The Hogwarts Express
Harry stepped out of the floo and onto Platform 9 and 3/4 and looked around at the madness of witches and wizards bustling about with trunks and pets in tow. He really hoped he wouldn’t be too board repeating the next six years of school. This time however he would do it better dressed and achieve better academically. He even had new glasses. He was still surprised he’d managed to leave the house without Sirius and Remus trying to see him off to school. He had spent the remainder of his summer shopping for the things an eleven year old boy should have. Reading and studying how to be a wizard, hanging out with Neville and there was the week spent giving testimony against his aunt and uncle in their child abuse trial.
The goblins had provided him a ring that contained a glamour of what he’d been before his healing at Gringotts. It wouldn’t do to look too healthy while claiming he had been kept in a cupboard for ten years. They had both been taken away and were now guests of Her Majesty and wouldn’t be free until after Dudley was old enough to vote, pending good behaviour. His cousin Dudley was initially placed with Vernon’s sister, Marge. But she was found not to be a suitable guardian and he had been placed in foster care while the Dursley family tree was explored to try and find someone to take him. It was something that he would never have had the courage to do last time but it lifted something from him that he valued more than the loss of privacy around his life with people who were supposed to be his family. And it meant he could walk away with his head held high, confident his cousin now had a chance to make something of himself and that his aunt and uncle would receive everything they were entitled to. Their life a result of the actions they had taken.
The house had been sold to repay the fifty thousand pounds they had been paid for Harry’s care that they never spent on him. Seems the Government takes a dim view of fraud like that, which hadn’t helped Vernon’s case. He was lucky Harry didn’t turn him over to the goblins to deal with, they were even less lenient than the muggle government. It hadn’t been easy seeing the articles in the Prophet about his childhood living in the cupboard but he was seven years removed from that emotionally. And it had certainly added fuel to the fire of discontent with Dumbledore. He suspected it was part of what had brought Augusta Longbottom to owl him and reopen the initial offer of friendship between their houses.
Boarding the train he found an empty carriage and debated locking the door and putting a notice me not charm up but decided to let the day play out as it would. Time to see what he had already changed. He wasn’t surprised when the train had barely pulled out of the station when the door was slid open and a red haired Weasley stepped into view.
‘Sorry, mind if I sit here, everywhere else is full.’
Harry doubted the boy had even been on the train long enough to look everywhere but pointed to the opposite bench and kept reading his History of Magic book.
‘Weasley.’
Harry looked up. ‘Sorry, did you say something.’
‘I said my name’s Ron Weasley.’
‘Oh, I think I met your brother at Gringotts, said he had a brother starting this year.’
‘Yeah, that’d be Bill, he brought me an owl and got me a new wand. Mum was going to give me my brother Charlie’s old one.’
Harry nodded, pleased the curse breaker had listened.
‘He didn’t do that for any of our other brothers.’ Ron puffed his chest out.
‘He did mention there were a number of you.’
‘Five older brothers and a younger sister.’
‘That is a lot.’ He watched as Ron settled in opposite him before focusing back on the text book, an idle thought left him wondering if he could ask Death to do something about Binns as he read about another goblin army. He’d barely settled into reading about the burning times having skipped over another goblin war when the carriage door opened.
Bushy hair followed by Hermione Granger stepped into view, followed by Neville.
‘Many greetings Heir Longbottom. Granger.’
‘You can call me Neville you know.’
Harry grinned. ‘I could.’
Hermione frowned. ‘Why did you call him Heir Longbottom?’
‘Did you actually read any of the wizarding culture and etiquette books or just spend your time pointing at them?’ Harry asked.
‘Well, it was all a bit, archaic.’
‘Archaic. Have you travelled to any other countries?’
‘Yes, my parents like to holiday throughout Europe.’
‘Are their traditions and etiquette to be ignored for being archaic?’
‘That would be rude.’
‘So is entering the wizarding world calling it’s traditions archaic but you seem okay with that. Or should the French be forced to speak English when you are there?’ He watched her turn red and build up to a response when Neville spoke.
‘I’ve lost Trevor.’
‘Wasn’t he from your horrible uncle?’
‘Well yes but he’s still my pet. It’s not his fault who gave him to me.’
Harry shrugged. ‘Fair point, have you tried to summon him?’
‘I was going to but she decided to drag me along on her mighty quest to find him regardless of what I actually wanted.’
‘Ha, maybe she’s a Gryffindor after all.’ Harry muttered, reaching for his wand. ‘Just as well the door’s still open. Accio Trevor the Toad.’
Ron and Hermione watched with jaws dropped and matching expressions of surprise as a toad flew into the carriage and landed next to Neville who was now sitting beside Harry.
‘That was bloody brilliant.’ Ron gushed.
‘You did the summoning charm.’ Hermione screeched.
‘Well spotted. Perhaps a word of advise Ms Granger. Find yourself one of those books on archaic tradition and customs and pay attention when you read it. You might just find it helps you avoid making mistakes and enemies.’ He turned back to his book and blocked her out.
She sat next to Ron. ‘Why did he call Neville, Heir Longbottom?’
‘Because that’s who and what he is. The Heir to the Longbottom Lordship.’
‘Wizards have Lords?’
‘Didn’t they give you a book about that when you were given your letter?’
‘Oh, well, I didn’t read all of it.’
Harry looked up. ‘She probably threw it away when it started talking about how rude it is to use someone’s first name unless given permission and decided she would single handedly change thousands of years of Wizarding tradition because she didn’t agree with it.’ He didn’t need to see colour flush her cheeks to know he was right. He just exchanged a look with Neville and sighed. ‘Oh you are going to be a nightmare to be around unless you pull your head out and learn about the world you’re now living in.’
Hermione was outraged, she had never had her intelligence questioned like this. And Harry bloody Potter, supposed saviour of the wizarding world was just looking at her like he was daring her to say something about it. She was even more shocked when he handed her a book, not seeing where it came from.
‘Maybe you should slow down and actually read it this time. It will save you a lot of trouble and you should have time to read most of it before we get to Hogwarts.’
Harry gave the book a little shove into her hands and she glared as she took it from him and reluctantly began to read.
---
He was debating unpacking the lunch Kreacher had provided him when the sound of wheels down the corridor was heard along with a witch calling.
‘Anything from the trolley dears?’
Ron looked depressed as he pulled wrapped sandwiches from his robe pocket. ‘I’m good thanks.’
‘Rubbish.’ Harry set his book down and stepped into the corridor and returned with a selection of treats that he dumped on the seat before pulling a picnic basket from his own pocket. ‘I’ve got plenty we can share, yours doesn’t look that exciting, sorry.’
‘Mum must have forgotten that I don’t like corned beef.’ He set his sandwiches beside him and grinned as he was handed a hot pastie. ‘You sure you don’t mind sharing mate?’
‘I have access to a house elf that is a bit excitable about making sure I have enough to eat. He packed me enough for several people.’
‘What’s a house elf?’ Hermione asked setting the book aside.
Harry looked at Neville who shrugged and gave a reluctant nod.
‘House elves are a variant of elves and brownies that made an agreement with witches and wizards when they were dying out. In exchange for a magical bond that stopped them from dying, they entered into service to wizards and witches. If they don’t have a bond they die. My gran has taken a few in over the years that lost their wizards or witches.’
‘I didn’t know that.’ Ron said around his pastie. ‘We don’t have one. Mum doesn’t like anyone else in her kitchen. Be dead useful if we did mind.’
‘They are servants then?’ Hermione asked.
Harry had a flash of an older Hermione knitting hats and trying to free the Hogwarts house elves and wondered if it was possible to stop her now. Rather than deal with several years of rants and SPEW badges.
Neville’s nodded. ‘Sort of, but remember, if they don’t have a bond with a magical family, they die.’
‘But Harry, I thought you lived with your muggle family. How do you have a house elf?’ Hermione asked.
‘I was, but when my parents wills were finally read it was identified that I was absolutely never supposed to have lived with them. I mean, they kept me in a cupboard. It’s where my Hogwarts letter was addressed and everything.’
‘I know I’d already seen your letter but it was still shocking to see it in the Daily Prophet.’ Neville added. ‘The ladies Gran has lunch with were talking about that for ages.’
‘What happened?’ Hermione asked.
‘My aunt and uncle were arrested and put in muggle prison, now I live with my godfather. Who I was supposed to live with in the first place. He was in wizard prison even though Dumbledore knew he was innocent.’
‘Holy cricket, you’re Harry Potter.’ Ron finally remembered the boy who was sharing his meal with them hadn’t actually introduced himself when he’d first sat down.
Harry sighed. ‘Yes and I would rather keep that quiet for as long as possible, otherwise everyone will be trying to be my new best friend because my parents got murdered by a mad man.’
‘Fair enough mate. It’s going to be bad enough when they do work it out.’ He picked a cupcake up and took a bite as he kept talking. ‘My mum was pretty mad when she read about the cupboard in the Prophet. Dad had to stick her to her chair to stop her storming Hogwarts to give Dumbledore a piece of her mind.’
‘You can imagine my shock to find out my horrible relatives were never supposed to be anywhere near me. But they were charged with child abuse, child endangerment and accessory to kidnapping for financial gain.’
Neville nodded. ‘My gran went ballistic about that part, the kidnapping for financial gain thing. She was fit to melt the furniture.’
‘I don’t understand.’
Neville turned to Hermione. ‘Dumbledore illegally made himself Harry’s guardian which as the heir to a Noble House is a big deal in the wizarding world. He also authorised payment to Harry’s aunt and uncle for his care.’
‘Not that they spent the money on me. It went on my cousin, their precious Dudders and since they couldn’t provide receipts to show they spent more than the bare minimum on me, they got in a lot of trouble for fraud. Along with the keeping me in a cupboard thing.’
‘It also came out at the reading of his parents wills that Dumbledore knew Harry’s actual legal guardian, Sirius Black, was innocent. That Dumbledore had preformed the fidelius charm that made Peter Pettigrew the secret keeper who betrayed the Potters to He Who Must Not Be Named in the first place.’
‘But.’ Hermione started. ‘Dumbledore is a hero. He defeated Grindelwald.’
‘He is still a criminal who should be in the cell next to his ex boyfriend.’ Harry muttered but that was part of what Rita was still investigating since Harry had stipulated she must be able to back her claims up with proof unless stated as opinion pieces. Dumbledore losing his position as the Supreme Mugwump and Chief Warlock was going to be the least of his problems. He lost a lot of his standing in British Wizarding society but there was still a way to go. The charge of kidnapping, attempted line theft and illegally accessing the trust vault was still pending. Harry was happy to wait it out and give Skeeter more time to expose the man’s past to public opinion.
The goblins were also working on that with Andromeda who was more than happy to ruin the man responsible for putting her favourite cousin in Azkaban as an innocent man. She’d been trying to get the trial details for years but once Harry had arrived on the scene she had been given the legal means to do so to her Black heart’s content. Being re-instated and regaining the Black name was opening doors she had long been banging on. It even had the odd side effect of helping stabilize some of her daughter’s clumsiness. Apparently that was a side effect of being removed from the family magic.
Right now, Harry was just hoping to crack Hermione’s obsessive hero worship of a dangerously flawed man. And to see how much havoc he could cause with the changes he was orchestrating. He figured the wizarding world was in need of a shake up. Hermione hadn’t been wrong with how archaic some of the traditions were. But it would take more than her being indignant about them for change to happen, it needed to be change that came from the Lords and Ladies. Maybe this would be the push she needed to not argue with the Sorting Hat this time round.
Reaching for a chocolate frog Ron asked the group. ‘So what house do you all think you’ll be sorted into? My parents and brothers where all in Gryffindor so thats probably me.’
‘My gran is hoping for Gryffindor for me too.’ Neville added a little sadly.
Harry rested a hand on his friends arm. ‘Neville, we talked about this, my parents where both Gryffindors but I’m pretty confident I wont be. If you would be better suited to a different house it will be okay.’
‘Yeah but who’d want to be a slimy snake.’ Ron spat out with all the prejudice of a Gryffindor.
Harry tilted his head and looked at the red haired boy. ‘I’m not prepared to write an entire house out because of the bigotry of children towards them. I am just as likely to be a Slytherin myself as any other house. Just because my parents where Gryffindors, I have a long family tree and I can assure you, they weren’t all Lions. My grandmother was a Black and a proud Slytherin, as was yours if I recall the family tree correctly.’ Harry snapped. ‘But I guess that doesn’t bode well for you and I being friends if you feel that way about what may just be my future house.’
‘You can’t be a snake, you’re Harry Potter, you have to be a Gryffindor.’
Harry leaned forward. ‘I could bet you the entire contents of my trust vault against my being sorted in the House of Godric Gryffindor. If I do end up with a green tie, will you try and curse me on the stairs of Hogwarts? Mr Weasley.’
‘But, both your parents where Gryffindor.’
‘And had they been the ones to raise me, or even my godfather who was also a Gryffindor, I probably would have agreed with you.’
Ron played his trump card. ‘You can’t want to be in the same house as the man who killed them or his followers.’
‘How do you know Voldemort was a Slytherin? Does anyone even know his name when he was at school?’
‘Don’t be daft, his name is, you know.’
‘It’s not exactly a very pure blood sounding name though.’ Neville pointed out. ‘My gran made me learn about all the old families, and that was never one of them.’
Harry watched Ron’s emotions war across his expressive face. He’d made sure the boy didn’t have a dark wizard for a pet rat, and that he had a wand that was better suited to him. If that was all he did it would have to be enough.
The door to the carriage opened, and with all the impeccable timing of universal chaos, it was Malfoy and his bodyguards.
‘There is a rumour that Harry Potter is in this compartment.’ He looked around the room and discounted the others, looking directly at Harry. ‘It’s you, isn’t it.’
‘Ah, you must be Heir Malfoy. I am Lord Potter.’ He decided to play. ‘And Heir Black.’
The pure blood mask slipped. ‘What? But I’m the Black heir.’
Harry let his Heir ring show. ‘Of course, my apologies Heir Malfoy. I must have misspoke.’
Forgetting his earlier intentions Malfoy spun around. ‘My father will hear about this.’ And stormed out of the carriage. Followed by his bodyguards.
‘I’m sure he will.’ Harry muttered as he selected a small bite sized treacle tart and popped it in his mouth.
‘That went well.’ Neville dead panned.
‘That was bloody brilliant!’ Ron cried excitedly.
‘What actually just happened?’ Hermione asked, eyes darting from one boy to the next and back to the relaxed Harry who was reaching for another pastry.
‘My godfather.’ He smiled. ‘Is Lord Black and named me his heir. His cousin is Draco Malfoy’s mother. Malfoy was under the mistaken impression he was next in line to the lordship through his mother.’
‘He didn’t know he wasn’t the heir?’
‘Not sure how, his father tried to claim proxy to the Black vote in the Wizengamot and Magic refused his claim. That should have tipped him off to his son not being the direct heir.’
‘I don’t understand.’
Harry looked at Neville. ‘You’ve been raised with this longer than I have.’
‘Doesn’t mean I understood it all, you’ve picked this up rather quickly yourself.’ He replied before looking towards Hermione. ‘Magic is a force, we are able to use it and that is what makes us wizards and witches and muggles not. The Wizengamot is our government, and being magical, there are rules about who can sit and vote, and Magic itself must recognise an individuals claim for them to be accepted. Most pure blood families are related at various points. Ron’s grandmother was also a Black, but it doesn’t mean Ron can claim the Black lordship. Not just because he isn’t the eldest son of a direct line.’
‘It’s a bit like the Royal Family.’ Harry added. ‘Prince Charles is the Heir to the Throne and his brother can’t just decide to try and take over.’ (Remember – this is set in 1991 for those playing at home)
‘There is a line of succession but Lady Magic herself judges it when there is no direct blood heir.’
‘Unless Sirius marries and has a son.’
‘And Lord Malfoy tried to claim the Black vote thinking his son would inherit the title.’
Harry nodded. ‘Lady Magic denied the claim.’
‘Hang on, Lady Magic?’
Ron jumped in with the answer to this question. ‘It’s what we call her, it’s her gift to us that makes us magical.’
‘Magic is older than muggle religion Granger. How do we know she isn’t real.’
She picked her book up and nodded thoughtfully. ‘I have a lot more to learn than I thought.’
‘You should also talk to Gringotts about getting an inheritance test. There is a theory that muggle born witches and wizards are actually descended from squib lines of magic houses.’
‘I hadn’t heard that.’ Ron added.
‘It’s hardly something most pure bloods will admit to.’ Neville pointed out. He turned to Hermione. ‘If you go home at the winter break, maybe ask your parents to take you to Gringotts and ask the goblins.’
‘What’s involved in this test?’
‘Seven drops of blood on a specially spelled parchment.’ Harry replied as he began packing up the remains of his shared lunch. ‘It’s how I found out I was the Black Heir.’
‘I may just have to do that. Thank you for telling me.’ She settled back into the book Harry had given her until it was time to change into their school uniforms.
The four claimed a boat for the trip across the lake and Harry grinned as the castle loomed ahead of them. She had been his first true home last time, and he was glad to be arriving home again. With his friends by his side.