Asylum

A special thanks to my beta, Saeadame.

Asylum

Chapter 9

September 1st

Harry pushed his trolley through the crowd trying not to hit anyone with his trolley. His summer had been great. He had learned the basics of magic and made some wonderful friends. He never thought that he would get the chance to go to a real school and be around people his own age: the doctors always said he was too dangerous.

Harry stopped in front of the barrier to platform nine and three-quarters. He lifted a brow. Did they really just expect him to go through a wall? He heard laughing behind him and turned to look.

"Come on, Dorian. Surely you've seen stranger things than going through a wall this past month." Hermione laughed.
The Weasleys had been nice enough to escort him and Hermione to the platform this year. Professor Snape would have taken him himself if he hadn't needed to finish arranging his living quarters for and extra person. Dorian could have just flooed to Hogwarts, but Professor Dumbledore had said that he wanted Dorian to experience the train ride even if he wasn't to become a student.

Dorian kept the brow raised. "Oh, I'm not doubting that people can walk through walls." Hermione looked at him in confusion. "Can you blame me for being a little cautious when it was Sirius who told me to walk face first into what looks like a solid wall? I've seen him pull one to many pranks and am not just ready and willing to take his word for it, godfather or not."

Hermione's mouth twitched. She was obviously trying to hold back an amused smile.

"Dorian, has he ever pulled a prank on you? Even once."
Dorian shook his head no, a bemused expression on his face.

"That is unnatural for Sirius. He even pranks Remus, and they've been friends, maybe even more for a long time. So if he hasn't pranked you yet, why would he start now?" She asked logically.

"Maybe he was just trying to get me when I least expect it. After all, he would want to do it when I would be most vulnerable, and seeing as I am surrounded by both wizards, that time could be now. I mean, seeing someone run face first into a brick wall sounds like a pretty good prank to me." He was still skeptical, but Hermione hadn't lied to him yet. He could trust her, couldn't he?

Hermione eyed him with a strange look for a moment. "You've been spending too much time with Professor Snape. He's got you all paranoid." She sighed. "Ha-Dorian, Sirius loves you. He doesn't pull pranks on you because he's afraid you'd take offense and leave. He thinks of you like a nephew or a son, he doesn't want to hurt you." She nearly slipped on his name.

Harry smiled softly. "Okay. I believe you, but can you or one of the Weasleys go first? I think I need to see it done first."

Hermione nodded. She looked towards the Weasleys who were all talking to another group of people. Muggles taking their muggleborn daughter to the platform for the first time by the looks of it.

"Hey Ron!" She waved him over.

"What Hermione?" He asked as he came over. It was nice to be friends with the girl, she was pleasant to be around, once she stopped talking about books all the time. She was also fairly attractive, once you looked past the bucked teeth and bushy hair.

"Show Harry how to get on the platform." She said, in a bossy moment.

"Why can't you show him, we all have to go on it anyway." Ron said saying something intelligent for once.

"Well, yes, but I'm here for moral support."

Ron just rolled his eyes and grabbed the attention of the muggleborn family. "Okay so I'll show you how to get on the platform." He then just ran through and disappeared.

"Wicked." Came from the tiny 11 year old, only seeing magic when a representative came to her home to explain about the school, and then again when they were showed Diagon Alley.

"See Harry. It's not so bad." Hermione said giving him a little push towards the barrier.
Harry leaned over and whispered to the little girl conspiratorially, "Says the person that has been doing this 4 times a year for six years."

The little girl snickered, while Hermione harrumphed in indignation. She had obviously heard - even if it was true, going there and back at the beginning and end, plus the winter holiday trip.

Harry squared his shoulders and ran right through the wall appearing on the other side wear people wore robes and were gathered near a big red steam engine.

"Come on, Dorian. Lets put our stuff in a compartment." Ron said heading over to the large train, shoving his stuff in a compartment before heading back to the platform.
Harry walked over and tried to lift his heavy trunk over his head, forgetting that he could levitate it easily. Struggling, his trunk began to float causing him to let it go, but it continued to float and slid easily into the space above the seats. He turned when he heard laughter from behind him.

"Forget that you're a wizard already." Fred came up to the shorter boy wrapping an arm around the his shoulders.

"Honestly, you'd think after running through a brick wall he would remember that fact."

George went over on Harry's other side wrapping an arm around the boy's waist seeing that his shoulders were already occupied, successfully trapping the boy in between the two boys.

"Dorian sandwich," Fred shouted causing both twins to squeeze the shorter boy tighter in between the two.

"And what a fine sandwich he makes." George commented.

"Oh yes, brother dear, I'd just love to eat him all up." Fred leered and waggled his eyebrows.

At this point Hermione came into the compartment and eyed the two. "Oh you two, stop flirting with him already. Haven't you embarrassed him enough this summer."

It was true. The two boys just didn't let up, constantly flirting with the slightly shorter boy at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Making suggestive comments just to see Dorian duck his head and causing his neck, face, and ears flush. Dorian just wasn't used to people making such comments to him. He didn't even get some of it, and the stuff he did get he only knew because of an older woman in the asylum. Her name was Madaline and she frequently read trashy love novels and sometimes read them out loud.

The only person that seemed to stop them from making any comments was Professor Snape. He absolutely refused to hear such language in his presence and gave them a harsh verbal tongue lashing that even impressed Molly, queen of tongue lashings. The man was further infuriated when the twins held Dorian up, making him late for one of his potions lesson. The two boys still felt the curse he cast on the two when they sat down, and that was nearly a week ago.

"But he just makes it so easy! I mean with cute pert little behind. And those big round green eyes. I mean, we can totally see those eyes looking up at us while he puts his pretty little mouth on our massive-"

Hermione pulled out her wand and silenced them before they could finish the statement, even if everyone knew what they were going to say.

They both just smiled innocently and laughed, silently, as Harry's turned cherry red as he turned to head back onto the platform to say goodbye to the Weasleys. He would be meeting Remus and Sirius at Hogwarts, as they would both be teaching DADA, so they couldn't come with him to the station.

"Oh Dorian dear, come here." Molly called Dorian over pulling him into a tight hug. "Now don't you worry about Hogwarts dear. Be good, don't give Professor Snape any grief. Now come and give me a kiss." Molly, or as she preferred Mum Weasley, and Dorian had become really close. Molly was what Dorian wanted in a mother and Molly treated him as one of her own, even if they had only known each other for a month.

Harry leaned over and gave the older woman a peck on the cheek, Ron following right after him.

"Yeah, Dorian, come and give us a kiss." Fred and George said together leaning forward towards Dorian.

"I don't think so." He said with a small flush, turning towards the train.

"Oh, come on." They both grabbed Dorian by the arms and dragged him back towards them.

"Now for that kiss." One said, and together they leaned over and each kissed a separate cheek.

Dorian finally pulled away from the disastrous duo and practically ran back towards the train, ignoring the twins laughter and the blush staining his face.

He got into his compartment with Ron and Hermione and leaned out the window to wave them all goodbye.

"What now?" Dorian asked.

"Up for a game of exploding snap?" Ron asked taking out a deck of funny looking cards.

Dorian shrugged. "Why not?"

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The train ride passed without any real remember moments, except one. Malfoy and his cronies as usual decided to torment Ron and Hermione, though they were usually in different compartments, not being able to stand each other before.

"Well, well, well, look who we got here. The Weasel and the Mudblood." That was when he noticed Harry. "And who are you? Did the Weasel finally get himself a girlfriend?"

Harry's smile dropped at being classified as a girl. "Why does everyone comment on my looks? First Saami now you. There's nothing wrong with my looks. It must be these bloody robes, no one ever confused me for a girl in the muggle world because boy's cloths did not wear anything that girls wore, there was a distinct difference. Here everybody wears these stupid things that look like bloody dresses." Harry ranted and tugged at his black robes.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "You're a mudblood." He accused.

"What's a mudblood?" Harry asked.

"A mudblood is a derogatory name for someone with muggle parents." Hermione said, glaring at the blond.

Harry shrugged. "Then why is he calling me that, both my parents were wizards."

Malfoy's eyes stayed narrowed. "What's your name?"

"Dorian Augustine." Harry said superiorly.

Malfoy raised a brow. "Augustine? I've never heard of any pureblood with the name of Augustine." He was obviously skeptical, which he had good reason as Augustine was a made up name.

"I'm originally from America. I moved here a few years ago." Harry lied.

"Then why haven't you gone to Hogwarts?" Malfoy asked trying to figure him out.

"Because I was home schooled and graduated early."

"Really, apprenticed to w-" Malfoy was cut off by Harry.

"Aha, now I know where I know you from." Harry said eyes lighting up with glee.

"What are you talking about? I've never met you." Eyes narrowing again.

"Well, not formally. That day, in the Magical Menagerie. Remember? I told you not to pick up that snake and you did it anyway, and then it bit you." Harry laughed. "You know you shouldn't mess with dangerous creatures unless you're an expert on them."

Ron snorted. "Go figure. A Slytherin not being able to handle a snake. That's rich."

Malfoy sniffed disdainfully. "Shut up, Weasel." He then turned away and left the compartment.

Hermione smiled. "That was great, Ha-Dorian."

Dorian frowned. "You can't slip like that in Hogwarts Hermione."

"I know, I know. Hey, where is Saami?" Hermione had at first been scared of Saami, she found him incredibly creepy, but had eventually grown accustomed to him, she just didn't like touching him. The idea of holding a snake still freaked her out.

"Oh, I left him with Professor Snape because he didn't want to go on a long trip. Apparently long rides give him motion sickness." Harry rolled his eyes. Do snakes get motion sickness?

Hermione stood up as the train came to a halt. "Well Dorian, you ready for your first glimpse at Hogwarts?"

He smiled. "More than you know."

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A/N: Hope you liked the twins. I can totally imagine them as flirts.

Thanks to all the reviewers!!!

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