Which one?

Julia Rook was not having a good day. She felt as if she was dying on the inside and wanted to go home. Even though she came to work only an hour ago, her butt hurt from sitting on a chair for so long and she felt annoyed and suffocated due to the amount of paperwork at her desk.

"HEY JUU-JUU!" Alex Spears yelled to her, waving her hands like a psychopath while running towards Julia as fast as she could.

"Alex." Julia sighed. "What do you want, Al?"

 Alex huffed and puffed as she slowed down. She wheezed and gasped for air as she took out two envelopes from her pocket. "The Boss wants you to deliver these." 

"And… What are they exactly?"

"Hogwarts letters. For muggleborns, I think. Before you ask, don't worry, they live in the same house so you won't have to apparate to different locations to explain to another set of parents." 

"That's nice, but why did you say that you think they are muggleborns?"

Alex dramatically draped herself over Julia's table, knocking over a lot of paperwork. "Because." She dramatically gasped as she waved the letters in the air. "Well, see for yourself."

Julia snatched the letters before Alex's inicessent flailing caused the other stacks of papers to fall over and glanced at the names written.

Dudley Dursley

Chandra Potter

"...What?" She said, She was... confused. Shouldn't Chandra Potter be with some wizarding relatives? Her department (Department for Children and their Welfare) was only supposed to deal with muggle born students or students who grew up with muggle guardians.

"I know! I'm just as shocked as you, at first I thought it was some muggleborn, 'cause the name Potter is actually quite common in the muggle world, but then I saw his first name and now I'm confused, so either this is a really, really, really big coincidence or Chandra Potter has actually been living with some muggles and we've been lied to." 

"Look, Dumbledore only said that he placed him in a safe place, never said where."

"And… Do you believe him?" 

"What?"

"Nevermind." Alex said. She hesitated. "So does that mean you'll deliver the letters and explain to the muggles and children about the wizarding world?"

"Why can't you do it?"

Alex took out another envelope. "I have my own to deliver, to some kid named 'Hermione Granger', sounds like a weird name if I'm being honest. I really don't have the energy to deal with three kids today."

Julia sighed. This was going to be a long day. She got up. Oh well, she thought, at least I get the opportunity to stretch my legs for a bit.

"Ah, come in, Hagrid."

"Yeh Professor?" Hagrid said as he looked at the Great Albus Dumbledore.

"I have two very important tasks for you. Can I trust you to do them properly?" He said. Hagrid could see his eyes twinkle behind the moon shaped lenses and felt a surge of happiness as he realized Dumbledore was trusting HIM with an important task.

"O’ course! What yeh need help fer?"

Dumbledore smiled at him serenely , putting Hagrid at ease. "Well I need you to pick up a small package from Gringotts. Vault 713. I would also need you to..."

Hagrid strained to hear what Dumbledore said. "I’m sorry professor. I can' hear yeh properly."

“Oh! I'm sorry Hagrid, I was wondering if you could deliver these." Dumbledore said as he gave Hagrid two letters. "I was hoping you could deliver Hari and Chandra's letters to them and introduce them to the wizarding world."

Tears welled in Hagrids eyes. Dumbledore was trusting HIM? To introduce Hari and Chandra to the wizarding world? "O’ course! When should I go? The last time I saw 'em they were wee little lads."

"Today would be nice Hagrid. That is all, you may leave now, after all, you have children to re-introduce to the wizarding world."

Hagrid let out a big grin as he walked away from the Headmaster's office. He couldn't wait to see the children again and was excited to show them all everything the wizarding world had to offer.

Hagrid was confused by a Ministry worker walking up to the Dursley-Potter Residents. "What d’yeah think yer doin’ here?" he said to her, suspicious why a ministry worker would come to Privet Drive.

"I'm here to deliver these Hogwarts letters...Mr. …?"

"Hagrid, Rubus Hagrid."

"Mr. Hagrid."

Hagrid was annoyed. "But I’m supposed ter reintroduce ‘em to the Wizardin’ World." 

"Well, I believe that there must have been a mistake; the Department of Childrens’ Welfare has sent me here to explain to the children. Which department sent you here, may I ask?"

"Eh? No departmen' sent me 'ere. Dumbledore did."

"Then I suggest you turn back, go to Dumbledore, and stop interfering with the Ministry's work."

"BUT DUMBLEDO-"

"Dumbledore is not supposed to interfere with the children's Hogwarts letters and is supposed to care for their wellbeing after they enter Hogwarts. Would you please leave? You're causing a scene."

"BUT-"

"Sir, if you do not leave this instant, I will have no choice but to call the aurors and you will be arrested on charges of child abduction."

Julia sighed in relief as the half-giant started to walk away, but then he suddenly stopped and turned towards her. 

"The twins would need this then". Hagrid said as he placed a key in her hand.

Twins? What twins? Before she could ask, Hagrid had apperated away. Strange. She looked at the key he had placed in her han- wait a minute. It looked like… a Gringotts key? Why did he have it on him? He told her to give it to the twi- Only family members, Gringotts employees and the DoCatW (to give it to the children) are supposed to have this. This is bad. This is bad. This was bad. Very, very bad. If this man had it, he could have taken the childrens’ entire fortune! And they wouldn’t t have been able to do a thing about it! Did he already do that? 

Julia needed to get to the bottom of this. But first. She let out a shaky breath as she rang the doorbell.  

OOO

After Harry left, everything suddenly became meaningless. Each day became longer than the next, the world became slightly dimmer and had lost the vibrance it once had, what was worse was that there was suddenly a Harry-shaped hole in his life.

At first, Dudley made fun of him. Charlie stopped caring about it. Dudley started to become concerned, not because he cared for him or anything, it was just difficult to torment Charlie when he no longer held the fear he once had, the fear of being beaten up slowly ebbed away from Charlie. He had lost his twin, he doesn't care about anything else now, everything had lost its charm.

Everything became meaningless.

They weren't sure when, but they had started to form a bond, they started to care for each other. Neither was sure how it started, but Dudley slowly stopped bullying his cousin and started to look after him (perhaps it was fear that Charlie would be sent away despite not even liking his cousin) and Charlie started to care more for Dudley (perhaps it was the loneliness).

Dudley stopped blaming things on Charlie, and Charlie appreciated it. Last year, when Dudley was put on a diet, Charlie was also put on a diet (despite not being able to eat a decent meal in the first place). When Dudley noticed how Charlie was struggling everyday, on the verge of passing out at times, Dudley made the decision to give Charlie some of his allowance money so he could buy some things for himself.

After that, Charlie started to help Dudley with his schoolwork and helped him to understand what the teacher was teaching (they later found out Dudley was dyslexic, which kind of explained almost everything).

Just days before Dudley's birthday came around, his parents exclaimed how this year they were going to take him to the Zoo and leave Charlie behind with Mrs. Perry, who lived just opposite to them. Both his parents were angry and disappointed when they heard Mrs. Perry broke her leg by  accidentally slipping down the stairs (though, Dudley would deny he had anything to do with it until the day he died). Today was supposed to be a good day! Both of them were supposed to be enjoying Dudley's eleventh birthday. Where did it go so wrong?

It was Dudley's Birthday today, it started out well enough. He got out of his cupboard and made Dursley's breakfast. After that they went to the zoo. It was fun until it wasn't. They weren't sure what had happened, but one minute both he and Dudley were talking to the python, and then a bratty kid came and pounded on the glass that separated them from the python. 

The glass was there, and then it wasn't.

And that's the sad, sad, sad story of his short and miserable life. He was pretty sure he was going to have a painful and miserable and long death though. After they came home, Uncle Vernon locked him up in the cupboard. He would probably never be let out of here, in this small, dark space. He was going to di-

DING DONG!

"DUDLEY! Be a dear and get the door please!"

He could hear muffled murmurs afterwards, it went on like that for about five minutes… after that…

"FREAK! GET OUT OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

"NO! NOT MY DUDDERS!"

He wasn't sure what was going on, but everything became still. Everything became quiet; very, very quiet. Not even 15 minutes, and the lady unlocked the cupboard door.

She looked nice and had a kind smile. "Hello there, my name is Julia Rook. What's your name?"

"Chandra Potter."

"What a lovely name. I'm here to take you and your cousin, Dudley, to another place, do you want to come?"

"Yes!" Anywhere but here. 

"Excellent! Could you stand up?"

Chandra winced as he came out of his cupboard and stood up. "Where are we going?"

"Right now, we are going to a hospital to get you a check up."

"Reggie, LOOK!" Hari exclaimed as they made their way through Diagon Alley. Hogwarts was going to start tomorrow and Hari still couldn't believe they hadn't bought any of their supplies yet. He blamed Reggie for this. Reggie was as bad and lazy as Crookshanks on a hot summer's day. Reggie didn't want to go out to buy their supplies and hence Draco and Harri had to stay back because shopping without Reggie seemed weird. Not even Uncle Lucius or Auntie Narcissia could convince Regulus or the other kids to go shopping.

Until today. 

"What?"

"Look at that weird shop over there!"

"This is the wizarding world, everything is weird here."

"Ha ha, very funny. But seriously, we should check it out!" Harri said as he grabbed Reggies hand.

Opal Silverheart was having a horrible day. She'd been working as an assistant for "Mercury Phones" the entire summer, the customers were horrible and the manager didn't even teach her most of the shit she needed to know about this job yet expected her to know everything! How unfair was that?

Well, at least the pay was good.

Two little munchkins walked into the store without any parent in sight. What should she do? She wasn't prepared for this! No one told her what to do! Are they lost? Should she call the aurors?

"Hello! We just want to know what shop this is and what you sell here!" Said the small boy with emerald green eyes. He looked so eager and curious.

His friend on the other hand looked like he could bolt any minute now.

Were these potential customers? Was she allowed to sell products to 10-year-olds? Her manager never said anything about that so that must mean she can right?

Afterall, more customers means more money.

"Well, in this shop, we sell various smartphones called 'Iris', they look like small, rectangular mirrors but work like a muggle mobile phone. Here, let me show you..."

In the end, it was way too easy, it was like trying to take candy from a baby. By the time she was done with the children, she had sold three Iris X5s (the extra was for "Reggie’s" cousin named "Draco" or whatever) along with various bits and bobs such as headphones, sim cards and phone covers.

"Thank you again!" the green-eyed boy said as he waved her goodbye. She waved back of course, and then she went back to one of the tables and fell asleep.   

"Magic huh?" Dudley said as they settled into their joint room for the night.

"Ya, I know."

"Do you think… Harry is here?"

That was the million pound question wasn't it? Julia said that Harry should have gotten his Hogwarts letter if he was a wizard. She said that the department was on the lookout for a boy...er...wizard who was brought up in an orphanage or in a foster home in the muggle world. But so far, they didn't get any results.

"He has to be. He has to be at the Hogwarts Express tomorrow. Where else could he be?"

"If he's a squib… You heard from Julia how hard it is for squibs to be tracked in the… muggle world because they don't have an active magical core?"

Chandra stood up. He couldn't take it anymore. "I'm going to bed early. Goodnight, Big D."

"Night Chan."

Despite this, Chandra stayed awake for another hour, or at least, it felt like an hour.

Tomorrow was the day that he and Dudley were going to hogwarts. He felt as if it was just yesterday that Julia had saved him from Privet Drive. As if it was yesterday that… Dudley was separated from his parents. 

For some reason, he felt guilty for being the reason Dudley was separated from his parents, but Julia said it wasn't his fault. 

And then there was Harry, will he ever see him again? He hoped so. He desperately wished they would see each other again.

Chandra closed his eyes and thought about all the things he saw in Diagon Alley and the things he bought. He bought his uniform, his books, notebooks, pens and pencils, a new geometry box and a multicompartment trolley bag instead of the trunks that were being sold because despite wizards figuring out how to make feathers fly and conjure fire, none of them had the brains to add wheels to the trunk so it would make it easier to move, none except for the lovely couple from whom he bought his trolly bag that is.

Unlike other wizards his age, Chandra did not get his wand from Olivanders. He found it in his family vault, it belonged to his grandfather. He found it while searching the vault and while making a mental catalogue of all the wonders and treasures his family had gathered from centuries ago.

He also got one of those Iris smartphones and an owl that he named Hedgwig. The owl because Owls were the "official" communication in the wizarding world and so Hedgwig could carry any mail he gets or receives from places like the Ministry of Magic and Gringotts while the phone was so he could contact Dudley and stuff (Dudley got one as well and the first thing he did once it was connected to the internet was install games on his phone to play).

Chandra closed his eyes. Tomorrow was a new day. Everything would be better.

"So, Evalyn! You won't believe what we got!" Hari said excitedly.

"What?"

"A new Iris phone!"

"No way! What model is it? Do your parents know?"

"It's an X5 model and no, Mama and Papa do not know about it. Can I have your number?"

"Firstly, you should tell them and secondly, yea here. Does Reggie and the yapping dog know about it? Do they have new phones as well?"

"Eva you know it's rude to call him that!"

"But he does act like one doesn't he? Yapping all day and telling people 'my father will hear about this' for even the most minor inconveniences?"

"True, but he doesn't say it as often as before. And yea, they both have one, though, it took some time to convince Dray to not tell Mama or Papa."

"You guys have pet names for each other? That's so cute!" She sniggered

"It's just a nickname, and what's a pet name?"

"Never mind, you'll understand when you're older. Anyways, give me their numbers, I want to add them to the family group chat us kids and teens have."

"What's that?"

"When did you get your phone?"

"This morning when Reggie and I snuck away to do shopping by ourselves ‘cuz we're big kids now."

"HARI! You shouldn't have done that! What if someone kidnapped you and Reggie?"

"Um..."

"Exactly! Never do that again. Anyways, here, let me show you what Whatsapp is and how it works.”

It was the last night before Hogwarts started, and so naturally, the Malfoys’ invited the squib lines of the Black and Malfoy families, the Tonks’ family, and the Lovegood family to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of Hogwarts being open to squibs.

Honestly, the Malfoys would take any and every excuse to party and get together, it was in their blood to host large groups of people and spread joy in the name of merry making and having a good time.

The last few years were quiet rough for the Malfoys, when they got Harri and Regulus, they couldn't throw as many parties as they used to as the secrecy of Harri and Reggies existence was important, Dumbledore could not find out, at least, not until they were not ready to be caught; if he did find out prematurely, then it could have spelled a disaster for them, their lineage, and their fortune. But now the Malfoys were ready, just in time for Hogwarts.

The only people they could invite to their house were a few… associates from school, and even then, they could not invite most of them as most were loyal supporters of the Dark Lord. But there were a few that could keep both the boys' existence a secret, such as Severus Snape.

The man doted on the children, all three of them in equal measures, when Hari turned out to be a metamorphmagus a year ago, Severus helped by using informats and "friends" in the Ministry where Lucius's influence did not reach to remove any proof that Hari was a metamorphmagus. Narrcissia had been grateful ever since.

Metamorphing was a magick that was only found in the Black family and a few other families, the Ministry is quite interested in mages who could control parts of their body to make them look like someone else, if one was found to be a metamorph, they would become an unofficial slave to the Ministry. Registered or even suspected metamorphs were historically forced to do horrible things in the name of the Ministry or even experimented on (why could they transfigure themselves at will even as a child but normal mages could not?), some were used as spies where the risk of getting caught may result in their deaths.

The same thing had happened to her little niece Nymphadora, or at least, it would have happened if Severus had not used his own spies and informants and those up in the Ministry who owe him to help Severus erase all existence of Dora's little quirk. Despite being estranged at the time, Narcissa was glad her sister came to her during her time of need, they had a rocky relationship after her sister married that Tonks fellow, but things were starting to look up and they started to mend their relationship to the point where they were almost back to normal.

Narcissa looked at her adopted son chatting animatedly to Evalyn Smith, a squib from the black family; she was going to her 3rd year of Hogwarts and had Hufflepuff heart; such a sweet girl with a heart of gold almost got denied entrance to Hogwarts for being a squib.

"Sissa?" Lucius said, quietly into her ear. "I've just received some… important news from the goblins, it's about Chandra's whereabouts, they say that they found him and his cousin and are at the moment under the care of the ministry."

Narcissa sighed. It was going to be a long night. "Let us talk in a place a bit more private with no prying eyes and ears," she said as she glanced at the children who were talking to each other in hushed tones. 

Platform 9 ¾ was a riot of colours. Dudley tried not to stare at everyone and everything, because staring was rude.

But how could he not? He never saw people in vibrant coloured robes before. All these owls swooping around, cats meowing and toads making… whatever noises toads made. 

It was spectacular! He wished his parents could see this, how brilliant everything was. 

But… they hated magic… They called these witches and wizards freeks because they did things his parents could never do. A tear slipped down his cheek. Did they think he was a freak too? Did they still love him? He had started to realise that his parents were not good people, but they were good to him. Was he still their little boy to them? Or did they hate him like how they had hated Harry for the past 10 years?

"Hey, Big D?" Charl- no, Chandra said as they sat down in one of the carriages. "Is everything ok?"

"Uh?" He said. "I… ya, everything is fine."

Chandra gave him a look. "Well, you know you can tell me anything right?"

"I-I… well."

"Take your time."

"Do you think they hate me?"

Dudley didn't need to specify on who the "they" were, both of them knew.

Chandra stayed quiet for a moment, "I don't think they hate you, I think, for some reason, they were afraid for you."

"Because of my magic?"

"I think so?"

They were both silent after that, Dudley tried to figure out his thoughts and feelings while Chandra tried to give Duley space to think about everything that had happened in the past few months.

The train started to move.

Neither of the boys spoke anything, that was until the door to their compartment opened with a large, shrill noise. A tall boy with flaming red hair and freckles was at the door and asked. "I'm sorry, but could I sit with you guys? Everywhere else is full."

"Sure." Chandra said, gesturing towards the empty seat next to Dudley.

As the boy sat down, he said. "I'm Ron, Ron Weasley."

"I'm Chandra Potter and this is Dudley Dursley, we're both cousins."

Ron let out a soft gasp. "Are you really? Do you have the scar?"

Chandra tried not to let out a grimace. Julia did tell him about his past and his parents death and how he was supposed to have a scar on his forehead. The problem was that he didn't have a scar. Chandra wasn't sure how people would react to that but Julia had warned him that plenty of people would want to know about his scar and when they did, they should be told the truth so he wouldn't face any backlash when people realized that he didn't have the scar. 

He never realized how quickly he needed to follow her advice, it seemed like something he had to say in a few years, not now on the train to Hogwarts.

"No, I don't have the scar, I don't know why people think I have a scar or anything, despite whatever happened that night, I don't have a single scar from that night."

Ron’s ears burned red. “Oh. Everyone else says you’re the one who defeated You-Know-Who, so I just figured you’d be the one with the scar…” He trailed off.

They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes, Ron trying to think of something to say to break up the silence. He ends up coming up with a question. As he prepares to ask, the words die in his throat. What if the question just made everything worse?

As the silence built, Ron felt even more awkward. Then, they heard rattling noises - the door opened, and a lady with a trolley full of treats walked in. “Anything from the trolley, dears?” She said pleasantly. Chandra’s mouth watered, looking at all the treats. Dudley immediately got up and bought a pb&j sandwich and one of almost every treat. Chandra noticed Dudley passed over the peppermint humbugs and the chocolate frogs.

Ron glumly looked at the treats and said, “No thanks, Mum packed me a sandwich.” As he opened his baggie, he grimaced. “Corned beef… again.”

Chandra figured he may as well be polite. “Want anything?” He went up to the trolley and asked for a grilled cheese sandwich. Ron hesitated before asking, “Ham and cheese and a Glitter Juice? Pumpkin flavor?”

Chandra nodded, and hesitated, looking at all the treats, and got a few handfuls of candy before the trolley lady left. He sat down next to Ron and handed him a chocolate frog. “These aren’t really frogs, are they?” Chandra warily asked.

Ron snorted. “Naw, they’re really just chocolate. Most things are exactly what they look like.” Ron had a thoughtful expression. “Acid pops really are acid, Bertie Botts Beans really do have every flavor-”

Chandra interrupted, “Acid pops? Is that legal?”

Ron shrugged. “They haven’t been sued yet, and it’s not deadly - people just lose their sense of taste for a while, really. Dad says that he thinks it's made from those muggle sour candies and those muggle candies that pop in your mouth and not real acid.”

Chandra nodded. “That makes more sense. And the beans?” He held up the small container of beans he had bought.

Ron warned, “Every flavor means every flavor. I think they're charmed or something, Fred swears up and down he got a boogie flavor once, and Bill once got mown grass.”

By this point, they had half finished their sandwiches, and decided to take turns eating beans - Ron challenged Chandra and Dudley to see who could get the best and who could get the worst luck with their beans. Chandra nearly stopped right at the start when his first bean made him gag. “Gah, is that vomit?”

Ron snorted. “Probably. Urk!” He gagged as well. “Pepper!”

Dudley sniggered as he rummaged through the box “Chocolate.” He said triumphantly, holding up a brown bean. He popped it in his mouth and his eyes lit up. “Yes!”

Ron and Chandra jealousy eyed him. They glanced at each other, before reaching in and grabbing one each.

Chandra popped it in and grinned. “Peach!”

Ron shook his head. “Peach? Of all flavors, that’s what you’re happy about?” He popped his own and the look on his face made Dudley and Chandra laugh. “Coconut and cranberry? Really? Of all flavors?”

They ate the beans, getting some weird flavors - Chandra tried a black one Ron wouldn’t touch, which turned out to be pepper, and Dudley ended up getting owl treat flavor, but they decided Ron won when he got banana split flavor.

As they decided Ron was the winner, there was a nervous knocking on the door. A first year poked his head in. He was round-faced and blonde, with indigo eyes that were tearing up as he asked, “Has anyone seen my toad?”

Chandra and Dudley shook their heads no. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but the first year groaned and left before Ron could say anything. Ron grunted. “I was going to suggest he ask a prefect…”
Chandra and Dudley looked as though they were face-palming. “Of course!” Chandra exclaimed. “If anyone would know a spell to find something, it would be a prefect.”

They sat chatting for a while, until another knock on the door startled Chandra out of his seat and onto the floor (he grumbled at Dudley, who laughed). Getting back onto his seat, he noticed a bushy-haired girl with large front teeth at the door, and the boy-who-lost-his-toad right behind her.

“Has anyone seen a toad? Neville here has lost his.” She said, in a somewhat bossy tone.

Ron lit up. “I have an idea. What if you asked a prefect? They could use a summoning charm - I saw Mum use it once to summon a plate. It’ll summon your toad, no problem.”

Neville lit up as well. “Oh, why didn’t I think of that?” Hermione looked shocked, as Neville left her to run around the train and find a prefect.

Hermione said, “Well…” They all pointedly avoided looking at each other's eyes, the boys trying not to laugh at Neville’s excitement and Hermione feeling awkward. “I guess I’ll go back to my compartment now.”

Draco made his way down the train, poking his head into the windows of compartments. Hari had a twin, and by Merlin, if he didn’t help Hari find him, he’d - he’d - oh, he didn’t know what. Probably end up looking for Hari’s twin later.

As he passed the next compartment, he did a double take. He saw someone with very familiar black hair and green eyes, and when he looked again, he saw a skinnier and a slightly shorter version of Hari. He brighted, because this had to be Hari’s twin. He fidgeted with his robes, straightening them, before he opened the door.

Time to make a good first impression for my future in-law, Draco thought.

He glanced at each of the occupants before settling his eyes on Hari’s twin. “So, the rumors were true - Chandra Potter is on the Hogwarts Express.” He sat down. “Names’ Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.”

Chandra and Dudley were laughing to themselves - in their heads of course. They recognized the reference, but this blond-haired, silver-eyed boy struck Chandra as pompous and stuck-up; he seemed like he was showing off his daddy’s money. Ron replied, “And we didn’t ask you to join, Malfoy.”

Draco sneered. “And I didn’t ask you anything, Weasley.”

From there, the situation escalated - Draco tried to make friends with Chandra and only Chandra, and Chandra refused to be friends with someone who thought his friends were trash. Draco thought Ron was trying to humiliate him in front of his future in-law while Ron thought Draco was being a pompous git peacocking his wealth and was trying to convert his new friends into Death Eaters. Dudley watched the spectacle with curious eyes while munching on a chocolate frog.

Chandra was at his wits end, he was trying to politely decline to Malfoy, that was when a familiar looking boy entered the cabin.

The door slid open and a boy with shoulder length black hair and emerald green eyes appeared into view. ’Has anyone seen Draco Malfoy? He’s a prat and has blond hair and silver eyes- ah! There you are!’

‘Hari?’ Chandra breathed out.

‘Yes? Have we met before?’ Hari said with blank eyes, as if he did not recognise his own twin brother.

Chandra’s heart stopped. ‘What do yo- what do- of course we’ve met before! We’re twins! We used to live together until uncle Vernon took you to God knows where! What-what- do you mean that you don’t recognise me?’ 

‘I.. don’t know who you are, I’m sorry.’ Hari said as he shifted uneasily. We're about to reach Hogwarts and Draco and I need to change into our uniforms and those are in our compartment, maybe we could talk about this.’ Harry said as he gestured at Chandra and himself. ‘A bit later? Like, when will we get to Hogwarts?’

Chandra sat in shock as he tried to digest what Hari had said to him, he was still numb from shock when Malfoy and his own twin brother exited the compartment. He barely registered Ron asking who Hari was and how he knew him and could barely feel Dudely trying to comfort him by hugging him.

He somehow found the strength to push himself off his seat and bring out his uniform and walk out the door when the train stopped.

Chandra felt… hollow, for the lack of a better word.

Hari was right there! Why didn't his own twin recognise him?

Why?

"Alright then, four to a boat." The professor in front of them said as he started to pair off children. Chandra, Dudley, Ron and Nevile (was that the name of the boy who lost his toad? Chandra wasn't sure) were all seated in the same boat.

As they all settled in, the professor did a quick check to make sure no students were left behind, before shouting “FORWARD!” The boys were startled, because the boats started across the water with no other warning.

As they crossed the lake, Hogwarts came into view. All the students stared in awe at the magnificent old castle.

Hagrid ushered the students off the boat and onto a cobblestone path, they followed the path until they reached the magnificent castle, they walked into the castle and noticed five large pairs of doors, Hagrid pointed at the first door. ‘This one will lead yer to the first and second years great hall, I’ll leave yer here, Professor Mcgonagal will tell yer about the sortin’ ceremony when she’ll come in a few minutes.’

Chandra looked around nervously, waiting for the Professor who would take them to their sorting.

‘So, Chandra Potter.’ Draco Mafloy drawled as he walked closer to them.

‘Oh, lay off Malfoy.’ Ron growled out. Chandra could agree with Ron, Draco was quite annoying, he wasn’t sure how Hari put up with the idiot.

Speaking of Hari.

Chandra turned around to see if he could spot his brother among the crowd of students, he couldn’t see him though, there were too many people, if Chandra had to do a head count he would say that there were roughly two hundred students here with him.

‘Do you think it’s funny?’ Draco said, snapping Chandra out of his day dreaming. ‘Red hair, hand-me-down clothes and an ugly face, everyone here knows you must be a Weasley.’

At this point, Chandra figured out that Draco was an arshole for the lack of a better word and had enough of the blond prick.

Draco turned his head towards Chandra. ‘You’ll learn soo enough that some families here in the wizarding world are better than others.’ The blond prick said as he raised his hand at Chandra for a handshake.

‘I think I could tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks.’

The face of horror and embarrassment was something Chandra would cherish for years to come, that much he was certain of.

It was at that moment, Chandra felt a tall, imposing figure behind him, turning around, he saw what looked like a forty-something year-old witch standing behind him.

‘Welcome to Hogwarts,’ The professor said. ‘I am Professor McGonagal, the start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very

important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.’

What if he wanted to talk to people from other houses, was he allowed to do that? He hoped he was allowed to do that. He wanted to be able to talk to Ron and Dudley and Hari even if they were in a different house than him. 

‘The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.’

Did they receive any prizes for being first?

‘The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.’

Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville’s cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron’s smudged nose. Chandra nervously tried to flatten his hair. It wasn’t much use though, his hair kept bouncing back upward like a spring.

‘I shall return when we are ready for you,’ said Professor McGonagall. ‘Please wait quietly.’

She left the chamber. Chandra gave Ron and Dudley a nervous smile, it was ok. It was going to be fine, right? Hagid said that only the second and first years would be in this ‘Great hall’ so even if he messes up or makes himself look like a fool, the only people who would see him make himself a fool are the first and second years. Everyone would forget about it in a day or so.

Atleast, he hoped everyone forgot about it in a day or so, he was the ‘boy-who-lived’ as everyone called him, some mythical figure, magical Jesus, everyone expected him to pass whatever test the teachers had in store for them with flying colors, if he failed. Would the whole school get to know? ‘How exactly do they sort us into houses?’ he asked Ron.

‘Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking.’

Chandra’s heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole school? But he didn’t know any magic yet, none of them knew any magic yet. What on earth would he have to do? He hadn’t expected something like this the moment they arrived. He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified too. No one was talking much except for Hermione, who was mumbling very fast about all the spells she’d learnt and wondering

which one she’d need. Chandra tried hard not to listen to her and he kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead him to his doom.

Then something happened which gave him goosebumps, several people behind him screamed like it was the end of the world.

‘WHAT THE FUCK?’ Someone from behind him screamed out.

‘LANGUAGE!’ He heard a chorus of people say in reply.

He gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to each other and hardly glancing at the first-years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying.

‘Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance –’

‘Edwin you sweet summer child, haven’t we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he’s not really even a ghost.’

‘Ya, but what can we do about that? Not much to do is there? Unless you wanna count Uncle Edmund, he’s the only one who the poltergeist listens to, you know?’

‘Yes, that is true, why is it that sniveling little bast-’

‘Language.’

‘Why is it that the poltergeist only listens to him?’

‘Pretty sure uncle had something to do with that.’

‘Huh. I think you have a poin- hey! What are you doing there!’

A ghost wearing elf-ish armor from the 1000s had suddenly noticed the first-years.

Nobody answered. Everyone was too shocked or scared to say something.

‘New students!’ said the ghost named Edwin, smiling around at them. ‘About to be sorted, I suppose?’

A few people nodded mutely.

‘Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!’ said the ghost. ‘My old house, you know. Even if you don’t end up in Hufflepuff, I’d be happy to talk to you lot! Just ask anyone from Hufflepuff where Edwin is! Although, some do know me as ‘The Fat Friar’!’

‘Move along now,’ said a sharp voice. ‘The Sorting Ceremony’s about to start.’ Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

‘Now, form a line,’ Professor McGonagall told the first-years, ‘and follow me.’

Chandra felt like vomiting out whatever candy he ate in the train, Ron went behind him, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the first and second year Great Hall.

Chandra had never even imagined such a strange place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles which were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the Hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first-years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of

faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Chandra looked upwards and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. 

He heard Hermione whisper, ‘It’s bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in Hogwarts: A History.’

Chandra heard someone else whisper behind him. ‘No one cares.’

Chandra quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first-years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard’s hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn’t have let it in the house. Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it, Chandra thought wildly, that seemed the sort of thing wizarding children could be expected to do. Noticing that everyone in the Hall was now staring at the hat, he stared at it too. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth – and the hat began to sing:

‘Oh, you may not think I’m pretty,

But don’t judge on what you see,

I’ll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I’m the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There’s nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can’t see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you’ve a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You’ll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don’t be afraid!

And don’t get in a flap!

You’re in safe hands (though I have none)

For I’m a Thinking Cap!’

The whole Hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

‘So we’ve just got to try on the hat!’ Ron whispered to Harry. ‘I’ll kill Fred, he was going about wrestling a troll.’

Chandra smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than having to do a spell, but he did wish they could have tried it on without everyone watching. 

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. ‘When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted,’ she said. 

‘Abbott, Hannah!’

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over

her eyes, and sat down. A moment’s pause –

‘HUFFLEPUFF!’ shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Chandra saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

‘Bones, Susan!’

‘HUFFLEPUFF!’ 

‘Boot, Terry!’

‘RAVENCLAW!’

This went on for quite a while, Chandra thought it would never end, he thought that they were going to miss dinner and be here till the morning, even Dudley started to get annoyed.

‘Dursley, Dudley!’

Chandra gave him a gentle push and a nervous smile. Whichever house Big D goes to, Chandra hopes they could still talk to each other and hang out.

‘HUFFLEPUFF!’

Chandra clapped for his cousin and promptly went back to his day dreaming. 

‘Granger, Hermione!’

‘GRYFFINDOR!’ 

A very horrible thought struck Chandra. The kind of thoughts someone gets when they are about to go to sleep but then get these weirdly existential questions from nowhere. What if he wasn’t chosen at all? What if he just sat there with the hat over his eyes for ages, until Professor McGonagall jerked it off his head and said there had obviously been a mistake and he’d better get back on the train? Is that possible? Was that legal?

‘Malfoy, Draco.’

‘SLYTHERIN!’

Malfoy went to join his friends, looking pleased with himself.

After hearing which house Malfoy got sorted in, he went to think about what he would do if the hat decided he was not worthy of being in any of the houses. He had millions of gallons in his family vault (millions! Can you believe it? And the goblins didn’t even make him pay any inheritance tax because the wizarding world has no inheritance taxes!) Perhaps he could use that money? Get himself an education in the muggle world? Write a fantasy book series as a main character in a fantasy world similar to the wizarding world like Toiken did and become rich?

‘Potter, Chandra!’

As Chandra stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

‘Potter, did she say?’

‘The Chandra Potter?’

The last thing Chandra saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the Hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.

‘Hmm,’ said a small voice in his ear. ‘Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There’s talent, oh my goodness, yes – and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that’s interesting … So where shall I put you?’

Chandra gripped the edges of the stool and thought, ‘Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.’ There was not a chance in Hell Chandra would be in the same house as Malfoy, he'd rather die.

‘Not Slytherin, eh?’ said the small voice. ‘Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it’s all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that. No? Well, if you’re

sure – better be GRYFFINDOR!’

Chandra heard the hat shout the last word to the whole Hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily towards the Gryffindor table. He was so relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin, he hardly noticed that he was getting the loudest cheer yet. Percy the Prefect got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the second years started to shout, ‘We got Potter! We got Potter!’ 

Chandra sat down opposite the ghost in the armour he’d seen earlier. The ghost patted his shoulder, giving Harry the sudden, horrible feeling he’d just

plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water. He could see the High Table properly now. In the center of the High Table, in a large gold

chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Chandra recognised him at once from the card he’d got out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore’s silver hair was the only thing in the whole Hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Chandra spotted Professor Quirrell, too, a nervous young man he met in the Leaky Cauldron on his way to Diagon Alley. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple turban.

‘Potter, Hari!’ 

As Hari stepped forward, everyone became deathly quiet, and all of a sudden, people started to whisper all over the hall. 

‘Another Potter?’ 

‘I thought there was only one?’

‘So wait, are there two boys-who lived?’

‘Do you think the Wizemgot has something to do with this?’

‘Sasha, if you don’t shut up with your weird government conspiracies right now I swear I will-’

‘The Hari Potter?’

‘Wait, you know of him?’

‘Ya! My mum used to be friends with Lily Potter.’

‘Holy shit that sounds awesome!’

The hat had finally come to a decision.

‘SLYTHERIN!’

No. It can’t be. Hari can’t be… only bad people go to Slytherin, that’s what Ron said didn’t he? Does that mean… no, it can’t mean that. If Hari went to Slytherin, that means everyone in the house must not be bad people, right? 

Hari was one of the kindest people he has ever known… So does that mean something happened to him? After Uncle Vernon took him away? How much did he change? He couldn’t have changed that much… but then again… Hari didn’t recognise him on the train.

While still in thought, the sorting had ended. Albus Dumbledore had got to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

‘Welcome!’ he said. ‘Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!’ He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Chandra didn’t know whether to laugh or not. 

‘Is he – a bit mad?’ he asked Percy uncertainly.

‘Mad?’ said Percy airily. ‘He’s a genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Chandra?’

His mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, chips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup and, for some strange reason, mint humbugs.

Chandra decided to enjoy the feast for now, his midlife crisis could happen on a later date.

‘That does look good,’ said the ghost in the armor sadly, watching Chandra cut up his steak.

‘Can’t you –?’

‘I haven’t eaten for nearly one thousand years,’ said the ghost. ‘I don’t need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don’t think I’ve introduced myself? Sir Nicholas Gryffindor at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower.’

‘Gryffindor?’ Dean asked.

‘Why yes! Godric Gryffindor was my fadar.’

‘I know who you are!’ said Ron suddenly. ‘My brothers told me about you – you’re Nearly Headless Nick!’

‘I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas Gryffindor –’ the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

‘Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?’

Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn’t going at all the way he wanted. ‘Like this,’ he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell on to his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done

it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back on to his neck, coughed and said, ‘So – new Gryffindors! I hope you’re going to help us win the House Championship this year? Gryffindor have never gone so long without winning. Slytherin have got the cup six years in a row! The Vicious Viscount’s becoming almost unbearable – he’s the Slytherin ghost.’

Chandra looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Hari and the both of them were in what looked like a very animated conversation. Hari looked so happy his eyes looked like they were glowing from excitement of whatever they were talking about.

‘How did he get covered in blood?’ asked Seamus with great interest.

‘Died in the War of Thorns,’ said Nearly Headless Nick. ‘You’ll learn more about it during your history lessons’

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the puddings appeared. Blocks of ice-cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, rice pudding …

As Chandra helped himself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their families.

‘I’m half and half,’ said Seamus. ‘Me dad’s a Muggle. Mam didn’t tell him she was a witch ’til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him.’

The others laughed.

Chandra didn’t exactly think it was a laughing matter, what if he left them? What if he hurt them for having magic like the Dursley’s did to him? Was this technically coercion? Wasn’t coercion into marriage technically illegal or something?

‘What about you, Neville?’ said Ron.

‘Well, my gran brought me up and she’s a witch,’ said Neville, ‘but the family thought I was all squib for ages. My great-uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me – he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned – but nothing happened until I was eight. Great-uncle Algie came round for tea and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my great-auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced

– all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased. Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here – they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great-uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad.’

That’s it. Chandra wanted to go home, he’s had enough of magic. How are Neville's relatives not in jail for abuse and neglect? Was it normal to treat people like this if they did not have magic? To beat the magic out of them? To hurt them so badly that they will have to do magic? These relatives of his were as bad as the Dursley’s in Chandra’s honest opinion, except the Dursley’s tried to force the magic out of him so he wouldn’t be able to do any magic.

Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons. He was sure that if Hermione wasn’t as engrossed into the conversation with Percy, she would be horrified about Neville's home life. Just as he and Dean were right now. All the others who grew up in the wizarding world seemed to just shrug and congratulate Neville for getting his magic, as if it was normal here.

Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose and sallow skin.It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher and Quirrell looked straight into Chandra’s eyes – and a sharp, hot pain shot across Chandra’s forehead.

‘Ouch!’ Chandra clapped a hand to his head.

‘What is it?’ asked Percy.

‘N-nothing.’

The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. 

‘Who’s that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?’ he asked Percy.

‘Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he’s looking so nervous, that’s Professor Snape. He teaches Potions for the University students. 

'If he teaches the University students then why is he here?'

'He normally sits next to Dumbledore during the staring and leaving feast and Dumbledore normally stays with the first years for the welcome feast to welcome them.'

Chandra watched Snape for a while but Snape didn’t look at him again.

At last, the puddings too disappeared and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again and the Hall fell silent.

‘Ahem – just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well. I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.’

Chandra let out a nervous chuckle, What the fuck? ‘He’s not serious is he?’ he muttered to Percy.

‘Must be,’ said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. ‘It’s odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we’re not allowed to go somewhere – the forest’s full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us Prefects, at least.’

Chandra looked around, some of the first and second years had an odd gleam in their eyes while the prefects were either stoic or looked confused.

‘And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!’ cried Dumbledore. Chandra noticed that the other teachers’ smiles had become rather fixed. Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick as if he was trying to get a fly off the end and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself snake-like into words. ‘Everyone pick their favourite tune,’ said Dumbledore, ‘and off we go!’

And the school bellowed:

‘Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they’re bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we’ve forgot,

Just do your best, we’ll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.’

When it finally ended, Chandra felt like he could cry in relief, he saw a few other first years crying.

‘Ah, music,’ he said, wiping his eyes. ‘A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!’

The Gryffindor first-years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. Chandra’s legs were like lead again, but only because he was so tired and full of food. He was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Chandra was just wondering how much further they had to go when they came to a sudden halt.

A bundle of walking sticks was floating in mid-air ahead of them and as Percy took a step towards them they started throwing themselves at him.

‘Peeves,’ Percy whispered to the first-years. ‘A poltergeist.’ He raised his voice, ‘Peeves – show yourself.’

A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.

‘Do you want me to go to the Vicious Viscount?’

There was a pop and a little man with wicked dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating crosslegged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.

‘Oooooooh!’ he said, with an evil cackle. ‘Ickle firsties! What fun!’ He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.

‘Go away, Peeves, or Edmund’ll hear about this, I mean it!’ barked Percy.

Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville’s head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armour as he passed.

‘You want to watch out for Peeves,’ said Percy, as they set off again. ‘The Vicious Viscount is the only one who can control him, he won’t even listen to us Prefects. Here we are.’

At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.

‘Password?’ she said.

‘Caput Draconis,’ said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it – Neville needed a leg up – and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cosy, round room full of squashy armchairs. Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase – they were obviously in one of the towers – they found a door that lead them straight to what looked like a smaller version of the common room filled with chairs and tables and bookshelves. They had to walk a bit more until they found a door that lead them to what looked like more sets of doors. Chandra opened one of the doors to show three bunk beds, one on each side of the wall. Each one had deep-red velvet curtains for privacy. Their trunks had already been brought up. 

Chandra looked around. He was roommates with Ron, Neville, Dean, Seamus and a kid called Nox Woods.

‘Alright people.’ Dean said. ‘Time for the most difficult and most important decision for today and the rest of our time at Hogwarts. Top or bottom bunk? Because I want a top bunk.’

'So here is the Slytherin common room!' Grant Avery, the Slytherin prefect, was showing the new Slytherins the way to the common room. The way to the Slytherin Common room was through the Dungeons where they walked straight, left and right. Hari tried to remember the sequence but he lost track after the sixth intersection. They finally stopped when they came across a wall. A few of the bricks looked like they were crumbling but most of the dark grey boulders stood strong and proud.

‘Now see here.’ Grant said. ‘And this part is the most important. You have to tap the bricks in a certain order and it doesn’t matter if you use your hand or wand.’

The prefect started to tap the bricks on the wall. A crumbling brick on the right, a normal brick next to it, a crumbling brick on the left and back to double tapping the crumbling brick on the right.

For a second. Nothing happened, but as soon as Hari was about to ask Grant whether or not there was something wrong with his pumpkin juice or if he had a concussion. A large part of the wall shifted to the side like those sliding doors found in supermarkets, leaving a hidden passage in its wake. 

‘Come on then.’ The prefect said. All the first years walked in silence, in awe and in fear.

‘The sequence changes every week, so make sure you keep an eye on the bulletin board in the Slytherin rooms every Monday morning, you’ll know what I’m talking about when we get there.’

‘The sequence is the first test though, there is another test up ahead, don’t worry, it’s the last one but oftentimes quite taxing and difficult.’ 

‘What’s the test? How hard could it possibly be?’ A boy next to Hari asked. From what Hari remembered, his name was Nox Virens.

Grant gave a low chuckle. ‘You’ll see, you’ll see.’

The last phrase raised a few hairs on his back, all the first years around him shuffled and looked pale.

Grant finally stopped in front of a magical portrait. The man in the portrait looked like someone of nobility. He was sitting in what appeared to be a garden. He had blond, curly hair and wore a white robe and a white veil and held a scythe in his hand, positioned in such a way it looked as if he was ready to jump into action at a moment's notice despite his calm outward demeanor. ‘First years, may I introduce you to the Titan of Harvest and Time. Saturn.’

Hari looked at the man and shifted. Most of the first years looked scared and tried to look anywhere except for the portrait’s, cold, calculating, golden eyes.

‘Grant.’ The Titan said. ‘How was your holiday?’

‘It was fine that you asked, how was yours?’

‘Marvelous as always.’

Grant shook his head. ‘Very well then, could you please let us in?’

The Titan gave a mocking smile. ‘Now why would I do that?’

Grant looked at the first years and gestured to the portrait. ‘First years, this Is the Titan King Saturn, while the other houses may have verbally spoken passwords or have to knock on barrels of vinegar or have to answer a riddle correctly to enter their common rooms, us Slytherins have to impress him with whatever we answer, it could range from ‘why we want to enter our common rooms’ and ‘what we were doing outside our common rooms’ and why, to philosophical questions such as ‘do the means justify it’s ends’ and all other things. Answer the question to his liking and he will let you in, if not then he will not let you in. But always remember one thing and one thing only. Never, ever, beg or kneel for entrance, we are Slytherins and Slytherins never beg or kneel for anyone. Doing so would be a disservice for yourself. He may also try to stall you and play mind games with you to waste your time and to confuse you so please keep an eye on the time as well.’

Grant looked back at the portrait. ‘Tomorrow is a big day for these first years. I am trying to get them to bed so they will be energetic and ready for tomorrow's orientation.’

Hari couldn’t make out anything from the look of the portraits eyes, but he felt as if the portrait was toying with Grant. The pair exchange a couple of words. Saturn poked holes at his opponents' arguments while Avery Grant stood his ground.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Saturn said. ‘Very well then, I suppose I could let you in.’ And slowly opened it to show a common room painted with various hues of blues, greens and had touches of silver here and there to keep it classy.

‘Here is the Slytherin common room! It is 10:30. We have wasted 30 minutes of our time talking to a portrait. So I guess you should take this as a cautionary tale while dealing with that portrait which is supposed to protect us from harm. Because he can and will waste your time if you’re not smart enough.’

A girl walked in during Avery Grant’s speech and interrupted him. ‘I’ll take it from here Ave.’ She said as she turned to look at the first years. Hari thought she looked kinda tall, she was slightly taller than Grant and had red eyes and medium length purple hair. ‘My name is Sophia Wikes and I am your other fifth year prefect. I am here to tell you the rules and regulations of Slytherin house.’

‘Firstly, let’s dispel a few myths. You might have heard rumours about Slytherin house – that we’re all into the Dark Arts, and will only talk to you if your great-grandfather was a famous wizard, and rubbish like that. Well, you don’t want to believe everything you hear from competing houses. I’m not denying that we’ve produced our share of Dark wizards, but so have the other three houses – they just don’t like admitting it. And yes, we have traditionally tended to take students who come from long lines of witches and wizards, but nowadays you’ll find plenty of people in Slytherin house who have at least one Muggle grandparent.’

‘Here’s a little-known fact that the other three houses don’t bring up much: Merlin was a Slytherin. Yes, Merlin himself, the most famous wizard in history! He learned all he knew in this very house! Do you want to follow in the footsteps of Merlin? Of course you do!’

‘But that’s enough about what we’re not. Let’s talk about what we are, which is the coolest and edgiest house in this school. We play to win, because we care about the honour and traditions of Slytherin.’

‘We also get respect from our fellow students. Yes, some of that respect might be tinged with fear, because of our Dark reputation, but you know what? It can be fun, having a reputation for walking on the wild side. Chuck out a few hints that you’ve got access to a whole library of curses, and see whether anyone feels like nicking your pencil case.’

‘But we’re not bad people. We’re like our emblem, the snake: sleek, powerful, and frequently misunderstood.’

‘For instance, we Slytherins look after our own – which is more than you can say for Ravenclaw. Apart from being the biggest bunch of swots you ever met, Ravenclaws are famous for clambering over each other to get good marks, whereas we Slytherins are brothers. The corridors of Hogwarts can throw up surprises for the unwary, and you’ll be glad you’ve got the Serpents on your side as you move around the school. As far as we’re concerned, once you’ve become a snake, you’re one of ours – one of the elite.’

‘Because you know what Salazar Slytherin looked for in his chosen students? The seeds of greatness. You’ve been chosen by this house because you’ve got the potential to be great, in the true sense of the word. All right, you might see a couple of people hanging around the common room whom you might not think are destined for anything special. Well, keep that to yourself. If the Sorting Hat put them in here, there’s something great about them, and don’t you forget it.’

‘And talking of people who aren’t destined for greatness, I haven’t mentioned the Gryffindors. Now, a lot of people say that Slytherins and Gryffindors represent two sides of the same coin. Personally, I think Gryffindors are nothing more than wannabe Slytherins. Mind you, some people say that Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor prized the same kinds of students, so perhaps we are more similar than we like to think. But that doesn’t mean that we cosy up with Gryffindors. They like beating us only slightly less than we like beating them.’

‘The password to the common room changes every fortnight. Keep an eye on the noticeboard. Never bring anyone from another house into our common room or tell them our password because most of the time when a student from another house gets to know the password, people like the Weasley twins like to… prank us which normally leads to horrific consequences. Now, any questions?’

‘Who are the Weasley twins?’

‘Third year redhead twins from Gryffindor, they love to play pranks on people and think themselves to be the next marauders or whatever that means. Any other questions?’

‘When is light’s off?’ 

‘When is breakfast? 

‘What time do lessons start?’

‘Will we get a map? This place is kinda big...’

‘ALL RIGHT! One at a time please! Lights off for you youngsters is 9pm. Breakfast is from 6am to 8am. First lesson starts from 8am. Each of you will receive a map tomorrow after breakfast, also, tomorrow is orientation day so no school tomorrow. Any other questions?’

Suddenly, there was a low moaning sound coming from the shelves of books behind the prefects. Like the sequence bricks from before, the bookshelves moved to the side. Once the noise stopped, out popped what looked like a seventh year or a sixth year with bright, bubblegum pink hair. ‘Wotcha Sophia!’ She also looked at Hari. ‘Hi-ya Hari and Draco and Reggie!’

Hari smiled at his favourite cousin’s antics while Draco and Reggie groaned and started to wonder what crime they had committed in their past life.

‘Tonks.’ Sophia said as she gave a curt nod.

‘Came to collect the kids! Sorry I’m late though, I don’t usually come to this part of the castle and Skyler is currently puking his guts out for eating way too much on the train and at the fest.’

‘All right then.’ Sophia said. ‘If there is anyone in the crowd who does not conform to being CIS gendered, then please follow Tonks to your dorms.’

Hari and two others stepped up. They were all confused and a bit nervous.

‘No need to be nervous kids!’ Tonks said. ‘Just follow me!’ She said as she ushered them into the secret passageway. 

Hari gave a wave of goodbye to Draco and Reggie as he stepped into the secret passageway and the bookshelf started to move back to its original position.  

‘My name is Nymphadora Tonks, but call me Tonks or else! My pronouns are currently she/her. Can I know your names and pronouns?’

Hari cleared his throat. ‘I’m Hari Potter, my Pronouns are currently it’s he/him.’

That prompted the others to speak up as well. 

‘I’m Nox Virens. He/him.’

‘Beatrix Smith. She/her.’

‘That’s great!’ Tonks said as she showed them the way through a series of tunnels and secret passages. At one point she ushered them into what Hari thought was a large 6X6 meter large vent. 

‘My job is to make you guys feel comfortable here at Hogwarts, not only because I’m your guide but also because I’m a prefect.’ Tonks said.

‘And because you’re working on becoming an Auror who civilians find approachable in their time of need!’ Hari pipped up.

Tonks nodded. ‘Ya, that too. I’m also supposed to give you guys a brief history: why the what-is-gender-even? Dorms exist.’

‘Is it really called that?’ Beatrix asked.

‘Na, it’s simply called the queer dorms, but I call it that because every time I think about my gender, I get a midlife crisis.’

‘Same.’ Hari said with a solemn nod as he and Tonks gave each other a high-five.

‘Ok so back to- where was I? Ah yes! Why do the dorms even exist! So basically, during the Victorian era, things were becoming unnecessarily gendered in the muggle world and these ideas to the wizarding world during that time despite everyone knowing that there is no difference between a witch, wizard or mage. Soon everything became increasingly and unnecessarily gendered in the wizarding world. Wands for girls became thin and short while for guys they became long and bulky. Things took a dark turn when most witches and wizards wanted to have separate sleeping quarters with their own gender and would try to put what they thought was femminine and masculine in separate boxes and tried to forget about us folk, it’s either that or outright hurt us by hexing us in the hallways or something like that. So it was like that until Professur Wikes accidentally found the dorms-;

‘How does someone accidentally find a whole new living space?’ Beatrix asked.

‘Funny story about that actually, see, he was pacing back and forth the seventh floor corridor and really wanted a place where he could silently do his work and boom! This door appeared in front of him out of nowhere!’

Hari had heard the story about a hundred times by now. When the professor found the door, he was skeptical to say the least and told the other teachers about the new dorms thinking it could be a security risk to the school. None of the teachers were sure what to do with it at first and thought there was another house, another founder, who was forgotten by time or something and only the dorms remained. It wasn’t until a muggleborn ravenclaw killed a transwitch in their own dorm rooms for being ‘unnatural’ did the teachers do something about the whole situation and decided to give them their own dorms to keep them safe.

‘Oh look! We’re already here!’ Tonks said as she pushed what looked like an old door.

The insides were beautiful and had shades and hues from all the houses, gold, red, green, silver, blue, bronze, yellow and black. There were a couple of people sitting on couches and playing board games. One of the students looked up at them.

‘Oh good, you're finally here.’ The student said. They had short green hair and had green eyes which kinda reminded Hari of broccoli and looked like a sixth year. ‘Any longer and we would have had to send for a search party.’

‘Very Tey.’ Tonks said as she turned. ‘Kids, this is Tenya Aizawa, I’m going to leave it to him to explain the rules and regulations. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in the Hufflepuff dorms, catching up with some friends.’

With that, Tonks left the room.

‘Alright.’ Tenya started. ‘As you know, my name is Tenya Aizawa and my pronouns are he/him. It’s gotten late so I’ll explain mostly everything tomorrow. Right now you kids need to go to bed.’

They followed Tenya along a long stretching hallway with doors on each side. Each door had something different written on them. Hari saw a door labeled ‘potions’ and another as ‘herbology’ 

‘While the other dorms are separated by years, our dorms are separated by favorite subjects and hobbies. You can choose whichever room you’d like to be your dorm room if it matches your interest or favourite subject. Ok? Now choose your room.’

There were plenty of rooms to choose from, but in the end, Hari chose the one labeled as ‘The Writer’s Room’ because he loved to write and hoped to publish a book one day.

Hari thought the room looked nice. The color scheme was nice and the room looked quite large. There were a couple of beds but only one of them were occupied and the person was fast asleep. Hari took a moment to appreciate the room.

The room had a balcony attached to it and showed a view of the inky-black sky with thousands of stars attached to it, glittering like tiny gems. Hari had a feeling that it was probably made of magic just like the night sky in the Great Hall.

The bathroom attached to the room looked quite modern.

Hari decided to explore the rest of the place tomorrow morning and quickly slipped into his pajamas and slept in one of the beds that were not being used. 

Vernessa Verse was an intern at the Daily Prophet, Despite being a Pureblood she was struggling to make ends meet as most of her stories were 'not good enough' for the editors of the Daily Prophet to publish.

But this! This letter in her hand was a goldmine! All she had to do was follow the breadcrumbs and she may get a story out of this and become as famous and loved as Skeeter herself!

The letter in question was a letter addressed to somebody in the department of mysteries and had been intercepted by a cousin of hers a few days ago and read as the following:

Agent G.L 875,

         We have a situation here in the department of mysteries; specifically, the veil. As you may have known, the veil had been spewing out ionic energy since 1/1/91. However, as of yesterday (22/6/91) at 1200 hours, the veil had started to glow a soft purple.

The veil still releases ionic energy periodically, however, the rate at which it is being released has decreased substantially.

My other colleagues and I do realize you are a busy man and are currently in Albania working on your own case, however, we would be sincerely grateful if you could take a look at the veil as your expertise may bring a new perspective to our investigation.

From,

   Agent B.M 698    

Vernessa could smell the amount of money this letter could generate for her, her eyes watered as she imagined herself swimming in a pile of galleons.

And if she could get all that by snooping around the ministry, well, who was she to say no to that?