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wellpresseddaisy · 3 years

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Hubert Prewett Makes an Entrance

"Now Ginny, don't gawk. He's a boy, not a kneazel in a shop." Molly scolded lightly, pulling Ginny back to stand away from the train. She didn't like to scold, not when poor Gin faced most of a year just with her, but you couldn't go about gawking at people like that.

And he looked so much like Lily, right down to that sweet smile of hers, that her heart hurt for a moment. They'd been pregnant together, she and Lily and Alice, so they'd spent many long hours in the Burrow's sitting room, waiting together. One couldn't very well go on raids seven months gone. She found herself glad Lily lived on in Harry.

She could hold onto that.

"Mind if I sit here...everywhere else is full?"

Ron stumbled into the compartment as Fred poked him sharply in the back. They wanted to get Ron settled and be off to see Lee's tarantula. Much more interesting than ickle firsties.

"Er, sure?" The red headed boy shifted a bit as if to get further out of the way.

"Brilliant! I'm Ron. Ron Weasley." At least you could count on Ron to introduce himself.

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter." The surname came at nearly a whisper.

"Budge up, Fred! Blimey he looks like his mum!" George exclaimed from behind him, crowding in and shutting the door.

"Is that bad? Everyone keeps…" He pressed his lips together as if afraid he'd said too much already.

"Course not!" Ron butted in. "It's only everyone thought you'd look like your dad, you know."

"Some blond prat was going on about it, nearly ran into me in the corridor." George explained the shoving. "You're the talk of the train."

Harry groaned and dropped his head into his hands. "I didn't even know about magic until Hagrid knocked the door in!"

"Hagrid knocked the…" Fred started.

"Door in?" George finished.

"My relatives don't much like magic? Or anything that isn't normal? My uncle sells drills." The plaintive look on the kid's face tugged at Fred's heartstrings as an idea formed. He hadn't the foggiest what a drill was, but he assumed it was something normal for Muggles.

"Who are your relatives?" George asked.

"Er, Vernon and Petunia? Aunt Petunia's my mum's sister." Harry shifted nervously and looked to Ron, who mouthed 'Just answer him'

"And you're from?"

"Er, Surrey? Little Whinging."

"Right then, you and Ronnie get acquainted, George and I have some, er, business to attend to." Fred butted in before George could really get going. "We may have a solution for your...attention problem. Have to do some planning first. We'll be back." Fred heaved Ron's trunk up into the rack and hauled George out.

"You get used to them." They heard Ron explain as Fred dragged George into the nearest empty compartment.

"I have an idea for the biggest prank ever played on the Wizarding World, George."

"You have The Face, Fred. Last time you had The Face we were grounded for a month. Literally grounded. Mum locked up our brooms."

"What's a broom to the most genius prank in our long and storied history? What if he didn't have to be Harry Potter?" Fred went on, ignoring George. "He's miserable at the attention, George."

"And who might he be instead? Eustace the midgety?"

The question cheered Fred immensely. If George really didn't want to, no amount of wheedling would budge him. And Fred was an excellent wheedler.

"Hubert Prewett. Junior."

"Fred...Freddy...you cannot drop children on unsuspecting bachelor uncles. It's not done. It's not...sporting."

"Sporting? You have spent too much time writing Oliver. In any case, it's perfect. Cousin Hubert is a squib; Harry is Muggle-raised. They both live in Surrey. And we wouldn't drop Harry on him. We would ask. Nicely. And, er, let Mum and Aunt Muriel know."

George went quiet for a moment. "How do you plan to get Professor McGonagall in on this? He can't be Sorted as Harry Potter and then refuse to answer to it."

"We'll need Percy for that part. And for a large plaster to put over his scar. Perce always has things like that. And he writes the most touching letters."

George snorted. "We'll go find Percy and put it to him."

Percy proved somewhat elusive, but they finally ran him to ground doing his rounds and shoved him into an empty compartment.

"We need your expertise and a large plaster," Fred found himself blurting out before Percy could draw himself up to his full height.

Nothing good ever came from Percy drawing himself up like that.

"I beg your pardon?" Percy's ingrained good manners saved their skin.

"What Fred means is that he's found another wounded dove, only this time he's not trying to hide it in the henhouse. He wants to hide it in House Prewett."

"Will one of you try making sense in the next fifteen seconds?" Percy scolded, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I've already had to break up two games of strip Exploding Snap and discovered the Head Boy in a compromising position. I am not in the mood for your nincompoopery."

Percy had apparently spent the Summer studying the Severus Snape Big Book of Bastardry. (He wasn't that bad, really, but one did have to humor the man or he'd be completely unreasonable about certain...experiments)

"Harry Potter was completely Muggle-raised and had no idea he was even magic until a month ago. He's miserable at the attention. He also looks like his mum and therefore would blend in with us. If we can manage, I think he ought to use Hubert Prewett as an assumed name." Fred explained. "We need your help convincing Mum, Aunt Muriel, and Professor McGonagall."

"Have you asked cousin Hubert?" Percy asked, now rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I know you two have some way of contacting him."

Fred stared at George. How did Percy always know?

"Er, yeah, we can get word to him." Fred finally answered.

"As Fred's instincts are usually good...only when it comes to those in need of help, mind...I will write to Mum and Aunt Muriel. I will also let Professor McGonagall know as soon as you obtain permission from cousin Hubert. That means now, please."

George made rather a show of pulling their latest invention out of his pocket - one of a pair of linked notebooks. Fred produced a pencil and pulled George down to the bench. When it came down to it, though, how did you ask your happy bachelor uncle if he'd like to participate in pulling the wool--there it was.

Hubert - high priority!

Would you like to help pull the wool over the eyes of the entire Wizarding World? Harry Potter is coming to Hogwarts but he's been raised Muggle. He's miserable about all the attention. We'd like to hide him as a Prewett. What do you think of him being Hubert Prewett Junior?

And before you ask, yes, Percy is assisting and doesn't object.

"We'll have to wait a few." George explained.

"So that book is connected to…?" Percy prompted.

"Hubert's got the other one." Fred tapped the page impatiently. They had several hours, but he really wanted to know. And they'd have to brief Harry.

"And he can use it?" Percy looked interested. "Even though he's a Squib?"

"He has some magic, Perc." George growled.

"George, Percy has a point." Fred slapped a hand over his own mouth for a moment, horrified to agree with Percy. "Hell. Anyway, you know Squibs have variable access to magic, just not enough to go to Hogwarts. Hubert is actually on the cusp."

"Do you think he might be interested in some experi--"

But the notebook flashed blue, cutting Percy off. Knowing him, Hubert would have a properly formatted research proposal winging its way to him by morning.

Twin terrors -

Yes. Will expand on this later, you caught me at work.

But you know I'm only agreeing because Percy considers it a reasonable idea…

"He said yes, Perc. Will you write McGonagall?"

"Professor McGonagall and I can do one better." Percy wrote a note on some spare parchment (and where he'd been hiding that Fred would always wonder), set it on the seat beside him, and set his Prefect badge on top of it. He tapped his badge twice and muttered something Fred couldn't quite hear. The parchment disappeared.

"It'll go to her desk in her office." Percy explained. "And here's the plaster you wanted. Is it large enough?"

"You're brilliant, Percy! We'll just buzz off and…" Fred hopped up from the seat but couldn't swipe the plaster.

"No." Percy held up a hand to stop them. "I will see Ron and Mr. Potter to explain once I receive word from Professor McGonagall. You two go and meet up with Lee. If you don't, people will be suspicious."

"I really don't like it when he has a point." George grumbled, especially as Percy swiped his linked notebook.

"I will also see to concocting a reasonable backstory with cousin Hubert. You'll get this back when we get to Hogwarts." Percy cut off the complaints before they could start.

"We'll just go along and find Lee. We haven't seen his tarantula yet." Fred stood and pulled on George to get him moving. As they scuttled into the corridor, Fred heard Percy mutter.

"I did not hear that. I did not hear that and I don't have to do anything about it."

----------------

Meanwhile, in McGonagall's office…

"Minerva, why the devil has Harry Potter disappeared from the class roster to be replaced by…" Severus Snape looked down at the grade book he'd brought with him. "Hubert Prewett...Junior?"

"Balls." Minerva muttered, setting down her quill. "It would be you who noticed."

"Is there an explanation forthcoming or must I begin guessing?" Snape fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose after several very quiet moments.

"Apparently, he takes after Lily in looks and...did Albus ever tell you where he was placed?" Minerva stood and moved to the small sideboard near her desk. She tapped the kettle with her wand and steam poured from the spout.

"With a family who would see to it he was properly educated." Snape answered promptly.

"Do sit, Severus. You make me nervous lurking in front of my desk." Minerva directed as she poured the boiling water into a malachite green earthenware teapot.

"I don't see how I can lurk when I'm standing here plain as day." Severus complained, but only for form's sake. "And can I assist?"

"Your lurking is more a state of being. You...always seem to lurk. And no, I'm not so infirm that I can't make tea. You can get the biscuit tin, though."

He did as he was told, getting the plaid biscuit tin down from its place crammed onto one of her bookshelves. He set it on one of the armchairs before her fireplace and pulled the piecrust table out from the wall by the fireplace. He set the top and shook a cloth out over it before setting the tin at one side. Minerva would need the bulk of the table for the tea things.

She followed him moments later, the tea tray making a smooth and silent landing on the table. They sat, as they often did of an evening when neither needed to patrol, and Minerva poured tea. Severus accepted a cup and waited for Minerva to speak.

"You were not fully informed of Potter's whereabouts, Severus. He was raised by Lily's sister." She began, finally.

Severus would ever after swear that everything stopped for a full minute. The world seemed terribly far away and his ears rang strangely.

"Severus! Severus!"

He came back to himself at the panic Minerva's voice.

"I...I'm fine, Minerva. It was...a shock. Petunia loathed magic."

"How did you know her name?"

He looked into a narrow-eyed glare, reminding him that her Animagus form was a predator.

"I grew up with them, Minerva. Surely you remember? We called her Pisstunia as she was always pissing on anyone else's happiness."

"I always for...hmm...I'll look into that. In any case, there wasn't any other family available and Albus didn't want him going to, well, the Malfoys. It was all well and good for...for Sirius to blood adopt him during...well, it could have backfired had Narcissa known."

"I...see." Severus answered carefully. "Who wrote?"

"Percy Weasley. Fred and George came to him. I don't know why any of us didn't think of it. Although, I was sure he'd take after James." Minerva sipped her tea. "If he can have a normal time of it at Hogwarts with no expectations or whispering in the corridors, it'll do him a world of good."

"I think it would," he agreed, his throat tight. The boy looked like Lily. He'd expected a miniature Potter as well, but he...that would likely prove difficult. But he'd be a Prewett. He'd be invisible. Severus had rather dreaded calling roll. "It will make many things easier."

"He'll be judged on his own merits." Minerva agreed firmly.

"Anyone who knows, or who met him, will need to be placed under oath." He added. "It won't help if his secret gets out."

"A geas, perhaps? One that will keep all of us from speaking his actual name?" Minerva suggested, sipping her tea thoughtfully. "Would it work on society at large?"

"Can one's identity be secured with a Fidelius? Along with the geas?" An idle question, but it could help.

"I think we should try them together." Minerva decided.

--------------------------------------------

Percy made his way down the train to Ron's compartment, mentally creating a checklist. He trusted Professor McGonagall to take care of the name change and security for Harry...Hubert...best start the way one meant to go on. But, the boy would need a believable back story, constructed mostly out of the truth. It was the best way to lie, really. Mum never believed the twins or Ron because they made everything sound so fantastical. And to get the truth, he needed to speak to Hubert. Both of them.

He located the boys in the midst of wrappers and boxes. Well, if Fred was correct, he mayn't ever have had the chance to eat sweets like this before. And there were pasties there, too, so it wasn't just a sugar fest. He knocked once before sliding the door open.

"Hello Ron." He turned to the other occupant while Ron tried to stuff wrappers out of sight. "I'm Percy, Ron's older brother. I spoke to the twins and we can help with...the issue at hand."

The boy stared at him, open-mouthed. Percy closed and locked the door with a flick of his wand and set some anti-eavesdropping charms. Next to Ron, Harry looked tiny, too small to be a student. His whole...look...gave him an air of neglect, from his wild hair to the too-large clothes to the trainers held together with some kind of tape. Percy knew, no matter Harry's answer, that he would do something about this. No child should arrive at Hogwarts so clearly unloved.

"How would you like to be a Prewett?" He asked.

"A what?"

"We have a squib cousin named Hubert Prewett. We've asked him if he would be willing to pretend you were his son, and he agreed. You could attend Hogwarts as Hubert Prewett junior. No one would be likely to stare or make you uncomfortable." Percy tried to explain clearly.

"Just like that?"

"If you want to. I arranged it with Professor McGonagall. She thought it a good idea, actually. You could be just a normal student."

"I…" Harry stopped for a moment, brow wrinkling a bit in thought. "Would I have to give up being a Potter?"

"No. I've...checked with Gringotts before, just out of curiosity, and they have no problem with a client taking an assumed name. You'll still be you, just with a name you take to protect your privacy. Even if you were adopted, unless you renounce the Potter family, you'll always be a Potter. It has to do, in some part, with our Family Magics," Percy explained carefully.

"Then...yes. I just want to be a normal student. I don't want anyone staring or whispering. It's just...the scar? Everyone knows." Harry scrunched in on himself, looking, impossibly, even smaller.

"We can try this," Percy held up the plaster. "Or we can try to blend it into something else."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked.

"Now that I've seen it, perhaps a port wine stain? It would be the right color to give it some camouflage. A combination may be safest, just in case you get hit with a finite."

"Could we try the plaster first?" A tentative question that sent every alarm bell ringing in Percy's head. Not the question, but the way he asked it. The way he held himself as if expecting a smack.

"Of course. Can I put it on for you?"

A quick nod answers his question. He made certain he only held the plaster and that he moved slowly. It covered the scar easily and he smoothed it in place.

"Hello Hubert Prewett, junior. Welcome to the Wizarding World." He had no idea where the words came from, but they sealed something between him and Hugh and Ron...and maybe all the Weasleys and Prewetts. There was a claim in there, because Percy will be damned if this child goes back to his 'family' next June. The family magics just made a smug sort of chime at him.

"Hi." He smiles shyly. "Er, do we need a story or something about how I got here?"

"That's why I'm here and not the twins," Percy explained. "Knowing them, you'd have been raised by a band of roving house elves or something equally ludicrous. We're going to settle on a story and tell cousin Hubert, Mum, and Aunt Muriel, and then I'm going to make certain the two of you are prepared for your first classes."

Ron groaned and tried to slither onto the floor. "But Peeeeeerc…"

"No, Ron. I've done my Prefect rounds and explained that we have a slight family...thing to Oliver. You have my undivided attention for the rest of this trip." He wasn't hiding from anything, not really, but Ron and Hugh probably needed him more than anyone else right now. "And you will not show up unprepared for your first classes."

He knew that Ron knew the Look on his face.

"In any case, consider me a resource for all the questions you have but didn't know who to ask."

"Fine." Ron huffed. Hugh just looked at him as though he'd hung the moon.

"I can ask questions?"

"As many as you like," Percy promised, wondering how he could smile at a child while feeling absolute homicidal rage ringing in his ears. "And I'll answer them to the best of my ability or find a professor who can. That goes for you too, Ron."

"If we do everything you say, will you play chess with me?" Ron asked. "Later?"

"Of course. Now, let's figure out a past for Hugh."

Percy made a mental note to research Muggle baiting laws. Was it baiting if they all knew about magic? And exactly how would Muggles react to certain potions created by certain red headed menaces? And would Hugh give up an address?

#harry potter alternate universe #hp fic #harry potter #ron weasley #fred weasley #george weasley #percy weasley #minerva mcgonagall #severus snape #the weasley prewett family contains multitudes #percy is tired #snape notices everything

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