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.

Harry snuck out his first night. Malfoy, Zabini and the rest of his roommates had long since fallen asleep. Zabini snored loudly, but that wasn't what kept Harry from sleeping. He felt compelled to explore this new world he would be living in… a feeling he couldn't ignore. Hogwarts represented that world.

He didn't need to get dressed (he hadn't undressed), so slipping out of his dorm room was easy, and he also had no trouble navigating the common room silently - he had a lot of practise in stealth due to his days with the Dursleys. The door to Slytherin house closed with a muted click.

Harry felt the cold chill of the dungeons welcome him.

Not even knowing where he was headed, he chose a direction and walked. It was a truly freeing experience. He didn't go far his first night, but just the simple act of taking a stroll during the night, listening to the silence, feeling its soft comforting embrace, was one of the greatest experiences of his life up to this point.

Lessons began the next day.

Harry was interested in all of them, but some proved to be a bit of joke. Still, he would persevere. He was, after all, determined to become the greatest wizard of all time. The one he looked forward to most of all - Defence Against the Dark Arts.

This was taught by the stuttering, incompetent Professor Quirrel. He felt let down, but also intrigued. It wasn't anything his Professor had to teach that intrigued him though. It was the way the wizard acted around him - with sidelong glances and undue interest. Okay, so maybe that wasn't such a big deal. Everyone stared at Harry. While he had in no way come to be even remotely comfortable with this fact, he had accepted it. But with Professor Quirrel… it just felt different.

That was the best he could explain it.

There was something odd about that wizard.

On one of his nightly strolls, he had a near miss with the Hogwarts caretaker Argus Filch. The man nearly caught him as he was crossing the Entrance Hall on his way up from the dungeons. Harry only just managed to evade him, by ducking behind an immobile statue (sometimes they moved).

As he waited for Filch to pass, he vowed to be more careful.

On Friday, he was prepared for his first Potions lesson. Slytherin's had that with the Gryffindor's, which no one in his house was happy about. There was some sort of eternal rivalry between those houses. Harry couldn't care less who they had the class with.

'Potions today Potter,' Zabini said, clapping him on the back in his usual manner. He leaned down and over, sticking his face uncomfortably close to Harry's. Harry drew back. Zabini was a pain. 'You ready?'

'Always,' Harry said.

Zabini laughed and ruffled his hair. Harry scowled at him and he laughed louder. 'Anyone ever tell you that you're a grumpy git?'

'No.'

Zabini shook his head. 'You're a mystery alright.'

The post arrived in the lull. Harry didn't even look up. Hedwig would do as she pleased, and who would be sending him post? As if to contradict this, a letter was dropped in his cereal. Harry quickly plucked it out and narrowed his eyes at his owl. Hedwig seemed to hoot at him mockingly. He shook the soggy letter at her and she fluttered away in protest. Then he unwrapped it and read the tiny missive.

It was from Hagrid, inviting him for tea.

'What's that?'

'None of your business,' he replied to Zabini, tearing it into unreadable pieces and dropping them back in his cereal. 'See you in Potions,' Harry called over his shoulder as he left.

No one else in Slytherin would speak to him - only Zabini.

Harry didn't know why, but the young wizard didn't seem to care what everyone else thought. Harry sometimes wished he would.

Professor Snape lectured them on Potions for most of the lesson.

Occasionally, he would ask a question, and he always seemed to look in Harry's direction. Harry figured the wizard was again testing him. He didn't have the chance to answer the first question (not that he would have).

A witch from Gryffindor already had her hand stretched into the air before Professor Snape had even finished. Harry thought she was familiar somehow… but he dismissed it. He had more important things to deal with.

When Professor Snape asked his next question, Harry kept his silence. He knew the answer, of course, but he wasn't at Hogwarts to show off his knowledge. He was here to further it. Plus, he didn't like to draw attention to himself. He already had more than enough attention, actually.

After the lecturing, Professor Snape put them to brewing a simple potion. Zabini joined Harry and they paired up. Harry worked quickly and efficiently, sometimes having to check his textbook for directions, but mostly working from memory. He had read the book cover to cover several times while at the Dursleys.

'It's official,' Zabini said, bating his eyelashes, and fake gushing, 'I love you man.'

Harry ignored him.

They were among the first to finish. Professor Snape praised him loudly, glancing over at the Gryffindors as if to say: 'This is how you brew a potion.'

When they where dismissed, Professor Snape added, 'Potter, a word.'

Harry waited for everyone to leave before approaching his teacher.

Professor Snape regarded him closely. 'Well done on today's potion,' he said.

'Thank you sir.'

Professor Snape continued to stare at him intently for several moments, before he said, 'you knew the answers to all my questions, didn't you.'

It wasn't a question, so Harry didn't answer.

'Why didn't you answer Potter?' There was real curiosity in Professor Snape's voice.

'I'm not fond of attention sir,' Harry said honestly. 'And I don't like to show off.'

Another moment, and then the head of Slytherin nodded. 'Of course. Perhaps that would be a wise choice for someone like you.'

Harry wondered at that statement, but he didn't query it out loud. 'Yes sir.'

Harry had an appointment with Hagrid at three.

He hadn't been to the giant's cottage before, but he knew the way. They had only seen each other briefly over the course of the week, and only in passing, so Harry was looking forward to seeing the giant. Imagine that, he thought, smiling.

Loud barking issued from within the tiny house after he knocked. 'Back Fang!' Harry heard Hagrid yell, and then the door was open and the giant's bushy face appeared, grinning down at him.

'Harry,' Hagrid said happily, and let him in. 'Have a seat.'

Harry sat down at the table.

'How've yer lessons been?'

'Fine,' Harry replied. 'I just came from Potions.'

'Snape treatin' ya okay?'

'Why wouldn't he?'

'Oh, no reason,' Hagrid said dismissively, but Harry knew he was hiding something. Another mystery he didn't have time for.

'Hagrid,' Harry said, resting his elbows on his knees, 'please don't baby me. Is there something I should know about Professor Snape?'

'Ah, well.' Hagrid shifted around uncomfortably.

Harry gave him an encouraging look.

'Well, I s'pose,' Hagrid muttered, and then went on louder, 'see Harry, Professor Snape went to school with yer mum and da.'

'And?'

'Yer da and Professor Snape didn't really… get on…'

'Why?'

'Yer da was a Gryffindor, of course,' Hagrid said, and he looked at Harry meaningfully, but only for a second, before continuing, 'and Snape were in Slytherin. That alone was enough for animosity, but… it was worse than that. I don't know why, so don't ask me.'

'And you think Professor Snape would hold that against me?'

'No,' Hagrid said quickly, and then he started making tea.

Harry watched him work. He noticed how tense Hagrid seemed, and remembered the look from earlier. It was as if… Hagrid was uncomfortable having Harry here… but that couldn't be, because the giant had invited him. Unless…

'Do you want to ask me something Hagrid?'

Hagrid stopped making tea, but he didn't turn around. He just stood there. A deep, rumbling breath, and then he spoke, 'I have to admit… I'm surprised Harry. We all are.'

'About what?'

'Yer a Slytherin Harry,' he said. 'It makes people nervous.'

'And?'

'Thasit,' Hagrid said quickly.

Harry let the silence go on for a while as he thought. It couldn't hurt to tell Hagrid the truth, could it? But then, divulging information was never a strong suit of his. He liked to keep things close to the chest.

'Does it worry you?' Harry eventually asked.

Hagrid struggled to reply. That was answer enough. Hagrid didn't trust him. He was worried. Somehow, this made Harry feel guilty. He was starting to really hate that.

'You don't have to worry,' Harry replied. 'I have it all under control.'

Hagrid turned to face him. 'What do you mean?'

'I mean exactly what I said,' Harry said.

Hagrid nodded thoughtfully. Another silent pause followed. 'Tea Harry?'

'I'm fine thanks,' he said. He just wasn't comfortable accepting anything from anyone quite yet. Even Hagrid - the closest thing he had to a friend.

As the giant went back to his tea, Harry picked up the newspaper lying on the table. He read the front page. There was a story about a break in at Gringotts on the thirty-first of July… the day (it still felt alien to think of it as his birthday) he and Hagrid had bought his school supplies. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day, Harry read.

It must be the vault Hagrid had emptied on orders from the Headmaster Dumbledore. It was too much of a coincidence to be otherwise. Hagrid had said it was urgent. He hadn't been lying.

But what was in it? Who wanted it? And why?

Harry shook his head to himself - he had too many questions.

A/N: And that's that. That was pretty fragmented, I know, but I think you best start getting used to it. I hope you enjoyed. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.