A/N: Hello, I'm not really sure where this is going, but let's not worry about it and just enjoy it while it lasts.
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Harry loves the Astronomy Tower, it is his favorite place in all of Hogwarts. The highest viewpoint that one could achieve without a broomstick. He could stand in one place and see for miles in each direction. However, this view had never made him feel smaller than he felt at this moment. He was in a world that was not his own, there were now two Harry Potters in this world. The Greengrasses had offered to let Harry stay with them until Dumbledore decided what would be best given his circumstances, but he didn't want to impose. They don't know him, she doesn't know him.
He couldn't handle seeing her look at him that way, her indifference hurt him more than any curse. She was so beautiful when she would give him a small coy grin. Now she barely looked at him, and even when she did it seemed like she barely acknowledged his existence. He could still see the girl he knew underneath, she hid herself well, but he known her too long not to notice her pain. She was lonely. From what he had gathered from Astoria, Tracey had been spending more and more time with Erny Macmillan, which meant leaving Daphne on her own more often.
"I thought I might find you here," said a voice from behind him, breaking him from his thoughts. "It seems that you are not so different from the boy I've come to know."
"I suppose on some level that we must be similar," Harry responded. "But I highly doubt that we are so similar that you could accurately predict my next move."
"Perhaps, yet here we are," said Dumbledore, with that smug, all-knowing tone.
"I think you underestimate just how much I know about Hogwarts, Headmaster," he said, turning to look Dumbledore in the eye. "I know about the map in your office. The same map that my father and his friends copied and called their own."
"Indeed?" said Dumbledore. "I had no idea that they had done so. I suppose it would explain how they managed to avoid detention in their later years. No doubt it was your father's idea, but Remus did the spell work I would think. As talented as James Potter was in transfiguration, he was rather average when it came to charms."
"I assume you did not track me down to discuss my father's history?" he asked.
"Quite right Harry," Dumbledore started. "I have decided that it would be best for you to remain here at Hogwarts for the time being."
"And how do you propose I do that?" he asked. "You have term starting in a couple of weeks."
"I have thought of that and I've decided that you will be posing as a transfer student from Durmstrang," Dumbledore replied.
"Have you forgotten that I look almost exactly the same as the Harry of this world?" he asked incredulously.
"Of course not, and I have a solution. Last year was the Triwizard Tournament. After hearing so many things about Harry Potter from your returning classmates you, Adrian Potter relative of Harry Potter, decided that you would like to meet him."
"You expect people to believe that Harry Potter has a long lost relative that just happens to show up the moment the dark lord returns? Have you lost what little remained of your mind?" he all but sneered.
"Firstly, the general public is denying Voldemort's return," Dumbledore began, ignoring the jab at his state of mind. "Secondly, it is not uncommon for wizarding families to have members of said family live in other countries. As you are several years older than our Harry no one would believe that you are in fact Harry Potter."
He supposed Dumbledore did have a point even though the resemblance between this world's Harry and himself would be striking, the age difference would never lead anyone to assume that they were one and the same. In his younger days he had gotten quite good at hiding in plain sight. A glamour charm on his eyes to change their color, and some muggle makeup to hide his scar and no one would look at him twice, and the name Adrian Potter at least had a nice sound to it.
"Adrian Potter," he said. "Could be worse I suppose. I still do not have a wand, it will be expected of me to have one."
"Yes, of course," replied Dumbledore. "That is the other reason I've come to find you. I have spoken with Garrick Ollivander, and he will be expecting us after lunch, this afternoon."
'Finally,' he thought. It had been a week since he had used any magic. He tried to do some wandless, but found he just didn't have the focus for it. He hated that he had lost his Holly and Phoenix wand, it just seemed to understand him. Not to mention the wand core it shared with Voldemort's own wand had saved his life more times than he could remember.
"Is there any way that he could craft me a new wand?" he asked. "Perhaps a wand that also shared a core with Voldemort's wand?"
"Unfortunately not," Dumbledore informed him. "If there is one thing that Garrick is willing to share on the topic of wand lore, it is simply this: the wand chooses the wizard. There is no way to know if the wand would choose you or not, therefore this would most likely lead to a waste of time."
"I see," he replied. "Thank you, Headmaster for all you've done for me. In my world, you and I were never very close, you had barely said a few words to me before fifth year. Of course, you disappeared soon after that, so we didn't have a chance to get to know one another. I'm glad that I have gained a chance to change that."
"Of course, Harry. I mean Adrian," Dumbledore corrected himself. "As I like to say, help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who need it. I will be in my office if you need anything more. I'll send an elf for you when it is time for us to visit Ollivander's."
Diagon Alley was in much better shape in this world than in his. Families streamed here and there collecting supplies for their children's upcoming school year. In his world, the alley was near abandoned. No one save for Deatheaters and their families would dare to come here. For the first time, Harry thought that maybe it was a good thing that he had been brought here. Voldemort was not expecting two Potters, and that gave them an advantage.
Taking a break from his thoughts, Adrian noticed that people were looking at him with an expression kin to fear, and loathing. It was shocking to him. In his world Harry Potter had always been revered, but here it seems that Harry had done something to drive his image to ruin. Looking to his left, he noticed that Dumbledore was also receiving the same looks. He could not for the life of him figure out what they could have done to deserve such detestation from the public.
Arriving at Ollivander's, Adrian was glad to finally be out of the public eye and into a more secluded setting. The shop looked exactly as he remembered it from his trip to the alley his first year. As he took in the room he couldn't help but agree with his eleven-year-old self, there was entirely too much glass to be in a wand shop. Children were constantly trying wands in here, he himself had broken countless trinkets during his first wand testing.
"Ah, Mister Potter," said Ollivander, coming out from between some shelves. "I've been expecting you, I was very disturbed to hear what had happened to your first wand. However, not to worry. We will get you a new wand, and you shall be right as rain. Albus, good to see you as always, but if we could get down to business I would be very appreciative. This is my busy season you understand."
Thankfully it would only take ten wands before he would find a match. It was a rather plain looking wand. It had a smooth finish, and a light stain that gave it the look of muggle hardwood flooring. There was no fancy designs or carvings, it was in fact rather mundane.
"Ah, very good Mister Potter," Ollivander exclaimed. "Thirteen and a half inches, made from Beechwood, with a Thunderbird's tail feather. Slightly springy, excellent for transfiguration."
While the wand may have looked plain, its power was undeniable. This wand was an even better match than his old Holly and Phoenix wand. He never thought he would find a wand that fit so well.
"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander," he said. "I appreciate you taking the time to accommodate us."
"Of course, Mister Potter," Ollivander replied. "That'll be seven galleons for the wand."
It was at this moment that he remembered he didn't have any money. It wasn't as if his little trans-dimensional trip was planned.
"Professor," he started. "We forgot to go Gringotts, before coming here. I haven't any money to pay for the wand."
"Not to worry, my boy," Dumbledore replied. "I will be covering the cost myself."
The weeks following his trip to Diagon Alley past quickly for Adrian. He passed the time by reviewing the material he would need for the semester. The less time he had to spend studying the better. He would rather spend his time making Daphne laugh, he could only hope that she would give him the chance. However, there were many other things that would require his attention. Though Voldemort may not be directly after Adrian Potter, he still could not afford to assume that he was safe. The name Potter alone should be enough to paint a target on his back.
The most surprising thing to Adrian was how easy magic seemed to be for him with his new wand. Every spell he knew was more powerful, and faster than they had been with his holly wand. He didn't understand how, but it seemed like his magic was just working better. He was thankful for this as it would make his year even easier, allowing him to focus on more important things rather than classes he had already taken. Classes which started in a few days. The students would be arriving tomorrow, and though Adrian was excited to See Daphne, he wasn't sure how to approach her. In his first year she had been the one to come to him, all he had done was be nice and she just accepted him into her circle. Though now that he thought about it, it was more like she forced him into her circle, and with that thought he knew exactly what to say.
The Trophy Room. They were making him wait in the Trophy Room. Not that he didn't enjoy seeing all the trophies with his father's name on them, the trophies that Sirius wouldn't shut up about. Don't misunderstand, he is proud of his father's achievements, but Sirius was always comparing them. One Halloween, whilst drunk, Sirius asked Harry why he couldn't be more like James. They didn't talk for a while after that, but Harry never forgave him for it. Sirius never thought about what he said, and more over even if he had done or said something wrong, he wasn't the type to apologize, he just swept it under the rug, pretended it didn't happen.
Adrian's thoughts were interrupted by the door to the great hall opening, his queue as it were. He checked his reflection in the trophy case one last time. His scar was covered with muggle makeup, and he had swapped his glasses out for some muggle contact lenses that made his eyes a light blue. While he still carried a strong resemblance, it was unlikely that any would think he was Harry Potter. One deep breath later and he was out the door, walking toward McGonagall and her little stool that he absolutely refused to sit on.
He managed not to look for Daphne, but it was oh so tempting. In the end he settled for ignoring everyone and just looking around the room, not making eye contact with anyone. When he finally reached McGonagall, he cleared his throat and stood proud.
"Adrian Potter, reporting for sorting," he said, smirking at the witch who had gone pale. It seems that Dumbledore didn't tell his Deputy Headmistress the name of her new student.
"Please take a seat and place the sorting hat on your head," she said after regaining her senses.
He placed the hat on his head, but he refused to sit on her little stool. He immediately felt the familiar feeling of the hat's consciousness slip into his mind.
'Well, well, what have we here? An interesting turn in today's events. I do say, I think I have seen this mind before,' the hat said.
'Hello to you as well. It has been some time since you've graced my head,' Adrian replied.
'I see, my, my, you're naughty one eh? It seems you and I have had a few adventures, though I can't say I remember them,' said the hat.
'Perhaps I can come and see you soon, and help you recall,' he said.
'That I would appreciate. Now let's get you sorted, eh? Ah, I see, well you would have done well anywhere to be honest,' the hat said.
"Slytherin!" the hat exclaimed, to the surprise and shock of most.
Adrian placed the hat back onto the stool and walked toward the Slytherin table. All the while listening to the whispers and gossip, it wouldn't be long before his first confrontation and he hoped it would be the blond ego with legs, but chances were it would be an upper year. There didn't seem to be anywhere to sit, at least with people he wanted to sit with, so he sat with the first years. He could feel the eyes of many people looking at him, but one pair of eyes felt different than the rest. Looking up the table he saw, not Daphne, but Tracey Davis giving him a look. That could mean only one thing, Daphne had told her about him, and the list of people who knew his true identity grew.
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END - Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think.