "into their food for-"
"badmouthing our new little leader-" Fred continued pointing at Harry.
George switched in "here and we couldn't let that-"
"Go unpunished." The twins finished together.
Harry let a grin slip onto his lips as he shook his head in mock disappointment. "Leader hu? When did I become your leader my twins?" Harry said the last part in a mock authority tone.
The twins stood from the table as McGonagall came over with a displeased look on her face, directed at the standing twins. "Harrison Evans, the moment you showed up our little brother, told the school to shove it with the boy-who-lived, and sat at the Ravenclaw table with a member of each house at your side you became our leader." The twins spoke together with a grin.
McGonagall pointed to the door. The twins sighed dramatically but before they could be manhandled out of the room they shouted one thing, "He's our and we will defend him!"
Harry walked to Defense Against the Dark Arts with Neville still chuckling at the display the twins put on at lunch. Neville smiled beside him, "Leader. I can get used to calling you that. Even if those two are nothing but drama." Harry only had to send him a sideways look before they both were laughing. Onlookers startled but were ignored by the two boys. Harry was the first to recover and pulled Neville into the classroom as the boy took a deep breath also calming down. Harry found seats in-between the two houses that were already there for Neville and himself.
The class started and Harry was intrigued by the professor. Professor Quirrell stuttered most of the class but when a student asked an interesting question his voice smoothed out and the stutter faded. None of the other students took notice of it but Harry also saw how during these times, Quirrell's eyes changed from dark brown to a deep red wine. Harry also took note that when these times happened he felt a small prickle from behind his scar like at the opening feast.
The class ended without much problems and it wasn't long before Harry was back in the library trying to find a reason for his scar to be hurting. He read until the alarm on his watch went off signaling it was time for dinner. He cleaned up his mess of books and made his way down to the Hall. Like at lunch the others were waiting to go in as one. Harry once again took the center front. Draco took his place on Harry's right but Neville took up residence on his left. Hermione took Neville's place between the twins behind Harry.
Like at lunch they walked in together, gathering all the attention of the hall as they walked toward the Slytherin table as one. They split but continued down the table until they came to the other first years. Draco gave a flick of his hand, indicating for the Slytherins to make room. They did. Harry sat first again followed by the others.
Once the other students got over seeing the odd group sitting at the Slytherin table they turned back to their own meals, only glancing every few minutes at the group. Lunch finished in a more docile manner than lunch did. Harry gave and received good nights from his friends.
He followed his housemates to Ravenclaw tower. The common room filled up quickly as students sat to get a few more minutes before they all would be forced to bed by curfew. Harry spotted an older boy in the chair he claimed. He ignored it for now but he made a mental note to take 'his' chair back the next day. Harry made his way past all the others and up the stairs to his room. He said his password as he came to his door, not wanting to have to wait.
He took one last look around his plain room. It was time to change it. The walls became a dark grey with silver lines making the walls look like they were covered in spider webs. He added a heating charm to the stone floor along with an area rug woven with silver and dark blue. He darkened the blue of his blankets, pillows, and curtains to match the rug and added silver to the stitching. He added a dark mahogany wood nightstand by his bed. He made a dark mahogany wood bookshelf to sit beside his desk against the wall. He added dark grey curtains to his window and as an added light source Harry added one oil lamp to each wall. The oil lamps gave off a dim silvery blue light and a subtle scent of burning cherry wood.
Harry set all his school books up on the lowest shelf above his desk. He added all the books he bought in the Ally next in alphabetical order of subject. He left his entire Muggle book collection to the shelves beside his desk in alphabetical order of subject and subject by the author. Harry grinned as he sat the last book on the full bookshelf. He turned, surveying his newly done room. The airy scent of burning wood relaxed his busy mind.
"Master, you should be getting ready to sleep." Amara shook him from his relaxed state. He opened his eye, not knowing when he closed them in the first place.
"Let me shower and then I will sleep." Harry fed Nightshade before setting them both down onto his bed. He took his shower quickly, wanting to be in bed soon.
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Snape sat in his private quarters with a glass of whiskey in front of his fireplace. He watched the flames as he pondered on the display at lunch and dinner. Harrison led his group to lunch and to dinner. He had has a member of every house but his own in his group. He walked with them like they have been together for years. He led them with the perfect mask and poise. Harrison, knowing or unknowing, was making a statement with his arrange of friends and where they were sitting for each meal. He was breaking the boundaries.
Harrison might also not know it yet but he had the Slytherin prince at his side. Draco let Harrison led, making him higher in Draco's eyes and that would make the Slytherins want to test him. Snape knew he couldn't step in to stop it because it was going to happen one way or another. The Ravenclaws will also test Harrison for the same fact. Snape took a drink of the whiskey, with only one thought now in his head. The next few days will be difficult for Harrison. Only second night at Hogwarts and Harrison was already challenging the hierarchy of two houses. He just hoped that the boy was ready for it.
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I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Give me feedback so I know what you all want more of. Thanks!