Daddy’s Boy

First Month

When they reached Hogsmeade they saw a huge man calling the first year students towards him. They knew he was named Hagrid and was a kind soul, despite his frightening looks. While James had become quite close with Hagrid during his school days, he still preferred to keep his distance from the wizarding world and he knew Hagrid was unable to keep a secret. Harry had been instructed to give Hagrid regards from Sirius and Remus only, but he didn't find the moment right for this.

Harry and Hermione went along with the others, finding seats in one of the boats. Ron didn't join them, and they both felt content about it. They were joined by the dark boy and a bubbly blonde. Once they were all seated, Hermione started the introductions.

"Hi, I'm Hermione Granger and my friends here is Harry Potter. May we know your names?"

"Dean Thomas, at your service," the dark boy bowed slightly.

"Harry Potter?!..." The blonde seemed stunned, like some others during the train ride, yet she regained control immediately. "Sorry... I'm Hanna Abbot. Aren't you excited to start Hogwarts?"

They chatted a bit until they reached the castle, all becoming too excited to really talk, as the magnificent lighted castle came into view.

Ron caught with Harry on the way to the antechamber where all first-years were instructed to wait. Harry was trying to be polite with him when another boy interrupted – the snotty blond they'd seen from the train.

"Hi, my name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." He held out his hand to shake Harry's.

Harry fought an urge to shove him away, but eventually shook the offered hand. "I'll keep that in mind," he said politely, 'and I'm going to keep an eye on you,' he thought, feeling this boy would cause a lot of trouble.

Both Harry and Hermione already knew about the different houses. James tried not to instil any prejudice in them, yet it was difficult to ignore the fact that most death-eaters came from Slytherin, although James pointed specifically to Peter, who had been a Gryffindor and still became a death-eater.

Knowing Hermione, Harry was sure she would be sorted into Ravenclaw. He hoped that his thirst for knowledge would be enough to sort him there as well. 'I'll convince the hat to put me wherever it puts Hermione,' he thought as the sorting began.

They were both surprised to hear the hat yell "Gryffindor!" after staying on Hermione's head for more than a minute. Harry was also delighted. It meant that Hermione, despite all her insecurities, was really brave.

Harry wasn't surprised to hear Malfoy being sorted into Slytherin. He was somewhat surprised to hear the hat sending the two Indian twins to different houses.

When his turn came, he was only thinking 'Gryffindor, like Hermione.' The hat didn't seem to like the thought. It kept trying to convince Harry to go to Slytherin or Ravencalw, until it eventually agreed. 'It's natural that you want to stay close to your betrothed,' it told Harry before shouting "Gryffindor!"

Harry didn't pay much attention to it. He just filed the information to be checked at another time and happily joined Hermione at the Gryffindor table. None of them noticed the satisfied smile which momentarily flicked on the stern face of professor McGonagall. She felt like yelling "Yea! We've got both Potter and Granger!" but covered her smile with a hand, pretending to cough.

Lessons started the next day. Charms and Transfiguration seemed to be taught very seriously. Harry didn't care much for Herbology, though, despite the nice teacher. That evening, at dinner, he was invited to the headmaster's office.

Harry expected this, as James anticipated that Dumbledore would try to find out as much as he could about Harry and had prepared both Harry and Hermione, so that they would not let Dumbledore learn anything from them that they weren't ready to tell.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, do take a seat," the headmaster welcomed him into the office.

"Lemon drops?" he offered.

"No, thanks, sir." Harry couldn't be sure they wouldn't include some kind of potion. "Better safe than sorry" was something he was taught since early childhood.

"You look a lot like your late father," Dumbledore said, "only you have your mother's eyes."

"Some have already told me so," Harry responded.

"Who, may I ask?"

"My parents' old friends – Lord Sirius Black and Mr. Remus Lupin."

"I wasn't aware that you knew them," the headmaster commented. Harry just shrugged.

Dumbledore tried a different approach. "I thought your relatives would raise you, after your parents were killed."

"I was raised by my relatives. I have some distant relatives in France." Harry said it with a slightly exaggerated French accent.

"So, you grew up in France?"

"For a few years. I was then brought to Britain."

"Where in Britain?" Dumbledore couldn't stop himself from asking.

"At Potter residence, of course."

It was really frustrating for the headmaster. The boy seemed to give answers freely, yet he revealed no information. It was time for the ultimate weapon – Legilimency.

While asking about the lessons, he tried to penetrate Harry's mind. He found no barriers, as expected from such a young boy, but he landed in what looked like a deserted child's playground. Not knowing what to do next, he sat on a bench. It started sinking and he jumped off it hurriedly, before it sank into the ground and disappeared. He walked cautiously forward. A cobweb seemed to cross his way, hanging between two trees. He brushed it away carelessly only to find himself glued to it with additional strands adding themselves to the original one, starting to cocoon him. He barely managed to get out of it.

Dumbledore decided to retreat, before he would face additional unexpected dangers. Easier said than done. The walkway under his feet seemed to crumble like an egg-shell, and just like an egg – revealing a sticky liquid under it. He jumped from place to place, like jumping between stones in a river, not daring to step anywhere else, as the lawn also started looking very unstable. He managed to escape, just barely.

Harry seemed not to have noticed anything, still talking about the different plants he had seen in the greenhouse. The headmaster tried to slow his heavy breathing and calm his heartbeat before saying, "I'd like to meet you again. Would Saturday after dinner be fine with you?"

Harry shrugged, "Whenever..."

Dumbledore could only breathe freely after the door closed behind Harry, still wondering if the boy had natural Occlumancy in him or some rigorous training. It was really something to think about...

First flying lesson made both Harry and Hermione excited. While both had a few chances to learn broom flying, mainly during their summer vacations in France, they didn't consider themselves good fliers. James and his friends didn't want to praise the children too much, or they would have known they were flying like the best professional Quidditch players or broom racers.

Harry knew that his father used to play Quidditch at Hogwarts. He hoped to be good enough by his third year to be selected for the house team. Hermione was very unsure of herself. Despite her training with Harry, she thought that most purebloods had much better training.

The school's old brooms weren't very cooperative. One even proved to be dangerous, as Neville, whose confidence was quite low, seemed unable to control it and the broom started acting weirdly, soaring higher and higher and rocking its rider like a wild horse. Both Harry and Hermione chased after him, trying to help the chubby boy who looked extremely frightened. It was just in time, as Neville finally lost his hold on the broom and started falling, only to be grabbed by the two in mid air. Harry helped him behind Hermione on her broom. As the boy finally settled, something fell out of his pocket.

"Oh, my Rememberall! Gran will be furious if I lost it," Neville panicked.

Harry didn't hesitate. He urged his broom into action, speeding towards the falling object. It was looking like both would crash to the ground, yet Harry grabbed it just before it reached ground and changed direction, going back to Hermione, who was slowly descending with Neville.

"That was the most formidable catch I've ever seen," they heard Professor McGonagall, who just happened to pass nearby. She excused Harry from the rest of the flying lesson and took him to her office, calling an older boy to join them.

"I've found you your seeker," she told the older boy.

Harry was surprised but content. Having been raised in Muggle environment he wasn't really a Quidditch fan, yet the stories he had heard from his father and his father's friends made this sport sound fabulous. He was glad to be able to play it and proud of becoming the youngest seeker ever.

A few days later, Harry received a letter with a handwriting he didn't recognize. It was also barely readable.

"Dear Harry,

I know you have Friday afternoons free, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I've known your parents quite well and I'd like to get to know you.

Hagrid"

This was also expected. He already intended to get close with the friendly game-keeper, and he was sure that the headmaster also wanted Hagrid to become friendly with him, if only to get some information. He accepted, of course, but come Friday, he also took Hermione, Ron and Neville with him. This was sure to make Hagrid happy and frustrate the headmaster.

Hagrid really proved to be very friendly. He fussed over Harry, considering him a poor orphan, and was just too happy to meet his friends. Harry made sure not to let out that Hermione had been his friend long before Hogwarts. She was also aware of the need to keep it secret. Between the two of them, it was very easy to extract whatever information they wanted. It only took them three meetings to learn what was hidden under the forbidden corridor and what was guarding the entrance, as well as the way to go in without being harmed.

Harry wrote home regularly. He told Liz about his studies and the friends he made, including Hagrid, and about his new position as seeker. James found some different information in them. After tapping the letters with his wand and saying the activation phrase, a whole new letter appeared, telling him about Dumbledore's failed attempt at Legilimency, about the forbidden corridor, about the weird DADA teacher and about Snape's attitude.

Hermione's letters gave another point of view, and she also used the Marauders' method, informing James of attempted Legilimency against her as well. While her protection wasn't as elaborate, it consisted of a labyrinthine library sporting only three books in innumerable copies. No information could be extracted from her either.

James consulted with the other two Marauders. He didn't want to leave alone whatever danger lurked in the forbidden corridor, threatening Harry and his friends, yet Harry's letters assured him this was not the case. They still decided to check it out immediately after Halloween.

Dumbledore didn't like the lack of progress he had with Harry. The child confused him. He acted openly like the best of the Gryffindors, answering each question innocently, yet no real information could be gotten from him. He was living in "Potter residence" located "just an apparition away from London" with his surrogate parents, Mr. DePoitiers and Liz. Harry was aware of the attack on the Potters at that fateful Halloween and of its results. He also knew about the existence of the Dursleys, but that was the limit of the information the headmaster could find. He didn't dare use Legilimency again on Harry, although he tried it on some of his friends. He did quite well with Ron, but the boy knew nothing of value. He also tried it with Neville and Seamus, finding some vast playgrounds in their minds and no way to reach any information. The Granger girl, who seemed to have a crush on Harry, was even more frustrating. The bookworm only had a large library in her mindscape, holding innumerable copied of "Hogwarts, a History" along with a book of household spells and another of muggle bedtime stories. He could hardly find his way out of there.