Harry arrived at King's Cross Station, his luggage cart rolling steadily as he approached the famed Platform 9¾. His aunt and cousin had dropped him off, with Petunia giving him a rare, almost affectionate farewell. Dudley, on the other hand, was still somewhat in awe of the idea of magic, though he tried to act indifferent.
As Harry neared the barrier, he noticed a family of redheads. The mother was guiding her children through, while two identical boys were whispering mischievously to one another. Recognizing the Weasley twins, he decided to watch from a distance before stepping through himself.
On the train, Harry found an empty compartment and settled in, pulling out a book on magical theory. Not long after, he sensed movement near the door. He looked up just in time to see a small trickster's charm floating toward him—clearly a prank spell set up to startle him. Without even thinking, he waved his hand subtly, disrupting the charm before it could activate.
The two redheaded boys at the door gaped at him.
"Well, well, George," one said. "Seems our little prank found its match."
"Indeed, Fred," the other replied, grinning. "You, sir, have just passed the Weasley Twins' official prank-resistance test. We must know your name!"
Harry smirked. "Harry Potter."
The twins exchanged a look before bursting into laughter. "Blimey! The Boy-Who-Lived, and apparently The-Boy-Who-Dodged-Our-Prank!"
"You must teach us your ways," Fred said, plopping down beside Harry.
George took the seat opposite him. "And in return, we'll make sure no one else pranks you—unless it's us, of course."
Harry chuckled. "Sounds like a fair deal."
As they talked, the door slid open again, revealing a platinum-haired boy flanked by two bulky boys. Draco Malfoy eyed the trio, then focused on Harry.
"So it's true. The famous Harry Potter is finally joining us," he drawled. "I'm Draco Malfoy. Perhaps you've heard of my family?"
Harry nodded slightly. "The Malfoys are quite influential in magical Britain."
Draco smirked. "Then you understand that it's important to associate with the right people." He glanced at the Weasley twins with mild disdain. "And avoid the wrong ones."
Fred and George made exaggerated gasps. "Oh no, George, we're the 'wrong ones'!"
"Indeed, Fred. Whatever shall we do?"
Harry, unfazed, met Draco's gaze. "I prefer to judge people based on who they are, not their last names."
Draco studied him before giving a curt nod. "Fair enough." Without another word, he turned and left.
After he was gone, the twins burst into laughter. "You handled that well," George said.
"Very diplomatic," Fred added. "Almost Slytherin-like."
Harry simply smiled. As the train continued its journey, he allowed himself to relax, knowing that Hogwarts would be an interesting place indeed.