"He doesn't like the cold. Not anymore." A winter snowstorm sends Steve into a panic attack. Unable to escape the memories of the ice, he finds comfort from an unlikely source.
"She was going to teach me how to dance," he murmured, taking a swig. "We had a date." She gently took the bottle out of his hand and set it on the table. He looked at her, confused, until she stood up and put her hand in his.
Taking pity on Neville, Harry switches potions homework with him. When Snape finds out, he forces Harry to drink the potion and Harry immediately breaks into a sweat. The next day, he wakes up...not quite himself, and Hermione's left to care for him.
An alternative beginning to Harry Potter that could have saved a lot of heartache.
Harry arrives earlier than he expected to Kings Cross and makes a fast friend who helps him with the mysterious platform.