Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter or any character from the Nasuverse. This is a work of fan fiction.

Author's Note – First off, Thank you for all the support even though it looked like a dead story. It was truly inspiring seeing all the messages I received to continue this story. Hopefully I can get the next chapter out sooner.

Two things to note, I have made a slight change in Chapter 1, Shirou versus the Dark Lord. For the sake of my plans for this story, Shirou must not meet the Dark Lord until later. So while the attack on the Queen still occurred, Voldemort was not present at the time.

The Platform, The Castle, And The Hat

The rest of Harry's summer was rather peaceful. Dudley did not want anything to do with him, so there were no Harry Hunting trips. Uncle Vernon's hand had to be put in a cast so he spent most of the time forcing Dudley or Aunt Petunia to help him out. It was actually pretty sad, Uncle Vernon couldn't even pour his after dinner scotch; Aunt Petunia had to do it for him. Aunt Petunia was the most pleasant, she just ignored him.

It was the first time that he could remember not having chores or cleaning. He didn't even have to make Dudley's breakfast anymore. He got to spend an entire month reading his books and playing in the park. Since Dudley wasn't bothering him anymore, he actually got to play football with the neighborhood kids.

The neighbors also didn't bother him as much anymore. He thought it had something to do with his new clothes. He didn't look like he was in elephant skin clothes now.

He had a wonderful time reading his new school books; he spent many of the long nights reading out of his various books.

The most interesting thing happened about mid-August. After reading the first chapter of his Self-Transfiguration book, He attempted some magic. The book had said to the best way to start was something small like color of the eyes or length of hair. So he decided that he would try to make his hair change color. After staring at the mirror for almost an hour he finally got his hair to change to a dark blue. It wasn't much but it was a start. The real problem was, he could not change it back.

After freaking out for another hour, he calmed down and realized that he did not see anything limiting his hair color at Hogwarts so he was probably okay.

Harry woke at five in the morning on the first of September and he was too nervous and excited to go back to sleep. So he got up and put on his new school uniform minus his robe. It was actually the nicest clothes he had, a nice white dress shirt and a pair of slacks. He figured he could put the robe and tie on, on the train. He double checked his trunk and then went and made himself breakfast.

Prof. Emiya arrived at the door at exactly six in the morning.

"Good morning, Harry. Are you ready to go?" The professor asked.

"Yes, Professor." He responded as he pulled his trunk out the door. He was glad that the Dursley's were still asleep he did not want to deal with them today. Thank goodness that the professor seemed to understand.

The professor helped him load his trunk into the boot of a waiting cab.

It took the cabbie only three hours to get to the station. So they arrived at nine' o'clock. It was Harry's first time to King's Cross Station, and it was one of the busiest places he had ever been.

Prof. Emiya was carrying his trunk with one hand and guiding him through the crowd with another. The professor didn't even seem bothered by the other people in the station. He lead Harry through the station not ever letting the crowd stop him. Harry wished he could have that kind of confidence.

One thing had been bothering him since they had left privet drive. "Professor, where is your luggage?" He questioned.

"As a Professor I had the privilege to send my things ahead. So my luggage is already awaiting me in my room. All I brought with me is a book to read on the train." The professor answered as they came upon platform nine.

Uncle Vernon had scoffed at the idea of Platform Nine and three quarters, saying that there was no such thing. Harry was worried when he saw the plastic sign for platform ten.

"Professor, where is the platform?" He asked with hesitation.

"I honestly don't know Harry. No one told me either. But I would assume it is behind that bounded field over there." The professor answered as he pointed to a large brick pillar in the center of the platform. To Harry it just looked like a brick wall.

"Alright Harry, here we go." As the professor grabbed his shoulder and walked towards the wall. He braced for impact and closed his eyes. After a moment, he opened his eyes to a scarlet steam engine that was waiting next to a platform that was just beginning to be packed with people. An overhead sign said Hogwarts Express, eleven o'clock.

"Let's find you a cabin Harry." The professor said as he led Harry toward the train. He could not believe the chaos that was the platform, cats of various colors wandering around between people's legs, owls hooting unhappily from their cages, and the sound of trunks being drug around.

Prof. Emiya led him to the middle of the train to find a compartment. After Harry was settled into his compartment, the professor made his farewells. "Okay, Harry, I will see you at dinner, and remember if you need anything, my door will always be open."

"Thanks, Professor Emiya."

Harry was glad to have the kind man as professor. Many of his primary school teachers were mean to him because the Dursley's had made up some lies about him. He was definitely glad to have teacher that could not be bullied by someone like the Dursley's.

After a few moments he followed the professor's example and got out a book to read for the train ride. However, he did not get very far into his book because moments after the train started moving there was knock on the compartment door. In came a young girl with bushy brown hair and slightly bucked teeth.

"May I sit here?" she asked.

"Sure."

As she took a seat she noticed, his book The History of the Magical Bloodlines. He had not got around to reading it this summer and it seemed like the perfect book to skim on the train ride.

"Is that a required text?" She asked in nervous surprise.

"Is it important? Will we need it in class? Are Magical Bloodlines important? Will we need to know that for the Sorting?" She continued too quickly for him to respond.

As he gestured in placating manner he spoke. "No, this is not a required school book. I was just skimming it to see how important Magical Bloodlines are in the Magical World."

She looked shocked then suddenly nervous.

"Are you alright?" he asked the strange girl.

She looked ashamed while she spoke, "I am sorry, I did it again, I always do that to new people, I really am sorry."

"It's alright, let try again my name is Harry." He said as he held out his hand.

"My name is Hermione Granger." She responded as she took his hand.

The new pair talked for almost an hour about various different things. It turned out that Hermione was a Muggleborn and she and her parents were very excited about her attendance to Hogwarts. Harry was glad to meet someone just as excited and as nervous as he was about attending Hogwart's. It turned out that Hermione was bit of a bookworm but Harry just thought it was a part of the inquisitive girl's charms.

About halfway through the train ride a trolley came full of various candies, however both he and Hermione both declined, Hermione because her parents were dentist and Harry because he had made himself a larger breakfast than normal.

Shortly after the trolley had left a small chubby boy burst into the compartment.

"Have you seen a Toad, I've lost him, he was a gift from Uncle Algie, I can't lose him. Gran will tan my hide if I've lost him." The boy Harry recognized as Neville spoke as he descended into a small panic attack.

"No I haven't seen a Toad, Neville." Harry responded, "But I can help you look."

Neville quickly looked up when Harry spoke his name and a look of recognition crossed his face. "R-right your Harry, we m-met at Madam Malkin's the other day."

"Yes, and I can help you look for your toad." Harry re-iterated.

Hermione, not one to be left out, spoke next, "Oh, I can help too."

So the three intrepid first years left the compartment in search of Trevor the Missing Toad.

While the intrepid first years were off on their quest Shirou Emiya sat alone in his compartment at the front of the train. After dropping of his young charge, Shirou did a quick patrol of the train. He did not sense anything particularly dangerous aboard the train so he was relatively sure that the train ride would go quietly and quickly.

Much to his dismay the ride was anything but quick.

He had decided that he would spend the train ride reviewing his new students' grade list for his class. It was actually worse than he had feared. It seemed that the lack of any standardized syllabus for Defense Against the Dark Arts had left students vastly unprepared for their O.W.L's or their N.E.W.T's not to mention vastly unprepared for any real danger situations.

It seemed in the last seven years that each new professor only really taught the area that they had experience, his predecessor, Rowlett, only taught about minor ward defense and breaking to all the levels. It was the same story for the seven years that Shirou had to review; some years had really good foundations in law, others not so much. Third years had an impressive knowledge of creatures but almost nothing in the practice of wandlore. It was actually quite maddening.

Defense Against the Dark Arts is actually a pretty varied course. Shirou was truly amazed at what the course required him to teach to students. The entire seven years of the course were to cover the basics of: wandlore, prominent creatures, defensive spells, offensive spells, dueling, wards, rituals, wizarding law, and wizard culture. It truly was one of the most varied courses. Each topic could have an entire course or more dedicate to one such topic. He was pretty sure that Clocktower had multiple semesters for most of the outlined courses.

Defense was also the class that had the most class periods. He would teach four years a day for a total of eight classes a day with one free period every other day.

Shirou spent nearly four hours reviewing his notes.

As the train approached the wizarding village of Hogsmeade in the early hours of twilight Shirou packed up his notes and placed them back inside his trusty coat.

He exited the train and followed the herd of students towards the Threstral driven carriages. He blinked as he remembered about Hagrid's domesticated flock of Threstrals. While he was admiring the skeletal looking horses a young girl approached him from behind.

"Are you Professor Ameeya?" asked the girl.

Shirou turned and was surprised by the girl, no young woman's incredibly pink hair. He also noticed the prefects badge on the young woman's robes.

"It's Emiya" he stressed the pronunciation of his name for her, "and yes I am Professor Emiya."

"Excellent I am Tonks and I am supposed to guide you to the Great Hall this evening." She explained.

So he and Tonks shared a carriage to the castle. Shirou used this time to query his new student about her previous professors. Shirou was glad to hear the opinion of the seventh year. It seemed that Tonks was looking to be an Auror for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She had been studying extra hard in her defense class in order to help prepare herself for Auror training. Shirou listened to the horror stories of how some of the other various defense professor met there untimely demise.

"Don't worry Neville, I am sure Trevor will show up eventually." Harry told the shy boy as they stepped of the train in the village. The three intrepid first years at spent hours looking for the missing Toad but it seemed like no one had seen the Toad on the train. Neville had at least been sure that the toad was on the train.

"Gran is going to kill me." Neville whined piteously.

Hermione rolled her eyes "I do not think it is that bad Neville, Harry's probably right Neville, Trevor will show up, eventually."

Harry looked around hoping to see Prof. Emiya again, so the professor could tell them where to go from here. He saw the professor being lead away by a pretty girl with pink hair. Just as he was about to go over to him another voice drew his attention.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here. All right there, Harry?" Harry heard a familiar voice of Hagrid call out from just a little ways away.

"Sorry, abou' ducking out on you the other day Harry, but I had very important Hogwart's business to attend to." Hagrid apologized to Harry.

"It's alright Hagrid, Prof. Emiya taught me a bunch of cool things" Harry told the giant man.

"That's good Harry, Shirou really knows his stuff, you should get him to tell you how he once fought a Nundu with nothing but a bow and arrow."

Harry didn't know what a Nundu was but Neville's jaw seemed drop at the statement. Harry was about to ask Neville about it but was interrupted by Hagrid addressing the crowd.

"C'mon, follow me – and more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me."

Hagrid's bellowed into the crowd of students. After a quick headcount Hagrid led Harry and the rest of the First Years down a dark narrow path towards a large lake.

"Yeh'll get your firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec" Hagrid called out over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud, "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly unto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry, Neville and Hermione were joined by a red headed boy named Ron in their tiny wooden boat.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself "Right then – FORWARD!"

The fleet of little boats took off from shore in perfect unison surprising Harry. The boats carried all the first years across the lake swiftly and smoothly. The only thing of note on the trip across the black lake was that Neville's toad Trevor decided to reappear by jumping into their boat.

After reaching the opposite shore of the lake, Hagrid led them up a small path towards a short flight of stone stairs which ended at a large oaken door. Hagrid raised a fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

Shirou had to admit he was impressed; Hogwarts definitely lived up to its reputation. The Magical Castle was practically sentient as far as he could tell. With so much magic in the air it was like being on the ley line of Fuyuki again. As Tonks led him through the castle Shirou extended his magical senses to the castle. He could now understand why the Headmaster called Hogwarts the safest place. The number of bounded fields that protected the grounds was inconceivable; the castle could withstand a complete magical siege IF all the wards were activated at the same time. However, Shirou noted that many of the castles protections lay dormant, like the statues and the suits of armor. Shirou also sensed the various ghosts in the castle.

When Shirou entered the Great Hall behind Tonks the first thing he noticed was the illusion sky on the ceiling. Shirou admitted to himself that the illusion was an impressive piece of work but he had seen a similar ceiling in one of the Clock Tower's Ballrooms, when Rin drug him out to a high class event.

Shirou took his place at the high table, in between a plump little witch he knew as Pomona Sprout and the diminutive half goblin professor Filius Flitwick. He exchanged with his various pleasantries with his new co-workers. Filius invited him to the monthly staff poker game at the Hog's Head, they didn't play for much but the owner let them drink for free on that night. He figured it would be a good way to socialize with his new peers.

The rest of the hall was quite loud as students talked about various things, until the Headmaster called for silence and a few seconds later the Deputy Headmistress lead the First Years into the Great Hall for the first time.

Minerva McGonagall led the first years up to a small stool with an old wizard hat and she waited for something to happen. Shirou was surprised when the hat twitched and then burst into song:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where the are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuff are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Racenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends'

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The whole hall burst out into applause at the conclusion of the hat's song, it was at that point, that Shirou decided, he hated the hat.

The Deputy Headmistress then began to call out the new students names starting with Hannah Abbott.

Shirou did not pay much attention to where the students were sorted until McGonagall called out "Potter, Harry." And then the entire hall broke out in whispers, it seemed that the students were really excited to see Harry come to Hogwarts. Poor Harry look scared out of his skin. He watched as Harry sat on the stool and McGonagall placed the 'evil' (in Shirou's mind at least) hat upon the young boys head. The boy sat silently on the stool for far longer than anyone else had Shirou was worried until the hat suddenly shouted "GRYFFINDOR."

The Gryffindor table burst out in thunderous applause, and it seemed to excitable boys jumped up and down screaming "We got Potter."

Harry quickly joined the Gryffindor table sitting next to the blonde boy he met in Diagon Alley, Neville if he remembered correctly and a girl with bushy brown hair.

The rest of the sorting was relatively unexciting. After the last student was sorted Dumbledore stood to address the room. "Welcome" he said "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. We have one more sorting to do this evening. I would like everyone to meet our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Shirou Emiya."

There was a polite round of applause and Shirou was a little embarrassed.

"Since Professor Emiya did not attend Hogwarts I think it fitting for him to be sorted since it is also his first day in the castle." Dumbledore spoke with that annoying twinkle in his eye. Shirou wanted to protest, however Filius quickly whispered in his ear. "Just do it or he will be incorrigible for days." Shirou let out a brief sigh and rose to his fate.

Shirou sat upon the tiny stool and let McGonagall put the hat upon his head. Shirou instantly knew that this was a bad idea.

"Aha, an Emiya full of pointy objects and many secrets"

Shirou cursed in his head. He knew the hat was out to get him.

"Such foul words young man just be glad the children can't hear that horrible mouth of yours."

He immediately thought of all the ways to destroy the evil hat.

"No need for death threats. Your wife would be upset if you killed me."

He did not believe the hat.

"Fine! Don't believe me. Ask her yourself. But that is beside the point, I have a job to complete. However you are rather easy to sort. Better be - HUFFLEPUFF"

There was a round of applause as Shirou reclaimed his seat at the High Table. After Shirou had returned to his seat the headmaster began again. "Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank You." To the unobservant these words would have seemed completely random but to trained Magus the simple misdirection would not work.

It was really quite simple; Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment and Tweak were the four house elves in charge of laying out all the food on the tables.

After a pleasant dinner Shirou retired to his Chambers to get some sleep, so that he was well rested for the days ahead. He only hoped he was as good a teacher as Taiga.