Author Notes: Chapter two is finally done. Ya'll have no idea how hard this was to write. I had such bad writer's block, and with finals and all of that crap, it was insanity. Well, at least it's up now, so you can stop bugging me about it Courtney. Yes you. I know you've wanted me to finish it forever. Now it's done, so working on three starts...now. Wait, now. No...NOW!
Warning: Language, Violence
Summary: "This is a story that is not for those who will laugh and make a mockery of it," he muttered, looking directly at Molly. "This, Molly my dear, is the story of how the Lion and the Snake fell in love."
Or, as my friend and I like:
This is a story about: An enraged Mother, A Person on a Coffin, Two Disagreeing Children, and a House Elf named Chippy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, places or some happenings. I only own some plot line, and Chippy the House Elf!
Reminders: Please Review. This story means a lot to me, and I really want confirmation that I'm not a horrible story writer.
Chapter 2 – The Train Ticket
Dumbledore reached down to the little area below the table. He pulled out a box of items and set it on top of the table with a gentle plop. "Let us start at the beginning of the story, since I know you do not know this part." He opened the box and pulled out an old worn train ticket designated for The Hogwarts Express. "This is the train ticket from Harry's first trip to Hogwarts. Although you all think that Harry was eleven years old when he first came to Hogwarts, he was not. Harry Potter was three years old."
The conductor of The Hogwarts Express, Jack Springhopper led the adorable, black haired toddler off of the train. "Come on Harry, I'm going to take you somewhere fun." He picked up little Harry in his arms and smiled. What no one seemed to know was that Jack Springhopper was James' adopted brother, because the Potters were desperately missing their boy when he had gone to Hogwarts. It seemed that Jack, although he was a muggle in a wizard society, had developed magical powers and had entered Hogwarts for his fourth year.
"Where are we going?" Harry asked, snuggling into Jack's arms. The man smiled and started to climb the hill to the castle.
"We, Harry my boy, are going to Hogwarts to meet Professor Dumbledore."
"Wait Albus wait," Molly said, stopping him from the story. "Harry came to Hogwarts when he was three? That is absolutely, completely impossible!" Dumbledore merely gave Molly a gentle smile. "It sounds like utter nonsense Albus! The Dursleys wouldn't have allowed it."
Dumbledore merely nodded. "You're absolutely right Molly. The Dursleys would not have allowed it. Luckily, we had gotten them out of town for the weekend and they had left him with Ms. Figg. Ms. Figg, if you do not already know, is a squib. She has been the babysitter for young Harry since he was two." Mrs. Weasley nodded and quieted herself. "Now, where was I? Oh yes," he chuckled. "We were off to meet me.
Jack had reached the top of the hill and knocked on the heavy doors that kept the entrance of Hogwarts safe and sound. A house elf had been instructed to meet him at the door, so he came through. "Good morning sir. My name is Chippy, please follow me." Jack nodded and kept a tight hold of Harry. Many people would do anything to get a glimpse of The Boy Who Lived, or whatever that silly title they gave him was.
"Where are we meeting Professor Dumbledore, Chippy?" he asked rocking Harry gently in his arms. Harry had started to fuss and was waving his thick little fists in the air. "Sh. It's alright Harry. Just a few more moments, and then you can walk around all you'd like.
"Here," stated Chippy, handing Jack a tiny bottle. "It's honey and herbs. It'll keep him quiet." Jack expressed his gratitude and handed Harry the bottle. "We are meeting the Headmaster in his study." They walked in silence the rest of the way to the study. Jack noticed that the halls were completely empty, which surprised him. Seeing as it was still nippy outside, he expected to see students in the hallways on their way to activities or something. "They're having a party down in the Great Hall," Chippy laughed, answering his question before he even got to voice it.
"Oh, thank you Chippy." The elf nodded and snapped his fingers in front of a gargoyle statue. The statue jumped aside and opened a niche containing a spiral staircase. "Hmm, in all my years at Hogwarts, I never knew where the Headmaster's study was. Now I know," he chuckled to himself, following Chippy onto the staircase. It lifted up for them and stopped in front of a wooden door on the second level. Jack noticed that the stairs continued on to higher levels, and he wondered what was up there.
"Go on in," Chippy muttered, opening the door for him. "Have a nice day." With a loud crack, he vanished off to take care of his chores. Jack stared at the spot where the house elf had stood moments before and sighed. At least the elves could apparate through the castle. He would have given anything to be able to apparate on school grounds back in his school days.
"Lucky elves," he muttered, entering the Headmaster's study. Dumbledore was seated behind his desk, shuffling through papers. He did not even bother to look up as Jack sat down in the chair opposite him. He looked around the room and smiled. The study was just as interesting as he thought it would be. Little silver ornaments puffing smoke sat on shelves around the room and portraits of the old Headmasters adorned the walls. "Nice," he muttered in approval.
"Hello to you too Jack," Dumbledore muttered, still not looking up from his papers. "Do set Harry down. I'd like him to go off and play while we hold the first part of this meeting." Jack obliged and placed Harry on the ground next to him. Dumbledore snapped his fingers and Harry disappeared.
"Dumbledore! Where did you send Harry?" Dumbledore merely flicked his wrist and silenced Jack. The door to his study closed, and a tea tray appeared in front of them.
"Relax Jack. This conversation is top secret, so I'd rather not have Harry here. If he remembers a part of this, any part of this, he could be in even more trouble then he is already in." Jack nodded sullenly and accepted the Headmaster's explanation. "Besides, there is someone I want him to meet." With that, he ended the topic and they proceeded to pour over map after map, leaving the tea completely forgotten.
Dumbledore paused from the story and nodded to Chippy. The house elf stood up and smiled. "Uh. Professor Dumbledore wishes me to tell this part of the story, because I was the one to view it, not him." Ron and Ginny nodded and smiled, giving the elf silent encouragement. Mrs. Weasley merely nodded and rolled her wrist, silently telling him to just get on with it.
"Well, this was the first time that Master Harry met Master Draco." He spoke in an almost whisper, as If he was afraid to say anymore and have Mrs. Weasley yell and scream at him as she had done to the Headmaster. When he realized that she was not going to attack him or yell at him, he breathed again and continued on with his story, clutching his multicolored patchwork cap in his hands.
Harry was now in the kitchen. There was a small room behind the kitchen that was kept as a break center and daycare for the elves with children. Chippy was in charge of watching the room and the children inside of it. Harry sat down on a tiny chair and smiled. "This is fun!" Chippy smiled and watched him, happiness shining in his eyes. The door opened behind him, causing Chippy to turn around.
"Ah, good morning Master Draco," Chippy spoke, moving aside to let the pale, blond haired toddler into the room. Draco looked up and waved to Chippy. Another house elf was standing just outside the door, beckoning for Chippy to come to him. "What is it Dobby?" he asked, leaning outside the door and keeping an eye on the two boys.
"The master tells me to not let Master Draco near Harry Potter. He says that Harry Potter is evils sir." Chippy looked back at the boys and shook his head. He thought for a moment before smiling.
"Please tell your master that I can not do so. There are not enough elves to watch the boys separately, and I'm not in charge in that concept. I have no control over it. If he's so desperate to keep them apart, he'll have to take it up with Dumbledore." Dobby nodded and disappeared, leaving Chippy to watch the boys.
"Who are you?" Draco asked, sitting down across from Harry. Harry looked up from the toys and smiled.
"I am Harry. Who are you?"
"Draco, Draco Malfoy." Harry waved hi and continued playing with the toys. Draco didn't seem too happy with that though, so he stood up and walked over to Harry.
"Will you play with me?" Harry asked, not looking up from the toys. Draco nodded, and the two brought the toys onto the floor and started building a block castle.
Chippy smiled. "These two seem to have a good friendship bond, even though they've just met each other. Maybe they'll be best friends when they grow up." Chippy chuckled to himself for even think the thought. The Runner Up Dark Lord's son and Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived. Best friends. What was I thinking?"
He looked up when Harry cried. He had a huge red mark on his face, and there was a random block on the floor, so he assumed that Harry had been hit with the block by Draco. "Master Draco," he said, walking over to intervene. He was about to put Draco in a time out, but something had stopped him from doing so.
Draco had walked over to Harry and held out his hand to the crying boy. "I'm sorry Harry," he apologized, looking at the boy, "Forgive me?" In his hand there was a tiny flower ring. The ring had been given to him by his mother earlier that day. She had been picking flowers in the garden, and she made him a ring out of one of them.
"Take this Draco and keep good care of it. It's full of love." Draco didn't understand much about the word love, but he knew that it meant that you cared about someone, and Draco cared about Harry. Harry was his friend, and that made him happy. The first friend that he had made on his own, without his father's help.
"Here Harry, I'm sorry." Harry looked at the flower ring and carefully took it from him. He smiled and put it around his finger.
"Thank you Draco," he replied, smiling. "I okay now." Draco smiled as well and they went back to building their castle. Chippy smiled and turned away. He wasn't sure about it, but he's pretty sure Draco gave Harry a kiss on the cheek. The two boys continued playing until Harry was winked back to Dumbledore's study.
"So," Dumbledore spoke gently after Chippy had finished. "That was Harry's first trip to Hogwarts, and although I believe he does not remember it, I felt that it was an important milestone in the relationship between the two boys. Ron and Ginny nodded, but Mrs. Weasley looked skeptical.
"This is all a joke. Please someone tell me this is all a joke." The room stayed as silent as it had been before her question. "This…this is real. It really did happen didn't it?"
"So you finally get it mum? You finally understand that we weren't joking about this," Ron spoke, his voice wavering on anger. "How the bloody hell could you think this was a joke? How the hell?!" He stood up and walked out of the room, Ginny following closely behind after muttering, "we'll be back."
Dumbledore sighed and stared towards the door just past the kitchen. "Well, when they return, we'll continue with the story. Until then," he muttered, putting the train ticket back into the box. "We'll have to wait."
They all nodded in turn and sighed, taking turns to stare at the fireplace and that mystery door.