the start of cannon (finally!!)

As I walked into the grand hall of Hogwarts only a single thought passed through my mind. Majestic. The banners. The candles. The view of the sky, magically enchanted on the ceiling, the floating magical candles. All accentuated it's beauty to superhuman levels.

And this was the reaction of me! A technical adult! Imagine that of the children with me. Few of them were looked blue from holding their breath for so long, from amazement. Even the purebloods were barely able prevent gasps from escaping. Just when they thought they had seen everything after the gigantic magical SQUID protecting the lake. Then they see this.

The journey from the train to here was eventful. But nothing exactly memorable. I mean yeah. Giant magical squid. Ghosts. Poltergeists. But at this point I'm like, meh, what's new??

(AN: just in case to those who are wondering. No Hermione did not help Neville with the toad. Why? because THE boy who lived did not have a TOAD as a pet.)

Then the hat started singing.

Should I be worried that I said that sentence and it actually made sense???

Hermione tugged at me with a worried look and asked:"do you think the hat will read our minds.... For you know the house sorting."

I replied smirking:" and what salicious secret is your mind hiding that the hat shouldn't know about?? "

She scowled blushing:"I-I don't HAVE any 'salicious' secrets. It's just... Privacy... Y'know!"

I rose an eyebrow my smirk widening.

"oh, shut UP!! "

I chuckled and replied:"I messing with you!! And no I don't the hat reads minds! "

"how so???"

"because many people attend this institution. Those people include purebloods with many magical secrets of theirs which they would very much like not to be public knowledge. If they realized Hogwarts is stealing pure blood family secrets this school will be locked within seconds."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully:"I guess that does make sens-"

"GRANGER, HERMIONE"

she was startled suddenly but quickly regained her nerves. She looked at me and I nodded in reassurance. She nodded back and went towards the podium.

"hello,... Harry potter." Someone called me. I turned around in confusion. Someone knew who I was? I wasn't the boy who lived. I didn't have cannon Harry's fame. Subconsciously my magic flared as a self preservation mechanism. I turned around instantaneously, my magic mobilising in my hands, ready to strike, until.... I saw the person's face.

The varyness was replaced by surprise and then confusion. I frowned as I relaxed my stance. My magic dissipated as I relaxed and then I greeted the individual back:

...

"hello... Neville longbottom."

__________________________________________

The tense atmosphere seemed contagious as all the students looked at our standoff with varying expressions. I paid them no attention as my eyes were solely focused on Neville. I almost didn't recognize him for a second.

The self conscious,scaredy cat cannon Neville was nowhere to be seen. In his place was a confident, assured Neville. His posture was straight and his face was relaxed. I realized. This was not a Neville that grew up traumatized by two psychologically ailed parents. This was the son of two heroes who gave up their lives for the betterment of wizarding kind.

This single fact created a change in the timeline which snowballed up to create a Neville who wasn't just brave on the inside but on the outside as well.

I asked: "you know me??? "

"of course!!." Neville replied enthusiastically :"Harry potter. the son of James and Lily potter. I grew up hearing the stories about your parents. They were my personal heroes growing up. "

"I... See"

"blimey" shouted a redhead who came out-of nowhere and put his hands around neville:" is that him? Harry potter?? He looks.... Dunno... Skinnier than I imagined."

Neville chuckled as he said:"this is Ron. Son of another fellow member of the order. "

Neville's face shifted into a confused one and asked"I saw you. At the station. But you quickly left as soon as I arrived. Did I- did I somehow offend you or-"

I interrupted him as I smiled:"no no no. I was simply... Intimidated, by the... human barricade. They WERE pretty clear about steering clear of you."

Neville blinked and then burst into laughter:" I am sorry if they gave you that impression. My uncles, my aunts and especially my grandma. They can often be a little extreme. But they mean well."

I smiled in reply.

Neville and Ron became friends. I guess it takes more than a change in the timeline to break up the friendship of the child of prophecy and a weasley. Looks like they met up via order connections. Not only did the change in the timeline, not succeed in breaking up the golden trio it also help accelerate the process. This opened up many, many more questions about time travel. But that was for later.

Neville's intentions with me were obvious. He wanted another order ally. This was his attempt at recruiting me. Too bad I wasn't fucking stupid. I had more than enough interaction with cannon characters than needed. I looked at his phony salesman smile and smiled back.

For now I had collected all the information I needed. I didn't need any more interaction with the child of prophecy than absolutely necessary. It was time to break off.

I smiled as I extended my hand:"It has been... A pleasure, meeting you Neville."

Neville looked a bit disappointed. My reply to his invitation had been pretty obvious. He sighed and put a smile back on his face as he replied:" it has been a pleasure meeting you as well, Harry."

He extended his hand back as we both shook.

Suddenly I had an idea.

I summoned a tiny bit of arcane from within me and added to the handshake. Neville's eyes widened in surprise. But almost immediately it vanished being replaced by a smile.

A tingle ran through my skin. My entire being screamed danger. The world froze for a full second.

....

A Torret of magic came rushing out into my body. My entire body froze in one place unable to move. Magic ravaged through every single one of my cells without mercy.

His magical pressure was higher than anything I had ever experienced. It was higher than probably ten times my own magical pressure.

This was the new child of prophecy. Not a malnourished child who didn't even understand what a lumos meant but a warrior who had been preparing himself to face his parents' murderer from birth. A child who was blessed by magic itself.

I inwardly sighed. The future of wizarding world was safe!

But then my focus was turned to my current predicament. Sure I could have retracted my magical and backed down. But I didn't want to. My body stood frozen up in front of the superior magical power but my mind raced. He might have stronger and larger magic reserve than mine. But he was simply pouring his ginormous reserves at me. There was no finesse or control. He was simply brute forcing.

But if there was one thing I understood from my ten years of (useless) magical practice, it was control. I focused and sharpened my mind. I felt my own magic laying inside of me. I summoned it with all my might and send it towards him. His superior reserves started resisting my own.

But instead of a head on collision with it I sensed for a weak spot by thinly spreading my magic. I immediately noticed a spot thinly covered than other. My magic rushed out pushing in.

His expression turned surprised. He smirked and increased his own Magic Power while u kept searching for weak spots controlling my magic precisely.

To outsiders it looked a too long awkward handshake. But to me it was my first actual magical fight. Our eyes never broke off. Both sides kept powering up not backing down. Power Vs control. The ultimate battle of supremacy. Both of us unwilling to back down.

The aura around us slowly started changing. Magic itself started solidifying. It started taking physical presence slowly alerting those around us. We both grew number to outside interferences. The senses slowly disappearing until-

"GRYFFINDOR"

Instantly our magic dissipated. We both came back to our senses and our eyes widened. We immediately withdrew our hands in slightl awkwardness and forcibly smiled at each other.

I turned around to see Hermione walking from the podium to her seat in gryffindor table. This entire encounter had actually only taken the time required for Hermione's sorting.

"that was.... interesting." said Neville prompting me back into our standoff.:"see you around Harry. "

I smiled back in reply. Cannon has finally started.