hatofsorting-blog

[hatofsorting-blog]

What if things were done right ...eventually. (pt. 1)

‣ Harry grows up in the cupboard under the stairs for the first 11 years of his life, exactly like what actually happened.

‣ When he’s on the train to Hogwarts, he’s thrilled. He sits with Ron, shares his candies, everything is exactly the same.

‣ Until Hermione shows up.

‣ “Wow, you’re really Harry Potter? Goodness, you’ve got the scar and everything! Of course I know who you are, I’ve read all about you, of course. I’m Hermione Granger, I was raised by Muggles too. I had no idea I was even a witch until my letter came! Me and my parents were so surprised! I guess I was sort of happy when I read that you grew up the Muggle-way, too, since now I won’t be the only one who’s new to this. ... Hey, Harry, I have a question.”

‣ “What?” Harry’s feeling overwhelmed by the girl who just walked into his and Ron’s compartment, but Hermione doesn’t seem to notice. 

‣ Then she blurts out the most uncomfortable question of the century.

‣ “Did your parents really put that the Muggles would take care of you in their will?”

‣ Hermione, of course, is too smart for her own good. She has no idea about personal boundaries or uncomfortable topics ...she’s never been too socially inclined. Ron’s jaw unhinges. (”Hey, you can’t just ask him that!”) 

‣ Meanwhile Harry doesn’t have any idea what either of them are talking about - his parents never had a will. 

‣ ”Honestly, didn’t you read anything before you got on the train? I reckon I know more about you than you do!”

‣ Turns out, as Hermione tells them, there was a smidgen of information about Lily and James Potter’s will in Volume 87 of A Wizarding and Witchcraft Encyclopedia (’80-’85). (”Good lord, Hermione, you read that? We have those at my house - no one ever even touches them, not even Percy, and he’s just been made Prefect! They’ve each got at least 5,000 pages!”)

‣ That night, after the trio is sorted into Gryffindor, they sit around the fireplace for a long time after the rest of the students have gone to their dorms.

‣ Ron asks Harry what the Muggles were like - since his dad is fascinated with them.

‣ (”I don’t think your dad would like the Dursleys too much.”)

‣ Ron asks why, and Harry tells him and Hermione about the cupboard under the stairs, and Aunt Petunia always giving him Dudley’s old clothes.

‣ Hermione is disgusted. (”I really doubt your parents would want you to stay with them, Harry!)

‣ In her first lesson at Hogwarts, Hermione manages to get on Flitwick’s good side enough to get a note for the Restricted section in the library - to check out Volume 87 of the Wizarding and Witchcraft Encyclopedia.

‣ Madame Pince gives her the strangest look - no one ever checks that set out.

‣ “This must be some Charms project.”

‣ That night in the common room, she shows Harry the section where she had found the mention of the will.

‣ Sure enough, it’s there - James and Lily Potter were no strangers to their own endangerment - their will lies in the Potter’s Gringotts vault, along with the rest of their fortune.

‣ (”Glory Hermione, that writing’s tiny! How’d you manage to find that out of all this?”)

‣ (”Easy, Ron, I read it. And now we’ve got to tell McGonagall. This could change everything!”)

‣ However, Harry doesn’t want any part in this. He feels weird about ruffling feathers where his parents are concerned - they’ve been dead for so long it didn’t feel right to change anything.

‣ But Hermione wasn’t about to take no for an answer. She shows the book to Professor McGonagall after their next Transfiguration class while Harry stands awkwardly behind her.

‣ “Miss Granger, may I ask why you’re so interested in the subject of Potter’s parent’s will? It doesn’t exactly seem to concern you.”

‣ Before she can stop herself, Hermione blurts out everything Harry had told her about living with the Dursleys. 

‣ (”They’re awful to him, Professor. He said so!”)

‣ McGonagall looks over Hermione’s shoulder at Harry, who wants nothing but to disappear into thin air.

‣ “Is that true, Potter?”

‣ Harry shrugs. “Uh, yes?”`

‣ Professor McGonagall is horrified. She snaps the book out of Hermione’s hands, and Harry’s never seen someone look so angry and so dangerous, even Vernon Dursley.

‣ “Thank you, Miss Granger. You stay here with Potter, and I’ll be back down in a moment.”