No really, I don't update much.

Chapter 2

Harry didn't hear the students begin to whisper, or see his brother David trying to get a look at him. He didn't see the smile on David's face, the way his brother ignored the questions being thrown at him, or how the teachers were even whispering about him when they'd been nothing but professional for David. Harry didn't even notice that his shoe had come untied. As Harry walked to the hat his mind was so full his feet felt heavy.

Harry sat on the stool that was too tall for him, but it hadn't been for his brother. Professor McGonagall placed the old talking hat on his head, and the brim thankfully blocked the sight of four tables full of people gossiping about him.

"My, what an interesting child." A disembodied voice whispered. Harry wasn't sure he liked being called interesting by a talking hat who must have seen it all. "You Mr. Potter would do well in all of the houses. At first glance you show loyalty, courage, ambition, and you have a sharp mind. Now, where to put you? You like to act before you think, so I do believe Ravenclaw is a no. I fear you will scare all of Hufflepuff away, so that is not an option if you wish to have friends, yes?

"Now here comes the big question. You will do well in both, but one will gain you a family and the other will make you great. I see, you're not sure you want a family that would abandon you to the Dursley's, I understand. But, what is the point of greatness without a loving family? So it had better be… Slytherin!"

Silence, the Great Hall had never been as silent. Harry took the hat off his head and handed to Professor McGonagall when she made no move to take it back. The old witch held the hat in her hands for second before turning to the head table. The old man in the center on the table motioned his hand to McGonagall to continue, but he was not smiling as he had for the others who'd been sorted.

Harry started to walk to the Slytherin table, attempting to ignore the looks he was receiving from everyone in the hall. His housemates were not clapping for him as they had those sorted before him. The older Slytherins exchanges glances and looked to Professor Snape to gauge his reaction. He inclined his head slightly, though it looked like it pained him greatly.

Harry had reached the edge of the table, looking for a friendly place to sit. An older boy with short black hair and a wide nose stood and offered his hand to Harry. "Daniel Parkinson, seventh year Prefect."

"Harry Potter," Harry took the boy's hand. He noticed that his hand was not only half the size of Daniel's it was also clammy. "first year. Overwhelmed, a bit."

The whispers continued at the other three tables and the sorting went on. The Slytherins were oddly quiet, though glances and small gestures were happening all up and down the table, especially between the upper years.

"I can understand that," Daniel offered him a small smirk, "go sit by Malfoy." Daniel pointed to a platinum blond with a sharp face. "Perhaps tonight, after the feast, we can make some sense of this."

Daniel and Harry both glanced at his twin, who was watching the conversation along with everyone else in the hall.

"I think I would like that," Harry said. With that the noise in the hall grew again as another child was sorted. Harry walked over to the blonde. Malfoy gestured to the empty seat next to him and Harry gratefully sat.

"Quite a stir you caused. My name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," Draco offered Harry his hand and Harry took it in his smaller one.

"Pleasure, my names Harry Potter, but I guess you knew that," Harry smiled shyly at the blonde. Draco hid a small chuckle behind his hand as he glanced up at the rest of the hall.

"It seems you are a bit of a mystery."

"Tell me something I don't know," Harry said in exasperation, "they're not going to get many answers out of me. I probably know less than anyone in this room."

"That's not true," said Draco, "I'm sure some muggleborn children are just as confused as you are." Draco smiled and Harry returned it, though he wasn't exactly sure what the joke was or what a muggleborn was. "Now, let's introduce you to your new family."

Malfoy put heavy stress on the word family. Harry still missed the implication behind the friendly statement. He went on to introduce the boy he met in the boat, Blaize Zambini. A girl with a small flat nose, round face, and straight black hair, as Pansy Parkinson. Two large, ape looking boys as Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. A tall, thin, black haired boy, as Theodore Nott. A dirty blond, as Daphne Greengrass. Finally Harry was introduced to Millicent Bulstrode. She looked more like a boy than a girl, with a square jaw and boxy frame.

It was a small group of first years that sat at his table. In fact, Slytherin had the fewest kids out of any table. His table could all sit on one side and still have room for more, whereas the Hufflepuffs were crowded on both sides.

"Why are there so few us?" Harry asked.

"Well," Parkinson leaned over the table as if she had a tasty bit of gossip, "not every person capable of magic is invited to Hogwarts. There are three main schools of magic in Europe and many other smaller local ones, but Hogwarts is the most prestigious."

"And the most expensive," added Draco.

"Yes Draco darling," said Parkinson, "most people have to take out a loan to come or if they are powerful enough they get a scholarship. While those of us from noble blood choose to pay for the benefit of those who are cursed to be powerful yet oddly impoverished"

"No all wizards were gifted with the Parkinson's financial talents" said Daphne quietly. The other girls in the group gasped with an exaggerated hand to the chest. "I was only complimenting her."

This time Harry noticed when the others started communicating in intricate hand motions and facial gestures, but he had no hope of following nor did he care. The others shared a glance at Harry, they all noticed his lack of refinement.

"Really Pansy?" asked Harry, "because professor Snape never mentioned that I had to pay for this. Do you think I took out a loan without knowing?"

"Not possible," said Nott.

"You're from a old pure blood family. The Potter's have no need for loans," said Draco.

"Yeah," said Parkinson, "Your parents have most likely already paid. It's not polite to talk about finances. Even among family."

"But that's not possible either," said Harry, "I've never met them."

Harry regretted admitting his ignorance immediately. Every person who had been listening to the conversation paused. Draco's mouth was inelegantly open with food in it, Parkinson held a glass that was now dangerously close to tipping over. Everyone stared at Harry.

"When did the food get served. What?"

"Your last name is Potter right?" Draco asked.

"Yes," Harry blushed. Millicent and Pansy glared at the obvious emotional display. These noble children were not used to talking to someone without any skill at intrigue.

"Is it possible he is from a different branch of the family?" Pansy asked the group. Crabbe and Goyle just continued eating, not understanding or caring what the fuss was about. Harry picked at the delicious food, but it was all too rich for his hungry stomach.

"No," said Draco, "the Potters have always had only one son each generation, until this generation. Plus everyone knows that James and Lily Potter had twins. And I believe the lesser was named Harry."

"Yes, but no one ever saw Harry, did they?" Pansy asked.

"No, not after Halloween," Blaize said.

"Excuse me," Harry waved at the group, "still here."

"A bit rude, isn't he?" Daphne mentioned. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you had been raised by muggles." The group chuckled at this pronouncement.

"Muggle?" Harry asked. He sat slightly slumped in his seat. He wasn't sure about the kids in his house. Hermione and Neville had been nice, but they were both in different houses. He had expected it to be different than the Dursley's. On the one hand it was; he had food, a bed, kids to talk to, and thus far no hitting. Harry had hoped being a wizard would explain his inability to act like a normal person, but even here in a hall that had a ceiling that looked like the sky and food that made itself, Harry was the odd one out.

The first year Slytherins really looked at the poor boy with the taped up glasses. Some in disgust, while Blaize and Daphne looked him up and down in a considering manner.

"Well, it's clear that he's a Mudblood," said Draco.

"No, it's not possible. Really look at him," said Daphne, "he's a bit smaller, but he looks exactly like David Potter. And there are too many coincidences to say that Harry here is not David's twin."

"But he doesn't know what a muggle is," said Pansy.

"Harry," said Blaize, "you said that you never met you parents. Who were you raised by?"

"My aunt and uncle," said Harry.

"But James didn't have any brothers or sisters," complained Pansy.

"Clearly you're daft girl," said Daphne, "can anyone remember if Lily had siblings?"

None of the first years made to say anything. They were all thinking, with the exception of Crabbe and Goyle of course.

"A muggle. A female," said Theo. The group looked up in surprise at their most silent companion. It was well known that the Nott family rarely said anything that they were not completely sure about, a rare trait in a house filled with half truths.

"My mother's name is Lily?" Harry asked.

The first years were silent. When dinner was magically replaced by desert only Crabbe and Goyle moved to get some.

"Peculiar," said Draco, "that must mean that Harry here was raised by his aunt and uncle."

"Yes," said Harry, "that's what I said."

"But why muggles?" asked Pansy. No one could come up with an answer to that question. The Potters were well known for being a very loving family. Even if Harry had been sickly, or worse a squib, the Potters would have still cared for their child.

"This just doesn't make any sense," Draco complained. Harry was slightly happier at that statement. Finally someone else was just as confused as he was.

"So that's my brother over there?" asked Harry. He nodded his head over his shoulder to the boy who was still looking over at the Slytherin table while talking to his year mates.

"It would seem so," said Blaize.

"Ok," Harry thought a moment. He picked at a chocolate cake in front of him as he considered his new place in the world. So it was true that his parents had given him up. At least the Dursley's hadn't lied about that. He had a twin brother that still lived with his apparently happy and wealthy parents. So why did they give Harry up?

"What was that you said about Halloween earlier?" asked Harry as it occurred to him. Something much better to think about than possible reasons for abandonment.

"You don't know about Halloween?" asked Pansy. Harry shook his head, slightly annoyed that he kept having to repeat himself.

"You-Know-Who?" asked Draco.

"No," said Harry, "I don't know who." The first years stared at him like he had a second

head.

"You were really raised by muggles," said Pansy.

And so the Slytherins told him the story of Halloween. Of course they might have glossed over how horrible Voldemort had been in his time, but there is no getting around the fact that he tried to kill a baby and not his parents.

"Where were my parents during all of this?" asked Harry.

"Well," said Pansy, "they had gone to the Ministers Ball as a favor to their friend Sirius Black."

"How do you know this stuff?" asked Harry.

"Common knowledge," said Blaize, "James Potter was complaining very loudly around some very important people about having to attend such a boring party."

"Yes," said Pansy, "something about Potter losing a bet and Black donating some money after 'accidentally' walking in on Madam Bones in the Auror showers."

"She became head of the department that year, didn't she?" asked Daphne.

"Yes, she did," said Draco.

"Anyways," said Pansy. Dumbledore began giving his speech for end of the feast night and Pansy had to lower her voice to avoid detection, "they had left their friend at the time, Peter Pettigrew, at the house as a babysitter. Turn out he was one of the Dark Lords supporters. After the Dark Lord was… killed by your brother Pettigrew disappeared and they still haven't found him."

"Geez," Harry would have a lot to think about that night, and most of it wasn't good. His Brother was the Boy-Who-Lived and his parents had given him up to the Dursleys. They didn't have to give him up, but they did and it had to do with that Halloween night.

If Harry knew anything about people being horrible to each other, he would guess that they did it so they could spend more time with his more powerful and famous brother. His year mates came to the same conclusion some time after Harry did.

Harry had never wanted to be famous, but he had always wanted a family that loved him. And hearing that his biological family decided that he wasn't worth the time was a bit rough to hear.

The students all stood up ready to make the journey to their common rooms.

"First Years follow me," called out a Slytherin girl who looked to be in her fifth or sixth year.

"Harry, Harry!" Harry turned to look at who was calling him and saw his twin trying to make his way through the crowd. David Potter finally caught up to him, but his Gryffindor followers weren't far away. They didn't look pleased to see their hero trying to talk to the enemy house.

"It's great to meet you," said David.

"Umm," Harry shuffled, "yeah. Nice to meet you too."

"I have so much stuff to tell you!" exclaimed David. "I can't wait to do all the pranks that I thought up. And when Amy gets here next year, oh boy! Students will fear the Potter Pranks!"

"That's nice," said Harry, "whose Amy?"

"What do you mean?" asked David.

"I'm sorry," said Harry though you could tell he didn't mean it, "I just found out I was a Wizard a month ago and that I have a twin brother today. Forgive me if I don't know who Amy is."

"Amy's our sister mate," said David, much more subdued than he had been before.

Harry stared at his brother. In his mind a gentle buzzing started where his thoughts should be. Like the buzzing of one bees, million bees. Harry stared at his brother. Then Harry walked away from the hall and Daniel into the crowd of Slytherins that closed around Harry.

"Harry, Harry!"