𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙿𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚡 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 (𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 1)

𝓗𝓸𝓰𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓼

As the scarlet engine hisses to a stop, Harry, Y/n and the others spill out. Y/n and Harry's robes shimmer grandly, while Ron's secondhand silks show a bit too much sneaker.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"-Hagrid

Hagrid gives Harry and Y/n a wink as he comes loping out of the darkness, swinging a lamp. Ron, preoccupied with wiping his nose clean on his robes, stops, dumbstruck by Hagrid's size.

A fleet of tiny boats glides silently over a glassy lake. Harry and Y/n ride with Ron, Hermione and Neville Longbottom, gazing at the dark trees of the forest that surrounds them. A glint of silver flickers through the black trees, like a dream. Harry and Y/n watch, transfixed, then...

"You there! Don' be trailin' yer fingers in the water. Yeh might find yeh don' get 'em all back."-Hagrid

Y/n and Harry turn and see that Hagrid is speaking to a pointy-faced boy. Malfoy eyes Hagrid darkly, whispers to a pair of thick-looking boys.

They peer into the black water and see their own pale and s/c (skin colour) faces looking back, then a soft glitter of reflected light dances on the surface. They look up and see a magnificent castle drift into view. Hogwarts.

Y/n, Harry and the others enter a grand entryway lit with flaming torches. Professor Mcgonagall, a rather severe-looking witch in an emerald cloak, stands before a pair of towering doors.

She lifts her chin surveying the new students.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. In a moment, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates, but before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your Houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While here, your House is, in many ways, your family. Your triumphs will earn your House points, while any rule-breaking will lose points. At the end of the year, the House with the most is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you..."

Just then, a rather large toad springs forth, croaks.

"Trevor!"

Neville, blissfully relieved, gathers his toad, then peers up from the hem of Professor McGonagall's robes.

"...will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will begin momentarily."

Professor McGonagall glowers at Neville, then exits. As she goes, there is a brief clamour of sound from the students waiting in the Great Hall beyond.

"How exactly do they sort us?"-Harry

"Some kind of test, I think. Fred says it hurts like hell, but I'm sure he was joking. At least...I think he was."

Just then, Draco Malfoy pushes through the crowd, shadowed by the boys from the boat. Malfoy stares openly at Harry and Y/n's scars.

"So it's true then, what they were saying on the train. Harry Potter and Y/n Black have come to Hogwarts.

Y/n and Harry's eyes slide, appraise the other two boys.

"Oh. This is Crabbe and Goyle. And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Ron coughs, masking a snigger. Malfoy's eyes narrow.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask yours. Red hair, freckles, and a hand-me-ddwn robe--you must be a Weasley."

"Anyway, You'll soon find out some wizarding families are better than others Y/n, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

Malfoy extends his hand, but Harry's gaze remains level.

"And you'll soon realise that your pureblood ways will get you nowhere."-Y/n