The first Chapter will be here as just a little intro. We will go through it quickly as I'm sure many already know the story. The main differences that this fic is based on will be introduced in this chapter.
Harry lay on the ground in the little sea shack they were in. What an odd few days it had been; vanishing glass, owls everywhere, a thousand letters pouring out of every nook and cranny in the Dursley home, why, Harry had not so much fun in, well...ever.
Alas, he now found himself on the cold, hard, sandy floor. He looked over at his cousin's watch and found that in ten minutes' time, he'd be eleven years old.
Five minutes and he heard some peculiar noises outside. Probably the old house. It better not collapse. That storm outside was raging and the house was rather old a rickety.
Three minutes and there was some slapping sound. Did waves really sound so loud against the rocks? odd.
His musings were interrupted by seeing that there was one minute to go. Thirty seconds... twenty... ten - nine -... - three - two - one -
The whole shack shook under a loud boom. He shot upright in fright. This was it, the house was going to come crashing down on them. Damn, he'd only just made it to eleven. Eleven for all of one second and he was going to die from being unfortunately squashed under the rickety old shack that was finally collapsing. Sad, really-
"Where's the cannon?" Dudley asked, half-asleep as he finally woke after the second resounding boom.
There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came out baring a rifle. "Who's there?" the great fat man shouted. "I warn you - I'm armed!"
There was a pause in the knocking - which Harry finally realized with relief was knocking, and then a new fear bubbled up because some maniac had just crossed frigid stormy waters to get here. What absolute psycho- CRASH!
The door swung right of its hinges and landed with a deafening crash to the floor.
A large man with a wild mane covering his face and two beetle-black eyes peaking through, squeezed through the doorway. "Sorry 'bout that." He apologised rather casually and picked up the fallen door, placing in back against the frame to help stop the freezing outside air from completely filling the shack.
He strode over to the sofa where Dudley was still sat frozen in fear. "Budge up, yeh great lump," growled the strange man who was still far too casual in all of this.
Dudley squeaked and ran over to his parents, finally unfrozen.
"An' here's Harry!" he beamed at the raven-haired boy who looked confused and more than a bit weary. "Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby. Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes."
After much talking, great confusion on Harry's end, and pure rage mixed with fear and disgust from Uncle Vernon, all was explained. Sort of. For one statement from Hagrid sent Harry's world into a slight spin.
"Yer a wizard, Harry."
"I'm a what?"
"A wizard, o'course." the man, Hagrid, leaned back casually on the sofa.
-0-
Currently, Harry found himself walking alongside the half-giant in a magical place called Diagon Alley. He walk alongside his savior, the angel he'd prayed for many a night to take him away from the Dursleys. And so what if the angel was a massive man with a beard so large you couldn't see his face, who'd come crashing into a shack out on the ocean in the middle of nowhere on a night that not a single being would willingly set foot out in, like some lunatic - beggars can't be choosers, and all that hodge podge.
So far, they'd met Professor Quirrel, a rather unimpressive man (boy, Harry hoped the stuttering wouldn't be annoying to listen to during classes ), they'd gone to Gringotts to fetch some money and a weird little package for Professor Dumbledore (and the strangest thing, Hagrid had had his vault key, which made Harry frown briefly in confusion; who else had access to his vault?), they'd done quite a bit of shopping (Hagrid had not allowed Harry to buy the solid gold cauldron, much to his annoyance), and Harry had met an older Hogwarts student whilst in Madam Malkin's. The person, after learning that Harry was a firstie, had asked him what house he thought he'd be in. Harry had been utterly confused and had found himself on the receiving end of a little explanation about all the houses and their traits. The person seemed to favor Ravenclaw and had made sure Harry knew it would undoubtedly be the best house if there was some sort of way to objectively measure it. Harry wasn't quite sure he was smart enough for the house, honestly. After the Ravenclaw boy had left, by prompting of his mother who'd called from outside the shop, Harry had been left to contemplate whether he fit into any of the houses.
Harry had just finished buying his new 'curious', in Ollivander's words, wand; holly and Phoenix feather, eleven inches. He'd just been about to leave the shop when he saw Hagrid outside, wishing him Happy Birthday with a large smile on his face as he held up a cage which held a snowy owl.
After the shopping, they'd gone back to the Leaky Cauldron for a bite to eat, seeing as there was still time before the train that would take harry back to the Dursleys was set to leave. As they ate, Harry expressed his worry at being thought of as 'special' by so many people here in this world. It was rather concerning that he was so famous for something he couldn't even remember. Hagrid had placated him, saying that he'd learn at Hogwarts, like everyone else, and he'd be okay.
At the end of lunch, they left to the train station and Hagrid handed him an envelope. "Yer ticket fer Hogwarts," he explained. "First o' September - King's Cross - it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me... See yeh soon, Harry."
The train pulled out of the station soon after, and Harry watched out the window until Hagrid was out of sight.
The first of September could not come fast enough.
-0-
The next month had been anything but fun. The Dursleys had been terrified of him. They hadn't shut him into his cupboard, forced him to do any work, and they hadn't really said much of anything to him, much less insulted him.
He had kept to his room with his new owl Hedwig for company, and had read through his new books. His books were all very interesting and he rather hoped he would do well in his classes now, seeing as Dudley wasn't going to be there to do everything in his power to ensure his low grades.
-0-
Finally, the first of September arrived. It was to be a marvelous day. Or, well, it was supposed to.
Harry stood between platforms 9 and 10, trying to find 9 3/4. Earlier, he'd asked a passing guard, but the man had brushed him off as some child just trying to play a joke. Now, he stood, wondering where the platform was, and wishing some other magical people would show up as well.
He didn't have to wait long as a family of red-heads bustled onto the platform, the matriarch herding them all to the platform, talking about 'platform 9 3/4'. He perked up when he heard that and watched as they stopped several paces away from him, backs facing him.
He continued to watch as a boy, followed by the twins in the group, ran in one after the other straight at the brick wall between platforms 9 and 10. And what do you know, they vanished!
Of course! How could he have thought anything else. Hagrid had explained to him that magic was a secret they kept from the muggles, so of course the platform wouldn't be out in the open. No, there was a secret entrance. In Harry's defense, he wouldn't have thought to run through a wall... Wizards were going to be an odd bunch, weren't they...
He was broken from his musings as a boy around his age ran through next, followed by the woman who'd been yelling about the platform who was holding the hand of a girl who looked a bit younger than himself.
After the red-heads had been gone for several minutes, Harry tentatively pushed his trolley over to the wall. He sincerely hoped this wall didn't have some sort of password like the one at the Leaky Cauldron.
He placed his hand hesitantly on the wall, but it never made contact, falling through instead. he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as a turned his trolley and strode with all the confidence he could muster through the wall.
Finally on platform 9 3/4, he took in the magical sight. His eyes fell on the scarlet steam engine waiting on the platform, and eagerly pushed his trolley further down the lively platform to find an empty seat.
As he walked, he passed a round-faced boy who told an old woman, likely his grandmother, he'd lost his toad again, and passed a boy with dreadlocks with a crowd around him as he showed them his pet tarantula. He continued down the platform until he found an empty compartment near the end of the train.
He'd had some help hauling his trunk onto the train by the red-head twins he'd seen earlier. after helping him, they'd discovered he was the Harry Potter. Lucky for Harry, their mother had called them and he'd used the distraction to hole himself up in the compartment he'd found.
Eventually the Hogwarts Express departed from the station and they were on their way to Hogwarts - a school of magic, real magic. And he, Harry Potter, was a wizard.
The excitement had cooled down a bit within an hour into the trip. Being in alone in a compartment aside from an owl for company was a bit boring. Around half past twelve an old lady had come knocking on the door, selling snacks and sweets. He hadn't recognized a single thing on the trolley. Not wanting to miss out on anything, he'd bought a bit of everything and had paid the woman.
He'd entertained himself for a while as he tried out the funny foods. The pumpkin pasties had been delicious, certainly his favourite so far. His first chocolate frog had hopped away, and so he'd taken extra care on the next ones. The Bertie Botts every flavour beans were mostly vile - he'd eaten toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, asparagus, sardine, pepper and earwax flavoured beans, the last few being the most vile.
Quite a while later, while Harry had been rereading his transfiguration textbook, the compartment door opened to show the same round-faced boy he'd seen on the platform earlier, now looking a little tearful.
"Sorry," he said, "Have you seen a toad at all?"
Harry shook his head.
"I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!" he wailed.
"He'll turn up," Harry said encouragingly.
"Well, if you see him..." He trailed off and left the compartment.
It wasn't much later when the compartment door opened again, only this time revealing a girl with the boy from earlier.
"Have you seen a toad? Neville's lost one." She had a bossy sort of voice that grated on Harry.
"Sorry, I already told him earlier that I haven't." He shrugged.
She looked him over, thoughtful expression on her face. "Oh! Are you reading the transfiguration textbook?" She perked up. "I thought it was all quite fascinating." She stepped further into the compartment. "I've read all of my textbooks already, have you?" She didn't give him a chance to respond before she spoke again. "I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" She said this all very fast and Harry had to concentrate hard to keep up.
"Harry Potter," he responded, seeing as she didn't seem inclined to interrupt him again.
"Are you really?" Her eyes widened fractionally. "I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in-"
He tuned out her little rant about knowing 'all about him'. Was everyone going to react this way? He hoped not. Otherwise, the next seven years may be a little long. Eventually he tuned back in when she got to talking about houses.
"Do you know what house you'll be in?" Once again, she continued before he could respond. "I've been asking around and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best-"
He listened in a daze. If this was what Gryffindors were like, he hoped he wasn't in that house. He liked his sanity, thank you very much. He never did get to answer her question about which house he thought he'd be in as she ended her second? third? rant, saying he should change into his robes as they'd probably be arriving at the school soon.
He sat there a few minutes after the girl had left and eventually changed into his school robes; she may be right, after all, and he didn't want to make a fool of himself quite yet.
The compartment door opened not ten minutes after he'd changed - what was it with people opening his door? Instead of Hermione and Neville, it was a blond boy peaking in with two meaty boys flanking him.
"Is it true?" the blond said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?" He peered intensely at Harry.
Oh boy, another person wondering about him, Boy Who Lived. Making a quick decision after subtly checking that his hair was covering his scar, he answered the blond. "No." He looked thoughtful. "Let me know if you find him." He grinned at the blond who huffed and left without another word.
-0-
Finally, they arrived at the school and the first years were greeted by the incredible sight of the castle as they sat in their little boats.
The boats continued to glide over the water until they entered a little dock. The children scrambled out of the boats and gathered on some grass in front of two large oak doors.
After checking that all the first years were there, Hagrid knocked three times on the door. It opened nearly instantly. A stern-looking witch in emerald robes stood there. Harry silently decided that she did not look like someone to cross, and made a mental note to be on his best behavior around her.
The woman - Professor McGonagall - lead them into the Entrance hall, which was so large it could certainly fit the whole Dursley house. She lead them further into the castle and into a small chamber off the hall where they'd heard hundreds of voices.
The stern woman gave them a speech, welcoming them to Hogwarts and explaining that they would soon be sorted into their houses. She listed the houses and explained the house cup which would be awarded at the end of each year to the house which earned the most house points throughout the year. She ended her speech saying that the sorting ceremony would begin in a few minutes. "I suggest you all smarten yourselves up while you are waiting." Her eyes lingered on a few who looked particularly untidy. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." She left the chamber of first years.
Harry nervously flattened his hair. The messy curls were always unruly and positively un-tameable no matter what he tried. Nevertheless, the action calmed his nerves slightly.
There wasn't much talking except for Hermione who was whispering and explaining to her latest unfortunate victim that she'd learnt all their spells already and hoped it would be enough.
The nervous silence was otherwise soon broken by something that made several people scream, and others, including Harry, jump a foot in the air.
"What the-?" Twenty or so ghosts had just streamed through the back wall.
"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance - "
"My dear Friar-"
The pearly-white, nearly transparent ghosts continued to argue until one noticed the first years. "I say, what are you all doing here?"
Nobody answered.
"New students!" one beamed. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"
A few students nodded, though still silent.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know."
"Move along now," the sharp voice from the stern witch from earlier commanded. "The Sorting Ceremony is about to start." The witch ordered the first years into a line and lead them into the Great Hall.
The first years walked down the center aisle as older students sitting at the four house tables peered at them.
Harry paid the older students no mind as he took in the wondrous sight of the large hall. It was magnificent. the ceiling was tall, and instead of lights hanging from it, candles floated, casting the hall in a warm light. That was not the best part. No, the best part was the ceiling which looked like the night sky. He heard Hermione whispering behind him, saying that the ceiling was bewitched to look like the sky outside. And for the first time, Harry actually appreciated what the girl had to say.
Harry quickly looked down again as professor McGonagall placed a wooden stool down in front of the first years. On top of the stool, she placed an old hat. He noticed the older students staring at the hat and so looked at it too. Just in time, too, as a rip opened up in it and it began to sing!
The entire hall erupted into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to the four tables and then became still again.
"So we've got to try on a hat!" a boy whispered nearby him. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."
Professor McGonagall stepped forward, holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she instructed the first years. "Abbott, Hannah!" And so the sorting began.
Harry tried remembering the names of the people who were called, but gave up somewhere around 'Finch-Fletchley'. He only paid more attention when a familiar name was called.
"Granger, Hermione!"
The girl nearly ran to the stool, and eagerly placed the hat on her head when she reached it.
Harry was eager to find out where she was going to end up - he wanted to avoid that house.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat announced.
Avoid Gryffindor, got it - Harry thought to himself. He only paid attention again when the Neville boy went up. He'd also been sorted into Gryffindor. The boy had been so excited that he'd jumped off the stool and run in the direction of the table with the hat still on his head, much to the amusement on many in the hall, including Harry. He was beginning to zone out a bit when a familiar blond swaggered up the steps after his name, 'Malfoy, Draco', was called.
The hat had barely touched his head when it called out, "SLYTHERIN!"
Harry grimaced minutely. The boy had barged into his compartment earlier trying to find him. Better avoid Slytherin too...
Finally...
"Potter, Harry!"
As he stepped forward, whispers spread out around the hall. He continued on to the stool and sat, putting the hat on and allowing the small respite as the brim covered his eyes, blocking his view of the students who had started craning their necks, trying to see him.
"Hmm," a small voice said in his ear. "Difficult. Very Difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. Oh my goodness, yes - a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting... So where shall I put you?"
Harry squeezed his eyes shut tight. "Not Gryffindor or Slytherin!"
"Gryffindor could be good for you, you know. And Slytherin will help you on your way to greatness, no doubt about that. Gryffindor and Slytherin are the best two options for you." the hat explained.
Harry scrunched his nose in a grimace. So either the girl who wouldn't stop talking or the blond who might be a...fan. Well, he supposed there were 'fans' of his everywhere, at least from what he'd seen so far. In Gryffindor he'd deal with a talkative girl and fans - like those red heads on the platform who were in Gryffindor. But in Slytherin... Perhaps it would be the lesser of two evils. Or annoyances, rather.
"I see you've decided." the hat spoke again. "And I quite agree, though perhaps for different reasons. Better be SLYTHERIN!"