Idea credit goes to TheGravityMiles. You can find the message thread on my profile.
Rough, unofficial summary: Harry was raised in an orphanage, he meets Ginny in Diagon Alley, they both become Slytherins. The Weasleys are mostly reluctant to accept this.
Eventual ship(s): Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione, Sirius/Remus
Additional notes: contrary to what the summary may imply, this is not a bashing fic; OCs are (probably) aplenty
Hagrid took Harry and Jayson to get their supplies.
Jayson, naturally, talked his ear off as soon as they left the orphanage and the wide-eyed children behind. "Will we learn how to become an animal? I've always wanted to be a tiger for a day. No, wait! A hawk! Or — oh! Oh! Are unicorns real?"
Harry took great amusement from Hagrid's distress. "No, er, I mean, yes, unicorns are real," Hagrid answered. "But the transfigurations you'll be doing in your first year won't be very fun. Matchsticks to needles and stuff like that."
Far from dampening Jayson's spirit, Hagrid's words just made him more excited. "Can't wait!" he said, bouncing on his toes.
"Jay, calm down," said Harry, finally taking pity on Hagrid. "You're overwhelming the poor guy."
Jayson looked up at Hagrid and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."
"It's all right." Hagrid clapped him on the back, sending Jayson facedown on the ground. He pulled him back to his feet with a muttered apology of his own.
Their first stop after the bank was Madam Malkin's for their robes. A boy with a pale, pointed face was there already, his blond hair sleek. Harry was suddenly aware of how his own hair and Jayson's looked, like they had just been plucked out of a pigpen.
The blond boy immediately annoyed Harry with his pompous nature. He was like some of the older boys at the orphanage, the ones that pushed the younger and newer kids around.
"Where are your parents?" he asked Harry.
"They're dead," said Harry.
For once, Jayson didn't answer; he kept his eyes resolutely forward, an uncharacteristic scowl on his face.
"Oh, sorry," said the blond. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"
"And if they weren't?" Harry said coldly.
The blond curled his lip. "Then you're no better than those Muggles."
"Hm." Harry turned away dismissively, which made the blond bristle.
When Madam Malkin was done, Harry and Jayson hopped off the footstool.
"By the way," said Harry, "my name's Harry. Harry Potter." He looked at a gaping Madam Malkin and nodded to her. "Thank you for the robes." Then he headed out.
Jayson followed him, sending the blond boy one last dirty look as he went. "I think we know who to avoid when we get to Hogwarts," he remarked, accepting the large ice cream from Hagrid.
It was the bookstore, Flourish and Blotts, that Harry was especially looking forward to.
"Can we stay here for a bit longer?" he asked Hagrid.
"I suppose. But don't you want to get your wand?"
"Course I do." But the books...
"All right, how bout this? You get your wands, then come back here and I'll get the rest of your stuff," Hagrid suggested.
