A/N: An update! Omg yesterday I just reread Death of Today by Epic Solemnity. It is so good. So amazing. Every time I read it I just get more depth out of that story. What got me was how there was true compassion between the two and how they helped each other realize true love.

Anyways, in this story we're getting closer to Hogwarts, and thus, the sorting. Personally, I would like Harry sorted into Hufflepuff... but I don't think that will fit him. And I am bad at writing Slytherin because I am either a Gryffindor or a Hufflepuff. I hope whatever it ends up being it makes for a good story.

~*~HPLV~*~

Three faces stared at him expectantly.

"Well?" Hermione asked impatiently.

"Well what?"

"How are you able to do that? You're not even in first year. And well, what you did to the blonde guy-"

"Malfoy." Ron added helpfully.

"What you did to Malfoy was pretty incredible."

Neville looked like he was about to pee in his pants.

Harry shrugged. "It's the most basic spell you learn in defence. The shield charm. And as for how I did it. I just practiced, I guess."

"Just practiced?"

"I'm not special or anything." Harry said. Not in terms of performing the shield charm anyways. "I can practice something for a long time. I'm very persistent."

They seemed to accept this, abet grudgingly.

Ron chuckled. "I'm glad you did what you did. Did you see how he was going to hit Hermione with some spell? And the Weasleys and Malfoys have had a feud going back a couple of generations. We're like a big Light family and there hasn't been a Malfoy generation without some major Dark Wizards."

"Hey, who are you guys? I never did ask what your names were."

"N-Neville Longbottom." Ron's eyes widened at that.

"You're my second cousin, once removed!" Ron said excitedly.

"I-I am?" Neville said uncertainly.

"Hermione Granger, but you already knew that." They nodded.

"Hadrian Potter." He said.

Neville and Ron's eyes widened.

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

"O-our families were very close." Surprisingly it was Neville that spoke.

"We thought you'd been killed." Ron said. "Boy is my mom going to be happy to hear this."

"They announced I was dead?"

"Well, not really. You just weren't really around, you know? My parents would try to get together with old friends, and see their children, and it's just-we could never find you."

Neville shook but he said. "Gran didn't really like social gatherings."

"Well, that's nice that you're alive and all Harry, but I'm more concerned with the sorting. I've read all about it in Hogwarts, a History, of course, but it doesn't say how we'll be sorted. I'm thinking about Ravenclaw. Well, I considered Gryffindor, but it seems to be a somewhat ostercrised house right now, with what the Treachery of Albus Dumbledore and whatnot."

"Albus Dumbledore was a great man!" Ron said angrily, getting to his feet.

Hermione didn't flinch. "That's not what it says in Hogwarts, A History. Albus Dumbledore stood against the Dark Lord in his conquest and shot the killing curse at The Dark Lord's back. Hadrian Evans, the dark lord's most trusted right hand man, put himself in front of the spell and allowed the Dark Lord to turn and defeat Dumbledore."

The events flashed in front of Hadrian's eyes like it was yesterday. He watched as their army fought bravely on the snowy grounds of Hogwarts. The Light fought hard, but there were just too many dark creatures. He would not be lookingofward to the clean up after this battle. And then he saw it. Tom had his back to Dumbledore, duelling twelve powerful order members at once. His red eyes were narrowed in concentration as he took two out with a well placed slicing hex that was modified to rebound from victim to victim. And the moment a green beam of light started to well in front of the white bearded man's wand, Hadrian didn't think. He just reacted. Mumbling the last words to complete the necromancy ritual, he cast a wandless and non-verbal propelling charm to launched him in front of the light. The last thing he saw was the surprised face of Albus Dumbledore, as he glowed green from being his with another green beam. A most anguished scream, it had to be from Tom, and then everything was green.

"It's not like that!" Ron said angrily. "Albus Dumbledore was a great man."

Neville was tugging on Ron's sleeve. "I-I don't think you should praise the Dark Lord's rival on the Hogwarts Express."

Hadrian looked on with wide eyes. He would pretend he knew nothing of the history. The better to be brainwashed by the Light and be a member on their side. He asked some question about the war, what it was about, and Ron was all to happy to embark on this new topic. Neville and Hermione listened as well. He could tell from Hermione's facial expressions if Ron was being accurate to the history books. It was an altogether pleasant time, as the tension slowly left the compartment.

They chattered on about random things.

"My entire family's been in Gryffindor." Ron said.

"Really?" Hermione scoffed. "You don't have to be what your family does, you know. Why does it matter so much? To everyone? I mean, you say that blood purity is not important, but isn't that what it's about? That certain things can only be kept in families? I'm so angry! Just- Ugh!"

"If you don't have a family it can be a good thing. You can be sorted into whatever house you want."

"Well I think Gryffindor is the best house. I'm not choosing it because of my family, I am choosing it because I believe that it has the best qualities."

"What about you Neville?"

The boy didn't answer for a while. "Hufflepuff, I suppose."

"I want to be in Hufflepuff." Harry said.

"You do?"

"Er, no offense mate. But that's usually thought to be the house of duffers."

"I think hard work is often underrated. It is a very worthy characteristic, you know."

"Well, I think that's very refreshing." Hermione said.

~*~HPLV~*~