AN: Fuck At&T... Just…fuck them. Also fuck the weather. That is all.

Dumbledore walked down the streets of Hogsmeade, taking in the sights of the city that had sprouted up in response to the horrors of the Blood War. It was impressive, and a little humbling, seeing what the mundane-borns had been able to create. From buildings that seamlessly blended nature, magic and technology to roads in the sky made of water, floating parks that one could walk a full circle using the walls and ceiling, and even the lighting that changed from floating orbs of color, lamps of endless flame and glowing trees. It was beautiful and Dumbledore can only lament the fact that this hadn't occurred sooner.

He had of course tried to fully integrate mundane-born for decades, to get rid of the limitations of blood status and censor of any changes to their stagnant society, but it had always been in vain. The progress he had made was minimal at best despite his best efforts and political clout. Wizarding Britain just hadn't wanted and still didn't want to change. It pained him that he was only able to see that during the war. It was the war that made him realize that only drastic actions could ever grant mundane-borns and other 3rd and 4th class citizens a place in their world. Which was why he had used everything at his disposal to make Hogwarts and its territory nominally independent. In the end it had cost him his political positions (when combined with his "vigilante" actions during the war), a large portion of his wealth and a large number of favors and debts, but it had been worth it.

Hogsmeade was now a truly magical city and was finally living up to its reputation as the largest magical only settlement in the world. Thanks to the city none of his students would be unable to find work or be forced into menial dead end jobs. No longer did their ideas get smothered and their creativity beaten out of them. It wasn't perfect of course, nothing truly is, but it was vastly superior to the majority of magical governments in the world. Hogsmeade was now a beacon of Light in a world drowning in Greys and Darkness. Which is why he was so pleased when Harry had decided to live there.

The home Harry had chosen was a relatively modest one, a single story at the edge of one of the suburbs taking up a bit more than 140 square meters including the yard. Though considering what can be done with magic the external size wasn't the best indicator of the space it had. Whereas the external size would be roughly equivalent to a mundane three-bedroom house the one Harry bought had seven bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a "basement", a study, a library, a kitchen, a dining room and a living room. It was actually the cheapest house available for purchase surprisingly enough, though that was due to the fact it had no pre-installed wards. Harry had apparently found that a bonus rather than a negative however, likely because he didn't trust others to protect Sakura and himself. His self-created defenses were more than up to the task however.

Walking up to the door Dumbledore pressed the doorbell (magically enhanced to alert the occupants wherever they were in the house). He could have simply walked in of course considering he had full access but as he didn't live there he didn't want to be rude. He had managed to come far in his efforts to gain Harry's trust in the months leading up till now, and it was little things like this that let that happen.

"Professor Dumbledore, it's good to see you again."

It was Sakura who opened the door to the home for Dumbledore and he couldn't help but note the changes the young girl had gone through. While there were some physical changes of course that wasn't what he paid attention to. That honor went to Sakura's eyes and her aura. With the help of her mind healer gone was the permanent abyss within her eyes and in its place there now was light. There was still darkness in them, shadows that hinted at past horrors, but now that wasn't the only thing within them as actual happiness was now present within more often than not these days. The same went for her aura that now had hints of the happiness and childish innocence that should have been there all along rather than an overwhelming feeling of despair and self-loathing.

"Ah Sakura, lovely to see you looking well. Harry has been taking proper care of you I hope." Dumbledore asked with a bright twinkle in his eyes.

Sakura blushed slightly and looked away but Dumbledore could still see that she was smiling. "Yes. He took me to the park for a picnic earlier today."

"Good, it does wonders for one's health to go outside now and again. Now, would you mind if I came in? I need to talk with Harry and yourself about the upcoming term."

Sakura lost her shyness as she nodded at the old headmaster. "Of course, Harry is cooking supper right now so you are welcome to join us if you'd like and speak then."

Dumbledore stroked his beard as he considered the invitation. "I think I will accept your most gracious offer. Tell me, is Harry cooking another Japanese dish? I quite enjoyed it the last time he did so."

Sakura nodded her head as she led Dumbledore to the dining room. "Yes, he's making Ramen tonight. He apparently found a recipe for it that he really wanted to try on a food forum. He claims its actually healthy unlike it's more common counterpart."

"I look forward to trying it." Dumbledore remarked as he contemplated looking up some recipes on the internet as well to give to the House Elves. He still wasn't as comfortable with the modern invention as Harry but he had been motivated enough to be able to use it decently well over the last months. As much as he felt a bit guilty about his actions he had been unable to keep himself from looking into the information Harry had inadvertently showed him.

While learning that Sakura was apparently a fictional character had been a surprise it hadn't really bothered him. After all the fact that they traveled dimensions to get here was indisputable and it wasn't difficult to find out the existence of the alternate-reality theory on the internet. Sakura was every bit a person as himself, of that he had no doubt. Which was why reading about her past and what her future was supposed to have been had been truly heartbreaking.

He had never brought up the fact that he possessed that knowledge however. It wouldn't have been right and would have likely ruined a lot of the good will he had garnered to speak about it. Dumbledore didn't doubt Harry knew, or at least suspected, that he had looked into it but he was apparently didn't care so long as he kept it to himself. It had been a bit difficult at first considering he wanted to use what he had learned to help Sakura somehow but he realized that Harry and her mind healer were more than up to the task and it got easier, enough so that he was no longer tempted.

"Dumbledore, are you joining us for supper tonight?" Harry asked without even turning his head as he and Sakura entered the dining room (which was connected to the kitchen).

"If it's not too much trouble. Sakura has informed me that you are trying a new recipe and I am quite looking forward to the taste."

"It's fine. I had expected it anyways. I should be done in another ten minutes or so, feel free to make yourself comfortable." Harry replied absentmindedly, his focus entirely on the food he was creating.

"Thank you, Harry. I'm guessing you've been paying attention to the date then if you expected me?" Dumbledore stated more than asked.

"Yes. School starts tomorrow right? Or at least the orientation portion."

"Indeed. I was wondering if you had reached an answer on whether or not you wanted to ride on the Express like the others or just wait in the castle."

Harry took a few moments to reply as he focused on keeping his noodles from getting ruined. "I didn't see the point but Sakura hasn't been on a train before and wanted to experience it once. So, to answer your question, we'll go."

Dumbledore smiled happily at that as he turned to look at Sakura, who was currently setting the table. "Well I'm glad you decided to take part in the tradition. I will warn you that the train isn't the most exciting of things to ride. The Express is still controlled by the Ministry so there hasn't been any interesting changes made to it. I'm afraid it will simply be a normal steam train traveling on tracks, albeit powered by magic instead of coal."

Sakura finished putting down the dishes she had been holding before speaking. "I appreciate your honesty professor Dumbledore but I already figured it wouldn't be too exciting. I still want to experience it at least once though and maybe…"

Sakura trailed off, not willing to voice out her thoughts/hopes. Partly that was because she was naturally introverted but mostly it was because she didn't have good experiences with other people besides Harry, and Dumbledore to a lesser extent. So while she wanted to maybe make some friends she didn't think it would be possible at the same time. She was tainted after all.

Dumbledore could guess what Sakura was thinking however, though he didn't mention it knowing the topic to be quite the delicate one. "I see. Well if you find the trip is not to your liking you never have to take it again."

"We figured." Harry answered for the both of them. By this point the table was set and Harry was finished cooking so he quickly brought out everyone's food. Harry and Sakura took a moment to give the traditional Japanese thanks for the food while Dumbledore waited for them to finish out of respect. Once they were done however they all dug into their food, with Dumbledore doing so with much more gusto than the two children.

The meal was spent mostly in silence, with a small smattering of small talk here and there. It was only several minutes later, when they were all finished eating, that the conversation got serious once again.

"Harry. I'm sure you are prepared for tomorrow but I need to ask if you are comfortable with using your family name once more."

Harry grimaced slightly. "I still bothers me to be honest, but it's easier for Sakura so I'll deal with it.

Dumbledore sighed slightly. "And are you still sure you don't want to-"

Harry cut him off. "I'm sure. I realize logically that they can't be blamed for what happened to me but it's hard for me to get past years of anger. When…If I deal with my feelings then I'll visit them but now is just too soon."

Dumbledore wasn't happy with that, for both Harry and his parent's sake, but he also understood where he was coming from. "Very well, I won't bring it up again until you yourself bring it up."

Harry nodded his head. "Thank you."

Dumbledore waved his thanks off. "Nothing to thank me for Harry. I will respect the boundaries you put up just as everyone should. Now I think I shall be going. Remember to keep a firm hold of the portkey and try and rotate with it when you travel, it will keep you from falling."

With that bit of parting advice Dumbledore walked to the door, escorted by both Harry and Sakura in accord with common manners.

"Have a good night professor." Sakura said.

"And we'll see you tomorrow at the feast." Harry finished.

With a genial smile Dumbledore nodded before he walked out the door and back down the streets of Hogsmeade. He could just apparate back to Hogwarts but it was such a lovely night for a stroll. His paperwork could wait.

Harry rolled over in the bed as his internal alarm went off, snuggling into Sakura as he tried to ward off the fact that it was time to wake up. Sakura, for her part, just wiggled deeper into his arms unconsciously. He'd have to get up soon to make breakfast for both of them but for now he just wanted to lie in for a bit. It was rare for both Sakura and himself to get good sleep and as such he wanted to savor the lingering feeling for as long as possible. Unfortunately, he did have to get up eventually and, after making sure not to wake Sakura up, he put on some normal clothes and made his way to the kitchen.

They had already packed their stuff a couple nights prior so they had been able to sleep later then they usually would, which meant there was already quite a few people moving around outside. Harry knew most of them to be his neighbors, though he had never interacted with them, and made sure to watch them for any potential threats as they passed his house. None of them had shown any hostility, or even much curiosity, in regards to them or their house yet but it was better to be safe than sorry.

As he kept watch on the outside world Harry cooked up some pancakes and bacon for breakfast. While he, and Sakura, preferred the lighter Japanese style food most of the time pancakes were an exception, though they made sure not to indulge themselves too often. The food was made fairly quickly and, after pouring two glasses of orange juice, he made his way back to their shared bedroom to wake Sakura up.

"Sakura. Wake up, I made breakfast." Harry whispered gently as he slowly, and carefully, coaxed her out of her slumber. Even now, after time and therapy had helped dull the memories, Sakura freaked out if she was woken up suddenly, even by him. The thought brought a frown to his face and he quickly forced it away. He didn't want Sakura to wake up to anything other than a warm smile so long as he could help it, which he could.

"Mrmmrm." Sakura mumbled sleepily as her mind fought to stay asleep. It was a losing battle though and, not a minute later, she was rubbing her bleary eyes as she sat herself up.

"Mrnin Hry." She mumbled out tiredly causing him to chuckle slightly in amusement.

"You're so adorably cute when you're sleepy." Harry teased, though he meant what he said.

Sakura didn't blush or even react beyond getting fully out of bed. "fd?"

"Yes food is ready. I made us pancakes."

Sakura gave a happy little noise in the back of her throat as she tried to walk towards her food. Harry stopped her however and proceeded to help her into her everyday clothes before allowing her to lead the way to the dining room. Luckily she was surprisingly compliant whenever he did that instead of attempting to just continue walking by. He didn't think he could actually change her out pajamas if she fought against him.

Sakura only fully woke up about midway through eating breakfast and, like always, she blushed in embarrassment at how she had acted while still groggy. Also like always Harry teased her a bit for it before they settled into finishing their breakfast in silence. After that they washed their dishes, grabbed their trunks and grabbed hold of the small metal circle that was their port-key. Not one minute later they were off, spinning through a whirlwind of color as the magical teleportation took them to King's Cross station.

Due to heeding Dumbledore's advice they kept themselves from falling down, though they still felt nauseous from the experience. Harry made a mental note to look into a method of teleportation that didn't make him sick before he turned his attention towards their surroundings. Platform 9 ¾ (a designation that still confused him) would have looked just like a normal train station platform were it not for the people. Due to arriving relatively early the platform wasn't completely packed but there was still a large amount of people. People who all but screamed they were magical whether that be through their attire, pets or actually casting spells. Why there were no police or security officers present for crowd control Harry wasn't sure, though he chalked it up to the incompetence of the Ministry he had been told about so often.

"Come on Sakura, let's get on board before it gets worse." Harry said as he grasped her hand and lead them towards the train.

They got no more than passing glances as they weaved through the crowd as his identity still wasn't known to the general population. He knew Dumbledore had kept the information quite on his end though why the ministry did was a mystery, assuming they actually had found out of course. Not even Dumbledore knew if they had checked, or if the Unspeakables found out who he was. It was just too bad his anonymity would end once they got to Hogwarts but there wasn't anything to be done about that.

As the got aboard the bright red locomotive Harry continued to hold onto Sakura's hand as they walked down the hallway. They passed a large number of compartments but all of them had at least one occupant in them so they didn't use them. The train was enchanted to create enough compartments for all the students however so it didn't take too long to find an empty one for themselves. Once they were settled, and Harry had put their luggage overhead, they turned to look out of the window, though for different reasons.

Harry wanted to get a feel for the people they'd be going to school with while at the same time assessing them and their parents/escorts for threats. Sakura on the other hand was simply curious about the people they would be spending almost an entire year with on some level or another. There wasn't actually much different about the other kids/teenagers from those attending regular school from what they could tell. Sure they used magic and wore different clothes but the cliques they formed and the gossip/conversations they had were basically the same. There were a few kids who looked a bit snobbish but you could find those everywhere as well.

The real difference was actually in the adults. Beyond the same clear divide between traditional and progressive magicals, showcased by their clothes, there was a lot of underlying tension on the platform as well. Some families (from both sides) glared at each other with clear hatred, others looked like they were assessing the other parents like a predator would pray and some were even outright arguing with each other, their children usually getting in on it as well. If not for Dumbledore's explanations and the books Harry had read he might have been a bit confused by it all but he wasn't, instead he just felt resignation and annoyance at the thought that he was part of the same family politics as well. It was sort of ironic how similar wizards/wizards were to Magi in regards to their "nobility" and family feuds.

Despite all the tension and mass of bodies on the platform no actual conflict broke out however, which Harry was thankful for. He didn't particularly fancy potentially getting caught up on a chaotic magical battle, even if it would be less likely to affect the train. The crowd remained even as the departure time arrived and the last few families frantically rushed to board the train on time, making sure to give last goodbyes to the children they wouldn't see for several months. It was as the train was just beginning to pull out of the station that the two Magi's quiet compartment experienced change in the form of a knock on the door.

Looking through the small window in the middle of the door Harry could see a rather irritated looking teenage girl asking for permission to enter. Harry noted the girl's pink faux-hawk hair and black jeans + Jacket combo and instantly came to the conclusion she was a "punk". Looking briefly at Sakura, and noting that she was fine with seeing what the girl wanted, Harry got up and opened the door.

"Wotcher. Sorry for bugging ya but do you mind if I share your compartment?" The girl asked with a bit of embarrassment in her voice, though her face still looked ticked off.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Do you mind if I ask why before I give an answer?"

The girl huffed but reluctantly complied. "I just broke up with my boyfriend after an argument which my friends took his side on. Didn't want to sit with them anymore after that."

Harry could see she was telling the truth but that still didn't answer his question. "I meant more on the lines of why our compartment in particular but you have my sympathies."

The girl snorted as she waved him off. "Thanks for the gesture, but I don't need em. As for why your compartment, that's simply because it was the closest non-full compartment I found. Well that and because I like your hair, dig the purple."

Sakura smiled slightly at the complement and the girl's interesting attitude, which Harry interpreted to mean she was fine with letting the girl in.

"Alright, you got your luggage or you need help putting it up?"

The girl smirked. "Trying to flex your muscles in front of your girlfriend firstie?"

Harry raised an eyebrow while Sakura adopted a mild blush. "I don't need to; she knows what I look like without a shirt and I already put both our stuff up before you arrived."

That caught the girl by surprised. "Wow, not even a little embarrassment. I'm impressed firstie, names Tonks. Just Tonks."

While curious about her name, and why there was a dangerous edge to her voice when she repeated it, he let it fade as he gave introductions in return. "I'm Harry, this is Sakura."

As Tonks heard his name she flicked her eyes up to where his scar (which, while no longer looking fresh, still stood out rather prominently) was on his forehead. Other than that though she didn't have much of an overt or extreme reaction to his name.

"Huh. Honestly didn't think I'd see you going to Hogwarts. I actually thought you were dead till now to be honest."

"You're a rather blunt person aren't you?" Harry deadpanned.

Tonk shrugged. "I like to think I'm simply not afraid to speak my mind. After all I'm sure you realized I figured it out so there was no point skirting around the issue.

Harry could respect that at least. "I see."

"The eyes through me off for a bit though. Supposedly you're supposed to have glasses and two emerald eyes, at least according to all the stories they made about you. I dig them though, they're pretty cool. Did you get them done or are you a metamorphagus?"

Harry frowned at the mention of the books about his life, and even harder when Tonks mentioned his eyes. While he knew she hadn't done it intentionally (she couldn't have known after all) it was still an annoying reminder of his time at the Matous.

"What's a metamorphagus?" Harry asked, completely side stepping Tonk's question in the process.

In response Tonk's eyes change colors to match his own while her hair turned black and grew long and wavy. She also grew a couple of inches and her face shifted to look a bit softer and more round than before.

"A shapeshifter?" Harry asked with a lot of interest clear in his voice.

"Basically. It's extremely rare in our society, so much so that I'm the first one in two centuries, so I'm not surprised you didn't know." Tonks replied as she morphed her features back to what she had first appeared as.

"Do you mind talking about the topic? I'm quite curious."

Tonks shrugged with a half grimace on her face. "I guess, it's not my favorite thing to talk about but I'm willing to answer your questions so long as I can ask both of you my own. Hard to make friends when the conversation is one sided after all."

That took both Harry and Sakura aback somewhat.

"You…want to be friends?" Sakura timidly asked.

"Yup."

"Why?" Harry asked.

Tonks raised an eyebrow. "Why not? I'm a Hufflepuff, making friends is kind of what we are supposed to do. Besides you two seem like you'll be interesting to talk to."

"And you don't care that we're younger than you?"

"You act more mature than most of my former friends." Tonks said philosophically.

Harry noted that she just said former friends but didn't mention it. Maybe the fight she had, had was worse than he had assumed. Turning to look at Sakura the two Magi shared a silent conversation before coming to the decision that they'd actually try and become friends with Tonks.

"Alright. Friends it is…what do you want to know?" Harry asked.

Tonks hummed thoughtfully as her hair flashed through a multitude of colors, as if to highlight the fact that she was thinking deeply about what to ask. It was pretty funny and Sakura had to stifle a giggle at the sight of it. Judging by the amusement Harry saw in her eyes however Tonks still noticed.

"Alright, since you seem to be the shy type why don't we start with you. Let's go with something simple, what House do you want to be in?"

"…the one Harry gets into." Sakura mumbled out.

"Sounds like a Hufflepuff to me. What about you? Which house are you going to drag your girlfriend into?" Tonks teased.

"Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. I didn't particularly like what I learned about the other two houses." Harry replied succinctly.

"Then I'll make sure to keep a couple of seats open for you guys at the table." Tonks grinned. "Now, your turn. What do you want to know?"

"Is being a metamorphagus something you can only be born into or is it a skill that's possible to learn?"

"You have to be born one. It's possible to learn self-transfiguration to get similar results but it's not the same as being a metamorph. What subject are you two looking forward to learning about the most?"

Harry pondered the question, trying to figure out the subject he was most looking forward to. It was kind of difficult to answer if he was being honest. "I guess Potions and Runes, though they all seem pretty interesting."

Tonks hummed thoughtfully. "I was honestly expecting you to say Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Harry nodded his head. "I am interested in the class, especially since Dumbledore is teaching it, but the possibilities that Potions and Runes offer just wins out in the end."

"And what about you Sakura?" Tonks asked after a couple of seconds.

"Arithmancy."

Sakura's answer made Tonks blinked in surprise. "You…actually like math?"

Sakura blushed but didn't answer. It may have been because of her Origin/Element of Imaginary Numbers but she had found that she actually liked math, or anything else to do with numbers, in the months leading up till now. There was something she just found relaxing about getting lost in equations and calculations, a feeling that her healer had only helped cultivate in their time together.

"Well…ignoring the person who is obviously not a kid, for no kid likes math, it's your turn again."

Harry rolled his eyes at her comment while Sakura turned away in embarrassment.

"How does it work? Do you convert materials from your body to make your changes, are the changes made purely out of magic, or something else?"

Tonk raised her hand in a so-so gesture. "A bit of both. I use some of my body mass, usually fat, to make the changes but my magic can sort of multiply it so I can actually end up weighing more depending on the changes I make."

And yet more proof that the magic of his birth world was different from Magecraft. It made him wish Sakura was capable of the subjects that required a wand and Core, though at least she was still able to use some of the subjects just as well as he could, he was afraid she'd get bored at Hogwarts if she couldn't.

The three youths continued their conversation for a few hours, alternating who asked the questions each time. At some point the questions for Tonks became less trying to figure out her abilities and more trying to learn about her as a person. They actually started building up a rapport, and the basic frameworks of a friendship, as time went on until the questions stopped and the simply started having a normal conversation instead. Amusingly it was about music, and the fact that neither he nor Sakura had ever heard the Weird Sisters, Metallica or Led Zeppelin. It was almost like the admission that they didn't listen to any music at all, and had never actually heard of those bands, shot actual arrows into her heart for how dramatically she reacted at the revelation.

After that she pulled out a crystal disk for what she called "emergency treatment", which basically just meant having them listen to her music. The disk was another product Harry had seen sold in Hogsmeade alongside the enchanted laptops and crystal TVs, and it basically functioned as a mundane MP3 player. Harry did have to admit that he liked her music though. He didn't see what was so amazing about the bands she had previously named however, they were good sure but not that good. He though that Rise Against was the best band she had him listen to. Sakura however wasn't much of a fan so the music session only lasted for about forty minutes or so, just enough to give them a taste of quality entertainment in Tonks' words.

It wasn't long after the music session that their lively conversations came to an end however. Not because of any of them but instead it was the fault of the male teenager that had just rudely thrown the door to their compartment open.

"Want do you want Steve?" Tonks asked icily, her eyes and hair turning red as a physical expression of her anger even though her face remained blank.

"I'm here to take you back. You've had enough time to get over yourself by now." The boy, that Harry was now fairly certain was Tonks' (ex)boyfriend, stated presumptuously. Harry didn't like him, he reminded him of Shinji…and now he was pissed off too, great.

"What part of we're through and you're a disgusting, childish, over-compensating pig did you not understand? You can piss of Steve, don't bother me again." Tonks spat out scathingly.

Her words did not sit right by Steve if the angry flush on his face was any indication. Rather than let him respond to Tonk's words, and likely start a loud and annoying argument, Harry decided to step in. He didn't force him out physically or talk him down though, instead he made the smart decision and used Hypnosis.

"Apologize to Tonks, leave the compartment and go stick your head in the toilet." Harry commanded.

"I apologize Tonks." Steve replied in a daze, his eyes clouded over as his consciousness was immediately put under Harry's sway. After his apology the boy promptly left and Harry couldn't help but note how ridiculously easy that was. It was like he had no magic resistance or training to resists mental manipulation at all.

Tonks' eyebrows shot up in surprise at Steve's uncharacteristic actions before turning to look at Harry in confusion. "Did you just mind control my ex into sticking his head into a toilet?"

Harry snorted as she hung up on that bit instead of the apology or the fact he just used hypnosis on someone. "It was merely a suggestion laced with magic and light hypnotism. I honestly didn't think he would be weak enough to fall so completely under my control."

Now it was Tonks' turn to snort. "Trust me, it's not that surprising. Steve is not the fastest broom in the shed. Makes me wonder how he's passed his OWLs well enough for higher level classes actually."

Harry had to repress a sigh. He honestly found it quite tedious how magicals here named things.

"How did you do that by the way? I didn't see you use your wand."

Harry absentmindedly fingered the wand he kept strapped to his forearm, underneath his black long-sleeve shirt, at the mention of it Getting his wand had been an…interesting experience. The feeling of resonance between it and his core, the way his circuits writhed in pleasure/pain and the way he had unconsciously changed his surroundings into a cacophony of shapes, colors and material. All of it had been strange to experience, and had left him more than a little wary of using his wand at all despite having it for a couple of months now.

"A wand isn't the only way to use magic." Was Harry's reply after a few seconds of silence.

Tonks' apparently was capable of reading the mood and didn't press him to expand upon his answer at all, despite her clear surprise at him being able to perform "wandless" magic.

The compartment fell into silence after that point for several minutes before Sakura managed to restart their conversation from earlier. It took a bit to get back into the same rhythm and atmosphere as before but they eventually managed it and the trio conversed for the remaining two hours it took to get to Hogwarts. There were no further interruptions (besides the Trolley Lady) thankfully, Steve apparently either taking the hint that he wasn't welcome or he was simply too embarrassed to show his face again after being made to stick his head in a toilet. He also wasn't spoken about again either, the topic being a sore one for the metamorph.

It was dark out when the train pulled into the station at Hogsmeade, the sky overcast enough to block out most of the stars though the moon still poked its head out. It was also at the station that Tonks finally parted ways with them.

"I'll see you two at the feast. First years go with Hagrid, the big guy over there, on the scenic route. Us older years get to take the horseless carriages." Tonks stated, drawing Harry's attention to the carriages that were definitely not horseless.

"Tonks…are you sure the carriages aren't pulled by something?"

Tonks looked at him in confusion. "Yeahh…why?"

"Because there are what look like undead horses with bat wings in the harnesses." Harry stated neutrally.

Tonks paused at that, turning her head to look back at the carriages again before turning her attention back to Harry. "Are you having me on?"

"I can see them too." Sakura said in response, her voice muted as she retreated into herself slightly due to the crowd and noise around them.

"Well…I don't see them. I guess that means I'll have to ask Professor Kettleburn about them during class." Tonks said as her eyes once again ran over the carriages in an attempt to spot the creatures her two young friends claimed were there.

Harry just shrugged. "If you find out let us know but I think our guide is leaving and I'd rather not get left behind."

"Right. See ya Harry, Sakura."

With that Tonks left them, quickly boarding a random carriage that wasn't full in order to take her to Hogwarts. For their part Harry and Sakura made their way to the back of the mob of first years following Hagrid down to a boat shack. Once there they were instructed to get aboard one of the wooden row boats before they, after Hagrid gave a signal, started gliding through the unnaturally still waters of the Black Lake. Luckily they had a boat to themselves, the number of first years not quiete evenly divided by four like Hagrid had instructed be in each boat, which meant they weren't as cramped as everyone else. A good thing too as in one boat a slightly pudgy child ended up falling out of his boat when he tried to make himself a bit more comfortable they were so cramped.

Despite his panicking, and apparent inability to swim, he was in no danger as the boat he had fallen out of grew a wooden tendril that wrapped itself around his waist and pulled him back aboard. Didn't stop him from being cold though, nor did it prevent the mocking laughter from several of the nearby boats but at least he didn't drown. After that incident the only other thing of note was the appearance of a giant squid tentacle, that was surprisingly friendly and seemed to sort of wave at them as they passed by. Weird but not the strangest thing he had even seen.

Then they all caught sight of Hogwarts, framed by the pale moonlight and lit up by a multitude of floating orbs of light and flames of varying colors. As if to punctuate just how magical the sight of the old castle was a flock of pegasi chose that moment to pass between Hogwarts and the moon. Even for Harry and Sakura the sight took their breath away. He could see why Tonks had called it the scenic route. It was a very effective method of showcasing that, yes, magic was taught here and it was amazing. He actually heard a few of the, presumably mundane-born judging by their clothes, students squeeing at the sight.

The sight didn't last long however as it eventually the castle got obscured by the cliff it was built atop of when the boats made their landing. The ground they stood upon after getting out of the boat was wet and slippery while the lightening was almost non-existent, Hagrid's lone lantern doing little to light the way. Hearing the sound of a few of the other students slipping, some even impacting the ground with a muted thump, Harry decided he didn't want to risk Sakura's safety like that. Good thing he had an easy solution in the form of an odd dozen floating fireballs spaced out in a wide circle over his head. The fact that they helped warm those nearby up, and dry off the kid that had fallen into the lake, was just an unintended side benefit.

He could have done without all the staring though. Also the not so quiet whispering/gossiping about him and the magic he had just displayed. All the attention made him uncomfortable, though it was even worse for Sakura as she ended up hiding herself behind his back due to the number of eyes on them. Thankfully Hagrid, despite also being surprised at the magic use, managed to get everyone's attention long enough to start them walking up the path towards the castle. It didn't stop the whispering but it stopped the constant staring and, since they were in the back, prevented anyone from coming up and questioning them. Well, they could have still done that if they simply slowed their pace enough to fall in line with them, but his annoyed glare, and the increase in size his fireballs had in resposne to the first one who tried deterred them from that course of action.

The remaining walk to the castle was as long as it was treacherous despite his added light, at least in appearance. Harry was fairly certain that, like with the boats, should anyone actually fall or were in danger of falling, that counter measures would activate. Dumbledore was a man who cared for his charges and did not take chances with their safety if he could help it (himself not included).

"Tha firs'-years professor McGonagall." Hagrid said to the stern looking witch who opened the door following his pounding on it. Harry recognized her easily, the woman having been one of the few people Dumbledore had actually introduced him to and informed of his existence. She was a stern woman but a good one as well, though the gimlet eye she gave the assembled first years did nothing to showcase that fact to them.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She replied, her voice as stern as her appearance. With a gesture that commanded, not requested, they follow her McGonagall led them into Hogwarts proper. As they traversed the hallways of the magical castle most of the first years couldn't help but ooh and aww over the many sentient paintings, floating lights and moving suits of armor. Harry only paid enough attention to make sure neither he nor Sakura bumped into any of it.

Upon arriving outside the door into the Feat hall McGonagall turned to face the crowd of first years, finally addressing verbally them for the first time.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." She said. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.

The four houses, for those that didn't read the guide, are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose them. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor that also gives the right to have a party or event sponsored by Hogwarts to celebrate the victory. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on the pudgy kid who was still fairly damp despite Harry's fireballs drying him slightly, another boy, this one red-headed, who had food smudges on his face and a brunette girl who had somehow spilt ink on her clothes.

"I will return when we are ready for you, please wait quietly until then." McGonagall finished before she turned around and entered the feast hall, somehow preventing anyone from catching a glimpse inside in the process despite their many attempts.

Of course kids being kids they did not follow the professors last instructions as they instantly started gossiping amongst themselves. Most of it was about the sorting, and what it actually was, while a smaller portion was about the houses or his earlier display of magic. There were only a few exceptions to this (not including the two Magi) as the kids were either being too shy, in the case of the wet boy, or naturally reserved in the case of a blank faced blonde girl. Thankfully gossiping was all they did, besides a bit of arguing between food smudge and another blonde hair student about which house was better. He would have been annoyed if they had crowded him for answers but he had expected it. Apparently they still possessed common sense/manners and he could only wonder how long that would last. He dreaded what was going to happen when his name was called for the Sorting.

Thankfully the ghosts chose this time to distract him from those thoughts. It was rather amusing watching the other kids' reactions, most of them being screaming in terror or yelping in fright. To be fair when one of the ghosts had a head that was dangling by only the thinnest of scraps of flesh and another looked like a serial killer (complete with blood stains and meat hooks) he couldn't really blame them. Harry still found it odd that spirits were allowed to simply "live" in the castle and not get exorcised or banished. Then again the ghosts were no-where near as malevolent as those in Sakura's world. Even their "poltergeist" was nothing more than an irritant rather than an actual threat. He should know, he had run into it enough times during his visits to get a solid feel for its "personality".

At least Pavlov worked on the dead just as well as it did for dogs seeing as how the minute Peeves entered the hallway, equipped with water balloons, and caught sight of him he fled in terror... Maybe that wasn't Pavlov come to think of it. It seemed a bit more likely that it was simply survival instincts, as ironic as that was for a ghost to possess, than a learned behavior.

After the ghosts were gone and the first years had mostly calmed themselves down McGonagall returned and ushered them into the feast hall. The first thing Harry noted upon entering was that Dumbledore really liked to show he was in charge if the throne "Chair" he was sitting in was anything to go by. The next was how gaudy the hall was decked out in all the house colors like it was. They did not blend together well and the massive tapestries with their crests didn't help matters either in that regard.

Following that observant came the people, and how they were all staring at them. Sakura shirked in on herself even further at that point, which was saying something considering she hadn't said anything or moved from behind his back since they got off the train. Luckily they weren't paying attention to her, or himself, specifically…yet.

The last thing he noticed was the ratty looking hat that was placed on a stool in the middle of the hall. A ratty looking hat that was currently singing…badly. Why the founders had decided to create a sentient hat with a sense of "humor" in order to sort students Harry would never know, and would forever by baffled by. At least the message it was trying to convey was better than his singing as it gave a summary of the houses and how they shouldn't let them define them. Something which Harry agreed with. Letting a single personality trait determine who you were, or who you socialized with, was dumb to say the least.

After the singing came the official sorting ceremony, done in alphabetical order. As the number of first years dwindled and the letter getting further down Harry got increasingly anxious, though he didn't outwardly show it. His being nervous would make Sakura even more nervous than she was, which he didn't want.

"Potter, Harry." McGonagall's voice rang out, instantly silencing the entire hall as every single pair of eyes turned to look in his direction when he stepped forward. All of them looked stunned at his presence here, surprised at his appearance and curious about where he had been and what had happened to him. The wild theories and gossip that created an almost deafening level of noise despite being made up entirely of whispers were as amusing as they were annoying. There were only five people in the hall that did not show surprise or descend into gossiping, besides Sakura. Those being Dumbledore, McGonagall, Madame Pomfrey, Snape and Tonks. Though the latter two still stared at him in anticipation, wondering which house he'd join.

"Ah. I was so looking forward to meeting you Mr. Potter. You have such an… 'interesting mind, and such a tragic past."

Harry winced slightly at the intrusion into his mind but he had expected it since Dumbledore had warned him of what would happen in advance. The headmaster had known better than to hold back something that important from him.

"Hello Godfrey. Please don't call me by my last name."

Harry felt the hat hum at that, an odd sensation considering his head was inside of it and thus was getting vibrated from all directions.

"Yes, you're still not comfortable with your family are you? No matter, I'm not here to pry into personal issues I'm here to sort you. But where though? Difficult. So very difficult."

"If it helps any I don't want to be in Gryffindor or Slytherin." Harry thought to the hat.

"But you would fit in well with either house. Slytherin especially would see you to greatness. But I can tell you are firm in your decision. Hmm. Intelligent enough for Ravenclaw certainly but I'm afraid their incessant curiosity about you and your abilities would try your patience too much. Which just leaves one house. Good thing you strongly display its traits, even if it's only in regards to one person at the moment."

"Hufflepuff!"

The Hat's declaration stunned the entire hall leaving many, especially those in Gryffindor, speechless. None of them had expected him to come to Hogwarts but when they had seen him in anyways they had believed that, despite his changes, he'd go to the same house as his parents. As such some of them were just a little bit upset, though a pair of red-headed twins managed to make most of it non-hostile due to their overly dramatic reaction to his sorting easing the tension. Those in Hufflepuff however burst into uproarious applause and wild cheering once they got past the shock.

Despite the changes Hogwarts and the house system had gone through over the past couple of decades there was still a lingering stigmata of their house being the left overs and duffers of the school. A stigma that was basically assured to be wiped out forever now that The Harry Potter was in Hufflepuff. So who can blame them if there were a bit excited by the news.

Harry, for his part, was both uncomfortable and annoyed at the reactions his sorting garnered. Which was why he ignored them as he quietly took his place in one of the spots Tonks had left open for him at the end of the Hufflepuff table. He made sure to leave the spot at the very end, the one with no one but him adjacent to it, for Sakura though knowing it'd make her a bit more comfortable.

Speaking of it was now her turn to be sorted, once McGonagall quieted the raucous students down. An effort that took even her a couple of minutes to accomplish.

"Potter, Sakura."

And just like that McGonagall's hard fought silence was broken once more, this time devolving into an even louder level than before. Who could blame them? There was another Potter at Hogwarts, which meant either Harry had a secret twin sister (in which case the drama and speculation about her existence delved into the most extreme of conspiracy theories) or he was somehow already married or engaged to someone. Both were quite juicy but it was actually the latter that was true, a necessary set up to allow Sakura legal protection from the Ministry and its citizens. She was technically a non-magical in their eyes, or a squib at best (which was arguably worse), after all and the Ministry had less protection for people of that designations than mundanes had for animals.

Harry could almost feel holes burning themselves into his body as every student stared at him intensely, only taking their eyes off him occasionally to do the same to Sakura. Even Tonks was no different, though she had the courtesy to rein herself in fairly quickly, an action that got his appreciation and an answer in the form of a gesture to his ring figure. The widening of her eyes told him she understood, the teasing smile she had on the other hand told him she was going to try and tease him mercilessly with the knowledge. Too bad he wasn't, couldn't, be embarrassed by the topic. It would be funny watching her try though.

"Hufflepuff!" The hat cried out, once again momentarily silencing the mass of students in its volume, as well as for the implication it had. Both Potters were in Hufflepuff. The school's most famous siblings and or couple in history was in the house of the "losers". Harry noted that the same twins he had noticed before mimed having heart attacks in response though the effect it had was much lesser than before.

Again McGonagall needed several minutes to fight for order and quiet to return to the hall. Thankfully her restarting the sorting took most of the attention of them as Sakura had almost curled herself into a ball trying to get away from all the looks. At least he, and to a lesser extent Tonks, was there to provide comfort and warn off any of their tablemates from trying to question them.

Once the last student, one Blaze Zabini, was sorted into Slytherin Dumbledore rose from his ornate chair and moved to a podium that stood in front of the teacher's table. Raising his hands into the air to gesture for silence from the few students still talking, he cleared his throat as he addressed the student body.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

Harry couldn't help it. He stared at Dumbledore as he retreated back to his seat, his eyes dull and his expression all but screaming the question "Really?". At least the headmaster's eccentricities served the purpose of distracting Sakura from her nervousness due to its randomness.

"He does that every year. Always something completely random and nonsensical. Almost enough for me to think he was mad if not for experiencing how he acts as a professor first hand." Tonks couldn't help but remark wryly.

"So this is a common theme then…does he do the same thing at the end of the year feast as well?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

"Yup. Though he also says a bit more, mostly to name and congratulate the winning house."

Harry sighed before turning his attention towards the food that had appeared on the table in front of him. Apparently the House Elves were watching them again as in front of both Sakura and himself was Japanese food rather than the English food everyone else got. Tonks noticed the difference but, beyond a raised eyebrow, her only reaction was to snag some of the sushi and tempura before turning her attention back to her own food. Harry doubted that there were many people in the castle who were both willing and able to be as tactful as she continued being. It made him feel like they had lucked out in having her become their first (and potentially only) friend at Hogwarts.

The rest of their meal went uninterrupted, for which all three of them were thankful. Though Tonks was more concerned about her ex or her former friends making their way to her table rather than having to having to face an endless barrage of questioning. After the meal the entirety of the Hufflepuff table got up and made their way to their common room, making sure to guide the first years and give them helpful advice on moving through the castle along the way. Amusingly a commonly repeated bit of information was that the kitchen was near their common room and that the method of opening it was tickling the pear. At least they didn't have to tickle a pickle instead.

When they arrived at the entrance to the common room Harry noted that it was seemingly buttressed by a large number of old school water/wine barrels. An interesting, if confusing, sight. Apparently the only way to get into the common room was to tap on the barrels in a certain pattern, a pattern which changed every week in terms of both length and order of the combination. Again the Hufflepuffs moved as one as they entered the common room, though the older years moved to the sides in order to allow the first years' room in the center of the very large, and very cozy looking, common room. The reason for that move became apparent when Professor Sprout walked in the room.

"Welcome to Hufflepuff. I am your head of house Pomona Sprout. While within these rooms you can call me by either my first or last name but I expect to be called professor while teaching ok?" The matronly woman asked with a smile that clearly displayed her dimples.

Of course no one had a problem with that and their nods of agreement caused Sprout's smile to widen just a little bit more.

"Now. For the first two weeks of classes you will be guided to your classrooms by one or more of the prefects. The castle is prone to changing its layout and it takes a while to get used to it enough to find the classrooms by yourselves. There are also maps available but they are best used as a quick reference rather than your sole guide."

Following her words a few of the upper years, presumably the prefects, stepped forward and started passing out the maps, along with a little guide pamphlet regarding living in the school.

"These are your prefects for the year and they'll introduce themselves to you after I'm finished. They are always available if you need help in any form, whether that be studying or in regards to conflict with other students. The other houses also have prefects which you can go to for aid but they are likely to not help you in regards to anything but an emergency or an altercation with another student.

Your class schedules will be passed out tomorrow morning by the prefects so make sure you grab one before leaving for breakfast. On that note while you are free to go to the kitchen for food if you desire there is a curfew in effect at all times. As such you are not allowed to leave the common room after nine pm and before six am, unless it is an emergency, you have a class, or are meeting with a professor.

Finally, the dorms for Hufflepuff are in the form of suites. You are free to live with whoever and with as many people as you wish but each group needs either a prefect or an older student fifth year and above living with you. While I am sure you can all take care of yourselves this measure is necessary to ensure your safety as well as to prevent any misconduct from occurring while living here. Each suite is expanded by magic and the rooms will automatically generate for as many people chose to live there so don't be afraid of not having enough space. The rooms will also be connected to a communal common area and will have their own bathrooms inside so you don't need to share the ones attached to this common room with everyone else. I do encourage you to do your studying or simply hang out in the main common room however instead of holing yourself up in your own. While it isn't a stated facet of our House, friendship and helping one another is a core tenet of Hufflepuff.

Now, that's all I have to say to you for now and I wish you all a good night."

Professor Sprout finished as she gestured for the prefects to take over from there, allowing her to leave the common room and head back to her private quarters for the night. Harry stopped paying attention at that point, not particularly caring about the prefects or what they were saying. He had their faces memorized if he ever wanted help but he preferred to deal with his own problems.

His focusing on the prefects did have a benefit in that it allowed him to notice all the contemplative, and hopeful, looks the various members of his new house were giving him. Sakura was getting them as well and he quickly figured out that they desired to share a quite with them, or at the very least wanted to become their friend. Harry honestly didn't know how to feel about that. He didn't really want or need friends beyond Sakura, though he liked Tonks well enough. He just didn't think he'd fit in well with any of them.

His fellow first years would be too immature while the older years too condescending about his age or too full of teenage angst. It didn't help that he likely had different interests than the majority of them. Nor did his fame help either as it was more likely that they'd want to be friends with the famous (or infamous) Harry Potter not him. Then there was the fact that his...history with the Dursleys was well known to the general public. Honestly, besides Tonks he was doubtful he'd make another friend in his house, and maybe even all of Hogwarts as well. Hopefully she was willing to be their suite supervisor.

"Yeah I'll room with you guys." Tonks said as if reading his mind. Noticing the look he gave her, Tonks smirked. "You're a bit easy to read Harry."

He knew that wasn't true, or not completely true at laest. He wouldn't have survived Zouken if he was easily read after all.

"Thank you, though I am curious."

Tonks got what he was implying. "Why I'm not rooming with someone else?" Harry nodded his head. "Well my friends are my ex-friends at the moment and while I am friendly enough with the rest of the house I'm not friends with them and don't want to room with them as a result. I'm a bit of an outlier in regards to not being part of the whole 'everyone is your friend and family' shtick most puffs adhere to."

Harry nodded, he understood that. "I'm not either, though I have a feeling they're going to try and make me become one."

Tonks smiled in sympathy. "Sorry bout that but…"

Harry waved her off, knowing her apology was largely pointless (she had no control over the others after all) as he turned to look at Sakura, who was still being extremely quiet and trying to avoid the attention of their peers.

"Are you ok with just us being in a suite along with Tonks? I know you wanted to make friends so if you want we can have more join us if you want to reach out to some of the others."

Sakura shook her head, inwardly happy at him asking her that question. While she was used to Harry always being considerate and looking out for her she couldn't help but be touched by it every time. Especially in the current since she knew how little he liked other people or how much he disliked being reminded of his past on this world, something that the other students would likely bring up at some point, multiple times.

"It's fine…Just us, like always."

Harry grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly while Tonks looked away tactfully. She could easily tell how much of an emotional scar Sakura's words were hinting at, and she had no interest whatsoever in making her, or Harry, relieve whatever caused it. Thankfully despite her words and the painful memories they reminded her of Sakura didn't sink into a depressed funk because of it, the therapy she had gone through doing its job well in that regard.

The prefects stopped talking a few minutes later and the trio of young magicals quietly faded away from the crowd, cleanly avoiding the attention and endless parade of people just dying to talk with Harry that they were sure was about to descend upon them. They chose the closest room they could and entered it as soon as it was ready just to make sure no one could sneak their way in.

Silently all three of them heaved a sigh of relief before they took in the sight of their living space. The suite itself was rather reminiscent or a good quality apartment with the way it was set up. In addition to a dining/living room combo, complete with couches, armchairs and a fireplace, there was also an attached kitchen. Maybe that was why they needed an older supervisor? So they didn't actually start a fire or something.

Besides the rather large shared space there were only four doors that designated extra space. All of them were closed but it was clear that three of them were bedrooms while the door in the middle was the bathroom.

They chose their rooms at random and, thanks to the House Elves, all their belongs were already waiting for them inside. None of them wasted any time in getting changed into pajamas and brushing their teeth. The feast had ended late and they were all fairly tired so, after saying their goodnights, they went to bed. Sakura didn't enter her own room like Tonks however and instead went with Harry into his as per usual, something which Tonks noted but didn't comment on.

"Goodnight Sakura." Harry whispered as they snuggled into each other for warmth in the bed.

"Goodnight Harry."

AN: The idea of Hufflepuff using barrels for their password and living in communal suites came from other fics though I forget the name of them.

Don't expect classes to be the same, or for the events of the first book to happen. There will still be excitement however and not just slice of life stuff.