Harry Potter and The Placement of Stones

What do you do if you wake up as Harry Potter? Escape the Dursleys and clear Sirius's name, of course! But after that? The magical world rapidly proves more complex than expected, a world where it is unclear who to trust. Where the motivations of the Malfoys may be nuanced enough for them to become allies. Malcolm watches Sirius trail behind Harry in the orphanage like a wounded puppy. It’s a delicate balance, trying to smooth over Sirius’s ever-shifting moods while not overstepping his role as the Black Steward. He suppresses a sigh as the boy gathers up a few items–a pinecone, a candle, a few stones–from around the dorm. His breath catches. The moment the child lifts the final stone, a spell is broken. He nearly misses it: the change only perceptible against the oppressive lack he feels in his bones whenever he is in the muggle world. In his mind’s eye he sees himself as a child, isolated and ignorant of the magical world, drowning in concrete and chain-link fences. He knows that, just as this child has done, that he would have clung to whatever beauty he could make or find. That in order to survive, he would have known where to place the stones.