Chapter 3
Harry groaned as he stared at the ticket in his hand. He was the reason why they were having to take yet another magical transportation instead of flying to school like they normally would.
Aki grinned and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, “Oh come on. It will be alright. You got this and we will be landing in a private room so no one will see how badly it affects you.”
The green eyes pinned his brother in a glare before looking at his father and smiling, “I don’t know if I am ready but… I want to make you proud.”
The man stepped forward and hugged him tight, “You already have. Now, be good. Write to me as often as you can and keep your brothers out of trouble. You're in charge, Harry.” He gave a wink as the older two spluttered for a come back. He laughed and stood before hugging both of his other sons, burrowing his face into their hair to scent them properly as he had Harry. “Protect your brother. No matter what.”
They nodded and touched foreheads gently before stepping over to Harry and laying a hand on his shoulders as Harry gripped the ticket in one hand and Yasu’s harness in the other. Their things had already been sent ahead and would be waiting in their dorms. Jerking, twisting, pulling yanked Harry from his feet and he toppled over as he became reacquainted with the ground.
His hand gripping Yasu who had caught him before he face planted. Calming hands running down over his back and he grumbled embarrassed at the reaction he had every time. It felt awful. Slowly his body stopped rebelling and he stood back up taking a few needed gulps of air.
Aki smiled and brushed the stray darkening hair behind his ear, “You alright now?”
He nodded before looking at Hibiki who was at the door speaking to someone. He patted Yasu on the head gently and got a lick to the back of his hand. “Who is Hibiki talking to?”
The other looked over his eyes narrowing a little, “I don’t know.”
They watched as the eldest talked to the person at the door before he stepped to the side and let the other in. The two stepped over and both the youngers eyed the stranger.
Hibiki smiled and gestured to the person, “This is Sarah, she is a Dorm Superior and has come to greet Harry.”
Harry flushed and waved, “Oh uhm. Hi.”
She smiled at him and gave a polite nod of her head. She was a tall woman in a moderate dress of grey and green. Her blond curls were pulled into a single tail, “Hello Harry. As one of our transfers this year I am here to escort you around the school and show you all the sights and to your dorm. I hadn’t realized that you already had older brothers to help you out.”
Green eyes blinked and he glanced to them, “Oh yeah. They were going to show me around. I’m sorry.”
She waved off the apology, “Oh honey don’t worry about it.” Her voice thick and soft, “You just saved me hiking in these heals. But look here sugar if you need any help at all you just give me a holler alright?”
Harry smiled, “Okay. Thankyou.”
She smiled and pulled out a card and handed it to him, “No sweat sugar. No finer tour guides than family. Ta ta now!” She waved to him and walked off heels clacking as she went.
Aki shivered, “She was so… cheerful.”
The younger one laughed, “I liked her. Her voice was really nice.”
Hibiki snorted, “Well then, our younger brother likes country accents.”
“Country accents?”
The eldest nodded, “She is from America in the south. Georgia I think. Her family is famous for breeding Wampus Cats. She herself is a were. Though, I can’t remember which kind.”
Harry nodded, “That’s pretty cool. So, what next?” He gripped Yasu’s harness gently and leaned a little against the large canine who took it in stride and leaned back to support him.
“Now we show you around!” Aki grabbed his hand and tugged him out of the room excitedly. “You're going to love it.”
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By the time they were done touring the campus Harry was exhausted. It didn’t have as many stairs as Hogwarts but the campus was a sprawling masterpiece of multiple buildings. There was even a mini market that sold standard school supplies. The gardens and hot houses took up almost an entire section that led straight to the sports pitch. Beyond that it was nothing but forest and wilderness. Which he knew had trails for students to ride or run in. They even had stables where you could take one of the many mounts provided by the school and taken care of by the students as well. Apparently students helped in the maintenance and there was a chore rotation that went by dorms. Each week different dorms were rotated around to care for the gardens, stables, kitchens, and even cleaning.
Harry followed behind Aki as they came to one of the matching dorms. Every dorm was identical. It looked like a large house, brick laid with wooden accents. Every dorm was numbered so you knew which was which. This one had a large number seven on the side and he knew that the tour was coming to an end. He smiled softly and hugged Aki, “Thank you for showing me around. I think we lost Hibiki some were.”
Aki grinned, “Yeah. He disappeared right about the time we passed those girls near the stables.” He looked at the dorm, “You sure you don’t want me to go in with you?”
He smiled and hugged his brother again, “I am sure. I need to do this myself. I have Yasu with me too.”
The other sighed and leaned into the hug, “Alright. Send me a letter tonight when you have settled down to rest so I can send you the directions to my dorm. Good luck and if your roommates try to mess with you let Yasu bite their faces off!”
Harry laughed and patted the canine’s head, “I don’t think he will need to do that. See you tomorrow morning?”
“Yeah, I will come get you for breakfast.”
The two shared one more private moment before Harry straightened up and headed into the dorm house. Stepping into the foyer he looked around at the place he would be calling home for the rest of his school life. It was simple and elegant. The main room had couches and chairs clustered in a circle around a fire. Plush rugs and a few solo chairs and tables off to the sides for those not wanting to join the main circle. The whole room was done in soft creams and browns with a splash of color here and there. He could see the arch way leading to a large rec room. Several tables and games, shelves with more gaming supplies. The other archway led off into a smaller office like room where he could see another door. Probably for the Dorm Superior.
He took a deep breath and looked down at the sheet in his hand to confirm his room number and began heading up the stairs, he was on the third floor. Then to the right, all the walls were seamless wood paneling but the names of the dorms for the level were eye level at the stair. Finally coming to a wood door labeled ‘Cascade Room’. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes a moment as he counted to five for his nerves. Looking down at Yasu he grinned, “Ready?”
The soft woof had him grinning wider as he pushed the door open. The first sight was a homey living room. Much like downstairs it was done in creams and browns with accents of green or gold. There were large windows taking up almost an entire wall leading to a balcony where he could already see pots and plants sitting out. Two couches and chairs sat in a half circle around a fireplace and low table. The floor was wood with thick carpet you could burrow your toes into. It felt like a home. The kitchen was small but equipped with all the modern fixings. Even a fridge, though he could tell they were run by magic and not electricity. He let Yasu in and shut the door softly behind him. His roommates must not be here yet. Or were getting settled into their own rooms. He rubbed behind Yasu’s ears and smiled, “Looks nice doesn’t it Yasu?” laughing at the soft woof.
He looked at the three doors and noticed two had plaque with names written on them but the third plaque was empty. Ah, so they had already claimed their rooms. Well that would make sense. He stepped over to the last unmarked door and set his hand on it. A small prick of pain and he pulled it back to watch his name carve into the metal, ‘Hadrian James Potter Chang’. It made him happy to know that his full name was getting used and that most would refer to him as a Chang not a Potter. He opened the door and let himself and Yasu in before shutting the door behind him. He sighed and leaned back against the door. It looked so much like his room at home. It was on purpose of course. All his furniture and things he had selected had all been sent ahead. The large low circular bed, vanity, dresser were all like the ones at home. The biggest change was the large table against one wall were his small potion station was set up. Another table was empty for whatever he needed it for. No fireplace but he hadn’t wanted one. His room also had its own private balcony where a couple potted plants had already been set up. His chests were sat near the door, all three. He never thought he would be someone with multiple chests for belongings. “Well guess it is time to unpack huh?” He flipped open Yasu’s first, “Well, go ahead. I know you will want to pick your own spot.” Then laughed as the inu grabbed his bed and dragged it from the chest and over to a corner near the window dropping it down and began walking back and forth unpacking his own trunk.
Harry shook his head and began to unpack his own things, clothes and things going away, books on shelves, supplies on the desk. Just unleashing everything into the perfect order his room was always kept. Some habits couldn’t be broken and his Aunt’s demands for cleanliness and order had been drilled into him to the point he couldn't handle things not being in their place. The healer had called it OCD and with help he could work to either alleviate or control the urges but he hadn’t thought he needed it. Nothing bad happened to keeping things neat and orderly. It was the panic attacks, nightmares, and touch that he was still working his way through. Yasu played a large part in helping and he was fine with his family. But being here set him on edge.
Once done he looked around and finally pulled the Fae’s Kiss from his chest and set it on his vanity with his other hair trinkets. He still didn’t know why he had gotten one. He had read up on Fae Blessings. They were oftentimes flowers, seeds, or some other piece of nature. They were given as courting gifts or as tokens of thank you. Sometimes they were given to those pure of heart, or to people on quests. But he didn’t fit any of the normal criteria. It wasn’t like he could ask a fae. He sat at the vanity and began to pull his hair free of the braids letting his hair fall to his waist. He kept it long all the time now. Much preferring it to the tangled nest it was before. Once done he settled the feathers into a long wooden box to keep them safe while he slept. He should have gotten some food but his nerves wouldn't let him eat. Opening the messenger box he pulled out his evening potions and drank them, setting the vials back in the box and pulled out the letters that were hidden within. Even on the day he went to school his friends wrote to him, Uncle Severus and Lucius too. Though his school started earlier than Hogwarts. He collected the whole stack and curled up in the large plush chair near his bookcase and settled down to read them all. He could write them in the morning or if he had spare time the next day. For now, he would take this time to himself.