He appeared in a large, comfortable looking room. The stone floor was carpeted with a large comfortable looking rug. A large marble fireplace was built into the tapestry covered walls to his right, before which rested several plush sofa's and armchairs surrounding a large rich coffee table. Within the wall directly in front of him stood a closed oak door, while two more stood off to his left.
Scared and bewildered, the small eleven year old twirled around rapidly, searching for an escape route, while wiping the blood dripping from his face onto a sleeve. What was he doing here? Where was he? Did magic bring him here? Before he got an answer, a red haired, freckly, gangly boy appeared beside him.
"Bloody hell! Did I just Apparate?" The boy shouted with glee. He turned and spotted Harry, and held out his right hand "I'm Ron Weasley. Do you know where we are?" He asked with obvious excitement. Harry neither knew where they were, nor what an 'Apparate' was, but feeling it was only polite, Harry shook the proffered hand. "No. I was sort of twisted around by something at home. I'm Harry, by the way, Harry Potter" At this Ron's eyes grew comically round and started to bulge from their sockets. Aware of Wizarding folk's reaction to him after his visit to Diagon Alley, Harry just reached up and pulled back his fringe to reveal his scar.
They both moved to one of the sofa's and sat down in silence, both wondering where they where. Harry was startled by the fire that erupted from fireplace, staring at it in surprise, while Ron just ignored it, because it was normal for Wizarding fireplaces to react to proximity. They both started talking for a while, Ron questioning Harry about muggles, while Harry asked about magic. They had been talking for about over an hour minutes when a girl with bushy hair and large front teeth appeared and looked around questioningly.
"Was that Magic? It felt like Apparition to me, I read about it Most Common Magical Transportation In the Twentieth Century. I didn't buy it of course, because the I didn't like the sound of some of the methods, and my parents couldn't carry any-more, and most of my travel needs are already prearranged for the next year. I'm Hermione Granger. I assume this is something for Hogwarts?" She fired all of this off at the speed of a bullet, leaving the two young boys stunned.
They introduced themselves and the girl joined them on the couch, all but interrogating Harry, before moving onto questioning Ron about what he knew of Hogwarts. Both boys felt they did not like her much, and shot glances at each other, sharing a knowing look, while Hermione carried on oblivious.
After half an hour of exhausting conversation, the coffee table before them groaned under the weight of dozens of bowls and food filled plates, surounded by pitchers of juice that appeared in the blink of an eye. Also conveniently appearing was a horde of redheads. "Mum! Dad!" Ron jumped up from the sofa and ran to them, while a portly woman screamed out Ron's name and enveloped him with a fierce hug. Harry was sure that he heard bones snapping.
"Mum do you know where we ar..." Ron's question was halted as an old man with a long silver beard, a severe looking woman and a man with the greasiest curtains of hair Harry had ever seen appeared alongside the family of redheads, whom Harry assumed where the Weasley's. The man with the flowing beard surveyed the room over his half-moon spectacles, before his gaze fell onto Harry. He gave a quick nod, before turning to the room at large.
"Does anyone know why we are wherever it is we are?" He questioned quietly. The adults that arrived with him shook their heads, as did the Weasley family. "Then perhaps we should sit down" He ordered quietly. Although worded differently, their was no doubt that it was an order, and it was obeyed as one. People quickly filled the available seats with minimal arguments.
As the greasy haired man, and older woman took their seats, they caught sight of Harry sitting on a couch with Hermione and the reseated Ron. The dark haired man scowled, his lips curling in distaste, while the woman's thin lips curled in the hint of a smile.
"Perhaps introductions are in order" Suggested the old man with the flowing beard "I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Hermione gave an audible gasp, and leant forward in her chair. Dumbledore gestured to the old woman next to him on his couch.
"I am Professor McGonagall. I am Head of Gryffindor house at Hogwarts, and I teach Transfiguration." She directed at Harry, Ron and Hermione. Harry figured that everyone else knew who they where, and the introductions where for their benefit. The greasy haired man drawled out next, contempt colouring all of his word "I am the Hogwarts Potion's Master, Professor Snape, also Head of Slytherin house" He continued to glare at Harry, who shifted uneasily.
The Weasley family introduced themselves as Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Gred and Forge and finally Ginny. Ron introduced himself next to his future Professors. Hermione introduced herself after, before firing off another volley of verbal missiles, which the old beared man deflected with a promise of future understanding.
Finally, it was Harry's turn.
"Hi. My name is Harry Potter" he announced nervously. The parents leant forward slightly, Bill and Charlie exchanged bemused looks, The twins and Percy stuck out their hands, while Ginny gasped and looked at Harry with an expression he didn't understand.
After shaking hands and a small comfortable silence, light conversations sprang up between several members of the group, before the next wave of people arrived. Everyone was soon sat down, and the nervous boy Neville, the slightly off focus Luna and the rude Draco where introduced.
Another woman arrived soon after and embraced Charlie with a small hug, and introduced herself as Tonks. An older, shabby looking man arrived, his eyes ringed with black bags, who sat down after announcing his name was Remus. Soon after, a beautiful teenager girl with flowing silver hair arrived and started screaming in French, and it took took Dumbledore ten minutes to calm her down and get her to introduce herself as Fleur.
Everyone was sat around the Coffee table, which continually refilled itself with a variety of food (all of which was pronounced inadequate by the French teen) and a large variety of sweets (all of which changed occasionally, except for a bowl of sherbet lemons, a fact for which Dumbledore declaired his everlasting love for the room at large) when a final man appeared. He was dirty and unkempt, in torn clothing, and smelt like he had not bathed in years.
He looked around wildly for a second, wondering where he was, when Molly's screams split the air. Seconds later, ropes flew from Dumbledore's wand.
A blue glow emanating from a note in the middle of table drew everyone's attention to a pile of books that had not been their a second previously.
A/N- I know the beginning is rubbish, I just have trouble writing introductions. I assure you that the reading itself will be much more normal, and will focus on lots of different characters thoughts and feelings on what is going on. Some will be slightly ignored from time to time, but each person will be rotated so that we get to hear them, and their though processes every few chapters. Its kind of unavoidable with Twenty-one characters.
A/N- Let me know if you spot any grammer mistakes.