Muggle-Raised Champion

Welcome to Hogwarts

Disclaimer – I solemnly swear that JKR owns everything Harry Potter. Whether or not I am up to no good with her characters is for you to decide.

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Muggle-Raised Champion

Chapter 5 – Welcome to Hogwarts

9:10am

Thursday, 3 November 1994

The Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

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"You're certain that he's coming today, Albus?" Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Head and Transfiguration professor of Hogwarts asked.

Albus Dumbledore's eyes twinkled over his half-moon spectacles as he was peering at the woman who was currently paused in her continual pacing.

"He will be here, Minerva," he replied soothingly. "Barty contacted me this morning to confirm their arrival."

Dumbledore lifted one hand to forestall her next question. "They are only ten minutes late, after all."

Minerva pursed her lips before dropping into one of the seats that the Headmaster had conjured upon her arrival. Beside her, the four students that she'd brought with her appeared uncomfortable, most likely due to her constant pacing and worry.

She was just about to apologise to them, although whether that was for her pacing or for them being kept waiting, she had no idea, when the fireplace burst into life.

Her head snapped to the side just as the flames turned green. She was just rising to her feet when the first of their visitors arrived.

Bartemius Crouch stepped from the fireplace, brushed the soot from his robes, nodded to those in the Headmaster's office and turning back to await the other person expected through the FLOO. He was barely in time to catch the teen who came stumbling awkwardly out of the fireplace. It was only a fortuitous hand that stopped the staggering Harry Potter ending up on his face on the floor.

"Good morning, Barty, Mister Potter. Welcome to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said exuberantly as he rose to his feet, waving his wand to banish the soot from the two as he did so.

"Headmaster Dumbledore," Barty nodded, "Professor McGonagall, may I present Mister Harry Potter?"

Minerva took the opportunity to get her first good look at the teen before her. What she saw made her gasp. It was as though she was looking straight into the past.

"You look extraordinarily like your father, Mister Potter," she blurted. "Except for your eyes – they are purely all Lily."

"Thank you, um, Ma'am," Harry blinked back.

Minerva returned his blink with one of her own. She had been expecting Harry to be wearing traditional black Hogwarts robes. Instead, his outer robe was a deep forest green, while underneath it, his clothes appeared very ... muggle. His pants and jacket were a dull stone grey, matching his tie, although, looking closer, she noted a pattern of pale green stripes running diagonally down it. Completing his wardrobe was a crisp white shirt.

"Mister Potter," Barty continued with the introductions, "may I present Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"

"It's an honour to meet you, Harry," Dumbledore replied.

After stepped forward to shake the Headmaster's hand, Bartemius turned Harry's attention to her.

"And this is Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts Deputy Head, Head of Gryffindor House and Professor of Transfiguration."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mister Potter," she replied.