In an effort to distract himself, also not trusting of what his cousin might think of to do on the long ride, Dudley dug out a deck of playing cards from his pants pocket. Sure enough, Harry's face lit up and Neville sagged in relief. The blond grinned at them both. "I came prepared," he stated. It was mostly aimed at Neville, who smiled and huffed with amusement as Harry cheered, oblivious.

"You sure did! Why didn't I think of bringing something like this? Here, let's use the floor and play Jackass." Catching sight of their faces as he moved to sit, Harry grinned. "Or Bullshit if you two are scared I'll make your hands red."

Dudley shook his head, opening the pack and moving to sit on the floor. He grinned a little though. Of course Harry went straight to the games he couldn't call by their 'proper names' around the adults. His cousin grinned wider, eyebrows waggling above his glasses. "Come on, you know you want to Dudley."

"Fine." He settled down on the floor. Neville followed suit, appearing only slightly dismayed at the choice, glancing back to check the closed door to their compartment. Then Dudley said the word. "Bullshit."

"All right," Harry crowed at Dudley's declaration. "Bullshit it is!"

A few games in, he was pleased to see they hadn't been completely trounced by Harry. Dudley ate another Chocolate Frog by thanks of the woman with the cart earlier and the pocket money he'd been given from Uncle James for this special day. If Harry saw him smiling, Dudley could pretend it was for chocolate reasons. This was a game where Harry's surprising sneakiness came into play. His cousin usually won more than half easily. Usually. Dudley grinned as the pile between them grew larger and saw green eyes darting from it to them, trying to determine if Neville had lied before he flourished out cards for his turn. "Two Jacks!"

He and Neville shared a look, then grinned across the pile at Harry. Harry faltered, blinking up at them with wide eyes. Then he puffed up and snorted. "What? Like I'd lie when I could be handed this giant?"

"Do you want to do the honors Neville," Dudley asked.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You can't freak me out. You're just trying to bluff me before you chance saying it. Again. Two Jacks. Besides, Neville has only one card left. Ooooh!" His cousin straightened up, green eyes growing brighter. "That's something I've done! Neville wouldn't think you'd do it."

"I wouldn't," Neville agreed softly. "But I have a Jack."

"So? There's four in a deck and thanks for announcing your next turn will be a lie," Harry finished gleefully.

Then Neville glanced over to Dudley, eyes bright. "And Dudley has two." The boy looked back over to see Harry's face go suddenly pale, looking incredulously at the other two card players. Dudley snickered. It wasn't often his cousin could be outsneaked and it was great to see his goal of doing so had finally paid off with this method today. He and Neville had been flashing fingers at each other in the guise of shuffling their cards and fidgeting with them throughout the game, showing each other how many of each card they had.

Harry looked back to the overlarge pile between them and back up to them. "That's cheating!"

"Isn't that the point to this game?" Dudley grinned as his cousin sputtered.

"Bullshit," Neville cried out loudly with delight. Harry scowled, flipping over the two he'd placed down so they could see the eight of hearts and six of diamonds. Dudley shared a high five with the boy and Neville burst into giggles. "We win."

Harry sat up taller. "Game's not over yet," he declared in a challenging voice.

"What kind of game allows you to say that?" A voice asked suddenly from the doorway. All three of them spun to see an awestruck red headed boy standing there. The same boy who'd had the misfortune of winding up with Trevor the toad landing on his head at the platform. Neville squeaked, going red. Dudley wasn't sure if it was due to coming face to face with this boy or the fact of being caught shouting such a word. Probably both.

"You want in?" Harry asked suddenly. "We can start a new game."

"I'm counting it as a loss for you then," Dudley declared. He tossed his handful of cards down, Neville quickly following before Harry could take his words back. Knowing it would rankle his cousin, he added, "That'd make it three lost out of five, a failing grade to your favorite game."

"It'd be my favorite game too if I get to say that," the red head said approvingly. Enthusiastic, he quickly made his way inside. "You don't mind if I join you here? Everywhere else is full. And there's this girl who tried to drag me into bothering everyone else with asking all sorts of questions. I managed to ditch her a couple of compartments back. She been here yet?"

Dudley shook his head. Shifting to make room for the new player, he spotted Harry pointing at the card pile and muttering to himself. He grinned to himself. No wonder his cousin didn't speak up like he usually did. He was trying to salvage the last game. Purposely ignoring Harry's efforts to figure out which cards he and Neville had thrown in, Dudley scooped up the pile and began reshuffling them to pass out for game number six. This, he thought, was an excellent distraction.

His cousin shouted in dismay, then seemed to realize there was someone new sitting beside him. "Oh, right. My name's Harry Potter. That's my cousin Dudley Dursley and his friend. Neville."

"Ron Weasley," the boy answered easily. "Your dad is James Potter, isn't he? My dad's mentioned him before. He works at the Ministry. Black works—"

The red headed boy spun to stare wide eyed at Neville on his other side suddenly. "Wait. Not Neville Longbottom?"

Neville shrank into himself, scooting away from Ron's attention. Dudley scowled. Fast, he shot back at the boy who caused it. "Wait. Not Ronniekins?"

Ron's ears turned a bright red. Harry cracked up into laughter. "That's right! I forgot! I think I might call you that. Sounds fun to say."

"Stupid Fred and George," Ron muttered angrily. His blue eyes went from Dudley and over to Neville. The boy deflated, shifting awkwardly on his bottom. "Oh, well. Sorry. Didn't mean anything by it. Just didn't expect it. What other words can we use in this game?"

Easy to forgive, Harry launched into an explanation of the game, calling the boy by his name rather than the one his older brothers called him by earlier. It took Dudley a little longer to stop eyeballing Ron. However, it appeared as though Ron meant it and didn't bring up the topic. He certainly looked over and seemed curious, but forgot all about it once the game began.

"B-bullshit," Neville mumbled several minutes into the game.

Harry proudly flipped the top card, proving it was as he said it was. Then pushed the small pile across.

Ron stared. "Blimey. That's the first you've said anything since we started, isn't it?" It was, in fact, the first time Neville had spoken up since Ron arrived. Not that Ron's words helped matters. "You can yell bullshit if you want. Like before when I came in."

The door slide open and they all went wide eyed. All four stayed silent, as though hoping the newcomer hadn't heard that. It was a girl. She had lots of bushy brown hair, rather large front teeth, and already wore her new Hogwarts robes. It was clearly the girl Ron had spoken of when he arrived. And Dudley recognized her.

"Oh, are you playing a card game? Is it magical, like Exploding Snap? It was really quite fascinating. You should have seen it with me," she said. Ron hunched down at that comment directed toward him.

"I do wish they didn't already have enough players so I could give it a try. Nobody in my family is 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 learned all our course books by heart of course. I just hope it will be—" Her bossy voice cut off as her eyes finally moved from Neville to Dudley to Harry.

"You're Harry Potter." Her brown eyes flickered back over to him. "And Dudley."

It was clear his cousin was taken by surprise. Dudley wasn't surprised. Not by how it was Harry she recognized first or that Harry didn't remember her.

"It's Hermione," he offered Harry. Green eyes found blue, still lost. "She was in Remus's classroom a couple years ago. The girl who liked books. Her parents are dentists. She came to school early once."

Harry's face cleared. "Oh right! You were the only early one I asked who didn't join us out on the playground after we got there with Remus!"

The blond huffed in amusement. "That would be what you remember about her."

She didn't look nearly as amused. "I never heard you ask. I would have joined if you'd waited for me to finish the last pages of my favorite book," she retorted crossly. "Like Dudley."

Blue and green eyes met again, but neither boy spoke up about her shining example of the pair. Dudley wasn't about to tell her the real reason he'd stayed behind in the classroom rather than take advantage of going out onto the playground early. And his cousin, despite what people said of him, wasn't completely thoughtless before speaking. There was exactly one reason to the few times Dudley would stay inside, insisting that Harry go ahead. Harry wasn't going to say anything in front of Ron or Hermione. Neville knew. Even if the other boy didn't know all the things that happened because of it.

"I'm Hermione Granger by the way." Her attention had traveled back to Neville. "Who are you?"

Predictably, the round faced boy ducked his head away from the attention. Dudley eyed the bushy haired girl carefully. From what he remembered of her, and saw now, Hermione was inquisitive and verbose about what interested her. Even if he was quoting Remus in his description, it still fit. With the magical world new to her, Dudley would introduce Neville. Except he hesitated. The possibility of her amped up interest leading her to books that mentioned Neville was pretty high. Ron's eyes switched between the rest uncertainly, then scowled up at Hermione.

It was Harry who broke the silence. "Neville Longbottom. You want to be another player for a round of Bullshit?"

The invitation had the desired effect for all the boys there. Hermione puffed up, eyes blazing with disapproval. "No, that's a terrible game! We're on a school train. That sort of language is sure to be against the rules. Are you really Neville Longbottom? I know all about you of course. I got a few extra books for background reading and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the 20th Century."

Bewildered, Dudley stared. She was still here? Then, miraculously, just as quickly, she moved away from one touchy subject. And, unfortunately, into another one.

"Do any of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around and I hope I'll be in Gryffindor. It sounds the best by far. I heard Dumbledore himself was in it. But I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad. You better change you know. I expect we'll be there soon."

Her nose wrinkled at the card pile, sniffing before leaving.

"There went that." Harry flopped back onto the floor. "Bossy voiced kids are supposed to get all uppity about rules and leave you alone when you say stuff like that. But no," he drew out aggravated. "She goes on to bring up the very thing I was trying to distract you from."

"Like I'm going to forget," Dudley responded dryly. He snorted. "You didn't even realize it would be an issue until we got on the station. While I planned mine."

His cousin shifted up, clearly baffled by the last sentence. Dudley tapped the card pile currently in the middle of the floor and Neville hide his reaction behind his cards. Something clicked on Harry's face and his cousin shrugged it off.

Dudley eyeballed the door. "Next time that door slides open, I'm just going to say I'm you," he grumbled.

"I'll do it," Harry volunteered brightly. His green eyes were alight in mischief when Dudley looked back. "Sounds like fun!"

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," Ron muttered to himself. Dudley, Harry, and Neville all turned to look at him. Ron's face was decidedly glum. It almost set Dudley at ease. Seeing that he or Neville weren't the only ones worrying over it. "My whole family has been Gryffindor. I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

"You too," Harry groused. He started pawing around the floor, clearly looking for something. "Where did Trevor go? If fun isn't working, maybe a good scare will. Well, Ron's anyway."

"Harry."

"What? Fine. I think it'd be fun to watch. Trevor's harmless anyway."

"Who's Trevor?" Ron's voice came out high pitched, scooting away from Harry with wide eyes.

"Neville's toad," Harry answered distractedly as he checked through the discarded Chocolate Frog boxes. Still on all fours, his cousin glanced across the floor and then grinned. "But I thought that ages ago when you freaked out Neville."

It was then Dudley spotted Trevor sitting comfortably in Ron's jacket pocket and realized what Harry had done. At some point, his cousin had put the toad there. Probably for much of the same reason Harry would move or plant things anywhere. Like in the physical education teacher's office after she made snide comments over Dudley's footwork in class.

"It was you?" The red headed boy gapped over at Harry. "You're the one who had the toad earlier?"

"Yep!"

Searching now as well, Neville asked nervously, "Did you find him?"

"Er…" Harry's green eyes blinked and he glanced away. Sighing, Dudley nodded at Neville. But before he could speak up, the door slide open again. "I'm him," Harry declared loudly. "I'm Neville Longbottom!"

Dudley shook his head at his cousin's quickness to avoid properly answering Neville. Unless it was posed as some fun game, Harry pretty much never lied. He couldn't follow through for long enough to make the lie work. Harry's version of lying was wording his answer just so. When Neville asked earlier on when Dudley had his accidental magic, surprised and relieved he wasn't the only or oldest late bloomer, Harry had pipped in it was a couple weeks before the eleventh birthday. Not specifying that the eleventh birthday in question wasn't Dudley's own. But a yes or no question was more difficult for Harry to sneak out of.

"So it's you is it?" The pale, blond haired boy stared back with interest at Harry. His hair was so light it looked almost white under the lights. Two other boys stood just behind the him, both thick set like Dudley was built, if with a bit more plumpness to it. He felt a small rush of appreciation to his aunt like he always did when he saw other children who looked to be spoiled unhealthily. Except these two looked more like bodyguards standing on each side of the first.

Dudley shifted, getting up and refusing to wince at the pinching feeling to his left leg. "No. He's not. I'm Neville Longbottom. Who are you?"

The boy's eyebrows furrowed downwards, gazing back and forth between Dudley and his cousin. Harry waggled his fingers and snickered. Finally settling on Dudley, the boy jabbed a thumb back to the two behind him. "This is Crabbe and this is Goyle. And my name's Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Surprised, Dudley blinked. This boy was part of the Malfoy family? Ron coughed, trying to hide a snigger. Beside him, Harry had his head tilted at the Malfoy boy in consideration.

"Think my name's funny do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all about the Weasleys. They have red ha—"

"No," Ron snapped in rudely. "I'm Longbottom."

Draco Malfoy stared at the red head, incredulous. "You're a Weasley. Red hair. Freckles. And right down to having far too many children to afford." The boy's gaze traveled up Ron and his wardrobe. Ron's ears turned red. Then, the Malfoy looked to Dudley standing there, before traveling to the floor where Harry and Neville sat. "This is the very last compartment and I don't think we'll be leaving until I figure out which of you is him. Besides, we've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."

Goyle, the boy on the right, reached for the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron. Ron leapt forward. Dudley hurried to step forward, but it was Trevor who reached Goyle first. Hollering, the large boy did an odd jumping dance that sent Harry, then Ron, into hysterics. Neville's face was anything but laughter as he scrambled out of the way, watching Goyle with fright. The other two backed away from Goyle, wide eyed. Trevor the toad finally hopped off and the three boys left.

Ron plucked the toad off of his head, not upset at where Trevor landed for the second time that day. The red head chuckled. Footsteps sounded outside of the compartment again and a second later Dudley was face to face with a breathless Hermione. Her face twisted in confusion at the sight of his cousin rolling on the floor in laughter. She straightened.

"You better hurry up and put your robes on. I've just been up front to ask the conductor and he says we're nearly there." Hermione paused slightly. "You haven't been fighting have you? You'll be in trouble before we get there."

Dudley glanced over to his cousin on the floor. Somehow, he wouldn't be surprised.

"It was Trevor who was fighting," Ron argued against the accusation. "I would've said I'd lose a toad as fast as I could if I had one, but this one is definitely a winner."

Blue eyes watched Neville's face brighten at the compliment, taking his toad back from Ron.

"Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right. I only came here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," she said in a snippy voice and left. Dudley wasn't sure if this was a mark for or against them in her eyes. While they hadn't been running around, he couldn't really say they hadn't been acting childishly. They had spent nearly the entire ride playing a cardgame that was driven on the use of a swearword. It had turned out to be an excellent distraction from his worry. For the most part. He looked back to the window and saw how dark it'd gotten.

"Hermione did have a point in getting changed," he said. Harry saw where Dudley was looking and stood to see out the window as well. All four of the boys shuffled around and removed their outer jackets to put on the school robes. Dudley stared down at his chest where the crest sat with all the house mascots.

Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Brave and chivalrous. Ambitious and cunning. Hard work and loyalty. Knowledge and wit. Ron and his brothers could be right. Ravenclaw didn't sound so bad. And Aunt Lily wasn't wrong that they wouldn't always be in class. It was the rooming part that sent the most terror through him. At least with Harry, or Neville, Dudley knew what he'd be getting into. That and—

He had promised his aunt he would try not to worry. Dudley shook his head and looked away from the Hogwarts crest. Green eyes stared back at him, suspicious.

"Don't give me more to worry about trying to distract me."

His cousin's face tried to play at innocent, then turned amused. "That obvious, am I?"

"I dunno," Ron spoke up. "I wouldn't mind another dancing Goyle happening again."

The red headed boy proceeded to act it out, grinning at causing Dudley to laugh along with Harry and Neville. And Dudley found himself not minding Ron much after all. It was probably much better than whatever his cousin would have gotten in mind for a distraction. Shortly after, they all exited the compartment. Dudley carried the owl cage again and switched his focus to getting safely out through the crowd rather than the sorting that lay ahead.

He'd be fine, he told himself. Trying to muster up his aunt's reassuring words and comforting smile, Dudley made his way off of the train and into the cold night air. He had his own wand. Not some knock off of his cousin's wand. His own wand. Fixed a vase and flew a broom. He belonged here. Dudley's hand gripped tightly on the cage. The snowy white owl ruffled her feathers and he swore he saw her head nod. Resolve trickled into him. He'd be fine.

Author's Note: This Harry would take control of the wheel and drive it into swearing just for the fun of it. I'm with Dudley. I'm not surprised. However, are either of those two card games widely enough known for boys to be playing in Britain? Ah well. The 'What If' story continues! The house worries will soon be coming to an end for Dudley. I'm sure the boy will still worry. Especially during the time after his sorting when Harry gets his turn. Thank you to the follows and to the reviewers buford12 and Alicia Olivia Mirza.