The Silver, Golden Boy

Disclaimer: I do not now, nor have I ever owned Harry Potter in any way. I do however own Eric as well as Salley and the beginning poem.

Walk

I could go to heaven
To love and joy
Or I could go to hell
And be the Devil's toy

I could stay among you
Alive and well
I could find pleasure
My body I could sell

But I'll remain where I am
In my unknown place
Until I walk instead
At a faster, moving pace


Chapter Three
Of Thoughts and Friends


On September first Kings Cross station was bustling with Wizard and Witches alike, pure-bloods, half-bloods and even mudbloods were saying their final goodbyes to their family members before going on to the Hogwarts Express where they would be taken to their home for the next three and a half months. With everyone going about their business it was hard to keep tabs on everyone, there were friends that were meeting each other again after a long summer apart, Prefects that were showing off their new badges, first years that were trying to manage to hide how scared and nervous they were and parents saying goodbye to their children so they can go off to school and make something of themselves.

With everyone so caught up in each other and trying to see who did what during the break and who got the best tan, nobody noticed the black-cloaked figure that made his way onto the Express to hide in one of the empty compartments. The people who did see the figure just shrugged their shoulders and assumed that it was just another Slytherin trying to be dramatic... if only they knew.

While the Wizardry world lost all hope for a brighter future without their Savior, said Savior was making himself known in some of the muggle world. Although naive and often stupid, muggles did have their purpose and he was going to use it to his fullest extent. Along with new friends and responsibilities, Harry also changed his looks dramatically. Instead of his hand-me-down clothes and too-old robes (Dumbledore hardly ever allowed him the chance to do some decent shopping) he was wearing elegant robes of the finest material that would make even Malfoy look twice. Sharp blue tips were now at the end of his raven hair that had grown to be just past his shoulders, magical to keep the color until he goes back to the hairdresser to have it removed or altered (a good way to keep customers). Underneath his robes were specially designed and fitted clothes, a silk emerald green shirt without a crease or wrinkle in it as well as black trousers that allowed him free movement while still fitting nicely to his legs.

Invisible; as the fine clothing covered them were two tattoos on Harry's body. The First was of a panther, it was the deepest of blacks while looking around (literally, these are magic tattoos) with deep green eyes the same shade as its owner, claws shown but not outstretched as it remains (at the moment) in a crouching position, waiting for the chance to strike at its pray. The panther was located on his left shoulder, sometimes traveling about as he requested that the tattoo have an almost portrait-like quality so that the panther could have its own little life on his body.

On his back was a large black shaggy dog, large enough to cover his right shoulder blade; this tattoo however was muggle created and chosen to stay in the middle of his back. The dog was curled in a sleeping position around a small pond or puddle of water; his head nestled in his paws while facing the water. Upon the surface was a beautiful while lily in full bloom, instead of being upon a lily pad however it was being held up by a pair of antlers; also you could see what was suppose to be the reflection of the full moon upon the water.

Among the things that he did over the summer he experienced a lot of changes but refused to forget where he came from and who was there for him when he needed it. Several weeks ago, before he left the Dursleys someone came to him in a dream and slowly started to teach him everything that he would need to know about Defense Against the Dark Arts and the Dark Arts themselves. That along with the merciless routine that Eric and his new muggle friends had him upon he was a force to be reckoned with. No longer restricted to his glasses as he had gotten his vision corrected before even going to muggle London, he could now spot any weakness shown to him and noticed small things that others did not. He awakened "the power the dark lord knows not" and with that his regular vision, smell and hearing was increased along with his sense of touch and taste although not as much.

After taking out his trunk and unshrinking it, Harry opened his things and took out one of the many books he had bought at both Diagon Alley as well as Knockturn Alley. This one was written in Parseltongue and was indeed one of the few books that Salazar Slytherin had left behind in Hogwarts before his leave. It was about different blood rituals and how to both perform them as well as take down the blood wards. Although normally quite powerful and can be easily taken down if someone had the right knowledge. Fortunately that knowledge was restricted to a handful of people over the world as only a Parseltongue could break them, unfortunately for Dumbledore's defense this was both known through the Wizardry world as well as the fact that the person he was suppose to be protected from was indeed a Parselmouth.

Harry was startled out of his musings however when someone walked close to his door, pausing for a moment to look inside before they opened the door and stopped again, taking in Harry's (although they didn't know that) appearance. Harry didn't even so much as glance up at the intruder, in all honesty he didn't care who it was, as long as they left soon so that he could arrive at Hogwarts without giving away who he was, he had something special planned and it wouldn't do to mess it up.

When the person wouldn't go away however he decided to speak while turning a page of his book, speaking coldly but managing to keep his voice different then before. He could smell that this was a female but he didn't know who it was as he never smelt any of the students before today. "If you can answer this riddle then I'll allow you the pleasure of a decent conversation and the privilege of sharing my compartment, you have only one chance at the correct answer"

Harry gave her a moment to changer her mind, but when he neither received an answer nor heard the female leave, he continued in the same voice and tone. "What side says you? Red or Blue?" He knew there was little to no chance of anyone getting this answer right, even if they thought they had a 50-50 chance they were sadly mistaken, neither Red nor Blue was the correct answer, so when she answered correctly he looked up at her in a now-rare shock before smiling once he knew who she was.

"I have no side of either Red or Blue, for neither has gained my trust. But to chose a side, I would pick you... for is Justice that you so lust." Her voice had a dreamy effect that instantly made him smile, she hadn't changed a bit and wouldn't, hopefully for a long time to come. "Well sit down Luna; I must admit that I have missed your company." And at his request, she sat across from him in his compartment, her article of 'The Quibbler' in her hand as she smiled at him.

There was no show of surprise on her face at seeing him, although he had to admit that if anyone was going to truly see what was happening that she would. Her robes were a bit big on her and lay loosely while a new charm necklace was woven to hang around her neck. Long wavy blond hair flowed down her back while she looked at him, passing him her copy of her paper and turning it to the front page.

"Nargles have been taking the blame for your disappearance lately, although I told Dad that you would be off on your own. He didn't believe me, but now he will... it was one of the first times we disagreed about them, but I suppose when he doesn't see you like I do, it's hard to tell Nargles from free will." She was completely serious while she told it to him and then got a far off look in her eye before speaking again. "Threastles are for those that have seen death, but I think that this time you will be able to see something that I can't, Harry. The carriage also have Threastle riders to guild them to Hogwarts, only those that have blood-stained hands can see them, and only those that have enjoyed it may replace a rider for a time."

She didn't have any disgust or pity in her voice or face, only a look of understanding that he seemed to always rejoice in seeing in someone where it wasn't fake. He nodded to her without saying a word and read her paper while passing her Salazar’s book; if she couldn't read it then she made no indication as she flipped to the first page and started reading. It was almost an hour into the train-ride before anything happened, had it been any other year, Harry would have been startled as the door was flown open, however this year he had smelt and heard the male long before they came to the door.

Making his way into the compartment, Draco Malfoy took a few steps in before he even noticed the other figure sitting beside the one he came to 'talk' to. When he finally saw how properly the other occupant was dressed and how he didn't even seem to want to acknowledge his presence, he stopped and thought about how he could get into the new comers good graces. Clearing his throat he walked a bit more into the compartment towards the stranger, giving a quick glance at Luna enough to see that she was reading a very rare book and that the stranger was reading a copy of her fathers' paper.

"You know, I don't really believe anything that that paper has to say, can you? It sounds like something that was just made up at the spur of the moment. You should try reading something else; my name is Malfoy by the way... Draco Malfoy. You could do much better then this with my guidance around Hogwarts."

Instead of blowing up at Draco like he did in his first year he looked at Luna and smiled at her before casting a quick voice-change spell and answering. "I’m sorry to say that I think you should try another way of approaching me in friendship, because that wont work... instead of insulting those that are around the one that you're trying to befriend, try complimenting them. You never know who you may be insulting. Before you say something else, I am not trying to pick a fight or say anything rude, only pointing out facts. Now, I will make you a deal as you failed at making me interested in becoming more then simply allies in times of war, however I will give you a second chance and even further education then these simpletons will teach you if and only if I am sorted into your house."

To say that Draco was speechless would be an understatement, but he knew a dismissal from someone of higher power and a possible alliance when he heard one. After giving a swift nod and half-smile towards Luna he left the compartment, shutting the door softly behind himself. Harry couldn't stop the smirk from falling on his face when he one again faced Luna who didn't look like she heard anything and was holding the book upside down, which to him made him think that perhaps she could read parseltongue. He thought nothing more of it and finished reading the paper that she lent him, taking another book from his trunk once he was done, letting her keep the one she was reading until she finished.

When the train stopped Harry placed his book into his trunk and shrunk it while making sure that his hood covered his face, after all he didn't want the chance of being recognized by any of his peers. When he arrived to the carriages he noticed that yes, he could see the riders on the Threstles and with a knowing look given to him from Luna he managed to scare quite a few people by getting upon a Threastle and taking the rings instead of the original rider thinking with a smirk on his face 'Only a short time will pass before the end of light and dark.'