Chapter 1
1. Letters from Nowhere, America
To Ronald Weasley, Burrow, St. Catchpole, Devon, Britain
Dear Ronald,
You may find it shocking that you will receive this letter, but do not stress I know about you from your brother's pen-pal, professor Emilio Navarro, and I wished to write to you.
My name is Dylan Parsons, second year Ilvermorny student, from Thunderbird house, and this is more of an "social experiment" to make connections with other people. I am labeled as a shy, introverted kid which is not true if you ask me but professor Navarro insisted for me to try.
(And I don't mind making new friends maybe someone from a different country can understand me more than my peers.)
For now I won't write more I do hope you will write back. Thank you for your attention for my rambling.
Sincerely Dylan (hopefully your new friend)
***
To Dylan Parsons, Nowhere America
Dear Dylan,
I reckon we could give a try for this pen-pal thing. As you already know I am Ron Weasley, please Ronald is something I hate to be referred as. I am ten right now and I assume you have to be twelve if you are a second year student, which is wicked. I can't wait to go to Hogwarts. I mean it is the school my family went to since the school came to be and we all ended up in Gryffindor.
Gryffindor is the house of lions, if you are brave and courageous you probably end up there and mum, dad, even my big brothers are Gryffindors. You are a Thunderbird you wrote. What is that? How is your school's sorting if you have any? What other houses do you have?
I could write millions of questions and never be enough time for it. Bill said I should thank you for writing and contacting me. (I don't have any friends beside my five brothers and one sister so having a friend is nice).
As I wrote I have a big family, a in nine family members including me. You probably know about Bill from your professor. He says Navarro couldn't say nice things about him, but half of it has to be true. Bill is cool and awesome, interested in Runes, tombs and anything that includes an adventure or a puzzle. Here is a story I can only tell you, because you won't babble to mum.....
***
Dylan received a long letter from Ron Weasley. Initially when he planned to keep in contact with someone from Britain Ron was his second choice. His first one was Neville who needed the moral support, but after he never got an answer he tried again. Ron needed someone who was on his side. Someone who understands insecurities, jealousy and never measuring up for the huge expectations of your parents.
Dylan was like that in his past life, or as much as he could remember from the shattered pieces of his faulty memory. A boy who failed at everything, academics, sports, socializing even when he played the guitar or wrote stories there was someone else who did it it better. Of course he understood how Ron felt.
His second chance of life won't go to waste. As young as five he pretended to be a genius. When he learnt about magic he became so excited that he read anything he could find about it. As he heard about Ilvermorny he knew that Hogwarts is real too and all of the issues that Voldemort caused. At first he didn't want to engage with canon, but he felt guilty and reached out for Neville, then Ron.
At twelve he continued to write to Ron almost every two days. Ron knew his deepest secrets, insecurities and happy moments. He even hinted his weird knowledge, but he couldn't explain it. Ron understood and wrote about his own secrets. How he hated his hand me down clothes, rat and that he will never be as great as his brothers.
Dylan was also alone in Ilvermorny. It is not like he didn't try to make friends, he did, but for some reason people saw it right away that he didn't belong. Half-blood knowing more than most of the purebloods, with a natural talent for dueling.
Professor Navarro could see that he has the potential and took him under his wing. Dylan trained hard and searched for anyone willingly to duel. Thunderbirds loved to duel with Dylan, he always found someone willingly. Horned Serpents learnt to avoid the second year, because he always wiped the floor with every second, third and fourth year, but the older students started to test him and they were a good challenge. Wampus students jumped into every battle without any plan so after Dylan goaded them into it he had a few duels with students who used their fists too. Pukwudgie house students all avoided him so he did not seek them out for a duel offer.
***
I will become a duelist. One day I will be a world famous duelist and I hope you will hear my name on the newspapers and TV too. Finally I found a dream Ron and I will protect everyone who is important to me, including you.