Chapter 5:

The day to set out to Hogwarts was upon the Potter family. It had been 13 years since the Potters had last stepped onto Kings Cross station for platform 9 ¾ and the family was very emotional over the matter, or at least the parents were.

Harry knew this was the first step into the wizarding world. The real wizarding world, that would introduce him to his future friends, and maybe even one day a future spouse. The thought made the boy grimace, but he also understood that almost everyone in Magical England that grew up within the mother country generally married someone from home, which to many witches and wizards was Hogwarts.

The platform was as usual a walking conundrum for people. Old friends greeted each other, and family members said goodbye to each other as if it was the first time or the last time. Something about the Hogwarts express just brought that out about people.

His father must have greeted a few dozen families that he had gone to school with, some with begrudging respect, some with great joy, and some with an obvious animosity, but it never affected the mood, they just kept going down the length of the express continuously greeting people. It was almost a social event these days, but Harry understood the politics of reuniting with old acquaintances, especially while the time was of peace.

The word peace was relative however, he had been informed that Professor Quirrel was not to be trusted and that he was to avoid him outside of class hours at all times. The Headmaster would not tell Harry just what the man was after, but that it was a priceless artifact that could start a war if lost. Dumbledore believed the man to be his own agent, but that didn't mean it was impossible that the man was a death eater or worse.

As Harry prepared to board the express he hugged his Godfather making him promise to take care of himself while he was gone. He then turned to hug his dad, "Looks like the marauder's legacy is about to be continued."

The oldest Potter might have had a tear in his eye, but he quickly wiped it away. Harry then reached for his sister Rosalie, pulling her into a tight hug, "I will see you in a few weeks, take care of our idiot will ya?"

Her sister laughed while Jack groaned, but then brought his brother into a hug as well. The three siblings all held each other for a few moments, then separated. This would be the first time that any of them would be apart for more than a few days, and it would be an adjustment for the family. Harry then turned to his mum and gave her a two-finger salute, "I will see you at the feast tonight mum."

The woman shook her head opening her arms, and Harry sighed, knowing that the family affection had to continue for a few moments longer. As he held his mother, he felt something move inside of him as if it was a sin that he didn't hug his mother more, and he made a note to do it more often, once he was home.

As the two separated the woman had to remove tears from her eyes, Harry waved goodbye to his family as he stepped toward Neville speaking clearly, "Let's go, Nev, it seems to the next adventure is within our steps."

Groaning the only Longbottom male responded, "You have started sounding more like Dumbledore every next day."

Taking that as a compliment the boys boarded the train and took the first empty compartment they came to. When they took their seats Harry sighed looking out the window as the train whistle wailed. The boys had waited for this moment to come for many years, and the moment had finally arrived, when they would be heading off to Hogwarts.

The train at some point took off, but neither boy noticed as they had rapidly begun to engage in a conversation on quidditch, and their soon to be new residence, Gryffindor. The train ride went by for about an hour before they got some visitors, the first came in the form of the red-headed stepchild himself, "Hey Neville, Harry, what's going on mates?"

Neville and Harry instantly traded exasperated looks as Ronald Weasley opened his mouth, being the politer of the two, Harry spoke back, "Hey Ron, how was your Summer?"

"Oh, it was alright. Mum was driving me crazy trying to catch the twins in their acts of pranking. It's honestly not right that I can get dragged into it, but what are you going to do right?" He inquired rhetorically.

Neville who knew Ron would be a housemate of his in just a few hours spoke nicely, "Any ideas who the other Gryffindor will be?"

Ron shrugged, "Other than the three of us I don't know. Not many pureblood girls entering Gryffindor that I know of, so I can't really say for sure, ya know?"

Harry had come to the same conclusion, figuring that unless someone through a wrench into the grinder the Pureblood Gryffindors were already knowing where they were heading. The three made small talk for a short time before a bushy-haired witch came knocking on the door, where Harry shot an opening spell at it with lightning speed, leaving the girl in a shock, but Neville spoke lightly, "Hello, muggle-born?"

The girl nodded her head fast, and Neville offered her the seat next to his, while the girl swooped in graciously taking the seat, "Thank you, I have been searching for a compartment for a while now, but most of the kids were very rude."

Harry snorted, "That's purebloods for you. Sadly you must have been unlucky, had you run into other muggle-borns they probably would have brought you in immediately."

Neville agreed, "Yeah you especially have to watch out for the green patches, Slytherin is mostly bigoted, with very few exceptions."

The girl offered her hand toward the boys, "I am Hermione Granger, by the way. I didn't catch your names, but can I assume that you are also Muggleborns?"

Neville was the first to take her hand, then Ron never took her's but told her his name, and Harry finally spoke to her, "Harry Potter, and I am a half-blood, my friends here are purebloods though, and half of me comes from a pureblood, so I know what you're going through. My mum told me to watch out for Muggleborns, and help them if I could."

She flashed the boy a smile, showing off her buck teeth, but then gasped, "Harry James Potter? I read about you in the rise and fall of the dark arts. You defeated the Dark Lord Vold-"

Neville cut her off, "Don't say his name. It is still taboo in our society."

Harry waved him off, "Scaredy pants here just don't like to hear it, but yes I am Harry James Potter and the acclaimed Boy who lived, but it's nonsense, don't listen to any of it. I am just another first-year making his first trip to Hogwarts on a train full of first years who are in the same spot as me. I don't deserve recognition for doing something I can't remember or was intelligent enough to appreciate. So please, none of that."

Hermione had the gall to blush while she began to apologize, but Harry merely shrugged, "I have a feeling I will be telling that to a lot of people over the next few weeks. So tell us what you know about magic."

Over the next few hours, the four kids talked about magic and its basic concepts. Harry went into to teacher mode, while Neville just added some stuff in, and talked about things Harry wasn't very adequate at like Herbology.

Hermione who was a sponge, seemed to absorb everything the two said, while Ron just taught her about quidditch when entertainment and sport came up. This led to talk about cinemas in the muggle world which Harry and Neville both had been to a few times, while Ron thought they were all crazy for such an idea. As the sun began to set Harry's least favorite person attempted to join the compartment, "Hello Potter, I would like a word with you."

He instantly sat down across from Harry as two larger boys stood by the door. Harry recognized them as Crabbe and Goyle, "What is it you want Malfoy, not only do you come in not asking if I would like to speak with you, but rudely cut off my friends from the rather pleasant and light conversation I was having. Not to mention you didn't even introduce yourself to the pretty girl in the room, whom I know you have never met before, and you should consider your next words wisely."

Malfoy seemed to take a vicious grin as he looked over to the blushing girl, "Interesting, Half-blood by chance?"

The girl shook her head with a smile, "No Muggleborn, I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?"

The girl offered her hand to the pureblood who just snickered coldly turning his nose up at her, "Sorry I don't shake hands with fil-"

Before he could even finish that sentence Neville and Harry had their wands pointing at the boy, Harry speaking first, "You have called me a squib for years Malfoy, care to learn just how much I know? Finish that sentence and you will know real quick."

Neville and Harry both fired a disarming hex at the two goons at door, and threatened to stun them before they had even moved, while Draco grinned, "So not so squbish are you, Potter?"

Growling Harry responded, "Get out. I don't care what words you have to say, and if I hear you insult my mother again it may be the last thing that tongue of yours ever says."

Draco paled a little at the threat standing up quickly, "We could've ruled the first years together Potter, but now you will see what it's like to be on the other side of a Malfoy!"

Ron finally gaining his wits responded, "We don't want to know what the losing side of anything is Malfoy!"

For the first time, Harry felt like hi-fiving the youngest Weasley male but refrained and settled with a glare towards the blonde ponce as he quickly walked out of the room. Harry and Neville then threw the wands they had disarmed into the hall and shut the door. Harry then placed a small ward on the door, which would force people to knock.

Hermione and Rons' jaws were both on the floor with the bushy-haired girl protesting first, "Where did you two learn such advanced magic? That looks like a ward you just put up, and that is third-year magic, maybe older. The disarming hex is the second year, but you both did it so easily!"

Harry shrugged while Neville sighed, "Magical combat is our specialty, we were taught him to duel at a young age. Don't worry most people won't know very much, maybe specific curses, but as far as things go, you will be on the same level as everyone."

Hermione seemed to look a little better after that while Ron muttered, "Wicked!"

After only a little longer the kids changed into their robes and prepared to exit the train. When the train came to a complete stop, the station in Hogsmeade filled with students. Harry at first wasn't sure what to do, but then heard the giant of a man coming down the platform trying to guide first years to the boats. Harry approached the large man as he marched towards the dock, "Hello Hagrid, have a pleasant Summer?"

Hagrid boomed with laughter, "'Arry! 'Hogwarts is just beautiful in the Summer, and without all you kids around though it can get a little lonely. Nonetheless, it's always a memorable ride through the Black Lake now that your all are back!"

Few words were exchanged between the two, and they agreed that after the first week was over they would meet for tea and some of his famous rock cakes. With Hagrid commanding the frightened first years, the boats were quickly loaded, like Hermione, Ron, and Neville, all shared a boat, and it didn't take long for it to lurch forward.

The boat ride lasted for a few minutes, but suddenly a magnificent site appeared before the eager first-year students. Harry had seen the castle before, in passing, but never had he seen it from this angle. It was almost like something out of a fantasy, as the castle was monstrous, and clearly the largest building he had ever seen.

The grounds were also beautiful as they could stretch for far as the eye could see in the lake. The forest on both sides of the grounds was the only ominous thing about the boat ride, as many people knew just what lurked in those woods. For most though it was simply hard to take their eyes off the castle.

As the boats went under the castle the group all looked around at the small cavern that led to a dock that was directly inside the castle. Everyone boarded out in a fairly ordered fashion and followed the Keeper of Keys up to the main entrance hall where they stopped before two very majestic doors, where a familiar regal woman was holding a firm stare upon her future students,

"Good evening. Welcome to Hogwarts. In a few moments you will be joining your classmates, but first, you must be sorted into our houses. Your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will be rewarded with house points, and your failures will result in a deduction of points. At the end of each year there will be a feast, and then a brief ceremony awarding the house cup to the house with the most points. The houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Now I must see that the headmaster is ready for the first years, I will be just a moment, thank you Hagrid."

Hagrid merely saluted and followed the professor into the hall while the students went into silence. Harry however looked to his left realizing he didn't recognize the young boy standing next to him, he introduced himself, "Hello, I'm Harry."

Offering his hand to the boy the kid looked excited at the prospect of speaking to someone, "Oh, I'm Justin, Justin Finch-Fletchley. It's a pleasure. Are you a muggle-born as well?"

A snort came from in the group, "Just how much filth can you associate with in a day Potter? It's almost like you are a magnet! I am surprised you have not caught some wretched disease."

Justin who didn't realize he had just been insulted just looked at the blonde boy who was striding forward, while Harry retorted, "Well I now will have to be speaking with you on a regular basis, so I have a feeling my tolerance for filth will just have to increase if I decide to refrain from blasting you out of my way every day."

Some of the group gasped, while Harry and Draco now stood inches from each other, "Why don't you watch yourself, Potter? You put on this tough act, but everyone here sees you for who you are?"

Neville sarcastically stated, "Your right Draco, they all see him exactly for who he is. Have you forgotten who that is? By nothing but title, he is the boy who lived, and he doesn't even need to raise his wand to stop your boot licking father's master."

Draco growled while some of the Purebloods seemed to take a step back at the clearly escalating situation, "Listen up you lot. In our world there are some witches and wizards that are just better than others, now you can either accept that, and I can help guide you, or you can follow Potter and just be another filthy blood traitor to a noble line of wizards."

A young red-headed girl who Harry recognized as Susan Bones stepped bravely forward, "Its easy for you to stand on your father's shoulders Malfoy. At least Harry has had his own accomplishments without the need of his family name."

For a moment Harry almost said that wasn't entirely true, but he knew he couldn't say such things, so flashed the pretty girl a smile of thanks, while Neville spoke, "Don't forget who holds the real power Malfoy. The Longbottoms and the Potters were Lording the lands while your family was still trying to figure out how to get the sheep skin sold for a reasonable price."

Before anything else could be said a loud bang went off and a ghost was laughing as a bucket of water dropped down soaking most of the first years from head to toe. Said ghost was laughing his life away, as the first years panicked. Neville however sighed casting the drying charm on himself and spitting out a piece of gum, then firing a spell at it, "Wadi Wasi!"

The piece of gum quickly flew through the air hitting the poltergeist that Harry recognized from stories as Peeves right in the face. The ghost shouted in frustration and flew through the wall. With the tension having dissipated from the prank, the boys took a few moments to start casting drying charms on the first years who had gotten wet. When Harry approached Susan she thanked him as he put a warming and drying charm on her, "Thank you, Harry. Always the gentlemen aren't you?"

Harry gave a mock bow, "I live to serve my lady, and if anyone should be expressing their thanks it should be me. Any chance to take down Malfoy a peg or two is a fantastic opportunity. Thank you for taking advantage of it."

Harry winked at the girl and made his way back to Neville who smirking. Harry didn't need to look at the boy but stared at Mccgonagal as she approached the group. Grimacing Harry without looking at his best friend simply said, "Shut up."

This caused the boy to break into a chuckle as the head of Gryffindor motioned for them to follow her into the hall. The Potter, Longbottom duo followed their soon-to-be head of house through the doors as the first, first-years to cross into the great hall. The two boys walked with their heads high as they approached the tables and walked past them towards the sorting hat. They didn't say a word but walked in step with one another until they had approached the hat.