Chapter 1: Arrival

Eleven year old Harry Potter opened his eyes as the Boeing 747 thumped down on the tarmac at London's Heathrow Airport. He yawned widely as he straightened his glasses. The flight between Chicago and London was long, but Harry preferred Muggle transportation for international travel, as international Portkeys made him nauseous and he always tumbled out arse over teakettle whenever he took the Floo, international or not. His parents were quite well off and insisted that he use whatever method of travel he felt most comfortable with. Harry watched the other planes maneuver around the tarmac as his plane made its way to the gate. Once the plane came to a stop he unbuckled his seatbelt, grabbed his knapsack from under the seat in front of him and started making his way off the plane. Several flight attendants tried to engage him in conversation, wondering why an eleven year old was travelling overseas by himself and offering to escort him. He explained that he was going to boarding school and politely declined the offers to escort him, saying he knew where he was going and his ride would be waiting for him outside once he collected his luggage. He retrieved his trunk (Transfigured to look like a Samsonite suitcase) and made his way to the limousine stand. He spotted the driver holding a sign that said 'Potter'. He handed his suitcase to the chauffer to put in the boot and climbed in. He arrived at Kings Cross with about 30 minutes to spare after a leisurely ride in to London. He pulled his lucky Cubs hat out of his pack and pulled it on before entering the station. He had read about how he was the 'Boy-Who-Lived' that vanquished the Dark Lord 'You-Know-Who'. He had groaned in frustration when he read that in the British edition of 'Modern Wizarding History'. 'How is anyone supposed to know who you're talking about if you don't say the name? I'll have to see if I can talk to this Albus Dumbledore, maybe he can shed some light on this subject.' He shook himself from his musings as he started for the barrier to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. As he passed the barrier between Platforms Eight and Nine he was passed by a large family, all with red hair. He noticed a rather plump woman that he assumed was the mother holding tightly to the only girl in the group. They were surrounded by four boys, two of which appeared to be twins, about 13 or 14 Harry guessed. The oldest boy was already dressed in Wizarding robes with a snooty look on his face. Harry noticed a shiny badge pinned to his robes with a stylized 'P' in the center. "Must be a school prefect,' Harry thought. He glanced at the youngest boy and thought he looked his own age. He was hurrying to catch up with them when he heard the woman call out loudly.

"Platform Nine and Three Quarters this way!"

Harry winced. 'Hasn't this woman heard of the Statute of Secrecy?' He approached the family as they stopped at the barrier leading to the magical platform. "Um, I heard you mention Platform Nine and Three Quarters and I was…"

"Wondering how to get onto the platform dear?" asked the woman.

"Um, no, actually I was wondering if you were aware that you were very close to violating the International Statute of Secrecy a moment ago? Or that your son is a walking violation? Wearing Wizarding robes in a Muggle area without a notice me not charm? I don't mean to be rude, but back home the Feds take the secrecy statutes very seriously."

"And just where is it you call home young man?" she asked sternly.

"I live in the United States, but I'm British by birth and I wanted to go to the same school my parents went to," replied Harry.

"I see. Well, we're the Weasleys. I'm Molly, my oldest here is Percy, he's a Prefect this year, the twins are Fred and George, good luck figuring out who's who, even I can't keep them straight all the time. Oh and Ron here is going to be a first year," she said, indicating the youngest boy. She tugged the girl out from behind her where she had been hiding. "And this is my daughter Ginny."

"Well, it's been nice meeting you all." Harry looked at the boys. "I guess I'll either see you on the train or else at school." He waved to the boys and blew a kiss to Ginny before calmly walking through the barrier to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. He hurried to the train and quickly found an empty compartment. He tossed his suitcase on the overhead rack and settled into a seat, pulling out the latest Tom Clancy novel, The Sum of All Fears, and settled back to read. A few minutes later he was interrupted by a knock at the door. He looked up to see a sandy haired boy and a black boy wearing a soccer jersey that Harry assumed was a British team.

"Mind if we join you?" asked the sandy haired boy.

"Sure," replied Harry, getting up to help the boys hoist their trunks into the overhead rack.

"Is that a Samsonite?" asked the black boy, pointing at Harry's suitcase.

"It's actually a trunk about the size of yours, but it's transfigured and shrunk to look like a suitcase. Fewer questions at customs. Let me guess, you're Muggleborn?"

"Half-blood actually. Dad was killed in the war about a month before I was born. Mum was a Muggle, she married another Muggle just before I turned two. I'm Dean, by the way, and this is my best mate Seamus. What did you mean about customs? Did you travel for the hols?"

Harry grinned. "I'm Harry. I actually live in the States. My parents were British but I was sent to an orphanage in Chicago when my mom's sister refused to take me in when they were killed by the Dark Dork whose name no one can say apparently."

"You're Harry Potter aren't you?" asked Seamus.

"Yeah I am," admitted Harry. The three boys sat swapping stories about their parents and childhoods. Both Dean and Seamus turned out to be rabid soccer fans, which they called football, much to Harry's confusion. He tried to explain American football, though he admitted he much preferred baseball. He had a laugh when Seamus compared his Cubbies to the Chudley Cannons after he mentioned that the Cubs hadn't won a World Series championship in decades. Dean and Seamus looked eager to investigate when Harry told them of the myth that the Cubs had been cursed and Harry couldn't help but smirk at the looks on their faces when he told them that the curse theory had been thoroughly investigated and debunked back in the 60's. When the trolley arrived, Harry bought a pile of sweets, dumping it on an empty seat and telling Dean and Seamus to dig in.

After they ate their fill, Dean pulled out a deck of cards and they started a friendly game of poker. Harry suppressed the urge to smile evilly. His dad had taught him how to maintain a poker face as well as how to look for other players' 'tells'. He had the bad luck to get rubbish for the first few hands, but those few hands were all Harry needed to spot Seamus' 'tell'. He noticed that Seamus' eyebrows would twitch whenever the Irishman would bluff. They sat playing happily over candy and Cokes that Harry produced from his backpack. A couple of hours into the ride they were interrupted by a knock on the door. It opened to reveal a pale faced boy with platinum blonde hair and a pointy chin, flanked by two guys that reminded Harry of Kong and Lao, a pair of bouncers he saw in Chinatown. Not in appearance, but the feeling that they were nothing more than dumb muscle was the same.

"My father told me Harry Potter would be on the train. Have any of you seen him?" asked the blonde boy, sneering at Harry's Muggle looking suitcase and backpack.

Harry glanced at Dean and Seamus, silently asking them to stay quiet and follow his lead. "And who might you be?" he asked coolly.

"The name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. This is Crabbe and Goyle. My father wanted to make sure he was introduced to the right sort of people. I wouldn't want to see the heir of an Ancient and Noble house corrupted by filth."

'What an asshole,' thought Harry. 'Time to take this arrogant ferret down a peg.' He gave Malfoy a stare that had intimidated several bullies back home as he cast a silent, wandless flatulence jinx on Malfoy and his muscle. "I think I'm capable of deciding for myself who is worth hanging out with and who is the filth," he said slowly, lifting his hat and brushing aside his bangs to reveal his lightning bolt shaped scar. He was about to continue when Crabbe and Goyle let out a pair of farts that sounded rather wet. "Sounds like you're the one associating with filth," he said as Draco let out a feminine squeak of a fart and his nose verified his assumption on the wetness of Crabbe and Goyle's farts. "Smells like it too," he said, pinching his nose and palming his wand as Dean and Seamus held their noses, barely suppressing laughter. "Why don't you take your goons and your bigoted opinions and get the hell out of here." He shoved Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle out of the doorway, slamming the door shut and casting a locking charm. "That should keep the garbage out."

Harry, Dean and Seamus continued playing poker for most of the rest of the ride, changing into their uniforms about 10 minutes before the train pulled into Hogsmeade station. Harry pulled down his suitcase and reversed the transfiguration and shrinking charm, revealing a trunk much like Dean and Seamus'. They complimented him on his spellwork, forcing Harry to admit that while he had done the transfiguration someone else had shrunk the trunk first. Leaving their trunks for the house elves, Harry, Dean and Seamus made their way off the train and onto the platform. They heard a booming voice calling, "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" They followed the voice to the edge of the lake and a line of small boats. A large man that Harry thought was either half-giant or hit with an engorgement charm was directing the rest of the first years into the boats.

"No more 'n four to a boat," he rumbled. He looked down at Harry, Dean and Seamus as they approached. "Evenin' boys. Name's Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts and I'd wager me prize hippogriff tha' you're Harry Potter," he said pointing at Harry. "Yer the spittin' image of James in his firs' year. 'Cept yer eye's o' course, yeh got yer mum's eye's."

"Did you know my parents well Mr. Hagrid?" Harry asked curiously.

"Jus' call me Hagrid, Harry and yeah I was pretty good friends with yer mum and dad. I'd love ter share some stories wit' yeh some time. But fer now let's get you into a boat." Hagrid looked around for a moment. "Looks like yer the last ones, so you'll share a boat with me." He tapped an empty boat with his umbrella and the boat grew slightly. "In yeh get," he said, holding the boat steady for the boys before climbing in. With a call of 'Forward!' the boats moved off across the lake.

As the flotilla of boats came around a bend Harry caught his first glimpse of Hogwarts Castle. He thought it an impressive sight and could feel the ancient magic of the castle reaching out to him. Harry couldn't help but notice that the magic of the castle had a welcoming, almost familial feel to it. 'Well, 'Hogwarts: A History' did say that the castle is said to be almost sentient, it probably sees all students as its' family.' No sooner did that thought form in Harry's mind than he could almost swear he heard the castle whisper in his ear.

"Not all students, young heir," said the voice.