Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc, etc. Anyone who thinks I do own Harry Potter is an idiot.

A/N: Before you read this you might want to check out the last chapter. I've made a few changes. All the information is in the Author Note at the beginning of the chapter.

Now, if you're caught back up, I think I need to explain something. This story is an AU, but only just. The events that take place are mostly the same, with slight differences, and some major differences. I've also already written two stories within this Universe. They are Harry Potter and the Alternate Universe: Year Six, and the sequel to that, Harry Potter and the Year of Discord. You can read them now if you like, or you could wait until I've finished this, it's completely up to you, but I will say that if you are waiting for the Harry/Hermione interaction, you'll be waiting all the way to Year Six.

Whatever you decide, I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading. Leave a review please.

Harry sat on the bed in his new bedroom at Privet Drive. The room was full of Dudley's old junk, but at least he had a little more room.

The Dursleys had been surprised when he showed up on their doorstep and even more surprised at the contemplative look he had on his face. He was quieter than usual while he moved around the house doing most of the chores. They had barely said a word to each other.

The truth was that Harry had a lot to think about. He was a wizard. He'd just found out that his parents hadn't died in a car crash as he thought, but had been murdered by some evil wizard named Voldemort.

It answered a lot of questions, but raised some new ones as well.

Such as: what do I do now?

Hagrid had said he didn't believe that Voldemort was really gone. He was sure the evil wizard would return some day. That thought tightened Harry's gut. If he was still alive, and he would return, then Harry had some unfinished business with him.

Voldemort had even tried to kill Harry once already. He didn't know why, but if he tried once, maybe he would try again. Chances are he would.

Harry was scared by this prospect more than anything. This Voldemort had grown men so terrified of him that they wouldn't even say his name. But Harry wasn't going to let his fear rule him. Harry had a power inside him as well, and he finally knew what it was. He was a wizard. He vowed to become the strongest wizard ever - stronger than Voldemort.

And he was going to start now.

Harry opened the books in front of him, the books he had manipulated Hagrid into buying for him, and started to read.

The Dursleys dropped him off outside the train station on September the first and left him without a word. Harry wasn't worried. He struggled to drag his trunk and Hedwig (his owl - who was shut inside her cage and not at all happy about it) over to where they kept the trolleys. With a huge grunt of effort, Harry attempted to lift his trunk into the trolley. He would have failed, but for the kind assistance of a passing stranger. The man helped Harry load his trunk, glancing askance at his owl, and then peering into his face.

'Thanks,' Harry said, a little awkwardly. He still wasn't used to people being nice to him.

'Not a problem,' the red haired man replied. 'Will you be okay with that?' He pointed at the trolley, still looking curiously at Harry. 'Maybe you're parents could help you…?'

'I'm fine,' Harry said, avoiding the question. He began to push the trolley into the station.

'So you are,' the man said to himself, frowning.

Harry made his way over to platforms nine and ten. He was looking for a platform nine and three quarters, but it was nowhere to be found. He hadn't noticed any other platforms similarly numbered, so logically he deduced that some magical passage (perhaps like the entrance to Diagon Alley) must exist. He just had to find it.

He lingered in the area, wishing he had asked Hagrid about this, or that Hagrid would have told him. This was a bit of an oversight on his part, wasn't it?

Then he heard something that caught his attention.

'…wonder where you're dad got off too, no doubt he's got lost, always so fascinated by the Muggles,' a plump woman was saying as she ushered her children before her. Harry latched on the word. Muggles. Hagrid had used that word to describe his aunt and uncle. It meant non-magical people.

Harry wheeled his trolley over and discreetly loitered near them. Watching out of the corner of his eye, Harry was envious of their easy, fun loving family camaraderie. Then one of the children, a red haired boy, ran towards the barrier that separated platforms nine and ten, and suddenly disappeared. Two more children followed, and then a third.

Harry thought he knew what to do now, but he wanted to be sure.

Reluctantly, he approached the lady, who was talking to her only remaining child, a young, also red-haired, girl.

'Excuse me?'

'Yes?'

'How does that work, exactly?' Harry gestured to the barrier.

The woman looked first at him, then his owl, before smiling at him encouragingly. 'You just have to walk right through. It's easy. Make sure no one is watching and then go. Best do it a run if its your first time.'

'Why can't I go?' the young girl whined.

'You're not old enough Ginny.'

'Thanks,' Harry said as he walked away.

'You're…' the woman frowned after him, belatedly finishing with, '…welcome.'

Harry didn't hear. He was already running, and then suddenly emerging onto a new platform. He found what he was looking for, a sign above his head proclaiming: Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

A large steam engine was before him, the platform packed with students and parents, people just like him, all of them wizards and witches. Harry went to find a place to sit on the train. He found an empty compartment and struggled to fit his trunk into place, finally managing it with a heave. Just then the door to the compartment opened and three boys entered.

'Oh, hey,' the silver haired boy from Madam Maulkin's said, looking him up and down. The two other boys flanked him.

Harry nodded in response and went to sit down. He set Hedwig down in the space next to him and reached down to open his trunk and retrieve the book he had placed on the top. He heard the other boys moving around and talking.

'My name's Draco Malfoy, by the way,' the silver haired boy said once Harry had sat back up. 'This is Crabbe and Goyle.' He motioned to his two companions.

Harry remained silent.

'You don't say much, do you? Cat got your tongue?' There was a slight edge of mockery to Malfoy's words. Harry continued to ignore him. 'What's your name? What? Are you deaf?'

'Leave him alone,' a new voice said. Harry peered over the tip of his book. It was one of the red headed boys. 'He obviously doesn't want to talk to you.'

'Look what we have here,' Malfoy looked at the new boy with a sneer. 'A Weasley, right? Red hair. Freckles. Yeah, definitely a Weasley. My father told me all about you and your family. Is it true you live in a dirt hole?'

'Shut your mouth,' the new boy snarled, going red. He looked at Harry. 'Come on. You can come sit with me if you want.'

Harry did consider it. This new boy seemed a lot nicer than Malfoy, but then…

Harry remembered what Malfoy had said in the robes shop. He was sure he'd be in Slytherin - the same house as Voldemort, and most dark wizards, according to Hagrid. And if you wanted to know your enemy, the best way was to watch and observe. So maybe…

'I'm fine here,' Harry said, and then went back to reading. He missed the shock and surprise on Weasleys face. The boy eventually shut the compartment door and left, ignoring the taunting words Malfoy shouted after him.

'So, you actually do have a little taste, don't you.' Malfoy paused for a moment. 'What is your name?'

Harry had already made his mind up. If he were going to learn about his enemy, then he would need to interact with those like him.

'Harry Potter.'

Malfoy and his two friends fell silent. Only Malfoy managed to keep a composed face. Crabbe and Goyle both looked like their mouths would remain struck like that - permanently unhinged.

'Well, Potter,' Malfoy eventually said, 'you seem to have a good sense of what's right and what's wrong, but not everything is as obvious as the Weasleys. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.'

He held out his hand. Although Harry personally didn't think much of Draco Malfoy, he still extended his hand. They locked eyes as they shook. Malfoys grip was a little tighter than necessary, but Harry had no problem returning it.

Introductions over, Harry sat back down and went to continue reading. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle shared a look. Malfoy indicated they should keep quiet and observe, so the two larger boys did so.

Harry ignored all this as he read his book.

'Is it true you live with Muggles?' Malfoy didn't try to keep the disgust from his voice.

'Yeah,' Harry said, 'my aunt and uncle.'

'And you like that?' Malfoy was looking at him closely, clearly still testing him.

Harry put his book down. He knew what Malfoy wanted to hear.

'No, I hate it,' he said.

'Hmm,' Malfoy hummed thoughtfully. 'I know I would. Muggles. That'd be like living with a family of cockroaches, wouldn't it?'

Crabbe and Goyle laughed. Harry kind of smiled. It was refreshing for people to take his side. For years, he'd been the cockroach, but now everything was changing.

'Big cockroaches,' Harry supplied dryly.

Malfoy smirked. 'What are they like?'

Harry thought for a moment. For years he had thought nothing of himself. The Dursleys had made sure of that. He knew his aunt and uncle had been good to him. They had taken him in. They had clothed him and fed him and sent him to school, despite his strange roots. He hadn't been able to talk to them over the rest of the summer. He hadn't been able to ask them why they had lied to him. He figured they wanted to give him a chance to leave his past behind him.

Unfortunately, he knew he couldn't do that. He knew what he was now, and despite that, he would embrace it. He would try not to undo all the hard work his aunt and uncle had put in to make him a better person, he would try to be as good as he could, but he couldn't ignore his origins.

'They're…' Harry searched for the right words. 'Dull.'

'I bet,' Malfoy said, laughing with Crabbe and Goyle.

Another distraction arrived then. A small girl with lots of bushy brown hair stood in the doorway, looking nervously around.

'Oh,' she exclaimed, 'I'm sorry. Everywhere else is full. Can I sit here?'

Harry had no interest in this conversation, so he picked up his book and began to read again. Nevertheless, the conversation caught his attention.

'You're a muggleborn, aren't you?' That was Malfoy. His tone was not friendly.

Harry looked over the rim of his book at the girl. She looked so out of place, clutching a book to her chest.

'Erm… my parents are muggles… yes.'

'Sorry, this compartment is full.' Malfoy pointed to the door, signalling that she should leave.

Harry saw her bite her bottom lip. He felt sorry for her, but he couldn't hurt the small progress he had made with Malfoy. She looked at him for support. Harry stayed silent.

'Go on then Mudblood, get out of here.'

She looked at him again, and he saw tears in her eyes this time. She fled the room with a sniff, closing the door behind her quickly. Malfoy and his friends laughed as she ran. His heart went out to her. He knew what it was like to be singled out.

'Stupid Mudblood,' Malfoy said, 'like we'd let her sit with us. She'll probably be in Hufflepuff.'

Crabbe and Goyle laughed louder. 'Yeah,' Crabbe agreed.

'She might not be,' Goyle said slowly.

Malfoy smirked. 'Want to place a bet on that?'

Harry shut them out and went back to reading. Not long after, the train began to move. He was on his way to Hogwarts.

A/N: You may recognise some of the dialogue in this chapter. Some of it is directly from Philosopher's Stone, others from my Year Six (the scene with Hermione). Review and let me know what you think.