Ron Weasley was on a muggle train with the large figure of Hagrid. He had to play a part, pretending not to know much. So he asked, "Where are we going, Hagrid?"

"We're going to buy your supplies in Diagon Alley," Hagrid replied. Seeing Ron's confused expression, Hagrid added, "You didn't get the letter?"

Ron, playing the role of an 11-year-old, responded, "No, my uncle and aunt didn't give me my letter."

"Worst sort of Muggle, as Professor McGonagall would say," Hagrid muttered. He stood to check his pocket and added before Ron could say anything, "Oh, I forgot to give you this. I never thought you hadn't read a letter. When you said you knew about your true identity, I assumed you knew about the letter too." Hagrid handed Ron a Hogwarts letter.

Ron knew what was inside. He had read it three times when he received it for the first time in his previous reality. Again, he pretended to read it, although there was no difference. Same old type of writing and same old books to buy. He tried to appear as amazed as possible in front of Hagrid.

"I don't have any money to buy all of this?" Ron asked.

"You have your money in Gringotts. Do you think your parents would leave you with nothing?" Hagrid whispered the word "Gringotts" very quietly.

After a long train ride, Ron Weasley was walking in London toward the Leaky Cauldron. He had never been to Muggle London before. When they stayed at Grimmauld Place, Ron had never ventured into Muggle London, nor did he have permission to do so. They always arrived using Floo Powder directly at the Leaky Cauldron. He had never seen so many cars in his life. When they had scouted for Harry in the Ministry car, he had noticed only a few cars and motorcycles. He was amazed by the sight. Due to Hagrid's large body and their shabby clothes, many people were also noticing them.

Ron was getting nervous with each step toward magical London. He had wanted to become famous, but he had never thought about what he would do if he did become famous. He always thought he wanted attention, and his source would be "the boy who lived." But he had never thought about what it would be like to be "the boy who lived." Here he was, walking with Hagrid instead of his own parents. 'Where will the others be? Is Harry still present in this reality or not? What about Hermione?' He silently asked himself with each step toward the Leaky Cauldron. He was famous now, but he didn't know what to do with it. 'First, I have to learn about what is in this reality, how are the people? Hagrid's accent is different from the original reality, and Hagrid seems more collected and calm than his previous self. Talkative Hagrid is quieter here. And what about the Marauders? Is my father and his group is part of the Marauders?'

"Hah! Here you go," Ron's train of thought was interrupted by Hagrid's exclamation. They were at the dark and shabby Leaky Cauldron. Some people were sitting and drinking in the corners, while others were talking quietly. Tom the barkeep approached them and asked Hagrid, "The usual, Hagrid?"

"I can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Ron's shoulder.

"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Ron. "Is this—can this be—?"

The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent. "Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Ron Weasley... what an honor."

He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Ron, and seized his hand, tears in his eyes. "Welcome back, Mr. Weasley, welcome back."

Ron didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him as if he were some new species of god, and it was unsettling. His mind was screaming at him to enjoy the attention, but he couldn't. Everyone was staring at his forehead. 'Oh my God, how could I forget about the hideous scar on my forehead?' He tried to block his scar with his hair so no one would notice it.

Hagrid was beaming. Then there was a great scraping of chairs, and the next moment, Ron found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron. He tried to forget everything and enjoy the attention they were giving him, but forgetting was becoming more and more frustrating.

Now he wanted to go back to his original reality, but he had agreed not to return when he came here. He didn't even know how he could return. Could he ask the Room again? Ron didn't know. Would it help him again or not?

Now that everyone seemed to have finished shaking hands and the attention had subsided, Ron remembered Harry saying he had met Professor Quirrell. But Ron didn't see him anywhere near him in the Leaky Cauldron.

Hagrid pulled Ron toward him and said, "We must go. Many supplies are waiting for us. Please give us some space."

They all retreated from Ron's personal space, but they were still watching him and his scar. He could still feel all the eyes on him. Hagrid opened the way to Diagon Alley and exclaimed, "Welcome to Diagon Alley, Ron."

Ron was amazed at the sight. This alley was so different from his original one. There were more people, more shops, and different decorations. 'Another difference,' he whispered. He has covered his scar with his hair so no one would notice him.

Hagrid said" There are Dark Lord followers still roaming here, Be with me, I can protect you"

'What? Dark Lord followers are still here? And Hagrid would help me? Sure, Hagrid has a great body, but would he defend with his umbrella?' Ron screamed in his mind. Ron was now looking around fearfully. He could still defend himself to some extent if someone attacked him, but his magic wasn't matured, he had no wand, and no training in this body. His body was small and malnourished, and if someone grabbed and threw him against the wall, he would die on the spot.

As he continued looking around, he saw Quality Quidditch Supply Store. He could see many people whispering as they looked at a new broom. 'It must be the Nimbus 2000,' he thought. He was looking everywhere, then his eyes widened at the familiar face.

"Harry Potter," he breathed.

Hagrid stopped walking and looked strangely at him. "How did you know the Potters?"

'What? Did I say that too loudly? Find excuses,' Ron thought frantically, "I overheard him introducing himself to someone when we entered Diagon Alley." He added mentally, 'It wasn't a great excuse, but I hope it was convincing.'

Old Hagrid might have been convinced by that lame excuse, but this Hagrid seemed unconvinced. Still, he didn't say anything about it. Instead, he said, "Yes, they are good folks. Not very rich like the Malfoys, but they have good hearts."

Ron turned and looked toward Harry. This Harry seemed a bit bigger and taller than the 11-year-old Harry Potter he remembered. 'He's not "the boy who lived" here, so he must have grown up with good care,' he concluded mentally. Harry was talking and laughing with four other people. Two of them looked somewhat like Harry, but they were of different ages. The other two faces seemed familiar to some extent, but he couldn't quite place where he had seen them before.

"Who are the others he's talking to?" Ron asked Hagrid.

"Who? Harry Potter?" Ron nodded, and Hagrid continued, "Two of them are his own brothers. One is Sirius Black's son, and the other is Bellatrix Black's son."

"What? Bellatrix Lestrange? She has a son?" Ron blurted out before he could stop himself. 'Shit, why can't I stop my mouth?' he cursed himself. Hagrid was looking at him even more strangely now. 'First, I have to find a way to learn about what's happening here.'

"How could you know about Bellatrix Lestrange? Not many people know that Bellatrix married Rodulphus Lestrange and they had children together."

'Think of another excuse, Ron. Just one more excuse.' He couldn't waste more time and make Hagrid even more suspicious of him. If Hagrid knew about him, he didn't know what he might blurt out when he was drunk in a pub. And what's more, he would report to Dumbledore. Dumbledore might help him, but he didn't think Dumbledore would send him back. Here he was the child of prophecy, and Dumbledore and the people needed him here. Why would Dumbledore send him back? After a moment, his brain finally found some solution, "I've seen some of the Dark Lord's memories in the form of nightmares. That's how I remember the name Bellatrix Lestrange. That's how I know how my mother and father were killed and my true identity, even though my aunt didn't say anything."

Again, Hagrid's large face looked more suspicious than before, but he answered anyway, "Bellatrix and Rodulphus had a child before Rodulphus Lestrange died at the hands of the Dark Lord. Then Bellatrix raised their son by taking her maiden name."

'Why would you know—no, I have to say "Vol... Vol... Voldemort" now on. I am the boy who lived; I can't be afraid of his name, can I? Why would Voldemort kill his most faithful follower?' He wondered. Before he could ask another question, they were in front of the Great Gringotts Hall.

"Here is your money, Ron. Gringotts. But stay away from goblins. They are greedy and ruthless."

Ron nodded at this. He remembered Bill's words about them. Bill always talked about goblin culture and their behavior in the background of reality.

"We want to visit Ron Weasley's vault to take some galleons out of there," Hagrid told the nearest free goblin.

"Does Ron Weasley have his vault key?"

"Ah, he doesn't, but I do." Hagrid took out a key from his pocket and handed it to the goblin.

The goblin examined the key and nodded. He barked to another goblin behind him, "Griphook, take these wizards to the Weasley vault."

The goblin named Griphook took a vault key from a teller's hand and said, "Follow me, wizards."

Ron felt that something was amiss here, although he couldn't quite put his finger on it. But he followed Hagrid and Griphook. Griphook led them to a narrow passageway. There was already a cart ready for them, so they climbed onto it. Hagrid seemed redundant on the cart, but he also climbed aboard, and they were off, descending downward.

After exiting Gringotts, Ron felt more miserable. He missed all of his friends now. He had no family in this world, just money and fame. He wanted to enjoy all the money, buy new Quidditch supplies, and food. But he couldn't do that; his heart felt guilty about the whole thing. However, he collected himself and followed Hagrid from behind. After leaving Gringotts, he remembered something new from his old reality. 'Harry said Hagrid took the Philosopher's Stone when they visited Gringotts.' Why didn't he do that here? He wanted to ask that question badly, but Hagrid seemed more intelligent in this world. So, he just continued following him. After a while, Hagrid said, "Let's get inside. First, you need to buy your uniform."

They entered Madam Malkin's. Hagrid looked around uncomfortably and said, "I just need some fresh air after that Gringotts cart ride. You can choose your robes here. I'll wait outside, okay?"

Ron nodded, and he began shopping. After a while, he noticed Draco Malfoy was also in the shop. He wanted to hate him, but his mind said this was not the same Draco. He didn't know if they were the same. So he kept his mouth shut and approached.

"Hello, heading to Hogwarts too?" Draco Malfoy asked him.

"Yes," Ron replied, controlling his dislike as much as possible.

"My father's next door buying my books, and my mother's up the street looking at wands," said Malfoy. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't know why first-years can't buy a decent broom."

"Huh?" Ron replied, confused. He had expected Malfoy to say these words with arrogance, but he said them normally. Ron had never in his wildest dreams thought Malfoy would talk normally.

"Yes, I think if we can play Quidditch, they should give us the opportunity too," Malfoy added, another sentence Ron didn't expect. Ron was not believing his own eyes. This Malfoy was completely different from his counterpart.

"Yes, that would be great," Ron said.

"Where are your parents? Did you come to Diagon Alley alone?" Malfoy asked.

"Um... they were killed when I was young. I came with Hagrid," Ron replied.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up. You came with the groundskeeper? Where are the Hogwarts professors?"

Ron didn't have an answer for that. He didn't say anything for a while. Malfoy seemed to sense his discomfort and added, "By the way, I am Draco Malfoy. And you?" Malfoy asked him.

Malfoy seemed to be sincere in his apology and his conversation style was unsettlingly normal. Ron knew he would have to get used to it. "Should I give him my name?" he wondered. But then Madam Malkin came and interrupted their conversation. "That's you done, my dear," she said.

Malfoy took the robes and muttered a small thanks. He looked toward Ron and said, "Hope we'll meet at Hogwarts." Without waiting for a reply, he hurried out of the shop.

After a while, Ron finished his shopping and went to find Hagrid. Hagrid had purchased the rest of his supplies. "I've bought everything you need. Now, all that's left is your wand and pet" said Hagrid.

Ron was finally excited. A new wand and a new pet. Everything was new here. Both Hagrid and Ron went toward a narrow and shabby shop. Peeling gold letters over the door read "Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C." Hagrid slowly opened the door, revealing boxes of wands piled high inside. However, their design was very different from the original reality.

"Ah, yes, I thought I'd meet you soon, Ronald Weasley. You resemble Molly quite a bit. Ah..Molly has Hornbeam with unicorn hair works well for those who have a strong sense of protecting others," Olivander began.

Olivander seemed like he was going to continue, but Hagrid interrupted, "Just give him a wand sir, we don't have much time." He was clutching his umbrella tightly and looking around nervously.

Ron's head whipped around to see Hagrid again. This world was surprising him again and again. Hagrid was interrupting Olivander's words. He had never dreamed of that.

"Ah, yes, yes, a force of habit. Let's see which wand chooses Mr. Weasley. Which is your dominant hand, Mr. Weasley?"

"Right, sir," Ron replied.

Olivander began measuring his right hand. After some time, he finished and nodded. He went to the shelves and retrieved five wand boxes.

"Every Ollivander wand has a unique nature, Mr. Weasley. You won't get the best results with another person's wand. I use various cores, but I've made the best wand I could." Olivander said as he placed all the boxes on the table.

Ron tried all five wands, but none of them seemed to work for him. They experimented with another stack of ten more wands, but none of them reacted to him. After a while, Olivander took two boxes and said, "I think if none of these chooses you, we'll have to make a custom wand for you. It will take more time. Hopefully, one of these two will select you."

Ron was getting nervous now. Why didn't any of the wands seem to work for him so far? He wanted to ask about the Phoenix feather and holly wand, 11 inches, the twin wand to Voldemort like Harry, but he didn't want anyone else to eye him. Olivander is more intelligent than Hagrid, and he didn't want to make the same mistake again.

"Ah, here you go, 11 inches, Holly and Phoenix feather, nice and supple," Olivander said.

Ron felt a wave of relief wash over him as he grabbed the wand, hoping that at least this one would choose him. He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. But he didn't feel anything; it didn't even feel like a wand. He opened his eyes and saw the wand wasn't reacting to him at all. He wondered, 'How could the wand choose Harry and not me? I'm the "Boy Who Lived" here, aren't I?'

"I think this one is not for you. Let's try the last one, Maple and an unknown core. I found this wand in a cave long ago while searching for dragon heartstrings. Maple wands are suitable for travelers," Olivander explained.

Ron grabbed the wand, and his mind exploded with sensations. He felt the magic reacting with the core. Suddenly, all the fireworks stopped in his mind, and everything felt just like it should. The wand was glowing slightly.

"Yes, yes! I think you've found the right match, Mr. Weasley. I don't know about the wand's core, but I know it's more powerful than most other wands we make here," Olivander said.

Ron was still amazed by the wand and looked at it with pride. He took some galleons from his money pouch and tried to give them to Olivander. But the old man refused, saying, "I don't take payment for a wand that wasn't made by me, Mr. Weasley. I hope this wand serves you well."

Hagrid grabbed Ron and hurriedly led him out of the shop. "We don't have much time. Let's go get your pet, okay?"

Again, Ron just nodded. He didn't know what to say; he simply followed Hagrid. At the pet shop, Ron tried to find Hedwig, but he couldn't find her. 'I think she's not in this universe, or maybe Harry already bought her.' After about ten minutes of choosing, he purchased a screech owl. It looked a bit like Pigwidgeon. 'I left all my brothers back home,' he thought. 'I have no siblings here, just the only child of Molly and Arthur Weasley.

After buying all the supplies, Hagrid said, "Now, buying supplies is finished, and you're going to your uncle's house. I have some work to do for Dumbledore. We don't have much time, and I think many of the Dark Lord's followers know that you've been sighted in Diagon Alley."

Ron had many questions to ask, but seeing Hagrid's urgency, he just said, "Okay."

Ron Weasley found himself silently sobbing. He never thought Harry did have endure this. He lay in a small room, He was not at Privet Drive like Harry. Instead, he resided with his uncle and Aunt in Hertford (A/N: I don't know any place in England, so I picked a location from Google Maps). Ron struggled to grasp anything about Muggle culture and technology. He tried to learn but couldn't understand a thing. It was too hard to remember what to do.

Ron had met his Uncle George and Aunt Grace only when his mother took him to her sister's house back home. They were magical there and unpleasant, though not cruel. They never spoke kindly of Molly, but Ron didn't think they directly hated her. But here, they were the worst sort of people. His uncle worked somewhere as a manager, and he didn't know the company's name. Even if he had known, he'd forgotten the Muggle name.

His aunt was a housewife, shrill in nature, who wanted him to do everything. Ever since Hagrid cursed his uncle, they feared him and wanted nothing to do with him. Sometimes, they didn't even provide him a single meal for the entire day. He wanted to hex them, but he couldn't risk getting expelled from Hogwarts before he even entered. It was his only escape.

Ron was overwhelmed by guilt. Guilt for not understanding Harry, guilt for leaving his own home so easily, guilt for everything he'd done. Now he understood why his parents seemed to favor Harry over him. Harry deserved all the happiness he could get. Harry deserved a good family like the Weasleys. Ron sobbed silently, clutching his pillow. He didn't know the date. He only knew that September 1st was his escape date, but he didn't know what day it was.

He attempted to read books, but it was fruitless. There was nothing about Voldemort. No one mentioned anything about him. There was a mention of a dark lord coming to his house at the Burrow and killing both his parents. The dark lord vanished, and he became the boy who lived. Every chapter mentioned the dark lord, not 'You Know Who' or 'He Who Must Not Be Named.' Everyone called him the dark lord. The name Voldemort was nowhere to be found.

There was no information about who the dark lord was or his intentions. It seemed irrelevant. Ron didn't have any more books than his textbooks. He had "Hogwarts: A History," but he hadn't touched it. He also had "History of Magic for Introducing Muggleborn Children." It seemed that the Ministry didn't provide more information to Muggleborn children when they entered Hogwarts. He wanted to use an owl to buy supplies, but he knew that if the Petersons saw his owl delivering something, they would kill it.

Slowly, he stood on his feet and wiped his eyes with his baggy sleeves. He had bought one or two new clothes, but he couldn't wear them here. The Petersons would tear them apart if they saw him with new clothes. He had safely placed them in his trunk since he brought them. He carefully opened the door, not wanting to disturb anyone. His uncle hadn't physically touched him since the Hagrid incident, but he still feared the man. His mind always screamed at him to stay away when his uncle was in a rage.

He was so hungry that he went directly to the kitchen. He scanned around to find some leftover pizza on the table. He grabbed it and started to eat. He looked around fearfully, then saw his uncle's watch by the sink. His uncle seemed to have forgotten it there. He stood up and picked up the watch. It was 3:00 AM in the morning. Luck seemed to be on his side today. There was a small date display on the watch's face. He squinted to see the date and realized it was September 1st.

"Yes, yes, yes!" he mentally cheered himself. His hunger was sated, and excitement was building within him. He began to jump up and down without making a sound. He was finally leaving this place, and he hoped he could meet Harry again. He hoped Harry and Hermione would be friends with him just like before. But he also knew that Harry had become his friend before because he had no friends in the wizarding world. Ron wouldn't have wanted a friend like his previous self. 'I'm going to make a new start,' Ron thought.

In the morning, Ron went straight to the kitchen with his trunk in tow. All three Petersons looked at him murderously. Their normal meal had been interrupted.

"What do you want, boy? And why did you take this devil out of your room?" his uncle grumbled and point towards Pig(His new owl name is also pig).

"Nothing, Uncle. Today is September 1st, so I have to leave for our magical school. You'll have to take me to King's Cross," Ron bravely said, his heart pounding in his ribcage.

"Why would I help you, boy? You're not going anywhere. Just go back to your room," his uncle retorted.

"If you don't take me there, they will send a search party to this house. Surely you don't want the whole neighborhood to know about it?" Ron played his final card. He had been practicing this conversation since 3 AM in the morning.

Now, his aunt seemed even more enraged. Ron couldn't back down now. He stood there, resolute. After pondering for a moment, his uncle said, "Fine, I will take you, boy. But don't expect me to give you anything for the train ride."

"It's already covered," Ron replied.

At 10:30 AM, they reached King's Cross station. Ron walked toward Platform 9 and 10. He knew how to enter but hoped Harry's family would meet him, just like Harry had met the Weasley clan in his previous reality. He waited for fifteen minutes, but no one came. He slowly dragged his trunk ahead of him and ran toward the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10.

The scarlet Hogwarts Express stood beside him. Many people were talking and walking around, just like before, but there were many unfamiliar faces. He spotted Neville with his parents. It seemed that Neville's parents were living and sane here. Ron had hoped to find Hermione and Harry, but they were nowhere to be seen. He had no one to say goodbye to, so he pushed his trunk toward the train. He got on and on, finally finding an empty compartment. He sat there and watched as families bid their children farewell, sharing hugs. Finally, he spotted Lily Potter.

Her distinctive red hair was visible from a distance. Sirius and an unknown woman were with her. In front of them, their son hugged them. They were joined by Bellatrix Les- no, Black, an incredibly good-looking woman who resembled a Muggle model Ron had seen in the newspaper. They all looked a bit older than he had expected. 'Maybe they attended Hogwarts before my parents,' he concluded. Bellatrix looked elegant and happy, not what he had ever imagined of her. He had always thought she were insane. The entire Potter clan and the Black family were talking, laughing, and hugging each other. Beside Harry, there was another small girl, not as old as Ginny, but a bit younger. She looked like an exact replica of his own mother. Ron stared at the happy family living in this reality, feeling jealous of Harry once again. But he couldn't blame Harry; who could blame someone for having their own happy family?

He thought about his own family, his mom giving him sandwiches before he went to the train, hugging him tightly, his father offering advice about what to do at school, Fred and George chatting happily and everyone laughing at the kitchen table. Harry and Hermione laughing and joking with him in the common room. Before he knew it, a single tear trailed down his cheek. He wiped his eye and tried to look outside, but there were only moving trees. The train seemed to be starting.

As luck would have it, the compartment door opened. Ron could see Harry's face looking at him. There were also some people behind Harry. Ron looked carefully, and Hermione was among them. He wondered if Hermione had already met Harry here.

Harry asked, "Could we sit here? Everywhere else is full."

Ron smiled at that statement. He had asked Harry the same thing when he met him. He wanted to play along, just like Harry, so he nodded.

All five of them came inside and took their seats. Hermione sat next to Harry, and on the other side, Sirius's son sat. Bellatrix's son sat next to Ron. They carefully placed their trunks below the seats, and Harry looked toward him. "You're a first year?"

"Yes, and all of you?" Ron knew the answer but couldn't reveal his knowledge.

"Oh, we're also first years. I'm Harry James Potter, by the way," Harry said, looking towards the others. They seemed to understand what he was asking and began introducing themselves.

"I'm Hermione Jean Granger," Hermione said from Harry's side, her book already opened on her lap.

"I'm Arcturus Regulus Black," Sirius's son answered. He looked similar to Sirius but had different cheekbones and hair.

"I'm Rigel Black, and don't ask about my middle name," Bellatrix's son added. He didn't look like Bellatrix, but he also didn't resemble Rodulphus. 'Maybe he looks like his grandfather,' Ron wondered.

All of them had introduced themselves, and now it was Ron's turn. He said slowly, "I'm Ronald Bilius Weasley."

At this, they all seemed to stop breathing. Ron had anticipated their reaction. He had covered his scar with his hair. They openly stared at him, their expressions strange and disbelieving.

Harry broke the silence, saying, "We didn't know you were Ron Weasley. We've never seen photos of you, you know. We just thought you had a scar."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Hermione's knowledge-filled mind then started to speak in a rapid-fire manner, "I've known you have red hair. I've read about you in many textbooks, and your name is mentioned in every year's history book. I even read in one chapter that the Ministry wanted to create a holiday in your name after you vanquished the Dark Lord. You're famous. I wish I could be in a book."

Ron's eyes widened at Hermione's words. She was wishing for the same thing he had wished for. His brain began to process what Hermione had just said. They wanted to celebrate the day his parents had died and he had survived. They wanted to create a holiday in the name of vanquishing Voldemort, but it meant his parents' deaths. He felt a sickening sensation in his stomach.

Harry scolded Hermione gently, "Don't talk like that, Hermione. Don't you know what happened to his parents that day? Do you really want to be famous for that?"

Hermione's face turned red with shame, and her lips quivered as if she wanted to say something in return, but no words came out. She looked like she was on the verge of tears. Instead, she simply mouthed the word 'Sorry' and buried her face in her book. Ron could see Harry placing his hand on her shoulder and giving it a small, reassuring squeeze.

"Sorry for that, mate. We didn't know Hermione would say something like that. You know she doesn't mean any harm," Harry explained on her behalf.

Ron simply nodded in acknowledgment, and then he showed them his scar. They all turned their attention towards the lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

"Do you remember what happened that day?" Rigel asked.

"No, I don't remember anything. But I have nightmares sometimes. I can see the green light and Voldemort's laughter," Ron answered. At this, they all looked at him strangely.

"Who is Voldemort?" Arcturus asked again.

"You don't know Voldemort? Isn't that the real name of the Dark Lord?" Ron inquired.

All of them were looking at him with puzzled expressions. Hermione seemed to recover from her earlier outburst and asked, "His name is Voldemort? I've tried to find his name everywhere, but there's nothing. Every book mentions him as the Dark Lord."

Ron nodded, confirming her words.

"Whose parents would give the name Voldemort to their son?" Harry asked chuckling.

"Voldemort seem scary, though," Arcturus added.

At this, Ron replied, "No, no, his birth name is not Voldemort; it's Tom Marvolo Riddle."

"What?" All the room's occupants exclaimed. They all looked at him as if he had grown a second and third head.

"Yes, Tom Marvolo Riddle is the Dark Lord's real name. He created an anagram of his name and turned it into 'I am Lord Voldemort.'"

"You're joking, right? Tell me you're joking," Arcturus said, holding back laughter.

"No, I'm not joking. His name is Voldemort and Tom Riddle."

"The same Head Auror and two-time Minister, Tom Marvolo Riddle?" Hermione asked again. "I think I read in the Daily Prophet that he was accepted for the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts after retirement. If he's the Dark Lord who was killed and vanished, how could he still be alive?"

Ron froze at this. His mouth went dry. Tom Riddle was not the Dark Lord, Tom Riddle was not the Dark Lord. He couldn't believe his ears. He replayed Hermione's sentence in his mind. He didn't know what to think. Voldemort was not a Dark Lord here. Then who was? He looked around at their faces. They were not convinced. He regained control of his thoughts and asked, "He's alive? And he's become the Minister?"

"Of course, he's become the Minister twice. He was also the Head of the DMLE. When he retired, Dumbledore asked him to teach and help protect Hogwarts from Dark Lord supporters. He's also our grandfather," Rigel told him. "He's quite a funny person. He often engages in prank wars with us. How could he be the Dark Lord?"

"Grandfather from the mother's side. My mother's maiden name is Delphi Riddle," Arcturus clarified.

Ron hadn't thought about this possibility. He had never imagined that Voldemort had children and grandchildren.

"Who gave you this information, mate? All you've learned is fake. The Dark Lord had risen before Archie's grandfather's time at Hogwarts. My parents and grandparents know his name, but they never said it aloud because it's jinxed. Many of his supporters are still hidden in plain sight and waiting for him to return. Where were you all this time? The Ministry didn't disclose anyone to your location. We thought you were informed about our world."

To answer Harry's questions, Ron had no answer. But he had an excuse, so he used it. "My aunt and uncle told me about Tom Riddle. I thought he killed my father and mother. I live in a Muggle home. I only found out about the magical world yesterday."

"So, the books about your adventures are just fiction?" Hermione asked, her voice filled with pain.

"I think so," Ron replied. The old Ron might have bragged about it, but he didn't. He didn't want any more fame now. He'd had enough.

"How could they write like that? I thought books were supposed to provide true knowledge, not half-truths and lies," Hermione exclaimed. She shoved her books into her bag and threw it into her trunk.

"Hey, Hermione, don't be mad. My mother always says, 'Don't believe everything that's written. Don't believe everything you've heard, and sometimes you can't even trust your own eyes; they can deceive you.'" Harry offered a comforting speech to Hermione. Rigel and Arcturus whistled in support, and Harry turned red with embarrassment. But Hermione seemed convinced by his words. She smiled at Harry.

"You guys grew up together?" Ron asked a question that had been gnawing at him.

"No, we didn't all grow up together," Harry explained. "Rigel was in hiding with his mother until he was five. Arcturus and I were raised together since infancy. As for Hermione, I met her through my mother. My mother's sister, Petunia, and her mother are friends. When we visited their house for dinner, I met Hermione there with her mother. We didn't know she was magical, but later, when we saw her at King's Cross, we were all surprised."

"Oh, you guys have siblings? I thought I saw Harry with two other brothers in Diagon Alley," Ron asked his second question.

"Archie doesn't have any brothers, but he has a little sister, Melania—the feisty one. Rigel has no siblings. Hermione is an only child. Here, I have three brothers and one sister. The oldest is Ignotus; he's the Head Boy. Then I have twin brothers, Daniel and David Potter; they're in the fourth year. They're idiots most of the time, inheriting most of my father's Marauder genes. Finally, there's my sister, Rose Potter."

Ron could finally relate to his own home's condition. But Harry seemed fine with having so many siblings.

"Marauders?" Ron asked, his face showing confusion.

"Yes, the Marauders, also known as the Notorious '60s Pranksters. Group of my father ;James Potter, Archie's father ;Sirius Black, our honorary uncle ;Remus Lupin, and last one is our another uncle ;Lucius Malfoy," Harry answered.

Ron could now relate the pleasantness of Draco's tone to this information. Trying to remain inconspicuous, he asked, looking surprised, "Malfoy, like Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes, he's related to all of us. How did you meet him?" Arcturus replied.

"Ah, I met him on Diagon Alley," Ron explained.

Hermione seemed to be growing bored with their conversation, so she asked, "Which house do you guys want to be in?"

"I'd like to be in Gryffindor, just like my parents," Harry answered.

"I think I'd prefer Ravenclaw; I love books," Rigel replied.

"I believe I'll go for Gryffindor, like my parents, but Slytherin wouldn't hurt either. My grandfather was there," Arcturus chimed in.

"I think I also want to be in Gryffindor," Ron added. "What about you, Hermione?"

"I'd like to be in Gryffindor too," Hermione answered.

The rest of the ride was silent. The eleven-year-old childrens each seemed lost in their own works. Rigel was reading a peculiar book, Arcturus was engrossed in a puzzle, and Hermione was absorbed in "Hogwarts: A History." Meanwhile, Harry had fallen asleep with his head resting on Hermione's shoulder, and she didn't seem to mind. Ron's eyes were closed, but he was contemplating the entire situation of different dimensions and realities. He was trying to process everything. He knew that his knowledge of the future wouldn't apply here, but he still held an academic advantage. He was on the verge of accepting his new destiny. He had created a mess, and he needed to find a way to fix it.

A/N: Some may resemble cannon. But I have tried to make as much as AU. Hope you would like it. Read and Review. This will be Harry/ Hermione in Background. I cannot bash him just because he is bad friends in cannon universe. Thats how he had been raised isn't it. overbearing Mother and prankstar brothers. In this Lily is also muggleborn. Hedwig will be Harry owl. I don't want her anyone other than him. Bye. I will back after 2 months. my exam has come Bye. Please review if you want me to improve something. Don't just Criticise me. I am new writer I have only started to write 1 month ago. I am improving.