I do not in any way, shape, or form own Harry Potter.

Chapter 2: The Train and the Hat

Robert couldn't help but laugh, of course this was a fever dream or elaborate prank. Magic? Wizards? People actually know and care about Harriet and Robert Potter? Of course it couldn't be real, how foolish they look standing here with owls and oddly shaped packages. He leaned on his trolley laughing, Harry and the people walking past looked at him like he was insane.

"What's so funny," Harry snapped.

"Well don't we look like a right bunch of idiots," Robert laughed. He calmed down and began looking around, down the platform he spotted a red haired family walking along the platform towards them. "Bloody hell, look at that family" He laughed, gesturing towards them. Harry turned to see what he was talking about, Robert decided to lean on one of the pillars, as he leaned on it he felt no resistance and began to fall. "What the-" he exclaimed in shock. In a panic he grabbed his trolley but that didn't stop the fall and he hit the ground.

"Platform 9 3/4, do you have a ticket?" Robert looked at the ticket checker, who was a plump man with bags under his eyes. Robert jumped to his feet and presented his ticket to the man. Not wanting to be in the way he rolled his trolley to the side to wait for his sister. After a few minutes a bunch of redheads came through the barrier followed by his sister.

"What was that about being 'a right bunch of idiots'" She asked with a smirk.

"Shut up" he muttered.

They wheeled their trolleys to an empty compartment, and attempted to get their trunks onto the train, but since they weren't the strongest 11 year olds they failed miserably.

"Need a hand?" One of the red heads from earlier asked.

"Please," Robert gasped from trying to lift his heavy trunk.

"Oy, Fred c'mere and help," He shouted. And through the crowd came another identical red head. With the two's help the trunks were then put into the compartment.

"Thanks for your help," Harry said as she brushed her hair away from her scar.

"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightning scar.

"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you –?"

"She is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?"

"What?" Harry asked confused.

"Harriet Potter" They chorused.

"Oh, her, I mean yeah I am" Harry said blushing under the scrutiny of the two twins.

"Fred, George, are you there?" A voice came in through the door, with one last look at Harry, and a wink from one of the twins, they left the compartment. Harry went and sat by the window looking out window at the families on the platform, Robert occupied himself with his Hogwarts A History sitting with his back to wall next to the compartment door.

He'd read all of his text books in the month leading up to the start of term, he found Potions by far the most confusing, History enjoyable but dull, Transfiguration was one of his favorites, Astronomy his least favorite because of he lacked interest in the area, Charms was his favorite by far. He continued reading until the compartment door opened, he glanced up and noticed it was one of the red headed clan.

"Do you mind if I sit here, everywhere else is full." He asked, Harry gestured to the seat across from her, the boy smiled and took it. He shot a curious look at Harry and then looked out the window to avoid being rude.

"Hey Ron," This time it was the twins that were in the door.

"We're going down to the middle of the train, Lee's got a giant tarantula," one informed. Robert was curious about how big the supposed 'giant' spider was, but he despised spiders and that kept him in his seat.

"Harriet, did we introduce ourselves? I'm Fred." The other said turning their attention to Harry.

"George," the other provided a with a wink. With that the two left the compartment behind, Robert turned to his book planning to read the train ride away. But he did catch Harry blushing.

Ron turned to Harry, "Are you really Harriet Potter?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of the red headed boy. Harry sighed but nodded anyway.

"Just call me Harry, no one calls me Harriet,"

"I thought that it was one of Fred and George's jokes."

"It's fine," Harry said, "Oh and that's Robert by the way," She said gesturing to his corner. Ron did a double take, obviously having not noticed the boy in the corner. Robert gave a little wave.

"Ron, Ron Weasley." He introduced, introductions out of the way Robert continued reading while Harry and Ron talked about various wizarding topics. Eventually an old witch with a trolley opened the compartment door.

"Anything off the trolley dears?"

Harry got up and ran over to the trolley to see what candy was available. Robert watched as confusion spread across her face, then she spoke to the witch and fished out some coins. When she returned her arms full of an assortment of candy, candy that Robert had never heard of. When she dropped the candy onto the seat next to her, Ron eyed it enviously. "Help yourself" she said and like that Ron was next to her picking up some chocolate frogs, Robert got up and picked a box Bertie Bots Every Flavor Beans eyeing it suspiciously.

"Careful with those, they really do mean every flavor," Ron warned, Robert nodded and sat down popping a bean into his mouth. Then he gagged, it tasted like dog turds, how he knew was because Dudley had fun force feeding Robert whatever he could find on the sidewalk.

A little bit later there was another knock at the door, this time there was a round faced boy who looked on the verge of tears. "Excuse me, but have any of you seen a toad?" the timid boy asked.

"No, sorry" Ron spoke up.

"I'm sure he'll turn up," Harry suggested hopefully.

The boy wailed, "I've lost him! Anyway thanks" and with that he left.

"I don't know what he's complaining about, if I brought a toad I'd lose it quick, mind you I've got Scabbers so I'm not one to talk," Ron said while holding up an old looking rat. "I tried to turn him yellow to make him more interesting but it didn't work."

"Maybe second times the charm?" Harry suggested. Ron shrugged and pulled out his wand, its wood was chipped in several places and unicorn hair was stick out the tip. As Ron cleared his throat there was another knock on the door. The toad less boy was back though not alone, this time he was accompanied by a bushy haired girl.

"Have you seen a toad? Neville's lost one."

"We already told him we haven't seen any toads," Harry said, but the girl wasn't listening she had noticed that Ron had his wand out.

"Are you doing magic? Well let's see it." She then invited herself in and sat in the middle of the bench, not giving any notice to Robert.

"Er, alright. Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow." Ron said giving his wand a dramatic wave but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed fat, grey and asleep.

"Are you sure that's a real spell, well its not very good is it?" the girl said. This annoyed Robert, he didn't like the tone she gave, and she was a bit rude anyway joining them without invitation.

"And I assume you've already mastered all the course work?" Robert said sarcastically. Harry and Ron both looked at Robert shocked by his tone and the fact that he spoke for the first time since boarding the train.

"Of course not, I've only tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard – I've learnt all our set books off by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough – I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?" she said all in one breath, seemingly not bothered by Roberts rudeness.

"Ron Weasley,"

"Harriet Potter,"

"Are you really? I've read all about you of course, you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

"Am I?" Harry asked shocked.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I would have found everything I could if I was you," Hermione spoke. "Do any of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best, I hear Dumbledore himself was one, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad ... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You three had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." And with that she left without bothering to ask Roberts name.

"Well she's a character," Harry said, a little shocked by the entire interaction.

"Whatever house she's in I hope I'm not," Ron said.

"What house are you're brothers in?" Robert asked.

"Gryffindor, my entire family's been in it" Ron said gloomily, as the shadow of his brothers seemed to press in on him. "Though I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad."

After that the Harry and Ron returned to discussing the wizarding world except that Robert decided to join into the conversation. Ron was brought out of an explanation of Quidditch when Four boys enter the compartment. The first boy was the blond boy that Harry and Robert met in the robe shop, who happened to think Robert was a mudblood (muggle born) because he asked questions about the wizarding world. The boy was flanked by two boys who could've passed for third years based on their size, and a smaller boy was behind them looking a little uncomfortable.

"So, their saying along the train that Harriet Potter is in this compartment, is it true?" He asked, with a sneer.

"Yes," Harry said looking warily at the two boys flanking him like bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and Goyle," the boy said gesturing to the two boys next to him. "And that's Fawley, I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy" He glanced at Ron, "I don't need to ask who you are, red hair, hand me down robes, you must be a Weasley," He sneered. Malfoy turned back to Harry, "You'll soon find Potter that some wizarding families are better than others, we don't want you running around with blood traitors and mudbloods like him," Malfoy said jerking his head at Robert.

Harry face went red from anger, "I can tell the right sort for myself thank you very much," she snapped. Just then their attention turned to Goyle who was howling in pain after Scabbers bit his knuckles when he reached for the candy. With one glance back the four boys fled from the room.

Robert laughed, "not so useless now huh Ron,"

Ron grinned, "but look he's fallen back to sleep,"

With that the two boys changed to their robes while Harry went and found a changing room. They just finished changing when the train came to a stop and an announcement came over the train asking everyone to leave their bags. With one last stroke of his owl, Artemis, Robert disembarked the train and found Hagrid through the crowd. Which wasn't hard considering his size and the fact he was shouting, "Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!" When all the first years gathered up he led them down to a fleet of boats. Robert was going to follow Harry and Ron when he slipped in the mud, by the time he straightened himself out Hermione and Neville had joined Harry and Ron in a boat. He noticed that one of the boys was from Malfoy's group. There was a sandy haired boy and a tall black boy also in the boat.

The boy from Malfoy's group turned and looked at Robert with curiosity, "I'm Adam by the way," he said.

"Robert" he said holding out his hand to shake, Adam looked at closely as if afraid to catch something before shaking it. "Also contrary to what Malfoy said, I'm not muggle born,"

"Really?" Adam said surprised and turned a little red. Their conversation was cut short when the boats had finally reached the other side of the lake. And the children followed Hagrid up some stairs and found themselves in front of giant wooden doors. Hagrid raised his hands and knocked, and the doors opened revealing a stern witch in green robes standing in front of a giant entrance hall. The witch introduced herself as Professor McGonagall and gave a brief summary of the house before leading the first years into the great hall, Robert notice the 4 long wooden tables filled with students, and the long staff table at the front of the room.

Professor McGonagall set a three legged stool and and old patched hat on it. Robert looked at it curiously when the brim ripped open and sang a song. Robert laughed lightly, before turning to Adam, "A singing hat, and I thought this couldn't get more ridiculous," Adam sniggered at his remark. They shut up when McGonagall started calling names with, 'Abbott, Hannah".

Robert zoned out a little bit not really caring about where people got sorted, until a 'Fawley, Adam'.

Robert watched as his fellow first year walked slowly toward the stool, he noticed as he shot a nervous glance towards a girl at the Slytherin table. As the hat was placed on Adam's head, it didn't call out a house immediately, instead the hat took it's time until it finally called out 'RAVENCLAW!'. Adam got up and walked towards his new house but Robert noticed that Adam seemed even more tense. Robert zoned out again until 'Potter, Harriet' was called out. Robert watched as his sister walked towards the hat, she looked pale and scared. It didn't help all the whispers that spread across the hall at her name, it must be annoying being the girl who lived, Robert thought sympathetically. The hat took a while deciding on a house for Harry until finally it called 'GRYFFINDOR!'.

The professor then called 'Potter, Robert' as Robert walked toward the stool he couldn't help but hear the whispers, 'did she say Potter?' 'Potter has a brother?' Robert can't say he was surprised after the crowd at the Leaky Cauldron ignored Robert in favor of looking at Harry. Not that Robert blamed them, Harry could be interesting when she stepped into the light. As the hat sat on his eyes, he felt a probing force in his mind. 'Got courage to spare, and ambitious to learn indeed, loyal to your friends too, a good mind you got, now where to put you.' the hat spoke in his head. "May I suggest 'eenie meenie miney mo' if your having problems?" Robert said, though not as quiet as he hoped as he heard a few laughs from around the hall. 'They do say 'wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure' so make it... '

"RAVENCLAW!"

Authors Note: That's chapter 2 of my story, I'm finding myself enjoying writing this so I probably won't abandon it... Yet. Thanks to those who reviewed I appreciate the feedback and will always take it into consideration. Till next time.