Chapter 3

"Which platform is it dear?" a red haired woman yelled over all the noises on the station.

"Platform 9 ¾ mother." The young girl immediately answered.

Harry took a quick look to see the woman followed by 5 children with the same freckles and red hair as their mother. Harry moved to the pillar dividing platform 9 and 10 and started running towards it. Harry opened his eyes to see a scarlet train. Several wizards strolled around with their children Harry moved to find an empty compartment before students started arriving.

Harry opened a compartment door but found it occupied by a girl.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there." Harry quickly replied, "I can find another compartment."

"Its alright. You can sit here if you want. You don't seem to have any wrackspurts near you." The girl replied.

Harry looked at the familiar face and tried to place where he had seen her when he realized, "You were the girl on the bus that day!"

Her eyes seemed to focus on him for a second and replied, "Yes Hadrian I was." Luna added "Not many remember me."

Harry felt bad for the girl. It was obvious that she was bullied. He took a seat opposite to her and saw her mark on a magazine. Harry realized something, "How did you know my name?"

Her dreamy expression disappeared for a second and she pointed at the tag attached to the bag I was carrying.

"Oh, okay. You can call me Harry if you want." Harry said.

Luna smiled, "You can call me Luna."

Harry searched for the book he was reading this morning. He took a look at her again before turning back to his book with a red tinge on his cheek.

Stupid Harry. He scolded. Stop acting so weirdly. What if she had seen you?

Just then the door opened and a bushy haired girl stepped in, "Have you seen a toad? A boy named Neville lost him."

Luna stayed silent and continued reading her magazine. Realizing that she was not going to speak Harry replied, "No, we have not but we will tell you if we do." Harry replied politely. He stopped himself from making a sarcastic comment as he was unwilling to make enemies before he even reached Hogwarts.

The girl frowned at Luna and huffed, "Its rude to ignore someone."

Harry quickly defended Luna, "So is barging a compartment without knocking first."

She turned embarrassed and gave him a dirty look before getting out and slamming the door shut.

"Thank you for that. She seemed to have several wrackspurts around her and I did not want to get infected by them." Luna said.

Harry felt blood rushing to his cheeks. He turned his head toward the window. Wow Harry, turn away just when you start talking to the pretty girl. He thought. The rest of the trip was uneventful.

The train stopped when they reached their destination. When Harry and Luna got out of the train with the rest of the students they heard a giant man yelling at everyone, "First years this way."

Harry, Luna and the remaining first years followed the man to the lake where a bunch of boats were present.

Harry entered the boat with Luna and the remaining seats were quickly filled up by a timid boy clutching a toad and another boy who could not stop talking.

Great. Harry thought, a boy who talks too less and a boy who talks too much.

Just then everyone started pointing at someone and whispering,

"That's Charles Potter!"

"He defeated You-Know-Who!"

"Do you think he will sign my hand?"

Harry tensed when he saw James Potter standing alongside a boy who looked like a copy of his father.

After waiting everyone to settle down Hagrid went onto his boat and led them as they drifted on the water. They took a turn and for the first time they saw the beautiful castle where they be staying for the next 7 years. Harry was captivated at the castle just like every other student. Harry was ready to take on what Hogwarts had to offer.

He entered through the large door to find several ghosts going through the walls. Harry heard someone scream and turned in that direction but could not find them.

A professor appeared and addressed the students, "Welcome to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Here you will learn the beautiful art of magic and make friends that may last for a lifetime. You will be sorted into Houses that will be like your family for the duration of your stay here."

She left for the great hall and they followed her. He heard someone say, "I heard that you need to wrestle a troll to pass the test."

At the word test the bushy haired girl started reciting every spell she had learnt. Shaking his head Harry looked and saw a dusty old hat placed on a chair. When everyone stopped moving it started to sing.

"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folks use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!

Once the song was over and the applause died down professor McGonagall said, "Once I call your name the student should come up and wear the Sorting hat. He will decide which house you will go to."

"Abbot, Hannah."

"Hufflepuff"

"Bones, Susan."

"Hufflepuff."

"Boot, Terry."

"Ravenclaw"

As everyone cheered for the students that entered their houses, Harry tuned out to take a look around. He could see empty golden plates and goblets. He quickly scanned the staff table and did not like what he saw. At the centre Headmaster Dumbledore was sitting and smiling as students were being sorted into their houses. He also noticed Hagrid on the table. A professor wearing a large turban seemed to be staring at Charles Potter. Apart from them he could see the half goblin teacher who was clapping merrily after each sorting. Next to him he saw a man with greasy hair glaring at the Potters present on the other side of the table who were talking happily when they saw Charles Potter get sorted into Grryfindor. If Harry was not mistaken he was Severus Snape. He had heard James Potter complain and make fun of the man several times. But Harry did not have time for such thoughts when his name was called.

"Hofstader, Hadrian."

Harry moved towards the chair and sat down. The professor placed the Sorting Hat on his head.

'Now what do we have here. Nice to meet you Harry Potter or shoud I call you Hadrian Hofstader.' Harry was about to interrupt when the hat said. 'Don't worry, I was made such that I don't reveal the students secrets. The most I can do is tell what type of character the child has. And even then it would be a brief account given to the Headmaster and nobody else.'

Harry calmed down. 'You obviously don't want to go to Gryffindor with your brother and I don't see you as a person who would be ready to make many friends and be loyal to them. Even though you are a half blood at the current state of Slytherin they will target you because of your muggle surname. That house has really fallen down, or I would have put you in that House since you have all the traits Salazar wanted.

Well you do seem have a drive for learning new things and you try your best to excel in them. So better be "RAVENCLAW!"

Harry got up and moved to the Ravenclaw table where everyone were clapping. He was soon joined by Luna who had taken a seat to his right. After the sorting Dumbledore gave a short speech before allowing them to dig into the feast. With this Harry started his first night in Hogwarts.

A week had passed since Harry had entered Hogwarts. He was fascinated by all the secrets Hogwarts held. The classes were going well but he was not very satisfied with the professors. The history class was a joke with a ghost teaching it. His classes were the official naptime for the students. His monotonous voice along with the fact that he taught the same thing he did when he was still alive decades back made him the most useless teacher that needed replacing.

Quirrell looked like he was trying his best but with his stuttering he was unable to teach easily. Harry did not understand why he kept his fake stuttering. Anyone could figure out that he was faking his stuttering as he seemed to forget about it.

Then there was Snape. Before the class Harry did not know what to expect of him. James Potter always seemed to talk bad about him but it seemed as if James was the instigator. Especially with some of the stories he had told. When Harry reached the dungeon Snape had simply written the procedure for preparing a cure for boils and then went back to his book. He failed to give any instructions and the class had to brew the potion without any help.

He had heard that a boy named Neville managed to melt his cauldron. Thankfully nothing of that sort had happened. The Ravenclaws were able to make the potion while everyone in the Hufflepuff seemed to look out for each other. With that the class ended with no harm to anyone.

Harry sighed as he stared at the lake with his back resting on the tree.

"What's wrong?" Luna asked.

"Nothing." Harry replied. Harry had stopped a boy named Ron bullying her and calling her Loony. She stayed close to him since then. Harry did not mind as he was enjoying her company as well.

"If there was 1 thing you could change about Hogwarts then what would you?" Harry asked.

Luna thought for a while before replying, "They should allow us to choose classes in second year instead of third. I am pretty sure that everyone will be used to school by them."

Harry thought about what Luna said. It was true that Harry wanted to take Ancient Runes classes. He was interested in what they had to offer. It was also an important class for enchanting. The reason they had placed it in the third year was to allow the students to get used to the core classes but Harry was sure that the students can handle it in third year.

"It's getting dark." Luna said, "We should feed the squid before leaving."

Saying so she removed a pieces of bread from her bag and started tossing them in the water. Harry could see a tentacle reach out from the water and take the bread with it. Once she threw all the bread she had, they left to Hogwarts.

/\/\/\/\/\

"Where do you live?" Harry asked while following Victor.

"Here and there." Victor replied vaguely, "But for now we will be staying in this motel."

They made their way upstairs and reached the bedroom. Victor opened the room and went inside. Victor soon followed him. He stared at Harry for a long time and asked, "Are you willing to tell me why you ran away."

Harry shook his head.

"Alright, I won't pry. But if you are staying here you will have to pull your own weight, understood?"

Harry hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Good now go to sleep. We will talk more tomorrow."

Harry laid down on the bed. He did not know what tomorrow would be like but whatever it was he was ready for it. As long as Harry did not need to go back to that house he was willing to see where following Victor would take him. With that Harry fell into a deep sleep.

/\/\/\/\/\

Dumbledore watched as the final few professors entered the office.

"Is everyone present?" Dumbledore asked. "Good, now which year should we start from?"

"We can start from the first year." James Potter replied.

"If it's okay with everyone?" Dumbledore asked. Seeing that no one went against it, "Perhaps we can start from Slytherin and Gryffindor. They always seem to have a bit of rivalry going on."

"The Slytherins are well behaved." Snape said. James snorted at that. Ignoring him Snape continued, "The Gryffindor are filled with dunderheads as usual. Neville Longbottom is a walking disaster. He managed to melt his cauldron while preparing the easiest potion. Then we have Charles Potter. Even with 4 years of training he was unable to tell what a bezoar is. It was part of first year textbook."

James scoffed at him, "We taught him what he needs to know to defeat dark wizards. Potions are not going to help him with that." His wife nodded at that.

"Please tell me Instructor. Your classes seem to be much more important." Snape sneered.

"Snape, James perhaps you could take this elsewhere." Dumbledore said. "Are there any other students we need to know of?"

"There is Hermione Granger. She raises her hand for all the questions and is able to answer all our questions." Professor McGonagall said.

"I heard rumors that Charles Potter was bullying him Minerva." Professor Pomona said, "Is it true?"

"I'll check Pomona." Professor McGonagall said.

James Potter said, "Charles would never bully someone. The most he would do would be to play pranks. Hermione must have taken it the wrong way."

Snape was about to say something when Dumbledore interrupted, "What about Hufflepuff?"

Pomona said proudly, "The Hufflepuffs are well behaved. The second years seemed to be helping the first years. They will take just a week more to adjust to Hogwarts."

Dumbledore nodded then moved on to Professor Flitwick. Flitwick said, "They are all minding their business and trying the best to be better than the others. But the top 2 would be Luna Lovegood and Hadrian Hofstader. Practical wise they are in the top. They seemed to lag behind Hermione in the theoretical field."

The professors moved on to the remaining years. After spending some time discussing the upcoming OWL's and NEWT's Dumbledore dismissed everyone.

Minerva, Severus can you stay back." Dumbledore said.

The two sat back down on the chairs. "I would like what I am about to address to be a secret." Dumbledore said.

The two nodded. "How does Hadrian Hofstader treat Charles Potter?" Dumbledore asked.

They were surprised but Professor McGonagall answered, "I didn't notice anything."

Snape thought for a moment before replying, "Hadrian did seem slightly hostile to Charles during the feast but I cannot say for sure. Why are you asking this?"

Dumbledore said, "I am telling you this because I have trust in you. Hardrian Hofstader is Harry Potter."

The two gasped but Dumbledore continued, "He ran away from home due to uncertain reasons. I found out due to the Hogwarts invitation letter. I went and checked and he seemed healthy and happy with his brother. Both Hadrian and the Potter's seemed to be happy with this arrangement. I hope you guys will keep an eye on him for a week or two. It would be bad if he goes down the path of revenge."

"We will keep an eye on him." Professor McGonagall assured Dumbledore.

They were leaving the room when Dumbledore reminded Snape, "Keep an eye on Quirrell." Snape gave a curt nod and quickly left the office.

Seeing Snape leave Dumbledore sighed, I do wished that Snape had shown more emotions when I spilled Hadrian's secret. I hope he sees Hadrian as Lily's child instead of James'. Dumbledore sighed as he popped another sherbet lemon in his mouth.