The Boy Who Wanted to Live

The Sorting

When the train finally pulled into the station Hermione was suddenly mortified.
"Oh no! Harry never changed into his robes!" She said, embarrassed that she hadn't thought to tell him.
"It's okay, Hernione. I'm sure this will be alright to wear." Harry looked down rather proudly at his light blue vest and green tie.
Hermione groaned and began to hold her head.
"But Harry you will be the only one not in uniform! It will just make you stand out even more!" She cried.
Ron stood up from his stop, curling his comic up and thrusting it into his back pocket sloppily.
"Hermione calm down! It will be okay! He's Harry Potter! He can do what ever he wants!" Ron said, throwing an arm around Harry's shoulder and making Harry wince.
"Believe it or not, Ronald, Harry is a student and as a student he has to follow the rules!" Hermione said, stomping her foot angrily.
Neville sat up from behind the two boys and raised a finger shyly.
"Actually, there is no written rule that says Hogwarts students have to be in school uniform during the sorting." Hermione glared at Neville and he mumbled the rest "it's more of just an... Understood.... Thing...."
Ron looked over Harry and shrugged.
"Bloke looks alright to me; Sides Hermione there's no time even if he wanted to get changed! Plus he doesn't even have his trunk so where do you expect him to conjure robes from eh?"
Hermione frowned as she thought it over and sighed as she realised they were right. She was too small and her robes would never fit on Harry, Neville was too big and Ron appeared as if he barely remembered to buy the robes he wore currently.
"When you're right; you're right" she said, admitting defeat.
"And I am right." Ron said confidently "Now let's go, I'm starving!"
The four students shuffled down the corridor into the chilly night. Harry pulled his cotton button up down his arms and suddenly wished he hadn't forgotten his school robes. His skin was freckled with gooseflesh and tiny white scars were visible on his skin. He pulled his sleeves down harshly, not wanting to look at the marred flesh any longer and began to walk towards the booming voice that yelled 'Fir' years! Firs' years over here!' with his friends. Harry recognized that voice and suddenly stopped walking when he saw the giant nearby. Most of the students were also startled so Harry's fear was overlooked. Hermione frowned at Harry's reaction and leaned over his shoulder.
"Do you know him, Harry?" She asked.
Harry swallowed hard and tore his eyes from the frightening figure to look at Hermione. He hesitated a minute before shaking his head.
"No." He replied, his mouth dry.
Hermione frowned more but seemed to accept the answer. The group began to shuffle forward and Harry looked around at all the unfamiliar faces. He suddenly wished Cadence was there to hold his hand. Harry felt his neck prickling and turned to look at whoever was staring at him. Cold grey eyes glared at Harry and he looked down, swallowing hard. He turned back around and tried to avoid looking at Draco Malfoy again. Suddenly the students were at the edge of a lake. Harry looked around curiously, but maintained a safe distance from the water.
"Three to a boa' now! Climb in!" Hagrid the man-beast was saying from nearby and Harry stared at the rickity "boats" that they were expected to get into.
They were aincent and the wood was splintering. Harry backed away from them as if they were a dead dog. His throat closed painfully and Harry closed his eyes tight. His ears pounded with blood and he could hear the faint splashing over water from his past.
:Flashback:
Harry fought against the hands pushing him down. His throat burned and he clawed viciously at the arms and fingers holding him. If only he could manage to break one. If he could simply get the man to back off. He tried to keep his eyes open but the lakewater stung him. His eyesight was blurry and his angry uncle leered over him in the water. Harry squirmed and thrashed, his uncle holding tight enough to his arms that half moon circles cut them the mans nails into Harry's wrists. He couldn't breathe and darkness was slowly edging around his eyes. His eyes burned and felt as if they were being pushed out of his head and Harry could feel his thrashing weakening. Vernon smiled from above him. A cruel smile. Harry's body was growing too heavy for him. His movements were choppy. Slowed. The water was like mud to get through. Harry slowly stopped moving, his brain shutting down unnecessary muscles. Harry felt something stir in his mind and heard a voice that was not his come forward.
"Fight," the voice said softly, as if it were a child itself.
"I cant." Harry replied in his mind, every second he was slipping more and more into the unconscious.
"All it takes is one good kick. You know where to aim." The voice dissapeared and Harry moved his foot through the water.
Harry kicked with all the strength he had left and the hands were gone. He was no longer being held under the water. Harry sat up, and began to cough. Water poured from his blue lips as it exited his lungs. He coughed for several long minutes, before his mind became tingly with the oxygen it was suddenly receiving. His eye sight cleared and Harry squinted to see the blurry shape of his uncle holding his privates in agony. Harry sent a thankful prayer to God who had obviously heard his call and slowly, painfully pulled himself on land.
:End Flashback:
Harry was breathing heavily, holding his wrists over the half moon scars. Neville looked at Harry's hyperventilating state with unease.
"Harry? Are you okay?" Neville asked softly.
Harry jumped and looked up at the chubby boy in surprise.
"Yeah, yeah I am fine." Harry whispered, looking past him at the water. "I just dont like water is all."
Neville looked at the lake and nodded.
"Here, I will hold your hand and you can keep your eyes closed. Just pretend we are still on the train. I wont let go Harry." Neville said, holding his hand out softly. "I wont let you fall in, Harry."
Harry nodded and took Neville's hand in his earning a few sneers and a mumbled "faggot" from nearby. Harry held tight to Neville and sat practically in his lap during the travel. He made the other boy wince from how hard he was hugging Neville's arm and hid his face in Neville's thick arms. Suddenly the ride was over and Harry had missed whatever had made the other students gasp with delight. Harry scurried from the boat to the land faster than a mouse being chased by a cat and sighed with relief. Neville gave him a lopsided grin and laughed.
"Was that so bad?" He asked, Hermione and Ron coming up behind him.
"Yes!" Harry said, bittely "that was terrifying!"
"Oh Harry," Hermione said off handedly "It was just a boat ride.
The students shuffled their way inside and came to stop in front of a very regal looking woman.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
Harry looked around at the other students, his heart pounding. He found neville's hand and squeezed it tightly in his. Neville looked at his friend and smiled.
"Don't worry so much, Harry. The sorting hat is never wrong." Neville said softly.
"Yeah but what if it is?" Harry asked.
Neville frowned and squeezed Harry's hand back. Hermione was nearby rubbing Ron's nose with her hand as he squirmed when Proffesor Mcgonagol returned. They fashionably walked into the center of the great hall. Each student gasped as they took in the golden room long as an american football field.  Each house had it's own table that was filled with older students. At the end of the hall sat the teachers. At the center sat the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. He looked around at the new students thoughtfully and stopped to look at Harry. He was dressed in expensive clothes, and looked as if he had been fed properly. The boy was at least an inch taller and had gained ten pounds in the 3 weeks he had been missing. Harry had a healthy glow on him that he had been lacking when they had met before and Albus found himself relieved. Who ever Harry had been staying with had been treating the lad better than even his relatives had! Now if only he could know who exactly had taken Harry Potter.
Harry felt eyes on him and looked up at the headmaster. He glared at the old man, knowing that he had given his relatives more reason to hate him. Cadence's voice popped in Harry's head and as a tingling sensation filled his brain Harry looked away quickly, breaking eye contact with the old man.
"Don't look Albus Dumbledore in the eye. He will know all your secrets." at the time Harry had thought Cadence was joking but now he recognised the words hidden truth. It was a warning. One Harry intended to take seriously.
Harry hadn't noticed the growing amount of students that had dissapeared from around him until the hand that was in his slipped away and Harry gasped. He reached out and tried to reach for Neville to get him to return when Ron placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and smiled.
"Relax mate," he said aware of how sensitive Harry was "He will still be your friend tomorrow"
"Gryffindor!" The hat called from the stage. Neville joined a few other kids at the Gryffindor table, smiling widely at Harry.
Next to go up was Hermione who also got into Gryffindor. Then Ron who got into Gryffindor as well. Draco Malfoy got into Slytherin which didn't surprise Harry one bit and suddenly all eyes were on him.
"Harry Potter!" Proffesor McGonagol said again, making Harry nervously make his way up to the stage and sit down. A dusty hat was placed on his head and Harry winced.
"Do not be afraid, Child. I will not hurt you" the hat said softly.
"Can they hear you?" Harry asked in a tiny breath.
"No. You can speak in your mind if youd like. I can understand." The hat said, looking through Harry's mind. "you are clever, Harry potter. Kind and brave. Cunning and niave. You certaintly have talent and not a bad focus either. But I feel that you are softer than others. You have an innocence that should be protected. But take note Harry Potter for you also have a dark side. Angry and dangerous. You will defend any one when they are in need and such as a rose brings beauty and love you also have thorns. You will protect others. And you have a thirst to prove yourself. A lot of these signs go well with Gryffindor, but bravery is not something you have control over. You are deffensive not offensive as so many others are known for. You would also do well in Slytherin there is no doubt about that but I don't believe either of these would cater to all of your needs."
"But I'm not smart enough to be a Ravenclaw," Harry said, frightened.
"That is a good thing. Because you Harry Potter are no Ravenclaw, nor are you Slytherin, Nor are you Gryffindor."
"Then" Harry said with a smile "I am a Hufflepuff."
"Aye," Harry heard outside of his head. "HUFFLEPUFF"
The crowd gasped in surprise.