Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/10957125. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Major_Character_Death, Underage Category: Gen Fandom: Harry_Potter_-_J._K._Rowling Relationship: Lucius_Malfoy/Narcissa_Black_Malfoy/Severus_Snape, Pre-slash_Harry Potter/Draco_Malfoy, Pre-Slash_Hermione_Granger/Theodore_Nott, Pre-Slash Ron_Weasley/Pansy_Parkinson/Blaise_Zabini Character: Harry_Potter, Ron_Weasley, Hermione_Granger, Lucius_Malfoy, Narcissa Black_Malfoy, Severus_Snape, Sirius_Black, Remus_Lupin, Albus_Dumbledore, Minerva_McGonagall, Portrait_Salazar_Slytherin, Tom_Riddle_|_Voldemort, Molly_Weasley, Arthur_Weasley, Fred_Weasley, George_Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Vincent_Crabbe, Gregory_Goyle, Pansy_Parkinson, Blaise_Zabini Additional Tags: Slytherin_Harry, Slytherin_Ron_Weasley, Slytherin_Hermione_Granger, Dark Harry, Dark_Ron_Weasley, Dark_Hermione_Granger, Dark_Golden_Trio, Midnight_Trio, dark_rituals, Blood_Magic, Blood_Rituals, Implied/ Referenced_Torture, Psychological_Torture, Emotional/Psychological_Abuse, Kidnapping, Physical_Abuse, Poisoning, Murder, Coherence_to_murder, Twisted, Sex_Magic, Parseltongue_Magics, Framing_For_Crimes, Character Death, Death, Death_Rituals, Death_(Character)_-_Freeform, Child_Abuse, Implied/Referenced_Child_Abuse, Threesome_-_F/M/M, Alternate_Universe, Alternate_Universe_-_Canon_Divergence Series: Part 1 of The_Green_Circle Stats: Published: 2017-05-20 Updated: 2018-03-06 Chapters: 2/? Words: 7741 ****** The Green Circle ****** by Blank_Verse_Life Summary How many times must Harry Potter live through the same things? Go through the same timeline? Why not give Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger their lives back, their free will back? How about a change, a cleaning of house if you will. Notes See the end of the work for notes ***** Changing the Fates ***** Chapter Notes I have edited this chapter. I originally wrote this on the way to a place, and only had time to write the outline for what I wanted to happen, not any actual details. So, this is the edited chapter. Enjoy! The day things started looking up for Harry Potter was the day he learned about magic, most likely the day Hagrid broke down the door to their seaside home and gave Duddly a pig's tail.  The very best day the two went to Diagon Ally, never had Harry seen such a group of people. As soon as Hagrid showed him the interior of a somewhat crowded pub, he immediately stated in an overly loud voice,  "Aye, this bein' 'Arry Potter. Been assigned to show 'im around, I have." Hagrid stated proudly, and loudly. All the while pushing Harry's hair away from his forehead, showing his scar. The barman looked down in shock, his thick eyebrows rose up and his eyes got very wide.  "By golly! It is! It's the Boy-Who-Lived! A pleasure to meet you Harry Potter!" The barman almost tripped in his haste to get around the counter, and shake his hand. Harry awkwardly shook the strangers hand back, having a feeling like he had done this before. After he shook his hand, his arm was swept up by another stranger, a very tall woman, and shaken. She was speaking so fast, and slightly slurred from emotion, Harry had no idea what she was trying to say. He gave her a hesitant smile only for her to start sobbing. Startled, Harry took his hand away, and escaped the crowd. He squeezed through people until he found himself outside, pushed to the ground on the sidewalk.  As he looked up he say a strange array of people; some with typical witch hats on, some with crazy robes on that sang, or had moving patterns on them, some had on even crazier things. He was roughly pulled up by a giant hand. Harry quickly looked up to see Hagrid's beaming face.  "Almost lost ya there 'Arry! Now, on Dumbledore's orders, we need to get ya yer wand first." Hagrid then led him in a seemingly random direction. The closer they got to the wandmakers, the more people Harry started to encounter.  Many of them wanted to talk to him, shake his hand, but most wanted to just stare and whisper about him behind their hands. That was what brought the most trepidation to him, the pretending.  The more time went on, the more Harry felt like he was doing something he had already done before, but he didn't want to seem ungrateful by asking questions, so he kept his mouth shut.  After he had gotten his very first wand, that belonged to him and only him, they went to Gringotts Wizarding Bank. It was so cool to see the Goblins and ride down the mine cart. The twists, and turns in midair felt like nothing ever before. Harry couldn't wait until he could feel that feeling again. He smiled as they went into a deep dive. It felt amazing! Then Harry frowned, there was that other feeling again, like he had done this all before. He had ignored the feeling again, and eventually went on with his time.  As he and Hagrid got out of the cart, Hagrid looking a little too green, the goblin led them to a vault with a coat of arms on the door. The goblin held out his hand for the key, and after Hagrid gave it to him the door opened. As soon as it did Harry's jaw dropped. The vault itself was massive, and it was entirely filled with gold! It was the most gold Harry had ever seen in his life!  "Wow." Harry whispered, transfixed at all of the gold in the vault. Although, the feeling became bittersweet with that feeling again, like this wasn't new to him, like he had done this all before. He sighed, and turned around to ask Hagrid what to feeling meant when he saw him sweep him arm over a pile of gold, and guide it into a bag.  "What are you doing?" Harry asked. He was, for the first time, not feeling deja vu, but instead he felt anger. Hagrid quickly turned back around to face Harry, having turned his back on him when he was taking the gold.  "I was jus' gettin' some gold fer ya. Dumbledore said it was alright fer me ta take some, fer yer robes an all." Harry could see the logic in that, but what he couldn't understand was why this Dumbledore character was allowed to tell Hagrid what he could, and could not do with Harry's money.  "Okay... Um, but why didn't he ask me?" Harry asked. Hagrid looked perplexed at him.  "Wot do ya mean?" Harry, enjoying the reprieve from the weird feeling he had been having all day, sighed.  "Why didn't this Dumbledore guy ask me first if he could use gold from my vault. Why didn't I know I had a vault in the first place?" Hagrid looked around nervously.  "I-I dunna no 'Arry. No one ever questions Dumbledore, 'e jus' knows. 'E knew ya were gonna be needin' tings an 'e jus' ... I dunna no 'Arry." Harry nodded, knowing that it wasn't Hagrid's fault, he was just doing what this 'Dumbledore' said. After Hagrid had gotten all the gold he said Dumbledore told him to get they were set back into the mine cart.  "By da way, Dumbledore tol' me ta give this ta ya." He handed the goblin a piece of paper with fancy script. The goblin nodded, handed the paper back over, and pulled the cart further down into the mines.  After a few more minutes they stopped in front if another vault.  "No need to get outta tha cart 'Arry. This dunna concern ya." Harry nodded, and sat back down from when he rises to get out. Hagrid, and the goblin went to the vault, and got out a weirdly shaped thing wrapped in plain brown paper. As soon as they stepped back into the cart the feeling came back again, that this had all been done before. Harry sighed again.  As the surfaced Harry opened his mouth to ask about the feelings he was having when Hagrid interrupted.  "Alright 'Arry, now we go ta Madam Malkin's robe shop. Jus' down tha street." Harry nodded, and kept silent once more, not exactly enclosed to talk about his feelings in such a public place. As he and Hagrid got to the robe shop, Madam Malkin's, he couldn't ignore the feeling anymore. Just as he was about to say something Hagrid's shoes became a puddle at his feet.  "'Wot?! Me feet!" The Madam herself came rounding the corner.  "Oh my! What happened?" Hagrid shrugged his huge shoulders and looked down at his gooey feet in pity.  "Me shoes jus' melted! I don' know wot happen'!" She tutted and brought him over to some shoes. Leaving Harry alone at the front of the store. Feeling abandoned he went to follow when he felt an arm touch his.  He looked up to see an old woman. Her face was smooth, but her eyes gave away her age. Her deep black eyes showed wisdom and knowledge beyond anyone he had ever seen. She had beautiful hair, so dark in color it almost looked fully black, until she squatted down to Harry's level and he saw that her hair was actually deep blues, greens, reds, and purples. So dark in color you almost wouldn't be able to tell. She wore a necklace with multiple glass ball pendants, all of them with moving swirls inside. Her dark dress also had swirls of dark blues, greens, purples, and reds. There was a slight shimmer to her dress as well, it seemed to light from within the fabric itself. She smiled at him, but didn't remove her hand off of his arm. He felt comfortable in her presence, so Harry didn't make a fuss over a stranger invading his personal space.  "Hello Harry. It's been a very long time." Harry opened his mouth to ask what she meant when she put a finger to her lips, he shut his mouth and let her speak.  "I am afraid I don't have much time, but I will answer any questions you may have when I have finished speaking, please do not interrupt me. Okay?" Knowing how to follow directions the first time, especially where Uncle Vernon was concerned, he nodded and waited for her to finish. She smiled at him and gave his arm a squeeze before continuing.  "It is true that I have not seen you in many a time, but regretfully I have never met your parents, so I cannot tell you anything about them.  What I can tell you about, however, is that the Hogwarts houses aren't all that they seem to be. I bet you have heard a lot of ... negative things about Slytherin's house, is that correct?" Harry nodded his affirmative.  "I see, I am here to dispute these claims Harry. For you see, your Hogwarts house doesn't determine your level of goodness or evilness. The houses are there so that one can grow around like-minded people of a similar background. Not everyone in Slytherin is evil Harry, and know that not every person who is evil is in Slytherin. You have heard of the evil wizard Grindelwald, Yes?" Harry hesitantly shook his head. The lady smiled again.  "Gellert Grindelwald was an evil wizard determined to rule the world and become above all others. He worked very long and hard to make others believe that he was the only one who could bring the Wizarding World back to it's quote, 'former glory'. He had decided that Muggle-Borns, those who are born to people who have no magic, and Half-bloods, those who were born from a Person with magic and a muggle, or even a Muggle-Born, he thought that they were inferior to Purebloods, those are witches and wizards born of Wizarding parents, he wanted to eradicate them from the Wizarding World." Harry gasped, horrified that someone would try to kill an entire group of people just because of where they came from and because they were different from himself. She nodded again.  "And do you know what Hogwarts house he was in?" Harry, forgetting the rules in the mist of the conversation, blurted out an answer.  "Slytherin right?" She shook her head.  "No Harry, he was a Hufflepuff-"  "He couldn't have been!" Harry cut in. "Hufflepuffs are-" "Hard working, loyal, and particularly good finders. Right?" Harry nodded, knowing he had read about it in a copy of Hogwarts a History he had read in the book store earlier that day. He smirked, confident he had won.  "Well, he was those things wasn't he? He was hard working, making sure people believed his words and schemes. He was very loyal to his cause, believed in it very much. He was also great at finding just who was the most influential, and convincing them of his plans. He was the perfect Hufflepuff. He was almost Head Boy of his year. Did you know that Harry?" The longer she had talked the more Harry's confidence had deflated. Feeling properly chaste he nodded meekly. She rubbed his arm comfortingly.  "It's alright Harry, that's why I'm here. I am here to tell you that there is a difference between a Dark Wizard and an Evil Wizard. Being a Dark Wizard doesn't always mean you're evil, and being an Evil Wizard doesn't always make you dark. Take Peter Pettigrew for example." Harry looked to her confused.  "Who is Peter Pettigrew?" She looked at him with sadness.  "Oh child. Peter Pettigrew is the man who betrayed you and your parents to Voldemort." Harry didn't know what to say, seeing as he had never been told anything about his parents before that very day. She sighed before telling him about that Halloween night. She told him the truth, of how he had been changed to the secret keeper for his parents instead of his Godfather, Sirius Black, and that it had gotten them killed. She told of how Dumbledore, another Gryffindor, did nothing to help him, even though he knew he wasn't really the secret keeper, and how Remus, his other werewolf Godfather couldn't give a testimony because of his were status. She told him of it all, letting him hear the truth for the first time. By the end Harry was in her arms sobbing. The lady held him close and confirmed him. Harry, never having been hugged and comforted soaked it up like a dry sponge.  She went on to explain that he was twisted and evil, yet he was in Gryffindor with his parents and their friends. She told him of his innocent Godfather sitting in prison, his other werewolf Godfather being unable to find him and contact him as per Dumbledore's, and the Ministry's, rules. Harry took it all in, listening and vowing to make up his own mind about the houses.  As soon as he felt he was better he let go and wiped his tears away. She give him a small smile.  "I hope that you take my words into consideration Harry. I want to break this cycle and see you succeed in something different for a change." Before he could ask what that was, she gave him one last hug, got up and walked out of the front door. Harry stood up ready to follow her when Hagrid's huge hand clamped down on his shoulder.  "Tanks fer waitin' fer me 'Arry! Tha' was jus' a bit 'o bad luck."  "Yeah ... Bad luck." Harry mumbled, thinking that maybe that wasn't just some bad luck.  He was then led by Madam Malkin to a stand where she would measure him and waited for her to start.  "Mother, when do you think I will need silk dress robes at Hogwarts? There isn't a ball this year!" A boy with white-blonde stood on the only other stand to his right whined at a blonde woman, whom was looking at dark green robes.  "Draco, these are for the winter ball we are hosting during the winter holidays. You know this." She told the him in an exasperated tone. The boy grumbled and kicked his shoe at the floor. Feeling he was being watched he looked to his left to see Harry. The boy immediately straightened up.  "Hogwarts right? You're getting the robes, so you must be going. My father's next door buying books," He nodded to the woman he was speaking to a few moments earlier, "and my mother's just gotten back from looking at wands up the street." He said in a bored tone. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own." Harry nodded along to what he was saying, not really having a clue about what he was going on about. He was so focused on standing still so the woman could get his measurement, he hadn't noticed that the other boy was still trying to talk to him.  "What house are you getting into? I'm going to be a Slytherin. Mother and Father were both Slytherins, as were both of my grandparents and every Malfoy before them. It isn't fair that the first year can't be on the Quidditch team, they were before that first year died about a hundred years ago. Brooms have improved greatly since then, and I say it served them right, if you can't handle a broom, don't join a team that relies on brooms. Anyway, I hope to be the exception to the rule this year in Slytherins. So, what house are you going to?" Hoping the boy would run out of breath and maybe pass out Harry let him talk. Seeing as he expected an answer Harry shrugged.  "I'll probably be in Slytherin too, I definitely don't want to go to Gryffindor though." Harry said shuddering. Draco smiled and held out his hand.  "I have a feeling we're going to be friends, I'm Draco Malfoy. You?" Harry could see the blonde woman, his mother, looking at the interaction out of the corner of her eye, not caring in the slightest he took the other boys hand and smiled.  "Hello Draco Malfoy, I'm Harry Potter." Draco's mouth dropped open and his mother dropped what she was holding as she was walking to them, after she paused for a second she then quickened her pace and stopped in front of the two boys. Her eyes flicked to his forehead, and seeing the scar she sucked in a breath. Draco the snapped his mouth closed, and did the same as his mother. He looked at his forehead, and seeing the scar he stepped back to get a better look at Harry.  "So, you're The Harry Potter." He nodded, not knowing what else to do. Just as he opened his mouth for more, Madam Malkin walked up to begin talking to the blonde woman, gaining both Draco's, and his mother's attention for the moment. Not wanting to draw more attention to himself, he let the other lady finish his measuring, stepped off the stand, and went back to where Hagrid was waiting with his melted shoes in his hand.  After she finished up with talking to Madam Malkin, Draco, and his mother tried to approach Harry. Seeing the half-giant the Malfoys paused just long enough for Harry, and Hagrid to make their purchases and leave.  Harry then ducked quickly into a shop, to escape the crowd of people that somehow knew he was here that he saw were trying to find him. He looked around to see it was a pet shop, except instead of dogs, and cats there were lots and lots of owls.  "Ah, Eeylops' Owl Emporium. A fine choice 'Arry! Every young wizard nees' a familiar!" Harry nodded, looking up at all of the owls.  "Now, I 'ope ya don' mind, but I got yer books fer ya. Seein' as the witches an wizards are already lookin' fer ya outside. Dumbledore said tha if yer were discovered when ya were here, ta get all yer stuff as fas' as possible. So I saved us tha trouble!" Hagrid once again smiled at Harry. He smiled back, because for once he wanted to get back to the Dursley's as quickly as possible. They might not like him at all, but hopefully they'll leave him alone long enough for him to read up on some things about Hogwarts before he gets there. He turned to ask Hagrid about the books he bought, when said man dumped the bag of books, and gold, into his arms.  "Sorry 'Arry, almos' fergot yer potions stuff. I hav ta go befer they all run out. I'll be back soon!" He ran out of the door before Harry had the chance to tell him he forgot about the bag of gold. Harry then walked through the isles of owls until he finally stopped in front of one. The owl was a beautiful snowy white owl with brown spots on the chest feathers. As soon as he looked into the owl's eyes, he knew he wanted her.  "Ah, I wouldn't worry about her young man." Harry turned around quickly to see a man with a walking stick, who looked like he didn't need it, looking up at the bird, not even looking at him.  "She's a feisty one there, sure you can handle her?" He finally looked down at Harry. He narrowed his eyes at him, scrutinizing him, until he apparently found what he was looking for. Then he smiled.  "Alright young man. She's yours." He handed the cage with the owl to Harry, then led him over to where the owl treats, and other accessories were displayed. As Harry was looking, he also came across an enclosure with a rattlesnake.  "Can't believe those sticks got me down. I'll show them!" The snake then rattled it's tail in apparent agitation. Harry looked at the snake perplexed. The rattlesnake then turned to look at him.  "What do you want, human boy-child?"  "Well, nothing right now." The snake snapped it's head back up, and stared right at Harry.  "You can understand me human boy-child?" Harry again looked perplexed at the snake.  "Well, yes. Can't everyone?"  "No, human, not everyone can talk to us snakes." Harry confusedly looked to the man on the other side of him, whom happened to be smiling at the exchange. "Is that true?" He asked.  "Is what true?" The smiling man asked. Harry huffed in frustration.  "The snake, what the snake was saying, is it true?" The man smiled again, and shrugged.  "I have no idea dear child, I don't speak snake." Harry looked bewildered.  "T-The snake said that not everyone can speak to snakes, is that true?" The man laughed, rich, and hearty.  "Oh yes, it is very true. The gift is rare, especially here in Britain. Why, the only known person to have spoken it for sure was Salazar Slytherin. One of the Hogwarts founders, specifically the founder of Slytherin." Harry looked at the man in wonder. He was just about to say something when the man interrupted.  "Listen, there isn't a whole lot of time, but if I were you, I would save some of that gold while you have it, and I would make sure that Hagrid man doesn't see you with any snakes. Literal, and of the house verity just yet." The man paused, then kneeled down in front of him, "There are many bigoted people Harry, some are more obvious than others, and some are bigoted towards people you might not expect. Just be careful out there Harry, and just remember, wherever you end up, you will always have people who love, and care about you. Take care Harry. Oh, and the snake is on me if you can hid it, and convince it not to bite people Okay?" Harry nodded quickly, and looked around bath the snakes. He was looking around when he stopped in front of an enclosure off to the side, out of the way unless you knew where to look, or were just lucky enough to come across it like he was. Inside of the enclosure was a beautiful black mamba. The man took the owl, and went to the front of the store to put it on the counter. Harry bent down to get a better look at the snake when it opened its eyes. It had the most beautiful emerald eyes, not unlike his own. The snake yawned.  "Who is waking me from slumber?" Harry blinked for a second before blushing.  "S-Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. I just wanted to see how beautiful you were." The snake, now fully awake, preened under the praise. It slithered up to the glass, and looked right at him.  "Are you a good human, or a bad human?" Harry shrugged.  "I'd like to think I'm a good human." The snake flicked it's forked tongue at him.  "Would you hurt me, human? Or allow others to hurt me?" Harry looked horrified.  "No! Of course not! You haven't done anything wrong, and even then I wouldn't let anyone hurt you." The snake flicked it's tongue at him once more before speaking.  "Okay, I believe you. You are now my human." Harry laughed, and agreed with the snake. He was about to open the enclosure when he remembered the man's warning. Harry bent down again until he was level with the snake.  "I will be your human if you promise me you won't bite me or anybody... Unless they are prey or they deserve it. Okay? You cannot get out of your enclosure when we go to the Dursleys, they'll just want to hurt you, and I don't want you hurt. Okay?" The snake paused before agreeing to his terms. Harry then opened the enclosure, and allowed the snake to slither onto him, and coil around his wrist. Harry bent his arm toward his face, and began to his softly to the snake.  "I want to ask you a few questions, is that Okay?" Harry asked the snake insecurely, not wanting to already anger, or bother it.  "Yes, I suppose so." The snake answered, pressing close to Harry's skin. "How old are you?" The snake wriggled around, getting comfortable. "A few months old, I was taken, and sold after a few weeks since I hatched." The snake finally settled down, trying to get warm. Harry walked along the line of enclosures, looking for the perfect one for his new snake, and hopefully, friend. "Are you a male or a female?" He paused in front if one enclosure, it was bigger than the one the snake was in previously, perfect.  "I am a female." Harry's eyes widened, not really thinking of the possibility that the snake, she, could be a female. He tilted his head to the side.  "Oh, Okay. So, what is your name?" The snake paused in her answering, she seemed to be thinking. While she was Harry picked out the decor for her new environment. He picked out a sunbathing rock, a small pool of water that said it magically refreshed itself, the wizard just had to cast the spells on it once or twice a week to refresh the charms. He also got a heating lamp for her, since he knew it was going to be getting really cold this winter.  "I do not have a name. Will ..." Harry was bringing the items to the front of the store with his owl, and the rest of his owl things when he heard her speak, he paused for a second.  "Will what?" She too paused, waiting for something that Harry didn't know. "Will you name me?" She spoke so quietly that Harry almost didn't hear her, but he did. He then felt a rush of understanding, and affection for her. He silently promised to himself that he would love her, and treat her with respect, like all women deserved to be. It might be a bit over the top but Harry understood the feeling of hope outweighing the fear of rejection, but still expecting it. He felt a rush of pride for her, that she felt brave enough to ask him.  "Of course! If you want me to!" He didn't realize she had gone tense until she loosened her body from around his wrist.  "Yes, I would like my human to name me." Harry loaded his purchases with a smile. The man went behind the counter, and started to ring up his purchases. "Okay, we'll think of a name, together, but later though, we don't exactly have time now." Harry put his snake's enclosure, and stuff in one bag, while the man bagged the rest of his owl purchases. He cast an engorgement charm on the owl bag, with allowed Harry to place the bag with his snake stuff inside the other bag.  "Okay." She peaked her head from where she hid beneath his shirt, and saw the owl.  "What is that?!" As quickly as she poked her head out, she went back under, and hid more deeply into his clothes. "That is my owl, she's friendly." She poked her head slightly out of the sleeve until only one other eyes were showing.  "She better not eat me! Or compete with me for food!" After she said that the owl started to chirp, and give the occasional screech. Looking right at the snake the entire time. "What did she say?" Harry asked, looking between the two new women in his life now. "She assures me she won't compete with me for food or for your attentions. She said we shall get along well." The snake said confidently. The owl let out an enthusiastic hoot. Harry smiled again, feeling some enthusiasm himself. "Good!" Just as Harry was about to say more, Hagrid came barging into the store.  "Well, Tha's enough for one day." He handed the bags with potions supplies, and a trunk to Harry. He gestured to the owl in the cage.  "All ready 'Arry?" He nodded, and took a step forward before he stopped.  "Wait a minute, if I had the money bag this whole time, then why didn't you come back when you realized you didn't have any gold to pay for all of this stuff?" Hagrid stopped, and adopted that awkward stance everytime Harry asked his a question he really didn't know the answer to, just that 'Dumbledore' told him to do it.  "Let me guess, it has something to do with Dumbledore, right?" Hagrid nodded enthusiastically. Harry sighed, but nodded too.  "Okay, well. I have no idea how I'm supposed to fit all of this in my cupboard under the stairs." Hagrid laughed, but Harry was serious. If he slept in there, where was the rest of this stuff going to go? He'll just have to figure it out when they get back.  ***** Learning to hide ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes The rest of the day was spent packing the rest of the Dursley's, and his own meager, things, and moving back to Number 4. It had taken about two days to finish completely moving back in, and as soon as they, Harry and a few hired movers, officially finished his Aunt and Uncle left him alone for two days while they took Dudley to the Hospital to get that pigs tail removed.  Harry had been very pleased to say the least, especially when they had given him Dudley's second bedroom to stay in from now on. Now he had a bigger space, and he had even discovered a loose floorboard to hide his things in! It was great. He cleaned up the broken toys as best as he could to make his new space as presentable as possible, not knowing if the Dursleys were going to punish him if he got the room untidy or not, best not to take chances with them. After he cleaned the rest of the house, and did all the chores on the list his Aunt Petunia had set out, he spent the rest of him time looking through the books he bought, as well as some of Dudley's own school books, looking for a few names to fit his two female pets.  His new snake was hard to name, he didn't want to dissapoint her with a name she didn't like, or that didn't fit her. He looked all throughout his new school books. He quickly realized that the Charms, Transfiguration, and Defence books were of no help, because they had spells or scary sounding monsters. If he named her after a spell, it could be disastrous; especially if it was a spell that caused an explosion or something just as bad. He also didn't want to name her after a scary monster, who would want to be named after a scary monster? He finally looked in his Herbology textbook, and picked the name Wicken, after the Wiggentree in his textbook. It explained that the tree will protect anyone that is touching the trunk of the tree from the attack of Dark creatures. It also said that the name probably came from- 'One of the numerous folk names for rowan: "wickentree".' He hadn't wanted to call her Rowan though, and in Dudley's text book talking about the Witch hunts, it also had said that Wicken was similar to Witch and Wizard, but more of a gender-less name, or gender neutral. When he asked her, she said she had liked the name. One that immediately caught his attention was a book about saints that he had found in one of the moving boxes; he found one named Hedwig, the patron saint of Orphans. He connected with the name, and after asking Wicken to translate, she, too, had liked the name.  So now with his two familiars, Hedwig and Wicken, they looked for ways that he could preform magic at Privet Drive without getting caught. None of his text books had anything useful to say, at all. He vowed to himself to find out as soon as he got to Hogwarts.  So, in the mean time he had to manually clean out Hedwig's cage, and Wicken's enclosure. Although it was much more like fun than the other chores he was used to doing. As the day wore on, Harry started to get overheated. The Dursleys hadn't had their indoor air conditioning installed yet, having just moved back into their recently vacant house, and so the house had been slowly heating up with the sun's rays beating down on it in an unusually warm day. Harry himself had already been running around doing the  usual chores, as well as some his Aunt had added just for his benefit he was sure.  Sweating something fierce, and thanking that he was alone otherwise the Dursleys would humiliate him, he took off his shirt. He began to pat off the sweat with it when he heard angry hissing, and angry hooting. He turned around, having his back facing Hedwig and Wicken, and asked what was wrong.  "Your back, why is it so scarred? What has happened to you human of mine?"  Harry, embarrassed, blushed a deep red. He opened his mouth to answer when Hedwig began screeching, and hooting.  "What is she saying?" Harry asked Wicken, who for a moment looked like she was going to strike at something.  "She has told me that you humans can't get hurt by accident, and have scars that look like that. Someone has hurt you my human, and that someone is going to pay. She agreed with me"  Hedwig puffed her feathers out in anger along with Wickens angry swaying. Harry attempted to calm them down.  "Honestly it's not that bad, it could be worse-" Harry was cut off by more angry screeching.  "We don't see how, who has hurt you? We demand to know, everything. Tell us."  Harry sighed, seeing no way to get out of this. He hoped that they didn't see him as weak, or worse, after he had told them. He sat down on the floor in front of them, and told them all about his life at Privet Drive before he found out he was a wizard, and thus got to meet them. He told them everything from as far back as he could remember. The more he tried to show then that his life wasn't that bad they had begun to get more and more furious. He had tried to down play some of his more extreme punishments, and even downright lie; but it seemed that Hedwig was an owl lie detector. She would hoot accusingly whenever he wasn't telling the whole truth or lying altogether.  After he had told them absolutely everything, including the "Zoo incident", as the Dursleys had taken to calling it, and his other more recent punishments did it finally seem to sink it that it really was as bad as his familiars were making it seem.  Wicken and Hedwig had picked up on his mood change even before he did, two thirds of the way into his life's story/explanation. The opted to stay silent for the time being, to let him process everything that he had finally realized.  Wicken and Hedwig were instead using their time to silently plot and plan revenge on the Dursleys for doing this to their boy. That is exactly who he had become to them, their human boy, to love and guide like they would their own eggs someday.  After a while Harry let out a quiet moan which turned into a pitiful wail. Wicken immediately slithered over, and coiled herself in his lap; while Hedwig flew right onto his shoulder, and nipped lovingly at his earlobe. He hugged Hedwig and Wicken to himself as he cried. He eventually began to rock them as he continued to sob, Hedwig and Wicken cuddled closer.  As an hour became two, Harry eventually laid down on the ground, still clutching his familiars. After he had purged all of the tears he could muster, he fell asleep. Hedwig and Wicken then began to plan amongst each other what exactly they were going to do, and how best to watch over their boy from now on.  As the sun went down, so did the temperature. Despite it being summer, it still got cold at night after the heat of the day went away. So, for the first time in his life, instead of suffering with the shivering cold all night, Harry had someone, two someones, looking out for him. Hedwig and Wicken together found an extra blanket that would be warm enough, and carefully draped it over their boy. Happy to see him settled, and at least more comfortable than he was before.    The next few days went on like that, even when the Dursleys had returned. Hedwig and Wicken had made it a point to gather things they had seen in the other bedrooms and give them to Harry. He was grateful for them, and he was also grateful for the timing. Everything that they had "acquired" for him hadn't been seen yet by the Dursleys, so they had assumed that the movers they had hired had lost some of their things. That had been a very convenient thing for him indeed; and if the "movers" had happened to break his Aunt's treasured China and knick knacks, that was just as well. The Dursleys had then made it a point of ignoring him, his Aunt and Uncle wanting nothing to do with him and Dudley being too scared of him now, which was for the best, after his revelation, for the rest of his duration until August first. He had asked his Uncle the previous few days if he could take him to Kings Cross station, but he had acted like he wasn't even there. So finally on the morning of August first he dressed in his usual hand-me-down clothes at least six or seven sizes too big, and gathered the rest of his things under the loose floorboard and loaded them in his trunk. He was about to haul the thing down the stairs when a tapping on his window had caught his attention. After he had opened it an unfamiliar owl swooped in, and dropped off a ticket to him, Hedwig side-eyed the other owl, and Wicken had been poised to strike, in case anything happened, the entire time. After that he went down the stairs to find the other residents of the house eating breakfast. Knowing he was not going to receive any even if he asked, he again asked his Uncle Vernon about taking him to Kings Cross station after he had finished eating. The walrus of a man looked down at his nephew in disgust before answering. "If it is the only way for us to be rid of you for the next few months, then so be it."  Harry turned around, not even acknowledging the comment, and went back up the stairs to pack the things he left for the last minute. He put Hedwig in her cage, put Wicken's enclosure in his trunk, and covered and wrapped it with tee- shirts so it wouldn't break inside. He did the same with Wicken's other things, and finally packed the last of his belongings. He didn't want his Aunt and Uncle to freak out, or anyone else for that matter, about Wicken; so he asked her what he should do. "Is it not obvious my Harry? I will go under your cloths, and wrap around your body. Those cloths are so large they could probably fit the Hedwig too."  He snorted, but agreed that Dudley's hand-me-down's were extremely large in him. After Wicken was finally secured he did a sweep of the room and made sure nothing of his was left behind. He lugged his trunk down the stairs and saw Uncle Vernon talking quietly with Aunt Petunia. As soon as they saw him they straightened up and stopped talking. She muttered something and joined Dudley in the dining room, whom was still devouring his second breakfast. Uncle Vernon opened the door without looking at him, and Harry had just stepped fully out of the doorway when Vernon slammed the door shut and locked it. He shoved Harry towards the car, making him stumble and causing Hedwig to hoot loudly, and Wicken to hiss softly from the safety of his shirt. He picked up his trunk and Hedwig's cage to put it in the boot of the car. He left Hedwig in the backseat, and loaded his trunk all the while his Uncle was muttering to himself. When he climbed into the backseat, his Uncle slid into the drivers seat, started the car, and they made the journey to the station.  When they get there, his Uncle parked the car, and before Harry can get his things out of the car his Uncle asks to see his ticket. Afraid he is going to rip it up, Harry reluctantly gives it to him. His Uncle Vernon looked it over before mockingly laughing at him.  "Look at this fodder! It says Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, there is no such thing! Those freaks will have you standing there all night! Oh well, you're not our problem anymore until June. So get your things!" Harry scrambles to get his trunk out of the trunk as Uncle Vernon gets back in the car, and starts it up. Harry had just enough time to yank Hedwig and her cage out of the car before Uncle Vernon sped off, and away from him, his back seat door still open. He eventually finds a cart to put his trunk, and Hedwig onto before making his way towards Platform Nine.  "Hedwig says it is very smelly out there. I am glad to be in your cloths."  Harry giggled quietly to himself, and that seemed to lighten the mood for the three of them for the rest of the day.  As soon as he got between the Platforms Nine and Ten, he overhears a conversation about Hogwarts. He quickly looks around, hoping to get some help.  "Hedwig says the red ones over there were talking about your school."  Harry looks over to see a whole family of red-heads coming over to where he is. He leans down towards his collar and whispers,  "How do you know? I thought you couldn't understand human-speak?"  Wicken poked her head out of his collar, flicked her forked tongue at him, poked her head back in his collar, and answered him.  "I can't but Hedwig can understand human-speak perfectly, well almost, but close enough. Now, go ask the large female for help. Oh, and it does stink in this place, can we leave now?"  Harry almost laughed out loud, but stopped himself just in time for the red- heads to walk over.  "E-excuse Ma'am," The lady, probably the mother of all of the red-headed children, turned at his stutter. "C-can you tell me how to find Platform Nine and Three-Quarters please?" She smiled at him before answering.  "Yes deary, you see this wall?" She asked, pointing to the wall separating Platforms Nine and Ten. Harry nodded.  "Well, you just run right through it." Harry must have looked startled, because she started to laugh.  "Oh dear, are you a muggleborn?" He shrugged.  "I don't know what that means." The woman started tutting.  "A muggleborn then, not to worry, George! George, run through to the other side, show the poor boy how to do it." She turned to one of a set of twins, said twin crossed his arms over his chest.  "Mum, for the last time I'm Fred!" She shook her head in a frazzled manner.  "Yes, yes of course. Fred, go on through." Then he began to laugh, then he said.  "I'm just kidding Mum, I really am George."  Before his Mum could cuff him on the back of the head, he had grabbed a cart, and ran straight into the wall, and vanished. "Woah!" Harry exclaimed. The Mum chuckled.  "Yes, it is very exciting the first time, yes. Well," She gestured to the wall.  "There, you go. On with you then." Harry smiled at the kind woman, and waved over his shoulder. "Thank you!" She smiled at him, and waved back.  "You're welcome Harry!" She realized her mistake too late, her eyes went wide, and she tried to cover it up with a smile.  "D-deary! You're welcome Deary!" He ran right through the wall, and onto the platform. Right upfront was a big, red train, with great billows of steam coming out of the Whistler. Harry stood there in awe, when a hand clapped on his shoulder, startling him a bit. He looked behind him to see the other twin, Fred, grinning at him.  "Great huh? It's always great to see it for the very first time. Too bad you've seen it loads of times, huh Ickle Ronnikins?" As soon as he said the last part, he let go of Harry, and launched himself at the boy who had just come from the other side of the wall.  "Gerroff' me Fred!" The boy, Ronnikins?, said as he was being smothered by Fred. Another red-head came through the wall, and immediately began pulling Fred off of the other boy.  "Honestly George, could you not control yourself until you get on the train?" Before Fred could say anything the other red-head was moving away from him, and toward Harry.  "So, your name must be Harry. That is what my mother shouted after you, so it must be your name." He said in a pompous sort of tone. He held out his hand formally.  "I am Percy Weasley, Prefect for House Gryffindor, future Head Boy, and future assistant to the Minister of Magic." Harry nodded slowly, and shook his hand just as slowly.  "Right... Well my name is-" The trains whistle cut him off. As the whistle blew the Mum, and the last red-head child ran through the wall.  "Well what are you waiting for?! Get on the train!" She yelled over the noise. Harry, one to almost always follow orders, if he knows what's good for them, ran onto the train. He was about to luge his trunk up when a strange creature grabbed hold of it.  "I be taking bags." Harry turned around, and looked down strangely at the creature before nodding.  "Okay, thank you!" He turned back around without looking back and boarded the train.  Chapter End Notes So, I know that I haven't written a chapter in literal months... and I have no idea when the next one will be, so please just bare with me. I am a Mess™ However, I have many things planned for this... End Notes In this story the Golden Trio is no longer for the light, there will be some really Dark™ stuff in here. You have been warned, the Tags are not there for my health. Also, I wrote this before JK had clarified who exactly Grindelwald was, and that he had gone to Durmstrang. So... Yeah, kind of a true AU. Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!