37 37. Hogwarts Express

"Hello, I'm Harry." I greeted him casually then sat down after putting my trunk overhead.

"Hello. I'm Neville Longbottom." Neville stuttered.

We settled and started talking about various things. It didn't take long before people started knocking on our cabin's door.

"Hey, Can I sit here. Everywhere else is already full." Ron said after opening the door. He was actually panting from carrying his trunk as I was sure that he was lying. I could recognise him just from his hair and body language. Using observe, I got to know that his parents had instructed him to be my friend and in their words' You will help the poor boy understand the Wizarding world'.

And it made this idiot think that he was doing me a favour by willing to be my friend. I don't know what their intentions had been but I didn't like their actions one bit.

"Sorry, we are waiting for our friends. Please find some other places." Hermione told him, understanding my intentions but he ignored her words and barged into our cabin.

"Hi I'm Ron Weasley and you are? " He asked me while his eyes kept searching for the scar on my forehead.

Honestly, I knew that it was his upbringing that made him behave like that. Being with Molly I-know-the-best-as I'm- the best- monther Weasley, 2 we-are-the-best-pranksters twins, a I-am-the-most-responsible-man elder brother, he started feeling that he was the most useless boy ever. So when he felt that his family depended on him and he was the only one to keep the boy-who-lived from going dark, it twisted his thinking and inflated his ego.

I could not blame them for their behavior and circumstances as they had good intentions but it also didn't mean that I had to tolerate them.

"Hermione, let's find some other seats. I'm sure we will be able to find some good company for the ride." Instead of entertaining him I too ignored him completely. Hermione nodded her head and we both started to walk out of the cabin. I could have easily sent him away but I wanted to make it clear at least once that I did not like him at all and I also did not want to come out too hard on the boy.

"Hey, where are you going? Everywhere is full so you should sit here already. I will be your best friend and I will also tell you a lot of things about the Wizarding world." Ron jumped and blocked our way not realising how rude his actions were. Hermione palmed her wand and was just about to hex the hell out of him when I made Ron skid back to his seat wandlessly.

"Ron, I was trying to express my dislike and dissatisfaction towards your behaviour. I don't know if you do not realise this or just ignore it but you are very rude. I don't lack friends and don't need a friend who is so rude and disrespectful.

Talk to me only after you have corrected yourself as I don't like to explain my actions all the time." We walked out of there without waiting for his response and started looking for another cabin. It didn't take us long to find another cabin occupied by only 2 girls. On the way to that cabin we passed by many people including the future 1st year Slytherin group. In that group I also saw a cold faced young girl.

"Hello. I'm Harry Potter and this is my friend Hermione Granger. Can we sit here with you? " I introduced us to the 2 girls who widened their eyes hearing my name and looking at my appearance.

"Hello Harry. sure Please come. We would be delighted to have your company." Said the brown haired girl. "By the way, I'm Hannah Abbott and this is my best friend Susan Bones. It will be our first year at Hogwarts."

<POV change>

Harry had deliberately chosen to sit there as he wanted to be friends with the niece of Amelia Bones. He wanted to know more about the head of DMLE before talking to her in Sirius' case.

"Hello Hannah, Susan. Did you know about magic from the beginning? I am a muggle-born and only got to know about magic after getting my Hogwarts letter from professor McGonagall." Hermione started chatting with them as she too was excited to finally be able to talk to some girls her own age while Harry only spoke once or twice in between.

Just then someone knocked on the doors before opening them. "Can I sit here with you guys? "

Susan and Hannah looked at the girl vigilantly while Harry calmly welcomed her.

"Hello! I'm Daphne Greengrass." Daphne introduced herself to Harry and Hermione as it was clear that Susan and Hannah already knew her.

Harry was not at all surprised by any of this as everything was his doing. He had deliberately made it so that, affected by his aura, Daphne would come to meet them. He did so for many reasons, first that he was not really clear about Daphne's situation from the movies and from the fan-fics he had read, there were many possibilities about her circumstances. Second, through Daphne he wanted to get to know about Dark and Gray factions from Gray faction's perceptive. and Third, because she looked mighty uncomfortable sitting there with other would-be Slytherins.