Hogwarts Express

-September 1st, 1991- 1st POV

Well, let's start with power because everyone loves power. First is my Thunderbird Familiar, and with the Familiar bond, I'm able to take him to Hogwarts with me. I'm firmly at the elementary level of Mind Arts, Legilemancy and Occlumency. You will soon learn that a first-year spell is the same as a seventh-year spell just from a lower perspective. I plan to expand that knowledge by venturing into the archives of Hogwarts.

Besides magic, I started my physical training again. I noticed that the lack of forced survival has weakened me and kept wizards from expressing their full physical prowess. So I engaged in extensive physical training after my check-up and intensified the learning of Hakopa Family Combatants.

In secret, which was extremely possible considering the size of the family estate, I began to train the martial arts of my past life. Undergoing conditions to work every part of the body. With the potions supplied by St. Mungo's my progress was more than satisfying. But in my clothes, I appeared like an average healthy 11-year-old boy.

But with the help of supplement potions, my body grew stronger, faster, increased my stamina and endurance, finally making my magic more docile.

Anyway, while I'm at school, my father will be working on making money to keep up with our expenses. So besides his goal to be a Barrister in Wizarding Britain, I gave him something I've been holding onto for a year. I gave him a diagram of an aircraft that reached hypersonic speed. Along with the diagrams of the components to make it whole. It was pulled from my past life.

Of course, I slowed it down, but it would still be the fastest thing on the planet. My father will start as an independent contractor, network as I would be in Hogwarts, then turn it into a company. My mother, on the other hand, took her business to France. With contacts made during our time in Paris, my mother packed her things and decided to work there during my time in school. She planned to stay in an apartment studio, but Vinda Rosier found out and the Rayna Dobreva found out. To say the least, she was well looked after.

However, my mother was also tasked with taking her business to the muggle world as well. Speaking of mundane feats, I have mastered five major languages, nothing magical, yet. As for science, this world was far behind my level of knowledge.

Now I sat on the Hogwarts express with my escort sent by Professor Snape. Our familiars sat across from us and the girl stared at me intently while I read casually. I planned to branch out during the school year. I wished to learn magical languages and the rest of my studies would be determined by what I find interesting in the school library. But for now, I read the only book I put aside during the past year.

As time passed and more students began to fill the train, students opened the door to our cabin and shut it. I didn't know if it was me or the fierce woman at my side that scared them away. After the third time, I waved my wand and magically sealed it. Before I knew it, we were on our way.

But, fun fact, I felt the Trace Charm on the train the moment I stepped on it. Identifying the sensation allowed me to notice it again.

"What are you reading?" The girl beside me asked.

"Hogwarts a history. The only book I put aside until now." I replied.

"Why?" she asked.

"Light reading to kill the time I have on the train," I replied.

She hummed. "Professor Snape said that you were well put together. But allow me to save you time."

The girl flourished her wand and my book exploded into confetti.

"Hogwarts' motto is: "Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus", translated as: Never tickle a sleeping dragon. Quidditch is possibly the most popular sport at the school, with most of the student body turning out to watch each match...

The blazon of the Hogwarts Coat of Arms clockwise from top left: the Gryffindor lion, the Slytherin serpent, the Ravenclaw eagle, and the Hufflepuff badger, all circling the letter 'H'. The motto, "Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus", carried in scrolled beneath the shield. The way that the house mascots are arranged makes the center line divide the houses with warm colors and mammalian mascots from the houses with cold colors and saurian mascots...

Speaking of houses, Hogwarts is divided into four Houses: Gryffindor, founded by Godric Gryffindor; Hufflepuff, founded by Helga Hufflepuff; Ravenclaw, founded by Rowena Ravenclaw; and Slytherin, founded by Salazar Slytherin...

Houses at Hogwarts were both the living and learning communities for its students. Each year's group of students in the same House shares the same dormitory and many classes. The houses compete throughout the school year, by earning and losing points for behavior. The House with the most points wins the House Cup. Each House also has its own Quidditch team that competes for the Inter-House Quidditch Cup. These two competitions breed rivalries between the Houses, the greatest of which is that between Gryffindor and Slytherin...

In the early days of Hogwarts, the four founders handpicked students for their Houses. When the founders worried how students would be selected after their deaths, Godric Gryffindor took his hat off and each "put some brains" in it, creating the Sorting Hat to choose future students for each House. At the beginning of each school year, the magical Sorting Hat is placed on each new student's head during the Sorting ceremony...

The Sorting Hat announces the House the student is to join. Before beginning the Sorting ceremony, it sings a short song about the founding of the school and the four Houses. The Hat is theorized to sort students by qualities valued and or exhibited. Each house has its own qualities. My personal favorite, Ravenclaw...

Ravenclaw values intelligence, knowledge, curiosity, creativity, and wit. Its emblematic animal is the eagle, and its colors are blue and bronze. But I think you will excel in Slytherin. Slytherin House values ambition, leadership, self-preservation, cunning, and resourcefulness and was founded by Salazar Slytherin. Its emblematic animal is the serpent, and its colors are emerald green and silver...

Besides that, all other facts aren't worth reading, because you will be exploring in your free time anyway."

"Well, damn!" I sang. "How about we go explore the train then... I would hate to see another book explode because of my impulsive escort ."

The girl giggled as she stood up and I unsealed our Cabin.

"But, I have questions for you. A lot," she said.

-----------------------

The duo walked the train together as they were joined at the hip. At times they even joked about their age. Both of them looked at each other and saw their opposites. After the girl started opening she seemed to be as energetic as Cotton should be and Cotton was as composed and mature as she should be.

By this time they had already walked the train, found themselves barred from the sixth and seventh years, so they turned around.

"Aliana Prince," said Cotton, "Why you?"

"What do you mean?" she asked in turn.

"You've asked me all of these questions about why Snape valued me enough to send an escort. But how did he get you to escort me? Wouldn't you like to spend your time with the other fifth years?"

"Ahh, that. Well, Severus Snape is the only Half-Blood Prince in the family. But he got lucky enough that his mother was the sister of the current Viscount Prince. I am his Niece and his mother was my Godmother. His second bout of luck comes from the fact that my father likes him a lot more than my eldest brother made him Heir. I'm the youngest of six. So when he asked me to do this, it was an easy choice because he's the only one that will keep me from being married off now that I'm turning sixteen." Aliana explained.

"House of Prince." Said Cotton, " Cadet Branch of the House Machiavellian descent from the Marquesses of Tuscany. Your history is deep and long. One of the most constituted families alive in Wizarding Britain right. Though your just the Viscounty of Thornhall now, I'm sure your family is more well off than you appear."

Aliana tittered. " You can see just how deep those roots go when we get to Hogwarts. Severus has opened the Prince Cottage to you one the Hogwarts Grounds. I also hear that you have inherited the Selwyn Cottage."

"Cottage? Yes. I have a map to it and keys to the wards in the family library, but nothing tells of what the Cottages actually are."

"Mmm, something untold in Hogwarts History books. Many prominent Houses have Cottages on the Hogwarts grounds and in the forbidden forest. They're just under centuries of wards and a Fidelius Charms. But they are never lost because the Headmaster is always a secret keeper, which is how the Headmaster was able to give you a general map. Once you speak to him, the exact location and entry will be given to you so that you can take it over." Said Aliana.

Just as Aliana was about to continue, they chanced upon a wild-haired girl with an uppity attitude. She took one look at Cotton in his well-tailored clothes and blushed. But, she refrained from speaking to him.

She then opened the cabin door and popped her head in as she asked the occupants, "Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost one."

Cotton and Aliana heard a boy reply, no.

The girl then said, "Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see then."

Cotton and Aliana shared a look. They then walked over and stood directly behind the girl to watch the magic as well. In the cabin were a small ginger boy that Cotton had met before and an even smaller boy with cracked glasses, black hair, and a lightning bolt scar on his forehead. The cabin was full of candy wrappers and a rat sat in the ginger's lap.

The ginger cleared his throat, moved his wand, and chanted: Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!

A zap fires from his wand and hits the rat. It squeaks but nothing happened, nothing at all. The ginger shrugs his shoulders as if he's used to failure.

" Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good, is it? Of course, I've only tried a few simple spells myself, and they've all worked for me. For example... "

The wild-haired girl goes over and sits across from the boy with glasses. She points her wand at his glasses and the boy tenses. "Oculus Reparo." she sings.

The tape on the nose-band vanishes, repairing his glasses until they were good as new. The boy takes them off, amazed at how clearly he can see now.

"That's better, isn't it?" The girl then notices the boy's scar on his forehead, "Holy Cricket, you're Harry Potter. I'm Hermione Granger...and you are...?"

"We've met before…" the ginger partially whined.

"Huh! Ronald Weasley! Yes, you're the one with all of those siblings. I read about your family after that, but your story isn't as sad as Potter's. Potter, your family was daft. After your grandparents died, your father had no business fighting in that war. At the very least he shouldn't have been on the front lines."

Cotton and Aliana almost fell over laughing. Hermione had little to no filtter.

Cotton points at Hermione and says, "You, girl. How many times have I told you, you can not ask a question and immediately follow up with another question, followed by multiple statements. It's annoying and overwhelming, try having a conversation. Also, the boy is obviously oblivious to what you are talking about."

The ginger laughed and said, "I'm Ron Weasley."

"I remember you, Ronald. Personally, Percy is my favorite amongst the lot." Cotton replied.

"Pleasure, boy. And you have dirt on your nose." Aliana spoke.

Hermione pointed at Ron and then she gestured to a spot on her nose to give the boy direction.

"Oh and I'm Aliana Prince."

"I'm Cotton Hollow." said Cotton, "Anyway, Mione, you're being a real chatterbox."

"Sorry, Cotton…" Hermione hung her head.

"Hmm, come with us, Mione. You know that I like wand-waving and our cabin is... a lot cleaner. " Cotton turned away and walked off. Before Hermione caught up with them, Cotton leaned towards Aliana and whispered, "Stay away from the Potter boy."

"Severus has already told us just that," she replied in a low tone. "I'm surprised you would say such a thing considering what his existence means for people like your friend, Ms. Granger."

"Us?" Cotton asked, "And I don't care who he is. The past is the past and highly doubt all of the stories that I have about him. Even the telling of what happened that night. Sheer dumb luck is what I call it."

" I can see your point. And I'll introduce you to everyone soon enough," she said, referring to her mention of 'us'.

When the trio made it to Cotton's cabin. Aliana and Hermione chatted about the first-year texts and Hermione had a world of questions that she had for her senior. The two girls talked the entire time and Cotton smiled as he knew the two know-it-alls would hit it off. But he quickly learned that Aliana's expertise was centered in curses.

Soon the screech of brakes filled the train and they slowed to an eventual halt. Hermione looked over their clothes and asked about their school robes. Cotton waved his wand and a single cloak appeared from his language. Cotton put his cloak on.

"Blimey, that's a disillusionment charm." Hermione gasped as she watched Cotton's cloak lay awkwardly on his camouflaged sword.

"Hmm, there's no point to put such a charm on swords if you're wearing a cloak." Said Aliana, "Besides, it's not uncommon for children of nobility to keep swords. It's just rare for first-years."

"Swords? But we have wands," said Hermione.

"It all depends on the wizard. Sword or Wand makes no difference. Neither is guaranteed victory." said Aliana. "And you'll soon learn that there are many extra items in this world that wizard covets besides a wand."

"Ahh, Hermione. I planned to keep this for myself but you can have it to protect yourself." Corron spoke as he pulled out his tempered Vampirean Tepes Steel dagger with a handle of dragon bone.

"Cotton...." Hermione gasped, "I can't take this. It looks expensive and not on the school's list of allowed items."

"Mione, relax. You won't be the only one with one. But you definitely don't want to be one of those without. If the wand fails you, this will be your saving grace," Cotton explained.

"Come here," Cotton stood then pulled her to her feet. He then lined her small waist with a leather belt and strapped it tight. Hermione gasped and he apologized before loosening the belt. Finally, he adjust the sheathed dagger to the side of her waist and cast a disillusionment charm before pulling her cloak over to cover her.

Alian watched this with a sly smirk. She then said, "The way you handle her, she better hold on to that dagger tight. Once the school finds out who you are, the spotlight will be on and there won't be a shadow near to help hide you, little friend."

Hermione's cheeks had a pinkish hue as she backed away. Cotton then glared at Aliana. "Enough, Ms. Prince. " he said, " I don't have interest in little girls. Now gather you're things, most of the train has stepped off."

The moment the trio stepped out, a black snake slither up Aliana's body and wrapped around her neck. A bird then perched itself on Cotton's shoulder gaining a few ohs and awws. Cotton just rolled his eyes. But Hermione looked at the two with racing thoughts. Cotton had no idea how his words in the train cabin stung Hermione. She now looked at Aliana and figured that her senior would be a good template on how not to be a little girl since it appeared that she and Cotton were on the same page.

"Cotton, I'll see you inside." Aliana waved goodbye.

Cotton and Hermione then walked towards a giant of a man who called for all of the first years.

The giant man was about twice as tall as an average man but smaller than a pure-blooded giant, standing at eleven feet, six inches tall, and three times as wide, with a long mane of shaggy black hair and a beard that covered most of his face. His hands were as big as dustbin lids and his feet in their boots were like baby dolphins. He had dark eyes that glinted like black beetles. This man is called Rubeus Hagrid, half-man, half-giant.

The moment Hagrid saw the four-winged bird on Cotton's shoulder and the long tail that swayed behind he gasped, "Blimey... Where'd you get it?"

"I hatched it. It's my familiar." Cotton replied.

"Lucky, lad, you are. Well, come the boats are here," he said before turning away and leading all of the first-year students to magically piloted boats.

"Thunderbird. I thought magical creatures weren't allowed at school," said Hermione

"I learned that they're okay as long as you have a familiar bond with them." Cotton replied as he walked along with the flow of the crowd. He then looked at the boats and scuffed."I'll be damned. The charms on them are minimal."

"Minimal? what do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"I mean, for self-driving boats that ferry children across a lake, they should have more charms applied to it. But the lake beneath. It's brimming with power, about as much as the castle if my senses aren't wrong."

"It'll be my first location," Cotton added with an excited smile.

"First Location?" asked Hermione.

"Ahh, yes. I will be exploring this year." Cotton replied.

He watched Hermione's eyes sparkled and suddenly dimmed as her shoulder slouched. Her mind was racing again.

"Would you like to come with me?" Cotton asked.

"Really?!" Hermione was reenergized, "That would be ever so wonderful. Thank you, Cotton... No one's ever asked me to be a part of something before, people usually shy away from me. Do you know how that feels? Not good, but you , oh I can't wait to write to my parents."

"Hermione! You are doing it again. You really are a chatterbox and I've told you to stop getting all depressed. We're friends now so get accustomed to the things you are unaccustomed to. Come on, we have a boat to catch." said Cotton.

Hermione smiled as she caught up to Cotton. Cotton followed the group and climbed into the same boat as a boy with pulled-back, platinum blonde hair. He looked over Cotton twice but didn't say a word.