Over the course of the next few days, Harry had spent the time counting the days to September the first. He had been taking good care of his owl too, which impressed Lily.
And why that happened, is as follows -
It was the middle of the night of 4th of August, and Emily had come up with a plan to prank her eldest brother. Hadrian didn't know of the plan. She sneaked into Harry's room at 1 am in the night, as silently as a cat might land jumping from a roof. She made sure to be as silent as night.
What happened next, still brought tears of laughter to Harry and Hadrian's eyes -
As she slowly sneaked towards Harry's bed, Hedwig swooped in at that moment, collided with her face, and ricocheted away, scared... but undamaged. This had woken Harry up.
On the other hand, the dead rats she had brought were dropped on Emily. Seeing so many dead rats, and not knowing it was Hedwig, Emily started shouting about massacres of rats, and that humans would be next. Harry, who had been lying on his bed in the same position as sleeping, closed his eyes and wished that a live rat could shut his dear sister up. And to his surprise - a real, live rat appeared from nowhere and scurried in confusion into her pyjamas. Now, with rats running down her clothes, she started screaming. Just then, the rat came out, bit Emily on the hand as a last goodbye as her brothers called it, and scurried away. Thing was, Hadrian had a mirror through which he could see the proceedings in Harry's room, and Harry had a mirror through which he could see the proceedings in Hadrian's room. They said that they wanted to 'ensure that their dear brother did not not have a girlfriend at this tender age...'. But actually, they used to to plan pranks. And the noise Emily was causing, alerted Hadrian and he woke up just in time to see Hedwig colliding with Emily and all that later followed. And when Harry, confused by a whimpering noise coming from somewhere, looked at his special mirror, he saw Hadrian on the floor of his room, crying and shaking from silent laughter. Emily remembered not to prank the son of the biggest prankster in Hogwarts' history so tactlessly.
***
Every night before he went to sleep, Harry ticked off another day on the piece of paper he had pinned to the wall, counting down to September the first.
On the last day of August, he was in his room with his dad and Hadrian, planning what pranks to pull that year. James was upgrading Harry's arsenal of pranks, he even compiled a basic information toolkit and mission plan, as if Harry was going on a mission, rather than school. This was it -
Prank Plan
Harry James Potter
Main targets: Argus Filch, Severus Snape (set the greasy git on fire; NOT SO KIDDING)
Main allies: Fred and George Weasley, James Potter, Remus Lupin, Hadrian Potter, Emily Potter
Venue: Hogwarts
Resources: Dr. Filibuster's Fabulous Wet Start - No heat Fireworks, Your Wand, Acid pops, Inflatable tongue, Belch Powder, Biting Doorknob, Biting Kettle, Bulbadox powder, Carrot wand, Cursed kettle, Weasley's Wildfire Whizzbangs (coming soon, supplied by Fred and George Weasley), Dungbombs, Ever Bashing Boomerangs, Frog - spawn soaps, Hiccough Sweets, Jumbo Dungbomb, the Marauders' Special Potion Kit (supplied by Remus Lupin), the Marauders' Transfiguring Surprises Kit (supplied by James Potter), Not-So-Harmless and Not-That Harmful Potions and Poisons Kit (James and Lily Potter), ('Lily created this kit called Very Mild Poisons for her Potions Assignment and we somehow got hold of it and replicated it just making them not so harmless and not so harmful...' said James), Screaming YoYos (supplied by Fred and George Weasley) Non-explodable luminous balloons and Peace Disturbers (supplied by Fred Weasley, George Weasley and James Potter), Pumpkin Face box, Regurgitating Toilets, Stink Pellets, Toe-biting kettle, Whizzing Worms, The Marauders' Ultimate Guide to Pranks, The Marauders' Ultimate Kit of Pranking (includes almost everything you'd ever need for pranking), Harry Potter's Guide to Basic Pranks for year 1, and the Marauders' Map (Potter family heirloom, currently missing, somewhere in Hogwarts).
Pranks Planned: All pranks listed in the book and others imaginable...
For assistance, contact : James Potter, Hadrian Potter, Emily Potter, Remus Lupin, Fred and George Weasley.
'There, you can prank anyone with this, though... Filch and Severus Snape should be the main targets...' said James, excitement dancing in his eyes.
Harry grinned.
'Harry, one thing that you have to remember, please, choose the second generation of Marauders, and... be careful... while choosing. Don't do the mistake I did... Don't choose someone untrustworthy. Don't include someone like Black...'
'Who's Black, Dad?'
'You are too young...'
***
They reached King's Cross at half-past ten that morning. They were to meet the Weasleys there. Harry looked around, people will looking at them as though they were the Royal Family of England, then Harry remembered, the Potters were Lords and Ladies even for the Muggle world...
'Great! Now I remember, I can't even enter the Muggle world without people gazing at me...' Harry muttered. 'Harry, don't be angry! You are famous in the Muggle world too! That might give you a Muggleborn girlfriend, perhaps even wife, like Dad got mum, because the Muggleborn girl would have known you even from the Muggle world, and then finding out who you are in the Muggle world, she'll love you even more!' said Hadrian.
'Oh your life and love life are set, Harry!' exclaimed Emily.
'Shut up, Hade, Emma!' Harry whisper-shouted.
'Ooh! Harry's blushing! By the way, I heard your conversation with the obviously pretty girl with brown hair, at Eyelops. Both of you were blushing like mad! You two obviously love each other...' Emily said.
'Shut up! She's just a pretty girl I met and we just talked. I swear that if you-'
'Ha! So you admit she's pretty --'
'Harry, Hade, Emily!'
Harry turned towards the source of the voice, there they were - the Weasleys...
'That's a pricey car!' Ron said, his mouth hanging open gazing at their new, luxurious car. Harry felt sad at the Weasleys' poverty, but they won't accept a knut from the Potters...
'What model is that? Ford Escort?'
Harry almost laughed at Ron... A Ford Escort? 'No, it's a Rolls Royce... Came out last month.' said Harry.
'A ROLLS ROYCE?' said Ron.
'Ron, It's rude to drool over someone else's car, you know what to expect, they are the richest family in the whole country, and by their own talent and efforts!' muttered Molly. Ron shut his mouth up.
'Yes, a Rolls Royce' Harry said.
'Hello Harry dear, how were your holidays?'
'They were very nice, Mrs. Weasley, Mum and Dad took me shopping.'
'Oh, how wonderful!'
'So, shall we get the children on the train, Arthur?'
'Yes, I think so, James...'
Together, they started walking, the people were staring excitedly at them.
'Packed with Muggles of course...' Molly said.
'They are staring. How do we get Harry on Platform nine and three quarters without the Muggles noticing!?' Lily said.
------------------------------------------------------
Hermione Granger found herself in a difficult situation, a very difficult situation. She and her parents were in the middle of King's Cross station and in her excitement, she had forgotten how to get on to Platform Nine and Three - Quarters.
'--how do we get Harry on Platform nine and three quarters without the Muggles noticing--'
As soon as she had heard the name - 'Harry', she had turned around with joy, by instinct, and sure enough when heard 'Platform Nine and Three Quarters' and 'Muggles', she knew that they were wizards. She realised that one of the red-headed women was Lily Potter. She quickly ran to her family.
'Hi, Missu- I mean, Lily'
'Oh! Hello, Hermione. You appear troubled?'
'Yeah, I -'
'Forgot how to get to the platform in your excitement?'
'Yeah, how did you know?'
'I forgot it too, when Professor McGonagall told me about it in the excitement...'
'Oh!'
'This is James, this is Hadrian, Emily, and this is Harry, the gentleman whose formal letter came to us...'
'Wait! Aren't you the girl I met at Eyelops? Did you get yours?'
'I'm Hermione Granger. No, I didn't get one...' she said sadly 'When you left, I turned and saw that the other owl had been bought...'
'Well, you can always use mine, I suppose...'
'Thanks!' she said brightly. By this time, everyone had gone back to what they were doing.
'Now, Hermione, what you have to do is walk straight trough this barrier, the barrier between Platform nine and ten. Make sure that no muggles aside from your parents notice you walking through it and vanishing. Now, go on, go with Harry...'
Hermione took Harry's hand and put her other one on her trolley. Harry did the same. Together they walked towards the barrier, people jostled them on their way to platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly. She did too. They were going to smash right into that barrier and then they'd be in trouble -- leaning forward on his cart, Harry broke into a heavy run, she obeyed-- the barrier was coming nearer and nearer -- they wouldn't be able to stop -- the cart was out of control -- they were a foot away -- she closed her eyes ready for the crash --
It didn't come... they kept on running... 'Hey Hermione, open your eyes!' Harry said, he apparently, had not closed his eyes at all...she opened her eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts' Express, eleven o'clock. She looked behind her and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, she had done it. They had done it.
The Weasleys and the other Potters and Grangers arrived.
Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.
The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat. He passed Neville, who was saying, 'Gran, I've lost my toad again.'
'Oh, Neville,' he heard the old woman sigh.
'Typical Neville...' Harry said to Hermione.
'Hello! Neville!'
'Hi Harry! How were your holidays?'
'They were brilliant! Yours?'
'Nice, have you seen my toad? I've lost him.'
'No, but I'm sure he'll turn up, will you sit with us?'
'All right, Harry...'
A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.
'Give us a look, Lee, go on.'
The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.
'Whoa' said Neville
After a few goodbyes and take care kisses and hugs from their respective mothers, and in Neville's case - Grandmother; Harry, Hermione and Neville pressed on through the crowd until they found an empty compartment near the end of the train. He put Hedwig inside first and then started to shove and heave his trunk towards the train door. He tried to lift it up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it painfully on his foot. Even he and Hermione together could only lift it a few centimetres off the ground.
'Want a hand?' It was George.
'Yes, please,' Harry panted.
'Oi, Fred! C'mere and help!'
With the twins' help, Harry's then Hermione's and last, Neville's trunk were at last tucked away in a corner, of the compartment.
'Thanks, Fred, George,' said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.
'Fred? George? Are you there?'
'Coming, Mum.'
The twins hopped off the train.
Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the Weasley family on the platform and hear what they were saying. Mrs. Weasley had just taken out her handkerchief.
'Ron, you've got something on your nose.'
Ron tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and began rubbing the end of his nose.
'Mum -- geroff' He wriggled free.
'Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?' said one of the twins.
'Shut up,' said Ron.
'Where's Percy?' said Mrs. Weasley.
'He's coming now.'
'Ah, name the devil...' Harry muttered and grinned, neither he, Hadrian or Emily liked Percy that much. Neville chckled.
Percy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it. And recognised it as the Prefect badge.
'Can't stay long, Mother,' he said. 'I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves--'
'Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?' said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. 'You should have said something, we had no idea.'
'Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it,' said the other twin. 'Once--'
'Or twice--'
'A minute--'
'All summer--'
Harry grinned again, of course, Percy had been talking about him being a Prefect all summer.
'You know, Harry, I thought that Percy was going to explode from how much his head was swollen!' Neville said.
'Oh, shut up,' said Percy the Prefect.
'How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?' said one of the twins.
'Because he's a prefect,' said their mother fondly. 'All right, dear, well, have a good term -- send me an owl when you get there.'
She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then turned to Fred and George.
'Now, you two -- this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you've -- you've blown up a toilet or--'
'Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet.'
'Great idea though, thanks, Mum.'
'It's not funny. And look after Ron.'
'Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us.'
'Shut up,' said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.
A whistle sounded.
'Hurry up!' Mrs. Weasley said, and the three boys clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and Ginny began to cry.
'Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls.'
'We'll send you a Hogwarts' toilet seat.'
'George!'
'Only joking, Mum.'
The train began to move. Harry, Hermione and Neville waved to their parents waving to them. Harry saw Mrs. Weasley. Ginny and Emily, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed, then the two girls fell back and waved.
Harry watched Ginny and Mrs. Weasley, his Dad, Mum, Emily, Hadrian, Mr. Granger and Mrs. Granger disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of excitement. He didn't know what he was going to -- but it had to be more adventurous than what he was leaving behind.
The door of the compartment slid open and Ron came in.
'Anyone sitting there?' he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry. 'Everywhere else is full.'
Harry shook his head and Ron sat down. 'Where were you Ron? We waited but you didn't come...' Harry said. Harry saw he still had a black mark on his nose.
'Hey, Ron.'
The twins were back.
'Listen, we're going down the middle of the train -- Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there.'
'Right,' mumbled Ron.
'Mum was rubbing off my nose!' he said haughtily.
'And you've still got that dirt on your nose...'
'Now, will you introduce your new friend?'
'Oh, yeah... This is Hermione Granger, my friend, she is a Muggleborn and Mum explained about Magic to she and her parents. We met at Eyelops...'
Hermione blushed at the word friend, 'Hi...'
'Hello!' said Neville.
'Hello...' said Ron uninterested.
Hermione was gazing at Harry with her face in her hands, suddenly something clicked into her mind.
'Holy cricket, you are the Harry Potter, aren't you?! Heir to the House of Potter?' Hermione exclaimed.
'Yes... I -'
'You never told me! You didn't confide!'
'Hermione...'
'No... I know... No one considers me a friend...'
'I wonder why...' Ron muttered sarcastically.
Harry shot a glare at Ron who quickly shrank back.
'Hermione! Please! You are the first friend I got myself! Me and Neville became friends when we were 1 but we became friends through our families. Even though, I like having him as a friend. You are not my friend because of your family, you are my first friend outside the Pure Blood class... Now, me being the Harry Potter, it just never came up! If I am the Harry Potter will that make me ineligible to become your friend?'
'No, no, never!'
'Then...'
'No one has ever said such sweet things to me! No one ever called me a friend...'
Harry smiled.
'But being my friend is dangerous...'
'Why?'
'Because Voldemort - ' there was a yelp from Ron and a shudder from Neville 'is still out there...'
'Will that make you ineligible to become my friend? No...' Hermione said and smiled.
'Mum and Dad expect great things from me...' Harry said.
'My achievements don't matter...' said Ron...
Ron, for some reason, was looking gloomy. 'I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left -- Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat.'
Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat grey rat, which was asleep.
'His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. I've never shown Scabbers to anyone because he gets frightened whenever he sees anyone... But I think he doesn't matter being about you that much.Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff -- I mean, I got Scabbers instead.'
Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.
Harry started talking to Hermione.
While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.
Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, 'Anything off the cart, dears?'
Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went out into the corridor.
He was hungry and now that he had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many Mars Bars as he could carry, but then he remembered that he was not in a muggle aeroplane, he was in a wizarding train. Though, she did have Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other Wizard seets and candies. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.
Ron stared as Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.
'Hungry, are you?'
'I didn't have breakfast...,' said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.
Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, 'She always forgets I don't like corned beef..'
'Swap you for one of these,' said Harry, holding up a pasty. 'Go on--'
'You don't want this, it's all dry, you've been living a life of luxury since you were born...' said Ron. 'She hasn't got much time, my mum' he added quickly, 'you know, with five of us.'
'Go on, have a pasty,' said Harry. 'Want one, Hermione?' Harry said, looking at her, but Hermione had bought the other half things on the trolley that he had left, 'I didn't have breakfast too...' she said, grinning and tasting an Every Flavour Bean. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Hermione, Neville and Ron, eating their way through all Harry and Hermione's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten). Hermione did need some help from Harry for the Magical sweets because she had never eaten any, especially the Chocolate Frogs.
Harry unwrapped the Chocolate frog and Ron eagerly told him to take a look at the card. Every Chocolate Frog had a card of a famous witch and wizard in the wrapper.
'See what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa.'
Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and moustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.
'So this is, Dumbledore!' said Harry.
'I have got about five of him' said Ron.
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.
The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.
'He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference,' said Ron in disgust. 'I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look...'
He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.
'Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway--'
'Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,
Turn this stupid fat rat yellow.'
He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed grey and fast asleep.
'Are you sure that's a real spell?' said Hermione. 'Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me.'
'Stupid spell -- George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud.'
'What's your Quidditch team?' Ron asked.
'Well, the Montrose Magpies and Puddlemere United, though I like Wimbourne Wasps and Appleby Arrows too... You Neville?'
'Same, though I like Falmouth Falcons too...'
'Yeah, they play well... Hermione?'
'Well from what I know, Montrose Magpies, Puddlemere United and Holyhead Harpies.'
Harry grinned.
***