Chapter 1
Barty couldn’t wait to get to Hogwarts. Couldn’t wait to get far away from his father. As Barty arrived at the station, he felt happy. He didn’t remember the last time he truly felt happy. To be fair, he didn’t remember much. Most of his memories were blurry.
His mother walked with him to the train. She kissed his cheek and told him to write often because she would miss him so much. His father didn’t come to see him off, of course.
Barty entered the train, since he didn’t feel like walking around, he quickly went in the compartment closest to him. Two girls were already sitting inside, talking. “Apologies, I can go sit somewhere else.” One of the girls, the one with blonde hair, smiled. “Oh, it’s fine. You can sit with us.” Barty put his trunk in the overhead compartment and sat down. “That’s Pandora and I’m Dorcas.” said the other girl as she extended her hand. “Barty Crouch Jr.” He said as he shook her hand.
“Are you a first year?” Pandora asked. Barty nodded. “Cool, we’re second years. I’m a Ravenclaw, Dorcas is a Slytherin. What house do you think you’ll be in.” Pandora talked fast. “My father wants me to be in Ravenclaw.” He answered. Dorcas looked a bit confused. “And what house do you wanna be in?”
Barty’s eyes widened in surprise. They were asking what he wanted. What did he want? “I don’t know.” He said frowning. “That’s fine. I didn’t know what house I wanted to be in either.” Said Pandora.
The door of the compartment opened, and a boy stepped in. He had short blond hair and freckles and was the most beautiful person Barty had ever seen.
“Evan!” Pandora exclaimed, “It’s been so long, I missed you.” The boy smiled, merlin did he have a nice smile. “Dora, we saw each other last month.”
“Well, you are my favorite family member.” The boy, Evan, rolled his eyes while chuckling, and turned towards Dorcas. “You’re Dorcas, right? Dora told me about you.” He extended his hand, and she shook it. “All good things I hope.”
“Mostly.” Evan answered grinning. “Mostly... Dora!” Dorcas said, offended. Pandora laughed. Barty felt kinda awkward, just sitting there.
Evan turned towards him, he raised an eyebrow. “And who might you be.” He asked. Barty cheeks suddenly felt really warm. “Barty” He choked out. Evan sat down next to him. “Are you okay? You’re a bit red.” The blond boy said. “Y-yeah, I just-uhm" Barty cleared his throat, “So, you’re a first year.”
“Yeah, I’m hoping to be in Slytherin. Most of my family is in Ravenclaw, but I think it seems boring.” Said Evan, Pandora kicked him. “Do you have a large family?” Barty asked. “I wouldn’t call it large, but I guess it’s not too small.” Evan answered. “I have an older brother, he’s a 4th year Ravenclaw. And I also have my cousins but that’s it.” He added.
“You and Pandora are cousins, right?” Said Barty. Pandora nodded. “Yes, and I have two older brothers, Rudolphus, who already graduated, and Rabastan who is also a 4th year.”
“I don’t have any siblings, but I have a bunch of annoying cousins that I have to see each Christmas.” Said Dorcas. “Christmas?” Asked Barty, as he was unfamiliar with the term. “It’s like the muggle version of yule.” Pandora said, helpfully. “You celebrate muggle holidays.” Said Barty in surprise. “Yes, my mom’s a muggle you see.”
“A muggle?” Barty was shocked, of course, he knew some wixen had muggle parents, but he had never met any before. He had only ever met purebloods, halfbloods with other halfblood parents, or on some occasions a muggleborn parent, and he had certainly never met a muggleborn.
The mood of the compartment became very awkward. “What’s it like having muggle relatives?” Evan asked Dorcas, he clearly didn’t know how to diffuse the awkwardness. “It’s fine, though it is a little annoying that I can’t use magic in front of the muggle side of my family. And all my cousins are the children of my mother's siblings, so they’re all muggles. She has three sisters and two brothers, so I have quite a big family.” Dorcas’ eyes shifted towards him as she spoke. She was clearly trying to determine his thoughts on muggles.
Barty didn’t hate muggles or muggleborns, they were just beneath him. Muggles didn’t have any magic, so they were weaker. That isn’t their fault, of course, they can’t help being born like that. However, that didn’t change the fact that just like a rat will always be lesser than a cat, a muggle will always be lesser than a wizard.
He had to solve this situation diplomatically, just like his father had him do. “That’s a very big family. You’re lucky I don’t have any siblings or cousins and it’s kinda lonely.” Barty said smiling. He hated it, that smile. It was fine though, because this meant he could keep the friends he made.
Dorcas seemed to relax, and they all chatted for the rest of the train ride, which was much too long. Barty never understood why they couldn’t just apparate or floo to Hogsmeade and then walk to Hogwarts.
When the train arrived at its destination, all the first years were told to get into boats in groups of four. He climbed aboard one along with Evan and two girls he didn’t bother learning the names of. They weren’t interesting, not like Evan was. So, he ignored them.
As they crossed the lake Barty only had two thoughts going through his brain. One, this was a stupid way of getting across, and it was a miracle no one had been pushed into the lake yet. And two, he was so going to get lost in that castle. Don’t get him wrong, Barty did think it was pretty, but it was also stupidly gigantic.
After they entered the castle, the first years were directed to the great hall. The room was large, it held four large tables, one for each house. At the front of the room was another table, that one was higher up and seated the professors. The floating candles gave the hall a mystical aura, Barty hoped they were charmed to not set things on fire.
One of the professors was standing next to a stool, holding a hat and a list. She started calling people over to get sorted. Barty didn’t really pay attention but about four kids were sorted before him. It made sense since his last name started with a C.
Barty walked over to the stool and sat down. The hat was placed on his head. ‘Hum, a particularly traumatized one aren’t you.’ The hat spoke directly into his mind. ‘I’m not.’ Barty thought back. ‘Now where to put you.’ The hat ignored his objection. ‘Not Hufflepuff that’s for sure. Gryffindor? No, that’s not quite right.’ That was unsurprising Barty already knew he was neither. ‘You have quite a mind, Ravenclaw would suit you well.’ His father wanted him to be in Ravenclaw, just like he was, and Barty did what his father told him to, but... He didn’t want to be his father. Barty thought back to what Evan said in the compartment. ‘That’s boring. I want to be in Slytherin.’
‘Yes, that would suit you as well.’ “Slytherin” The hat called out. Students cheered as Barty’s uniform changed into the Slytherin one. He walked towards his table; Dorcas waved at him, so he sat next to her. “Man, I was so wrong. I thought you’d be a Gryffindor.” Said Dorcas. “A Gryffindor?” Barty said vaguely insulted. “He doesn’t look anywhere near dumb enough to be a Gryffindor,” An older student called out.
Barty looked in front of him where another first year was sitting. They got sorted before him, but he couldn’t recall their name. “Hi, I’m Barty.” Since they were in the same house and year, they should get to know each other. “I’m Al- Regulus, Regulus Black.” Odd, who hesitates on their own name?
“Black? Are you related to Sirius?” Dorcas asked. “Yes, he’s my brother,” Regulus answered, he looked really awkward, like he wasn’t used to interacting with people. “That must be awful. He’s so annoying.” Said Dorcas. “He’s not that bad.”
“Last year, him and the rest of his stupid gang poured glitter glue all over the Slytherin table during breakfast. So yes, he is that bad.” Regulus laughed, “That does sound like Sirius.”
“Evan Rosier” Barty turned to look at Evan’s sorting. Please be in Slytherin, he thought as the hat was placed on his new friend’s head. “Slytherin” The hat called out a few seconds later. Barty smiled as Evan walked over and sat down next to him. “Hi,” he said. “Hi,” Barty answered.
Evan looked over at Regulus. “I’m Evan, you are?” He asked “Regulus Black” Evan lifted an eyebrow. “Really, I thought the Blacks only had one son.” Regulus grew a shade paler. “Oh, I suppose my parents are more ashamed of me than I thought.” Evan and Barty both busted out laughing. Dorcas frowned, she seemed to have not gotten the joke.
“I wish my parents were more ashamed of me. That way they would have hidden me away instead of parading me around like a doll.” Said Barty bitterly. “That sounds awful,” Dorcas responded. Barty shrugged, “It could be worse.”
The sorting was over, Barty realized as the headmaster, Dumbledore, started talking. He was stating a bunch of boring information, don’t go into the forbidden forest, don’t go near the whomping willow, make sure you attend all your classes, bla bla bla. It was a good thing Barty had gotten good at tuning out boring speeches.
When the headmaster finished his speech, the feast started. The table filled with tones of different foods. There was mashed potatoes, fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, kidney pie, yorkshire pudding, cornish pasty, Irish stew, and some other stuff. There were even a lot of deserts like scones, jam roly-poly, and trifle.
It was so much to choose from. Barty looked around; most students were stuffing their plates with food already. He had to pick something, he had to pick. “Are you not hungry?” Dorcas asked as she looked at his empty plate. “No, I just... I don’t-” Evan cut him off. “Here have some Cornish pasty.” He said as he put the food on his plate. “Thanks”
Barty was thankful Evan picked for him, but he also felt really incompetent. How was he to function in this world if he couldn’t even pick what food to eat? This was so stupid, it’s like he wasn’t even his own person. “Are you alright?” Asked Regulus, pulling him from his thoughts. “Yes, I’m fine. Just a bit tired, the train ride was exhausting.” Barty answered, trying his best to not let anyone see how much he felt like vomiting.
“I exhausted you, did I?” Said Dorcas, jokingly. “Yes, I’m not used to being around loud children.” Barty responded. “If you found your train ride exhausting imagine mine. I rode with my brother and his friends.” Said Regulus. Dorcas started laughing, “Oh, you poor soul. Does that mean you met James Potter?” Regulus nodded, he looked irritated thinking about this James. “He’s such a douche.” Regulus nodded more enthusiastically this time. “Who’s James Potter?” Asked Evan. “He’s the most loud and obnoxious of their little Gryffindor gang. He’s the one with the really messy hair sitting over there.” Dorcas pointed to the Gryffindor table.
James Potter was sitting next to a boy with black hair who he assumed was Regulus’ older brother. He was talking and smiling as he elbowed his friend. He had a very warm smile. “He doesn’t look that bad to me.” Said Barty. “Well believe me, he’s a real asshole.” Said Dorcas.
Regulus audibly gasped at that. Barty was also taken aback at the use of such language, and it seemed so was Evan whose eyes went wide. “What’s wrong?” Asked Dorcas. “Is it that I said asshole? Oh my God, it is. You guys are so poshy,” she started laughing, “Proper little baby lords, huh.”
“Do your parents let you use such language?” asked Evan. “No, but they’re not here,” answered Dorcas. Barty hadn’t thought of that, he could say whatever he wanted and his parents wouldn’t know about it. “Fuck” Evan’s eyes widened; Regulus gasped again. Barty couldn’t help but chuckle. A smile spread across Evan’s face, “Bitch” He bursted out laughing, and so did Dorcas. This was amazing. Barty said every swear he knew, and Evan followed suit. Regulus looked at them with pure amazement. “D-dick,” he said hesitantly, before also bursting out laughing.
When the feast ended the prefects brought the first year students to their respective common rooms. The Slytherin common room was in the dungeons, which turned out to be too far from the great hall for Barty’s liking. His feet were killing him.
The password was currently Python. A type of snake, how original. The common room itself was quite nice, it looked expensive. Filled with intricate colons, and snakes carved out of stone. One wall was simply a widow peering into the black lake. It, along with many of the walls, for some reason, was draped with satin green sheets. Everything was very green, annoyingly so. Even the fireplace held green flames.
The prefects told them boring information, rules and such, and sent them to their dorms. Girls to the right and boys to the left. Barty started walking to the left when he noticed Regulus was frozen in place. “Are you coming?” Barty asked. “Y-yeah,” he nervously answered.
They walked up the stairs together and Regulus looked more and more terrified every step he took. He was breathing loudly like he was a moment away from having a panic attack. They finally got to their dorm and Barty was glad to find out that he would only be sharing with Evan and Regulus. Regulus seemed to calm down a bit, not much, but a bit.
As soon as he entered his new room, Barty claimed the bed closest to the door as his. That left the two beds facing each other in the back of the room for Regulus and Evan. He fell asleep as soon as he laid on his bed.
This was going to be fine.