It had been a dreary month back with the Dursleys, just waiting to, yet again, get on the train to Hogwarts. The days leading up to it were becoming more exciting with each minute. He was going to see Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny. His friends.
It reached September 1st, and Harry plonked himself down into Uncle Vernon's car.
"What do you think you're doing there boy!" Vernon yelled, coming out of the house.
"I think that you're gonna take me to the train station," Harry replied. "Or would you rather me call Hagrid?" Harry smirked, knowing that he had won. Vernon turned purple with rage, and stomped away, muttering to himself.
Despite the 'friendly' mood his Uncle was in, Harry found the car ride extremely boring. The only reason for him being there, the train to Hogwarts. Reaching the station, Vernon turned to Harry.
"So," he began, "what platform do you need to go to?"
"Platform 9 ¾," Harry responded and watched as Uncle Vernon tried to process this information.
"Hah! There's no such thing!" Vernon exclaimed, a large grin forming on his face. Harry rolled his eyes, pushing his trolley towards platforms 9 and 10.
"Well obviously muggles like you can't see it. It's magic!" Uncle Vernon visibly flinched at the use of the 'm word' but regained his composure.
"Well boy, here are platforms 9 and 10," Vernon said with a smile, "even if I can't see it, there is no way for you to possibly get to 'platform 9 ¾'." Harry watched as his Uncle walked away, laughing to himself, believing that Harry had nowhere else to go. Turning around he wandered towards the wall, looking out for anyone he knew. Then he saw them. The Weasleys. Fred. Ron. Ginny.
Harry was overcome with relief.
~✦~
"Now what's the platform number?" Mrs Weasley asked her bundle of children.
"Nine and three-quarters!" piped Ginny who was holding her mother's hand, "can't I go, Mum..."
"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."
They all looked so young. It was surreal seeing the people who were practically Harry's family 13 years younger. More so than it was seeing the Dursleys.
"Fred you're next," Mrs Weasley said after Percy had disappeared behind the barrier.
"I'm not Fred, I'm George. Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"
"Sorry, George, dear."
"Just kidding, I am Fred," and off he went, George following close behind. It was nice seeing Fred again. Harry was fighting to keep tears down.
"Excuse me," Harry said walking up to the remaining Weasleys. Ron and Ginny.
"Hullo, dear. First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new too," she said, nodding her head towards him.
"Yes, I was just wondering-"
"How to get on to the platform? Not to worry, just walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop or be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. You best have a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on now, before Ron."
Harry decided it was probably best to talk to Ron after they were on the train, so he turned and pushed his trolley straight at the barrier. It was still a bit nerve-wracking walking straight into a hard brick wall even after doing it all those years, but nonetheless, he approached the barrier and went straight through it.
Platform nine and three-quarters stood in all its glory. Families were spotted around talking to their children, wishing them well as they stepped onto the train. Harry could see the muggle families, especially looking a bit bewildered at this whole thing. Looking around for the flaming red hair of the Weasley family, he heard Ginny and Molly come through the barrier behind him.
"You better get a carriage on the train before they all fill up, dear," Molly said before walking towards the rest of her family, Ginny following just behind.
Harry followed shortly behind them, glancing through the windows to see if any of the carriages were empty. There were a few at the back of the train. Harry grabbed Hedwig first and put her inside before going back to get his trolley. Being in a body much smaller than he was used to, Harry tried to push it up the ramp and failed miserably. His trolley rolled back down over his foot.
"Want a hand?" One of the twins asked.
"Yes, please," Harry responded.
"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"
With the twins' help, Harry managed to get his trunk in the compartment and tucked it away in a corner.
"Thanks, guys," said Harry, brushing his hair out of his eyes.
"What's that," asked Fred, staring right at his forehead where the lighting scar lay in all its glory.
"Blimey - are you?"
"He is. Aren't you?"
"Am I what?" Harry asked though he had a feeling he already knew.
"Harry Potter," the twins chorused. Harry sighed.
"Yeah... I am"
Fred and George gawped at him, staring straight at his scar. It was weird. Harry was stared at every day no matter where he went because he was the saviour of the wizarding world, but nothing was stranger than his own friends doing it. Albeit, they weren't friends in this timeline yet. Harry sat down and waited for Ron to finish talking to his family.
The train had just started moving by the time Ron opened the carriage door. Harry had been staring out the window watching Mrs Weasley and Ginny wave to everyone and looking at all the other happy families.
"Anyone sitting there?" Ron asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry, "everywhere else is full." It hurt a little feeling like Ron's last pick, though he wasn't surprised because they technically didn't know each other yet. Despite this, Harry shook his head and Ron sat down.
"Are you really Harry Potter?" He blurted out. Instantly looking embarrassed.
Harry nodded. He was probably going to have to do this a lot.
"Oh, wow - I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron, glancing at his forehead, "have you really got - you know..."
Harry pulled back his fringe and let Ron look at the lighting scar.
"So - so, that's where-"
"Yes, that's where Voldemort tried to kill me," said Harry, already fed up. Ron visibly flinched when Harry said his name. Harry didn't want to explain this 100 more times. He just wanted to sit and talk with Ron like old times.
"Wow," Ron seemed breathless, sitting in front of Harry, someone who he had heard of in stories for years on end. Harry thought for a minute, trying to find a way to change the subject.
"So," Harry said, "what house do you think you're gonna get sorted into?" Harry tried to hide his smile, knowing exactly what house it would be.
"All my family is in Gryffindor, so I hope I'll be sorted there as well," said Ron thoughtfully, "anywhere but Slytherin." Harry nodded along, not really listening but instead waiting for Hermione to barge through the door. He listened closely but no one seemed to be coming anytime soon.
Around half past twelve, there was clattering from outside the door and the Trolley Witch poked her head in.
"Anything of the trolley, dears?"
Harry hadn't had any breakfast and instantly got to his feet. He could go for some Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, some Chocolate Frogs and a few Cauldron Cakes. A small sigh brought him out of his thoughts as he looked down to see Ron, smiling sadly at his sandwich. In an instant, Harry grabbed as much as he could carry and paid. Harry walked over to Ron and sat down next to him, as there was no longer room on his side, due to all the food.
"Hungry are you?" asked Ron looking sad.
"Yes, but, do you really think I could eat all this by myself?" Harry exclaimed. "Dig in!"
Ron's face visibly brightened at this and he grabbed a chocolate frog. Soon they were laying against the chair, unable to move and surrounded by a heap of candy wrappers.
All of a sudden, movement came from Ron's pocket, and a rat peeked out. Harry immediately tensed up and an aggressive scowl formed on his face. Ron looked at Harry questionably and looked down at his rat.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"It's just... I... I don't really like rats." Harry stammered, trying to come up with an excuse.
"Really?"
"Yeah... I've had... bad experiences."
"Oh, well, do you want to see some magic? My brothers taught me a spell that turns rats yellow. Maybe it'll give you a laugh?"
"Uh- sure."
Just as Ron went to attempt the spell, the doors to the carriage burst open and Hermione Granger stood with Neville Longbottom.
"Have either of you seen a toad?" She asked. Hermione's bushy hair was all over the place and her front teeth stuck out just a little. Harry resisted a smile, glad to see her again, or well for the first time? This time thing was becoming very annoying.
Both Ron and Harry shook their heads to answer Hermione's question.
"I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me" wailed Neville
"Er- you'll find him," Harry tried to smile reassuringly but it looked more like a grimace.
Hermione seemed to spot Ron's wand.
"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." Hermione sat down and Ron looked taken aback.
"Uh- alright then."
He cleared his throat.
"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow. Turn this stupid fat rat yellow." Ron waved his wand around, almost hitting Harry in the face. Nothing happened. 'Scabbers' stayed grey.
"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few very simple spells and they've all worked for me. Nobody in my family is magic at all, it was such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, It's the best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard. I've already learnt our set books off by heart, I just hope it will be enough. I'm Hermione Granger by the way, and you are?" She said all this very quickly and Harry couldn't have been happier. He had truly missed his friends.
"I'm Ron Weasley."
"Harry Potter."
"Are you really?" Hermione asked, "I've read all about you, you're in a lot of books."
"Am I really?" Harry said sarcastically.
"Do either of you know what house you'll be in yet? I've been asking around and I hope to be in Gryffindor. It sounds by far the best, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad." Hermione was standing to leave when Harry reached out and grabbed her hand.
"Why don't you both stay? I'm sure the toad will turn up eventually." Harry said. He didn't want them to leave so soon. He was just getting back some of the normalness he had lost when he got sucked back into this timeline.
"Well, if you insist," said Hermione, taking a seat on the opposite side of Harry and Ron. Neville seemed less keen to sit down.
"You can stay Hermione, I'll keep looking for Trevor." He said glumly then trodded out the door.
"Oh, I feel bad. I'm going to go help him look again. Thanks for the offer though Harry," Hermione smiled. "I'll see you at Hogwarts." And then she, too, left.
Harry was disappointed but he didn't try to stop her. Ron started telling Harry all about his family and Harry nodded along like he didn't know all this and more. He also made sure to keep an eye on 'Scabbers' to keep him from getting too close. Just as Harry was getting comfortable, the compartment door slid open again. It was Malfoy and his cronies Crabbe and Goyle.
"So it's true," Malfoy started, "Harry Potter is in this compartment."
"Yeah," Harry said, glancing at Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy looked so short compared to them.
"And who are you?"
"This is Crabbe and this is Goyle. And I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."
"Are you now?" Ron sniggered as Harry said this.
"Think my names funny do you? No need to ask yours. Red hair, and a hand-me-down robe. You must be a Weasley." He sneered at Ron and then turned back to Harry.
"You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, POTTAH, I can help you there."
Malfoy held his hand out for Harry to shake. Harry thought of how hard his life was because of him. The 'Potter Stinks' badges. The insults, detentions, spats, fights. Harry could avoid all of that extra unnecessary pestering and all those distractions if he just plays his cards right. The thought of being friends with Malfoy was utterly unappealing, however, they didn't have to be friends. They just couldn't be enemies. Thinking it over, Harry took Malfoy's hand and shook it.
"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself," he said. Malfoys cheeks were starting to colour so Harry added, "look, if you want to be friends, just ask. You don't have to be so rude to my current friends."
Malfoy seemed speechless. Honestly, Harry was as well. Had he just offered to be Malfoy's friend? Instead of answering, Malfoy just sneered and walked off, his robes billowing behind him in a way that would have made Snape proud. Snape. Another person lost in the war he would see again. Crabbe and Goyle looked confused but followed Malfoy out the door nonetheless. Harry turned back to Ron.
"So, what were you saying about Charlie and Romania?"