In the Eagle's Nest

Author’s Note: Ok soooo this wasn’t the chapter I had planned. I had planned for there to be a couple of chapters between this one and that one, but my muses didn’t like that idea. They insisted that /this/ had to be the next chapter. So that means that you get to blink and wonder at what happened between then and now along with everyone else. I do have most of Harry’s childhood planned out, but ya the muses just don’t want it to happen now. Which means look forward to some flashbacks or narrative flashbacks one of the two sorry.

HSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHS

Two figured dressed entirely in black appeared with a pop on the nearly empty platform where the blazing red train was waiting. The taller of the two looked the shorter over before nodding “Just remember what we told you. He’ll not be happy where you go and will want to manipulate your every move. Remember that no matter what I say you know the truth, we have to keep it hidden for now though.” The shorter form nodded and the obsidian eyed male drew the other into a hug “I will see you at the feast and keep Itzcoatl with you.” He added before moving away and disappearing with another pop.

The shorter of the two waited only until that second pop had faded before he grabbed the handle of his trunk and pulled it towards the train. The train wouldn’t be leaving for a bit yet, but his father had brought him here early so as he could find a place he was comfortable with. This in short meant he found an empty compartment, getting his trunk settled, and then settling himself in the corner seat near the compartment door as it kept him near the exit but away from the bright light outside the window; hence why they had come so early. He shifted getting comfortable in his chosen seat while keeping himself covered in his cloak before letting his eyes slide shut as he drifted off into a light sleep. It was too early to be up he wasn’t used to it, he hadn’t been awake this early in years still if he was lucky he would get to sleep for most of the ride and be fine for tonight.

He wasn’t sure how much longer later it was when the compartment door opened followed by the sound of no less the three sets of feet making their way in. It wasn’t too hard to remain looking relaxed in sleep, he had practiced staying calm no matter the situation for years now. No he wasn’t always the best, but he was rather decent at it and his father assured him he would get even better as he got older and had more people to practice on. He could feel the shift of cool scales around his left arm after a moment and focused on the serpent that was until then contently settled around his arm. When the shifting stopped nearly as quickly as it had started he returned his attention to the people that had come into his compartment waiting for them to well he wasn’t sure, maybe ask who he was he supposed.

“Is it alive.”

If not for wanting to see what he could find out about the newcomers he would have let his green gaze open and settle on the owner of that voice for such a question. He resisted the urge though and was all to willing to agree with the drawl that followed a moment later.

“Of course it is alive. Do you think there would be a dead student on the train Goyle?”

“Well it’s not moving.”

Another stupid someone Harry decided because while it was similar to the first voice it wasn’t the same. Really how many brain cells did the two have or maybe they shared one between them, he really wasn’t sure. What ever the reason for their idiocy he thought the second voice with the drawl might be worth at least investigating if the owner was able to put up with them.

“You just can’t see the breathing because of the cloak Crabbe. You’ve said before I look dead if I doze off wearing my cape.” Draco Malfoy informed the two larger boys that had followed him rolling his eyes “Well either way who ever it is they look like they either don’t want to talk or are sleeping so just sit down and down bother them I am going to see if I can’t find Blaise.”

Harry listed as the two louder sets of feet shifted around before the sound of the cushions on the bench across from him said that they had probably sat down even as the third and light set of steeps left. Once the third one was gone he allowed his eyes to open the slightest just enough to where he could see the two figures. The first thought that went though his mind was ‘oh great so they are all muscle no brains kind.’ And he only just resisted snorting at that thought, no need to let them know he was awake. After a few minutes when neither seemed to do anything though he let his eyes close again enjoying the fact that the two were able to remain quite, maybe they would all three be worth something well if the two big ones here could keep things to themselves, which let him drift off once more.

It was again some undetermined time later when the third boy returned, he could tell by that drawl it was him, but he had another person with him he would guess it was ‘Blasie’ as he had left saying he was going to get them. He was glad when the only comment from the new voice about him was “I see what you mean.” Apparently the drawl boy had told this ‘Blasie’ about him being here already, fine by him. That settled he did his best to clear his mind and try to return to his nap while blocking out the voices of the other boys. It worked on and off as he drifted in and out of sleep until the door to the compartment slammed open forcing all thoughts of sleep from him at the loud and normally not good noise. It took quite a bit of effort for him to force himself to remain in place and not jump up with his wand pointed at the door, but he couldn’t do that not yet at least and not here.

“Has anyone here seen a toad? A boy named Nevelle lost one.”

He didn’t know that voice, but the name was one he knew. Father had told him about everything some time ago and had mentioned the other boy as being the other one who could have been marked. He let his eyes open just enough to see the owner of the voice letting them close again once he thought he could pick her out again, he would have to see what she knew.

“No toads here, but it is quite rude of you to not knock.”

Ah there the one with brains. So apparently he had manners too, Harry resisted the urge to snicker, father would probably like this one he decided when that drawl suddenly reminded him of Severus’s own drawl. The girl slammed the door shut behind her as she left, but he didn’t much care he was more focused on his compartment mates. The abrupt noise had him well and truly awake now and he had no hope of sleep so instead he focused on their conversation. There wasn’t much there but he did find out the name of the one with brains apparently he was Draco which meant he wasn’t sure if he would be of help or not. Draco was one of the ones his father had warned him to be careful around because his father was the Dark Lord’s right hand so this was going to take more thought it seemed.

After a while he felt the cloak around him start to cool from lack of sun and then there was a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t know who you are but you might want to get your robes on.” Ah that was Blasie then, well he would give him points for that, at least they weren’t going to let him sleep too late. Harry shifted just enough to let the cloak move apart in the front and show that he was already wearing his robes before yawning and deciding he might was well ‘wake up’ now. He shifted a bit opening his eyes his gaze automatically seeking out the window, just past full dark by the looks of it, before shifting it over the other four boys. He knew his hooded cloak would still hide who he was, but he could fell their gaze as they took in his eyes, eyes the colour of an unforgivable.

The boy at his side raised an eyebrow at him. That one was probably Blasie since he had been the one to wake him up, so the blond had to be Draco. Deciding that they must be waiting for some sort of reply he shrugged “Didn’t feel like changing later.” He offered by way of explanation for already being in his robes. He wasn’t sure if that was what they were waiting on or not, but after a moment they seemed to shrug it off. Now that he was ‘awake’ though they apparently had decided he should join in on their conversation as once more Blasie spoke up.

“So who are you?”

“Isn’t it proper to introduce yourself first?” Harry’s drawl sent Blasie and Draco’s eyebrows both up, what could he say he had learned from his father. Besides if he could keep them talking long enough they would have to wait just like everyone else to find out who he was which was the point at this point.

“I’m Gregory Goyle.”

Harry turned his attention the voice making sure to remember which of the two it was because really he couldn’t help wondering if the two large boys were related with how oddly alike they looked. He shifted his gaze the other as he spoke “I’m Vincent Crabbe.” So no not related at least not directly anyway. Still it was odd and he couldn’t help watching them both for a long moment impressed when they both met his gaze without flinching or anything of that sort his father had told him that it unnerved a lot of people due to the shade of green it was. When neither Blasie nor Draco spoke up he shifted his attention to them wondering if maybe his father was wrong when Draco’s silver gaze met his easily, but then Blaise refused to directly meet his eye and he decided maybe he was right those three just didn’t mind.

While it couldn’t be seen he raised and eyebrow at the other two boys waiting glad when it paid off as Draco finally spoke up. “Fine I am Draco Malfoy.” The boy’s drawl sounded more annoyed then before, but when he offered his hand Harry took it all the same before turning his attention to Blasie. Finally the fourth boy spoke up “I am Blasie Zambini.” His tone was tightly controlled though Harry couldn’t place what it was controlling just off even as he offered his hand. Harry once more took the offered hand even as they felt the train pulling to a stop and pulled himself up from his seat. He was at the door the second the train fully stopped with his hand on the door as Draco’s voice reached him “Now who is being rude.” The drawl informed him. Oh fine they would know soon anyways “Harry Potter.” He informed the four even as he slipped out of the compartment ignoring the odd silence left behind him as he made his way off the train careful to keep his hood in place, what could he say he had learned ‘dramatic’ from two of the best.

A large man calling for first years sent him towards the voice and the boats behind. He ignored the three that settled into the boat with him catching Draco, Blasie, Vincent, and Gregory in a boat near his own with Draco and Blasie huddled close he assumed talking. He smirked at that even as the boats started moving.

When they arrived at the shore he was rather careful to keep himself away from the four boys without looking like he was. Everyone would know soon, but he didn’t want them to know until his name was called on the list so much more fun that way really. He was rather glad when an older woman arrived not to long later and bid them follow her as the four boys had been working their way closer, he could talk to them later right now he needed to concentrate.

During the short walk he managed to get himself to stay somewhere in the center of the mass, but he could feel eyes on him all the same. He couldn’t say he was entirely surprised after all he was the only one with a hood on still it was annoying and he sneered at them while he still had the chance to do so under the cover of his cloak. He lifted his gaze to the head table as they got closer meeting his father’s gaze allowing a smirk to find his face; it was time to see what they thought. He stood patently waiting for the old witch to get on with things and was glad when the hat finally stopped its useless prattling, he really wasn’t all to impressed by a singing hat himself. He let his gaze wonder for the most part until the woman called a name he knew. He silently wished his father some fun when Draco, Vincent, and Gregory were sorted into his house, but didn’t contemplate it much as the woman finally called his name.

He could hear the whispers around him from the tables and the first years who knew about him, but he ignored them in favor of making his way towards the older women. He pushed his hood back once he was free of the other first years ignoring the gasps as he settled himself on the stool. He knew he probably wasn’t what they were expecting with his eyes the colour of the killing curse, his greasy looking black hair that was partly hidden by his cloak as it met his shoulder blades, and his pale skin from all the time he had spent indoors all his life, but he didn’t let it bother him though he was sure that the people who had known James would be looking at him harder then others. He let that pass over him though as he let McGonagall settle the hat on his head letting his mind blank as his father had taught him.

The voice that was soon in his head was far from expected, his father and papa had both warned him about it and told him to be careful as neither were entirely sure where the hat’s loyalties lay. The calm ocean that took over his entire mind was a thing he had been working on years. He wasn’t as good as his father at occlumency, but he had been learning for some time on how to block others from his mind and force them out if they found there way in there. This form was one he used when he was just repelling another and didn’t need to concentrate.

After what seemed like forever, but couldn’t have been more then maybe a minute of sitting there on the three legged stool looking calm as could be with his hands in his lap he finally allowed himself to shift to a more offensive defense. Doing his best to offer the hat settled on his head the ‘feeling’ of wanting to know why it wanted in his head.

~~I am the sorting hat I must see to know where you belong.~~ the hat informed the boy pointedly.

As talking would be heard Harry chose not to verbally reply to the hat offering it a sense of mistrust instead.

~~I have to see boy. No one will know what I find I keep my won counsel and no one can make me do otherwise. That was how the founders wanted it.~~

Harry lets his sea slip just enough to bring forth the memory from a moment ago of Dumbledore at the Head Table with a questioning feeling.

~~No boy not even the Headmaster can have what I know.~~ the had promised glad what the boy finally let the sea fade.

Harry didn’t let the hat see everything even if it did promise, the years had made him a cautious boy and he didn’t trust easily not even talking hats, or maybe especially talking hats. When he finally heard it speak up again though it was hard to resist the urge to smirk especially in light of the gasps he heard from around the room. These people didn’t know w think about him and he was going to make sure that they realized it very quickly. He was not the son of Lilly and James, maybe he could have been, but not after both had been killed and his father had taken him in instead.

The eleven year old pulled himself up pulling the hat from his head and settling it on the stool, his only regret? That he couldn’t have had more fun with this, but they had agreed: unless the hat questioned don’t let it know more then it needed and it had worked too. He made his way confidently to his new house table unable to entirely suppress a smirk when people finally got over the shock of the ‘boy-who-lived’ not being in Gryffindor and clapped for him especially his new house. It didn’t last long though no sooner then he settled then did the sorting continue until finally the last student, Blasie Zambini, was sorted. He did a rather good impression of pretending to listen to Dumbledore as the man stood and spoke, but he really didn’t care instead more turned into the food that soon appeared. This was going to be harder then he originally thought, Harry decided looking things over before his green gaze settled on some blood pudding that would do for now, but it looks like they had been right he would have to be careful or he would be noticed before they wanted him to be. This was going to be a long year he could already tell.