AUTHORS NOTE: Up front honesty:

- Questioning Trans Harry.

- First time writing anything set in HP. I hope I don't mess up characterization to badly.

- Not read the books in quite a while beyond minor research for this. (Nor do I plan to ever really read them all the way through again any time soon for personal reasons, so I'd reccomend considering this a mix of Movie world and Book world that leans more towards the Movies)

- Originally written as a short one-shot meant to question the stairs to the girls dorm and how they work but that evolved into something else.

- If you are trans IRL, you are strong and amazing and all my love and well wishes goes out to you. Be safe.

"Ugh, bloody hell this is annoying." Ronald Weasley, a red-headed and freckled fourteen-year-old, groaned from his spot on the couch, a quill with ink prepared in his hand yet a mostly blank parchment sat before him as he made no move to right. "Who decided goblin rebellions were so important anyways-" In a rare show of self-awareness the boy quietened down as he realized the answer to his own question, having the decency to flush. "Oh yeah, the goblins."

"Mm." The boy's best friend hummed, giving no other response as they stared at their own homework with barely any more work done.

"'Who was the Minister For Magic during the Goblin Rebellion of 1752?'" Ron read out one of the questions before turning his gaze away and looking over to his friend. "Well Harry, who do you think it is mate?"

"No idea." 'Harry' winced ever so subtly, definitely not noticeable to someone easily distracted by Ron, or perhaps it was just brushed off by the ginger teen as a result of Quidditch practice or something. So long as he didn't realize it was at the name 'Harry', Potter was satisfied for the moment.

'Harry' James Potter, a raven haired teen with an unruly hair style that refused to be tamed, a distinctive lightning-bolt shaped scar on his forehead and green eyes that were currently dulled with boredom, hopefully not betraying the slight hurt they felt in them.

After all, a recent revelation had them wondering if that name was really right for them. Certainly were it to continue the trend of stinging more than a Bludger to the ribs they might have to do something about it…

'More worried about my name then about the Tri-Wizard tournament for once…' Potter thought, bemused. Perhaps Jamie would be a good substitute in the meantime until they figured this out?

It wasn't inaccurate, they could just claim it was a nickname based upon their middle name.

"Mate?"

"Oh, uh…. Sorry, come again?" 'Jamie' asked, titling their head towards their friend.

"I asked if you had any clue who the Ministers even were at that time." Ron repeated, raising a brow. "Are you okay? You keep staring off into space today. I thought Snape was gonna hex you when you didn't answer him earlier. He bloody well had the look in his eye for it."

"Just thinking." They brushed off, as they silently considered their deliberations. It was a nice name, Jamie, it even payed respect to their dad without forgetting him.

And it was a nice neutral ground while they figured out these confusing feelings they'd been assailed with. That they'd always been assailed with really but that they'd only just started to truly begin to understand.

"Well don't think too hard, mate. You might turn into a know-it-all and I'm happy with just the one Hermione." Ron joked, chuckling at his own humour while his friend gave a non-committal nod and an empty smile. A smile that dropped at memories that has no desire to be the ones that assuaged their mind.

"Boy! You better not have messed up my breakfast!" Their Uncle Vernon, an ugly and massive whale of a man, snarled. He-

They pulled up the book, determined to enjoy their first second year History Of Magic class and blanched at what they found, the section upon themselves, a headline screaming out at them. "BOY WHO LIVED: THE TRAGEDY OF HARRY POTTER."

He snapped the book closed and-

"The boy is nothing but a glory hound like his father." His potions professor, the greasy and mean Snape snapped at his head of house and transfiguration professor, the strict and aging Minerva Mcgonagall who looked less than amused at the disturbance she was met with.

Her response was sharp and immediate-

They shook their head, trying to focus on the present. Trying not to consider how while each of those moments stung in different ways, they also all stung the same way under the surface.

Jamie maybe wasn't the best name overall, they considered. As much as it could be seen as paying respects, it could also be seen as a bastardization to his dad's name to some people and he didn't want to risk that.

And in a way, it was non-committal, something to easily hide behind and not be attacked with. While they fully felt they'd earned the right to something as simple as a break to just try out a nickname they could pretend meant nothing, it wasn't good enough.

It had to be something more confident, something that declared itself and its purpose proudly. The name Potter was always going to be subjected to being attacked, they'd rather it would be for something that was based even slightly in truth at the least instead of the current lies about them cheating their way into a tournament they never wanted to be a part of.

Alright so maybe Jamie wouldn't do. Perhaps something honouring their mother might work better?

"Well, speaking of Hermione." Ron spoke up, grinning sheepishly. "We could use her notes again."

"She'll kill us if we don't at least try."

"Come on mate, please?" Ron begged and the scarred teen sighed, standing up. Their freckle faced friend smirked approvingly. "Thanks. I'll pay you back."

'You're closer to telling Voldemort to his face to bugger off than you are to paying back any debts.' They though, sighing internally as they headed for the stairs to the girl's common room.

"Uh, where's he going?" Lavender Brown asked curious and concerned. No one noticed the next nearly imperceptible flinch. And… Potter didn't even notice all the girls were now waiting with looks of amusement, pity or a mix of both for some reason as if they were waiting for something.

"To get Hermione for notes. She went up there when we got back to grab some books and hasn't come back down yet." Ron explained, before looking around the others confused. "Why?"

"Harry wait!" Ginny called out, rushing over to try to warn them only to freeze as did all the girls in confusion when they noticed what the third year did.

"Something wrong?" They asked, looking back and this time the very slight flinch though it was no more perceptible than the other ones was noticed as all eyes were on him.

"…There is supposed to be a privacy charm on the stairs." Katie Bell murmured, raising a brow curiously. Potter tilted their head confused. It was one of Ron's older brothers, George Weasley, who provided an explanation.

"Last time someone tried to get in it turned into a slide and knocked the dude on his arse. But if you don't know then…"

"…You didn't do anything to make it not stop you." Fred, George's twin, finished for him with a curious glance of his own. "So why didn't it?"

"Well the only charm is to stop boys from entering, so logically that would mean…" Parvati Patil stopped as she went eyed and all eyes whirled onto the raven haired teen on the stairs in shock. "…That the only way on there is for it to consider you a girl."

…

Potter ignored the tinging of their cheeks as they looked down at the solid step, trying to remain calm. They ignored any voice calling to them as they kept their head as level as they could and decided to focus on something else, as the need to get away rose up inside them.

The name…. yes, if they- If she wanted to do this, she had to commit.

And Lily really was a lovely name.

With that thought, Lily Jamie Potter turned and bolted up the stairs to safety with the only friend her recent revelation had not been suddenly revealed to.