As the Hogwarts Express began to slowly pull out of Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, Harry Potter stood by the window of his compartment, his heart pounding with excitement and anticipation. The rhythmic chug of the train and the soft hum of conversation from nearby compartments filled the air, signalling the start of a journey that would change his life forever.
Outside the window, the platform buzzed with activity as the last students, who had been bidding farewell to their families until the last minute, hurried to get on the train before it was too late. Harry caught sight of his parents amidst the throng, their faces illuminated by the soft glow of the lanterns. Lily and James Potter stood side by side, their expressions a mix of pride and sadness as they watched their only son embark on his first journey to Hogwarts.
With a wave and a smile, Harry locked eyes with his parents, a surge of emotion swelling in his chest. He knew that he was leaving behind the familiar comforts of home, but he also knew that this was the beginning of a new adventure - one that he had been eagerly awaiting for years.
As the train picked up speed, Harry turned away from the window and glanced around his compartment, taking in the scene before him. His trunk sat at the foot of his seat, packed to the brim with his belongings, while an empty seat opposite him beckoned invitingly.
Feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness, Harry settled into his seat, his mind abuzz with thoughts of the wonders that awaited him at Hogwarts. The memories of his father's words were also echoing in his mind. He leaned against the window of his compartment, staring out at the passing scenery, his thoughts drifting back to the moment they had hugged on the platform.
He could still feel the warmth of his father's embrace, the pride and love that radiated from him as they bid each other farewell. And he could still hear the whispered words of advice that his father had imparted to him in that fleeting moment.
'Remember, Harry,' James had said, his voice tinged with a mixture of pride and mischief, 'keep the spirit of the Marauders alive. Don't be afraid to bend the rules a bit, have a bit of fun, and maybe even stir up a bit of trouble now and then.'
Harry couldn't help but smile at the memory, the familiar twinkle of mischief in his father's eyes etched into his mind. He knew that his father had always been a bit of a troublemaker in his own right, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship with him as he embarked on his own journey at Hogwarts. He didn't think he had it in him to go looking for trouble, especially since he was nervous about being the new kid at school. He also knew his mother would have his head if he managed to get caught in detention, but it was still funny to pretend he could become as popular, charismatic and loved as his father had been in his Hogwarts years.
Just then, the compartment door slid open, revealing two unfamiliar faces - a bushy-haired girl with a stack of books tucked under her arm, and a red-haired boy with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Harry's heart leapt with interest as he watched them enter the compartment, their eyes alight with excitement.
'Hello,' the girl exclaimed, her gaze curious. 'Mind if we join you? It looks like every other compartment is full.'
'Of course!' Harry replied eagerly, gesturing for them to take a seat. 'I was just getting settled in. I'm Harry, by the way.'
'I'm Ron,' the red-haired boy replied, taking a seat opposite Harry. 'And this is Hermione.'
'It's nice to meet you both' Harry said, offering them a warm smile.
Despite being excited about the prospect of possibly meeting his first friends at Hogwarts, Harry also felt awkward under their scrutiny. He could feel that both of them wanted to say something. Hermione could barely restrain herself from asking whatever she wanted to ask. She probably thought it would come across as rude, but her not saying anything was making Harry uncomfortable, so he raised an eyebrow in hopes they would just get it over with.
'What year are you in? I don't think we've met before.' She finally asked when it seemed like she couldn't hold it anymore.
'Sixth year. And that's because I'm a new student.'
'We are sixth years too! How come were you transferred?' Ron asked, his curiosity piqued by Harry's sudden appearance after five years.
'I was homeschooled my whole life,' Harry explained, his voice tinged with a mixture of apprehension and excitement. 'My parents had some very bad experiences with dark wizards and preferred to have me at home, where they could protect me should something happen.'
Of course, nothing had ever happened. Nor to the Potters, nor to any student at Hogwarts. It had been years since the last official Death Eater capture and the ones who hadn't been found didn't seem interested in making themselves known by attacking anyone or dealing with dark magic.
However, after the Potters had had to go into hiding because of a prophecy that claimed their then one-year-old son Harry was destined to end Voldemort -which was, later on, proved to be nonsense, as Dumbledore himself killed him- and after they were betrayed by their close friend Peter Pettigrew, they hadn't wanted to take any chances. Yes, they had managed to escape unscathed, but two people had failed them that night: Pettigrew and Dumbledore, who hadn't been able to protect them enough. So, by the time Harry had turned eleven, they had been very reluctant about sending him to Hogwarts under Dumbledore's protection, even after Voldemort's death.
Harry couldn't blame them, but it still had pissed him off at the time because he had never been as excited as the day he received his Hogwarts letter, only to be taken away from him by his own parents.
'But there's no safer place than Hogwarts!' Hermione interjected.
Ron snorted and she shot him a dirty look. 'I mean... I know everyone says that, but have you suddenly forgotten about the moving stairs, the Giant Squid, the forbidden forest with its fucking giant spiders and-'
Harry could feel himself starting to become paler. His parents might have been onto something, after all.
'Ok, yeah, but there is no real life-threatening danger,' Hermione hastily interrupted, eager to dispel Harry's growing concerns. 'Not if you don't do stupid things, but that's hardly the staff's fault. No one has died in more than fifty years, after all.' That didn't sound reassuring either - 50 years wasn't that much time - but Harry didn't comment so Hermione went on 'And anyway, Hogwarts' wards are the safest out of all the wizarding schools. You'd know it if you had read Hogwarts: A History.'
'Yeah, yeah, yeah. We all know you're in love with that book Hermione,' Ron teased, a playful smirk on his face. Harry somehow got the feeling that their dynamic was always like this, bickering like an old married couple. He wondered if he would be third-wheeling if he became their friend. Ron continued with his teasing, 'No one, and I mean no one, in this school except you has read it.'
'You don't know that,' Hermione retorted, a hint of defensiveness in her tone. 'I'm sure most of the Ravenclaws have read it. The rest of you are simply comfortable being uncultured.'
'Or maybe we don't have time for reading books about school,' Ron countered, his tone light but firm. 'Honestly, I have enough with the books we have to read for class. Anyway, I still think your parents were exaggerating, mate. There haven't been any dark wizard attacks since You-Know-Who was defeated more than ten years ago.'
Harry nodded in agreement, grateful for Ron's attempt to ease his worries. 'I know. They were being paranoid, if you ask me. But I've always wanted to study in Hogwarts and this summer I convinced them that I'd get way better grades in my N.E.W.T.s if I could be taught by real professors.'
'I completely agree with you, education is paramount,' Hermione chimed in, her voice sincere. 'I'm sure your parents are very capable wizards, don't get me wrong, but there is no way you'll have it easier to achieve N.E.W.T. level skills with their help rather than learning from professionals in that field.'
'Yeah, I guess,' Harry conceded, feeling a sense of validation in Hermione's words. 'I just wanted an excuse to come to Hogwarts. Now I need to get good marks, though.'
Hermione immediately offered her support, her expression earnest. 'I'll help you study, don't worry. We can go to the library tomorrow evening.'
Harry shared a worried look with Ron then. He wanted to get good marks for once, but he wasn't about to spend every living hour in the library. He had never studied much and still passed everything. It probably had a lot to do with the fact that his parents wouldn't let him fail, spending as much time as necessary in explanations until Harry got everything, but anyway. If it was normal for Hogwarts students to live in the library, maybe it hadn't been that great of an idea to go there. Luckily for him, Ron seemed just as taken aback by Hermione's willingness to start studying that early in the year as himself.
'What? The year hasn't even started and you already want to go to the library?ʼ Ron looked at her in disbelief 'That must be a record even for you. Harry, don't go with her if you want to have a life. Trust me.'
She looked offended and crossed her arms.
'Honestly, Ronald! You can have a perfectly good life and still study.'
'Yeah, but you overdo it.' Ron too realised he might have said something wrong so he quickly elaborated, trying to make it better 'I mean, it works for you, you're obviously the best at every class, so that's great but I personally couldn't spend that much time studying. My head would explode!'
Hermione still looked pissed off, only a little bit less, so Harry decided to help Ron out before the fight escalated. After all, he had been kind enough to Harry that whole time.
'I think I'd like to go to the library sometime.' He assured Hermione, which gained him a smile 'But not just now. I'll tell you whenever I feel like going, Hermione.'
'Sure, Harry. I'm sure you're a better study partner than Ron here.' She remarked a bit bitterly 'He doesn't ever shut up.'
'I'm great companionship! And I can be quiet too if I want to.'
'If you say so.'
'Yeah, I say so!'
Harry grinned because even if they continued bickering for a really long time, it wasn't ill-meaned at all as he had feared. That was just how they talked to each other and they probably were having fun.
Suddenly, Harry's stomach grumbled loudly, prompting him to voice his hunger. 'When will the lady with the trolley come here? I'm starving,' he exclaimed, a hint of impatience in his tone.
'Don't know. I have some sandwiches here if you want one,' Ron offered, reaching into his bag and pulling out a wrapped bundle.
'Thanks, mate. Appreciate it. But I really want a chocolate frog right now. It's been ages since I last ate one,' Harry replied eagerly, his mouth watering at the thought of the sweet treat.
'She must be about to pass by, but you can go look for her if you're that hungry,' Hermione suggested, her attention still focused on her book.
'Yeah, that's what I'll do. Do any of you want something?' Harry asked as he got up.
Hermione simply shook her head and opened one of the books she had carried with her. Harry didn't understand the title, as it was written in a strange language, but he reckoned it had something to do with runes.
Ron didn't answer for a long time, probably debating whether he was hungry enough to buy something from the trolley. The sweets the old lady sold were more expensive than the ones you could find in little shops, after all.
'I have no money for sweets,' He finally confessed, sounding a mix of embarrassed and frustrated, and decidedly not looking at Harry.
'I'll pay for it. Don't worry. We can share your sandwiches and whatever I buy,' Harry assured him, a generous smile on his face.
'Oh, okay. I'll go with you then,' Ron agreed, rapidly cheering up. He got up as well, and after they had asked Hermione if she was sure she didn't want anything, they started their trolley hunt.
Harry and Ron made their way down the narrow corridor of the train, their shoulders bumping, until the figure of the trolley lady was visible. Harry grinned at the prospect of getting as many sweets as he wanted without his parents' supervision for once and he quicked his pace, but he soon noticed Ron wasn't following him anymore.
Harry looked at him expectantly, but Ron wasn't looking at him. He was looking past Harry in the direction of the trolley with evident disgust on his face. Harry looked at the trolley too, because he wanted to know what or who had provoked such a reaction from Ron.
Three students, whom Harry had never seen before, stood by the trolley loaded with sweets. At the forefront stood a boy with striking platinum-blond hair and piercing silver eyes. He exuded an aura of confidence and authority, his gaze fixed softly on the chocolates as if they held some special allure for him. Despite Harry's unfamiliarity with him, he couldn't help but notice the boy's undeniable handsomeness, a magnetism that seemed to draw Harry's gaze involuntarily. Beside him, a girl with long, dark hair hovered closely, her movements almost hesitant as she reached out to touch his arm, her eyes shining with admiration and longing.
It was clear to Harry that this girl held a certain reverence for the boy, her actions mirroring those of a loyal follower. She seemed to gravitate around him, her presence almost magnetic as she leaned in close, her words whispered in hushed tones as if sharing a secret between them.
And then there was another boy, tall, lean, and exceptionally handsome too. His expression was one of childlike wonder as he gazed at the array of chocolates before him, which were the same tone as his skin. Despite the closeness between the other two students, he seemed lost in his own world, his attention captivated by the tantalizing treats laid out before him.
As Harry observed from a distance, he couldn't help but feel a sense of intrigue at the dynamic between the three students. There was an undeniable closeness between them, a bond that seemed to transcend mere friendship. And though Harry couldn't quite put his finger on it, there was something about their interactions that left him feeling both curious and unsettled.
'Malfoy,' Ron finally muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with disgust. Harry had to make an effort to tear his gaze away from them and look at him. He was still looking at Malfoy, whoever that one was out of those three.
'What? Who's Malfoy?' Harry asked, still puzzled by Ron's change in demeanour.
'That blond over there. And he's with Parkinson and Zabini too. Fuck. I'm sorry mate, but I'm not hungry anymore,' Ron explained, his shoulders slumping in defeat. Without another word, Ron turned around and made his way to their compartment.
Confusion flickered across Harry's face as he tried to make sense of Ron's words. 'What the heck just happened?' he questioned to himself, his brow furrowing in confusion. He followed Ron back to the compartment after sending one last glance to the trio.
'The plastics are buying sweets right now,' Ron was explaining to Hermione when Harry reentered the compartment. It was evident she wasn't happy that Ron and Harry had come back without the sweets, although she hadn't wanted any.
'So? Since when do we not do things because of the plastics?' She asked, with a huge frown on her face.
'It's too early for a confrontation, Hermione. I'm in no mood. Honestly, only looking at Malfoy's pointy face made me want to puke,' Ron admitted, his voice laced with bitterness.
Harry, finally getting they were not going back for sweets any time now, decided to sit back on his seat.
'I'm lost.' He confessed, his confusion growing by the minute 'Why would there be a confrontation? Who are the plastics and why do you call them that?'
Ron and Hermione shared a look and then he began to explain the dynamics of Hogwarts' social circles to Harry. 'Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini are the plastics. The ones we just saw by the trolley lady.'
'We call them the plastics because they're shiny, fake, and hard. They are like high school royalty. They like to think they are, that is. We can't stand them,' Hermione added, her tone filled with disdain.
'But why?' Harry questioned, intrigued by the intense dislike his new friends held for these students he hadn't even met yet.
'They're the worst Slytherins you'll ever meet, and that's saying something,' Hermione explained, a hint of frustration creeping into her voice.
Ron chimed in, 'Blaise Zabini is one of the dumbest boys in this whole school, competing with Crabbe and Goyle.'
Harry still didn't understand how that explained Ron's reaction nor did he know who Crabbe and Goyle were, and it must have shown in his face because Ron continued with his rant: 'I mean, I'm not the smartest guy out there, but even I know orange doesn't have a 'd' in it'
Harry looked at Hermione for confirmation that Ron wasn't making that up, but she nodded as if it hurt her that someone could have such spelling mistakes.
She continued, 'He's honestly just looks, and he's popular because his mom has made a fortune out of killing her rich ex-husbands and inheriting their money.'
Harry's eyes widened in shock. 'What? That's crazy. Shouldn't she be in Azkaban?'
'Technically, all of her ex-husbands have died of natural causes. But everyone knows she killed them,' Ron added, his tone grim.
'Yeah. And Blaise loves the attention,' Hermione remarked, her voice tinged with disgust. She then went on to describe Pansy Parkinson, 'She's totally rich too and a complete bitch. She knows everything about everyone and she's not above blackmailing.'
'She follows Malfoy everywhere and does everything he wants. I heard they are childhood friends, but she obviously wants to be something more,' Ron added, his disdain evident.
Harry snorted. He had got that impression too only by looking at them once.
'Honestly, he's perfect for her. I don't know why they aren't engaged by now. After all, evil takes human form in Draco Malfoy,' Hermione quipped dramatically. Harry raised an eyebrow.
'He might seem like your typical arrogant, backstabbing Slytherin bully, but he's way more than that,' She added, after a beat. Her tone was serious, her eyes flashing.
Harry's interest was picked. He wondered what Draco Malfoy had done to be considered evil incarnate. He hadn't seemed out of the ordinary just a few moments ago.
'His father was a Death Eater until You-Know-Who's defeat, when he claimed to have been acting under the Imperius curse.' Ron cleared and Harry's eyes widened. That was serious stuff 'That's bullocks. And Draco shares his values and if You-Know-Who was still alive, he would surely follow his father's footsteps.'
'Not only that.' Hermione added grimly 'Lucius Malfoy is a very influential person in the Ministry and he's also head of the school board. He sacked a teacher because Draco Malfoy was stupid enough to get injured by doing exactly what the professor had told us not to do. You don't want him coming after you.'
Harry frowned. He didn't understand how an ex-Death Eater could have so much power. It made him sick to even think about it. There was something very wrong with the Ministry of Magic or the society on the whole, he decided.
'Malfoy will use any excuse to bring his father up, he's a total daddy's boy.' Ron mentioned with a mocking smirk 'And a git. He has a gift to rile people up and he knows how to have the whole school on his feet. Even the professors.'
Hermione was shaking her head, which reassured Harry a bit. Apparently, she didn't agree with Ron. Maybe he was exaggerating how much power Draco Malfoy had in the school, it was hard to believe for Harry that half of what they were saying was real. But he hadn't ever been to a real school before so who knew?
'He's a narcissist, he doesn't need you saying those things about him, Ron. You'll only boast his already ginormous ego. And people only favour him because they're scared of him. I would hardly call that a talent.' Hermione countered, her voice firm.
'You know that's not true. He's feared and loved in equal measure.' Ron argued, his tone defensive. 'Girls literally throw themselves at his feet! I've seen it, it's ridiculous. And if rumours are to be believed, he's already slept with half the girls in our year. How would he have done that if he wasn't at least admired?'
Hermione sneered at the mention of the amount of girls Draco Malfoy had slept with. Harry found the comment a bit out of place too.
'He's desired , not admired. Because he's very good-looking, that's it. Even I can admit that he didn't win the Spring Fling King for nothing in the last two years.' Hermione retorted, her voice tinged with disgust and Ron averted his gaze and clenched his jaw at Hermione's opinion on Malfoy's looks. She was too focused on winning their argument to notice 'But he's the worst, there's no way someone could actually love him.'
Ron easily agreed to that last part, but Harry was left thinking about his cousin Dudley. He was a muggle and despised magic just like his parents, despite Dudley's mother being Harry's very magical mother's sister (or maybe because of that), but they had still met a couple of times if only for Harry and Dudley to decide for themselves if they wanted to have any kind of relationship with their cousin or not. Harry hadn't ever liked him. He was a bully if he had ever seen one.
At first glance, Dudley seemed like a force of nature, all brutish strength and loud demands. He exuded an air of entitlement that made even the most mundane interactions feel like a battle of wills. His penchant for picking on others, including Harry himself, was as predictable as the rising sun. Then there was Dudley's insatiable appetite, a bottomless pit that seemed to define him as much as his bullying tendencies. Harry couldn't help but marvel at the sheer volume of food the boy could put away, as if he were in a perpetual state of hunger that could never be satisfied. Harry wouldn't describe Dudley as handsome either. In fact, Harry had always thought Dudley's appearance matched perfectly his horrible personality. He wasn't even smart, which some people might value when looking for a partner.
But despite all of that, he had a girlfriend that he seemed to adore. And if his cousin was to be believed, she loved him just as much. So why couldn't someone like Malfoy, even if most of what Hermione and Ron said was true, find his true love one day?
'It takes all sorts to make a world.' He shrugged, feeling a mixture of apprehension and curiosity about meeting these infamous figures. As Harry sensed Ron and Hermione were ready to start babbling about Malfoy's unforgivable sins again, he added 'But he does sound like an arsehole, I'll give you that.'
'He is.' Ron easily agreed 'Honestly, you would be better off if you didn't interact with any of them. Not only the plastics, the Slytherins in general.'
'Oh, yeah. I have to be sorted. I've been told about that, but I honestly don't know much about the Houses apart from the fact that there's Gryffindor - my parents and their friends' house -, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin,' Harry admitted, his brow furrowed in thought.
'What? You don't know anything else? Whatever house you end up in will be crucial for your social life, you shouldn't take it lightly!' Hermione exclaimed, her voice filled with urgency. Harry got the feeling she had researched the four houses profoundly before her first year. She probably had.
He shrugged, seeming unbothered. 'It's not that big of a deal, is it? It only determines what dorms I'll sleep in and what timetable I'll have, doesn't it?' he countered, his tone tinged with scepticism.
He looked at Ron, expecting him to agree but to his surprise he was looking at him with a baffled expression.
'No, mate. Hermione is right. Your house defines who you are.' He said, and Harry knew he believed it 'Obviously, each person is different, but house stereotypes are there for a reason,'
Hermione nodded firmly. 'You do know the minimum at least, right?' Harry didn't say anything, not really knowing what "the minimum" was, so she hurried to explain 'Smart, curious and creative people go to Ravenclaw. Abnegate people who value hard work end up in Hufflepuff. Bold, courageous, adventurous and, I must say, mostly impulsive people with little to no respect for rules go to Gryffindor. And then there's Slytherin.' She paused, likely thinking about any nice traits the house was linked to and failing 'Well, I guess they're ambitious, cunning and self-preservative.'
'Evil, the lot of them,' Ron interjected, shooting a meaningful glance at Harry.
Harry frowned slightly, recalling his own experiences. He didn't know about the rest of the Death Eaters, but he knew the man who had betrayed his parents had been a Gryffindor and not a Slytherin.
'I wouldn't say all of them, but... I would highly recommend against going to Slytherin if you get to choose,' Hermione added, her voice tinged with caution.
'You don't get to choose, Hermione. That's the point.' Ron reminded her, a hint of frustration in his tone 'The Sorting Hat sees right through you and determines what kind of person you are.'
'Well, the Sorting Hat thought I would have done pretty well in Ravenclaw too, but I wanted to be in Gryffindor so here I am.' Hermione admitted, a small smile playing on her lips.
'So... I get to choose?' Harry asked, feeling a glimmer of hope.
'If you really have a preference, then it will be taken into account.' Hermione explained patiently. 'You can still end up in another house if the Sorting Hat thinks you'll be better off there though.'
'And you two are in Gryffindor, then?' Harry inquired, turning his attention to Ron and Hermione.
'Yep. All my family are Gryffindors, I think the bloody hat simply sends all Weasleys there at this point. It didn't even talk to me,' Ron grumbled, his expression a mix of pride and annoyance.
'Well, in that case, I hope to be in Gryffindor too,' Harry declared, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice. He had already decided he liked Ron and Hermione, so ending up in the same house as them was probably the best course of action.
'It would be great, then we would be dormmates. Oh, and you could play for the Gryffindor team with me! I'm the keeper. Or, well, I was last year. I hope I'll be again. Do you play Quidditch?' Ron asked eagerly.
Harry grinned, his eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. 'Hell, yeah! I'm a pretty good seeker, way better than my father if I may say and he used to be the Gryffindor captain.'
'Wicked! You'll have to talk to Ginny, though. She's my sister and she's the Gryffindor captain and seeker,' Ron explained proudly 'but I know she'd rather be a chaser. No one is as good as her, though, so she had to settle with that position,'
'I'll try my best. What's your favourite Quidditch team?' Harry inquired, eager to continue the conversation. Ron's eyes sparkled with excitement.
And so, for the rest of the journey - until the trolley lady finally passed by their compartment and they bought more sweets than they could eat, that is -, Harry and Ron discussed Quidditch teams and strategies while Hermione happily continued reading her book, a small smile on her lips. Their excitement for the upcoming school year was palpable in the air and Harry couldn't help but think that convincing his parents to let him attend Hogwarts this year had been the best decision of his life.
Little did he know, there were no calm school years at Hogwarts and this one would not be an exception. In just one year he was about to cause much more chaos than his father and his friends had managed to do during their entire stay in Hogwarts, only not in the way they'd have done it.