Mrs Weasley was watching her worried sons with no small amount of amusement. Her two, normally carefree boys, had been reduced to monosyllabic sentences by a girl they'd only known for three hours. She wondered that if they hadn't found out she lived in an orphanage, then perhaps they wouldn't have worried so much. The only thing they knew about them was from stories she'd read to them as children, where orphanages were horrible places, that people needed to be rescued from. But that had been a long time ago and so they hadn't been sure if it was just fairy tales. So they'd asked their father about them. Perhaps letting them read Oliver Twist had been a bad idea, but her husband had been so keen to help when they'd come to him for muggle related knowledge. After reading it the pair were reduced to worriedly glancing at the calendar and humming odd tunes under their breath. The station clock clicked to 10:30 and, as if summoned by their pacing, Hermione appeared.

She was tired and frazzled. Walking across London does that to the best of adults and here was she at 11 years old trying to do the same, without getting stepped on. She pushed her way through the throng of people until she found Platform 9 and 10. She adjusted her satchel, which contained all of her possessions and soldiered on. There was Mrs Weasley, standing by several trolleys, as she watched her various children. Ron and Ginny were sticking close to their mum, Hermione noted with some disgust that Ron had dirt on his nose. Percy was swelling with his own self-importance and, standing by her trunk, was Fred and George, each with an almighty scowl on his face. Mrs Weasley spotted her and waved her over.

"Hello, Hermione." She smiled back at the witch and nodded, although she wasn't quite sure what she was agreeing to.

Fred and George appeared at her shoulder, firing questions at her in rapid succession.

"Are you all right?"

"Did they starve you?"

"Did they try and sell you at the market?"

Hermione turned back to Mrs Weasley in question who rolled her eyes.

"Sorry about this, dear. My husband let them read Oliver Twist. It's a muggle book. Have you heard of it?" Hermione nodded in amusement to show that she had. "Ah well, you see I think they may have gotten the wrong impression about where you live." Fred and George's attention snapped back to their mother and they fixed her with identical glares.

"You mean to say you let us worry..."

"For the last week about Hermione..."

"Without thinking to tell us..."

"That we were being silly?"

Mrs Weasley grinned impishly, a look that took years off her slightly plump face. "Well, you didn't think you got your sense of mischief from your father. Did you?"

The twins stared at their mother as though they couldn't quite get their heads around what she was telling them.

"I do think, dear Fred that we've been pranked by our mother."

Fred nodded. "I agree."

Hermione took the opportunity to try and edge out from under their arms, which they'd flung across her shoulders. They tightened their hold and refused to let her go without even glancing at her. Hermione growled and lost her temper, stamping hard on their feet. She shot off to drop her stuff in her trunk before they could finish cursing.

Eventually they were on to the platform, each Weasley child and Hermione dragging a Hogwarts trunk behind them. The entrance to the platform had worried her slightly, but Hermione had followed Fred willingly through the wall, with George close on her heels. Steam billowed off the cherry-red train, and the busy platform teemed with students and parents. Fred and George said goodbye to their mother and sister, helping Ron and another first-year boy on to the train with their trunks. Hermione took the opportunity to wave to Mrs Weasley and high tail it to the other end of the platform. Honestly, she thought to herself, they're being ridiculous. I'm not theirs to smother.

Eventually she found an empty compartment, which she dragged her trunk into. With some difficulty, she shoved her truck into the luggage rack, after she fished out her uniform. Once changed she settled down in the corner and safe in the gentle rocking of the now moving train, she began to read through Hogwarts: A History. Although it was a small book, only about 600 pages, she had been amazed at the incredibly large amount of information contained within the small print. She was just learning about the four founders when the door to her compartment slid open.

"Excuse me?" She glanced up at the other first-year the twins had helped onto the train. He was taller than her and had longish dark hair which hid his forehead and most of his eyes. Like her he was dressed in school robes, leaning against the door in a sort of cool arrogance.

"Yes?" Hermione didn't even lower the book, just flicked a glare at him over the top.

"Are you Hermione?" She nodded and he stuck his head back into the corridor.

"OI!" She jumped and glared at him. He merely grinned at her and stuck his head back outside. "You two. I've found her." He shut the door and sat down opposite her. "Sorry about that. Your boyfriends have been going spare looking for you."

"I don't have a boyfriend." Hermione glared at him. "Who are you?"

"Apologies." He stuck out a hand which she shook somewhat reluctantly. "I'm Harry Black. And you are?"

"Very annoyed." Hermione gave him one last glare and raised her book again. She hadn't even begun to find her place when the door shot open again to reveal the twins. They sighed in relief when they saw her and dropped into the seats next to her.

"Where did you go?" Both glared at her accusingly.

"We were worried about you."

"You should be more worried about yourselves, she looks ready to choke you." Harry grinned at the death glares he received and raised his hands in surrender. "Shutting up."

Hermione turned back to the twins.

"I got on the train. Where else would I be?" Fred snatched the book out of her hands before she could hide behind it again and slipped it behind his back.

"As interesting as this book is..."

"And believe us we know..."

"It's not really a good substitute for conversation. So tell us, Harry Potter, why does your truck say Black?"

The boy went pale, losing some of the arrogance in his features.

"Because we're not fooled by that glamour charm mate." Fred continued mercilessly, "Our mum has a photo of James and Lily Potter on the mantlepiece."

Black grinned quietly. "Not a glamour charm. Do you know she's reading again?"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, George would you?"

George reached over and removed The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) and added it to the pile.

"So not a glamour charm?"

"It's a magical adoption." All three boys turned to Hermione in surprise. "What?" She snapped. "I'm an orphan. What is the first thing I'm likely to look up?"

"She's right." Harry murmured watching her in surprise.

"Explain," Fred demanded.

Hermione sighed and reached above her head pulling Family: Law and Bonds, out of her bag. She flicked through it and rotated her book so they could see.

"It's a potion which changes the child's DNA. It's only done in very rare circumstances, although I have no idea what yours would be." Harry grimaced slightly, scanning the page. "If only one parent wishes to adopt a child the potion will replace the characteristics of that parent. For example if Harry had inherited blond hair from his original father, it would be replaced with the hair colour of his new father."

"You are terrifyingly smart," George whispered in awe.

"Just well-read. So who was it?"

"Hmm?" Harry glanced up at her. "Oh. Sirius Black adopted me. In truth, I don't look much different now from what I did. I think. My dad and Sirius were almost identical anyway although my dad needed glasses. Sirius says I look more like a Black, whatever that means, but since both wizarding families were so closely related it didn't really matter. I've still got my mothers features though, like my eyes." He shrugged and she closed the book with a snap.

"So we were right..."

"You are Harry Potter?"

"Who?" Hermione slipped the book back into her trunk and pulled out her potions textbook.

"Is she being serious?" Harry sounded disbelieving.

"Yeah. Muggleborn." George teased.n

"Bless her poor ignorant heart."

Harry gazed at her less than impressed expression and smiled. "I think I'm in love."

Hermione, true to form, raised an eyebrow and turned the page in her book.

By the time the four of them reached Hogsmead Station, Hermione had had all of her books confiscated and gained three friends. The twins were hilarious, if irritating and Harry only added to the eclectic mix. Hermione and Harry made their way off the train after bidding goodbye to the twins and joined the rest of the first years making their way towards the massive groundskeeper.

"That's Hagrid," Harry muttered to her. "Sirius says he's all right, if a bit mental."

They were led to the boats, which they shared with Neville Longbottom, a quiet boy who kept a firm hand on the toad he kept in a box on his lap and Susan Bones, whose Aunt Harry apparently knew. After being dragged up the pathway to the main entrance the first years were handed over into the guidance of a Professor McGonagall, who Hermione approved of. She reminded her of her grandmother, a strict intelligent woman who had hidden her softer nature until you knew her well. The anti-chamber they were led into was unimpressive and once McGonagall had finished her speech about house pride Hermione turned back to Harry.

"Do you know what is going to happen?"

"We'll be sorted into Houses. Uncle Remi told me it's a very simple process although he wasn't too specific about the details." Harry adjusted his fringe and turned to her. "Can you see my scar?"

"Nope." Hermione fidgeted nervously. She wasn't scared as such, just worried. Worried she'd be the odd one out once again. Harry smiled slightly and laced his fingers through hers.

"Stop worrying. It'll be fine. Honestly if the twins can make it through this then we can too."

Hermione nodded and accepted that he was probably right.

The first years were led down the main aisle of the Great Hall. Fred smiled at his brother.

"Gryffindor for sure. The pair of them."

"I don't know. With a name like Black, Harry's got a lot of bad history behind him."

Percy hissed at them to shut up and they lapsed back into excited silence.

"What about Hermione?" George muttered.

"She's brave..." Fred mused

"Without a doubt. Clever too."

"Either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor for her then." Both twins glared at Percy for his interruption and smiled at the sorting hat's song. All too soon McGonagall was working her way down her list.

"Abbot, Hannah"

"HUFFLEPUFF"

"Black, Harry."

"GRYFFINDOR." The twins erupted into applause and cheered Harry as he sat down next to them.

"Do you think Hermione will be okay?" he asked, watching their reactions worriedly.

"That little Amazon?"

"She'll be fine."

The group of first-years continued to dwindle.

"Goyle, Gregory."

"SLYTHERIN."

"Granger, Hermione."

The girl stepped cautiously up to the hat and placed it on her head. It fell down to well over her eyes, but her posture never wavered and she sat up tall and proud. The hall was silent for the five seconds it took for the hat to make its decision.

"GRYFFINDOR."

Hermione hopped off the stool, handed the hat to McGonagall and walked quietly to the Gryffindor table. Fred and George pulled her down to sit next to them, wrapping their arms around her as they congratulated her. She made faces at Harry over their shoulders, but he just chuckled and refused to help.

The feast progressed as normal from then on. The food was served and all four ate, although Hermione only managed a little portion of the incredibly rich food. Dumbledore's announcements made the twins grumble and the school song was sung. The twins and Harry sang it slowly to a funeral dirge and were conducted by a grinning Dumbledore as they eventually finished. Hermione refused to sing and simply glared at them the whole time. Perfect Percy, as the twins had dubbed him, led the first years up to Gryffindor tower, although he was dogged by Fred and George who flicked pieces of parchment at him when he wasn't looking.

And would be looked back on as an important occasion in our group's history. Harry Potter had achieved his deception in hiding his true identity from Albus Dumbledore and gained the trust of three new friends. Throughout the year, the friends would grow closer and help each other through various trials. As for Hermione... Well, it should be said that the Sorting Hat considered Ravenclaw. When asked later why it didn't place her there he said that nothing was braver than loving when you have lost. He also added that Hermione had threatened to set him on fire if she was separated from her new friends.

Updated 2019