Chapter 3
The two decided that while they definitely needed a plan for how to go forward with this whole 'being in the past' business, it would most likely take awhile and the professor was probably looking for Harry by now. So, they agreed to meet up on the train.
"Oh, there you are Mr Potter, I had gotten worried. Where were you?"
"Sorry Professor, I met this really nice boy in the shop, he said he's going to Hogwarts this year too! And he grew up in a real wizard family, so he knows a lot about magic and stuff. He said he would teach me everything!" Harry grinned.
"Very well Mr Potter, I understand the need to make friends at your age. However, in the future, I would like to know where you are, especially considering… recent events."
"Ok professor! Where to next?"
After getting all his school supplies, purchasing Hedwig again (he had a little cry about that) and getting a supply of real wizarding clothes (he refused to wear Dudley's old hand me downs any longer), and sneakily getting some advanced reading material (he wanted to be prepared for everything, this time around, no more being ignorant. Anyways, he found himself wanting to learn for once in his life, now that he had an attention span) Professor McGonagall gave him the instructions to get onto the platform that Hagrid should have gave him first time around, and he went back to the Dursleys. Needless to say, they were not happy about his return. However, the visit from Professor McGonagall seemed to have frightened them, so they were mostly leaving him alone (save from a few bruises here and there). But either way, Harry couldn't wait to leave the Dursley house and go back home.
Getting on the train was a huge wave of nostalgia. He still remembered the first time he had seen the big red train, back when he was first eleven years old, scrawny and shy and anxious. This time, he swore it would be different.
He got on the train, struggling with his trunk the whole way until
"Hey Fred look, its a little firsty"
"Need any help kiddo?"
He scowled at being called a 'kiddo', and then sighed.
"Yeah, I could use some help." The twins grinned at him and help him with his trunk. After lifting it into an empty compartment however, the twins dramatically gasped in unison.p
"Is that a scar i spy under that fringe?"
"I think it is George, I did hear that he's supposed to be coming to Hogwarts this year."
"Do ya really think?" Harry groaned.
"Yes, I am Harry Potter, please don't make a huge deal of it." The twins shared smirks.
"Oh, so you want it on the downlow, alright," they gave him mock salutes. "Well, let us introduce ourselves. I'm George, and this is Fred."
"The Weasley twins tricksters extraordinaire." They bowed dramatically.
"Are you sure you're not Fred, and he's not George?" Harry said, pointing to the opposite twins than the ones they indicated. They blinked.
"I think he's on to us Fred."
"I think you're right George."
"We've got to be on our guard with this little munchkin around!" They ruffled his hair one after the other. Harry grinned.
"Well, see you later junior mischief maker!"
"We got to go find Lee, I heard he's got a tarantula!"
"Maybe we can convince him to let us slip it down Ronnikein's shirt!"
"SEE YA HARRY!" they said in unison, running out into the hall. Harry laughed to himself at their antics. He had really missed them. George hadn't been the same after Fred had died. That was something he definitely hoped to change, this time around.
While he was waiting, he read some of the new books he had purchased in Diagon Alley. As it turns out, there are a lot of things he had been ignorant of the first time around, such as customs and etiquette, laws he hadn't known about, how to learn occlumency properly (Snape had done the equivalent of hitting something and expecting it to build itself) basic everyday household and cleaning spells that would make his life a whole lot easier, defense spells, borderline 'dark' offensive spells, and so much more. He was so excited, he couldn't wait to learn everything he could! He wondered briefly if his new love for learning would land him in Ravenclaw. He chuckled to himself. Wouldn't that just make the wizarding world shit their pants. On the other hand, he mused, the reaction would be much worse if (when) he ended up in Slytherin. Because when he thought about it, he really wasn't the same brash and reckless person he had been in the last timeline so many years ago. And anyway, even with a shitload of compulsion charms, the hat had still wanted to put him in Slytherin. Well, he supposed, he wouldn't know till he got there.
He heard the compartment door open, and looked up from his book to see Malfoy. Wait, no, Draco. He's supposed to call him Draco now.
"Er, hi Draco." He gave an awkward wave at the blonde boy.
"Hello." He replied, sitting across from Harry and taking out a book of his own. They sat there like that for awhile, it was very nice. Draco ended up surprisingly good company, just speaking every once and a while to comment on something interesting he had found. They each bought a bunch of candy from the trolly when it came around, and shared it with each other. Their little moment of peace ended however, when their compartment door slammed open, revealing a boy with shocking red hair and a load of freckles. Ron.
"Is it you? Are you him?" Ron said excitedly
"I haven't the faintest idea what your talking about." Harry drawled.
"Are you Harry Potter?"
"Who?" Draco drawled.
"I'm Barry Zotter. Who are you?"
"So you ARE Harry Potter! I'm Ron Weasley, its nice to meet you!" He said all of this very fast as if chucking it onto Harry. Draco snickered at this. Ron turned towards him in surprise, likely not having noticed him until now.
"Red hair, freckles, hand me down clothes, I knew you were a Weasley." Ron's face turned red.
"Well I know who you are, you're Malfoy aren't you?" Ron glared at him "what are you doing here with Harry anyway?" Draco raised his eyebrows.
"I am spending time with my friend, that you rudely intruded on." Ron scoffed.
"What did you do to make him want to be your friend? I bet you cursed his mind with dark magic or something, you evil git." at this, Harry had enough.
"Ok, who are you to insult my friend? How dare you accuse him of dark magic! He's a first year!"
"He's a Malfoy, I bet all of those dark families teach their kids dark curses by the time they turn 6. Listen, I can help you. I can help you escape his clutches and be a light wizard like you are supposed to." When he said this, the room got colder.
"I suggest you leave." Ron paled a little at the steel in his tone and stammered.
"I, I mean," he faltered as Harry's glare pierced him. Then he fled. Draco snickered.
"And I thought he was supposed to be a Griffendor."
"I'm just glad he's gone. I'm still so shocked that he was manipulating me all this time along with Dumbledore. I mean, he and I haven't been as close in recent years, before we came back i mean, but…"
"It still hurts." Draco was looking at him with a surprising amount of concern on his face. Then they both jumped as the compartment opened again, and the spell was broken.
"Er, hello," a quiet voice said hesitantly. "You wouldn't happen to have seen a toad anywhere, have you?"
"Have you asked any of the upper years to summon it for you?" Harry suggested. Neville brightened up.
"That's a good idea, I'll go try it!"
"Hey, when you find your toad, why don't you join us? Looks like you could use some company." Neville hesitated. "Come on, we could use some company too."
" um, ok." Neville whispered, and then ran out to find Trevor. Draco gave him an annoyed look.
"You are as soft as a Hufflepuff."
"What, because I want to befriend Neville again? He was one of the few people I really kept in contact with after the war. I like Neville." Draco scoffed and went back to his book. Just a bit later, Neville returned, grinning, and holding Trevor.
"It worked! An older year helped me, and I got Trevor back!" Harry grinned back at him, his excitement infectious.
"That's great Neville!" Neville shyly nodded, and slipped into the seat beside Harry.
"So what house are you gonna be in Neville?"
"Well, my parents were both in Gryffindor, but I don't think I'll be able to get in there. I'm not very brave. Ill probably end up a Hufflepuff." Neville looked down at his feet.
"So? What's wrong with Hufflepuff? And if you say they're a load of duffers, when we get to school, I will find the records in the library and list every single achievement of a Hufflepuff student I can find." Neville stammered at this. Draco scoffed again. "Draco, shut up."
Neville looked a little fearfully at Draco. "So you're Draco Malfoy?" Draco sighed.
"Be nice Draco." Harry scolded.
"Fine, hi, its nice to meet you Longbottom. Yes, I'm a Malfoy, no, I'm not evil."
"Sorry, I didn't think you were…" Neville trailed off.
"Ok, we know each other," Harry clapped his hands. "Now let's chill for a bit, we don't have too long before we have to get changed into our robes, we'll be there somewhat soon."
When he said this, the tension broke a little bit, Neville laughed nervously, and settled in. As they got a little closer to school, they changed into their robes and got exited, although Harry was also apprehensive. It had been a long time for Harry since he had last been at Hogwarts, and he was excited to see his home again. The last time he had seen it, it had been a war zone, with death and pain and despair everywhere. He hadn't been able to stomach going back after everything. But here he was again.