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Chapter Text

"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "The Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."

Looking at the building, it looks like a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If the place was so famous, why does it look like it has not been taken care of well? 'I wonder if Mum ever went here?' Focusing my attention on the people hurrying along, they do not seem to notice the building. There was one or two people standing but just seem to glance from one shop to another as if they cannot see The Leaky Cauldron. I'm going to take a guess that only magical people can see this place. I wonder how does that work? I hope I get to find out at school. Before I ask Hagrid any sort of question, he guides me inside.

It take a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the place but once I can see, I gaze in wonder as a ricochet of questions start bouncing around my head wanting to get out. I hear Hagrid talk to a man he calls Tom. When Hagrid mentions me the room goes silent and all the questions disappear like bubbles bursting when everyone (and I mean everyone) stops what they are doing and stares in my direction. I try and hide behind Hagrid's massive frame but Hagrid moves me in front of him so everyone can have a real good look at me.

I flinch as a man hurries out behind a bar, rushing towards me and seizing my hand in his. He is squeezing my hand way too tight for my liking. 'Why does the man look like he is about to cry?' After that strange man leaves, everyone else in The Leaky Cauldron rush up to me. My heart is hammering a million miles an hour, just like the people asking and telling me all sorts of stuff that I don’t particularly want to know.

Whilst I am forced to shake hands with total strangers I spot a pale young man very nervously making his way towards me. Hagrid introduces me to the pale young man; his name is Professor Quirrell and he is going to be my Defence Against Dark Arts teacher. He doesn't shake my hand, which I feel quite relieved by. I don't want to shake another person's hand for a very long while.

A soft smile touches the corners of Professor Quirrell's mouth as our conversation comes to an end. When the professor walks away, more people have the best idea of asking me questions and shaking my hand for a long while. When will the hand shaking and chatting come to an end?

Hagrid eventually gets everyone to leave me alone so we can do what we actually came here for. To buy my school stuff.

I asked Hagrid about my Defence Against Dark Arts teacher and he told me that the apparent reason on why the man seems incredibly nervous is because he apparently met some vampires in the Black Forest and had a bit of trouble with a hag. What's a hag and I thought that vampires are just something that people read about in stories and dress up as for Halloween.

Hagrid leads me into a small, walled courtyard where there is just a dustbin and a few weeds scattered in a few areas. Aunt Petunia would have a massive hissy fit is she saw the weeds here and make me remove them immediately.

I turn my attention on to what Hagrid is doing. He is counting the bricks and muttering to himself. As I am about to ask him why he is counting bricks, the bricks start quivering and a whole in the middle of the wall gets bigger and bigger until it becomes an arch that Hagrid and I can walk through.

The archway takes us to a cobbled street that has many twists and turns. Turning around, I watch as the archway disappear and turn back into a solid wall.

As we walk down the cobbled street I can see a whole range of shops that I would have only seen in my wildest dreams from a shop that sells cauldrons to a shop that sells what looks to have eyeballs and slimy stuff in jars.

After a few minutes of us walking, we arrive at Gringotts. This is where Hagrid told me earlier that is where I'm going to be getting my money from. Before walking in a building, I see a goblin wearing a uniform that is scarlet and gold in colour.

Walking through two sets of doors, we wait in line to be seen by one of the many goblins that are sitting on high stools behind a very long counter. Whilst we wait I look around the room that we're in. Above our heads, there are what I think Aunt Petunia would call chandeliers, they are gold in colour and look to be lit up with long wax candles. Way up above our heads are massive circular windows that bring a ton of light into the building.

I jump when I feel Hagrid's hand gently push against my back to take us to one of the goblins. Hagrid and the goblin chat for a few minutes. I get distracted by the goblin next to us that is weighing rubes that seem to be the same size as coals.

"Griphook!" I hear the Goblin shout. I nearly jump out of skin. The goblin appears in less than ten seconds of being called for. Griphook gestures for us to follow him. We walk through one of the many doors and on the other side of the door, there is a narrow stone passageway that is sloping downwards and is lit with orange flaming torches. We get to railway track where Griphook whistles and a small cart quickly gets to where we are standing. It takes some difficulty for all of us to fit in but we somehow manage.

The journey to the where Hagrid needs to go happens very quickly. I stay in the small cart as Hagrid and Griphook get out to the vault and Hagrid grabs the thing he needs and they both get back to the small cart pretty quickly. I don't get to see what Hagrid has gotten out of the vault. 

We speed off to my vault.

Griphook gets out of the cart first followed by myself and then Hagrid. Griphook unlocks my vault door and whole lot of green smoke comes out of the vault. 'Why is there green smoke?' Before I think of any more questions, I freeze. There is so much money in the vault. Aunt Petunia would have an absolute field day with all of that money in there.

Hagrid gets a small bag for me and help me put some of the money in there for at least a couple of terms of school as he explains to me how the money system works. He says that the money system is easy but it seems so confusing. 'Seventeen sickles per galleon... twenty-nine knuts to a sickle...' I hope I learn quickly.

We get back outside very quickly. Hagrid takes me to the shop called Madam Malkin's Robes for all occasions. He explains to a smiling, squat witch that is dressed in mauve clothes about what I will need.

"I'm just going to get something, I'll be back in a few minutes." Hagrid quietly tells me. I feel nerves pooling at the bottom of my stomach.

"Hello. I'm Madam Malkins." She gently guides me to where we need to go. Once we arrive to where I need to go. She tells me. "You'll need to stand here. I'm going to measure you so your clothes can fit you properly." She shows me how it works. I guess that she has dealt with people from non-magical backgrounds. 

As the lady is measuring my clothes, I can see a pale boy that looks to be about the same age as myself getting his own robes pinned to fit him properly. The boy notices me pretty quickly and says, "Hullo. Hogwarts too?" I reply with a shy nod. He tells me that his father is buying his books and his mother is buying him his wand. Lucky. I wish my mum and dad was still here.

Our conversation comes to a stop when the boy's father arrives to get him. 

Once my clothes have been measured and sorted out. I am given a surprisingly light bag but when I look in the bag, all of my stuff is in there. Looking back up, I see Hagrid just outside holding two large ice-creams and something large in his other hand. I leave the building and Hagrid passes me one of the ice creams as well as a napkin so I can wipe my hands and mouth afterwards. The ice cream that he gave me has two flavours, chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts sprinkled on top. I really like the raspberry.

Hagrid lets me pick out the next thing to get off from my list. I pick the books and stationary. Hagrid leads me to a bookshop called 'Flourish and Blotts'. Inside, there are books stacked up all the way to the ceiling. After myself and Hagrid scour the bookshop for my books and the stationary, I also get some that are not on the list. Some storybooks, a diary so I can remember what I have done every day and some books that will hopefully help me with blending in with the other students. I don't want more attention on me like I had in The Leaky Cauldon. That was scary.

I buy the books and Hagrid beats me to grabbing the bag.

The next shop we go to is a potions shop. It was very dim in there and a little grimy. I get distracted by some unicorn horns and eyeballs in jars. This sort of reminds me on the books that Aunt Petunia has read to Dudley and his friends during Halloween. Hagrid gets the stuff I need so I don't accidently get the wrong stuff.

After the potions shop we go to the most exciting shop of all Olivander's! This is where I'm going to get my wand! It feel so surreal to be getting my wand. I wonder what mum and dad's wands looked like? My thoughts vanish as soon as I hear someone softly say "Good afternoon". I spot the person who said that as he comes closer to me. I take a step back. He must have taken the hint because he gives me some space. He introduces himself as Ollivander.

As Ollivander measures me for me to get my wand (why does he need to measure me?) he tells me about what my mum's and dad's wands looked like. Mum's first wand was made of willow and was good for charm work and my dad’s wand was a mahogany wand that was good for transfiguration. It's as if he had plucked those questions right out of my head.

It takes me a while to find the right wand. For every wand I get rejected by, the happier Ollivander becomes. Well... at least he likes his job I guess...

We finally find myself a wand! It is apparently an unusual combination, holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches and nice and supple. The man goes on a tangent about how the feather being a brother for a different wand. The wand that was used to kill my parents with.

When he finally leave Ollivander's Hagrid asks me if there are any shops that I would to go into in particular. I ask him if we can go to a clothes shop that just sells normal clothes. Although I really like my school clothes... I don't want to wear them all the time.

It's late afternoon when we finish getting everything that I need. We leave Diagon Alley from where we came from earlier in the day. The Leaky Cauldron is practically deserted as we leave.

Hagrid pays for my train ticket back to the Dursley's place. As we wait for my train to arrive, Hagrid gets me a burger. A few minutes before my train arrives, Hagrid gives me my ticket for the train to Hogwarts and a letter about what day, time and where I'm going to get the train. I look at the ticket in slight confusion. I have never heard of a platform called platform nine and three quarters. 

"Hagrid. How do I get to platform nine and three quarters?"

"Oh right. It is in between the signs platforms nine and ten. You will have to go through that. I'll get Dumbledore, your headmaster at Hogwarts, to send someone to help you get there safely."

"Thank you."

"Your very welcome." Hagrid checks his watch. "Better get going unless you want to miss your train home."

"Oh. Right." Hagrid gets me on the train.

I try and watch him out of the window but I look away for a second and he vanishes into thin air.

Chapter Text

Vernon drops me off at the train station. In a mocking tone he says, "Have a good term." He chuckles to himself as he leaves.

I re-read the letter that Hagrid had sent to me through owl. Apparently, Professor Quirrell is going to be the person helping me get onto the train to Hogwarts. I remember that the professor wears a turban and that he has a stutter. I don't remember much else other than that. Shoving the letter back into my pocket, I look around for the professor. I cannot find him.

My breathing gets shallower and shallower as I push the trolley towards platforms nine and ten. Was Hagrid lying to me?

As my thoughts begin to spiral out of control and my body starts to tremble, I feel a firm hand on my right shoulder. I whip myself around so fast that I start seeing black splotches in my vision. When the black splotches finally start retreating, I am face to face Professor Quirrell. He is crouched down to my level and trying to talk to me. I cannot hear him. When he realises that I cannot hear a single word that he is saying because of emotional disposition. He starts exaggerating his breathing. I copy him.

As my breathing starts to slow down, my hearing slowly starts to work again.

The first thing I hear is the professor softly stuttering, “You-you’re doing r-really well”. He stops softly talking to me when my breathing has finally evened out.

He pays my right shoulder once. I look back up at him.

” R-ready to go the p-platform?” I shake my head no.

“Would y-you like help through-through the barrier?” I nod shyly. He stands back up and he goes behind me like with what I saw a red haired plump lady do earlier with who I presume was her child.

“Y-you can c-close your eyes as we g-go through the barrier if i-it makes you feel better.” I hear Professor Quirrell reassuring me. I close my eyes as we go through the wall between platforms nine and ten.

Opening my eyes again, I am mesmerised by the Hogwarts Express. It is way cooler than any train I have ever seen in my entire existence. The sheer loudness of the platform is making me feel like I'm listening to someone trying and failing to use a chalk board as a musical instrument. 

Professor Quirrell notices my discomfort. "W-would you like me to help you onto the t-train?" I nod. 'Why is my voice not working?' Looking around, there are cats of all colours littered around at the feet of the chattering crowd.

We walk further down the platform where it is slighter quieter. No people fighting over seats, little to no people saying their goodbyes to their friends and family and way fewer tripping hazards littering about.

Professor Quirrell helps me find a compartment that is quiet and has plenty of seats available. We find one. It is pretty close to the end of the train. The professor uses magic to store my luggage away; mindful of that I may need to get and put away stuff throughout the train journey to Hogwarts.

Once everything is in order, the professor tells me what time we will roughly be arriving at Hogsmeade Station. He leaves to go to the teacher's train carriage.

Hiding my face in the worn out oversized red hoodie that used to be Dudley's however many years ago, I watch people interact with their families. I see families giving each other hugs and adults chatting to each other. The crowd outside the train eventually gets smaller and smaller until there is no more students left. Just their families.

"Knock, knock, knock." I hear in quick succession.  My head whips around to where the sound is coming from. The knocking has come from a red-haired boy. I vaguely remember him from before I got through the barrier. He was with a red-haired plump lady. I think the lady is his mum.

The red-haired boy opens the door. "Anyone sitting here?" The boy points to the seat opposite me. I shake my head no. As I do that, the hood slips off my head. The boy gasps. I try and make myself as small as possible. "Are you Harry Potter?" He exclaims. His eyes light up like fireworks on Bonfire Night. I nod timidly in conformation. He put his luggage next to mine with little difficulty and then he parks himself in the seat he was points to mere minutes ago. 

I feel the train grumble to life. Seems like we are going to start moving soon.

I ask the boy, "What's your name?"

"Oh. Sorry. My name is Ron. Ron Weasley."

"That's a nice name."

"Thank you." Ron seems a little flustered from the compliment. We sit in a comfortable silence for a few minutes. Well... that is until two identical teenagers, who I presume are twins, barge into the compartment.

"Hey Ron." The identical twin that is closest to Ron says.

"Listen, we're going to the middle of the train - Lee has a massive tarantula there." The closest identical twin says.

"Right." Ron mumbles. I believe that Ron thinks that the twins are lying.

The twins slide the compartment door behind themselves.

Ron turns to me. "Those are my older brothers. Fred and George. They're twins. I don't always remember which one is which. Even my mum doesn't always know who's who."

We sit in another comfortable silence again. I get one of my schools books out of my bag. The book is 'A History of Magic'. I've read this book a few times since I got it. It is a tad morbid at times but I really like learning specifically about the centaurs with the interesting things they have done in history. Ever since Hagrid took me to Diagon Alley, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon have been completely ignoring me the whole summer. Which has been fine by me but I did start feeling a little bit lonely by the end.

I put the book down as the compartment door slides open again. This time the people standing there is a girl and boy that look roughly the same age as myself and Ron. The girl is standing nearest to me. She has bushy brown hair that goes past her shoulders and has large front teeth.  He has a round face, blonde hair and is chubby. The boys hands are trembling as he holds a toad in his hands. I hope they're nice.

In a bossy tone the girl says, "Is it alright if Neville and myself sit with you two? There isn't that many seats left."

"I don't mind." I reply.

"I don't mind either." Ron replies back to her although he did give a funny look when he sees that Neville has a toad.

The girl helps Neville with putting their luggage stored safely away. When they are eventually done I ask the girl, "So What's your name?"

"Oh. Sorry. I forgot to tell you. My name is Hermione." She puts her hand out for me to shake. "What's your name?"

I shake her hand. "Harry." I gesture to the Ron sitting opposite me. "And this is Ron." She shakes his hand.

Hermione notices the book that I have on my lap and her face lights up with excitement. "You're reading A History of Magic?" I nod.

"Same! How far along the book are you?"

"I have read it a few time now actually. It's so interesting!"

"Same! What part of the history book you find most interesting?"

"All about the centaurs."

We talk about the book until the lady with a trolly full of food comes to our compartment.

"Would you like anything from the trolly dears?" The lady asks.

I ask if anyone would like something. Ron looks like he wants something from the trolly is reluctant to answer. I say that I will happily pay. I get everyone a Chocolate Frog each and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans box for us all to share. Neville and Ron look very surprised that I have bought everyone something from the trolly.

We have our chocolate frogs. Luckily Rons warns us that the chocolate frogs move like real frogs. I guess I make a face at that because Ron reassures me that they are not real frogs and that they are charmed to make them act like real frogs. I breathe a sigh of relief at that.

Eating my chocolate frog, I get a pleasant surprise of finding a collectable card. I get a moving picture of Dumbledore! On the back of the card, it gives me a summary of what he has done. It says that he is the headmaster of Hogwarts. That's so cool! Hermione gets a card of someone called Adalbert Waffling, Ron gets a card of Bathilda Bagshot and Neville gets a card of Merlin. Neville says that he doesn't collect the cards and asks me if I would like the card. I say yes! Ron asks if Hermione would like the card that he has because he says that he already has the card and she says yes. Ron gives it to her and she seems to appreciate the offering because she quickly puts the card into her school bag.

We have the Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans next. Ron suggests that we all take turns and try and guess what flavour bean we have. I nearly throw up when I get the booger flavoured bean. Hermione nearly turns green when she gets a vomit flavoured bean. Ron and Neville end up having a lucky streak because they somehow do not end up getting the gross flavour beans. We do this until we start getting the sun in our eyes. 

I ask everyone in the compartment. "What time is it? I was told earlier by a professor that we should get ready by about six."

"It's half past five. Do you think we should get changed now or wait until six?" Hermione replies back.

Neville says, "I think we should. The doubt people will be getting changed into their school uniform and I do not want to wait to go to the restroom whilst everyone else has the same idea." We all get our school uniform and head to the rest rooms to get changed and ready.

Ater we are all changed and ready, Hermione asks me if I want to read the book 'Magical Theory' by Adalbert Wafflung. I say yes to the idea. We both get our books out and we read and discuss what we have read and we try and analyse what is written. The two of us do this until a prefect comes to our compartment to tell us that we are nearly at Hogsmeade train station and they tell us to get ready. All of us try our best on cleaning up the compartment that we are in. We also make sure that everyone's stuff is put away. Neville freaks out slightly when he thinks he has lost his frog but Hermione helps him find it. The frog had somehow gotten into my school bag.

The train slowly rolls to a stop. All of us wait a minute before getting off the train because it seems that everyone wants to get off first.

"First years with me!" I hear Hagrid holler over the crowd of students. Ron, Hermione, Neville and myself try to stick together as much as possible so we don't get lost in the sea of people.

Hagrid counts everyone to make sure we are all here. When finishes counting, he tells us all to get on a boat. "Four people to a boat." He tells us all. Us four choose a boat that can fit all of us together.

The boats start moving when everyone is on. Hagrid's boat is at the front and ours is close behind. In the dark, I swear I see tentacles in the distance. I do a double take but the tentacles are gone when I look back in where I spotted them.

Going around a hill, we all gasp. Hogwarts looks so cool in the dark. Especially with all the lights on. Cooler than it looks in the book I got about the school.

We eventually get off the boat. I think Hermione is nervous because she starts rambling about stuff from the history book that we read earlier on the train.

All of us are lead to an imposing teacher who calls herself Professor McGonagal. She is a tall, stern-looking witch that has her hair in a tight looking bun under her black pointed hat. She has us line up in alphabetical order and wait. I feel my hands start to shake.

A few minutes go by and she brings us into the Great Hall. Everyone looks at us.

Chapter Text

Every single person in The Great Hall is looking at us first years. Some are even craning their necks to try and get a better look at us. More specifically me. I can hear them whispering my name throughout the hall. They sort of remind me of a fox waiting for its prey. I start biting my fingernails.

"The ceiling has been bewitched to look like the sky outside; I read about it in Hogwarts: A History." Hermione whispers to, a not very interested girl standing next to her. Although the girl is not interested in what Hermione is saying. I am though so I look up and sure enough, the ceiling looks just like outside. Clear sky with stars twinkling.

Everyone's attention turns to Professor McGonagall as she silently places an extremely dirty pointed wizard's hat that has a rip near the brim. It starts to sing.

"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folks use any means
To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

Everyone gives the hat a round of applause and the hat bows back to everyone. The hat is so cool! I wonder how the hat is able to talk and move. A few seconds after, Professor McGonagall gets a long list out of nowhere. She tells us if she says our names, we should go up and sit on the four legged stool in front of her.

Whilst Professor McGonagall calls up one person at a time to sit on the stool and wear the hat. Looking at the ground I think, 'What house is the hat going to put me in?' Ron and Hagrid have both said that all bad wizards come from Slytherin but from what I've read in some of the history books I've bought is that a bad wizard can come from any house. Not just from Slytherin. I believe that there is no such thing as a bad house, just bad people.

"Hermione Granger!" Professor McGonagall calls out. Hermione runs to the stool and eagerly puts it on her head. The hat takes a few minutes for it to choose what house to put her in but it eventually shouts "RAVENCLAW!" She is nearly skipping to the house table that is clapping and cheering for her. As I clap for her, I watch her shake hands with someone. I guess that this person is important. Maybe this person is a prefect?

A few more people come after Hermione but I don't focus in on any of their names. I only bring my focus back when I hear Professor McGonagall call out "Neville Longbottom!". He timidly goes it sit down on the stool. It takes only a minute for the hat to him into "HUFFLEPUFF!" He nearly runs off with the hat but luckily, the professor manages to grab it before he leaves. He seems quite relieved to be put into Hufflepuff. I do remember him saying during the train journey that he was worried about not even being put into a house. He receives a warm welcome from them.

Looking in front of myself, there is only a few more people before me. I start feeling dizzy.

The people that were in front of me into their respective houses pretty quickly. "Harry Potter!" I nearly jump out of my skin. The whole room erupts in a murmur of my name. Some people were saying, "The Harry Potter?" and "Potter did she say?" I shakily walk up to and sit on the four legged stool to get sorted. Professor McGonagal places the massive hat over my head. The hat is so big that it blocks my view of everyone craning their heads to have a good look at me.

It takes the hat less than thirty seconds to put me in a house. "RAVENCLAW!" The Ravenclaw table erupts with the loudest cheers and clapping. I give the hat to the professor and I make a dash for the Ravenclaw table. I sit myself on the seat that Hermione gestures to. I am sat between her and the Ravenclaw prefect who calls himself 'Terry'. He gives me a firm handshake that only lasts for a second. Thank goodness for that.

At the high table where all the staff are sitting at, which was I standing in front of a few minutes earlier, I catch a glimpse of Dumbledore's facial expression. He has a slight frown and his eyes look slightly dull. A few seats over, Professor Quirrell looks at me in the eyes and gives me a polite smile. Next to him is a man with shoulder length hair and his eyes look cold and empty. He is looking right at me. I look back down at the table rather quickly.

I learn that Ron gets put in Gryffindor with his brothers who hug him and pat him on the back. I should feel happy for Ron to be put into Gryffindor but for some strange reason, I feel quite sad that he is not in the same house as me. Well. At least he looks happy. He did say on the train that he wanted to be put into Gryffindor and not any other house. The sorting finishes a few minutes after Ron gets placed.

The murmuring in the Great Hall ceases as Dumbledore stands, now with a beaming smile and a twinkle in his eyes. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words and they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" Everyone claps as Dumbledore sits back down.

I stop myself from letting mouth hang open when I look back at was once an empty table to now a table with food towering on plates. The food ranges from roast potatoes to soup to rice. There is even foods that I have never seen before in my life and I know a lot of different foods which I will begrudgingly say thanks to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. I put small portions of food on my plate whilst actively avoiding the mint humbugs. Why is there mint humbugs with the food. Ew.

The food is so good! I wonder who made this?

When everyone has eaten as much as they could, the food disappears and a moment later puddings of all types appear. I pick myself out a treacle tart. It is very sweet, I get myself another one after eating the first slice. As I am getting myself another Slice, Hermione starts talking to me. "I hope our lessons start tomorrow. What do you think our first lesson will be?"

"I don't really know. I wasn't really told about what our lessons would be. My aunt and uncle wouldn't let me look at any of the letters sent to me."

"Oh. Why didn't they let you look at your letters?"

"They don't like magic so they thought that if we run away from the letters. They would disappear." Hermione gives me a funny look.

"Why do your aunt and uncle not like magic?"

"I don't really know. They won't even let me mention the word magic anywhere that they can hear me. They hate magic."

"Well... at least they're not here I guess."

"True." I feel someone prodding my back. I turn around and it is Terry the prefect.

"Sorry about overhearing but did you say that you haven't read the letters sent to you?" I nod.

"If it is alright with you. Would you be okay if I mention this to Professor Flitwick, our head of house?" I nod nervously. "Alright. I'll speak to him after his welcome speak with all of us in our house common room. Would you like to be with me whilst I have the conversation with him?"

"Yes please." I go back to chatting with Hermione and another girl sitting opposite me. My nerves start to calm down from the conversation with Terry.

The puddings disappear as myself and Hermione's conversation about the great hall ends. Looking up at the high table, I catch Professor Quirrell looking in my general direction and then looking back to the man with shoulder length hair and chatting with him. Whatever them two are talking about seems very interesting to both parties. I focus my attention onto Dumbledore who stands up from his golden chair. The entire room goes completely silent.

"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all watered and fed. I have a few fart-of-term notices to give to you." He pauses for a moment to scratch his long white beard. "First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. Some of you older students would do to remember this as well." Dumbledore looks to where the red-haired twins are sitting. They are both looking a little guilty but I very much doubt they are.

"I have also been asked by Mr Filch to remind you that there is to be no magic between classes in the corridors." I wonder what has happened last year for that to be reminded to everyone.

"Quidditch trails will be held in the second week of term. Anyone in second year and above who is interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch." I might go and watch that if I have time next week. I've never seen anyone play Quidditch before.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a painful death." Dumbledore looks at the twins and then at myself. Why is he looking at me like that? I don't have a death wish thank you very much. I put my head down to try and block out Dumbledore's stare.

I hear Terry muttering to himself about that Dumbledore has not given a reason or even tell the prefects as to why we cannot go to that particular place.

Everyone's murmuring about the things Dumbledore says ends as the man starts talking again. "And now before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Some of the teachers at the high table put on a smile but it definitely does not reach their eyes. Oh God.

A long golden ribbon flies out of Dumbledore's wand and it twists itself, like a snake, into loopy words. He tells us to pick our favourite tune and sing the song. Everyone sings much to the teacher's displeasure.

Everyone finishes the song at different times. The ones to finish singing is the twins. It seems like they have chosen a funeral march tune. Not that many people clapped after singing.

"And now bedtime. Off you trot!" Terry tells us first year Ravenclaws to follow him. I stick close to Hermione as we head off to the Ravenclaw common room. I try and memorise the route we take.

Arriving at the Ravenclaw entrance, Terry answers a riddle from the bronze eagle knocker and the door opens. The Ravenclaw common room is a circular room that is quite spacious. The walls are blue and bronze and the flooring is midnight blue in colour. There are large arched windows that let in a lot of light. I wonder what the view is going to be like. I hope it's nice. On the walls of the room are bookcases filled to the brim with books. Dotted around the room are very comfortable looking chairs with tables. In the middle of the room, it has a statue of a woman that Hermione says is Rowena Ravenclaw.

A professor walks in to the room a few minutes after us and tells us to sit down. I look up at the ceiling as I sit next to Hermione. The ceiling looks just like the Great Hall except from that the ceiling is domed shaped.

My attention is brought back to the professor. In a squeaky voice he says, "Hello, my name is Professor Flitwick and I will be your head of house as well as your charms teacher." He flies our individual timetables and a map to each of us. "Your prefects will guide you to the Great Hall for breakfast tomorrow. Breakfast starts at six am and ends at eight am. Your prefect will take you to your respected dormitories."

Terry has a quick chat with the professor. Professor Flitwick tells me to wait behind. Terry comes back.

"What is it you would like to chat to me about?" Professor Flitwick says in a kind voice. I look to Terry who understands.

"Harry Potter here hasn't been allowed to read any of the letters that were sent to him."

"Hm." The professor thinks. "I can provide you with some tutoring to help you adjust to the school. Would you like that?"

I nod. "That's good. It may not be myself and it may be a different teacher. I have a talk with Dumbledore to see if I can sort that out for you. I will let you by the end of tomorrow at the latest." I nod. "Well then. I'll see you tomorrow. Terry, can you take Harry to him dormitory?"

"Yes professor." He takes me to the dormitories.

I only have enough energy to get changed and brush my teeth before going to bed. My eyes are closed just as my head touches the pillow.

Chapter Text

I think I ate too much food last night because I think had the strangest dreams last night. All I actually remember from them is that they were very strange. I rub my eyes and put my glasses onto my face. The clock on the wall reads half past five. Plenty of time before breakfast starts. I look around the dormitory to make sure that no one is awake yet. No one is. I get my slightly filled in diary out of my luggage and my quill out of my school bag. I write.

Sunday, 1st September 1991

I have gone to school today. I had to do some chores today such as making the Dursley's their breakfast. I somehow did not get told off for slightly overcooking the eggs which is a relief. Uncle Vernon has only told me to get my stuff and put it into the car. Uncle Vernon took me to King's Cross but only because Dudley was having surgery to remove the pig tail that Hagrid gave him on my birthday.

When we got to King's Cross, Uncle Vernon helped me take my stuff out of the car and put it onto a trolly. I think the only reason on why he helped me is because there were a lot of people about.

Professor Quirrell (this is the man I met in The Leaky Cauldron) helped me get through the Platform 9 3/4 barrier. He was very nice to me.

On the Platform, there were so many people. Some of the students were already wearing their school uniforms. I remember that there were a lot of cats on the platform. I nearly tripped over them a few times.

The train looked really cool! It was a steam engine and it was very long. Professor Quirrell helped me with my luggage and he also helped me with finding a quiet compartment. He used magic to put my luggage away! I hope I get to learn how to do that at school. That would be so cool!

On the train, I met five people. Ron, Fred, George, Hermione and Neville. Ron, Fred and George all have red hair and they are siblings. Ron is quite tall, nearly as tall as the twins. Hermione has bushy brown hair and large front teeth. Neville has blonde hair and is plump.

I bought everyone in the compartment a Chocolate Frog each and a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. The chocolate frogs move until you catch them and there is also a card with each chocolate frog. I got a Dumbledore card and a Merlin card. I got the Merlin card from Neville. He likes the chocolate but he doesn't collect the cards. He's nice.

Trying the Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans was very fun! I only managed to get two good, flavoured beans whereas Neville and Ron only had one or two bad ones and the rest were good. Hermione joined us but after she got a bean that tasted like vomit, she went back to her books.

When we got off the train, Hagrid got us First Years on boats to Hogwarts. I was on a boat with Neville, Hermione and Ron. I didn't know that a building could look so pretty at night. We then got taken to Professor McGonagall who took us to the Great Hall to get sorted. Hermione got sorted into Ravenclaw, Neville got sorted into Hufflepuff and Ron got sorted into Gryffindor. I got sorted into Ravenclaw.

Dinner was really cool! Dumbledore said some funny words and then the food just appeared on the table. The food is way better than anything that I have ever made.

After dinner, Terry took us to Ravenclaw tower where the dormitories and the common room is. The common room and the dormitories are very nice.

Before we went to bed, Professor Flitwick had a chat with us and gave us our timetable and map. I had a chat with him with Terry about me getting tutored because I didn't get to read the many letters that were about school.

I manage to finish writing in my diary just as I hear everyone in the dormitory start to wake up. I put my diary in my mostly empty suitcase under some of Dudley's old clothes.

"Morning Harry." Is the first thing I hear when I arrive in the Ravenclaw common room. It's Terry, he's fully awake reading his book by the fireplace.

"Morning Terry."

"Good sleep?" I nod in reply. "That's good." Terry goes back to reading his book.

Once everyone else has eventually woken up and got ready for the school day ahead, we all follow Terry to the Great Hall for breakfast. While we walk there people keep looking at me and I swear that I see some people twice. Creepy. I lower my head to try and ignore the stares.

I sit next to Hermione during breakfast. As we eat we talk about our lessons for today.

"I wonder what Charms is going to be like?" Hermione says pensively.

"I guess that we are going to be doing some theory before we actually learn the spell. The books looks too big for us to just be doing spells for one year."

"True." Hermione checks her watch. "I'm going to head off to charms soon. Would you like to come with me?"

"Yes please." We both head off to charms a few minutes later.

Professor Flitwick lets us in and we go and pick our seats close to the front so we don't miss anything. We are the first students to arrive so we just sit in a comfortable silence as Professor Flitwick gets the classroom set up for the lesson.

Everyone eventually files into the classroom before the bell goes off. Some people arrive a little later but Professor Flitwick lets them off since it's our first day of school. Ron was in our class; I tried to get him to sit next to us but it looks like he has already made some friends in Gryffindor. Well... at least he's not lonely.

Charms was really fun even with us not being allowed to use our wands yet. The only thing that was remotely annoying was that some of the Gryffindor’s were mucking about. We learnt about the fundamentals of charms. I manage to answer a few questions and get them right.

The next lesson we have after Charms is Potions with a teacher called Professor Snape. What I have heard is that he is not the teacher people, except the Slytherins, would want to be around.

We all have to wait outside in the cold corridor until Professor Snape opens the door to let us in. Luckily, none of us where late for lesson. I sit myself in between Hermione and Neville. Professor Snape keeps looking at me whilst he reads the register. It is the same look that Aunt Petunia does when I have done something wrong. I cover up my scar to try and make it less noticeable. The teacher looks away when I do that in potions, we learn about the dangers of potion making and what we should and should not do. My left wrist is really hurting today. I lift the sleeve up slightly to look at it and there is a big bruise from where Uncle Vernon slapped it hard the day before I went on the train to Hogwarts. It looks like it has healed a little bit since I have last looked at it. Just as I put the sleeve back down, Professor Snape sees the bruise and furrows his eyebrows. I try and pretend that there is not bruise there.

The bell rings. I try and follow Neville and Hermione but I am stopped by Professor Snape. "Potter, stay behind for a minute." I go rigid but I do manage to face the professor. Everyone leaves. Hermione and Neville seem reluctant to leave me but one look from the professor, they both scurry away to the Great Hall for lunch. My heart lurches in my chest, as if it wants to go with them. He tells that he has noticed on how uncomfortable I am when the students in the school keep staring at me. He asks me if that is true.

"Yes professor." I keep my head low as to avoid his eyes. He kneels to my level.

"I will mention this to Dumbledore." He sees the bruise from Uncle Vernon on my left wrist. I swear that the professor's face turns a shade paler. He abruptly stands up. I flinch. The professor makes a swishing motion at the door and then goes to the fireplace by his desk. He talks to the fireplace. A few seconds after he finishes talking to the fireplace, a lady comes into the room and makes her way towards me with Professor Snape in tow.

"Hello Harry. My name is Madam Pomfrey and I am a nurse here." I try and make myself as small as possible. Madam Pomfrey kneels down an arms distance away from me. "Professor Snape told me that you have an injury on your left wrist. Would it be all right if you show me?" I show her my wrist but very reluctantly. "I will have to take you to the Hospital Wing so I can have a better look at it."

I reluctantly go to the Hospital wing with her and Professor Snape. 'Why does he need to come with us? I don't want him to come with us.' I flinch when she put her hand on my back. She moves her hand off my back and back to her side.

"I will need you to take off your robe and sit on the bed. I will put the curtain around for more privacy." Madam Pomfrey says sternly. I do as she asks me to and when I have done that, she comes back to inspect my wrist. She asks what has happened to my wrist. I lie and say that I have fallen over at home. I don't think she believes me because she goes out to talk to someone and then comes back with a vial of something. She gets me to drink it. It makes my wrist feel better instantly.

"Snape. Could you take harry to the Great Hall?" He nods once.

I follow Professor Snape to the Great Hall where we then split ways. He goes to the head table and go to find Hermione. She is, thankfully, still at the table.

"Where have you been?" She asks worriedly.

"I had to have a chat with Professor Snape about something. That's all." I say as I get myself some food to eat. Hermione goes back to eating her lunch.

A while later, we have met up with Neville and all of us are hanging outside under a tree, just enjoying the sunshine whilst it lasts. "Oh look!" I point to my timetable. "Our next lesson is Broom Flight Class with Professor Hooch." Hermione scrunches her face up in thought. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing..." She replies. We stay by the tree until we have to leave to go to the Broom Flight Class. Neville has the lesson with us so that means Hufflepuff are with the Ravenclaws for this lesson. At least we are all together. As we leave to go the where the lesson is held, I swear I can see something at the edge of the Forbidden Forest but when I look back again, there is nothing there. Must have been my imagination.

Today we have learnt how to take care of our brooms and how to pick them up with our magic. I am the first person to pick up their broom but I practice a few more times just to make sure that it was not just a fluke and I am actually picking it up. Neville and Hermione are the last two to be able to pick up their brooms with magic.

Transfiguration is next. Hermione and myself sit near the front, just like what we did in Charms. On the desk I can see a cat. Not just any cat but one that I recognise from when I was at the Dursley's house. Uncle Vernon had sworn that he has seen the cat read a map. When everyone has arrived at the class, the cat transforms into a human. My face pales significantly and I look at my now remarkably interesting hem of my robe. I cannot believe that I have chased after her and gave her pets when I was at the Dursleys. other than that, the lesson goes smoothly. Still not using our wands yet but from what we have learnt only on the first day of school, it is important to learn how it works before using the spell.

During dinner, I get a note from Professor Flitwick. It reads:

Harry,

You will be having your tutoring with Professor Quirrell every lunch on a Friday.
Wait for him outside the Defence Against Dark Arts Classroom.

Professor Flitwick.

I write on my timetable that so I do not forget when, where and who the session is with. I have a faint smile on my face. I didn't actually believe that Professor Flitwick would actually do that for and especially not in less than twenty-four hours of meeting him. I look at the high table for Professor Flitwick and Professor Quirrell. Both are eating their dinners.

Dinner is really good. Not at big as yesterday but I guess it is because today is just a regular day. Whilst eating my second treacle tart I chat with Hermione about our day.

"What was your favourite lesson today?"

"Mine was Charms, I like it on how Professor Flitwick explained the fundamentals of magic. What was yours?"

"I really liked Broom Flight Class. I liked although we are not allowed to go in the air yet, we learnt how to properly take care of a broom." Hermione does not seem at all surprised with my answer.

After dinner, we go to the library to do our homework that Professor Snape has set for us. Although the homework was difficult, we both manage to finish it before curfew. I don't think I would have managed to finish the without the help of Hermione.

We both go to bed with minutes before curfew.

I have a dream about the Forbidden Forest and what kind of magical animals that might reside there.

Chapter Text

The past few days have been a blur of lessons and homework. 

My first of History of Magic lesson was so boring. So boring to the point where most of the students in the lesson fell asleep in only fifteen minutes of the lesson starting. I just read what we needed to learn (the teacher was just reading from the passage from the book word for word anyway.) I nearly fell asleep a few times myself but Hermione had top poke me awake. 

The first Defence of Dark Arts lesson of the year was interesting. We learnt the history of Defence of Darks Arts. I did not like the strong smell of garlic at all that permeated throughout the classroom. It made me feel a little unwell. I hope it does not smell like that or as bad when I have my tutoring with him at lunchtime today.

I feel a little sluggish today. Probably from the strange dreams I keep on having about the forbidden forest and the room that Dumbledore has told everyone to not go into. Why on earth am I having strange dreams associated with that room? I haven't been thinking about the classroom except from avoiding it at all costs.

Whilst I get my things out for the first half of double potions out, Professor Snape comes up to me, looks at me and then just... walks away. Well... that was strange. I think nothing of it.

The first half of the double potions go by really quick. The first half of the lesson was about the cure for boils potion that we are going to be making in the second lesson. We learn about the history and how to make the potion. Professor gives us a demonstration throughout the lesson so we know how to make the potion.

In our fifteen minutes break in between double potions, Hermione practically drags me out of the classroom.

Once we are in a secluded area no one could sneak up on us, Hermione asks me, concerned, "Did you see that Professor Snape kept glancing at you throughout the lesson?"

"no. Not really."

"It was very strange, because like he did look at around at everyone else but he kept his eyes on you more than he did on anyone else."

We freshen ourselves up before heading back to class. We get back to our seats before the second half of double potions begins.

It feels quite relaxing potion making, it reminds me of when I had to cook the meals for the Dursley family. I adjust some parts of the instructions where I can effectively, cut and squish some of the ingredients. Whenever the potions professor comes up behind me, he doesn't make any sort of comment like he does with the other students. I wonder what the professor is thinking about my potion making. I hope it’s something good.

I manage to make one of the best potions in the class. The potion was good enough that I get ten points for Ravenclaw. I feel a swell of pride in my chest. Hermione was happy I have gotten our house ten points from Professor Snape of all people. 'I thought he only gave house points to Slytherin'

"Harry. You have your tutoring with Professor Quirrell after this." Hermione reminds me.

"Thanks for reminding me." Right after Professor Snape dismisses us for lunch, I make my way up the stairs to the Defence Against dark Arts classroom. I wait a minute in front of the door before knocking. The door feels a little cold to the touch. Professor Quirrell opens the door a seconds after me knocking.

"H-hello harry. Do c-come in." I follow his instruction. His room does not have such a strong smell of garlic 'thank goodness the smell of garlic is not as bad as it was on Wednesday'. I follow the professor to two dark purple sofas and a wooden table with foods by a large window. The foods are not just any food; it is food that I have taken a liking to since the first week of me being at school. That's nice of him I guess. The professor gestures for me to sit on one of the sofas, I choose the one closest to the door he sits down slowly on the other sofa. I hold my legs close to my body.

The professor coughs slightly to get my attention on to him.

"How has this w-week been going for you?" Quirrell asks me while putting some food on a plate and passing it to me.

"It's been good." I mumble.

"T-that's good to hear.." The professor fills his own plate with food. He asks me some more questions whilst we eat. I feel my body start to relax a bit. I feel happy that he not asking me any strange questions that other people have, namely the other students.

The professor finishes eating his lunch. He leans on the side of sofa looking at me softly. Strange. That reminds me of the way he looked at me when we first met at The Leaky Cauldron. I continue eating the rest of the food on my plate. Gently placing the plate back onto the table I think, 'I'm so grateful that there is not much of a smell of garlic as there was a few days ago. I doubt I would've managed to eat as much as I have.'

Once my plate is empty of all food and is sitting on the table, Professor Quirrell stutters softly, "Do you h-have any home-homework that you would like help w-with?"

I think for a moment before getting my history of magic homework out of my bag. "Could you help me with this homework? It's history of magic homework and it is on centaur laws."

"Certainly." Professor Quirrell gets a book on centaur laws from his office. Why does he... never mind. The professor is deeply knowledgeable on the centaur laws and he even teaches me about the newish laws as well. I learn that there is a centaurs are considered beasts by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

After the history of magic homework, Professor Quirrell helps me with properly understanding what I have learnt in my last defence against dark arts lesson.

The tutoring session flies by very quickly because the next thing I know is the Professor saying, "Well l-look at the time. It's nearly t-time for lessons to st-start again." He helps me with putting my stuff in my bag with magic. 

"See you later professor." Professor looks a little confused but remembers.

"See you in your last les-lesson." He guides me out the door and once I am out, he softly shuts the door behind me. I make my way to Herbology where we are with the Gryffindors. On my way there I meet up with Hermione who asks, "So, how was your first tutoring session with Professor Quirrell?"

"Really good! I got help with the history of magic homework and he helped me understand the lesson we had with him last time properly."

"That's good to hear."

"Did anything interesting happen at lunch?"

"Oh! Yeah there was! You know the boy called Draco?" I shake my head no. "The boy with the hair that is nearly white?"

"Oh him! What about him?"

"He said some nasty things about Neville. Like that his parents deserved what they got and how Neville shouldn't even be at Hogwarts with how weak with magic is."

"How rude! I know about his parents but they never deserved what they got. And even if his magic is so weak. At least he has some magic. He told me that he has a second-hand wand which I have read, makes someone's magic to not work properly."

"Oh, from the book about wands you were looking through on Wednesday?"

"Yep."

"What was the books name again?"

"How wands work for beginners."

"I might look at that book later in the library before dinner."

"Cool." We chat for a little while longer about what we might be learning about in Herbology. If I remember correctly, Professor Sprout said that we were going to learn about daisies.

I am correct. We are learning about daisies and how they are important in magical society. The classroom we are in has a lovely aroma of flowers. The aroma is coming from the daisies that Professor Sprout has put on everyone's desk.

"Can someone tell me one magical property that daisies have." Hermione's hand shoots up. "Hermione."

"Transformation?"

"You are correct. Two house points for Ravenclaw."

"Can anyone else tell me another property?" I put my hand up. "Harry."

"Fertility?"

"That is correct. Two house points for Ravenclaw."

Hermione tries to answer the rest of the questions but the professor tries to get everyone else to try at least to answer a question each. When the bell goes off, Hermione stays behind to have a chat with Professor Sprout and I head off to the defence against dark arts classroom.

I am let in the classroom before the bell goes off. As I get my stuff ready for the lesson (it’s a theory lesson today), Professor Quirrell asks me if I am all right. I say, "Yes professor." and I go back to staring into space waiting for Hermione and everyone else to arrive. Hermione manages to get to class right before the bell goes off.

The lesson goes by so quick that I am incredibly surprised on how much I have written in my book. I've written five pages. I think that is the most I've ever written in my life.

Hermione practically drags me to the library so we can look at the book that I mentioned to her earlier called 'How wands work for beginners'. We look through that until it is time for dinner. Dinner is about as amazing as per usual.

Hermione and myself go back to the library to do our homework and look at other books until we get kicked out by Madam Pince. We go back to do our evening routine, have a short nap and then go to our Astronomy lesson. Mr Filch near gives me and Hermione detention about us 'being out of the beds after curfew' but we are saved by Professor Flitwick. Why on earth does Filch think I would want to be in my Hogwarts uniform at midnight? Crazy man.

In the Astronomy lesson, we learn about the different planets. I think it's so cool. Hermione doesn't. oh well we all can't like the same things. Hermione says that she already learnt about planets when she was in primary school. Lucky. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia always tried to make my attendance as low as possible (so I would not get as good grades as Dudley). 

Once we are back in our own dormitories, I only have energy to take off my shoes before I go to sleep.

Chapter Text

I had a terrible nightmare last night. It was so bad that I was terrified to go back to sleep. All that can remember from it is a flash of green light as excruciating pain where my scar is. I woke up in a cold sweat with the pain still there.

I go to the Ravenclaw common room to try and get myself to relax. It doesn’t work at all. I hope this pain will go away soon...

Hermione looks at me worried when we have our breakfast. “Are you alright Harry? You look a little pale.”

“My head hurts a little bit but I think I will manage.”

"If you say so." Hermione rolls her eyes and mutters, "Boys...". We slowly head off to breakfast. I hope my lovely headache goes away soon.

Broom Flight Class is really fun today! Even with the very bad headache. Hermione is finally brave enough to fly a little higher! I watch her as she goes a little higher, she looks very scared but Madam Hooch is with her the whole time.

From where I am, I can see two figures peeking out from the Forbidden Forest.  I want to have a closer look but I don't want to get in trouble so I continue doing what we have been learning today which is just going a little higher.

Today in History of Magic, we learn about the gargoyle strike of 1911. Nice to know if any tests or homework we get is about that but my god, why couldn’t Professor Binns sound less boring. I fall asleep in the lesson. Surprisingly enough, Hermione does not bother with trying to wake me up expect for when the lesson eventually comes to an end.

Waking up, my headache is worse than ever.

Lunchtime arrives and I cannot take the pain in my head anymore. Hermione pretty much drags me to the hospital so I can get checked over by Madam Pomfrey. Hermione is the one to tell her about my headache since it hurts too much for me to speak at this moment in time.

Madam Pomfrey takes me to a free hospital bed to look at my head for any physical injuries. I flinch when her hand touches my head. She doesn’t find any but she does give me a headache relieving potion. It tastes horrible but I would rather not have a massive headache than have one.

“Could you keep an eye on Harry for me Hermione?”

“I will.”

“If his headache seems to come back at any time send him back to me immediately. I will give him a note to show to the teachers.”

“Yes Madam Pomfrey.”

Hermione and myself head back to the great hall to finally eat. I drink some pumpkin juice to hopefully remove the bitter taste from my mouth. It works.

We manage to make it to charms a few minutes after the bell. It seems that Professor Flitwick has already been told because he acts as if myself and Hermione have been in the classroom the entire time.

In Charms today, we are learning about the spell that you can use to unlock things. The spell is called Alohomora. Before we actually perform the spell, we do our theory work which only takes up half the lesson today.

“Show me what movement you will need to do to cast the spell.” Everyone shows him individually. When he got to me, I could barely focus. The headache is back and is about as bad as it was at lunchtime. How the fuck has it come back so quickly. I only took the potion from Madam Pomfrey, what, an hour ago?

“Hermione.” I hear Professor Flitwick speak softly. “Could you take him to Madam Pomfrey?”

“Yes Professor.”

For a second time today, I am taken to the hospital wing. When I am situated on a hospital bed, far away from the exit, Madam Pomfrey tells Hermione to go back to class. Once Hermione leaves the room, Madam Pomfrey closes the curtains around my bed. She then takes her wand out to do a thorough check on my head. I start to wobble. Madam Pomfrey stops the diagnostic to get me to lay down. As she is doing the diagnostic for a second time, I pass out.

The next time I am conscious, I hear murmuring of people right next to my bed. I try to open my eyes but they feel too heavy. I keep them closed and just listen to the people near me.

“The potion was supposed to last ten hours. How on earth has potion only lasted two hours?” I hear madam Pomfrey say.

“I have no idea. Do you have the vial it came in?”

“Yes I do.” I hear the sound of something being passed. I guess that is the vial.

“The diagnostic showed something very peculiar...” I hear Madam Pomfrey say just as I pass out again.

The next time I wake up, it is to someone calling my name. Opening my eyes just a sliver, it is Dumbledore. What the fuck does he want? I open my eyes properly, look up at Dumbledore but I do not sit up.

“Ah. Hello Harry.” I wave slightly. I don’t want to speak.

“How are you feeling?” I give him a thumbs up.

“That’s good. Padam Pomfrey has informed me about what has happened today. She told me to tell you that she will need to supervise on you until tomorrow even.” I scowl. I don’t want to be in here any longer than I am already and why the hell does he need to know? He doesn’t do that for anyone else. I bloody hope this is not special treatment. I hate that.

He leaves finally leaves me alone. Thank God for that. Madam Pomfrey gets me to take a potion to help me go back to sleep. My sleep is riddled with nightmares.

I wake up to Hermione coming into the hospital room with a lot of stuff in her hands.

“Morning Harry!”

“Morning.”

“I’ve made some notes from the classes you have missed.” She puts them on the bedside table that is not being used. “The teachers also told me to give these to you.” She puts books and some notes on the bedside table as well. “This is the work that the teachers are going to teach today. Oh, and before I forget, professor Quirrell said for me to tell you that he hopes you feel better soon and you do not have tutoring today.”

“Thank you.” Oh, shit I forgot that I have tutoring today. At least the teachers know and I have my school work that we will be learning today.

Madam Pomfrey starts checking me over to make sure that I am okay. I am not. She instructs me to stay here, in the hospital wing, until my next check-up which will be at lunchtime. I do my work that Hermione has graciously given to be earlier.

The Herbology work is pretty fun! I have to label a picture of a plant (it is a Petunia). I snort when I read the name. Funny reading a plant name of someone I very much dislike.

Double Potions work is pretty difficult but it at least makes the day go a little quicker.

As I am writing the last few words for my herbology work, I hear light footsteps coming closer to me. I look up from my work. It is Professor Quirrell! I smile at him as I put my now finished Herbology work on the bedside table.

“H-hello Harry.”

“Hi professor.” He sends a soft smile my way.

“Ha-how have you been f-feeling?”

“My headache is still there and a little sore.” He nods back. He sits on a chair next to my hospital bed.

“Can you look at my work if that is okay?” I ask nervously.

“O-of course.” He reads all the work I have done and helps with some of the stuff where I went wrong. As he is halfway through reading my work, Madam Pomfrey brings us some food. She even got Professor Quirrell some food. They chat for a few seconds and then she leaves us be. When they finish talking he helps me with the Potions work. I finally understand the Potions work by the time Professor Quirrell needs to leave for lesson.

My herbology work for today is done. The work was about wormwood. Apparently the plant is used for enhancing psychic abilities, protection, and spirit communication. Nice to know.

Defence Against dark Arts work is surprisingly easy. It is just reading a chapter from the book about the history of jinxes.

My last bit of work is Astrology. My third favourite lesson out of all the lessons that I have.

I am very antsy when dinner arrives. If the check goes well, I can get out of the hospital wing!

The check goes well! I can leave this forsaken place! Madam Pomfrey instructs me to go and rest of the rest of the day.

“Harry! You’re back!” I hear Hermione say.

“Hey.”

“You’re looking way better now.” She gives me a tight hug. I hug her back just as tight. We chat for a while as she does her homework.

I eventually go up to the dormitories for bed. Before I go to sleep I write in my diary about the last two days.

Thursday, 31st October 1991

I had a really bad headache after my nightmare last night. It was there until about lunchtime where I couldn't deal with the pain anymore and went to Madam Pomfrey. She's a strict lady but she means well. Madam Pomfrey told Hermione to keep an eye on me and told me that it my head starts hurting again that I should go back to her immediately. She gave me a note to show to the teachers in case the headache comes back.

My first lesson was Broom Flight Class. It was fun except from the headache. When I was up in the air I swear I saw two figures by the Forbidden Forest again looking at the direction of my lesson.

My second lesson was history of Magic. We learnt about the gargoyle strike of 1911. It was so boring.

At the start of lunch, Hermione had to take me to the hospital wing. My headache got so bad that I couldn’t speak at all.

My third lesson was Charms. I had to leave halfway through with Hermione so I could go to Madam Pomfrey for pain relief. She told Hermione to go back to lesson and for me to stay. The pain relief that I had earlier was supposed to last ten hours but it only lasted me. What? An hour? For fucks sake. I'm having to stay in the hospital wing for today and tomorrow to be monitored. Dumbledore apparently had to know about my headache for some reason. Like why? He does not need to know about my health that badly.

Friday, 1^st November 1991

I had to stay in hospital wing all day. I saw a few people walk in and out. Hermione gave the notes that she had made for me. How lovely of her.

I saw professor Quirrell today at lunchtime! I didn’t expect to see him today since tutoring has been cancelled until I am better. He asked me about how I have been feeling. He checked my work that Hermione gave to me.

Saw Dumbledore again today and he asked me if I was alright.  I said that was fine just so he could leave me alone which he did thankfully. I left the hospital wing just in time for dinner.

When I was back in the Ravenclaw Common Room, Hermione told me that there had been a Troll in the dungeons. She found out from Filch running into the Great Hall during dinner.

Chapter Text

Today is Saturday, 9^th November 1991 and the Quidditch season has begun. How do I know? Literally everyone is talking about it. Even the studious students, who usually only talk about studying, are as well.

Breakfast is a buzz of excited students. It is very loud to the point where I cannot hear my own thoughts. At least everyone is being excited loud not angry loud.

Dumbledore stands up from his seat to inform us about our day.

“Hello everyone! It’s marvellous to see everyone so excited for the upcoming Quidditch match.” He coughs to clear his throat. “At ten o’clock. The Quidditch game with Gryffindor against Slytherin will begin. I truly hope to see you there!” He sits back down. Everyone claps and the chatter starts up again.

Myself and Hermione go back to our dormitories to get into the appropriate clothing for today. We are going to be wearing our winter clothing since it looks frosty outside. I do not want to be cold whilst sitting and watching the Quidditch game for who knows how long. That would a miserable existence.

We are outside sitting on the seats in the stands. I sit between Hermione and Neville. We are sitting a few seats below the teachers.

"Look! The Gryffindors and Slytherins are coming out." I say loudly to my friends and point to where they are. Using the binoculars that I am sharing with Neville, I am able to see that Madam Hooch is the referee for this game. She has a broom in her hand, waiting for the two teams. When everyone in both teams are ready to fly, Madam Hooch blows her extraordinarily loud whistle. I watch as fifteen brooms fly high up into the air as the games begin. I pass the binoculars to Neville so he can watch for a bit. I listen to the commentary.

"...And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angela Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent chaser that girl is, and rather attractive too -"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

Neville and I laugh at the commentary by a boy whose name is Lee Gordan. He is being closely watched by Professor McGonagal so he does not go off topic like he did just now.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Allica Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's last year, last year only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, Slytherin has taken the Quaffle, Slytherin captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle...” I lose interest in the game but only because something has caught my attention. What has caught my attention is what Hermione has in her hand.

“What’s that?” I ask her.

“Oh this. This is a wooden eagle statue my mother bought for me when she found out what house I am in.” she lets me hold the wooden eagle statue. It has a good weight to it and very sturdy. I pass it back to her. I don’t want to accidently drop it and lose it.

“OUCH - that must've hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger” I snap my attention to the student that got whacked in the head with a Bludger. Poor Flint. He is being taken off the pitch to be checked by Madam Pomfrey. I hope he is all right.

“...but he's blocked by a second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which” I snort at that.

“...Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger - the goalposts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses - GRYFFINDOR SCORE!" Oh. My. God. I can barely keep pace on what Lee is saying, let alone what I am actually able to see without the binoculars. Over the loud cheers of Gryffindors and the howls from Slytherins, Neville gives me back the binoculars.

The quidditch players are really good at this game! I would love to become a quidditch player one day.

As myself and Neville are talking but still focusing on the game a Bludger that was aimed at the Slytherin seeker misses spectacularly and hits me right on my head. Right where my infamous scar is. The last thing that I remember before the world turns dark is the sound of an awfully familiar person shouting my name.

I wake up in the hospital wing with probably the worst headache of my entire life. Way worse than the headache I had on Halloween. It is a blinding pain when I even think about lifting my head up. I guess that the only thing I can do without a blinding pain is just look up at the ceiling and listen to what is going on around me. The thought ‘I don’t think I will play quidditch if this is the sort of pain that people get at the end of a game.’ Is the last thing I think about before passing out.

The next time I wake up it is dark outside and Professor Quirrell is sitting in the seat next to me reading a book. My groaning is what makes his head snap up to look at me in the eyes. He calls for Madam Pomfrey who rushes over to give me a bitter potion (I think this is the same potion I had on Halloween.) and then another potion. I fall asleep quickly after consuming the other potion.

Waking up again, Professor Quirrell is gone and it is bright and sunny out so I am going to guess that it is now about midday. How long have I been out for?

Looking to my left, Dumbledore is there. What fun. Just what I need today. I huff out a breath.

“Hello, my dear boy.”

“Hello.” I mutter. After a minute I ask him. “How long have I been out for?”

“Seven and half days. You have had a severe head injury.”

Seven and half days!? What the fuck! I have missed so many lessons. I hope I can catch up.

It seems that Dumbledore has read my thought because the next thing he says is quite different to our conversation.

“My dear boy, Hermione has graciously taken notes for you since you have off for you, they are on the bedside table.” Why does Dumbledore keep calling, me ‘my dear boy.’ I am not his dear boy. I look to the bedside table and the man is correct; Hermione has left a good pile of notes for me to go through. This is something that could get help during my tutoring sessions. At least I like being around Professor Quirrell.

“Oh... um. Who won the Quidditch match?”

“Slytherin.” Dumbledore says in a slightly clipped tone.

“Okay.” I focus my attention back to the ceiling. It is may more interesting than Dumbledore. I think he gets the message because he leaves me alone but Madam Pomfrey takes his bloody place. Great. At least she doesn’t talk to me. She checks me over and then give a potion to make me sleep.

I go back to the dormitories on Sunday morning with the help of Professor Quirrell. I sleep the entire day and night in my own (and very comfortable) bed.

Saturday, 9^th November 1991 & Sunday 17^th November 1991

We had the Quidditch game between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Everyone was extremely excited except from Hermione who much prefers to spend weekends studying and re-writing her homework.

The speaker today was a boy named Lee Jordan. He got told off by Professor McGonogal when he got distracted by one of the students in the game. We all found it very funny.

I got knocked out by a Bludger that was supposed to hit the Slytherin seeker. So pretty much one second I am hit by the Bludger and the next minute I am laying down very still on a hospital bed in the Hospital Wing. Oh, what fun that was. Not. Not at all.

I liked that Professor Quirrell was next to me when I woke up the first time in the Hospital Wing.

I have found out that I was in the Hospital Wing for an entire week. An ENTIRE WEEK! I have missed so many lessons. How I found out that information is that Dumbledore told me. Why does he have to be there every time I am in the hospital wing? He can fuck right off. The only time I like to see him is in the great hall sitting at the high table with the other teachers.

Hermione is so nice. She had made me lots of notes of what she has learnt throughout the week.

On Sunday, Professor Quirrell takes me back to the first year Ravenclaw Dormitories. That was very nice of him.

Chapter Text

Rubbing the crust out of my eyes, I slowly get out of bed. There is a blue, neatly wrapped present at the foot of my bed just waiting to be unwrapped. I look around for any name tags that will show me who it is from. There is only my name on it in very neat handwriting. Carefully opening up the gift, I find out that this an extremely soft blanket. The blanket is dark blue, nearly black, very large and has constellations mapped out like in my Astronomy lesson map. It so cool! I wrap the blanket around my shoulders and head into the Ravenclaw common room.

The Ravenclaw common room Christmas tree looks much prettier today. I wonder if something has changed or if it just the magic of Christmas Day. The Christmas tree is decorated in blue and bronze, the Ravenclaw colours!

There are two piles of presents under the Christmas tree since there is only myself and a fourth-year student out of all the Ravenclaws that are staying at Hogwarts for Christmas this year. The fourth-year student is already downstairs opening his own presents.

“Merry Christmas!” The fourth-year student says excitedly to me. The teen is practically vibrating from excitement.

“Merry Christmas to you too!” I have a slight bounce in my step as I walk to the pile which I presume is mine. I crouch down and read the nametags on the presents just to make sure that they are mine. They are! I’ve gotten so many presents! I don’t think I’ve every had this many presents in my entire life!

I pick up a small present from the top of the present pile and sit comfortably on the large and very fluffy royal blue rug. The present is wrapped in snowman wrapping paper and it has a good weight to it. On the tag, it says that the present is from Hermione. Oh, how sweet! I hope she like the present I got for her. I got her a book that’s about the history of charms. Ripping open the present she got for me; my mouth nearly falls open. A book about Centaurs! Nice!

The next present I open is from Professor Quirrell. He has gotten me two thick books. The first one is about wizarding traditions and the second is about integrating into wizarding society for muggleborns. I have a sneaking suspicion that I have seen the man read this book when I was in the hospital wing on Halloween.

Looking over to the fourth year student, he is opening a present wrapped in dark blue wrapping paper that has intricate gold patterns on it. He gets a big book. It looks like a Guinness World Record Book. I remember that Dudley always gets that book every single year without fail.

My third present is from Neville. He has gotten me a large box of chocolate frogs. I am tempted to eat one of them but it is nearly time for Christmas Dinner. I really want to try the Christmassy foods that wizards have to celebrate the holiday with.

Under the present from Neville is pretty much a note with a fifty pence coin cello taped to it. The note just says that this is a present from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. I don’t know what I can do with fifty pence but I will keep it for the future, I case I can buy something from the shops in the summer holidays.

My last present is a bit of a surprise to be honest, I only realise that I have one more present when the fourth year boy leaves the Ravenclaw common room. The present is wrapped in brown packaging and is surprisingly light. It is as if I am holding air. I look around for a note on the outside of the present to find out who it is from but there is none.

Slowly opening the present, I find a note; it reads:
Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you.
Use it well.
A Very Merry Christmas to you.

Under the note, there is some sort of fabric underneath. It is silvery grey in colour and it somehow reminds me of water. Picking the fabric up, it also feels like water. Strange. I pick up all of the presents that I have gotten and put them by my bed. I put the strange fabric in the bottom of my suitcase. I am not going to mess around with it until I find what it is and how it is used.

I quickly forget about the strange fabric as I head to breakfast. Arriving into the great hall, I catch Fred and George bringing an older boy wearing a jumper that has a letter ‘P’ on it. I stifle a laugh because they are bloody frog marching him to a seat while holding the sleeves of his jumper.

Neville pats a seat next to him which I go and I at as quickly as possible. The table is full of food, just like on my first day at this school! Before we eat through, I nearly jump out of my seat when I hear a loud “Bang!” coming from where Fred and George are sitting. They have pulled a wizarding cracker that has engulfed them in a plume of colourful smoke. There are large stacks of said wizarding crackers every few feet of everyone. More than enough for everyone to have at least two goes each.

I pull a wizarding cracker with Neville and I win a miniature chess set which I put in my pocket. Another one that the two of us pull, Neville wins himself a colour changing quill.

My attention turns to the High Table, Professor Quirrell is having a deep conversation with professor Snape about who knows what. Dumbledore is, for some unknown reason, is wearing a flower bonnet. I hope he got that from a wizarding cracker. Hagrid gets as red as Uncle Vernon but way happier. He kisses Professor McGonagall on the cheek. I look away, back at the table and pretend that I never saw that.

I fill myself up with the delicious Christmas food. It warms not just my body but I think my soul.

“Harry?” I turn to Neville.

“Yes?”

“Do you want to go outside after Christmas dinner? I want to play in the snow.” I give him a thumbs up as I eat my last bite of Christmas Dinner. His face lights up at my reply.

When we have both finished our food, we; leave to get our winter clothes on so we can go outside to play in the snow. Professor Quirrell looks up from his conversation with Professor Snape to see what we are doing but he goes back to his conversation with the other man.

The cold air knocks out nearly all the air out of my lungs. It feels like there are tiny shards of glass going into my throat and into my lungs. I put my scarf over my mouth to try and get rid of the nasty feeling.

Neville and myself start making a snowman. It is lumpy as anything and barely looks like a snowman but at least we are both having fun. Professor Quirrell come out of the school building.

“Professor! Can you help me and Neville with something?”

“Of course. What will you need help with?”

“Can you help us put eyes on the snowman please?” He nods and spells on some eyes. He teaches us how to do the spell that he used. We both try and manage to get the buttons on the snowman’s stomach, not as well as Professor Quirrell but at least we have tried. The man leaves us. We continue to play in the snow.

 “Harry! Neville!” I hear of the twins shout for us. “Wanna have a snowball fight?”

“I will.” Neville shakes his head no. “Neville doesn’t though!” I join the Fred, George and Ron with the snowball fight.

Ron and myself hide behind a tree that Neville is not residing at and we start making snowballs to throw.

“Ha! Got you Harry!” I hear either Fred or maybe George say. I run behind the snow wall that Ron and myself have made just before we started the snowball fight. Neville is watching us form the sidelines.

I throw a snowball at one of the twins and miss completely, I got Professor Quirrell instead. I hear Fred and George laugh hysterically. Professor Quirrell sends a few snowballs both mine and the twins way. We get absolutely covered in snow. I join in Fred and George’s infectious laughter.

From the corner of eye, I see someone standing by the Forbidden Forrest looking at our direction. Looks like a centaur. I go back to the snowball fight when I get hit by a soft snowball. The game lasts until Professor Quirrell tells us to come inside because it is getting too dark to stay outside and that dinner will be available soon.

I go back inside to defrost my entire body.

For dinner they have snaky foods such as square sandwiches and mince pies. For pudding they have my favourite, treacle tart. I don’t know if the treacle tart tastes better today or it is just my imagination.

When I am full of delicious food, I trudge my way up to the Ravenclaw Dormitories. I write in my diary about my day and then head to bed. I fall asleep only a few seconds after my head hits the pillow.

Friday, 20th December 1991

It's the last day of school today before it breaks up for the holidays! I'm so happy! I get to stay at school for Christmas and will not be going to the Dursley's!

In Potions, we made a Strength Potion. I managed to get our house ten house points for my work! Hermione was incredibly happy with me.

At lunch, Professor Quirrell helped me with my homework that's for charms. It was pretty much a recap on the spell Incendio. He also taught me how to perform the spell!

In defence against dark arts, Draco Malfoy, a student in Slytherin was being rude to me again. He said mockingly that 'He felt sorry for all the people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home. I know he was being rude to me because he was looking right at me whilst he was saying those words. The face he made when Professor Quirrell removed points off Slytherin was quite funny. Serves him right for being rude!

Wednesday, 25^th December 1991

It’s Christmas and I got presents from people.

Professor Quirrell got me a book called ‘Wizarding Traditions.’ and another book called 'Integrating into Wizarding Society for Muggleborns' I vaguely remember him reading the first book with the same design as this. That’s cool! This can help me understand more about their interesting traditions.

Neville got me a box of Chocolate frogs, Hermione got me a centaur book and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon got me a 50p coin. I have no idea what to do with it but I think I will save it for the summer holidays or something.

One of my presents I mean two of my presents were from I don’t know who but I don’t think that they are from the same person. I got a strange fabric in one and in another I got a really cool blanket that is dark blue but nearly black. It has stars on it! It’s so cool!

I hope everyone who got presents for liked them.

Christmas dinner was really good! There was so many different foods that I have never seen in my life!

I made a funny looking snowman with Neville. We got help from Professor Quirrell with putting eyeballs on the snowman. He taught us how to add the buttons for the stomach. It was very fun!

I had a snow fight! Myself and Ron in one team and Fred and George in another.

For dinner I had some snacky stuff and they had my favourite dessert! Treacle tart!!!

Chapter Text

Is this a dream? No. I can’t be a dream. It’s too cold.

I try to lift my wand arm up, but it feels like my whole body has been saturated in a syruplike substance. My body, without me wanting to, opens the suitcase and collect the liquid like fabric and put it over my body. There is a strange cacophony of voices either whispering all around me or is all in my head. Wherever they are coming from, I don’t like it. No one bit.

I go past a full body length mirror; my whole entire body cannot be seen. Normally I would be fascinated but my brain and body doesn’t feel like my own.

I walk as quiet as a mouse out of the Ravenclaw Common Room, without shoes and socks, down the stone stairways and all the way to the room that is forbidden to all students. I take the fabric off of my body and just stare at the wooden door. I swear that I can hear the whispers telling me to go through that door.

Whatever spell I may have been under suddenly breaks. My heart rate goes from low and relaxed to it feeling like it is going a million miles an hour. It does not help that I can hear footsteps getting ever so closer to me.

In my panic, spin around to face where the sound of footsteps are coming from. It’s Professor McGonagall. Although she doesn’t look angry with me, she just looks disappointed.

Before she says anything, I give her the strange liquid fabric. She raises her eyebrows, looks back and forth between the fabric and myself. I curl in on myself under her stare, half expecting her to hit me. She doesn’t.

She puts a firm hand on my shoulder which make me nearly jump out of my skin.

Professor McGonagal bends down to my level, looks at me in the eyes and says sternly to me, “I have been calling your name for the past few minutes. Could you explain to me why you would not answer me back?”

I shift on my feet and look down at the ground, hoping for it to swallow me whole. “I don’t know why I didn’t respond back. That.” I point to the strange fabric that I have given to her, “Was whispering to me and when it was whispering, it felt like my whole body was in syrup. Even my mind felt like it was in syrup.” I keep my eyes trained on the floor, afraid of what the professor’s reaction is going to be.

“I see.” She shows me the fabric. “This is called an invisibility cloak. It makes you invisible. I remember that your father had something like this.” She stands up. “I will need to give this to Dumbledore for it to be inspected for any charms that could have caused this to happen but I’ll take you back to your common room first.” We walk up to the Ravenclaw common Room.

Once we reach the Ravenclaw common Room, Professor McGonagall says, “I will have to take house points off and detention with you being out after curfew. You will have detention with Hagrid on Saturday of this week. I will give you a note later in the week to specify what time it will be and where you will need to meet him.”

Detention night Saturday, 25^th January 1992.

The journey to where I have to meet up with Mr Filch and whoever else is going to be doing the detention with me. The walk feels like it is not long enough. I arrive at his office to find that Ron, Draco and another student who I do not know the name of waiting there. Mr Filch opens his door, surprised to see us all already waiting for him.

“You’re all here. You’re lucky you have detention with Hagrid instead of me, I will be hanging you from your toes from the ceiling all night!” I internally cringe at the thought.

We all trudge our way to Hagrid’s hut. It’s still very cold out here. I’m glad we have been told to put on our winter clothes before detention. I think my fingers would become ice blocks from the cold if I just had my school clothes on.

Mr Filch has to knock a few times to get Hagrid to open the door.

“There you are! Been wanderin’ when you’d show up.” Why is Hagrid being so cheery about us first years having a detention with him? Mr Filch leaves as soon as he possibly can. Thank God! I don’t think I can stand to be in that miserable man’s presence for any longer than I have to.

“For your detention tonight, you will be going into the Forbidden Forrest.”

“I thought that us students are not allowed in there.” Draco says flabbergast. Hagrid ignores what Draco has said to him as he collects the things we will apparently be needing for the detention. The things consist of weapons and I’m guessing some sort of mechanism for something.

Hagrid gives us all a mechanism each to carry. The mechanism is way lighter than it looks.

“We will be going to the Forbidden Forest and these.” Hagrid points to the mechanisms in our arms. “These will be used for capturing the Acromantulas.” I feel my face lose all colour. Draco makes a sound of protest which Hagrid promptly ignores.

After a minute of Hagrid fussing about with stuff; picking the item up and putting it down again, he tells us to follow him. We comply albeit reluctantly.

We walk on a worm path, I presume it is from Hagrid walking this for many years. It gets darker and darker the further we go. It gets so dark in fact that we have to cast Lumos just so we can see, although we can only see a few feet in front of us. The further we go, the denser the forest gets with trees and plants.

I wonder who had the greatest idea for this detention. 

We learn, what the mechanism is, how it works and how to use it. Its mechanism is used for trapping Acromantulas. Hagrid says that it will alert him when one is caught.

As we place and activate traps, I can see something small, white and not moving a short distance away from us. My blood freezes and my hair stand on end. I am about to something about it to Hagrid but the boy, whom I still do not know the name of beats me to it.

“What’s that!” He asks, frightened.

“Tha’?” Hagrid points to the white silvery thing on the floor. “Tha’s a dead unicorn foal.” Hagrid’s face turns a nasty shade of grey. Is he going to pass out? I bloody well hope not!

We all walk slower after that horrible discovery, straining my ears for the faintest of sounds. Suddenly, in a clearing ahead, something definitely moves. My breaths hitches.

“Who’s there?” Hagrid calls out. He gets his crossbow pointing towards the movement. “Show yerself – I’m armed!”

And into the clearing comes a centaur. This centaur has red hair, beard and tail with the horse part of the body being chestnut in colour with a long tail being the same colour as the hair and beard.

“Oh, it's you, Ronan,” said Hagrid in relief. “How are yeh?” I hide slightly behind Hagrid as Ronan gets closer to Hagrid.

Hagrid walks forward and shakes the centaur’s hand. I go to Ron’s side to get away from the centaur.

“Good evening to you, Hagrid,” Ronan says.

He has a deep, sorrowful voice. “Were you going to shoot me?”

“Can't be too careful, Ronan,” Hagrid says, patting his crossbow. “There's summat bad loose in this Forest. This is Harry Potter an' Ron Weasley, by the way. Students up at the school. An' this is Ronan, you two. He's a centaur.”

“Noticed.” Ron says flatly. I guess he has already seen a centaur in person before. I would not be surprised since from what I have heard from Ron throughout the school year, he is quite acquainted with the wizarding world. Lucky sod.

“Good evening,” Ronan says solemnly. “Students, are you? And do you learn much, up at the school?”

I nod and Ron replies with “A bit”.

“Well. That’s something.” Ronan sighs, looks at me in the eyes and then looks up at the sky. He mentions that Venus is bright tonight. What the fuck does he mean by that?

“Yeah,” said Hagrid, glancing up too.

“Listen, I'm glad we've run inter yeh, Ronan, cause there's a unicorn bin hurt - you seen anything’?”

Ronan does not reply. So, I guess that either means he has seen something or he hasn’t. With him not replying, Hagrid gets a little annoyed. He asks Ronan the same question but still no response. Ronan’s shoulders start to shake very slightly. I swear that I can hear Ronan crying as quietly as possible.

Hagrid is about to leave when another centaur comes up next to Ronan. This centaur is black-haired and -bodied and is wilder-looking than Ronan. The centaur murmurs something to Ronan who murmurs back.

“Hullo, Bane,” Hagrid says to the centaur. Bane faces Hagrid, scowling at the man.

“Good evening, Hagrid, are you well?” Bane says tensely, his tail swishing.

“Well, enough. Look, I've jus' bin askin' Ronan, you seen anythin' odd in here lately? Only there's a unicorn bin injured - would yeh know anythin' about what had happened?”

Bane completely ignores Hagrid and has his attention completely on Ronan. Hagrid takes us away from the centaurs. When we are far enough away for the centaurs to hear. Hagrid says something under his breath. Whatever he said, I think it was something that he should have kept in his head and not out loud.

Red sparks fly in the distance where Malfoy, another boy and Fang went off to.

Hagrid leads myself and Ron to an area close to the path and tells us to “Wait here and I’ll get you in a minute.” Why can’t we go with him? My heart is hammering in my chest.

“So… how did you get detention?” Ron asks.

“I managed to sleepwalk but not really sleepwalk all the way from Ravenclaw tower to the blocked off room on the third floor. I tried to get back but I got caught by Professor McGonagall.”

"How can you manage to sleepwalk but not really sleepwalk?"

"I was awake but I couldn't control my body and I felt as if my head and body was in sludge. It was horrible." Ron’s face pale at the mention of ‘my head was in sludge.’

“Did you tell the teacher how you felt in your body before you got the detention?”

“I did. I still got given detention though.”

“Who was the teacher?”

“Professor McGonagall I think?”

“Oh her? She’s my head of house. She is very strict so I’m not that surprised.”

“How did you get detention?” I ask, curious.

“I forgot to do Professor Snape’s homework that we gave us.”

SNAP! We abruptly stop talking when we hear something skittering towards us. The both of us snap our heads towards the sound. My body freezes. It is an Acromantula. It is massive!

Ron uses his wand to create red sparks to get Hagrid’s attention. The Acromantula is about to strike at us when two arrows shoots it down. It drops like a sack of potatoes.

It is Bane and Ronan who kills the Acromantula. Ronan goes up to the dead Acromantula to make sure it is really dead. It is.

“Are you alright?” Ronan asks us as he goes closer to us. He stops at a distance that myself and Ron are comfortable with.

We both nod yes. Looking around, there is still no sign of Hagrid. Where is he? He should be here by now. My heart starts racing.

“Come on. Let’s get you back to Hagrid.” Ronan says.

Bane leads us to Hagrid and Ronan stays behind us, probably to make sure we don’t get attacked or ambushed by another creature.

Meeting back up with Hagrid, Bane seems furious with the man. They have an argument which is so scary, it makes me want to run away but my feet stay planted to the frosty ground. What stop me though is a hand on my head. I look up to find that it is Ronan who has his hand on my head. The centaur rubs small circles in my hair. Weirdly enough, relax slightly to the touch. The argument finishes after a long few minutes and the pair leave us alone with Hagrid.

I don’t want to be near Hagrid. He’s scary when was angry just now. I stay as far away from the man as I can without seeming like I am being rude. We get brought back to school pretty quickly after that.

We finish our detention in Hagrid’s hut so he look at any injuries that we may have sustained from the attack. I shrink back whenever Hagrid tries to touch me so I get sent to Madam Pomfrey to be checked over by her instead.

Chapter Text

At the high table this morning, Professor Quirrell is still missing. He has not been seen this entire week. Even Fred and George haven’t seen the professor. Everyone is whispering to each other, sounding like snakes, asking between themselves about where the stuttering man has gone off to. I’ve heard rumours that has left for Albania of all places but I think that is a bit too much of a wild rumour for me to believe.

For the past two Defence Against Dark Arts lessons, we have been having a cover teacher called Professor Arrowsmith. I do not believe that Professor Arrowsmith is doing a good job. This is because we are just being told to just read a chapter in the book for the whole lesson. There’s not even any questions to answer after reading the chapter. It’s so boring. I think I’ve managed to fall asleep in one of the lessons without him somehow not noticing. Mind, I always sit at the front with Hermione unless there is a seating plan or we get to class late.

Hermione and myself leave to go to our first lesson of the day; Broom Flight Class. I’m not excited as I used to be for this specific lesson ever since the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. I shiver at the memory. My heart beats a little faster.

On the pitch, we clean our brooms. Making sure that they are in good condition to be used to fly with.

“Good morning everyone! Today we will be learning how to weave in and out of obstacles.” Professor Hooch tells us. She gives us a demonstration on how to steer through obstacles. She then gives us an example by going in and out of widely spaced floating poles.

We all have a go. I manage to go in and out of poles easily so she sends me to the more difficult ones.

My heart thrums in my ears as my body suddenly loses all feeling and energy.

“Harry!” Hermione shouts for me as my body slides off the broom like a sack of potatoes and fall onto the frosty ground below. I am unconscious before my body even hits the ground.

 I wake up to the muffled sound of Madam Pomfrey’s voice getting louder. My head feels like it is underwater. Looking up, Madam Pomfrey has something in her hands. “...need you to drink this.” I try and grab the potion but my arms feel like they are made of jelly and they shake so much when I try and lift them. She puts a potion to my lips but it is the wrong potion because I hear her gasp following with the sound of glass shattering onto the stone floor. I pass out for the second time today.

Waking up again, I can see Professor Snape and Madam Pomfrey standing very close to my bed and talking in hushed whispers. “Do not tell Dumbledore about what you have found out.” I hear Professor Snape instruct Madam Pomfrey. Tell Dumbledore what? I shift around in the hospital bed to try and get their attention. It works.

“Mr Potter stay still. You are going to get yourself hurt.” Madam Pomfrey instructs me. I stop moving only because I do not want to make Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape more upset than they already seem to be. I try and focus my attention on the intricate details on the ceiling but that gets boring pretty quickly.

Professor Snape comes to the left side of my bed, crouches down to my level and looks at me for a few seconds before saying quietly, “The potion that Madam Pomfrey had given to you earlier has shown us something very peculiar.” What has the potion shown that is very peculiar? I look quizzically at the professor, trying to get some sort of answer from him but he gets back up and helps Madam Pomfrey with something.

I have a nap due to the intense boredom I am feeling. Every time I wake up, it is to either Madam Pomfrey or Professor Snape by my bed.

Madam Pomfrey eventually comes back with Professor Snape. Why the hell do they keep coming back and forth? They only stop when they see me awake and watching them. Madam Pomfrey murmurs something to Professor Snape, this makes the man nod and come towards me.

Professor Snape sits down in the chair and faces it my direction. He clears his throat before speaking. “Do you remember when I said earlier that the potion that Madam Pomfrey has accidently given to you was very peculiar?”

I tilt my head to the side, “Sort of.”

“Well... it will be better if I show you.” The Professor brings out a small roll of parchment and passes it to me. The writing is in Professor Snape’s neat scroll.

Family testing potion results

Name of person taken potion:
- Iomhair Riddle (Known as Harry potter) – half breed

Parents:
- Tom Marvalo Riddle – human
- Ronan – centaur

I drop the scroll as if it is a hot potato. My breathing picks up; I pull my legs tight to my chest and put my head between my legs to hide from the world. This isn’t real. This isn’t real. My name isn’t Iomhair. No, it’s not. I’m Harry. Harry Potter. My parents are Lily and James Potter, not Tom Marvalo Riddle and Ronan.

Did my parents not want me?

I peak my head out from between my legs when Professor Snape puts his thin hand on my clothed knee and rubs it soothingly, with his thumb, back and forth.

“I understand if this is too much to process.” He lifts his hand off my knee and places it back onto his lap. He leaves, the moonlight hitting his pale face. There is a slight frown on his mouth.

Madam Pomfrey takes his place; she gives me a potion to drink. It tastes bitter but I manage to swallow it. The pain in my back that I have not noticed before disappears.

“You will need to stay here until tomorrow morning.” I make a noise of disapproval and hug my arms to my chest. “I can understand that you may be frustrated with being in here but it’s for your benefit. I don’t need you leaving and the injuries potentially getting worse.” I nod slowly in response.

She passes me a dreamless sleep potion; I drink it and soon enough I drift off to sleep.

Fluttering my eyes open, the sun is casting my body in a golden hue. I put my glasses on and look around. There is only myself, Madam Pomfrey and the only other person who is in the Hospital Wing is an older student with sandy blonde hair looking in my general direction. I look away as nonchalantly as I can and bring my focus to one of the many arched windows. The sun is streaming through the windows, causing everything it touches to have a golden hue to it.

Madam Pomfrey gives me one last check up before she lets me leave. I have enough time to have breakfast and meet up with Hermione. She is always at breakfast at this time.

As I predicted, Hermione is there, eating her breakfast whilst finishing up her homework.

She nearly jumps out of her skin when I sit down next to her. Whilst I am filling my plate she asks me if I am all right.

“I’m okay just...” I take a bite out of a croissant. “I’ll tell you in private.” I make a small gesture to everyone. She nods.

Side by side, we head off to Double Potions.