Hey guys! It's been awhile since I've posted here. I think the last time I posted an actual chapter on this site was like four or five years ago. Anyhow, I was reading a Harry Potter headcannon on Facebook about Harry and his pet corn snake, and I decided I wanted to write that. So, here we are. Hope fiction writing hasn't gotten too rusty. This first chapter should be a run of the mill intro chapter. I'm hoping to post once a month for this and actually be consistent, though we'll see how long that last. But since it's been a while, I'll probably post chapters 2 and three within the coming week as well. Four will probably come mid to late December. Anyways, hope you enjoy!

~Airwatcher

Chapter 1

It was a cold night as Harry sat on the floor. He was currently sitting on the ground of a house in the middle of nowhere. It all started with a letter. A single letter addressed to one, Harry Potter. Harry didn't understand why it had upset his uncle so much, but what he did know was that it had driven his uncle to leave Surrey and go across England to god knows where. The only consolation that Harry had was that he didn't have to sleep in his tinny little cupboard. Harry continued to draw on the dirt a picture of a birthday cake. Glancing at Dudley's watch, he saw the time it was: 11:58.

"Almost time," whispered Harry as he lay on his stomach, as he waited for his birthday to come. The day was July 30th, and within a few minutes it would be July 31st, the day of his birth and the day he would turn 11. Harry didn't know what would happen, but perhaps since they were not in Surrey, Harry would have a more enjoyable birthday. Of course, that would be if the Dursley's acted like they normally did, but considering the extreme lengths that Vernon went to escape the letters, Harry had no idea what would happen. Harry took another look at Dudley's watch and with glee watched as the numbers went from 11:59 to 12:00. "Happy Birthday Harry. Make a wish!" With that, Harry took a deep breath and blew at the candle part of his dirt picture cake. As soon as the top of the candles had been blown away, something began pounding on the door to the house. Harry bolted upright, with Dudley doing the same. Scared, Harry fled to hide behind a crevice in the wall while Dudley just stood there. Harry could also see his uncle come down with a gun in his hand while his aunt stood behind him. Vernon trained the barrel of his shot gun on the entrance, his finger on the trigger, ready to fire. Finally, the door fell down with lightning lighting up behind the man who knocked the door down, obscuring his features. The dursleys all screamed in terror as Vernon put the gun up to defend himself. The towering giant took a few intimidating steps forward into the house, the lightning outside, still obscuring his features before he looked at the people staring at him.

"Sorry about that," said the man in a much lighter tone than Harry expected as he turned around and picked up the door and placed it in the doorway. In that time, Vernon had the barrel of the shotgun trained on the man, his hand back on the trigger of the gun.

"Get out of here! I demand that you leave at once! You are breaking in, and you have no right to do so!" yelled Vernon as he held onto the gun, although not trained well as the gun was shaking in his hands. Hagrid slowly walked over to the man and stood face to face with Vernon, even though Vernon was standing on the stair case.

"Ah, shut up Dursley, you great prune!" said the man as he grasped onto the barrel of the rifle and twisted it backwards so that the barrel of the shotgun was now pointing upwards. Vernon had then pulled the trigger when it shot a bullet up into the wood panels above them. Everyone jumped at the sound as Hagrid turned around to look at Dudley. "I may not have seen you since you were a baby, Harry, but…you're a bit bigger than I expected, especially in the middle."

"I…I'm not Harry," stuttered Dudley as he looked down at his feet, not wanting to look at the giant man in the eyes. It was then Harry stepped out of his hiding place to look at the massive, overbearing man.

"I am Harry."

"Yes, you are quite. You are indeed, Harry. Now, I have something for you. I imagine you'll like it. I may have sat on it at some point during my journey here, but I reckon it'll taste fine, just the same," said the man as he handed a white package to Harry. "Baked it myself, words and all." Harry undid the blue string that was keeping the box together and slid the cover up to reveal a pink birthday cake with the words, 'Happy Birthday Harry'.

"Thank you," said Harry, genuinely thankful for his first gift. He had never received a gift from anyone before. It would be a cake that Harry would always remember.

"Well, it's not everyday a young man turn eleven years old, now is it?" asked the man standing before Harry before he sat down on the couch and pulled out his umbrella. Harry was about to ask who he was when the man shot a few puffs of fire into the fireplace. Harry looked on in awe as the Dursleys looked on in disgust and horror. Slowly, Harry set the box down on a nearby table before walking over to the man to make an inquiry.

"Excuse me, sir, but who are you?" asked Harry, tilting his head to the side.

"The name is Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts. But of course you know all about Hogwarts."

"Sorry," said Harry as he scratched his head in confusion, "I don't know anything about this Hogwarts."

"Sorry? You don't need to be sorry Harry," said Hagrid, placing his big hand on Harry's shoulder before turning to glare at the Dursleys over his shoulder. "It should be them who is sorry. Merlin, I was told that you weren't getting your letters, but this is outrageous! Did you ever wonder where your mum and dad learned everything they knew?" Hagrid's eyes snapped open as he turned to look back at the Dursleys again. Right before he lashed out at them again, Hagrid took a few breaths to calm himself before looking back at Harry. "You're a wizard Harry, and you'll probably become as great as your parents were, with the right training of course."

"A what?" asked Harry, thinking he had misheard.

"A wizard, Harry. Like I said, you'll make a great wizard once you're trained up. I'd wager my job on that."

"But…that can't be right," said Harry with confusion entering his eyes. "I mean, I can't be a wizard. I'm just a normal person. Just a person like anyone else in this world!"

"Well then, Harry," said Hagrid, as he chuckled at the denial that he was a wizard, "Have you ever done anything that you couldn't explain? Anything when you were upset or emotional?" Harry looked at Hagrid, and realized that he had. He had done so many times during his time at his elementary school, and no one ever believed him when he said that he didn't do those actions. But now, those actions were starting to make sense. "Here," said Hagrid as he pulled an envelope out of his jacket, "I believe this belongs to you."

'Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on the first of September. We expect to her back from you by no later than July 31st.

Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall'

"That's today," said Harry as he finished reading the letter. "I can't reply in time to be accepted!"

"Which you won't!" yelled Vernon as he stomped over to stand behind Harry. "We swore when we took the boy in that we would put a stop to all this rubbish!"

"You knew?" asked Harry in surprise. "You knew all along and you never told me? How could you?"

"Of course we knew," said Petunia as she looked down at her nephew from where she stood on the stairs. "How could you not be? You, like my perfect sister, being who she was? Oh, she got a letter just like you did. And she too, disappeared from us for nine months every year to that school, and when she came back she was always doing something, something freakish! But my parents, they were so proud of her. I was the only one to see her for what she was! A freak! And I knew you would end up just the same as she did!" Petunia came to a stop to take a breath as she stood behind Vernon. "But then, she met that Potter Boy and they had you. I knew all along that you would be just a strange, just as abnormal! And then, would you know it, she got herself blown up! And we got stuck with you!"

"Blown up?" asked Harry as Petunia told him something different than what she had for all these years, "You told me my parents died in a car crash!"

"A car crash?" roared Hagrid as he looked at Vernon and Petunia. "A car cash killing Lily and James Potter? What are you, insane? That is an outrage! This is a scandal!"

"He will not be going," said Vernon, pronouncing each word with purpose.

"Oh?" asked Hagrid. "And I suppose you, a muggle, is capable of stopping a wizard from attending the school of his choice? I wonder how that would play out."

"Muggle? What's that?" asked Harry, looking up at Hagrid.

"Non-magic folk," said Hagrid. "Harry has had his name down in the book of students to attend Hogwarts ever since he was born. He will be going to one of the finest schools of witchcraft and wizardry, and he will be under the finest headmaster to grace Hogwart's halls since Godric Gryffindor, Albus Dumbledore!" Vernon glared up at Hagrid's face.

"There is no way that I will pay for some crack addicted lunatic to teach my nephew magic tricks!" yelled Vernon. As soon as those words left Vernon's mouth, Hagrid's umbrella was immediately pointed at Vernon.

"Never…insult…Albus Dumbledore in front of me," whispered Hagrid as he looked at the Dursleys with a cold glint in his eyes. It was then Hagrid heard the sound of someone eating and his eyes were drawn to Dudley, who had taken Harry's cake and begun to eat it, with his back turned to Hagrid. Hagrid then pointed his umbrella at Dudley and shot a beam of light at his butt. Suddenly, a pig's tail began to grow, gaining the screams of all three Dursleys. Meanwhile, Harry laughed as all three Dursleys ran around in terror before running all the way upstairs. "Oh, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention that," said Hagrid, as he looked at Harry. "Strictly speaking, I'm not allowed to do magic."

"Sure. As long as you can get me out of here," said Harry with a wide grin.

"Now that, I can do," said Hagrid as he took out a mirror and said the words, "Albus Dumbledore." The mirror's surface rippled before the image of Albus Dumbledore came into view.

"Ah, Hagrid, I trust you have secured young Mr. Potter," said Dumbledore.

"Yes sir. I will be taking him to the Leaky Cauldron, under a cloak of course, and get him a room there. I will stay there with him until McGonagall comes later today to take him shopping for school supplies. I will also make sure that McGonagall gets his key tomorrow. And I would like to ask permission to tell him why he is so famous."

"Of course. Good day to you." The mirror went blank as Dumbledore ceased talking. Hagrid then put the mirror away.

"Okay, we best be going now. Hold onto my hand now. Is there anything that you need to grab?" Harry shook his head as he grabbed onto Hagrid's outstretched hand. "Activate," whispered Hagrid as he took out a silver coin. Suddenly, Harry felt something grab onto his navel before both Hagrid and Harry disappeared from the shack. They both landed in alley, with Harry stumbling as he tried to get back his balance. "Okay there, Harry?"

"Yeah, just trying to get my balance," replied Harry as he leaned against the wall of the alley.

"Good. Well, the first thing is that I need you to wear this cloak," said Hagrid, taking out a black cloak with a hood. "I will explain later, but it wouldn't do for you to just walk into the Leaky Cauldron without a disguise. It would cause a ruckus. When we get to your room, I'll explain everything." Harry nodded and placed the cloak on around his shoulders without any complaint, before pulling up the hood. Hagrid nodded at Harry before walking into the Leaky Cauldron with Harry.

"'Ello Hagrid, how are you?" asked the bartender as he wiped the glasses.

"Doing just fine, Tom. Tom, do you have a room or two available at the moment? My friend and I need somewhere to sleep until morning."

"Why yes, I do," replied Tom as he took out two keys. "Here you go. Down the hall, and you will find room numbers 10 and 11. Eleven is for you, Hagrid. Ten is for your friend. I'll see you in the morning." Hagrid thanked Tom before walking down the hallway to the two rooms specified and opened the door to the one that would be his room.

"Come in Harry. There are some things that I need to explain to you before I let you get some sleep." Hagrid sat down on his bed while Harry took a seat in the chair in the corner of the room. "Harry, you do not know this, but when you give your name to any wizard in Britain, they will most likely know who you are."

"Why would they know who I am? It's not like I've met every single person in Britain…"

"It's because of what you have done. You see, Harry, before you were born there was a war going on in the wizarding world. There was a man and his followers who were attacking anyone they believed not worthy of being a wizard. Many muggleborns, muggles, half-bloods, and any purebloods who did not believe in their cause. But the turning point during the war was in 1981. The man who started this war, You-Know-Who-"

"Who?" asked Harry, not understanding what Hagrid just said.

"Oh. You-Know-Who is what we call the man who started the wizarding war. But his real name is…Voldemort. But it has become so taboo to say that no one ever says it anymore, well everyone except Albus Dumbledore, great man he is. Anyways, Voldemort tried to attack you, Harry. For some reason he believed you a threat. Now your parents died trying to stop him, but when he came to you something interesting happened. The curse he used to kill you was the killing curse, a curse that kills anyone it comes into contact with."

"But what is so special about me, and how does that relate to Voldemort?"

"Shush, don't use his name. Just use the nickname. Anyways, it is special because when You-Know-Who tried to use that curse on you when you were but a babe, the curse rebounded back at him, destroying him. Since then, you have become known as the boy-who-lived."

"The boy-who-lived?"

"Yes, for being the only person to ever survive the killing curse, that is what you have become known as, and it is for that reason that you have gained fame within the wizarding world."

"So…I'm a celebrity?" asked Harry as he tilted his head in confusion.

"Yes. This must be hard for you to take in, but that is what happened. Just promise me one thing when everyone finds out. Promise me that you will not change because of the fame. Stay the same person and you will be fine."

"I will Hagrid."

"Good. Now here are two things for you," said Hagrid as he pass Harry two keys. One was gold and the other was bronze. "The gold key is for your vault in Gringotts. The bronze key is for the room next door. When you go to get gold, the person who is taking you there will explain the different types of money. Now go get some rest. You will need it." Harry nodded and walked into the room next door to get some sleep.