Moving these stories to wattpad. Might stop updating here because I'm tired of the drama from that other writer. I haven't decided yet, but if you're interested just PM me. Either I'll update on both sites, but if they keep it up, I might just remove the stories from here.

Instead of making this authors note already longer than it needs to be, I put my reasoning behind why I chose Barry for this story in my profile if anyone is interested. I had a couple of people ask why I chose Barry over an established background character in the series. So if you're interested, it's the last part of my profile. I'm also aware that someone has made a parody of my stories. So thank you to those who have been telling me.

Edit: To anyone new reading this or any old fans. I have been reading your reviews, and I will start editing each chapter starting this weekend. You're right, none of this has been edited. I didn't expect anyone to read it, so I didn't bother. I read over it, and I noticed so many errors. Thank you to the reviewers so far.

A/N: I just realized as I was writing the summary that Barry rhymes with Harry. That is purely a coincidence and was decided when I created Ben's character. I picked it for a B name. All the Hoofer kids have B names, and they were created before I decided to set these stories in the Harry Potter universe. This is a prequel to my New Beginning series. This is Ben's older brother, Barry. Barry is in the year below Harry, so this covers the events in Harry's years through his perspective. Barry is an OC and so while it's his point of view about the events in the Harry Potter series, you may not like it. If you've read my story New Beginning, you'll see what Ben was like as a little boy. None of my stories have to be read in a particular order if you do find this series interesting. If not, it won't hurt my feelings either way. I'd also like to add that I've been writing this series for years, and it used to be on a blog but I moved it to this site. Enjoy.

First Year

"I don't think you should go to Hogwarts this year," Benny informed me. "I think you can wait another year."

"No, I've been waiting to go forever," I told him.

Benny is my little brother. He's five, but he will be six soon enough. He was basically my little shadow, and I knew it bothered him more than my younger sisters, and maybe even my parents that I was going away to school soon. I for one couldn't wait to get going. I loved my family, but I couldn't wait to learn magic. It would also be nice to get away from all these little kids, and meet some kids my own age. I really didn't know too many people my age. I had some of my cousins, but even they were teenagers and they didn't want to hang out with an eleven year old.

I would be twelve years old in October, but I didn't even think then that they would take me seriously. A lot of the time everyone still saw me as a little kid, even my parents. It could be annoying because my parents expected me to look after my little sisters and brother, but they treated me like a kid. Maybe once I went away to school, they would start taking me a lot more seriously.

"But I don't want you to go," Benny told me. "Please stay home longer. You can go next year when Brenda goes to school."

"I don't want to be in the same year as Brenda," I answered him.

"I don't want her to be the oldest. She already told me she's going to be in charge. Barry, she is no fun anymore. She never wants to play anymore. She thinks now that she is ten that she is grown up. She said that me and Brianne are babies."

My younger sister Brenda had become insufferable lately. Benny wasn't wrong about that. I wasn't sure what had happened. The four of us used to be able to play well together. She'd always been bossy about games we played, but something had changed over the last few months. Now she was too old for childish games that even I still enjoyed. She seemed to also take on more of a stern approach. I wondered if it did have to do with me going to Hogwarts.

"So just ignore her," I said. "She never wants to play anymore anyway. She spends all her time in her room. I'm sure you can avoid her if you want to."

"I know but she gets more bossy when you are gone," Benny said. "With you gone she will be worse. She told me and Brianne that she will be the oldest so she can tell us what to do."

"Well she can't unless mum and dad tell her to," I reminded him. "I don't tell you what to do unless mum and dad say so. So just tell her you don't have to listen to her."

"How long until you leave?" Benny asked looking sad now.

"It's only June now little brother," I told him. "It won't be for a while yet. I promise that we will play together as much as we can this summer. We'll play Quidditch and we'll go swimming."

"You'll let me play Quidditch with you?" Benny asked.

"Yes, I will teach you how to fly and play Quidditch," I told him. "We'll play with Brianne too."

"I know how to fly Barry," Ben reminded me.

"You only know the basics," I told him. "I'll teach you more about flying. I promise, we will have a good summer before I leave."

I loved Ben and it was hard for me to believe that there had been a time when I hadn't wanted him at all. I couldn't really remember when Brenda had been born, I had been too young at that point but I'd been excited about Brianne. I never wanted a little brother who might play with my toys too. I knew girls liked playing with different toys. When mum told me that she was bringing home another sister for me, I was glad.

I didn't think mum planned on having anymore babies after Brianne. We had a four bedroom house, and all the bedrooms were used up. However, she became pregnant again. I'd hoped again that I wouldn't have a brother, but unfortunately they brought home a crying baby boy. Immediately they told me that once he was a little older, he would be sharing my room with me. I hated this new brother that came into my life. I was the oldest kid, and I would have to share with a little baby that I didn't want to share with. I resented him for the first few months of his life.

Brianne had been a quiet baby, but Benny cried non-stop all the time, and I couldn't take it. I remember telling my parents to send him back and to bring me another sister. They wouldn't get rid of him though, and then once he was close to a year old, they informed me that I'd be sharing my room with him.

I couldn't remember having too many temper tantrums as a kid, but the one I had put most magical temper tantrums to shame.

"I don't want to share with him," I said after dad calmed me down. "I'm the oldest. I shouldn't have to share my room. Put him in with Brianne."

"Barry, girls and boys can't share a room," dad told me.

"Well I don't want to share with a baby," I told him. "It's always been my room. Why does he have to share with me? Can't he just stay in your room. Babies don't care where they sleep."

"Eventually he is going to get older," Dad told me. "He's going to want a bedroom."

"Not mine," I said. "Why do I have to share a room but the girls don't? It's not fair that Brianne and Brenda get their own rooms but I don't and I am the oldest."

So finally dad relented and mum decided that it would be better for the girls to share a room instead.

"Sisters share everything, and the girls are close in age. They are closer than Barry and Ben will be. They'll have more in common," mum said to dad.

So Brianne ended up moving in with Brenda and Benny was given his own room. Brenda had been angry about this.

"I'm the oldest girl and I have to share," she said. "The youngest shouldn't get his own room."

My parents didn't give in to her complaints though. It didn't matter that she had a temper tantrum, they wouldn't give in. I think it's one of the reasons that Brenda is still hard on to Benny to this day. She's never forgiven him for giving her a room mate when she wanted to live by herself. She still complained about it to this day, and she even once told my parents to buy a bigger house.

It wasn't until Benny was a little older than a year that I really warmed up to him. I started to realize that a little brother actually had his benefits over a sister. I knew someday he'd want to play my games with me that my sisters wouldn't. So I started to teach him everything I knew, and eventually I forgot that I had resented him. It was something I never wanted him to know either. The little guy looked up to me so much. Out of my siblings, it would be him that I would miss the most, even when he was a little pest.

"You know I am going to be stuck with two girls," Benny complained to me one day. "You know what I was thinking? You can wait until I start Hogwarts to go."

"Ben, by the time you start Hogwarts I will be close to eighteen," I told him.

"That's okay," he said.

"No it's not okay," I said. "I have to go this year. You and Brianne can play together. You two will have fun and you have Sam too."

"Okay, but you have to teach me magic when you come home," Benny said.

"I can't until you have a wand, and I can't do magic until I'm seventeen," I said. "You know that."

"But you can still show me without doing the magic," Benny said. "I know you have to know the words and how to move the wand. Just show me that."

Actually, that wasn't a bad idea. I could prepare him for when he did start school. I could teach him after each year of school what I learn, and I knew he'd practice on his own. Benny was very ambitious when it came to learning. Sometimes I worried that he'd end up in Slytherin. Dad told us that most Hoofers ended up in Ravenclaw, but there were some that were the exceptions. I few had ended up in Hufflepuff and Gryffindor over the years, but no one had ever ended up in Slytherin. I knew that not all Slytherin's were bad. My parents had some old school friends from that house, but I did worry about the influence of other kids. Sometimes my little brother could be very impressionable. I know that at six, that was normal but still.

Benny was already obsessed with school work. My mum hired a tutor to come and teach us what we needed to know for our age levels. All of us usually worked hard at the school work, but we also all knew we just needed to know the basics like reading, writing and maths. Our tutor usually went the extra mile and taught us what kids learned in primary school as well. Benny worked hard even after he left. Mum said he learned everything at his age level quicker than any of us had. Once Benny knew the alphabet, and he knew you could spell words with the letters, he practised on his own. He learned to spell basic words without the tutor. Even Brenda was impressed when he showed her that he could spell her name, and no one had taught him. He'd worked it out himself.

So I knew that when I taught him basic magic that he would practice at home. When he got to school with a real wand, he'd probably be quicker at learning than most kids.

"That's actually a good idea Benny," I told him. "When I come home from the holidays I'll show you my school work."

"Not the boring stuff," he told me. "Just the fun stuff."

I thought that maybe it would be a good idea to show Brianne and Brenda what I was learning as well at school, but Brenda shook her head.

"No, I don't want your help," she told me. "I can do it myself. I don't need your help. I bet I'll be smarter than you in school. Mr. Franklin said that I caught on to things quicker than you do."

"And Mr. Franklin said that Benny learned quicker than all three of us," I said with amusement. "I don't really care about that. I just thought I could show you so you're prepared. If you do know the incantations and the wand movements, you might beat me you know."

"No, I don't want you showing me anything I will learn on my own," Brenda said. "You'd better not bother me when I go to school either."

"Believe me Brenda, I'll do my best to avoid you," I told her. "I'll remind you of this conversation next year when it's your turn. I don't want you trying to follow me around."

"I don't follow anyone around," she said. "By the way, Benny told me that you told him he doesn't have to listen to me. He does so have to listen to me. I am going to be the oldest. I also am going to tell mum and dad that I get your room when you're gone."

"No," I said instantly. "You stay out of my room. It's off limits. Even though I'll be at Hogwarts, it's still my room. Anyway, Benny does not have to listen to you. He doesn't even have to listen to me unless mum and dad tell him to. You're not going to boss around Benny and Brianne just because I am not here. I don't do that to you."

"You are now!" Brenda said. "You are telling me I am not allowed to boss them around. I can so Barry! I'll be the oldest so I get to be in charge and I get your room."

"No you won't," I said.

Even though I was sure there was no chance of her getting my room, I went to my parents later on to make sure that this wouldn't happen. I still needed my room for the holidays. It wouldn't be right to kick me out of my room just because I didn't live at home full time anymore. I couldn't see them being that unfair, but it was always better to be safe than sorry.

"Mum, dad," I began when I entered the living-room. They were listening to the wireless and talking to each other in low voices. "I just wanted to make sure I still keep my room even when I go to Hogwarts."

Dad looked up at me. He didn't respond for a moment and then he burst into laughter.

"Of course you still get to keep your room. You're only going to Hogwarts son, you're not moving out yet," he said.

"That's not for a long time yet," mum added. "I still can't believe you're old enough to be starting."

"Why would you even ask that?" Dad asked.

I sat down into a chair and explained to them about my conversation with Brenda.

"Brenda and Brianne are always going to share a room, and she knows that," mum told me. "It's still your room."

"Well she's just angry that Benny gets a room to himself but she doesn't," I said.

"I know she is but we've explained to her why she won't get her own room," dad told me. "She won't be getting your bedroom, so don't worry about it. We aren't kicking you out of your room just because you're going away."

"Then can you do me a favour and make sure that she doesn't go in there," I asked. "I told Benny that if misses me he can sleep in there sometimes."

Benny used to come to sleep in my room at times when he was about three. He used to get night terrors, so he'd come into my bedroom. I have one extra bed in my room. He would sleep in there. Afterwards, I'd decided that he could sleep in there anytime if he got scared. Recently he'd asked if he could sleep in there at night if he missed me while I was gone. I trusted him. Unlike the girls, I knew he wouldn't go through my things. Brenda and Brianne would.

"We'll see what can we do," dad said. "Where are your siblings? We want to talk to you about something, but we don't want them to overhear. It's about Hogwarts."

"They were going to out to the pool," I answered. "I made sure to suggest it so I could talk to you about this. I didn't want Brenda to come in when I was talking to you. I told her that she had to watch them until I went out there," and then I rolled my eyes, I knew what was coming. "You don't have to lecture me. I know I have to be a good little boy at school."

"No that isn't what we were going to say," Dad said with a smile. "Although I do hope you'll behave. I don't think we have to worry about you. No, I heard a lot of rumors about what went on last year at school. As you may know, it was Harry Potters first year at school. Last year, they had a Philosophers Stone hidden there for protection. Someone tried to steal it from Gringotts, and Hogwarts is the next safest place to hide something. One of the teachers tried to steal it at the end of the year. Most people don't believe this, and they think he was acting on his own greed but I have my own influences at the Ministry. From what I heard, he was stealing it for You-Know-Who and-"

"But he's gone," I interrupted. "Harry Potter got rid of him when he was a baby."

"Most people believe he is just biding his time. We don't know if the rumors are true or not. It could just be a teachers greed, but a Philosopher's stone can be used to make the Elixer of Life. It's likely something You-Know-Who would need to come back," Mum answered. "So we want you to be careful. You were too young to know what the wizarding world was like when he was trying to take over. It was a scary world, and we hope he stays where ever he is. We just find it a bit of an coincidence that this happened when Harry Potter returned to the wizarding world."

"So we want you to be careful. If anything odd starts happening at school, and we're hoping it's just this one incident, we want you to let us know," dad said. "We've wanted for the four of you to grow up in a normal world, and we hope it remains normal but people always worry he'll come back."

"We'd also like to ask you not to bother the boy either," mum continued. "Don't badger him about last year or about anything else. If you happen to be sorted into Gryffindor, don't stare at him either. He didn't grow up in the wizarding world. Dumbledore wanted him to grow up a normal boy, and I believe he wants that to continue. Even after what happened last year."

"So you're saying Harry Potter stopped another evil wizard?" I asked impressed.

"With a couple of his friends," mum said.

Harry Potter was really the same age as me. If I hadn't been born in October and maybe in August instead, I'd have been in the same year as him the year before. Unfortunately, I hadn't made the September first cut off date. I'd had to wait a whole year to go. Harry would turn twelve July 31st so really, I wasn't that much younger than he was. I couldn't imagine being able to stop a fully grown wizard at my age with basic magic.

I was impressed. I was looking forward to being able to meet him now more than ever. Everyone in the wizarding world knew about him. Even Benny who wasn't even six years old knew about him. I was glad to be one of the ones who would go to school with him. I wouldn't gawk at him or anything, but I did hope there was a chance I could have a conversation with him.

The rest of the summer went fast for me. One moment I was reassuring Benny that it would be a while before I went away. The next moment I got my very first letter from Hogwarts, and then I was going to Diagon Alley for my school supplies. Thankfully my parents decided that the younger kids could stay at home with one of our Aunts and our cousin Sam. Benny was disappointed about this until he saw Sam. They were good friends. Brenda was furious and I couldn't help but gloat at her.

There had been a time when she and I had been close and Brianne and Benny had been close, but Brenda had changed from a fun little sister to a very annoying and bossy sister. I couldn't even handle being around for a few moments let alone for a long time. Brianne even came to me to ask if she could sleep in my room sometimes that summer because she couldn't handle Brenda.

"I don't want your room it's just sometimes she bugs me," Brianne told me. "You know what she did with all my hair ribbons? She threw them in the vanishing trash can. I left them on our bathroom sink because I was going to do my hair later. She threw them out on me Barry! She hates all my girl things even though she is a girl too. Mummy said I can decorate my side of the room how I want, so I did. She hid all my stuffed animals. Barry, she's getting worse and I bet she will be meaner when you leave."

"Maybe you could ask mum and dad if you can have that curtain put up now," I told her.

Years ago my parents had thought of putting a curtain divider in the girls room so they could have their privacy sometimes. Brianne had still been in a stage when things scared her and she hadn't wanted it. She'd wanted the comfort of her older sister there. She'd outgrown that years ago, and now she was even hating the fact that they shared a room.

"Maybe," she said. "I just wish she could go back to the normal girl she used to be."

"Well you only have to put up with her for a year Brianne, and then you'll have that room to yourself most of the time," I reminded her.

"I know. She's going to be mean to Benny and me though. She's already told us that she gets to boss us around because she'll be the oldest," Brianne said.

"And I told her and Benny that she can't," I said. "You know that I don't tell you what to do unless mum and dad tell me to. She can't do the same to you. Just ignore her. Mum said she'd put a silencing charm on the curtain, so all you have to do is close it. I can talk to her if you want."

Brianne shook her head. "No that's okay, but I am going to really miss you Barry. I don't want you to go."

"It won't be that long until Christmas," I said. "You'll still see me on holidays."

"But you'll be all grown up by then," Brianne said. "Everyone knows that once you go away to school, you grow up faster. You'll have new friends and you will forget all about us."

"Believe me, I can't forget about the three of you," I said. "You'll be fine Brianne. As long as you and Benny stick together, you'll be okay."

"I just wish you didn't have to go away. I wish you could just go to Hogwarts for the day and come home at night. Can't you tell mummy and daddy that you want to come home at night?" Brianne pleaded.

I sighed. I knew that they were going to try and make it harder for me than it had to be. I could tell even Brenda didn't want me to go even though she kept it to herself. As the days went by, my siblings clung to me more and more. Every morning I would wake up with Benny in my bed, and Brianne in the other bed.

Then the day I'd been finally waiting for finally came. I woke up the morning of September the first. It was finally time for me to go and learn magic. I was nervous for sure. It would be the first time I would go away for longer than a week. Sometimes we went to an aunts or uncles for a week or so. Before my grandparents had died, we'd gone there as well. They had died a few years ago. They'd left us all a lot of money too. I wasn't even sure how much money we were given, but I knew I had a trust fund waiting for me. Mum and dad told me I could wait until I was older before I learned the truth. The unfair part of it was that I wouldn't get it at seventeen but at twenty-five.

I stretched out and carefully got out of bed. I didn't want to wake up Benny quite yet. Brianne was of course in the other bed. I smiled at them and then headed to my dresser to grab some clothes and went into the bathroom. After a quick clean up, I changed and went back into my bedroom to see that Brianne was just stirring. I put a finger to my lips and pointed at Benny. She nodded and I walked over to take her hand.

"You can go to your room and get changed," I whispered. "I just want him to sleep a little longer."

We left the bedroom and I dropped her off by her room before I headed down the steps quickly. Mum, dad and Brenda were just eating breakfast when I entered the room. I could already tell that mum was going to be emotional that day. I could see it in her eyes, she was blinking back tears already. I just smiled and took my place at the table.

"Brianne will be down soon and I left Benny in bed," I said.

"I'll go get him soon, is he in you room?" Dad asked and I nodded. "We'll all eat and then I'll help him get ready."

"I don't see why Benny gets to sleep in," Brenda said.

"You could have too," mum told her. "You were the one who woke up at the crack of dawn."

"Well I thought we had to be at the train station early. I still don't see why Benny gets Barry's room and I don't," she said. "He already gets a room to himself and now he gets Barry's? Why doesn't he just move in with Barry?"

"Brenda, we've had this discussion all summer," dad said with irritation. "You, Brianne and Benny do not get Barry's room. You will stay in your room with your sister."

"So why does Benny get Barry's room?" Brenda pressed on.

"He doesn't get my room," I said. "I told him that he can sleep in there if he has to, but he keeps his room."

"I'm so sick of how be gets special treatment all the time," Brenda said. "He gets his own room and now he gets Barry's room too."

"He doesn't get my room!" I said angrily. "For a smart girl, you sure can be thick Brenda. I told him if he misses me, he can sleep in there. I am letting him because I know I can trust him. I can't trust you. I know you will snoop through my things. I don't want you in my room. You don't want my room because you'll miss me, you just want your own room."

Brenda folded her arms angrily and began to pout. Brianne joined us moments later holding onto Benny's hand. He was already dressed as well. It surprised me. Benny could dress himself just fine, he was almost six after all but he hated to get changed. He'd wear the same outfit every single day if he could. He was wearing a brand new Hogwarts outfit mum had bought him a few days ago. It had the Hogwarts crest on the shirt and a castle in the background. It was a black shirt and black shorts.

"He woke up when I was getting ready," she told us. "I helped him get ready too!"

"I wanted to wear my new Hogwarts outfit," Benny said excitedly. "Do you think people will think I am a Hogwarts student too?"

"You look like one," I said and Benny beamed.

"Oh you do not!" Brenda said still pouting. "Anyone can tell you're just a little runt."

Immediately Benny's face fell and I glared at her. What had gotten into my little sister? She had never been this way before. Why had she changed into this uptight and angry little girl? She was ten years old, but she seemed so much older and angrier. I'd heard mum and dad often talking about her. They thought she was a teenager before she needed to be. Maybe it was just her way of showing how upset she was that I was leaving.

"Brenda!" Mum said angrily. "Maybe I can call Helen and tell her to come pick you up before we leave. I guess you don't want to see your big brother before he goes away to school."

"I do so!" She said. "That's not fair! I won't see him until Christmas and now you won't let me see him go away!"

"Then stop with the attitude," dad said calmly. "Apologize to Benny and then eat. We don't have time for this. We need to get to the train station soon. If this new attitude doesn't stop soon, I might forget that you're too old for spankings."

"No!" Brenda moaned and tears began to stream down her cheeks, but she didn't say another word.

In my opinion, a good spanking might be what she needed. She was ruining what was supposed to be a good morning for me. Brianne was smiling down at her plate. She loved it when Brenda was punished. I for one was going to be glad to get away from all this immaturity. At Hogwarts, I wouldn't have to deal with this kind of bickering.

When we got to the train station, I felt even more nervous. It truly hit me that I was going away from my family until Christmas. I was going to be living with a bunch of strangers. What if I didn't make any friends? We were all sure I'd end of up in Ravenclaw but what if I didn't? I'd been worried that Benny might be a Slytherin, but what about me? What if I ended up there and even though my parents said they would love me anyway, what if they resented me?

Mum hugged me hard while dad put my trunk on the train. When he returned, he pulled me from mum to hug me too. After they hugged me, I hugged Brianne who was already openly sobbing. Benny was trying to hold it in, but the moment I pulled into my arms, he started to cry as well. Brenda looked ready to cry, but she didn't. She gave me a quick hug and then turned to look away. I was sure that she didn't want anyone to see why she was so emotional.

I was about to board the train, but mum grabbed me to hug me again. "Oh I am going to miss you so much Barry," she said. "You be good and you write me tomorrow morning."

"I will," I said.

"Barbara, let him go," dad told her.

Mum let me go and I hurried on the train. I found the compartment that dad told me he'd put my trunk on. I found a girl with black hair and blue eyes in there, and she had tears streaming down her cheeks. I was assuming she must be a first year. She was smaller than Brenda who was quite small for ten, but she also looked scared and of course sad. I figured I'd talk to her in a moment, but first I wanted to wave good-bye to my family. I opened the window to lean out it. I could see mum was crying now. Brianne and Benny were both waving and crying, while Brenda stood back with a neutral look on her face. Dad had his arm around mum.

"Have fun," he called to me.

Moments later, the train started to move. As soon as it did, Benny and Brianne began to chase after it. They were both crying and waving. I leaned out the window to wave to them as much as I could. I heard Brenda yelling something at them, but I couldn't hear what. Whatever it was must not have been good since dad began scolding her. Whatever he said to her put fear in her eyes, and I wondered if it was the same threat from the morning. The train turned a corner and I could no longer see them. I went back into the train and sat down.

"Hi, my name is Barry," I said to the tearful girl. "What's wrong? Are you a first year too?"

"Yes," she answered and she wiped at her face. "My mummy and daddy aren't happy that I'm a witch. They didn't want me to come, but I insisted. I had to come by myself and they told me not to even come home for Christmas or Easter."

I wasn't sure what to say that. I had worried about the same things happening to me, but I knew it would never happen. My parents loved me too much. What kind of parents did this girl have? How could they say such a thing to their daughter.

"I'm sorry to hear that," I told her wondering if it was the right thing. "I'll be your friend. You're going to like it at Hogwarts."

"Thank you," she said as she wiped at the rest of her tears. "My name is Natasha but everyone calls me Tasha."

"Well Tasha," I said with a smile. "I will do what I can to help you, even if we end up in different houses."

"Houses?" She asked.

I nodded and proceeded to explain the four houses to her. I explained everything I knew about each house, and I even touched on the war a little bit and you-know-who. I was glad to see that she was no longer crying. I hated to see girls cry, especially my sisters. I always felt bad whenever one of them would cry after we got in a fight, even Brenda with her newest attitude.

"What house do you think you will be in then?" She asked me.

"Well Hoofers usually end of in Ravenclaw," I told her. "So more than likely I will end up there but Gryffindor wouldn't be too bad either. I think Hufflepuff would be a nice house too. I just don't want to end up in Slytherin."

"It doesn't sound too bad," Tasha said. "I mean not every person that goes there can be bad."

"No there have been some good Slytherins too," I told her. "It's really up to the person how they turn out, but sometimes people can be very impressionable. Sometimes people can be good but dad told me some people are scared that they're sorted there, so they pretend to be bad and eventually they do become bad. Sometimes I worry about that happening to Benny."

"Who is Benny?" Tasha asked.

"My little brother. He will be six at the end of the month. He's very ambitious and hard working, and he's impressionable. Anything I do, he has to do too. I love him and all, but I worry that he'll want to fit in at school. He does have some Slytherin traits."

"But he's a little boy," Tasha said. "I did some baby-sitting this summer and plus I helped with a lot of the little kids at primary school. Little kids are very impressionable, especially when they look up to someone. I imagine Benny looks up to you a lot, so that's why he does everything you do. He wants to be just like you."

"Maybe you're right," I said.

"Would you still be my friend if I end up in Slytherin?" Tasha asked now looking worried and I felt bad. I was making it seem as if I were very judgmental.

"Of course I will be, but Tasha I doubt you will be. They very rarely accept muggleborns. I know there have been times when muggleborns end up there, but Salazar Slytherin only accepted purebloods. I'm going to be your friend no matter what. I promise," I told her.

She smiled. "Thank you Barry, you seem very nice. Tell me more about your family! I don't have much to tell. I'm an only child and well-" and she paused as tears came to her eyes again.

Instantly I began telling her more about my siblings. I wanted to take that look from her face. At that moment, I knew I would do whatever I could to make this small girl in front of me happy. I barely knew her, but I knew at that moment I would always be her friend and I would always be there for her. I never really thought too much about if girls were pretty or not, but I thought she was cute. When she smiled, she was even cuter.

I sighed happily. I believed I'd found my first friend.