A/N: This is my first fanfic, so please bear with me through this story. It is a heavy AU fic, Harry sits with Neville and Hermione on the train in the first year, Harry is a genius, no horcruxes, Voldemort still killed Harry's parents, Voldemort died during the Tri-Wizard tournament, Cedric lives. Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, it belongs to the wonderful JKR.

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Prologue:

Harry was early but still searched for Platform 9 ¾ when he saw a young dirty blonde boy, the same age as him walking with an old lady pushing a trolley, which seemed to be carrying the same items as himself.

Harry approached the boy and asked him, "Excuse me, do you where to find Platform...", Harry looked at the smudged writing on a piece of parchment given to him by Hagrid, "Nine and three quarters?" Harry finished.

The elderly lady spoke before the young boy could start, "It's just through that pillar over there dear. Neville here was just about to go through, weren't you dearest."

"Uh, yes I was Gran" Neville replied nervously.

Neville then turned with his cart and ran right into the pillar, leaving Harry stunned as to where he went. Harry then turned to the old lady and asked, "Miss, how did he do that?"

The old lady said, "He just ran into the wall, I can't explain how my dear, it would be far too complicated to understand at your age. I suppose you should run along so you don't miss the train."

Harry thanked the old lady and started to run into the pillar, he shut his eyes, and opened a few seconds later. He was astonished by the large crimson red train, stopped at the Platform 9 ¾. He spotted Neville handing his luggage to a man, and then boarded the train. Harry copied Neville and gave his luggage to the man and hopped on board to try and find Neville.

Finally finding Neville in a compartment with a young girl with busy brown hair, and a slight overbite, he knocked on the compartment door and asked, "Hello, may I join you two?"

"Yes you may, my name's Hermione Granger. And this is Neville." Hermione said in a polite but posh tone.

Harry replied, "Hi, I'm Harry.", as he sat down next to Hermione. The Hogwarts Express lurched forward, and began the long journey to Hogwarts.

"You wouldn't happen to be the Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived?" Neville asked, flabbergasted he was in the same cabin as Harry Potter.

"Yes that would be me." Harry said.

"Do you have the.." Neville said pointing his forehead "..the.. you know..", Neville leaned in and whispered, "scar.".

Harry glanced at Hermione, then looking back at Neville, he lifted his jet black hair to reveal the lightning bolt shaped scar.

Neville gasped, "So it's true, everything that happened? With your parents? And You-Know-Who?".

Before Harry could respond, Hermione looked up from her book, "Neville, could you please leave Harry alone, it's making him uncomfortable." Hermione had noticed this once Neville started questioning Harry.

"Oh, sorry Harry, I didn't mean to." Neville said in a regretful manner.

"It's okay Neville, maybe some other time when I'm more comfortable talking about it." Harry had said with half smile.

"Okay, Harry, sure thing!" Neville said before getting up, "I'm going to ask if I can put Trevor with my luggage." Neville then left the compartment, leaving Harry and Hermione alone.

"Thank you Hermione, I was very uncomfortable there, how could you tell?" Harry asked politely.

"I just have a knack for those sort of things. Plus, you glanced over at me with a disconcerted look, so I thought maybe I should stop him." Hermione said reading her book.

"Thank you." Harry said happily with a grin, "Oh, is that Hogwarts: A History?" Harry asked.

"Yes it is, I just started reading it." Hermione said. "Have you read it?"

"Yes, actually, a man from my elementary school gave it to me, I didn't know why until Hagrid told me I was wizard," Harry said staring at the wall of compartment, remembering when the man gave the book to him. "but I read it before my uncle took it from me."

"Oh, that must have been quite irksome. All that matters is if you liked the book."

"Oh yes," Harry replied, coming back to reality, "did you know the ceiling of the Great Hall is bewitched to look like the outside sky? Or that when muggles stumble across the castle grounds, all they see is a ruin of a castle with a sign saying 'DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, UNSAFE'?" Harry looked at Hermione with a smile.

"No I did not know that, I have not read that far, that's very interesting. Thank you, Harry." Hermione began to smile, she thought to herself, This boy seems like he's smart, maybe I'm not a freak... I hope we are sorted into the same house, either way, we will be good friends. "Have you read any of the class textbooks?" Hermione asked with a half grin.

"No I haven't I don't know what classes I would be interested in," Harry said, Hermione is a smart girl, I hope we are in the same classes. She's not like most girls I've met. Although Dudley never had a good eye for girls. "What classes are you interested in?" Harry asked.

"Well I'd like to take Potions, Charms, Defence Against the..." Hermione began, and the two continued talking all the way to Hogwarts, with Neville returning part way through their conversation.

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"RAVENCLAW!" The sorting hat roared, Hermione Granger walked down to the Ravenclaw table waiting to see what House Harry would be placed in.

"Hmm, Longbottom... HUFFLEPUFF!" The sorting hat continued on with other students. "Malfoy eh? I'll put you in SLYTHERIN".

Harry then walked up to the stool, and the sorting hat placed on his head. "Hmm you are interesting indeed. You fit into all of the houses... You're smart, loyal, courageous, and very ambitious. This is a tough one. But I must go with, SLYTHERIN!".

Harry had a somewhat disappointed look on his face. He looked over at Hermione, seeing a downcast look, he guessed that she hoped to be in the same house as him.

Harry sat down with his fellow housemates. Everyone ecstatic to be in the same house as 'The-Boy-Who-Lived', Harry knew that the next seven years was going to be interesting.

Hermione managed to smile for most of the feast, but deep down she was a little sad that she wouldn't get to spend nights working with Harry on homework, or goofing around playing Exploding Snap. But she was relieved when she found out she would have a few classes with Harry, especially Potions class, because she knew that most of the class was spent working in pairs. She just hoped that she would be paired with Harry. He was the first person who seemed to genuinely like her.

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Ron was so confused as to why he was put in Hufflepuff and not Gryffindor like the rest of his family. He really hoped to be in Gryffindor, he felt as though he let his family down. Hopefully he can do some good in this house. Justin seems like a nice kid. I think I'll see what he's like. Ron sat down between Justin and a fellow Hufflepuff housemate.

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A/N: So that was the prologue to the story, this is just to set part of the plot up for the story. The next chapter jumps ahead to fifth year. Please review and tell me what you think! It will really help me with improving the story, and my writing. Thank you!