The Bravest Snake

CHAPTER 1

Draco hated when his dad tried to gel his hair back. It always felt too rigid, like a helmet. As he stood at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, he tried in vain to mess it up.

His new cat, Lyla meowed angrily from her carrier. He had just gotten Lyla from Diagon Alley last week, and her fur was the same white as his hair. She was his favorite thing in the world, except for his new wand. Ten inches long, made of hawthorn wood, and a unicorn hair core. His pride and joy.

''Well, here we are,'' Draco's mother, Narcissa Malfoy said. ''Just run through the platform. Good luck.''

Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy, gave him a stiff one armed hug. ''Be good, Draco. Uphold the Malfoy honor, don't make friends with any of the wrong sort. Make sure you're in Slytherin.'' At that, Draco's smile turned into a grimace. His father was expecting him to be in Slytherin, but he was holding on to the hope that this would be another time where he disappointed his father.

As Draco turned to the platform, his trunk and carrier in tow, an unfamiliar, unsure voice rung throughout the station, directed at the Malfoy's. ''Excuse me? I'm, er, looking for Platform Nine and Three Quarters...''

Lucius turned to the voice and let out a barely audible gasp. A boy stood there, about eleven years old like Draco. He was so skinny that he looked like he would collapse under his own weight. He had messy black hair, striking green eyes framed by wire rimmed glasses, and a scar he tried to hide beneath his bangs. A lightning bolt shaped scar.

Harry Potter. He was the stuff of legends. And he was here, asking Draco's family to help! Draco cringed when he saw his mother grin at Harry.

''Hello dear,'' Narcissa said. ''Is this your first time getting onto the train? Draco's new too.'' She put a hand on Draco's shoulder. Harry's snowy owl hooted a greeting.

Harry seemed to shrink in on himself. He seemed to be deathly shy. Maybe Draco could be his friend! This boy looked like he needed friends.

''Yes. The thing is - the thing is, I don't know how to -''

''How to get on the platform?'' Draco's mother finished. Harry nodded. Draco face-palmed. His mother was acting so overeager in front of a celebrity.

''All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms Nine and Ten. Don't be scared that you'll crash into it, do it at a run if you're feeling nervous. Go on, go now before Draco.'' At Narcissa's words, Harry closed his eyes and sprinted straight to the barrier, vanishing in an instant.

''Harry Potter,'' Lucius snarled. His father had a clear distaste for that boy. ''Draco, you best not associate with someone like that.''

''Oh, come off it, Lucius,'' Narcissa rolled her eyes. ''They looked so cute together.''

Draco blushed. He didn't want to look cute with anyone. And since it annoyed his father so much, he decided he wanted to be friends with Harry.

After a short goodbye to his parents, he walked confidently through the platform to meet Harry gazing fixedly at the Hogwarts Express. The scarlet steam engine had been something Draco had heard plenty about from his parents, but he could see how someone raised by Muggles would be enthralled by it.

Draco checked his silver watch, a birthday present from his father. It was almost eleven o clock, but people were starting to board the train. He took a deep breath to get ready for what he was about to do. Draco Malfoy couldn't be shy.

''Hey, Harry! Harry Potter!'' he called out. Harry looked around wildly for the noise, and Draco pounced. He grabbed Harry's wrist and pulled him out of the crowd onto the train.

''Wh-What are you doing?'' Harry nervously stammered as he tried to loosen Draco's grip. It was futile, as Draco was very strong.

''I'm saving you,'' he said as he searched for an empty compartment. ''You looked so excited back there, I was worried you'd faint. Let's be friends.''

''Um...'' Harry replied as they entered a vacant compartment. ''sure?''

''Great!'' Draco exclaimed as the two boys put away their things. ''My first friend!''

Harry smiled widely. ''Me too!''

Draco let Lyla out, the cat purring happily on Harry's lap. ''I think she likes you, Harry.''

''She's beautiful,'' Harry said. ''This cat is more beautiful than most people!'' Draco snorted, which turned to a full on laugh, which Harry joined in on. After they had composed themselves enough to have pleasant conversation, Harry asked about Houses. ''What House do you think you'll be in?''

Draco sighed. ''Slytherin, probably. My father was one, and so was his father, and so was his father. The Malfoy name is practically synonymous with Slytherin.''

''Don't label yourself too quickly, Draco,'' Harry said. ''Your House depends on your character, not your family's. In my case, I have no idea. Maybe I'll be in Hufflepuff!''

Draco had to stop himself from making a face. He'd always heard from his father that Hufflepuff was the worst House, but that might be not true. He'd never met a Hufflepuff before, so they could be great people. Oh god, if he was in Hufflepuff, his father might spontaneously combust. Now he would never get the image of Lucius exploding out of his head.

Footsteps echoed in the corridor and the compartment door slid open. ''Can I sit here? Everywhere else is full,'' asked a tall boy with freckles and flaming red hair. Draco recognized him instantly as a Weasley. Judging by the look he gave Draco, the Weasley recognized him as a Malfoy.

Harry nodded and scooted over so the Weasley could sit beside him. ''Thanks. I'm Ron. Ron Weasley.''

''My name is Draco Malfoy,'' Draco said coolly. He didn't have to like the Weasley, but his mother didn't raise no animal.

''I know. I've heard a lot about the Malfoy's.'' Ron's facial expression told him he hadn't heard anything good. Then he turned to Harry. ''And you're Harry Potter! Do you really have the scar?'' Harry pushed up his bangs to show the lightning shaped scar. Ron's eyes were about to fall out of his head. ''Cool!''

Harry and Ron struck up a conversation as easily as Draco had done with Harry, this time with Draco not saying much. He was content looking out the window and eating the massive pile of snacks Harry had bought off the trolley. It was a classic rich-person move to buy everything. Draco respected it.

A lean boy poked his head into the doorway, with the same red hair and freckles as Ron, but he looked a little bit older. ''Hey Ronnie!''

Ron's cheeks turned as red as his hair. ''Go away, Fred.''

''He's not Fred, I am,'' a nearly identical boy to Fred poked his head into the doorway. They seemed to be identical twins, but Draco could see some differences. One was slightly taller and one had a rounder face.

''Is there something we can help you with?'' Ron asked irritatedly. The twins gave him a good natured grin.

''We just wanted to tell you that we're going to arrive at Hogwarts very soon so you should probably put on your robes,'' the other twin said.

''Do you mind leaving, so we can change?''

''Don't worry Ronnie. We're all boys here,'' joked Fred. Or was that the other twin? Ron stood up and pushed the two twins out of the compartment, and they put on their robes. They were a plain black, with an enchantment placed on them to turn into their House's robes when they were Sorted.

Draco caught the first glimpse of Hogwarts out of the window. He saw Harry and Ron pressed against the window, looking at it with such wonder, and Draco would be lying if he said he didn't feel the same way. For all of the new first years, Hogwarts was their new home. But for Draco, it was much, much more. It was a place full of opportunities, where Draco could finally be himself without his father in the way.

But Draco was about to learn just how many opportunities would cross his path. And he would be ready for every single one.