Chapter Text
Harry stared at the scarlet train from the shadows, glaring at it as if it would magically disappear and solve all his problems. It was still early, about 10 am, and very few families mingled around the station. That would change quickly as students eagerly found themselves bundled up for the new year of school.
He didn’t want to go to Hogwarts.
Okay, that wasn’t quite true. He did want to see the school his parents met and fell in love in. He wanted to learn more magic. He wanted to find other kids his age and maybe make friends for more than a few months at a time.
But he didn’t want to be Harry Potter.
He liked being just Harry. He liked living with Clint and Natasha and not worrying about gawkers or intelopers or possible assassins. Because apparently, that’s what being Harry Potter, public figure, meant. Stepping into the spotlight meant embracing the good, bad and ugly.
“Do I have to go?” he asked with a sigh, turning to Natasha. Her features were obscured in the dark, but he knew she’d have her patented ‘I’m indulging you for five seconds’ smile.
“Of course not,” she said easily. “I could drop you off at the front gates myself if you prefer the flashier entrance. I know Clint packed a few glitter bombs in your trunk.”
He definitely did. Harry picked the color of the glitter. “Professor Manesh would be happy to teach me full time.”
“He’s not qualified to teach you.”
“He has five masteries,” Harry argued, stalling for time. Five masteries and a very short attention span. Harry never learned basic spells with Professor Manesh, but rather the complicated theories of magic, which were arguably more interesting to learn. “I can still renounce Britain and join the Roma.”
Natasha moved closer, her eyebrow raised. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want to be Harry Potter. What if they send me back to the Dursleys? What if they snap my wand and drop me in the forest?”
Natasha put her hands on his shoulders, movement careful and curated until her hands settled as a comfortable weight on him. “You’re always going to be Harry Potter, whether you board that train or not. Clint and I are a call away and we plan on doing some camping in Scotland next week. And I have a meeting with the headmaster to clear anything up. You’ll do fine.”
“I wish Clint was here.” Clint was really good at pep talks or making Harry laugh when he didn’t want to, but no, he had to do something uber secret in New Mexico. He sighed. He didn’t even get to take Lucky or Ira with him. Apparently dogs that weren’t actually dogs and venomous snakes were not ‘appropriate pets’ for students.
“He wishes that too.” She squeezed his shoulders before stepping back, further into the dark as a few more families filled the space with sound and bustle. “We won’t be far. I promise.”
She disappeared in the dark, which was Harry’s cue to suck it up and get on the train. Scowling, he grabbed his trunk, ducked his head and made a beeline for the open door. No one stopped him, thankfully, as he found a carriage at the front of the train and stowed away his luggage.
The compartment had a boy about his age in it already and the boy was hiding behind a book as Harry wanted to do, so he figured he’d be good company. “I’m Harry.”
The boy peered up through dark bangs, light eyes cautious and wary, as he said, “Theodore Nott.”
There was no obvious sign of recognition. Between Harry’s scar fading to nearly invisible and contacts instead of glasses, he didn’t look like the kid everyone was searching for. Harry grinned and sat down, peering out the window, trying to make out any sort of outline the shadowy alcove he knew Natasha still lingered in. She was too good at hiding. With a huff, he leaned back and pulled a book out of his bag.
He was two chapters into The Basics of Runic Arrays when the compartment door rolled open and a shy chubby boy with dirty blonde hair peeked in. The poor kid nearly flinched seeing someone else.
Well, he was here to make friends, right? Harry put away his book and smiled. “Hi, I’m Harry. You can sit with us if you’d like.”
The boy sagged in relief. “Thank you. I’m Neville. Uh, Neville Longbottom. But just Neville’s fine.”
Harry did not offer his last name in response, instead standing and helping him push his trunk above the seats. Neville also had a toad that he opted to set in the seat instead of a tank or other appropriate container. Noise clamored down the train hall as kids slowly filled seats. A girl with bushy hair and dark skin entered next, uncertainty and confidence clashing.
“Hi, can I join you?”
“Sure,” he said with a shrug. They did a round of introductions, learning the new girl’s name as Hermione. And that was all that was needed to set her off. She began rambling about everything she learned over the past summer, including her newfound magic and exact quotes from Hogwarts, A History .
It…It was a lot and Harry had half a mind to take after Nott and hide behind a book, but he wasn’t sure that would actually deter her from talking. She barely slowed down when the door opened again and two more girls came in.
“Padma! Parvati!” Harry said in relief. “I didn’t know you were coming to Hogwarts.”
The girls blinked and Parvati grinned. “Harry, of course! Mum convinced our dad, but it was a close call. He really misses India.”
“I miss Desi’s cooking,” he smiled, grateful for familiar faces, before turning back to the room. “Padma and Parvati Patil, let me introduce you to Nott, Neville and Hermione.”
A chorus of hello’s rang through the room as Hermione frowned. “His name’s Theodore.”
“Theodore Nott,” Harry said with a nod. “But British magical culture emphasizes last names unless you’re familiar with someone or they give you permission. He hasn’t. Neville did and you never gave a last name.”
Hermione whirled on Nott, who was holding his book as a shield. “Is that true? You don’t want to be friends?”
“That’s not what I said,” Harry complained.
Nott’s eyes flicked to the door then around the small space. He slowly put the book down and sighed. “Harry is correct. Most purebloods will expect you to address them by their last name unless they give express permission. I don’t know you and my family has certain… expectations.”
Harry knew the Nott family from the genealogy books Clint bought. They were old and prestigious and often aligned with darker magic and philosophies, which apparently was not always the same thing. The Nott family served under Voldemort in the last war and paid harshly for it. But this Nott had done nothing yet. Harry would judge him by his own actions.
“How is anyone supposed to know that?” Hermione asked, glaring sharply at Harry. “How did you know that?”
“Magical culture is more than just having magic,” he said with a shrug. “Those with magical parents grow up differently than those with non-magical heritage. I have some books that could help.”
Nott gave him a weird look that implied he knew exactly who Harry was, but didn’t say anything so that was a plus. Hermione brightened at the mention of books. Padma raised an eyebrow at him. The twins knew who he was too, but seemed willing to play along with the ruse. Harry knew everyone would find out he was once the sorting happened, but he’d like to put it off as long as possible.
Harry pulled out a book of culture and customs for Hermione before she could interrogate him further and quickly changed the subject. “So what house does everyone want?”
Hermione has a strong opinion on the subject, something Harry was quickly learning was the norm for the girl. “I think Ravenclaw would suit me best. Not that it’s my choice, of course, but I do love learning and reading. Or Gryffindor maybe. I’m not particularly brave but that was Headmaster Dumbledore’s house and he’s brilliant.”
Harry had some reservations on the brilliance of Dumbledore but having never met the man, he was trying to withhold judgment. Trying being the operative word. He gave a slightly forced smile to Hermione and cautioned, “You should focus on your strengths, not others. What about you, Padma?”
“I’m hoping for Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff,” Padma said with a shrug.
Parvati rolled her eyes. “And I’m hoping for a house that doesn’t have my sister in it.”
Harry snorted and turned to Neville. The boy shrugged, shoulders hunching around him as he said quietly, “My parents were in Gryffindor. But, well, everyone thought I was a squib so I’ll be lucky to end up in Hufflepuff.”
“Hufflepuff is a great house.” Padma’s voice was sharp and cutting, forcing Neville into a smaller space, eyes wide as saucers. Harry put a hand on his friend’s arm, quelling the anger. It wasn’t Neville’s fault so many had prejudices against Hufflepuff or Slytherin.
He threw a kind smile to the pudgy boy shrinking into the upholstery and turned the focus elsewhere. “How about you, Nott?”
“Slytherin,” he said without hesitation, casual and disinterested, as if it didn’t matter that he said the one house with the worst reputation.
Harry grinned. “Wicked. I’m hoping for Slytherin. I think it’ll be hilarious.”
“Hilarious?” Hermione frowned. “Isn’t that house…well, someone told me I wouldn’t do well in it.”
He shrugged. Hermione probably wouldn’t do well, not only because of her lineage, but her brash and upfront personality. “Everyone expects me to be Gryffindor. It’d be kinda nice to subvert those expectations. I heard Ravenclaw has a secret library so that’d be pretty cool too.”
He expected he’d land in Gryffindor regardless of his mixed feelings about it. But it was still funny to imagine everyone’s reactions if their boy hero ends up in the ‘evil’ house. Padma and Parvati shrugged, used to Harry’s skewed sense of humor while the other three stared, a mixed display of horror, bemusement, and bafflement.
Thankfully he was saved from further explanation by the door opening. Harry shifted to hide behind Neville a bit as Nott watched thoughtfully.
A young boy, another first year, with bright blond hair entered, his nose in the air and flanked by heavy set friends. “I’m looking for Harry Potter. This is the last compartment I’ve checked, so he must be in this one.”
“Well that’s presumptuous,” Padma said, shifting to further block Harry from view. “What makes you think he’d be on the train at all?”
“I didn’t know Draco Malfoy was a Potter Spotter!” Parvati gushed. “Did you see the latest article? Hannah Barnaby swears she saw him in Spain just last week. I had a friend who knew a professor who’s student got his autograph when he toured Belgium last year.”
“I am not some ridiculous fan frothing for information!” Malfoy protested, a bit of color in his cheeks now.
Poor Neville and Hermione exchanged perplexed looks, and Nott was thankfully not staring at Harry in an obvious manner, the reserved boy was making an effort to look disinterested and invisible. Not one to be out talked, Hermione braved the conversation. “Wasn’t…well, Harry Potter was kidnapped, wasn’t he? At least, that’s what I read.”
“Well, no one knows, right?” Parvati leaned forward, acting for all the world as if she hadn’t spent several months over the summer with said Harry Potter. “He just vanished. I think it’s a conspiracy. I bet he’s been at Hogwarts this whole time. Why else would Headmaster Dumbledore keep making statements about him?”
Harry fought down the urge to laugh and made a mental note to get that perfume she liked from Natasha. He owed her big time for this. He also had to make sure to tell Clint all about this bizarre train ride conversation. He would get a kick out of it too.
“Only simpering idiots would believe that,” Malfoy snarled.
Harry’s grin dropped and he stood. If there was one thing he wouldn’t stand for, it was people insulting his friends. He moved around the Patils and held a hand out for Malfoy. “Obviously, who you’re looking for isn’t here, but my name’s Harry if that counts for anything.”
The boy sneered, actually sneered like a comic villain, and took a step back as if worried Harry would infect him with manners or something. He opened his mouth to snap but Padma beat him to it. “Scamper off, Draco. Our compartment’s full.”
His eyes narrowed and unfortunately, Nott took that moment to shift in his seat, drawing the pale blond to focus in on him. “I doubt your father would appreciate the company you’re keeping, Nott.”
“I can hardly stop people from sitting near me.” He looked back down at his book as if bored. Harry desperately wanted to cultivate that utter lack of care. “Perhaps the Malfoy family has forgotten the fine art of comportment but the Notts have not.”
Malfoy flushed and fled the space with his hulking shadows. Harry fell back to his seat with a laugh. “What an interesting start to the year.”
Padma gave him an amused side-glance as Hermione stared at the empty space Malfoy left. “Do you think Harry Potter is on the train?”
Harry resisted the urge to groan. Were they still going to discuss this?
Nott, the traitor, leaned forward with unusual enthusiasm. “I think that entirely depends on if he’s been kidnapped or not.”
Hermione was hooked and Neville was cautiously curious. The Patil twins were mirrored epitome of glee and mischief. Padma did not look at Harry, but the entire conversation was pointed and making him regret every single choice he made in friends. “You’re right. If he had been kidnapped, there’s no way his kidnappers would let him on the train. And if he wasn’t kidnapped, why the big deal?”
Harry was not participating in this. He wasn’t going to do it. With deliberate moves, he turned to Neville and asked, “Want to play match stack? I’ve got a deck.”
The boy blinked at him, frowning. “What’s match stack?”
Oops. Harry forgot it wasn’t a game played in Great Britain. With a shrug, he pulled out the playing cards. “I learned it when I was with my aunt in Russia. She was born there so we spend every Christmas visiting. It’s pretty easy.”
Thankfully, he was able to pull the conversation away from the mystery of Harry Potter and into magical games that vary by region. Gobstones and chess were preferred in Britain and Harry didn’t really care for either. He was horrible at chess and gobstones was always so messy. Match stack could get heated as the cards were designed to shriek if they weren’t matched properly, but it was easy enough to follow and easier to keep the enchanted decks handy.
The English countryside passed on in a blur as the group played and laughed and exchanged sweets and stories. All too soon they were in their robes and spilling out onto the train station.
Harry dithered outside his classmates, risking a glance to the dark forest, where he had no doubt Natasha and Clint would be camping soon. He looked up at the castle next, a thrill of excitement and dread curling uncomfortably in his gut.
This was it.
He was really doing this.
“C’mon Harry!” Parvati pulled him to the boats. Only four could fit on a boat, so Hermione and Neville, with promises to find them on the shore, joined others.
“Bets on what house Harry Potter ends up in?” Padma said with a grin once the boats began to glide across the water. He threw her a glare, rethinking the gifts he had planned.
“Gryffindor,” Nott claimed almost instantly. “Anyone idiotic enough to get on the Hogwarts Express when the entire world is searching for him belongs in the house of brash acts.”
Harry sulked further into his seat. He should have joined Hermione and Neville. They wouldn’t abuse him like this.
“Fair point.” Padma tapped her chin. “But doing so without alerting anyone implies intelligence enough for a Ravenclaw.”
“He also must have blended into the background,” Parvati chimed in. “Hufflepuffs are notorious for their ability to hide in plain sight. To go unnoticed.”
That was it. He was joining Slytherin just to spite them. He resolutely ignored their cackling as he took in his first sight of Hogwarts.
The castle glittered on the lake against the darkening sky. It breathed magic in ways that he couldn’t quite pinpoint. Maybe he would ask Professor Manesh the theory behind it, if there was a way to feel magic in the air of historical sights like this. Or if there could be such a magical reserve that it permeated the air.
They stumbled out of the boats underneath the castle and were greeted by the stern Professor McGonagall. She offered some speech before ushering them through the castle to large double doors.
And then the doors opened.
Oh.
A thousand candles dotted the ceiling like stars. Students chattered at long tables. Ghosts flitted here and there. Hermione whispered random facts in his ear that she learned from books. Excitement rushed through him, drowning out the uncertainties for a moment. Harry fervently hoped he never stopped being amazed by magical sights.
They all pushed forward, equal parts eager and fearful.
In front of the table of staff, the ratted piece of cloth moved and began to sing. As it finished, McGonagall began to call the first students for sorting. In the throng of chaos, Padma and Parvati grabbed both his hands and squeezed. He offered them a tight smile of thanks in return.
He didn’t care much for the majority, but he paid attention to those he met on the train. Hermione ended up in Gryffindor. She hopped off the stool chewing her lip in thought. Neville looked ready to faint as he sat in front of everyone. And the poor boy seemed to sit there the longest time before being relegated to Hufflepuff.
Malfoy ended up in Slytherin, which made Harry hesitate in his desire to end up in that house. Nott, when he was called, paused by Harry before whispering, “Good luck, Potter.”
Harry snorted and was unsurprised by his sorting into Slytherin.
Padma went next in their group, the number of students awaiting sorting rapidly dwindling. She looked Harry dead in the eye and said, “Friends no matter where we’re sorted.”
“Promise,” he said with a nod and a smile. She nodded and flounced up, the hat barely on her head before placing her in Ravenclaw.
Well, he’d have at least one friend no matter what house he ended up in. Parvati bounded up, beaming as she was placed in Gryffindor with Hermione. Harry tensed and waited.
“Harry Potter.”
Whispers broke over the hall like hissing snakes. He took a deep breath and channeled his best Natasha poker face. Straightening his shoulders and raising his chin, he walked up to the hat and ignored the stares and gawking from students and teachers alike.
It was a welcome relief that the hat slipped over his eyes and blocked out the Great Hall.
What a fascinating conflict of characteristics.
He tensed, ready to discover if he could actually do all those spells Natasha made him memorize for emergencies.
Relax, Mr. Potter. I’m the sorting hat, not an enemy. I’m here to help you flourish during your next seven years. You would be a good fit for all the houses.
By invading my mind? Harry thought viciously. He was not at all comfortable with this scrutiny, although he didn’t know what else he should have expected. How else could they determine which house except through a semi-sentient being?
Your mind is safe. I cannot read more than surface traits and am sworn to secrecy. Now, where to put you? You’re plenty brave, you’d have to be. And not a bad mind. A great deal of cunning to hide so long. And loyal in spades.
Harry rolled his eyes. Does that mean I get to choose? Cuz I have some money riding on me ending up in Slytherin.
The hat laughed. I don’t think you’d enjoy that as much as you think.
Harry knew that. As much as he joked about it, he knew if he ended up in Slytherin he’d be fighting ‘the next Dark Lord’ rumors the rest of his life. And Harry had plans . Plans that didn’t involve fighting an uphill battle. Plus, a small, unacknowledged part of him wanted to make his parents proud. Logically, he knew Slytherin had nothing to do with being evil, but he couldn't help thinking about his parents' killer when thinking about that house.
Hufflepuff? Harry asked hopefully.
The hat gave an amused hum. I think I know just the place.
“Gryffindor!”
Harry’s groan, and internal relief, was drowned out by the raucous applause.