A/N Once again I'm not sure exactly when they go to Diagon Alley in COS, but I figured I'd give it a couple weeks before September 1st (I know, I skipped Harry's birthday, sue me). This is AU anyway, so I get to take liberties :-) For those who reviewed, I answered some questions in the notes at the end.

Ok, on with the story.

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Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts

Minerva McGonagall was exhausted. She had spent her entire day escorting new muggleborn students to and from Diagon Alley and answering their questions. It was an important job, to be sure. But incredibly tiring nonetheless.

Reaching the door to the headmaster's office, she knocked quickly and waited. When she got no reply, she let herself into the office to find it empty.

"Strange…" She murmured to herself and she looked at the empty seat behind the headmaster's desk. Just as she was turning to leave, the fire flared green and Albus Dumbledore stepped gracefully into the office.

"Ah Minerva," he greeted serenely, "I apologize for my absence, I'm afraid our dear minister saw fit to keep me in chambers all day discussing several rather mundane matters. Please, take a seat." She did. "How are our new students looking this year?"

"Excited, as always, Albus," McGonagall replied. "And full of questions. Always full of questions."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, that would appear to be a common trait. Tell me, did-" Dumbledore stopped suddenly as his eyes were drawn to a letter sitting in one of the many different trays on his desk.

"What is it, Albus?" Asked McGonagall, concerned.

"It seems I have a missive from a friend at Gringotts," Dumbledore replied, opening the letter. He scanned it quickly before jumping to his feet and hurrying to the fireplace.

"I'm afraid we shall have to continue this discussion later, Minerva. An urgent matter has come to my attention." He threw the floo powder in the fireplace and shouted, "GRINGOTTS!"

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"Oh my god, it says here that the entire ceiling of the great hall is spelled to look like the sky. That's so cool!"

"Row, if you say one more thing about Hogwarts is "so cool," I'm going to throw that book out the window." Jack grumbled. "Besides, what you should be reading about is that flying broomsticks game. What was it, Kidditch?"

"Quidditch," Row replied, enunciating carefully. "And it's hardly my fault that Hogwarts is such a great place to go to school. You're just jealous because you're going to back to normal school."

Jack scowled. "Still don't see why, pretty stupid if you ask me."

"Because you don't have to work anymore, Jack," said Harry as he entered the living room. "So now we can think about the future. The only reason we dropped out in the first place was because we had to make a living. With the money in the vault, that's all been taken care of, so we can get back to being normal."

"Screw normal," snorted Jack. "Normal is for pansies."

"You have to admit, Harry," put in a smiling Row, "we are a decidedly abnormal family."

"How is this going to work, anyway?" Jack asked Harry suddenly. "I can't go to school looking like I'm 20 years old, but you can't take the illusion off either, at least not until I'm officially of age."

"I've already thought of that," replied Harry. "I've hired a tutor, for both of us, I might add. She's agreed to teach us 3 days a week until you turn 18. Then you can test for your High School equivalency. You'll also be of age, and I'll be able to remove the illusion."

Jack scratched his chin. "I don't know," he said slowly. "Some of the girls at the pier seem to like this look..." Harry gave him a warning look. "I know, I know, be careful. It just sucks that nobody I meet every actually sees me for who I am…" Jack trailed off.

Harry's face softened. "I know it's not easy, Jack," he said quietly. "But it's only a couple more years, which isn't so bad when you consider what we've got here."

Jack smiled. "I know, Harry, I'm just complaining for the hell of it. I was never very good in school."

"Well, you had a lot on your mind back then," Harry replied thoughtfully. "Now you're much more carefree, maybe it will come easier."

Jack laughed. "Well, you're right about the carefree bit. Even working like a slave on the dock's felt like heaven when I knew I was coming back to a real home."

"Yeah," said Harry softly. "I know what you mean."

"Oh you guys!" Shouted a sniffling Row as the grabbed them both in a group hug. "I'm gonna miss you!"

"There, there," soothed Jack. "We've got that owl, we'll write every day. And you know you're going to love Hogwarts and everything about it."

"Everything will be alright, Row," said Harry softly. "Everything will be alright, I promise."

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Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts, the next morning

"Enter, Severus."

Severus Snape entered the headmaster's office to find Professors McGonagall and Flitwick already seated and waiting.

Snape quirked an eyebrow. "I was not aware of a staff meeting," he drawled.

"Indeed, this is not a regular staff meeting," said Dumbledore, twinkling madly. "I have just received some information about our wayward Mr. Potter that I would like to share."

"What news, Albus?" Asked an astonished McGonagall.

"Last night I received a missive from a friend of mine at Gringotts. He told me that the Potter vault was accessed yesterday, and a tidy sum of both wizarding and muggle money was withdrawn."

"The goblins actually told you?" Asked Snape incredulously. "I was under the impression that they refused to provide any information like this to other wizards."

Dumbledore's twinkle went into overdrive. "At my age, I have acquired friends in many places, Severus."

"Of course, headmaster," Snape conceded. "Were you able to acquire any more information? If there was anyone with him, perhaps? Or how he obtained a key?"

"Unfortunately, even my information is quite limited when it involves the goblins," Dumbledore replied. "However, the fact that he is aware of the wizarding world raises many new questions regarding his disappearance. It is possible that he has been right under our noses all along."

"With a wizarding family?" Squeaked Flitwick. "How is this possible?"

"The same way it would be possible for him to walk into Gringotts unnoticed," replied Dumbledore evenly. "In disguise."

"To think," McGonagall was shaking her head, "I could have walked right past him yesterday and never known it."

"Indeed Minerva, but don't let it trouble you," soothed Dumbledore. "If I had been able to leave the minister's company earlier, I may have received the missive in time to find Mr. Potter myself."

"This is all well and good," interjected Snape with a sneer, "But what exactly are you proposing, Headmaster?"

"If Mr. Potter was in Diagon Alley yesterday shopping for supplies, it would stand to reason that he was doing so either for or with a Hogwarts student," Dumbledore explained carefully. "It is therefore likely that he will also make an appearance at Platform 9 ¾ at some point on September first. What I propose is this: we will spell the barrier at Platform 9 ¾ to dispel any and all magical means of disguise for all who walk through it. I would also like Professor Flitwick," he nodded at the small man, "to come up with a way to remove any muggle means of disguise, as well. A modified scourgify will do nicely to remove make-up or hair dye, I believe."

"But Albus," interrupted McGonagall, "won't this cause problems for everyone else walking through the barrier? And even if we do succeed in unmasking Mr. Potter, how will we know what he looks like?"

"It may be an inconvenience to some," replied Dumbledore evenly. "But it will not be harmful, and we can always say it was simply a student prank," he winked conspiratorially before turning serious. "Of course we cannot know for certain what Mr. Potter will look like, but we can reasonably state that he will have his father's black hair and his mother's eyes. Apart from that, I'm afraid we shall have to look for scar; there is no other way." Dumbledore looked at each other them in turn. "I cannot impress upon you enough the importance of finding Mr. Potter should he appear. That is why I would like the three of you, as well as myself, to be watching the barrier in shifts throughout the day. It is imperative that he be returned safely to our world."

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King's Cross Station, September 1st

"Jesus, Row, what did you put in this thing?" Complained Jack as he carried her trunk toward the platform.

"Uh, Row?" Harry asked cautiously, "you did remember that you could have put all the heavy stuff in the second compartment right? That way the trunk wouldn't be any heavier."

"Of course I did," Row replied sweetly. "I also knew that Jack would be the one carrying the trunk, so I decided to repay him for his little stunt yesterday."

Jack groaned. "I should have known you'd do something like that."

Row smirked. "Well, next time you feel the need to put a stink bomb in my library perhaps you'll remember that." Harry just shook his head and smiled at their antics.

The two weeks since Diagon Alley had been stupendously boring for the young trio. Harry and Row had spent nearly all their time reading their new books and discussing the similarities between Harry's magic and Hogwarts magic. They had found that many of the spells that Harry could do actually had official names, and were listed in The Standard Book of Spells. Of course, all this reading had started getting to Jack, who made it his mission to prank his siblings as often as possible, hence the stink bomb.

"Ok," Row said, stopping. "Here it is. Hermione said that you have to walk right into the barrier between platform's 9 and 10. It's a false wall, or something, and you end up on the platform for the Hogwarts Express."

"Ok," said Harry, studying the wall. "I'll go first and check it out. If it's safe, I'll come back and we'll all go in together."

"Harry," Row began, exasperated.

"Let him go," Jack laughed, before whispering, "I think he likes this 007 stuff."

"I heard that," said Harry called over his shoulder as he approached the barrier. "Back in a minute." With that, he walked through.

The instant Harry reached the other side, he knew something was wrong. He suddenly felt different, like he had lost something…

My illusion! He thought frantically. It's gone.

Quickly, he turned to walk back through the barrier when a strong hand grabbed his shoulder. Instinctively, Harry reached for the arm and twisted, eliciting a hiss of pain from behind him. Releasing the arm, Harry turned to face his attacker.

"Well, well, well," hissed Severus Snape. "Famous Harry Potter, all alone?" He sneered as he drew his wand. "Assaulting a professor already Potter?"

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Who are you? And what the hell are you talking about, 'assaulting a professor?' You attacked me!"

"Such arrogance for a boy so young," hissed Snape. "You're coming with me, Potter. Now come along like a good boy or I'll have to make you." He grinned evilly.

Harry immediately crouched in a defensive stance. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell is going on."

"Very well, Potter." Snape snapped his wand at Harry. "Incar-"

Reacting immediately, Harry quickly closed the distance between them and grabbed Snape by his wand hand. Before Snape could react, Harry spun his body and twisted, causing Snape to drop his wand and grab his nearly broken arm. Turning swiftly, Harry threw a banishing charm at Snape's chest, sending him flying across the station into a wall. Without another glance, Harry teleported himself back outside the barrier to Jack and Row.

"What the hell, Harry?" Questioned Jack when he reappeared.

"Quiet!" Snapped Harry. With a wave he made himself invisible and drew Jack and Row to a nearby bench.

"Ok, here's the deal. When I went through the barrier, it cancelled my illusion somehow and that same professor was waiting for me. He knew my name and tried to get me to come with him. When I refused, he tried to subdue me with magic. I knocked him out and teleported back here."

Both Jack and Row sat there, stunned.

"He attacked you?" Row asked in a small voice.

"Yeah, I don't know why though." Harry said, frustrated. "Hell, I don't even know how he knew my name. How did he know I was coming? What the hell is going on?"

"Harry, calm down," Jack whispered frantically. "People can still hear you!"

"Sorry," replied an abashed Harry.

"Don't worry about it mate, nobody could have expected this. Listen; if the barrier cancels your illusions, I think the best thing is to part ways here. Row doesn't have an illusion to worry about, and they have no idea that you were with her. I hate to say it, but we should get you out of here as soon as possible."

"But what if they're looking for all of us?" Interjected Row.

Harry shook his invisible head. "He called me Harry Potter, not Harry Thomas."

"That's weird," put in Jack. "You haven't used that name for a long time. You think that means it's still safe for Row to go through?"

Harry sighed heavily. "I don't know, I just don't know. I can't go back in there, and you can't go in there either. But at the same time, I really don't want to send Row in by herself. This is a really bad situation, and we need to make a decision quick."

"What if you teleported back in there? Would your illusion get cancelled again?" Row asked.

"I don't want to risk it," Harry responded. "I took him by surprise last time, and he was alone."

"So we either cut and run, in which case they almost certainly send somebody to find out why Row didn't show up, or Row goes in there by herself." Jack reasoned. "I say we roll the dice and let her go."

"I really don't like this." Replied Harry slowly. "This is the second time I've been attacked by a wizard for no reason." He sighed heavily. "Still, it would appear that it's only me that he was after, so if you still want to go, it should be ok."

"Are you sure?" Row Questioned. "Somebody just attacked you!"

"Yeah, but Jack's right. Nobody knows you were involved, and I should get out of here before they start looking."

"The first time they came after you for doing magic, right?" Asked Jack.

"Yeah," sighed Harry. "I always do seem to attract trouble."

"Don't worry, Harry," sniffed Row. "I'll find out why they were after you, and I'll send you an owl tonight with whatever I can learn." She felt Harry draw her into a hug, which she tearfully returned.

"Take care of yourself, sis," Jack said quietly as he joined the hug. "If you need anything, you let us know."

"I will." Row picked up her trunk and, with a last look, walked through the barrier.

"I really hope we're not making a mistake, Jack."

Jack sighed. "We're not Harry. As much as you want to protect her, you can't protect her from everything. That's life; sometimes, you just gotta take a chance." He shrugged. "This will be good for all of us, you'll see. A couple of years from now you'll look back on this and laugh at yourself for being so worried."

Harry didn't reply as they made their way quickly back out of the train station. For some reason, he felt like he'd just jumped into the deep end of a swimming pool without knowing how to swim. He hoped that Jack was right, but couldn't stop a sneaking suspicion that in a couple of years, laughter would be the last thing on his mind.

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Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts

Dumbledore sighed heavily as he ushered professors McGonagall and Flitwick into his office.

"Did you find him, Albus?" Inquired McGonagall. "Did he come as predicted?"

"He did, indeed, Minerva," Dumbledore replied. "Unfortunately, we seem to have underestimated young Mr. Potter, and were unable to hold on to him."

"My word!" Exclaimed Flitwick. "What happened?"

"It was Severus who spotted him," Dumbledore began as he took his seat. "He came through the barrier alone and, according to Severus, 'strutting like he owned the place.' Apparently he gets the majority of his features from his father." Dumbledore twinkled slightly at this. "Unfortunately, it would appear that he felt antagonized by Severus's presence," McGonagall snorted, "and they had a small altercation. I do not yet have all the details, but it would appear that Mr. Potter did sufficient damage to warrant a stay in the hospital for our potions master."

"How, Albus?" Asked an astonished McGonagall.

"I'm afraid I do not know, Minerva," Dumbledore replied absently. "Severus was less than forthcoming with details, as you can imagine."

"Can we locate him through other means now that he has been seen?" Asked Flitwick.

Dumbledore shook his head. "I'm afraid not. It appears that as far as our spells go, his location has not changed."

"That damn cupboard," murmured McGonagall.

Dumbledore's face fell sadly. "Indeed."

"What is to be done now?"

Dumbledore leaned back and steepled his fingers in thought. "I'm afraid there isn't much we can do. The students will be arriving on the express shortly, and we have a term to start. We can only hope that eventually Mr. Potter will reappear to us."

The two professors nodded and made their way out of the office, preparing to greet the students for the start of a new term.

A/N Ok, I know I said we'd see how Row likes Hogwarts in this chapter but I decided to split this chapter into two because it was a good place to break. The next chapter will be up soon.

Answers to some review questions (btw, is this the best place to respond to reviews?)

1. Yes, Harry will definitely go to Hogwarts (it's not that AU)

2. This is Hermione's second year, not her first. The troll incident already happened the year before (if you look at the beginning of chapter 3, you can see McGonagall and Dumbledore talking about it). Row is a year younger than Harry and that's why she's getting a letter now (this is the Chamber of Secrets year). Also, I should note that Jack is actually 3 years older than Harry, so it's not that long until he turns 18.

3. Harry can't be found by owls and such because his magical location is still the cupboard under the stairs.

4. About Harry's vault situation: Basically, I gave Harry access to the same vault he has access to in canon, which I believe is a trust vault that he was supposed to already have access to. The way I see it, everything about Harry's affairs got really screwed up when Dumbledore sent him to live with the Dursleys, and you'll have to wait a while until everything gets sorted out (I do have a plan though).

5. Jarno mentioned that it would be easier if Harry went to Hogwarts this year. I agree it would be easier, but I don't think it's realistic. He never got a letter and doesn't even know if he was accepted, or if he is even technically a wizard. He could ask somebody from Hogwarts, but he doesn't trust adults, especially wizards. (Remember, he only met 2, and they attacked him). Harry will come out of this shell eventually, but it will not happen overnight.

Special Note:

This is my first real fanfic, so if there's something you think I missed or messed up, it's very possible that you're right. Shreve brought up an excellent point about the ministry being able to track down Harry after he escaped from Arthur Weasley. Although I mentioned that he changed the illusions on himself and Row and that they took a break from performing, I still pretty much glossed over the ministry looking for them. I hope to get better about things like this as I go along. Also, I never was much of a grammar guy, so if I don't capitalize something I should and it drives you nuts, I apologize. Thanks for reading!

-the Jack