It was a day like any other.

In the morning, Harry was following his dad along with their dog Fang around their hut not far from the castle, taking care of the school's garden first then of the various magical creatures Hogwarts hold.

In late afternoon, he was asked to go inside the castle and wander in the corridor while minding his steps meanwhile his dad had to tend matters in the Forbidden Forest. Because he was only 7, it was decided that he will never cross above the clearing for the class of Care of Magical Creatures hold by professor Kettleburn, so whenever his dad would go in the Forbidden Forest, Harry will go in the castle where people would welcome him warmly. Mostly because he's a cutie that had no fear beyond professor MacGonagall but also because people were curious to know how this clumsy half-giant could have sired such a small and puny baby like him. Which was unfair, because he was small and puny only compared to his dad, who was a half-giant, otherwise Harry was quite tall for his age. Auntie Poppy said so. 

Today was the first day of school, so the castle was quiet with the students either studying in their common room waiting for dinnertime or studying in the Great Hall to be already on place when dinner's done. It would also be Harry's first appearance of the year before the first years because he never show up at the Start-of-term feast to not disturb the first years on their sorting ceremony, or spoil the surprise for Harry who will go through it in a few years. He and his dad rarely showed up for breakfast and lunch for the same reason, thus Harry only eating in the Great Hall at dinner. Not that it bothered him, he loved eating with his dad, especially since they had special spot in the kitchen where the house elves worked in hectic frenzy.

When Remy wasn't working, he would also join, or better yet, spend the day with Harry and teach all sort of thing of the magical world, but Remy was working so Harry will be good and wander in the castle instead.

As soon as he was inside, he ran into his favorite creature, Mrs Norris. He went to pet her and she let him do it because he was so respectful to her. And who said Mrs Norris, said Mr Filch trotting behind, because he's the owner and the caretaker of the magic school. Mr Filch only tolerated him because he did not do magic and his presence caused little to no harm.

And also because his toothy smile would melt anyone's cold heart, again auntie's words, not him. Harry wasn't even aware that heart could be cold, and he did try to feel it on the resident cold heart, professor Snape, when professor MacGonagall commented on it. Which shocked everyone, though Harry didn't understand why, wasn't it normal to check an info instead of listening unquestioningly?

At least, that's what his dad always did and that's how his dad and him had so many creatures friends. Because they didn't listen to all the bad words about them. Harry especially loved the mooncalves that appeared only at full moons. Their appearance were quirky and rare, one could say, as people didn't tend to get out at full moon, but Hogwarts did not host werewolves so Harry got to meet the herd in the clearing and even see their dance. Quite the magical night.

Despite his recurrent ask of following the lessons along the first years, because he understood what the adults are saying, quoting Remy now, the headmaster and the deputy headmistress that was professor McGonagall, Harry was denied attendance this year again.

And fair, he didn't show sign of magic. Yet. But Harry celebrated his 7th birthday not long ago and he was more than anticipating his first display of accidental magic.

For now, he guessed he could content of watching students doing magic in the Hogwarts park when he ran into them, or just hanging in the Great Hall where he could spend hours admiring the enchanted ceiling. Or pet Mrs Norris.

As dinnertime was near, he was ushered to take place on the professors' table besides his father's seat, which was another dig on his size. One day, he's gonna be so tall, people will regret mocking about how little he was.

The students started flowing inside and more than one head made a double take once seeing him at his seat. No one commented, though. There was a year, 3 years ago Harry remembered, a student of the lion table asked the professors who was he and Harry told him himself that he was his dad's son. Not that it explained the reason of his presence but he was so cute people just accepted him.

Harry found said student this year again and waved back when greeted from afar, the student then pointed at a younger boy, his youngest sibling making entrance at Hogwarts, and Harry knew he will get an introduction after the meal as it happened three years ago. He put the thought aside to welcome his dad happily then everyone started digging on the food.

"Hey, Harry, how are you?" Bill asked him once they're done.

Harry was waiting for the siblings at the foot of the staircase as he and his dad usually finished before anyone, his dad still having things to do and Harry not being a big eater at young age. He didn't wait long though, Bill and Charlie having saw him getting out of table and didn't want to miss him. Admittely, they had the whole school year to do the introduction and not necessarily the second night at Hogwarts, but by then it was tradition for them because Bill did it five years ago too, but for himself. And this time, Harry didn't have any memories and he wouldn't accept the reason of him being only 2 because Harry had great memory even at 2. But anyway, he remembered the introduction of three years ago with Charlie so Harry promised to always remember each introduction of the Weasley, till it'll be time for the sibling of his age.

"I'm alright, Bill. How are you all doing in this fine evening?"

"Well, with my Quidditch teammates, we already set up schedules for new players to apply, since we're in great need of beater. Interested, pipsqueak?" Charlie winked at him.

"You know that I'm only interested of your position."

"I know right, seeker's the best, right?"

"Right!"

Harry giggled jolly when Charlie ruffled his hair.

"Oh, so you're the Harry. When Bill and Charlie insisted to introduce me to the toddler that was roaming on the campus, I thought they were joking. But then, they said he was one of the staff's son and I found it even weirder, because who would bring their infant child to a secondary school? Now, everything's explained."

Harry blinked at the youngest sibling he didn't get the chance yet to greet only to have a lukewarm greeting. He glanced at the older who were each sporting a different look of embarrassement.

"Well, Harry meet Percy, the third Weasley who got sorted in Gryffindor as you have seen."

"Congratulations, I guess the house does suit your hair."

"Hey, we said not about the physics."

"No, you said it, I didn't agree on it."

Once again, Percy cut into the bickering between Charlie and him. "Well, glad to meet you, Harry Potter. If you don't mind, I will go first, I'd like to review what I learn today and prepare for tomorrow's lessons."

He made a move to step on the stair, but by doing so, his robe moved and Harry noticed something moving underneath.

"Oh, do you have a pet? May I see it? I love animals!"

Percy paused and searched something on his face, Harry became self-conscious and tried to hide his scar, the one that uncovered his identity, he bet. But Percy only sighed, before undoning his fastening to show the rodent hidden inside. Harry made an excited sound and extand his hand to pet it, but upon seeing him, the rat crawled inside his master's robe hurriedly.

Both Harry and Percy paused. Before Harry tried again. Percy jumped when his pet rat crawled futher to hide. As he started squirming, he grabed the rat with irated hands.

"Scabbers! What are you doing! You're never this meek with stranger!"

"Maybe it's the sudden change of environment?" Bill suggested kindly.

"Pretty sure the rat wasn't that fretty yesterday. He even ate the feast eagerly, much to our housemates disarray."

"Oh, don't be snobbish because you don't like him."

"Not my fault it's not worth a dragon."

Harry ignored the sibling bickers, though he was tempted to mock Charlie and his obsession of dragon (something his dad share, and him too), and tried to reach the rat again. It flailed miserably in his master's hand. Harry froze.

"Maybe he doesn't like you," Percy shrugged, ready to climb the stairs once again.

"No!" Harry whined. "Every animals like me!"

"Well, Scabbers is a little peculiar, Harry. He's been with us for six years and was surrounded only of red-hair and most of us didn't even want to pet him, so-"

"Not helping, Charlie."

"I didn't even do anything! It's not like I can hurt him!"

As if understanding, the rat freed form his master's grip and crawled to hide under the robe once again.

Harry started sniffling and the elder boys started panicking.

Harry didn't usually cry, you see. He didn't when the hippogriphes landed wildly around him and almost crushed him because he was so small under thier claw, he didn't either when the foxes were ravaging the chickens his dad raised for some years and were about to assault him and give him the same treatment if not for his dad's intervention nor when he fell in the Great Lake and got assaulted by a Grindylow who found him first before being rescued by a pitying merperson who threw him out of water only for him wanting to dive again and ride the kelpie he caught a glimpse of. He only did when he accidentally hurt Fang because he didn't listen to his dad when too excited or that time, when he stepped on a student's turtle who then refused to get out of its shell for a long time. Only when the animals got hurt, basically, and Scabbers wasn't.

"Bill, do something," Percy asked, voice blanching when Harry was full on sobbing.

"What? It's obviously Scabbers' at fault."

"Well, he's not going to apologize, is he now?"

"Maybe he should. He was being overly impolite! Give me that!"

"Hey! Stop that, Charles Weasley! Bill, tell him to stop!"

"Hang on, immobulus."

"Bill!" Percy sounded positively offended now.

"Just a minute."

Bill snatched the rat from his brother's back and hung it on the air by its tail. He tried to waved it in front of the little kid to sooth him but Harry only cried harder when he noticed how the rat was now frozen of shock.

"No, no, he's not into shock, he's just frozen."

"Because it makes it so much better. Come on, Harry don't mind it. It's just a stupid rat."

"Who's affraid of Harry, the sweetest kid around. Weird," Bill muttered while trying to put the pet out of Percy's arm's reach.

"Bill! Enough! That's animal abuse!"

"I wonder. Is it really an animal? He looked awfully sentient for an animal."

"It's a magical creature! It's as intelligent as owls!"

"Just a minute, Perce. I need to check something. Stop trying to get this rat back."

"What are you boys doing?"

Harry promptly stopped crying in Charlie's arms. If he rarely cried and warmed up at all creatures and animals existing, he couldn't for the life of him grew on professor McGonagall. The woman's stern look was like his nightmare. And if he looked at her now or if she saw him crying, he's not sure he won't be break down and never recover.

"Professor McGonagall, you're here just in time! You're an animagus, aren't you? Yes, of course, you are, we saw and you're literally registered in the Ministry list, our father told us. Anyway, would it be possible for you to cast a reversal spell on our pet rat? I'm not saying it's an animagus, but it reacted weirdly seeing Harry, and Harry's friend with all animals, you know it, so yeah, we just want to make sure."

"There's nothing to make sure. Scabbers doesn't like the boy, that's it," Percy huffed and crossed his arms. He had stopped struggling against his brother as soon as their head of house made her appearance clear.

"It doesn't hurt to check," Charlie said, trying to distract Harry of his brother's offensives words and stop another outburst, you know.

Bill only offered the rat to the professor's nose with a cheeky smile, ignoring very hard the kids behind him. McGonagall glanced at Harry's red eyes and drying cheeks then at Percy's frown before sighing and pulling her wand.

The transfiguring charm went wordless but the effect was immediate as soon the blue light touched the rat. 

The tail Bill was grapping vanished, morphing under the magic spell. Soon, there was a man at the rat's place and Bill put himself in front of his brothers. Professor McGonagall gasped, wand still extended and was really happy her student had previously cast frozen charm on the suspect. Because the unsuspected animagus was none other than...

"Peter Pettigrew! Mister Weasley, please bring immediately your brothers in security, do not say a word of what just happened. I will take care of the matter at hand right this instant with the headmaster."

A silver cat got out of her wand and flight inside the Great Hall while she made her way to the headmaster's office with a hovering frozen body, trusting her student to follow her instructions. So, Bill did as she said and brought his brothers and the little kid to the Gryffindor common room, as it was protected by the Fat Lady's portrait that needed a passwords only known by Gryffindor's students.

Harry ended up in Bill Weasley's dorm room who shooed his dorm mates' curious prying and entertained the boy by offerind his course books to read, which Harry did eagerly despite the subject of sixth year students could be quite heavy for his young age. Eventually, his eyelids couldn't bear it, too heavy for a 7 years old body.

He fell asleep thinking the day started so normally.

 

edited chapter: post 22-12-23

It was a day like any other.

In the morning, Harry was following his dad along with their dog Fang around their hut not far from the castle, taking care of their garden first then of the various magical creatures Hogwarts hold.

In late afternoon, he was asked to go inside the castle and wander in the corridor while minding his steps because his dad had to tend matters in the Forbidden Forest.

Because he was only 7, it was decided that he will never cross above the clearing for the class of Care of Magical Creatures held by professor Kettleburn, so whenever his dad would go in the Forbidden Forest, Harry will go in the castle where people would welcome him warmly. Mostly because he's a cutie that had no fear beyond professor MacGonagall but also because people were curious to know how this clumsy half-giant could have sired such a small and puny baby like him. Which was unfair, because he was small and puny only compared to his dad, who was a half-giant, otherwise Harry was quite tall for his age. Auntie Poppy said so.

Today was the first day of school, so the castle was quiet with the students either studying in their common room waiting for dinnertime or studying in the Great Hall to be already on place when dinner's ready. It would also be Harry's first appearance of the year before the first years as he never showed up at the Start-of-term feast to 1) not disturb the first years during their sorting ceremony and 2) not spoil himself the surprise of said event who will go through it in a few years. His dad and him rarely showed up for breakfast and lunch for the same reason, thus Harry only eating in the Great Hall at dinner. Not that it bothered him, he loved eating with his dad, because his dad's suck a great cook. Him too, as everyone could only praise his cooking skills whenever he gave them the chance to taste it.

When Remy wasn't working, he would take Harry to the kitchen where they had a special spot to watch the house elves work in hectic frenzy yet still be spoilt rotten by their amazing dishes, or better yet, spend the day with Harry and teach all sort of things from the magical world, that he wasn't yet allowed to see. But Remy was working so Harry will be good and wander in the castle instead.

As soon as he was inside, he ran into his favorite creature, Mrs Norris. He went to pet her and she let him do it because he was so respectful to her. And who said Mrs Norris, said Mr Filch trotting behind, because he's the owner and the caretaker of the magic school. Mr Filch only tolerated him because he did not do magic and that he was genuinely listening to him whenever he talked about how hard his work was and that no one paid any attention about.

And also because Harry's toothy smile would melt anyone's cold heart, again auntie's words, not him. Harry wasn't even aware that heart could be cold, and he did try to feel it on the resident cold heart, professor Snape, when professor MacGonagall commented on it. Which shocked everyone, though Harry didn't understand why, wasn't it normal to check an info instead of listening unquestioningly?

At least, that's what his dad always did and that's how his dad and him had so many creatures friends, because they didn't listen to all the bad words about them. Harry especially loved the mooncalves that appeared only at full moons. Their appearance were quirky and rare, one could say, as people didn't tend to get out at full moon, but Hogwarts did not host werewolves so Harry got to meet the herd in the clearing and even see their dance. Quite the magical sight.

Despite his recurrent asks to follow lessons with the first years, because he's big enough to understand what the adults are saying, quoting Remy now, the headmaster and the deputy headmistress that was professor McGonagall had rejected the demand everytime. And fair, he didn't show sign of magic, yet, but Harry celebrated his 7th birthday not long ago and he was more than anticipating his first display of accidental magic.

For now, he supposed he could make do with watching students doing magic in the Hogwarts park when he ran into them, or just hanging in the Great Hall where he could spend hours admiring the enchanted ceiling. Or pet Mrs Norris. Having such feisty creature act lenient with him could be considered magical among the student body.

As dinnertime was near, he was ushered to take place on the professors' table besides his father's seat, which was another dig on his size. One day, he's gonna be so tall, people will regret mocking how little he was.

The students started flowing inside and more than one head made a double take once seeing him at his seat. No one commented, though. There was a year, 3 years ago Harry remembered, a student of the lion table asked the professors who was he and Harry told him himself that he was his dad's son. Not that it explained the reason of his presence but he was so cute people just accepted it as it is.

Harry found said student this year again and waved back when greeted from afar, the student then pointed at a younger boy, his youngest sibling making entrance at Hogwarts, and Harry knew he will get an introduction after the meal as it happened three years ago. He put the thought aside to welcome his dad happily then everyone started digging on the food.

 

"Hey, Harry, how are you?" Bill asked him once they're done.

Harry was waiting for the siblings at the foot of the staircase as he and his dad usually finished before anyone. His dad usually still had things to do after and Harry not being a big eater at young age. He didn't wait long though, Bill and Charlie having saw him getting out of table and, didn't want to miss him, finished eating quickly too. Admittely, they had the whole school year to do the introduction and not necessarily the second night at Hogwarts, but by then it was tradition for them because Bill did it five years ago too, but for himself. And this time, Harry didn't have any memories and he wouldn't accept the reason of him being only 2 because Harry had great memory even at 2. But anyway, he remembered the introduction of three years ago with Charlie so Harry promised to always remember each introduction of the Weasleys, till it'll be time for the sibling of the same age as his.

"I'm alright, Bill. How are you all doing in this fine evening?"

Before Bill could answer, one of his younger brother spoke up.

"Well, with my Quidditch teammates, we already set up schedules for new players to apply, since we're in great need of beater. Interested, pipsqueak?" Charlie winked at him.

"You know that I'm only interested of your position."

"I know right, seeker's the best, right?"

"Right!"

Harry giggled jolly when Charlie ruffled his hair.

"Oh, so you're the Harry. When Bill and Charlie insisted to introduce me to the toddler that was roaming on the campus, I thought they were joking. But then, they said he was one of the staff's son and I found it even weirder, because who would bring their infant child to a secondary school? Now, everything's explained."

Harry blinked at the youngest sibling he didn't get the chance yet to meet only to have a lukewarm greeting. He glanced at the eldest who were each sporting a different look of embarrassement.

"Well, Harry meet Percy, the third Weasley who got sorted in Gryffindor as you have seen."

"Congratulations, I guess the house does suit your hair."

"Hey, we said not about the physics."

"No, you said it, I didn't agree on it."

Once again, Percy cut into the bickering between Charlie and him. "Well, glad to meet you, Harry Potter. If you don't mind, I will go first, I'd like to review what I learn today and prepare for tomorrow's lessons."

He made a move to step on the stair, but by doing so, his robe moved and Harry noticed something moving underneath.

"Oh, do you have a pet? May I see it? I love animals!"

Percy paused and searched something on his face. Harry became self-conscious and tried to hide his scar, the one that uncovered his identity. But Percy only sighed, before undoning his fastening to show the rodent hidden inside. Harry made an excited sound and extended his hand to pet it, but upon seeing him, the rat crawled inside his master's robe hurriedly.

Both Harry and Percy paused. Before Harry tried again. Percy jumped when his pet rat crawled futher to hide. As he started squirming, he grabed the rat with irated hands.

"Scabbers! What are you doing! You're never this meek with stranger!"

"Maybe it's the sudden change of environment?" Bill suggested kindly.

"Pretty sure the rat wasn't that fretty yesterday. He even ate the feast eagerly, much to our housemates' disarray."

"Charlie, don't be snobbish because you don't like him."

"Not my fault it's not worth a dragon."

Harry ignored the sibling bickers, though he was tempted to mock Charlie and his obsession of dragon (something his dad share, and him too, to be honest), and tried to reach the rat again. It flailed miserably in his master's hand. Harry froze.

"Maybe he doesn't like you," Percy shrugged, ready to climb the stairs once again.

"No!" Harry whined, stopping him again. "Every animals like me!"

"Well, Scabbers is a little peculiar, Harry. He's been with us for six years and was surrounded only of red-hair and most of us didn't even want to pet him, so-"

"Not helping, Charlie."

"I didn't even do anything! It's not like I can hurt him!"

As if understanding, the rat freed form his master's grip and crawled to hide under the robe once again.

Harry started sniffling and the elder boys started panicking.

Harry didn't usually cry, you see. He didn't when the hippogriphes landed wildly around him and almost crushed him because he was so small under their claws and hoofs, he didn't either when the foxes were ravaging the chickens his dad raised for some years and were about to assault him and give him the same treatment if not for his dad's intervention nor when he fell in the Great Lake and got assaulted by a Grindylow who found him first before being rescued by a pitying merperson who threw him out of water only for him wanting to dive again and ride the kelpie he caught a glimpse of. He only did when he accidentally hurt Fang because he didn't listen to his dad when too excited or that time, when he stepped on a student's turtle who then refused to get out of its shell for a long time.

You got the memo, Harry only cried when the animals got hurt, and Scabbers wasn't, in any way.

"Bill, do something," Percy asked, voice blanching when Harry was full on sobbing.

"What? It's obviously Scabbers' at fault."

"Well, he's not going to apologize, is he now?"

"Maybe he should. He was being overly impolite! Give me that!"

"Hey! Stop that, Charles Weasley! Bill, tell him to stop!"

"Hang on, immobulus."

"Bill!" Percy sounded positively offended now.

"Just a minute."

Bill snatched the rat from his brother's back and hung it on the air by its tail. He tried to waved it in front of the little kid to sooth him but Harry only cried harder when he noticed how the rat was now frozen of shock.

"No, no, he's not into shock, he's just frozen."

"Because it makes it so much better. Come on, Harry don't mind it. It's just a stupid rat."

"Who's affraid of Harry, the sweetest kid around. Weird," Bill muttered while trying to put the pet out of Percy's arm's reach.

"Bill! Enough! That's animal abuse!"

"I wonder. Is it really an animal? He looked awfully sentient for an animal."

"It's a magical creature! It's as intelligent as owls!"

"Just a minute, Perce. I need to check something. Stop trying to get this rat back."

"What are you boys doing?"

Harry promptly stopped crying in Charlie's arms. If he rarely cried and warmed up at all existing creatures and animals, he couldn't for the life of him grew on professor McGonagall. The woman's stern look was like his nightmare, a stern that was her resting face despite being said to be really nice. Harry had yet to witness it and he believed to have further peeved her when he tried to show off his flying skills on his toy broom to the school staff who were present to celebrate his fifth birthday. And if he looked at her now or if she saw him crying, he's not sure he won't be break down and never recover for the night.

"Professor McGonagall, you're here just in time! You're an animagus, aren't you? Yes, of course, you are, we saw and you're literally registered in the Ministry list, our father told us. Anyway, would it be possible for you to cast the animagus reversal spell on our pet rat? I'm not saying it's an animagus, but it reacted weirdly seeing Harry, and Harry's friend with all animals, you know it, so yeah, we just want to make sure."

"There's nothing to make sure. Scabbers doesn't like the boy, that's it," Percy huffed and crossed his arms.

He had stopped struggling against his brother as soon as their head of house made her appearance clear, because he's not about to embarrass himself just for a kiddy tantrum.

"It doesn't hurt to check," Charlie said, trying to distract Harry of his brother's offensives words and just prevent another outburst, you know.

Bill only offered the rat to the professor's nose with a cheeky smile, ignoring very hard the kids behind him. McGonagall glanced at Harry's red eyes and drying cheeks then at Percy's frown before sighing and pulling out her wand.

The transfiguring charm went wordless but the effect was immediate as soon the blue light touched the rat.

The tail Bill was grapping vanished, morphing under the magic spell. Soon, there was a man at the rat's place, thankfully still immobile, and Bill put protectively himself in front of his brothers. Professor McGonagall gasped, wand still extended and was really happy her student had previously cast the frozen charm on the suspect. Because the unsuspected animagus was none other than...

"Peter Pettigrew! Mister Weasley, please bring immediately your brothers in security, do not say a word of what just happened. I will take care of the matter at hand right this instant with the headmaster."

A silver cat got out of her wand and flight inside the Great Hall. Upon reflection, she conjured two other silver cats with one flying inside the Great Hall too while the other went through the Great Gate of the castle. Then, she made her way to the headmaster's office with a hovering frozen body, trusting her student to follow her instructions. Bill did as she said and brought his brothers and the little kid to the Gryffindor common room, as it was protected by the Fat Lady's portrait that needed a passwords only known by Gryffindor's students.

Harry ended up in Bill Weasley's dorm room who shooed his dorm mates' nosiness and entertained the boy by offering his course books to read, which Harry did eagerly despite the subject being for sixth year students and could be quite heavy for his young age. Eventually, his eyelids couldn't bear it, his 7 years old body needed to rest.

He fell asleep next to Bill, thinking the day had started so normally.