Chapter Text
Harry Potter stopped next to the wall between platforms nine and ten at King’s Cross Station in London. He casually glanced around to make sure that no one was watching him. After taking a deep breath he walked straight through the wall.
There were many things that made Harry Potter different from the other travelers at the train station, but first and foremost was the fact that he was a wizard. Harry was at King’s Cross to catch the train to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his sixth year.
Harry passed through the other side of the wall and looked around the empty platform. The train wouldn’t leave for another hour so the place was still deserted. Harry hauled his trunk onto the last car on the train. He chose a compartment near the back and sat down, leaving his trunk on the floor under the window. He pulled his Potions book, some parchment, a quill and ink from his trunk and sat back to start his first summer essay.
Harry’s uncle locked all of his school things away as soon as he arrived home for the summer, meaning Harry could never complete his assignments until he got on the train. It had become tradition to spend the train ride and generally the entire first night back trying to finish all of the work he had been assigned for the summer.
His aunt and uncle hated magic. They had been forced to take Harry in after his parents had been killed by death eaters when he was 15 months old. They had hoped to keep him from becoming a wizard but were unsuccessful. On Harry’s 11th birthday Professor Vector from Hogwarts came, delivered his letter, and told him of his heritage. She took him shopping for his school supplies and taught him how to operate the Knight Bus so he could get to King’s Cross to catch the train. His relatives were not happy but, in order to keep the ‘freaks’ from returning, let him go to Hogwarts. Just shy of an hour later Harry was pulled out of his essay by voices outside of his compartment.
“I cannot believe you made us late!” Draco Malfoy declared loudly as he stormed down the corridor of the Hogwarts Express. “We are never going to find an empty compartment now.”
“I’m sorry, Draco” His best friend, Blaise Zabini whined. “I didn’t know it would take that long to buy one book.”
Blaise’s girlfriend, Pansy Parkinson snickered. “Come on, we will just kick some underclassmen out of their compartment. Look there is only one kid in here.”
Draco looked through the window. There was a small, dark haired boy sitting alone. He had his feet pulled up in the seat, writing on a piece of parchment.
“Shall I tell him to leave?” Pansy asked with a sneer.
“No.” Draco said. “He doesn’t look like he will be a bother. We can share. It’s not his fault we are late.” He threw another glare at Blaise.
“Really?” Blaise said skeptically. It wasn’t like Draco to be considerate to a random underclassman, or share for that matter, and this kid didn’t look any bigger than a third year.
Draco opened the compartment door and walked in. When the kid didn’t look up he cleared his throat. The boy jumped and looked up nervously. Draco was taken by his startling green eyes hidden behind hideous round, black glasses. There was something off about them. They were full of pain and sadness and Draco was determined to figure out why.
“Sorry. Someone made us late and everywhere else is occupied. Can we sit here?” Draco asked. The boy stared at him for a second then nodded reluctantly. “Great. I’m Draco Malfoy. This is Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson.” They put their trunks away and sat down.
“So what’s your name kid?” Blaise asked.
“Harry Potter.” He muttered quietly. The train pulled away from the station and Harry went back to his essay.
“So what year are you in Harry?” Pansy asked.
Harry looked up startled at being addressed again. “Sixth year, same as you.” He stated looking back down at his parchment.
The three Slytherins stared at him. He was in their year? He certainly didn’t look like a sixth year. How was it that they didn’t know who he was? Draco studied him. He did look familiar. He was wearing the grey slacks and white long sleeved button up of the school uniform, that were obviously too large for him, but no tie or robes to place him in a house.
“What house are you in?” Blaise asked not caring as much for subtly. “And why do I not know you?”
Harry sighed. “Don’t worry. No one knows me.” He said bitterly not looking up from his essay. “I’m in Gryffindor.”
The Slytherins were shocked. They would not have pegged this kid to be a Gryffindork. Harry glanced up when they didn’t say anything. The Slytherins were studying him. He quickly looked back to his parchment.
Draco continued to watch Harry as Pansy and Blaise chatted. Harry was writing quickly, only looking to check the Potions text lying on the seat beside him. The boy was small, not just short but incredibly thin. He looked like he hadn’t eaten a decent meal in ages. Even though he seemed to be completely focused on his essay, Harry was tense. Every so often he would look up and glance around for anything that might be a threat.
About two hours into the trip Harry finished his Potions essay. He closed his text book and rolled up his parchment then sat up and stretched. He looked out the window trying to gauge where they were which was almost impossible considering the entire train ride was English countryside.
Draco looked up at him from the book he was reading. “Did you not do your holiday homework?” Draco asked as Harry dug his transfiguration book out of his trunk. “Snape’s going to kill you. He hates last minute assignments.” Draco smirked.
“That’s why I did his first. I rush less in the beginning so I do them in order of how strict the teacher is. Not that it really matters. Snape never gives me a fair grade.” Harry mumbled.
“Wait a minute!” Blaise exclaimed. “You’re that kid that Snape picks on in Potions.” Harry nodded.
Draco did recall many instances where his godfather had been unnecessarily cruel to one of the Gryffindors in their class, but since it was a Gryffindor Draco never paid much attention. “Why does he hate you so much?”
“I don’t really know.” Harry offered. “Apparently there was some bad blood between him and my father but I never knew him so I’m not sure why it matters.” Draco filed that information away for later.
“So why didn’t you do your homework?” Pansy asked curiously.
“Oh… Um… I was without my trunk over the holiday so I didn’t have a chance to do it.” Harry stuttered.
“Why?” Draco inquired.
“It doesn’t matter.” Harry was saved from further questioning when the food trolley came by. Harry bought a few sandwiches and some pastries. He hadn’t eaten today, or yesterday for that matter and it was looking like it was going to be a long night.
“How in the world are you so tiny? If I ate like that I would blow up like a balloon.” Pansy groaned.
Harry blushed. “I… uh… I didn’t get breakfast this morning. And it’s not all for now; I’m probably going to be up all night working on these essays.” Harry realized that this very well may have been the most he had spoken to anyone at Hogwarts, ever. He wasn’t sure why he was talking so freely to these people. He took one sandwich and laid it on the seat while shoving the rest in his trunk for that night. He ate the sandwich slowly so he wouldn’t get sick and read through his transfiguration assignment.
Draco watched him as he started his next essay before turning back to Blaise and Pansy. He found himself occasionally watching the smaller boy throughout the rest of the train ride. There was just something about him that intrigued Draco.
By the time the train pulled into Hogsmeade station Harry had finished his Transfiguration essay and started on the one for Herbology. Although he had made good progress, despite the interruptions from the Slytherins in his compartment, it was still going to be a long night. He had four and a half essay left to finish, although divination was a joke so he would save that for last. This was one of the times he was glad that the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers never made it more than one year, it just meant there was one less essay to write. It didn’t really matter that he would be kept up all night working. He hardly slept the first week or two back anyway.
Harry and the Slytherins packed up their belongings and left the train. Harry nodded to them as he walked off to find a carriage. He found one that was empty soon to be joined by none other than the Golden Trio, Neville Longbottom, the boy who lived, and his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
Hermione greeted him as they sat down and the carriage took off. Harry gave her a small smile. He wasn’t sure if she actually knew who he was but it was nice to be acknowledged anyway. Harry looked up to see the castle come into view. His smile became more genuine as he looked upon his home. He may not have friends here but it was still a hell of a lot better than Privet Drive. Although it didn’t take much to be better than Privet Drive. Here he got food, a real bed, and time away from his uncle and his punishments. Harry shook away those thoughts and hopped out of the carriage as it stopped in front of the castle. As he left the Golden Trio behind he hear Ron ask “who was that?”
-:-
“Sirius, will you calm down!?” Remus Lupin said in exasperation to the man sitting next to him who was bouncing in his seat.
“Remy! I’m going to see my godson for the first time in 15 years! Forgive me for being excited!” Sirius Black replied as he resumed searching the great hall for his godson.
Remus placed a hand on Sirius’ knee and pointed at the small, black haired teen walking into the hall. “There he is.”
Sirius watched him walk to the Gryffindor table and sat in the corner by the door to the entrance hall. He rubbed his moist eyes and said “Merlin Remus. He looks just like James.”
“And he has Lily’s eyes.” Remus stated.
Sirius just stared at his godson. “He’s so small.”
“I know. He doesn’t seem to have grown much since I was here three years ago. I’d hoped he just hadn’t hit his growth spurt yet but he seems to have missed it all together.” Remus said sadly.
The students all took their seats and Professor McGonagall led the first years into the hall. Harry pulled his Herbology essay out of his pocket and continued writing. He didn’t notice that he was not the only one ignoring the sorting. There were two pair of eyes watching him from the head table and one pair from Slytherin. Harry didn’t look up until Dumbledore stood to give his speech.
“Welcome students, new and old, to another year at Hogwarts. I’d like to introduce our new teachers. First I want to welcome back Professor Remus Lupin who is going to be teaching an evening dueling class for the upper years. And Professor Sirius Black will be taking over the Defense Against the Dark Arts position.” Murmurs filled the hall. “Now I’m sure many of you remember three years ago he escaped from Azkaban Prison. It turns out that he was completely innocent. Peter Pettigrew was captured in the ministry last year proving Professor Black’s innocence so no need to worry, I have not hired a mass murderer to teach you defense.” There were a few chuckles and some more murmurs among the students. “Now I am sure you are all hungry so tuck in.” Dumbledore sat down and the food appeared on the table.
Harry picked up a drumstick from the platter in front of him and went back to his essay, ignorant to the eyes still watching him. Dumbledore stood and gave the annual warnings about the forest and magic in the corridors and sent them off to bed.