September 1st arrived with a mixture of excitement and nerves that even Gamer's Mind couldn't completely suppress. Harry stood at King's Cross Station with Hagrid, his trunk (filled with his purchases) floating behind them on a levitation charm, and Hedwig's cage in his hand.
"Platform Nine and Three-Quarters," Hagrid said, pointing at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. "Yeh just walk straight at it. Don't stop and don't be scared, or yeh'll crash into it."
Harry used [Observe] on the barrier.
[Magical Barrier - Platform 9¾ Entrance][Type:] Spatial gateway [Function:] Connects mundane King's Cross to magical platform [Safety:] 100% safe for magical individuals [Note:] Muggles will subconsciously avoid looking at people passing through
"Got it. Thank you for everything, Hagrid."
The giant's beetle-black eyes looked a bit misty. "Yer welcome, Harry. Yeh take care of yerself at Hogwarts. An' if yeh need anything, yeh come find me. I'll be there as gamekeeper."
Harry walked purposefully at the barrier. The world blurred for a moment, then he emerged onto a completely different platform. A scarlet steam engine waited beside a platform packed with students and families. A sign overhead read: Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock.
[Location Discovered: Platform 9¾][+50 XP]
Harry checked his pocket watch (a new purchase, 50 Galleons) - 10:30 AM. He had thirty minutes before departure. He scanned the crowd, using [Observe] on interesting-looking people.
A large family with flaming red hair caught his attention - the Weasleys, he realized. He could see:
[Arthur Weasley - Level 42 - Ministry Employee - Fascinated by Muggles][Molly Weasley - Level 38 - Matriarch - Protective and Loving][Bill Weasley - Level 56 - Curse Breaker - Eldest Son][Charlie Weasley - Level 51 - Dragon Handler - Second Son][Percy Weasley - Level 28 - Prefect - Ambitious][Fred Weasley - Level 22 - Prankster - Inventive][George Weasley - Level 22 - Prankster - Inventive][Ron Weasley - Level 8 - Insecure - Loyal][Ginny Weasley - Level 9 - Hidden Power - Shy but Strong]
Harry's attention lingered on Ginny. She was younger than the rest, maybe fourteen, with long red hair and bright brown eyes. She kept glancing at the train with barely contained excitement. His System flagged her:
[Ginevra "Ginny" Weasley][Potential Love Interest Detected][Current Relationship: 0/100 - Unknown][Special Note: Extremely powerful magical core, shy exterior hides fierce personality][Warning: Will be targeted by dark artifact in future - prepare to intervene]
Dark artifact? Harry filed that information away - he'd need to watch for that.
His musings were interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Harry! Over here!"
Draco Malfoy stood near the train with two large boys who looked like bodyguards. But Draco's expression was genuinely friendly, not the sneer Harry remembered from canon descriptions.
[Draco Malfoy - Level 9 - Relationship: 70/100 - Friendly][Vincent Crabbe - Level 7 - Follower - Not Very Bright][Gregory Goyle - Level 7 - Follower - Not Very Bright]
"Draco," Harry greeted, walking over. "Ready for Hogwarts?"
"Absolutely. Mother was beside herself this morning - you'd think I was going to war instead of school." Draco gestured to his companions. "These are Crabbe and Goyle. Their fathers work with mine. Boys, this is Lord Harry Potter-Peverell."
Both large boys' eyes widened, and they bowed awkwardly. "Lord Potter," they mumbled.
"Just Harry is fine," Harry said, making them relax slightly. He noted that Draco had used his full title - establishing Harry's status to his followers. Smart.
"We should get a compartment," Draco suggested. "The good ones fill up fast."
They boarded the train, finding an empty compartment near the middle. Harry stored his trunk with a casual levitation charm that made Crabbe and Goyle stare.
"You can already do wandless magic?" Draco asked, impressed.
"Just simple levitation. I've been practicing." In truth, his high INT and WIS stats made minor magic relatively easy, and he'd spent the last three days reading every book he could. "What about you? What can you do?"
"Standard first-year spells, mostly. Father hired tutors." Draco pulled out his wand. "Want to practice while we wait?"
They spent the next twenty minutes trading spells - Lumos, Nox, basic levitation. Harry was careful not to show his full capability, but he still outperformed Draco slightly.
[Skill Increase: Lumos - Level 3][Skill Increase: Levitation Charm - Level 4][Relationship: Draco Malfoy 70/100 → 75/100 - Respects your skill]
A knock on the compartment door interrupted them. A round-faced boy with a toad stood there, looking anxious.
[Neville Longbottom - Level 7 - Heir to Ancient House - Lacks Confidence][Special Note: Far more powerful than he believes, needs encouragement]
"Sorry," the boy said nervously. "Have you seen a toad? I've lost mine..."
"No, but we can help you look. What's your name?"
"N-Neville Longbottom," the boy stuttered. "And my toad is Trevor."
"I'm Harry Potter. This is Draco Malfoy," Harry said, standing. "Come on, let's find Trevor."
[Quest Started: Help Neville Find Trevor][Reward: +200 XP, Relationship increase with Neville]
They searched several compartments, Harry using his Ancient Magic perception to scan for the toad's life force. Finally, he spotted it trying to hop away near the luggage compartment.
"There!" Harry pointed. With a quick levitation charm, he floated Trevor back to Neville.
"Thank you!" Neville clutched his toad gratefully. "I'm rubbish at magic - Gran says I'm not good enough for Hogwarts, but they accepted me anyway..."
"You're the heir to the Longbottom family," Harry said firmly, seeing Neville's stat sheet showing [Low Confidence] debuff. "Ancient and Noble House. You have powerful magic in you, Neville. You just need to believe in yourself."
[CHA Check Passed: Inspirational words resonate][Neville Longbottom - Relationship: 0/100 → 40/100 - Grateful and Inspired][Status Effect on Neville: Low Confidence reduced slightly]
"Really?" Neville looked hopeful.
"Really. Want to sit with us?"
Neville joined their compartment, and Harry made a mental note to help build the boy's confidence. According to system, Neville has incredibly powerful potential - Harry just needed to unlock that potential early.
The train whistle blew, and the Hogwarts Express began to move. Harry watched the platform disappear, feeling a mixture of excitement and determination. His new life was truly beginning.
About an hour into the journey, a girl with bushy brown hair and large front teeth appeared at their door.
[Hermione Granger - Level 10 - Muggleborn - Genius Intellect][Special Note: Photographic memory, desperate to prove herself, will become incredibly powerful]
"Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one," she said in a bossy voice, then noticed Neville holding Trevor. "Oh, you found him. Good."
She looked around the compartment critically. "You're doing magic? Let's see then."
Before anyone could respond, she sat down and pointed her wand at Harry. "I've been practicing. Oculus Reparo!"
Nothing happened. Harry wasn't wearing his broken glasses - he'd purchased new ones.
"Oh. You don't have broken glasses." She sounded disappointed. "I'm Hermione Granger. Who are you?"
"Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle," Harry introduced everyone.
Hermione's eyes went huge. "Harry Potter! I've read about you in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century!"
"You've read a lot," Harry observed.
"Well, of course! When I got my Hogwarts letter, I bought all the course books and read them cover to cover. I practically memorized them. I hope it will be enough - I'm Muggleborn, you see, so I'm worried about falling behind."
Harry recognized the desperation to prove herself. "Intelligence matters more than blood status. And from what you're saying, you're already ahead of most students."
[Hermione Granger - Relationship: 0/100 → 35/100 - Appreciates lack of prejudice]
Draco looked uncomfortable but didn't make any blood purity comments - likely because Harry had already established his views on judging people by their choices rather than birth.
"What house do you think you'll be in?" Hermione asked. "I've been hoping for Gryffindor - that's where Dumbledore was - but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be terrible."
"I'll probably be in Slytherin," Draco said. "My whole family has been."
"Gryffindor for me, I think," Neville added quietly. "Gran would be furious if I wasn't - Dad was in Gryffindor."
"I'm not sure," Harry said honestly. "I have qualities that fit multiple houses. I'll let the Sorting Hat decide."
They talked for a while longer before Hermione left to continue exploring the train. She was brilliant but abrasive - Harry could see how she'd struggle socially despite her intelligence.
The compartment door opened again, and this time Harry's attention sharpened immediately.
A girl with sleek blonde hair and striking ice-blue eyes stood in the doorway. Her robes were expensive but understated, and she carried herself with the poise of someone trained in pure-blood etiquette from birth.
[Daphne Greengrass][Level: 13][Title: Ice Queen of Slytherin (future)][HP: 280/280][MP: 680/680][Relationship: 0/100 - Unknown][Description: Heir to the Greengrass family, known for political neutrality. Brilliant mind, cold exterior to protect herself, warm interior she shows to very few. Skilled in ice-based magic and political maneuvering.][Special Note: POTENTIAL LOVE INTEREST - High compatibility detected][Hidden Stat: Lonely - craves genuine connection beyond politics]
Behind her stood a younger girl who looked similar - her sister, Harry realized.
[Astoria Greengrass - Level 9 - Younger Sister - Chronically Ill but Optimistic]
"Excuse me," Daphne said, her voice cool and controlled. "I'm looking for Lord Potter-Peverell. I was told he might be in this compartment."
"That would be me," Harry said, standing politely. "Harry Potter. And you are?"
"Daphne Greengrass, Heir to the Greengrass family. This is my sister Astoria." Her ice-blue eyes assessed him carefully. "I wanted to introduce myself before we arrived at Hogwarts. Your recent ascension to two Lordships has been the talk of pure-blood society."
"Is that so?" Harry gestured to an empty seat. "Would you like to sit?"
Daphne hesitated, then nodded gracefully. "Thank you. Astoria, go back to Tracy. I'll join you shortly."
Once they were seated, Daphne spoke carefully. "Lord Potter, I'll be direct. My family values political neutrality. We don't align with the light or dark factions. Your sudden appearance as a Lord of two Ancient Houses - one of which is a Founder line - has disrupted the political balance."
"I'm not interested in playing political games," Harry said honestly. "I just want to get my education and be left alone."
"Unfortunately, with your status, that's impossible. Everyone will try to recruit you - for the light, for the dark, for their own agendas. I'm offering you information and potential alliance with a neutral party."
Harry studied her with his enhanced WIS. She was being genuine - this wasn't manipulation, but a practical political move. "What would this alliance entail?"
"Information exchange, mutual protection of interests, and political support when our goals align. Nothing binding, nothing dark. Simply... cooperation between Ancient Houses."
[Hidden Quest Triggered: Political Alliance - Greengrass][Reward: Political ally, information network, relationship increase with Daphne]
"I'm interested," Harry said. "But I want to be clear - I won't support anything that harms innocent people, and I won't compromise my values for political gain."
For the first time, Daphne smiled - a small, genuine expression that softened her ice-queen facade. "Those are exactly the assurances I was hoping to hear. I think we'll work well together, Lord Potter."
"Harry, please. We're the same age - formality seems excessive."
"Very well, Harry. You may call me Daphne." She reached into her robes and pulled out a small notebook. "Now, let me tell you about the major players at Hogwarts..."
For the next thirty minutes, Daphne provided a comprehensive overview of Hogwarts politics: which families aligned with which factions, which professors favored which students, and where the power structures lay. Harry's INT helped him absorb and categorize all the information.
[Skill Gained: Political Awareness - Level 1][Relationship: Daphne Greengrass 0/100 → 45/100 - Respects your principles and intelligence]
Draco watched the interaction with approval - Harry was making powerful connections. Neville seemed lost but impressed.
"There's one more person you should meet," Daphne said as she prepared to leave. "Cassandra Vole. She's in my year, Slytherin-bound, and extremely skilled at information gathering and persuasion. She'd be a valuable contact."
"I'll keep that in mind," Harry said, standing as she did. "Thank you for the information, Daphne."
"Thank you for listening, Harry." She paused at the door. "I look forward to seeing which house you're sorted into. You'd do well in Slytherin - we could use someone with your principles."
After she left, Draco whistled. "Smooth, Harry. Daphne Greengrass doesn't talk to just anyone. You've made a strong impression."
[Achievement Unlocked: First Impression - Successfully impressed a potential love interest]
The train continued northward. Harry spent the time practicing spells with Draco, helping Neville with his confidence, and using [Observe] on students who passed by.
Late in the afternoon, there was another knock. Harry opened the door to find a girl with dark hair, striking features, and eyes that seemed to calculate everything they saw.
[Cassandra Vole][Level: 14][Title: Silver Tongue][HP: 260/260][MP: 720/720][Relationship: 0/100 - Unknown][Description: Brilliant manipulator and information broker. Ambitious, cunning, but not cruel. Seeks power to escape her family's declining status. Secretly craves genuine relationships but fears showing vulnerability.][Special Note: POTENTIAL LOVE INTEREST - High compatibility detected][Hidden Stat: Masks insecurity with ambition]
"Lord Potter," she said with a perfect curtsy. "I'm Cassandra Vole. Daphne suggested we should meet."
"Harry, please," he said, gesturing her inside. "Daphne spoke highly of you."
Cassandra's eyes gleamed with interest as she sat. Unlike Daphne's cool politeness, Cassandra radiated calculated charm. "Did she? How interesting. I imagine she mentioned my particular... talents?"
"Information gathering and persuasion," Harry confirmed.
"Among other things." She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'll be frank, Harry. I'm ambitious. My family's status has been declining for generations, and I intend to reverse that. An alliance with the Potter and Peverell houses would be extremely beneficial."
"And what would you offer in return?"
"Information. Connections. Political maneuvering that you, as a public figure, cannot be seen doing yourself. I work in the shadows so people like you can stand in the light." She leaned forward slightly. "I'm very good at what I do, Harry. And unlike some, I'm honest about being self-interested."
Harry appreciated the direct honesty more than false humility. "What's your stance on the light-dark conflict?"
"I think both sides are hypocritical. The 'light' preaches equality while maintaining their own power structures. The 'dark' preaches tradition while embracing barbaric practices. I'm interested in practical results, not ideological purity."
[WIS Check Passed: You recognize genuine cynicism born from experience, not malice]
"I can work with that," Harry said. "I'm not interested in either side's games either. I just want to survive, get strong enough to protect myself, and maybe fix some broken systems along the way."
Cassandra's smile became genuine for the first time. "You're not what I expected, Harry Potter. Most Lords I've met are either pompous or naive. You're neither."
[Relationship: Cassandra Vole 0/100 → 50/100 - Impressed by your pragmatism and directness]
They talked for another twenty minutes about Hogwarts politics, potential threats, and mutual goals. Cassandra was sharp, witty, and surprisingly funny when she dropped her formal mask.
As she stood to leave, she paused. "One warning, Harry. Professor Quirrell, the Defense teacher. There's something wrong with him. I don't know what, but my instincts say stay away."
"Noted," Harry said, not mentioning that his System had already flagged Quirrell as dangerous. "Thank you, Cassandra."
"Call me Cass. Only my mother calls me Cassandra when she's disappointed." She smirked. "Which is often."
After she left, Draco laughed. "You're collecting powerful witches like some people collect chocolate frog cards. First Daphne, now Cassandra. What's next?"
Harry shrugged, but inwardly he was pleased. Two of his three future love interests contacted, relationships established positively. Now he just needed to connect with Ginny Weasley at some point.
[Quest Update: First Day at Hogwarts][Meet potential allies: 5/5 - COMPLETE][Bonus: Make a strong impression on three specific witches: 2/3]
As the sun began to set, a voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."
Harry changed into his Hogwarts robes, feeling the protective vest underneath and the portkey in his pocket. His wands were secure in wrist holsters he'd purchased. He was as ready as he could be.
The train slowed and finally stopped. Harry stepped out onto a tiny, dark platform. A lamp came bobbing toward them, and Hagrid's familiar voice called out:
"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"
Harry followed the crowd toward the lake, where a fleet of boats waited. Hagrid was already in the first boat with three students.
"Four to a boat!" Hagrid called.
Harry climbed into a boat with Draco, Neville, and a quiet boy who introduced himself as Theodore Nott. The boats moved forward on their own, carrying them across the black lake.
Then, as they rounded a bend, Harry saw it.
Hogwarts Castle rose against the starry sky, its windows glowing with warm light. Towers reached toward the heavens, and the ancient stones hummed with magic that Harry's Ancient Magic perception could feel even from here.
It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
[Location Discovered: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry][+500 XP][LEVEL UP! You are now Level 16!]
[Quest Alert: You have arrived at Hogwarts. Prepare for the Sorting Ceremony.]
[Note: Your choice of house will significantly impact your story path. Choose wisely.]
Harry smiled. Let the games begin.
[Chapter 5 END]