The Search for Love - Chapter 3 - Making Friends (Patreon)

The day Harry had been eagerly anticipating finally arrived. His excitement was mixed with a nervous energy that had him up before dawn, pacing his small room. Hedwig hooted softly from her cage, sensing the change in atmosphere. Harry had triple-checked his belongings the night before and already double-checked them this morning, making sure everything he needed was packed in his new trunk. The time had finally come to leave Privet Drive and begin his journey to Hogwarts to learn magic.

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were silent as they drove Harry to King’s Cross Station. Dudley had stayed behind, managing only a brief goodbye as he had no idea how to interact with his cousin since finding out Harry was a wizard . The car ride was tense, filled with the kind of silence that made Harry feel as though he was taking up too much space. When they arrived at the station, Uncle Vernon pulled the car to a stop and looked at Harry through the rearview mirror with a strange, unreadable expression.

"Well, good luck," he said stiffly, the words sounding foreign on his tongue.

"Thanks," Harry replied, unsure of what else to say.

Aunt Petunia opened her mouth before pausing, but in the end she didn’t say anything, managing only a brief nod before turning away. Without waiting for anything more, Harry got out of the car and retrieved his trunk. The car door slammed shut behind him, and when he turned back, they were already driving away, leaving him alone at the bustling station.

Harry’s heart pounded as he pushed his trolley toward platforms nine and ten. Professor McGonagall had explained to him how to access Platform 9¾, but knowing about being able to walk through an apparently solid wall and actually doing it were two very different things. Arriving where the transfiguration professor had directed him to go he looked around, hoping to spot someone who might be a wizard or witch, someone who knew what they were doing. Someone he could just copy exactly what they were doing to avoid any potential risk of embarrassing himself.

Just as he was beginning to feel out of place, he saw her. The girl from Madam Malkin’s. She was walking purposefully toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, followed by what must have been her family. Harry watched in amazement as they didn’t slow down, didn’t hesitate, and simply walked straight through the solid brick wall as if it weren’t there.

He opened his mouth to call out but then quickly closed it, deciding to follow her instead. He didn’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to himself, and remembering how untalkative she had been in the robe store had no desire to be ignored again. With his heart in his throat, he waited a few moments before gripping the handle of his trolley and walking towards the barrier. Every instinct in his body told him to stop, but he forced himself to keep going, closing his eyes at the last second. The next thing he knew, he was standing on Platform 9¾, the scarlet Hogwarts Express gleaming in front of him.

Harry let out a huge sigh of relief, the tension in his shoulders easing as he looked around. The platform was bustling with activity—students with trunks and cages, parents saying goodbye to their children, and the sound of owls hooting filled the air. The sight of it all made his chest swell with excitement. This was it. He was finally here, officially on his way.

He quickly made his way towards the train, boarding in a hurry even though he knew he wasn’t in danger of being late. He just wanted to be settled, to find a compartment and get ready for the journey ahead. He carefully moved between carriages, peeking into compartments, looking for an empty one or perhaps one with a fellow first-year student. The idea of sitting next to an older student made him nervous.

Finally, he found a compartment with only one occupant—a girl with bushy brown hair, deeply engrossed in a large book. He hesitated for a moment before knocking softly on the door.

"Excuse me," he said, his voice slightly shaky. "Mind if I join you?"

The girl looked up briefly, her brown eyes flicking over him before she returned her gaze to her book. "You’re welcome to join me," she said without looking up again, "but I won’t be talking much. I’m trying to get through Hogwarts: A History before we arrive there."

Harry smiled at her focused determination. "That’s fine," he said, entering the compartment, “I was hoping to get some reading in myself.” He stowed his trunk in the overhead rack and sat down across from her. After settling in, he pulled out the advanced Charms book he had picked up at Flourish and Blotts, excited to delve into it.

For a while, they sat in comfortable silence, the rhythmic sound of the train filling and fellow students going by their compartment providing a calming sound. Harry was just getting lost in a section about differences in complex wand movements and the importance of preventing lazy mistakes when he felt eyes on him. He looked up to find the girl staring at him curiously.

"Why aren’t you wearing your house colors?" she asked suddenly, her brow furrowed.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Because I haven’t been sorted yet," he replied.

She shook her head, her confusion apparent. "Then why are you reading that Charms book? It’s not the one on the syllabus for first years."

Understanding dawned on Harry, and he smiled. "I’ve already read that one," he explained. "Professor McGonagall recommended this one to me since I’m interested in learning more. It has some more advanced material, but it also clarifies and elaborates on things we’ll cover this year."

The girl’s mouth dropped open in surprise. "You’ve already read the first-year Charms book, as well?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Harry nodded, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Yeah, I wanted to be prepared."

Her expression shifted from surprise to admiration. "That’s … amazing," she said, sounding genuinely impressed. "Would you mind if I borrowed that book after you’re done? I’d love to get ahead too."

"Sure," Harry said, happy to share. "Most of the information I’ve come across so far is for later years, but there are definitely parts that will help with our first-year studies, I could flag them for you."

The girl’s eyes lit up with excitement. "Thank you! I’m Hermione, by the way. Hermione Granger."

"Nice to meet you, Hermione," Harry said, offering her a friendly smile. "I’m Harry Potter."

For a split second, Hermione’s eyes widened as her focus shifted to his forehead, but then she composed herself, nodding politely. "I’ve read about you," she said, her voice lowering slightly. "In one of the history books. You’re in there … because of, you know, You-Know-Who."

Harry nodded, feeling a familiar discomfort creep in. "Yeah, I guess so."

Hermione opened her mouth before shutting it seeming to sense his discomfort and quickly changed the subject. "Have you tried any magic yet? I couldn’t wait, so as soon as I boarded the train I tried a few spells from the Charms book, and they actually worked!"

Harry couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. "I haven’t yet, I thought we couldn’t practice until we got to Hogwarts" he admitted.

Hermione shook her head, “It’s a little unfair that we can’t practice once we got our wands like those who come from magical families but the professor that picked me up mentioned that we are able to practice aboard the train if we truly desired to. She paused to take a breath before nodding vigorously. "It’s going to be amazing! I can’t wait to get started. There’s so much to learn, and Hogwarts sounds like the best place in the world for it. I’ve read all about it."

As she continued to talk, Harry found himself relaxing. Hermione’s fast-paced chatter was oddly comforting, and her enthusiasm was infectious. She was clearly someone who took her studies very seriously, even more so than him, and Harry couldn’t help but admire her dedication.

The train ride continued smoothly as they exchanged stories and shared their excitement for the coming year. Hermione mentioned stories about her childhood before transitioning into how she had received her letter, the surprise of finding out she was a witch, and the thrill of visiting Diagon Alley for the first time. While Harry tried to steer away from stories of time with the Dursley’s he did notice her staring at him intensely when he gave a brief overview of his youth.

As Hermione continued to talk about the different subjects, having read every single one of the required textbooks already, Harry found himself looking forward to their lessons even more. The thought of actually learning magic—real, practical magic—was almost too exciting to bear.

After a while, sometime after the train had left the station, their conversation slowed as they both returned to their reading. The countryside whizzed by outside the window as the train sped toward its destination.

Eventually, the trolley witch came by, offering an array of sweets and snacks. Harry, feeling generous, bought several items and offered to share them with Hermione. She hesitated for a moment, then accepted a Chocolate Frog, her curiosity piqued by the moving wizard card inside.

"Did you know they come with collectible cards?" she asked excitedly, examining the card carefully.

"I’d heard about them while I was in Diagon Alley," Harry said, opening his own Chocolate Frog. "I’m curious to see which witch or wizard I’ll get."

They spent the next few minutes comparing cards and tasting the various sweets, laughing at the strange flavors of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans and marveling at the magical confections. It was a lighthearted moment that helped ease the nervous anticipation that had been building in Harry’s chest.

After snacking on the treats from the trolley, Harry and Hermione continued to chat about their excitement for the upcoming school year. Hermione was going on about the various spells she’d read about in her books, her enthusiasm uncontainable. Harry listened with interest, appreciating her passion for learning. He had never met anyone quite like her before.

Their conversation was interrupted by the compartment door sliding open. A boy with bright red hair, freckles, and a slightly nervous expression stood in the doorway. He looked at them both before his gaze zeroed in on Harry, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

“Are you—are you really Harry Potter?” the boy asked, his voice filled with awe.

Harry nodded, a little taken aback by the reaction. “Yeah, I am.”

“Wow,” the boy breathed, stepping into the compartment. “I’m Ron. Ron Weasley. It’s brilliant to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, Ron,” Harry replied politely.

Ron seemed too starstruck to notice Hermione, who had shrugged before returning to her book, seemingly unaffected by the lack of interest in her, although her eyes flicked up from the pages occasionally to watch the exchange.

“Blimey,” Ron continued, sitting down beside Harry without invitation. “I mean, I knew you’d be on the train, but I didn’t think I’d actually meet you. You’re like … well, everyone knows who you are. I mean, the Boy Who Lived and all that. Do you really have the scar?”

Harry hesitated for a moment but then lifted his fringe slightly to show the lightning-shaped scar on his forehead. Ron’s eyes widened even more, and Harry could see him trying to process the sight of it.

“That’s wicked,” Ron said, though his tone was laced with the kind of curiosity that made Harry slightly uncomfortable. “I mean, everyone knows the story. You-Know-Who and all that … and your parents … and your adventures.”

Harry nodded awkwardly, not really knowing how to respond. He was already feeling a bit drained by Ron’s questions and his lack of tact in bringing up his parents so casually.

“Er, ya,” Harry said, trying to steer the conversation away from the topic. “Actually, Hermione and I were just planning to read our books. You can join us if you want. Get prepared for the upcoming year and all that.”

Ron looked surprised, almost as if the idea of reading on the train hadn’t occurred to him. “Oh … er, thanks for the invitation, but I probably … should go see what my brothers are up to. They’re in one of the compartments up ahead. I think I was supposed to visit with them.”

“Alright,” Harry said, relieved but trying to be polite. “Maybe we’ll catch up later.”

Ron nodded, still looking a confused by the idea that individuals would chose to read before even getting to school, and after a quick goodbye, he excused himself from the compartment. The door slid shut behind him, leaving Harry and Hermione alone again.

“Well,” Hermione said, looking up from her book with a slight smirk, “he was … enthusiastic.”

Harry chuckled. “Yeah, a bit much. But he seemed nice enough, I suppose. Just a little … tactless.”

Hermione nodded thoughtfully before returning to her book. Harry did the same, finding comfort in the silence that followed. They were both lost in their reading when the compartment door slid open once more. This time, a round-faced boy with a worried expression peeked in.

“Excuse me,” he said timidly, “Have you seen a toad? I’m Neville and I lost mine and not sure where he is.”

Harry and Hermione both shook their heads, and Harry stood up and was about to offer to help the boy look when a thought occurred to him. “Hold on a second,” he said, reaching for his Charms book. He quickly flipped through the pages to the section he had been reading earlier.

“What are you doing?” Hermione asked, curiosity piqued.

“There’s a spell in here that might help,” Harry explained. “It’s called the Summoning Charm. It’s actually a fourth-year spell, but I thought it might be worth a try.”

The boy’s eyes widened with hope, and Hermione looked at Harry with newfound respect as he focused on the book. Harry raised his wand, trying to recreate the correct wand movement and the incantation.

“Accio … Toad,” Harry said, concentrating hard. For a moment, nothing happened, and when he didn’t feel the familiar sensation of magic stirring within him he shrugged. He sighed and lowered his wand. “I guess it was a long shot.”

“That was still impressive,” Hermione said, clearly impressed. “I’m sure we’ll learn that spell in a few years.”

“Thanks,” Harry said, smiling at her before turning back to Neville. “We’ll help you look for your toad. What’s its name?”

“Trevor,” Neville replied, looking a bit more hopeful now that they were helping.

The three of them got up and began searching the train, checking compartments and asking other students if they had seen the toad. After a few minutes of searching, they reached a compartment where two identical red-headed boys were sitting, looking suspiciously like they were up to something.

“Excuse me,” Harry said, sliding open the door. “Have you seen a toad? Our friend Neville lost one.”

The twins exchanged a quick look before one of them grinned widely. “Why, yes, now that you mention it we have seen a toad. A fine specimen, wouldn’t you agree, George?”

“Absolutely, Fred,” the other twin replied with a nod. “But don’t worry, we weren’t considering using him for magical experimentation.”

Fred and George grinned mischievously, causing Neville to pale slightly. Before he could say anything, George reached into his pocket and pulled out a toad, holding him gently by the sides.

“Is this who you were looking for?” George asked, handing the toad back to a very relieved Neville.

“Thank you,” Neville said, cradling Trevor like a precious treasure.

“No problem at all, we were … just keeping him safe for you,” Fred said, still grinning. “By the way, if you lot are interested in aiding our magical education, we’d be thrilled if you ever did find a toad lying around that wasn’t yours.”

Harry, cautious but curious, introduced himself. “We’ll … keep that in mind. I’m Harry Potter, and this is Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom.”

Fred and George’s eyes lit up with recognition at Harry’s name. “The Harry Potter?” Fred asked with a playful smirk. “Well, it’s an honor to meet you, mate. We’re Fred and George Weasley, by the way.”

Harry smiled nervously finding that they were related to Ron, but Fred and George’s friendly demeanor quickly put him at ease. They were nothing like their brother—more relaxed and confident, and far less starstruck.

“Don’t mind our brother Ron,” George said, guessing at Harry’s nervousness, once Harry mentioned they ran into their brother. “He’s a good chap, just gets a bit involved in things and forgets his manners sometimes. Although don’t tell him we ever said that.”

“He’s harmless, really,” Fred added with a wink. “But honestly if you ever need someone to show you around Hogwarts, look us up. It’s the least we could do, you being the savior of Wizarding Britain and all that.”

“Thanks,” Harry said, appreciating their offer and finding that their playful nature was soothing. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

After saying their goodbyes, Neville headed off in the opposite direction, mentioning that he was sitting with his friends Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott, who were childhood friends of his. After declining an invitation to join them all, Harry and Hermione returned to their compartment, looking forward to some quiet time again.

They had only been back for about thirty minutes when the door slid open once more. This time, it wasn’t a friendly face that greeted them. A pale, blond-haired boy with a pointed face and cold gray eyes stood in the doorway, flanked by two larger boys who looked like they were trying to intimidate everyone they met.

“Well, well, well,” the boy drawled, his gaze locking onto Harry. “The rumors are true. Harry Potter is on the train.”

Harry looked up, sensing that this encounter was going to be different from the previous ones. The boy’s eyes flicked dismissively over Hermione before returning to Harry.

“Draco Malfoy,” the boy said, holding out his hand as if expecting Harry to take it. “A true pleasure.”

“Nice to meet you,” Harry replied warily, eyeing Draco’s outstretched hand but not taking it. He had a feeling this boy wasn’t someone he wanted to be friends with.

Draco’s eyes narrowed slightly when Harry didn’t shake his hand, but he quickly covered it with a smirk. “I see. And who are you?” he asked, finally turning to Hermione.

“Hermione Granger,” she replied, her voice steady.

Draco frowned, thinking hard before shaking his head. “Never heard of the Grangers. Where is your family from?”

“I’m British,” Hermione said firmly. “My parents aren’t magical though, I think muggles is the term I had seen.”

Draco leaned away from her as if she had said something foul. “Mudblood,” he sneered, the word dripping with disdain.

Harry didn’t know what the word meant, but he could tell it was an insult. He felt anger flare up inside him, and he opened his mouth to retort, but before he could, a new voice cut through the tension.

“Oi, Malfoy! Leave them alone and get back to your compartment before I dock points from Slytherin before we’ve even reached Hogwarts.”

A girl with bright pink hair and a mischievous grin stood in the doorway. She was dressed in Hogwarts robes and had a badge pinned to her chest with a capital ‘P’ on it. She looked at Draco with a mix of authority and amusement.

Draco scowled, clearly not liking being told what to do, but he didn’t argue. “Fine,” he spat, glaring at Harry one last time. “But you should be careful, Potter. You’ll be judged by the company you keep.”

With that, Draco turned on his heel and stormed out, his cronies following close behind.

The girl with the pink hair grinned at Harry and Hermione, stepping into the compartment. “Sorry about that,” she said cheerfully.

"Draco’s my cousin, unfortunately. He’s a right prat, always has been. No idea what terrible thing I did in a past life to deserve being related to him, but unfortunately it’s true."

Hermione looked concerned, but Harry was more intrigued by her casual attitude. “You’re his cousin?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “You … don’t seem much like him.”

The girl laughed, a bright and infectious sound that made both Harry and Hermione relax. “Thank Merlin for that! Name’s Nymphadora Tonks, but call me Tonks. Only my mum calls me Nymphadora, and that’s when she’s mad at me or wants me to be mad at her.”

“Nice to meet you, Tonks,” Harry said, smiling. “I’m Harry, and this is Hermione.”

“Yeah, I know who you are,” Tonks said with a wink. “Haven’t seen you in ages, though. I doubt you’d remember, but I saw you when you were just a little older than a baby. My mum, Andromeda, used to be friends with your parents and …”

Tonks trailed off, her grin faltering for a moment. A slightly pained expression crossed her face, and Harry noticed the way her eyes pinched, as if she were remembering something painful.

Harry felt a twinge of sympathy, sensing that she might be struggling with some difficult memories. He was about to say something, but before he could, Tonks shook her head, pushing the moment away and brightening up again.

“But anyway!” she said, clearly determined to change the subject. “Enough about that. How about I show you something cool?”

Both Harry and Hermione nodded eagerly, curious to see what Tonks had in mind.

Tonks winked at them and then closed her eyes in concentration. A moment later, her face began to change. Her nose elongated and curved slightly downward, her hair shifted from bright pink to pitch black and pulled itself back into a tight bun, and her eyes turned a vivid green. In seconds, she had transformed into a perfect imitation of Professor McGonagall.

Harry’s jaw dropped. “That’s incredible!”

Hermione’s eyes were wide with amazement. “You’re a Metamorphmagus! I’ve read about them—they can change their appearance at will!”

“Right in one, Hermione!” Tonks said, her voice now sounding exactly like McGonagall’s. She cleared her throat, and an imitation of the stern professor, said, “Ten points to Gryffindor for your excellent knowledge.”

Both Harry and Hermione burst into laughter, and Tonks grinned before shifting back to her normal appearance, her bright pink hair returning with a flourish.

“I bet it comes in handy, being able to change like that,” Harry said, still chuckling.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Tonks admitted, “but it’s also useful for sneaking around and playing pranks. Not that I’m encouraging that sort of thing, of course.” She gave them a conspiratorial wink.

Hermione looked thoughtful. “I’ve read that being a Metamorphmagus is really rare and even more difficult to master. You must be incredibly talented.”

Tonks shrugged, looking a little embarrassed by the praise. “It’s just something I was born with. My mum says it’s a gift, though she certainly isn’t happy with the … one or two times it had gotten me into trouble.”

She spent the next several minutes entertaining them with various transformations, shifting into different people they had never met, most of whom she mentioned were fellow students or professors. To their surprise she even transformed into several celebrities from the Muggle world. Each time, she captured every detail perfectly, from their voices to their mannerisms, leaving Harry and Hermione thoroughly impressed and laughing.

As the train sped along, the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the countryside. Tonks glanced out the window and then back at Harry and Hermione, a look of realization crossing her face.

“Well,” she said, her tone more serious now, “it’s getting late, and we’re getting close to Hogwarts. You two should probably start thinking about getting into your robes. You’ll want to make a good first impression after all.”

Harry nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness at the thought of finally arriving at Hogwarts. “Thanks for hanging out with us, Tonks. It was great meeting you.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Hermione added, smiling gratefully.

“Anytime,” Tonks said, giving them both a friendly grin. “And don’t let Draco get to you, okay? He’s all bark and no bite. If he gives you any more trouble, just let me know. I’ll have a word with him.”

With that, she gave them a quick wave and headed out of the compartment, leaving Harry and Hermione alone once more.

Once they were both dressed in their robes, they sat back down, the train gently rocking as it continued its journey. The excitement in the air was palpable, and Harry felt a nervous flutter in his stomach. He glanced over at Hermione, who was looking out the window with a thoughtful expression.

“Are you nervous?” Harry asked, breaking the silence.

Hermione turned to him, a small smile on her lips. “A little. But mostly I’m excited. I’ve been reading about Hogwarts since I picked up my books, and now we’re finally going to be there. It feels … unreal.”

Harry nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it does. I can’t wait to see what it’s like.”

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts as the train continued to wind its way through the countryside. Soon, the lights of a distant castle came into view, and Harry felt his heart skip a beat. The time had finally come.

Kind Regards,

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If you like this content do not hesitate to smash that like button and subscribe. Haha but seriously if you do enjoy the story - do favorite it, other than messaging me or leaving a comment it’s the only way I know if you are enjoying the stories and chapters.

Story Note 1 – This will not be a Ron bashing story, however that being said. Ron obviously does have some character flaws and I will try to accurately portray them as I see them. This means jealousy, Slytherin bigotry, and laziness when it comes to school work. However, he will probably not be portrayed as an evil manipulative mastermind who is incapable of change.

Story Note 2 – As always – looking forward to hearing guesses on things that are about to change? Friends, events, decisions, … or thoughts on which house he shall be sorted into.

Disclaimer – It has come to my attention recently that I unfortunately do not own Harry Potter. Who knew.