Harry Potter, Sherlock 1. Chapter 1

A difficult journey

Summer had just ended, well at least the weather showed it to be over. Huge drops of rain were falling out of the stale grey sky and a slight rumble showed that a thunderstorm was on his way. The people on the streets sighed and opened their umbrellas against the wet freezing breeze or turned up their collars to stay at least a bit warm. Sherlock stood at the window watching all those silhouettes hurrying past his window, black against the grey morning. London is such a dull place striked threw his head, filled with so many boring and pathetic human beings. It is no shame I'm leaving this great grey pit! Absently he stroked a hand threw his hair, to make it even untidier than it was before. No one would miss him at home, not even his mother, not to mention his father and he did not have any friend, he didn't need and they were just a distraction from the important things in the world. No, he would go gladly and would not look back a single time. Only a few weeks ago Sherlock got the letter, the important letter, which told him that he should attend a sort of Wizarding School, called Hogwarts. He would never, in a single heartbeat believe in such nonsense, if there weren't serious proves according to which this place had to exist, for example sending the letter by a loudly screeching tawny owl, it was a _Strix aluco sylvatica_ a species which occurred all over Europe including Great Britain, easily recognizable by its large rounded head, the lack ear tufts, and the rather plain facial disc and the rather distinctive plumage color which was pale with dark streaks.

"SHERLOCK!" The loud voice of his father jarred him out of his thoughts. He had sneaked up behind him while Sherlock was in his mind palace. "Are you starring into space again, you freak?" Sherlock turned around, anger rising up in him like poison, "No, I am thinking. But I'm not surprised you mistake behavior like this for starring into space, because your dull brain is not able to produce even the slightest thought, not including food alcohol or sexual intercourse…" _Slash_ His father hit him so hard that Sherlock could feel how he tumbled away and fell onto the rich velvet carpet. "You are not talking to me like that; you are still my son and thereby have to treat me with respect even if you are so special in your mind." He spat the last words into Sherlock's throbbing face, and the boy could feel tiny drops of spit landing on his burning skin. "Get your trunk into the car we are leaving in ten minutes for your special school", he said ironically and left the room, taking Sherlock's dignity with him.

John did not like crowds, he always felt like everybody was staring at him. Trying to hide behind his mother he walked slowly threw the train station, letting her push his trolley, with the big beautiful long eared owl, named Archimedes, he couldn't think of a better name and he looked just so wise. "Come on Johnny boy, move it!" yelled Harriet in the front being the total opposite of John loud and always seeking for attention. They arrived at Platform nine and ten, to go without any hesitation through the gate leading to Platform 9 ¾, they were used to pass any kind of magical gate, because of their many visits to the St. Mungo, in which his dad had… but John did not want to think about that, not on his first day of school. "Here we are sweetie" quavered his mum in a very detectable faked good humor, she was terrified of leaving her only son go to a school so far away from home…

"Here we are Sherlock, Mycroft, have a good term" his father said stopping in front of Kings cross station. "You can't just drop them, Siger. It's Sherlock's first time", his mum interjected worried. "Oh come on Rose, he is eleven. You two get out." He shouted, his mood was especially bad. Sherlock did not hesitate, he graped the cage with his elegant black barn owl , checked if his brand new Acacias wand, with its Phoenix feather core, was still in the pocked of his jeans and got out of the car as fast as possible, he just wanted to get away from them all, have a new start. Opening the luggage compartement and trying to hoist out his trunk was harder than he thought, with all his heavy books and extra chemicals which nobody could have forced him to leave at home, even if he would not need them at Hogwarts, they've just become a sort of home for him. Sherlock cursed under his breath, the trunk had fallen heavily on his left foot. "Need help?" Mycroft appeared around the corner of the car "As if you could do it better!" Sherlock answered dryly, hoisted his trunk on its wheels and disappeared into the station determined to do this thing alone, as he always did.

"Great, there is no free compartment in this whole train, will I have to spend the whole freaking journey on the floor in the bathroom or what? What a stupid school that does not even have space for all the pupils on the train!" John muttered under his breath, while he dragged his heavy trunk threw the aisles. Twice it had fallen on his feet already and it got heavier with every step, he should have stayed home, stupid boarding school! But then, at last there was an almost empty compartment, in which only one boy sat, his nose buried in a book. Nervously he slid the door open. "Hi, do you mind if I join you? Everywhere else is full…" The boy looked up, his dark curls floated over a high forehead under which piercing green eyes stared distasteful at him. "If there is no space elsewhere I can hardly refuse." He grunted and turned his face toward his book again. "Oh well, thank you very much!" John said timidly, he felt strangely uncomfortable under those strange peering eyes. Heaving his trunk under his seat he did not dare looking at the boy until he sat down on the opposite side of him holding Archimedes cage in his arms. "I won't steal your owl you can put the poor thing down" a cold voice said from behind the book. Hastily John put the cage down and not knowing what to do now he stared out of the window scared to death by this strange sociopath. After an hour or so, it seemed to John like an eternity, the boy took down his book and started to stare at him with such intensity that John just had to study the floor. "Why would you go to Hogwarts if you didn't want to? You don't have to, you know!" John stared, "How?" "Oh God, Why?! You are wearing an expression like a convict who is send to his execution, I see by your untidy clothes that you weren't excited at all this morning while dressing, I mean your oldest jeans really?! It's probably five oh, no six years old deducing by its smallness which is two sizes too small for you. Oh, and there is your behavior of the last hour, I mean you were bored I could tell, but you did not open a single book, possibly because you don't like to read but judging by your fingers you read quite often. Oh and you clutched your owl like it was your dearest precise, well of course it is because it is your only way to keep in touch with your oh so beloved family and friends back in your nice little world at home. Did I get anything wrong?" He smirked right into Johns face and he felt extremely irritated "Yes, I don't have any friend, never had!" With those words he stood up and left wondering threw the corridors and sitting in corners for the rest of the journey.

Sherlock was not surprised; he intended to get this kid out of his compartment. Everybody left if he showed them his talent. But he had a feeling that this one was different, he didn't care that he knew all that stuff about him and had been fairly impressed by his skills; he just didn't want to hear it. However he came back right before the train stopped and they changed into their robes. Maybe it would be good to have him as an ally, Sherlock thought and he decided to at least try. "Uhm, I didn't tell you my name yet, I'm Sherlock Holmes" He looked hopefully at the boy, expecting, no almost demanding an answer. He smiled a little "I'm John, John Watson. Nice to meet you." At this moment they felt a jolt and the train came to a stop. Suddenly there was a certain excitement in the air that even Sherlock could not fight to feel and which bonded them together. John and Sherlock, who were both going to the Hogwarts school for witchcraft and wizardry. Excitedly they got going leaving their stuff in the compartment as it had been said. Stepping out into the fresh cold air in a starry night, it had stopped raining a few hours ago, was a relive after the long journey. Suddenly they heard a loud shout and over all the students in their black Hogwarts robes appeared a giant man, shouting "First years over here to me! First years! Come here don't be shy!" Sherlock and John looked at each other their fasces flushed with excitement.


	2. Chapter 2

Of talking hats and cunning snakes

They were walking through this forest for hours, following Hagrid a giant man, who told them he would bring them to the castle on a different way, apart from the ordinary one, which all the other students took. If it includes walking through this goddamn forest in the dark and stumbling over every root in the bumpy way for the next hours I would much rather take the "ordinary way", thought John angrily after he almost crashed into his new friend by tripping over an exceptionally thick branch sticking in the muddy ground. From up there he kept his eyes fixed on the ground trying not to trip. Suddenly all his fellow student made big "Ahh" and "Uhhh" and "Ohhh" sounds and John looked up. There it was, behind a big lake with a mirror like surface, in which the moonlight reflected itself. The huge castle with his tours, battlements and thousands and thousands of windows glowing in the dark like patches of caught sunlight, was right in front of him, practically radiating with magic. Hagrid complemented the first years into the boats and with a jolt they floated over the lake, leaving deep waves in the mirror like surface. John could not move his eyes from his new home, not even when he heard the voice of a young girl behind him asking Sherlock what his name was and introducing herself as Rose and her friend as Albus.

Sherlock was mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the girl behind him, named Rose. He turned around an ironic answer on his lips, but struck by her appearance he could not bring himself to say the words out loud and he turned round again, only to here a "rude" behind him. Luckily Sherlock had a photographic memory, but even if not would the image of the girl sitting right behind him in this tiny nutshell of a boat, been burned into his iris forever. Her long bushy red hair surrounded her face like bright flames, painting her head in bright orange light. The freckles on her tiny, perfect nose and rosy cheeks where like little drops of water on her alabaster skin. Her eyes where piercing green and shaped like two almonds laying angular right under her flaming red curls. He could almost see her thin pink lips forming the word rude, while drawing her red eyebrows together in anger. Petrified by the new feeling in Sherlock's heart he did not realize how the boats gently bumped into a rock until John nudged him in the ribs and they got out of it. "Hey, are you ok?" John looked at him with a concerned expression. "Oh, ah, yes of course, I'm just a bit dazzled by the castle." "Yes it is beautiful isn't it?!" "Yes it is" Sherlock replied and the rest of the way they walked in silence side by side through a huge door into an entry hall in which Sherlock's whole house would have fitted easily. Climbing up the staircase, the new students saw a round faced kind looking young man, standing in front of a huge wooden door and greeting them with a warm smile. The dirt under his nails, accompanied by blisters on his hands and a strong smell of dung told Sherlock that this had to be the herbology teacher, interesting, why? But he answered his question right away "Hello new students, I would like to welcome you to Hogwarts. I'm Professor Longbottom, teaching herbology and the head of Gryffindor house. Before we g through this wall, I would like all of you to prepare for the sorting ceremony, which will be held in front of the whole school, so smug yourself up a bit, I will be back in a second!" with this words he disappeared leaving the first years in a state of horror, well at least the ones coming from muggle families, who never even heard of Hogwarts. But Sherlock didn't worry, Mycroft had told him about the hat and the ceremony. He just hoped to get into another house than his brother, so he could be free from his dull family at last!

John looked around in despair, how could he have forgotten the ceremony in front of the whole school, with everybody looking at him. His heart almost jumped out of his chest, the moment Professor Longbottom returned leading them into a huge hall, light with candles floating in mid air. But not even the sight of those miracles distracted him from all the eyes fixed upon him. John had to remind himself to walk, because his numb legs would not move by themselves. He hardly realized how Professor Longbottom placed a stool in front of them with an old battered hat on top of it and suddenly a song came through his total numbness, the hat sang.

_You may just see  
an old battered hat in me,  
But careful, don't judge by sight  
Even the dirtiest hat can shine in daylight very bright_

You can keep all those fancy caps,  
bowlers, bonnets, or bats  
For I'm a rather special one  
outrunning them all

So come on, come on closer  
Surely I won't bite  
Just let me have a little peak in your head  
I will enjoy the sight.

I will tell you were to go  
I will tell you were to stay  
In which house do you belong  
I will always know, right away

You might be best for Gryffindor,  
Where they are brave and strong,  
No trouble is too big for them  
and no adventure too long;

Or perhaps you are in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are true and kind,  
You will find the most loyal friends  
come here, leave your doubts behind;

Or yet wise old Ravenclaw,  
is suited best for you,  
Those clever folks do always know,  
What there is to do next;

But maybe in Slytherin  
lays your rightful place,  
the house of mysteries and rascals  
will never bore you in any case.

So come on let's get going here!  
Let's see what secrets we reveal!  
hidden in your little head  
be sure that I will find them all  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!

The hall exploded with cheers and claps. To Johns horror Professor Longbottom got out a list with all their names on it and reading it out loud he called them forward…

"Holmes, Sherlock" He felt John quivering beside him. Sherlock was not even half as nervous as him, he didn't care in which house he would come as long as it wasn't Slytherin, the house where his brother was in… Stepping eagerly on the platform in front of the teachers table he noticed that the Headmaster Professor McGonagall examined him closely with her catlike eyes, her mouth tight lipped as in distaste and her fingers moving nervously on the table in front of her. For him on the contrary it was quite clear that she had been a Quiditch player in her early years, that she liked needlework and had done some quite recently, that she was an animagus and that she came from Scotland, never had any children and was a widow for a quite amount of times. It was so obvious, from the stitch marks on her fingers up to the owl feather and cat fur on her hat and coat (She wouldn't keep two pets…). He turned around, sitting on the stool and watching the crowed for a few seconds until the hat had sunken right over his eyes, he hated the feeling of his senses being cut of the world… "Mhm", said a squeaky voice "Difficult, rather difficult…Could you please stop using occlumency against me? I cannot figure out in which house you belong, if you refuse to let me have a peek in your head!" "Sorry? I'm not doing anything" Sherlock said out loud "hah, interesting, interesting….Therefore it has to be…RAVENCLAW" the sorting hat raised his voice with his last words. Sherlock jumped of the stool, and gave the hat to the startled looking Professor Longbottom. He just realized that nobody clapped and everybody was staring at him. Well, he didn't know what their problem was and he did not take an interest in it, he just sat down on the Ravenclaw table, ignoring the eyes fixed on him and after a few seconds the sorting continued. Sherlock was very pleased with himself, whatever the hat said he was in Ravenclaw, not in slimy Slytherin, where his dull brother could fuss over him.

John saw numerous students step onto the podium sitting on the stool and being sorted and with every single one of them his heart fell deeper, he could not imagine how he should manage to go up there in front of everybody. He watched Scorpius Malfoy, a shy looking bloke, who had blond hair and very green eyes entering Slytherin house, a pair of twins Lorcan and Lycander Scamander being sorted in different houses one in Ravenclaw and one in Gryffindor. One he could remember as well was Albus Severus Potter, a Potter wow, being sorted into Slytherin as well. He did not look to happy and everybody whispered, because his dad was such a famous Gryffindor. All the rest rushed past him in a blur, until…"John Hamish Watson" Oh, no why did he had to say his second name, it was so embarrassing, he would be the laughing stock of the school…But nobody laughed. Slowly John tried to climb the stairs to the stool where Professor Longbottom stood and smiled encouraging at him. And then it happened, he did not look at his feet for one moment, stumbled and fell right in front of the stool, in panic he got up and realized the sniggers of the students sitting in the hall. His face was flaming hot, but he managed to sit on the stool and the hat covered his burning face. "Ha, nice entrance" said a little voice in his head "Mhm, where should I put you? Maybe Ravenclaw with your overly clever friend, or no…You are a rather difficult case my boy". John sat on the stool for what felt to him as ages. When finally the hat said "Oh, what's the fuss. Look at you, you'll be best in GRYFFINDOR!" Relieved John jumped of the stool and tore the hat from his head, half running he came to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Lycander, who beamed at him while "Rose Weasley" became a Gryffindor.


End file.
