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"I know who you are, you're the fake Harry Potter everyone's talking about!" The redheaded boy said.
"...The what." Harry wondered aloud.
"You know, the guy Dumbledore transfigured into a replica of the real one. Dumbledore can't keep a secret to save his life, it's hilarious, you'll see."
"...So if I'm not Harry Potter where is Harry?" Harry asked out of morbid curiosity wondering how this weird rumor got started but not much liking his fame... He couldn't really find it in himself to complain.
"He first learned from Dumbledore himself, now he's finished with that one his mentors is supposedly taking him on, can you believe it? You'd expect anyone that mentored Dumbledore would be dust by now wouldn't you?"
"Dumbledore's old?"
"Mate, he's got a gray beard taller than you."
"Huh. Sounds like something I'd be worried about catching on fire when cooking."
"You cook not-Harry?"
"Yes, it's one of my chores. Not-Harry?"
"Weird, and I gotta call you something."
"You could call me Harry." He pointed out.
"But you're not, but there's already a pureblood family called Notts, would get confusing if I just called you not."
That sounded almost reasonable to Harry.
Still... He'd rather have a real person name, he'd been called freak enough thank you.
Ron didn't seem all that bright even if he was nice enough to stay even though he thought he wasn't Harry Potter but some actor.
Should be easy to fool him with a little white lie to get a proper name of some sort. What name though?
"Deep thoughts Not-Harry?"
"Larry." Harry decided, "It's my real name, Larry Lotter, it's why Dumbledore chose me."
"Always knew he was a bit mad, nice to meet you Larry! I'm Ron, Ron Weasley and don't worry, I'll keep your secret." Ron said cheerfully.
He didn't, everyone knew he was Larry on his way back from the bathroom.
He'd only been gone five minutes and people were nodding at him and saying Lotter, or whispering to each other it's 'Larry Lotter!'
He was kinda regretting just changing the first letters. Worked well on Larry but Lotter, not so much. What even is a Lotter, someone that plays the lottery? Not really fitting.
Still, better than Not-Harry, freak or Boy.
Not long after he returned to the compartment it was slammed open.
"If it isn't Lotter-the-loser, think it's funny, do you, to pretend to be someone of worth to try and fool us?"
"...It's just a job, it's not funny, sorry if you thought it was mean?" Harry tried wondering if it was even worth trying to prove who he was. Then he remembered being crowded in Diagon Alley helped by remembering where he saw the other boy.
"...Very well, you are forgiven for now but you best not try to fool your betters-"
"Ack!"
"The Weasley's rat's attacking, everyone run for your lives!"
"Oh for Merlin's- it's just a rat you twits, get back here!" The blonde boy yelled chasing after the fleeing boys.
"...Huh, so that happened. Good rat, have a jelly bean."
Harry nodded agreeing.
Thus began the adventures of the Boy-Who-Everyone-Disbelieved.