A/N Hi everyone! This was just an idea I got the other day and thought I'd write it down. I have two chapters written which I will post. If enough people are interested I will continue the story. So please review and let me know what you think. I am still working also on my other story "Animals and Bonds". If you haven't already read what's been posted so far, please do so and let me know what you think. I'm going to try and continue with an update every week for at least one of these stories but it will probably be after the New Year before any more updates are added. I hope everyone had a good Christmas and wishing everyone a Happy New Year.

This chapter has been reposted as Fairqueen2 kindly offered to be my beta and has gone over this chapter for me.

CHAPTER ONE

Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, was standing in the shadows of the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. No one had noticed him yet. If he was being honest with himself he didn't want to be there. He was supposed to have started at Hogwarts the September after he had turned eleven, but his godfather Sirius Black and his honorary uncle Remus Lupin had decided it would be best if he was home schooled instead.

Yet here he was now, a little over a month after his sixteenth birthday, about to start his first year at a school he had promised himself he would never attend. He wasn't even going to be entering into the year he should be in; going by his age he should have been starting in sixth year, but instead he was going to be starting in fifth.

When his uncles had spoken to him about going to Hogwarts, they decided to play down how much he actually knew and let the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, think that he was a bit behind where he should be. In truth, Harry could probably have taken his N.E. in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy and passed easily with all 'Outstandings'.

You see, Harry Potter had been trained by the best of the best. He was magically more powerful than Dumbledore, who was considered the greatest and most powerful wizard in the world. However, unlike Dumbledore, Harry had learned how to mask his magical aura. So while everyone could feel Dumbledore's power when he entered a room, no one could feel Harry's power unless he wanted them to.

He also had some very rare talents that only his godfather and uncle knew about. They had kept Harry's talents quiet and under wraps. They didn't want anyone knowing what he could really do, and they didn't want manipulative, old men like Albus Dumbledore to try and take advantage of those talents. One of those talents that they kept well hidden was the fact that Harry was an extraordinary dueler and hadn't lost a single duel since he was twelve. Dumbledore knew Harry could handle himself, he just didn't know how well. He had even dueled with some of the Ministry's best aurors, although he was in disguise at the time and they didn't know who he was.

So Harry stood there bathed in the dark shadows waiting as he watched students enter the hall and take their seats at one of the four house tables. He hadn't travelled on the train like the rest of the students; he had arrived about an hour ago and had been standing in that spot ever since.

As he was watching the last of the students enter before the first years would be brought in to be sorted, he heard a female voice say, "You didn't have to speak to her like that, Ronald. She's your sister. Haven't you noticed that she looks different since the end of last year? She looks like she wants to hide from the world."

Looking around to see where the voice was coming from, he saw a bushy-haired witch talking to a red-headed wizard. Standing next to them was a brown-haired wizard and walking away from them was a very pretty, petite, red-headed witch with bloodshot eyes who looked vaguely familiar. Harry wasn't sure if she had been crying or was trying to stop herself from crying.

"I don't care how she looks, Hermione! And I haven't considered her my sister since she was eleven and was sorted in to the house of snakes. I mean how could she have done that to our family? Did you know that she's the first Weasley to ever be sorted into Slytherin? She turned her back on our family and I for one want nothing to do with her!" the red-headed wizard said.

"Fine, if you want nothing to do with her then just leave her alone. You don't have to go out of your way to be horrible to her. I mean I don't like her either, but you don't see me seeking her out just to make horrible comments." the bushy haired witch who Ronald had called Hermione replied with a huff.

"Ron, if I remember right, Ginny didn't turn her back on her family; you haven't spoken a single kind word to her since the moment after she was sorted. The rest of your family made as little conversation and contact with her as possible. If anything it was your family that turned their backs on her, not the other way around." it was the brown-haired boy who spoke this time Harry noticed.

"Well that's because we don't want to socialize with a dark witch, Neville. I don't care if she says she isn't dark. First she got sorted into Slytherin and we all know only dark witches and wizards come from that house. Then she opened the Chamber of Secrets using that bloody diary and I still don't understand why they saved her! If it had been up to me I would have left her down there; that way she wouldn't have the chance to turn dark or hurt anyone else. If Mum had her way Ginny would have been disowned but Dad still hopes that she will return to the light when she leaves school." the boy called Ron said.

As the trio walked past Harry shook his head. Now he knew why the girl had seemed familiar. He had saved a young girl from the Chamber of Secrets when he was twelve. His godfather had received a floo call from the headmaster asking if Harry could come to the school as the chamber could only be opened by a Parcelmouth, and Harry was the only known living one. They were told if he didn't do it then the young girl would die. So he had gone to the school, ended up saving the young girl from the memory of a sixteen year old Voldemort (whose name at the time was Tom Riddle), and killing a basilisk while he was down there. After they got out of the chamber the young girl had been taken to the Hospital Wing by her head of house. Not a single member of her family had been there to make sure she was okay and Harry had been taken home. He didn't even know her name but, according to the trio that had just walked past and taken seats at the Griffindor House table, her name was Ginny Weasley and she was a Slytherin.

Harry looked towards the table where the girl called Ginny sat. She had her head down and her hands clasped in front of her on the table and there was a large gap on either side of her. It appeared that no one wanted to sit next to her. To Harry she looked small, lost, and alone.

'Well it looks like I'm going to be in Slytherin,' Harry thought to himself.

Just then the doors to the Great Hall opened and a stern looking professor walked in with a trail of first years to be sorted behind her. She walked to the front of the hall where there was a stool with a tattered looking hat sitting on it. When all the first years were lined up the hat began to sing. Harry tuned the hat out and looked back at Ginny. She was still sitting there with her head down and not paying any attention to what was going on.

As the hat finished singing, the headmaster stood up looking around the hall with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. "Welcome! Before the sorting begins I have to make an announcement. We have a new student starting this year and although he should be going into his sixth year, he has decided to start as a fifth year since he is a little behind where he should be. I am pleased to announce that we have Harry Potter joining us this year! I would like to ask all of you to give him his space and let him settle in. He'll be sorted after the first years."

Whispers broke out across the hall and Harry rolled his eyes. He saw that Ginny had lifted her head when the headmaster had said his name and he smiled to himself.

"Actually, Headmaster," Harry said stepping out of the shadows, the whispering became loader as the students spotted Harry, "would you mind if I was sorted first? I've been standing for over an hour and would very much like to sit down."

Albus smiled, his eye's twinkling like mad. "Of course, my dear boy, please come up and let's get you sorted into your house."

As Harry walked to the front of the hall the stern looking professor picked the hat up from the stool. Harry took a seat on the stool, looked towards Ginny, and winked at her. The professor placed the hat on his head before taking a few steps back.

'Well, well, well, who do we have here? I was expecting you some years ago, Mr. Potter.' the hat said.

'Yes, well, I'm here now.' Harry replied back.

'Indeed you are. Would you mind lowering your mental shields please young man so I can have a look and see where to put you?' the hat asked.

'I know where I want to go, but I will lower my shields for you.' Harry answered

'Ah yes, I must say that I'm surprised. I would have thought you would want to be sorted into Griffindor: that was your parents' house. But I can see your desire to be in Slytherin and the reasons behind it. Very cunning of you, Mr. Potter, as is all those secrets you are keeping from the headmaster. Are you sure you don't want to go to Griffindor?' the hat asked.

'Slytherin will be fine thank you. I'm sure the headmaster will love it.' Harry replied with a smirk.

'Well, if you're sure.' the hat said.

The great hall was still full of people whispering; everyone waiting anxiously to know what house Harry Potter was going to be sorted into.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted.

Harry stood up smiling. The Great Hall had gone dead silent. Before he could take a step away from the stool the headmaster spoke, "Harry my boy, I'm very sorry, but there seems to be a problem with the Sorting Hat. If you could just wait a moment I will have a look at it and then have you resorted."

"That's okay, Headmaster, I wanted to be put in Slytherin." Harry replied.

Harry turned away from the headmaster and gave a short whistle with his tongue against his teeth. Every student looked at him to see what he was whistling for. Out of the shadows that he had been standing in moments before came a pure white Snowy Owl, a white and gold phoenix that was much larger than Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, and a large wolf that had thick, fluffy, white fur and stood about four feet tall. The wolf was also carrying a white and gold snake that looked like a python, and guessing by the way it was coiled around the wolf, was probably around five feet long.

The hall was silent until the boy called Ron that Harry had heard speaking early shouted, "What the bloody hell does he think he's doing bringing those animals into a school?!"

"They are my familiars. As you should know, familiars cannot be left behind so they came with me and I'm sure most of the students here have their own familiars. I've seen plenty of owls and cats around today but you don't have to worry. As I'm not in your house they will spend very little time in your company. As for my house mates, they don't need to worry either. I have been assured I will have my own room and they will stay there with me. Rama here," Harry said patting the large wolf's head "tends to stay close to me. So when I go to lessons he will sit outside the classroom door. None of them will harm anyone unless someone tries to attack me."

The Snowy Owl swooped down and landed on Harry's left shoulder. Harry held out his right arm as the phoenix flew down and landed on the offered perch. He then turned and walked towards the Slytherin table with the wolf carrying the snake following. As he got to the table he spoke softly to the phoenix that appeared to nod in reply before it took flight from Harry's arm and disappeared in a flash of fire. The owl then left his shoulder and made its way out of the Great Hall. Harry took a seat next to Ginny and the wolf laid down behind him with the snake unwrapping itself from the wolf. It then wound itself around Harry's legs and rested it's head in his lap.

The hall turned back to the headmaster who was still looking at Harry. The professor that was still holding the Sorting Hat coughed bringing the headmaster's attention back to the rest of the school. He nodded for the professor to continue with the sorting of the first years. Harry tuned out the calling of the names.

"Hi, I'm Harry." Harry said holding his hand out to Ginny.

"Ginny." the girl replied quietly, not meeting his eye as she shook his hand briefly before letting it go and looking back down.

"So, what year are you in Ginny?" Harry asked trying to make conversation with the girl.

"Fifth." was the reply.

"Really? Me too. What classes are you taking?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy." Ginny listed, still not looking up to meet Harry's eyes.

"Same as me. That's good because then I'll know someone in all my classes. If you don't already have a partner maybe we could team up and work together?" Harry asked.

"What?" Ginny said, finally looking up at him for the first time, "Why would you want to partner with me? You're Harry Potter, you could partner with anyone you want."

"Well, I already know you and I don't know anyone else here." Harry shrugged like it was the most obvious thing.

"You don't know me." Ginny said.

"Well no, not really, but I meant that we already met a couple of years ago. Admittedly I didn't know your name then, but you're the only person in the school that I kind of know." Harry replied.

Ginny looked even more confused and was biting her lower lip. "I've never met you before, Harry. I think I would remember if I had ever met Harry Potter."

Just then the snake lying in Harry's lap started hissing. Harry looked down at it; his brow furrowed and then looked back at Ginny. "We'll talk about it later, we can't talk here; there are too many ears." he said.

Ginny nodded still looking confused and now a little scared. "Would you like to be my partner in class?" Harry asked again.

"Sure, why not? No one else will willingly partner with me," Ginny said looking back down. She really did look afraid. Harry guessed that maybe she was afraid of snakes after what had happened in the chamber.

"Thanks," Harry smiled, "you don't have to be afraid; she won't hurt you. She was talking to me."

"I know, I heard her." Ginny replied.

"What do you mean you heard her?" Harry asked in shock.

"I mean I heard her. I can understand what she was saying."

"You understood what she said?" Harry asked carefully.

Ginny nodded. "I've been able to understand and speak Parceltoungue since I was eleven. Like you said we'll talk about it later; too many ears."

Just then the headmaster stood back up, clapped his hands, and food instantly appeared on every table. Harry took some roast beef off one of the many overflowing platters and turned in his seat to give it to the wolf behind him. "This is Rama by the way." he told Ginny who was watching him.

"Does he bite? I mean, will he bite me if I try to pet him?" She asked.

"No, go ahead. He likes to be scratched behind the ears and he loves to have his belly rubbed." Harry said.

Ginny leaned down and slowly moved her hand towards the wolf. She gently scratched behind his ears as he leaned into her hand. Rama then flopped on to his side showing his belly, his tongue rolling out the side off his mouth. Ginny giggled as she got up out of her seat and sat down on the floor next to Rama and stroked his belly.

Harry smiled at her before he turned back towards the table and filled two plates with food. He stood up from his seat and waited for the snake that had been wrapped around his legs to make her way up so she was coiled around his waist, chest, and shoulders instead. He then sat down next to Ginny on the floor handing her a plate of food. "That's for you, not Rama, by the way."

"Thanks." Ginny answered, smiling brightly at him.

'God she's beautiful when she smiles,' Harry thought to himself. "This is Aurea by the way." he said stroking the snake's head.

"She's beautiful," Ginny replied, "what are the names of your other familiars?"

"My owl is named Hedwig, and my phoenix is named Pura."

Ginny nodded. "I've only ever seen one other phoenix, but he's not as big as yours."

"Well that's because Pura is a Royal Phoenix, they're a lot bigger than your average phoenix."

"I thought they were really rare?" Ginny questioned.

"They are. She used to belong to my mum, and before that Pura belonged to my mum's dad. She's been in the family for many generations." Harry answered. "I'll tell you all about my familiars later when we talk."

Ginny nodded when suddenly Rama started growling. Ginny removed her hand quickly thinking she had done something wrong, but when she looked up her eyes went wide, her face blanched, and her entire body started to visibly shake. Harry frowned at Rama then looked at Ginny. Seeing the change in her, he turned to see what she was looking at.

A boy with white blond hair was approaching them flanked on either side by two boys that resembled gorillas more than they did human beings. Harry knew who the boys were; he had had many encounters with their fathers.

"Malfoy, what do you want?" Harry asked, the tone of his voice expressing the fact that he didn't appreciate the interruption to his conversation with Ginny.

"Just came to collect my property, Potter. Nothing for you to worry about, although I suggest you stay away from her and stay out of my way, I wouldn't want to have to hurt Dumbledore's golden boy." Malfoy answered in a way that showed how much the spoiled, arrogant, rich brat he really was.

Laughing, Harry stood up as Aura slid off of him and replied, "First off, I'm nobody's golden boy, especially not Dumbledore's. Secondly, I will stay out of your way if you stay out of mine. Thirdly, I would love to see you try to hurt me, it won't end pretty, and lastly Ginny is not your property. She is not an object and you don't own her. I would suggest you stay away from her, because if you don't I swear I will show you why your father, your two goons' fathers, and every other death eater out there is afraid of me. Do I make myself clear?" he finished stepping into Malfoy's personal space to make sure Malfoy got his point loud and clear.

"Fine, Potter, have her, I've already gone a couple of rounds with her anyway. She's not all that in the bed or over a table. I was just about done with her so you're welcome to her now." Malfoy said loud enough for the entire hall to hear him. Everyone turned to look at the Slytherin table and Harry could see that the boy called Ron was red with anger.

Harry turned to look at Ginny. She was trembling and looked absolutely mortified. He then turned to Aurea and spoke in Parceltoungue, "Was it consented?"

The snake looked at Ginny before turning back to Harry with an answer.

"No." she replied.

Harry gave a slight nod. In the blink of an eye, Harry had punched Malfoy in the stomach. As he doubled over from the excruciating pain, Harry grabbed his head and brought his knee up connecting with his face, most likely breaking his nose in the process. When Malfoy finally fell onto the floor in a crumpled heap, Harry knelt next to him and whispered in his ear, "If I ever catch you near her again, I will kill you and no one will ever find your body."

As he stood up he looked at the two boys that had been flanking Malfoy and said flatly, "I think maybe you should take your friend to the hospital wing."

"Potter, what in Merlin's name do you think you are doing?!" a male voice dripping in venom demanded. Harry turned to see Professor Severus Snape, the Slytherin Head of House, standing there with the headmaster. He looked around the hall to see every student looking at him. He vaguely noticed Malfoy was being helped out of the hall.

"I was helping Mr. Malfoy see the error of his ways, Sir." Harry replied.

"Harry, my boy..." the headmaster started.

"Headmaster, please don't call me 'my boy' because I am not your boy. You asked me to come to your school, I've been here only two hours and I have to say I'm not at all impressed. The things that seem to be happening within this school's walls should be impossible. I think you need to take better care looking after the students of your school, maybe have your house heads take better care of their students." Harry said.

"Potter, you arrogant little brat, do not speak to the headmaster like that; show some respect. You're just like your father, thinking you are above the rules..." Professor Snape started.

"Professor Snape, I'm neither arrogant nor am I as you put it, a brat. I spoke to the headmaster with no disrespect; I was just trying to give him some advice on how he should be running this school. As for being like my father, how would I know what he was like, he died when I was a little over a year old so I have no idea what he had been like. Because a certain death eater gave Voldemort information that made him come looking for me, I would suggest you stay out of my way. It's clear that you don't like me; get in my way and I'll show you how much I dislike you." Harry replied.

"Are you threatening me, Potter? I know all about Pettigrew betraying your parents so I don't need you to tell me the story. And the headmaster does not need your advice on how to run this school." Professor Snape snapped.

"I am not threatening you sir, I am simply warning you. I wasn't talking about Pettigrew betraying my parents, I was talking about a death eater that overheard something he shouldn't have and told it to Voldemort. That person is the reason my parents had to go into hiding. That person is the reason they are dead," He watched as Snape paled at his comment, "and if the headmaster doesn't want to take advise from me then maybe he should take it from someone else. Because from what I've seen and heard, this school is not being run correctly and the students aren't safe." Harry angrily retorted.

Turing his back to the professor Harry bent down next to Ginny.

"Come on Ginny, let's get you out of here." Harry said gently to the distraught girl.

Ginny just stared at him shaking and looking scared, her eyes darting around the hall. "I'm going to help you up, Ginny, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." Harry whispered softly to her. His heart was breaking at how vulnerable and fragile she looked at that moment. He gently put his hands under her arms and helped her to stand up. She swayed for a second before clutching onto Harry's arm for support.

He turned to Rama, who once again had Aurea wrapped around him, "Stay close," he told the wolf.

Rama silently moved to Harry's side in reply. Harry started to gently guide Ginny towards the doors of the hall, his arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders while ignoring the pointed looks and whispers directed their way. There was a sudden commotion behind them.

"GINEVRA MOLLY WEASLEY!" Ron shouted in rage as he stormed up to the pair as they stepped into the Entrance Hall. Harry felt Ginny tense under his arm and stop walking.

"What do you want Ron?" She asked not bothering to turn and look at him.

"What do I want, what do I want?! Is what Malfoy said true? Haven't you put our family through enough already? First being the first Weasley to be sorted into Slytherin, then opening that bloody chamber because you were actually stupid enough to write in a cursed diary, now we find out that you have been shagging Malfoy like a little whore!" Ron seethed with anger while he glared at Ginny with clear loathing.

Harry could feel his blood boiling, how dare this prat talk to his sister that way! But before he could open his mouth to say anything, Ginny turned to face her brother. She was trembling violently, although Harry wasn't sure if it was in anger or not.

"I didn't do anything to our family, Ron," Ginny said, bordering on the edge of hysteria as tears leaking down her face, "my family abandoned me! I didn't have a choice where I was sorted, the hat put me in Slytherin and I have paid for it every day for the last four years! My family doesn't talk to me! My own mother looks at me with pure hatred! I have one person in the entire school that I can call a friend and she's not even in my house! Yes, I wrote in a cursed diary, I didn't realize it was until it possessed me and I had no control over what I was doing! I didn't mean to open the chamber, but I couldn't stop it! And no, I haven't been shagging Malfoy as you put it; he raped me, Ron! He would grab me in the hall, drag me into an unused classroom, beat me black and blue, and then rape me while he and his friends laughed as I screamed! Or better yet, he would corner me as I entered our common room, drag me up to his dorm room, beat me, and rape me while he laughed at my screams! So I don't care what you bloody well think I have put our family through, because they sure as hell don't care about what I've been going through!"

Ron stood there completely shocked for about three seconds before he sneered and said, "I can't believe you let yourself be taken by a Malfoy. It might be best that you run back to him, Ginevra because now that he's had you, no one else is ever going to want to touch you."

"I can't believe you just said that," Ginny sobbed, "I just told you that I've been raped and beaten, and your advice is for me to run back to the bastard that did it?!" she cried hysterically before falling to her knees sobbing.

Ron looked at Ginny on the floor in disgust. He then looked at Harry who was staring at him with pure, undiluted loathing.

"Well, you could probably try selling yourself to Potter here, he seems..." Ron didn't get to finish his comment though as Harry's fist slammed right into his jaw; dislocating it and knocking him out cold at the same time.

Harry bent down to scoop Ginny up in his arms before whistling like he had earlier in the hall. Rama, with Aurea still wrapped around him, moved close to Harry's side to lean against his leg as Pura flashed in above Harry and landed on his shoulder. Harry bent down so that he could hold Rama without letting go of Ginny, who was now crying into his chest.

"Pura, take us to my room." he said.

As Hermione and Neville came running out of the Great Hall to find out what was going on, they saw Ron lying unconscious on the floor and Harry, Ginny, Rama, Aurea, and Pura disappearing in a flash of fire.