This is my newest fanfic and I hope all of you enjoy. This is very much an AU story with a lot of changes. The pairing will be Fleur/Harry but don't expect it to happen in the next few chapters, it will take time. Harry is quite strong and well trained, but so too are the enemies he will face. Please favorite/follow/comment and I look forward to moving forward the story! Expect the story to end up being around 300k words.

"Firs' years!" Hagrid's voice boomed over the entire platform. Students bustled around the station, finding their friends who had been lost to the crowd. Most of them headed towards the row of carriages being pulled by thin, deathly looking horses who watched on with red eyes. The sight of thestrals unnerved Harry, knowing full what it meant that he could see them.

Harry pushed the thought of death out of his mind as he started his walk towards those carriages alone. As he walked, he looked around in wonder at the beauty of his surroundings. He was used to beautiful sights, having travelled much of the world in his younger years, but something about this castle was truly unlike any other place. It was probably that it felt so familiar to him. He had been raised on stories of this wondrous castle and everyone who resided within her halls. His parents, his godfather, his mentor, they had all spent considerable time here and now he was soon to be a part of it as well.

Harry stepped up to one of the carriages and climbed in. Inside there were already several others who only glanced at him before returning back to their conversations. "Honestly Ronald, I can't believe you'd be so dense to believe your brothers' stories." One of girls said. She had long brown hair that was an impossible mess and in her arms was a book on potions. She looked at the redhead across from her as if he were a brainless dolt, but there was a hidden tease to her voice.

The redhead smiled, seemingly in on the game she was playing. "He's going to be here. Why would Fred and George lie." Harry instantly recognized the redhead. He was gangly with freckled and impossibly bright hair. A Weasley, and his brothers Fred and George were the infamous twins that Dumbledore occasionally talked about fondly.

"Harry Potter doesn't exist." The young woman said. She was twisting her hair between two fingers and glanced back at him, offering a kind smile. Harry returned it, but said nothing.

"He does too!" Ron said. "And when he is put into Gryffindor, he will surely need someone to show him around the castle."

"Why would he want you to show him around the castle? Why would he need anyone to show him around? He's Harry Potter!" Another girl said from right beside Ron. This girl also had bright red hair and freckles which covered her face. She was quite beautiful Harry found himself thinking.

"He does exist Hermione." Another boy said from beside the brunette. Harry slightly leaned forward to catch a glimpse of the boy. He was tall, but still showed signs of baby fat on his cheeks and stomach. In his hands was an odd prickly plant which he took great care in holding. "My parents were best friends with his." Harry's eyes widened at the sight of Neville. He had seen pictures of him when he was eleven, attending Hogwarts for the first time. It seemed the years had done the pudgy boy kindly. He was soon to grow out of his baby fat which would leave a good-looking man.

Hermione scoffed, "I've heard the tale countless times. A dark lord defeated by a baby? It's a very tragic story, but I don't believe it to be likely."

"Likely?" Ron asked. "What do you suppose happened then?"

"I heard that the Dark Lord is just biding his time, waiting for Dumbledore to die." Everyone turned to look at Harry with raised eyebrows. "Sorry. Continue." Harry said quickly.

"No, I agree with him." Hermione said. "He was clearly afraid of having to face Dumbledore and now he is waiting." She turned back to look at him. "Who are you? I don't recognize you and you don't have any house colors on your robes."

Harry looked down at his robes. They were trimmed with grey rather than one of the four colors of the houses. "Oh." Harry said. "I'm new. A transfer student from…homeschool I guess." He finished with furrowed eyebrows. None of them seemed to put two and two together. He had to admit, compared to the descriptions he had heard of himself in pop-wizard culture, he wasn't sure he could put it together either. For one, he didn't wear glasses. Secondly, there was no lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead. That had disappeared long ago thanks to Dumbledore. Thirdly, for some reason, whenever an artist drew him, they drew him with brown eyes instead of the green he had gotten from his mother. Harry had been told it was because many wizards felt it was impossible to inherit the traits of his mother, who was a muggleborn, when compared to his father who was regarded as a powerful wizard and a hero within the community. It was a shame, because on the night they both died, both had been heroes in their own way. Dumbledore simply told him that that was the way in which the world worked much of the time.

"Well, welcome to Hogwarts mate." Ron said. "Any idea what house you'll get sorted into? We rarely get transfers and its always interesting to see where they end up."

Harry shrugged, "I've heard good things about all of the houses." That part wasn't true. Sirius was quite biased against Slytherin, and even Mooney didn't have much to say in the defense of that house. Harry wasn't quite drawn to that house himself, after all, his family had almost always gone to Gryffindor and there was very good reason for it. The two houses had always sported a rivalry ever since their founding, a rivalry that has only intensified over the last several decades.

"Bah!" Ron spat. "There is nothing good from Slytherin. A bunch of conniving pricks they are."

"Ronald!" Hermione admonished him.

"What!" Ron said. "You know it's true Hermione. Nothing good has ever come out of that house." Hermione didn't disagree with him so Ron continued. "Gryffindor is where you should hope to go. Though I suppose Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff aren't all that bad."

Harry laughed, "I'll keep that in mind. I've heard that a hat sorts me. Is that true?"

Ron sported a wicked grin. "Sorry mate, no. A troll does the sorting. Right scary it is, but I'm sure you can handle it."

Harry knew the Weasley was trying to scare him, and Harry figured he'd play along to amuse him. He widened his eyes, "Really? How do eleven year olds handle a troll?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and the Weasley girl hid a smile behind her hand. "Magic, mate." Ron said as if it were some great punchline. "You do know how to do magic, right?"

"I do, but I don't know if I can fight a troll." Harry said, allowing some fear to creep through his voice. He could handle a troll, in fact he already had. A twisted prank by Sirius when he was twelve almost resorted in him being clubbed to death by a troll. Sirius hadn't been allowed to do anymore pranks since, by order of Dumbledore. The order was quickly torn up and cast aside, as was Sirius' way.

"Well, I don't know what to tell you. Better learn something quickly." Ron said through a smile that was threatening to burst into laughter.

"Hmm." Harry mumbled, falling silent as he pretended to ponder a way to defeat a troll. Using its own club came to mind, not that he needed anything to come to mind, but it did. The others quickly began to talk about the coming year, and the rumors that not only Harry Potter was coming out of hiding, but that Snape was to be taking the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts.

The thought made Harry frown. He had a dislike for the man. His dislike for him was well earned through many private tutor sessions in potions and the history of his dealings with Voldemort which eventually resulted in the death of his parents. Snape's overhearing of the prophecy was Dumbledore's greatest regret, and telling the prophecy to Voldemort was Snape's. Their regret did little to make Harry feel good about what had happened, but he pushed forward, as he was trained to do.

The carriage rolled to a stop and Harry clambered out first. He turned and helped Hermione down who blushed at his action, though he wasn't sure why. Sirius had taught him that it was the proper thing to do, and any girl he had been with had always appreciated the gesture. She mumbled a quick thank you and walked towards the castle. Harry performed the same action for Ginny who turned an even brighter shade of red and practically jogged to catch up to Hermione. Both Ron and Neville looked at him oddly when they hopped off, but neither said a word.

Harry stayed in the Entrance Hall and watched as they continued on into the Great Hall with the rest of the students. He stepped to the side and watched the many students walk in, none of them paying him any mind. He liked to watch and look around the hall. It was larger than he expected, with high vaulted ceilings and walls so long he thought it a hall for kings. Paintings were hung up on the walls and they moved around their frames with grace. Harry even saw a ghost move through the walls. It carried a water balloon and looked at the students with murderous intent.

"Mr. Potter." Harry turned to the voice and saw the familiar face of Minerva McGonagall. She gave him a soft smile as she approached. It was a rare look on the normally stern taskmaster of Hogwarts.

"Professor." Harry responded kindly. Behind her were a group of first years practically cowering at the sights they were looking upon. He wondered if he looked like them at some time. HE thought he probably did, but it was a long time ago, or at least it felt like it.

"Ready?" She asked. Harry nodded in response, though his nerves began to kick in as his stomach twisted and turned. He gritted his teeth and followed her out into the Great Hall. All of the eyes of the school were upon him as he followed Professor McGonagall up the middle aisle. In front of them was the professors table, some of them he already knew quite well. Dumbledore sat front and center, a soft smile on his face which did much to alleviate Harry's nerves. Professor Flitwick sat nearby, rocking in his seat in anticipation. Snape looked on with boredom, the normal look for the esteemed potions master.

Harry stopped at the front of the Great Hall. Behind him were the first years, using Harry as some sort of shield to keep from being seen by the professors who looked down on them all from their place at the staff table. In front of Harry was a small stool meant for first years, and upon it was an old hat.

McGonagall turned to face the entire hall and opened a parchment scroll which contained the lists of the first years. She began to call the first years up one by one, starting with a young girl with the last name of Bones. She had long, dark-red hair and was slightly on the chubbier side. Harry recognized the name, and knew her mother well. Amelia Bones was a fine witch who had taught him much about the Dark Arts.

McGonagall continued to call up names until she had worked her way through the entire list, leaving only Harry left alone in front of everyone. He could feel all of the student's eyes on the back of his head and it made him even more nervous. Before McGonagall read off his name, she gave him an encouraging smile and a small nod, asking again if he was ready. Harry took a deep breath, then returned the small nod.

"Harry Potter!" She read loudly to the entire hall. Harry immediately stepped forward on shaking legs, but as he walked up to the stool, his legs found greater strength. All around him he could hear the beginnings of whispers and gasps of surprise and excitement. When Harry turned to face the school, and sat on the stool, his eyes quickly glanced to where Ron sat. He was talking quickly to Hermione who looked on with a dropped jaw.

McGonagall placed the sorting hat on his head and at once he began to feel something stir within his mind. Harry knew it was the magic of the hat beginning to quickly sort through all the memories of his life. Dumbledore had warned him of this.

"Very interesting." A voice rang through Harry's head. It was rough and sinister sounding, which sent a shiver down Harry's spine. "An interesting young life you have led Harry Potter. I can see greatness in you. Yes." The hat said. Harry allowed his mind to be open, letting the hat get the best read of him as possible. Dumbledore had suggested to allow his occlumency walls to fall for this moment. "Greatness indeed. Hmm." The hate grumbled. "Where to sort you is a difficult question. I can see you thriving in every house, yes."

Harry waited patiently on the uncomfortable stool while the rest of the hall waited on him. It had already been far longer for him than any of the first years before him. Most of the new students had only sat on the stool for a few seconds, but Harry was verging on several minutes.

"I see the darkness that once festered in your mind. I can see it still, a piece of it impossible to fully destroy." Harry felt his heart thump at the hat's words. What did he mean? Dumbledore had destroyed the horcrux many years ago when he was just a baby. "The horcrux is destroyed, yes." The hat answered his thoughts. "But nothing is every truly destroyed. Part of it will always reside within you, the consequence of such dark magic. Hmmm." The hat trailed off.

It took everything in Harry's power to not show any fear or nervousness on his face. Only the slight twitch in his leg would clue anyone to how he was feeling on the stool. It was a movement that Dumbledore recognized and he leaned forward in his chair, looking more closely at Harry.

"The task before you is difficult. Much has been set in place for you to succeed, but the enemy has not been idle. He will come for you, and I shall help you the best I can in your task." The hat said. Silence ensued in Harry's head as he tried to understand the hat's words. Suddenly a loud roar came from the hat. "Gryffindor!" It shouted out.

The Gryffindor table erupted into cheers and applause while the rest of the hall looked on in surprise. Harry bounced off the stool and handed the hat to McGonagall who looked thrilled to have him in her house. Harry chanced a look at Flitwick who was smiling but he was finding it difficult to hide his disappointment.

Harry walked over to the Gryffindor table where a number of students fought to get him to sit with them. He moved further down the table until he reached Ron and Hermione. Ron quickly made room for him and Harry gladly sat down. "I could use a guide around the school." Harry said to Hermione with a grin.