Vacation

A white haired twirled in his chair in a dimly lit office room, seemingly in thought. He later snickered as an idea formed in his mind.

‘A little vacation won’t hurt, right?’

The man gazed down on a miniature floating ball reminiscent of earth. He lifted a finger to tap on a plot of land labeled ‘Rowoon Kingdom’ an expanded it to show an exact location hidden in the forest of Darkness.

Smoke soon flowed out of that exact location in the miniature earth and filled the entire room in a matter of seconds.

The man let out a boisterous laugh at his misdeeds.

‘This is going to be fun.’

____

Loud noises from behind his door awoke him. The walls of the villa were fortified and thick so hearing people was by all accounts strange.

He realized that it was the sounds of servants cleaning outside, except he never had any other servants aside from Ron, beacrox and Hans.

He quickly sat up and surveyed the room that didn’t look like it was his by any means. The room looked like it belonged to a child, a wealthy one at that as the room was practically shining with gold. There were vocabulary books, physics books and pens everywhere.

“Ron?” he tried calling for his butler only to be met with silence. Ron was a skilled assassin that would’ve picked up even the slightest of sounds so either Ron was ignoring him or he wasn’t there. Both possibilities sounded absurd as Ron was and will always be dutiful and dedicated to his job.

A knock resounded in the area. A high-pitched voice spoke behind the heavy doors of the room.

“Young master, it is time to get ready!”

His eyebrows twitched in frustration at not being able to understand the current situation. Nevertheless, he slid off the large bed and opened the door just a tiny sliver.

There was a creature with pointy ears and large doe eyes staring up at him. He didn’t know what they were but they resembled the elves in fantasy novels in Kim Rok Soo’s world.

‘An elf? Why would an elf be here?’

They were different from all the other elves he’d met as Cale Henituse. They were short and dressed in rags the elves he’d met wouldn’t be caught dead wearing.

Cale tilted his head in confusion. The little elf must have misinterpreted his confusion as something else as they frantically tried to explain.

“Young master, you see it is your very first day at Hogwarts! A-and the Young master would need to get ready to not miss the train!”

“...Hogwarts?” Cale sincerely hoped he misheard the elf. Hogwarts was a fictional place with fictional characters. They must have misspoken or maybe it was him who misheard.

“Yes, yes! Hogwarts!” the elf didn’t know but Cale had almost fainted in despair at their conformation. It was a good thing that Cale had an impressive poker face.

‘Fuck! What the fuck! Which bastard did this!?’ he concealed his inner thoughts and looked at the elf without a crack on his mask. He might as well enjoy it while it lasted because he knows he’ll come back to his family or else someone’s head will get detached from their body.

(The god of death sneezed in his office and wondered if someone was talking bad about them.)

“You said I will need to get dressed?” Cale raised an eyebrow at the little elf in question.

“Yes, of course!” The elf who inadvertently caused Cale’s inner dilemma remained enthusiastic.

____

“You look amazing, Young master!” the elf’s eyes shined with pride at the outfit they themselves had chosen. It was an incredibly fancy outfit only aristocrats wore. The vest was emerald green in color with a ruby brooch on his left lapel paired with dark dress pants.

“It’s nice, Blitsy.” He had learned what their name was halfway through getting dressed, (he had also learned that he was a child no older that fucking twelve.) They reminded him of Hans sometimes with how optimistic they seemed. Blitsy hurriedly went to fetch his coat from his closet to complete the look.

“I’m glad it is to your liking, Young master!” Blitsy widely smiled as they made their way to Cale with a dark coat in hand.

It was finally time.

His (unfamiliar) parents had just left, leaving him with his luggage near platform 9. He sighed while staring at innocent looking wall. He had learned that his name was still Cale Henituse through the very awkward car drive with his new parents. He was also apparently a ‘pureblood’.

He had arrived at the platform and felt greatly underwhelmed. It was a given since he had fought in wars before, practically nothing could’ve phased him anymore but he at least wanted it to be as magical as people said it was back in his previous life.

‘Some people would kill to be in my place though..’ He mused, snickering in thought. He decided that he was wasting time by giggling to himself like a madman and picked up his luggage and calmly walked head first into the wall.

Loud noises of people talking and various types of pets filled his senses. Thankfully, the train had already arrived. He boarded the train and entered an empty cabin. The seats were burgundy and captured a perfect view of the people below.

Students with differing ages soon filled the cabins within a few minutes. Cale breathed in a relieved sigh at being able to get a seat before the train was filled to the brim. Though it was strange how people had seemed to avoid his cabin and glanced at him with fearful gazes.

‘I guess the trash reputation followed me here.’ He was inwardly satisfied with that new discovery.

He watched as families said their goodbyes to each other with snot filled noses and teary eyes through the glass windows to pass the time.

“Do you mind if I sit here? All the other cabins were full.” A blonde boy peeked inside the cabin and asked with a smile reaching his eyes, those eyes quickly opened in record speed at the sight of Cale.

“Motherfu..” The blonde boy was about to curse before putting a hand over his mouth to silence himself.

Cale’s mouth formed an ‘o’ at seeing the other person. “Your highness?”

“Cale!” Alver lunged himself at Cale and hugged him tighter every minute. Cale patted the boy’s back in an attempt to loosen the hug but it only made Alver hug him tighter.

“Your highness, I can’t breathe..!” Cale struggled for air in the arms of the blonde boy. Alver, having noticed his suffering let go with an apologetic smile on his face. “Sorry, I got a bit carried away.”

The people inside the other cabins beside them looked at them weirdly for their strange behavior.

Once Cale got out of Alver’s hold he heaved for breath and composed himself. “Care to tell me how you got here?” Cale questioned as Alver sat on the seat facing Cale.

“I just did, I don’t how I got here, sadly.” Alver brightened as he remembered something, “I do have information on my family.”

Cale motioned for him to continue. Alver then explained how his family was a pureblood family just like Cale’s and how they were one of the longest standing families due to their immense defensive powers that prevented them from being wiped out in the war. Cale likewise told Alver about the little information he had learned from social media when he was Kim Rok Soo.

Had he arrived sooner maybe he could’ve gone to read the books in his room for more information. He had read somewhere in his first life that there was a huge library in Hogwarts so the two planned to go there once they had free time.

Throughout their discussions the train had moved several miles away from the train station. Hills and mountains could be seen from outside the moving train.

Halfway through Hogwarts someone knocked on the cabin door. Alver curiously opened the door to a lady with a tray passing out snacks. She was dressed in formal clothing and had smile lines on her face.

“Hello, dears. Would you like something to eat?” The lady warmly smiled at them as Cale’s eyes lit up and happily grabbed a large amount of cookies.

“You know those aren’t free, right?”

“You know you’re paying, right?”

Alver’s face twitched in annoyance but still paid for all of them. Alver fondly sighed at the other hoarding most of the sweets to himself.

Alver wondered if the school year would be as troublesome as Cale made it out to be.

‘It probably will be that troublesome..’ Alver shuddered at the thought of being involved with such chaos.

____

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Alver stood up from his seat and went to Cale’s side to shake the other awake from his nap. “Cale, it’s time to go.”

‘I swear this guy can sleep anywhere.’ Alver thought with exasperation.

They got off the train and had put on their robes. There was a big burly man who had called for all first years to gather around.

Due to the numerous students crowding the place in order to not get separated, the both of them latched onto each other’s arms. A lot of the students there gave them bewildered stares. Cale had informed him beforehand that he likely had the same reputation of ‘trash’ in the wizarding world.

‘Maybe that’s why they’re looking at us like that.’ Alver thought that this may not only be the only reason as he noticed that they were figuratively and literally speaking, attached to the hip.

The boat ride towards Hogwarts was beautiful but otherwise uneventful. A woman who introduced herself as Professor McGonagall led them to the entrance hall of Hogwarts. There were translucent ghost chatting amongst themselves that floated above the students.

The students formed a line and obediently followed Professor McGonagall just like what she had ordered them to do.

They were then told to ready themselves before again being led in a place that had floating candles and four long tables where students older than them sat. Older in a physical sense, at least. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.

The students formed a line and obediently followed Professor McGonagall just like what she had ordered them to do.

The students were now on a raised platform with the teachers behind them and facing the rest of the school to begin the sorting. Alver was curious on what this ‘sorting’ would be like.

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.

After a few seconds of silence the hat then started singing.

“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.

To see a hat talking wasn’t new to Alver, he had seen his fair share of sentient objects but seeing a singing hat was still a strange sight to behold. He looked at Cale to see what the other was up to and saw him staring at a dark haired boy with glasses.

Cale saw him glance at him and explained it in a low voice.

“That’s harry Potter, Your highness.” Alver quickly whipped his head around see the boy himself. “He doesn’t look that impressive? A cute child? Maybe. Hero who defeated that guy? Not at all.” Alver knew not to judge someone by their looks but the child looked too cute to defeat a Dark Lord.

“Just focus on the Professor, diingus.” Cale looked at Alver with annoyance. “Didn’t anyone tell you not to judge by looks?” Cale lightly hit him in the shoulder with the hand that wasn’t holding Alver’s.

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!”

…

“Crossman, Alver!” Alver gracefully went up to the hat and sat on the stool.

Without even touching his head the hat shouted. “Slytherin!”

Alver made his way to the Slytherin’s table as applause sounded. He glanced back at Cale and smiled in his direction. He hoped Cale would be in the same house as him since it seemed like mingling between other houses was frowned upon. Still, even if Cale didn’t end up in the same house as him that wouldn’t stop him.

“Henituse, Cale!” After two other names were called it was finally time for Cale. Whispers broke out at the mention of his name. It stayed quiet for six minutes before the hat then shouted. “Slytherin!”