The Beginning
The hidden platform of 9 ¾ was bustling in the early Sunday morning; the day before the new year of school commenced at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Wizards and witches of all kinds were accompanying their children, older and younger, to the bright red train on the station’s tracks labeled the Hogwarts Express. Shouts and laughter were heard throughout the platform when friends were reunited from the long summer break. Animals in cages were adding their accompaniments to the chaotic musical with their yowls, ribbits and hoots. And when the legendary Harry Potter walked onto the platform for the first time with the scattered red-headed Weasleys, awed whispers were passed around from those who caught sight of his lightning bolt scar.
Lost in the mayhem were two different families who were apart from both the mesh of those in the crowd mingling together and the rumor filled entrance of the Boy-Who-Lived.
The first family were of high status, a striking couple and their eleven-year-old son, who were most likely pureblooded, based on their specialty silk robes. They were the Winchester’s: John, Mary, and Sam. They stood tall and proud as they gazed over the others around them with indifference. Sam was wearing his new school robes with a practiced air, his trunk beside him with an abnormally large cage resting on top of it with a cover blocking the view of the animal inside. His mother Mary lowered herself to his level, her blond hair held neatly back with a glittering emerald pin, and gently pressed a loving kiss to his cheek which he took graciously. After she rose back to her full height, his father placed a serious hand to his shoulder with a firm squeeze. Sam nodded his farewell to them, there was no need to speak, and with a wave of his wand, shrunk his trunk which he put into his robe pocket. Grabbing his cage, he turned to board the train with determination, not looking back at his parents once.
The second family to enter the train was quite different to the Winchester’s; a mother and her two sons, one eleven and the other seven. The elder son stayed close to his family, holding his brother’s hand and eagerly taking in the sights as they moved through the crowd towards the train. His mother was pushing the cart with his enlarged trunk and owl cage in front of them, leading the way. Only the one boarding the train today was wearing robes while the other two were dressed in muggle fashion that led to some stares from the other witches and wizards they passed. The family paid no mind and when they were close to the end of the platform, the woman stopped the cart and turned to her children. She was Kate Milligan, a muggleborn witch with her two sons Dean and Adam. She looked tired and skinny yet proud as she beamed at Dean who readily smiled back at her. With a fiercely loving hug and a lecture on how to behave from his mother, Dean prepared to leave his family for the first time in his life by assuring his younger brother that he would be writing them letters constantly. Giving Adam a hug and gaining a promise that the young one would take care of their mother, Dean smiled and waved at them with damp eyes before he dragged his trunk and cage through the train doors.
Aboard the train was not much different from outside of it, except for it somehow managing to increase in volume with the intertwined collection of children. Those that were familiar with the experience were separated from the youngest as they moved to cabins with their friends and housemates. Sam found a cabin with other pureblooded first years that were the sons and daughters of friends of the family, a collection of different children that were waiting pensively for their sorting to meet their families’ standards. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley had made a cabin for themselves, while Dean met and began to help a young nervous boy who had recently lost his toad. Dean would pass by Harry and Ron’s cabin as a girl with wild hair who introduced herself as Hermione Granger would get there first on their combined search for the missing magical pet.
The journey across the country was long, taking all of hours of daylight and steadily increasing both the jitters and excitement of the newest students.
When the train finally arrived at the Hogwarts station, the sun had already set and the children were quick to disembark and stretch their legs. The first years were approached by a giant, or what was close to one, named Hagrid who led them to the boats. With four to a boat, Harry and Ron were joined by Neville and Dean, though they still have not properly met yet. The four boys beside their peers gazed with wonder at the larger-than-life castle looming before them on the other side of the lake, glittering with the glow of candles and moonlight.
When they arrived on land and were led to the entrance, they followed the directions they were given up the stairs and into the antechamber of the Great Hall where they were met by a tall, older witch with an important demeanor. Harry and Ron were in the front, another boy with bright blonde almost white hair towards the edge of the group with Sam beside and two large boys behind him. Sam looked disinterested and silent as he remained staring ahead at the witch in charge. Dean and Neville were not far behind the front, the former trying to soothe the latter who had still yet to find his toad.
“Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor McGonagall and before I can allow you to join the other students you must first be sorted into your Houses. These are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin.”
The blonde boy gave Sam a triumphant look when the last House was called and received a pinched smile in return.
The professor continued, “Your House will be like your family for the rest of days here. With every triumph you will gain points to your House and any ruled breaking will result in a loss of House points. At the end of the year, the House Cup will be awarded to the House with the most points remaining. I hope you will all be a credit to your House.”
A small ribbit was heard at the end of her announcement followed by an exclamation of, “Trevor!” as Neville returned possession of his pet. When he returned to the pack with a sheepish expression at the stare of the witch, Dean patted him jovially in the back though he stayed clear of touching the amphibian.
Professor McGonagall turned away from the children as she moved away to look through the doors and waited for the time for them to be sorted.
In the meanwhile, the blonde boy to the side approached the front with a haughty air. “So, it’s true then. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts,” he stated loudly, causing the whispers to begin again as everyone tried to catch a glimpse of Harry.
Sam himself turned a curious eye from where he was standing and studied the dark-haired lad. When Neville turned with a shocked gaze to his companion, Dean simply shrugged in response, not too interested in the fuss of what appeared to be just another kid like themselves.
“I’m Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.” This caused Ron to stifle his laugh behind a cough, turning the other boy’s attention to him with a glare. “Think my name’s funny, do you? No need to know yours with your red hair, freckles and hand-me-down robe. It’s obvious you’re a Weasley who have more children than they can clearly afford.”
Ron flushed in anger and embarrassment as Malfoy carried on. “There some wizards that are better than others Potter and you wouldn’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there,” Draco offered with an extended hand and a confident smirk.
Potter did not take the hand and coolly rebuffed the youngest Malfoy’s offer of friendship. The blonde angered and allied with his two brutes for friends, Crabbe and Goyle, stood menacingly in front of Ron and Potter eager to fight for their lost honor.
“Malfoy,” a different voice called over the heads of the watching children. They all looked towards to the voice to find Sam there standing unflinching at all the stares on him. “Leave it,” he commanded the blonde who huffed at the tone. “You wouldn’t want to get trouble for being in a fight on your first day,” the other boy added seriously.
Malfoy glared at Potter and Weasley as he and his two companions moved away to stand back with the others.
Good think too because that is when the Professor approached them once more and ordered them to get in line and follow her through the now open doors. Arguments and interest in heroes were forgotten when they entered the expansive dining hall with the enchanted ceiling with the floating candles. Apprehension had returned in spades as the children were eyed by the large amounts of other students of various ages sitting at the four long tables. They walked through the center of the floor until they reached the space between the edge of the four tables a fifth long horizontal table at the end. The first years crowded together in front of a chair with a very old hat sitting on it.
They observed the front table filled with adults and turned their attention when a wizard with a long white beard that they all knew to be Professor Dumbledore, stood to address them. “I’d would like to start tonight’s feast with a few announcements. First years, you should know that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden for all students. The third-floor corridor on the right-hand sight is also out of bounds to everyone that does not wish to die a most painful death.” Sam raised an eyebrow at that statement eyeing the adults in front suspiciously. Dean, a few children away from the other boy, also looked flummoxed as to why they were such dangers in the castle to begin with.
That was all that was to be said by the old wizard and Professor McGonagall began to speak once more. “When I call your name, you will take your seat and the Sorting Hat will be placed on your head.” She began to list children alphabetically by their last name.
The new students watched in fascination at the sorting ceremony, the very old and battered hat coming alive and declaring loud and proud the House of each newly sorted student. They observed as every eleven-year-old walked either slow or quick towards the table of their House, their ties changing colors from black to either red, yellow, green or blue.
Hermione Granger went up with a surprising call to Gryffindor for those who had met her. Dean slightly thought it fitting; she was not afraid to speak up her mind. Neville Longbottom was next, practically demanding to be placed into Hufflepuff with his previously shy and clumsy actions. It was a shock to all when the hat determinedly placed him into Gryffindor. Draco Malfoy was soon after and those who were prejudiced, they are in far greater numbers than most would like to believe, thought it fitting that he was placed into Slytherin, resenting that he did so with a spring in his step.
Dean Milligan followed, doing his best to walk casually, not too eager and not too scared, towards the chair in which he took a seat. The young boy did his best to hide is surprise when the hat began speaking to him in his mind in an ancient rasping voice.
“Interesting,” it drawled slowly, humming to itself. “You are capable of many things; brave but not for yourself and an unshakable loyalty to those you deem worthy. You are cunning when cornered but not ambitious. You are not afraid of hard work but it does not appeal to you. Not Slytherin no, maybe Hufflepuff?” the murmured to itself.
Dean was becoming uncomfortable the longer the hat took, and he squirmed as whispers rose when he had not been sorted yet.
“Ah, now I see. Yes, that would be best, don’t you think? Just remember boy that where you will go, there will be tribulations that you will face for all seven years at Hogwarts. Do not doubt and with your combined strengths, you will flourish.” That did not sound appealing to the young boy but it was quickly stored away when the hat called out loudly, “Ravenclaw!”
Dean was shocked to the core, held in his spot immovable for many moments at the declaration. He had never in his life expected this and it showed in his unsteady gate and unseeing eyes as he made his to way to sit at the blue table. Dean Milligan was quickly forgotten by everyone, left to falter in his shifted world view silent and alone.
Then came the great Harry Potter who also took a few minutes with the hat on his head before any judgement could be determined. Gryffindor cheered loudly when Harry was sorted into the lion House and eagerly welcomed the Boy-Who-Lived into their pride. Many more children followed, including Ronald Weasley towards the end and he too was proud of being sorted into Gryffindor.
Sam Winchester was called next, one of the last to be sorted. He sat still and regally in the chair and kept his face blank when the hat began to speak to him. He was not surprised by the magic surrounding the hat, having been detailed about the ceremony by his parents before coming to Hogwarts. The hat hummed when it was placed on the boy’s head and though he did not show it, Sam felt his nerves rise at the scrutiny.
“A Winchester and a Campbell; very interesting heritage you have young man. Brave, intelligent, loyal, and ambitious. But which best suited for you, hm? Let’s have a look. Not too loyal, at least not yet and you are hardworking though it leans towards more ambitious motives, does it not? Brave certainly, close to recklessness even and very determined. Intelligent too, studious, practical and diligent; Ravenclaw would enjoy you in their House. But perhaps a bit too curious and rebellious in the search for answers for their tastes.”
Sam mulled over the words, uncertain with how the choice will lean now that his parentage was utilized.
The hat continued, “I think its best for you to go where you are expected in this case. You will have more access to your desires and needs though it will not be easy. Remember to see beyond what you’re shown and remain open-minded, young man. Slytherin!” the hat at last proclaimed.
It was not really a surprise to the young Winchester, but he was left feeling a little disappointed nonetheless. Following both his parent’s footsteps was not very appealing to his newfound independence at the school. When he sat with the other sorted first years at the snake’s table, Draco immediately started raving on but Sam remained silent and uninterested. He kept repeating what the hat had whispered to him in his mind and wondered what it all meant.
The feast then began, students of all kinds and shapes eagerly devouring all the delicious morsels that magically appeared in front of them. Friendships were being made over broken bread and merry drinking of pumpkin juice. Harry Potter was ecstatic at being able to participate in such a magical occurrence and was eagerly engaging with the other Gryffindors around him alongside his new friend Ron.
Sam at the Slytherin table was mostly silent and picking at his food, only speaking when he had to make polite conversation with his neighbors as dictated by high society standards. He was uneasy amongst the snakes; he knew that he would have to keep his guard up before finding friends that could be, well, not trusted but close enough.
Dean on the other hand had found himself immediately entered into discussions between his peers and the older students about what classes were going to be like. He had been happy to participate but soon found his knowledge lacking and was unable to respond when needed. They kept asking him what spells he knew, what books he had read before the start of term, and what he was hoping to be his favorite subject. Some of the first years were already commenting on which electives they’ve picked for their third year, while Dean still did not know what classes he was required to take this year. He was sure that his mom had tried to explain it to him when she could, but she was too ruffled or busy most times what with trying to find a replacement babysitter for Adam while she is away at work.
After a few times of stilted talk without Dean being able to answer to their satisfaction, the other Ravenclaws left him alone and ignored his presence. Dean was hurt by this; he had been thinking that with being in school with children similar to him that he would finally be able to gain the friends he lacked before. He turned away from the other students at his table and continued to brood at his once delicious meal that now tasted like ash.
It only seemed to worsen for both boys, Winchester and Milligan, when dinner was over and they were escorted by their House prefects to their dorms. Slytherin and Hufflepuff made their way to the deep of the castle while Ravenclaw and Gryffindor moved up the stairs to the towers.
Sam tried not to shiver as each step lower became one degree colder.
They made it to the Slytherin common room in the dungeons which was protected by a large iron door with a curled silver snake knocker above a medium sized painting with a backdrop of an exquisite garden in the eve of twilight. It was an expansive maze of rose bushes, willow and fruit trees, vines on hidden walls with a large ivory fountain in the center and cobbled stone paths meandering amongst the green expanse that shined in the light of moonlight.
No one could be seen in the painting for the first few moments they crowded in front of it until one of the prefects cleared his throat loudly. Then a beautiful woman appeared into the picture frame, wearing a flowing white dress on her slim figure. Her dark silky hair, shifted across her shoulders and down her back, and her eyes were a starry blue. She was also barefoot with no jewelry though she stood and appeared to be someone who was once of great wealth. Her blue eyes were also shadowed with a deep unknown sorrow, and Sam for just a moment wondered what exactly had made the mysterious so sad.
When she spoke, it was soft melody as she asked, “Password?”
“Ascension,” the prefect replied easily, a hidden behind the word that Sam was yet able to decipher. He doubted he ever would as the passwords would change constantly throughout his time here.
The woman nodded demurely at the answer and stepped behind one of the trees and out of sight as the door silently opened into the common room. It was a large expansive room made of stone with two fireplaces on both sides of the hall. There were green and silver sofas and cushy chairs surrounding sturdy oak coffee tables placed throughout the common room to host its fellow Slytherins. The only windows were large glass panes that took the space of the entire far wall of the hall, which showed the murky waters of the Black Lake.
The Slytherins were organized by corridors for each grade that branched from the common room, with separate rooms for each student. Most pureblooded parents that sponsored the House did not want their children to have to share with others, not even their personal space. Sharing was not a dignified custom in the den of snakes.
Sam was glad for it, as he entered his room, the second door on the right of the first corridor from the left-side of the common room. It was not even close to the size of his own room at home, practically a cell in comparison, but it was suitable to his needs and he was glad for only having the basics; he did not think that he would spend too much time in his room anyway, not with a magical castle to explore. It was occupied with a queen-sized bed, its headboard against the far wall and its side against the left wall. To the right of the bed was a decent desk and chair for which he could study and dresser besides it. The was the extent of his room, the bathroom at the end of the first-year male corridor, and Sam was overall pleased with it.
His trunk was already placed at the foot of his bed with the cage on top, which had started rattling the moment he entered the room, his pet sensing its master immediately. Sam approached the cage and lifted the cover that kept his creature out of sight. It was a precaution; his animal was not an accustomed familiar at Hogwarts and Sam had to get an exception specifically for his own.
Now in view was a dark brown almost black furred four-legged animal with thick fur. It was a puppy, a large one even though its is young and small with soulful brown eyes, pointed ears, and growing sharp teeth.
Canines were rare familiars, with very few wizards and witches throughout history bonding with one but they were also extremely valued. They were loyal to their masters from the beginning of their life to the end, and with magical properties they lived longer than the regular lifespan of their kind. They were empathic and had good instincts when it came to both imminent danger and the emotions of their bonded. They were great trackers of magic with their sharp sense of smell and excellent attack animals, with heavy strength, sharp teeth and claws.
And this puppy was not just some dog or mutt with some blood connected to the wizard world, but a pureblooded wolf pup, belonging to the hidden mystical pack that roamed the Forest of Dean. Sam’s father had found the pup alone when he had passed through the wood on of his many Hunts, and had gifted the pup as his familiar this last summer before the start of term. Sam had been overjoyed with the present, as none of the other owls, cats and toads he had met were connecting to the boy as a familiar should. He had promptly named him Bones; both due to how skinny the poor pup was but also because of the name's tie to the family business.
His father then spoke to Professor Dumbledore about the matter and the ancient wizard had agreed to allow Bones to come to the school under the condition that he would best behave himself. These next seven years will just be as much training for the young wolf as well as for the young wizard.
After comforting Bones with his return and creating a comfortable environment for his familiar to reside in, Sam went through his nightly routine before he swiftly made his way to bed. He was beyond exhausted and hoped to have a restful sleep before the busy start of classes tomorrow. He fell into a deep doze not long after his head hit the pillow and he did not rise again until morning.
On the far side of castle in adjacent to Sam and the Slytherins, Dean too was adjusting to his new life in the magical boarding academy.
When his House had successfully made their way through the alternating staircase, they approached another large iron door with bronze eagle knocker above a different painting. The image was of a planetarium, a glittering onyx floor empty save for a comfortable chair placed on a Persian rug before a stone fireplace against the left-hand wall. A large bookshelf was on the far-right wall filled with old, large and colorful tomes with hidden texts. The planetarium was shaped like a large dome and the very top was made of glass in which the stars shown through. On the back wall there were clear arched windows that showed an unidentifiable horizon in the distance, with the warm colors of the sun just beginning to peek through; its colorful rays cutting through the dark night sky like knives and filtering some light into the remaining dark spaces.
A woman was sitting in the chair besides the crackling fire, a book in her lap that she was steadfastly reading which left her unaware of the students outside of her frame. She was a brunette with short wavy hair that was cut to below her chin and her light hazel were almost amber in the light of the flames. She was wearing simple violet robes and she had a soothing aura around her figure. She greeted the prefects sweet and polite, offering small conversation before providing them the riddle that would let them.
That is when Dean knew he was foiled. He was terrible at riddles and had no comprehension of what the riddle meant as she spoke it. The prefect, Robert, had called on the first years to see if they could answer the riddle and the eleven-year-olds were eager to prove themselves worthy of their House reputation. They bantered on which answers were best until they came to a conclusion and gave their final choice to the woman in the painting. She smiled at them, the door opened and Dean still did not understand it. He felt shame at his lack of wit as he slunk his way inside amongst the crowd of Ravenclaws.
The common room was enchanting, a large circular room that had bookshelves lining most of the walls except for the windows on the far side of the door that viewed the surface of Black Lake and the stone fireplace on the left from the entrance. Comfortable looking blue couches were laid proportionally in the common room in front of wooden tables and a few desks throughout. Between the windows and the fireplace, was a small corridor that led to first floor and the staircase of the boys’ dormitories, the girls’ entrance across from it. The seventh years were on the common room floor and the first years were on the second highest level, underneath the telescope observation platform at the top of the tower.
Dean and his male peers started up the stairs until they reached level seven which opened to another corridor on either side of them. Dean’s room was the farthest room on the right, except for the bathroom, and he shared it with two other Ravenclaw boys, Michael Corner and Terry Boot. Their room was also circular, similar to the common room downstairs with three twin beds against different sides of the walls, each with a dresser and a small desk beside them. Their bedspreads were blue and bronze, and they had three windows above the desks that observed outside over the castle and its surrounding landscapes.
Dean’s two roommates immediately began settling in and chatting to each other over the new year, but he was not interested in socializing anymore. Instead, he moved to the bed on the left where his trunk was resting at the foot of with the owl cage on top.
The dark feathered owl with startling orange eyes stared at Dean almost accusingly as she waited tensely for him to open her cage and set her free. Technically, she should have been sent to the owlery ages ago, but Dean knew that his familiar was too stubborn to leave when she could not be guaranteed to see him anytime soon. It still did not grant him any favors from her disgruntled attitude at being kept in the cage for so long; she hated it, Dean could count on one hand how many times she has actually been in a cage, and this is first time that she had actually been in one for such an extended period of time.
She flapped her wings and placed herself on his shoulder, her heavy weight almost toppling the poor boy over even with the practice of her perching on him. Zeppelin was a very rare eagle owl which very few wizards possessed, and she was exceptional even there with her darker than normal plumage with only small strands of white and dark brown flashing through the overall black feathers.
The Milligan’s were too destitute in order to purchase an eagle owl outright, they had not even though to do so, and instead had headed to the pet shops in Diagon Alley to search for the young wizard’s familiar. Dean found toads and rats too disgusting to have himself, he was apparently allergic to cats of all heritage, and none of the owls at the menagerie had caught his interest. He had been worried that he would not have been able to bring a familiar at all this year when Zeppelin had magically flown into his life.
Dean had been outside in the field behind his home practicing his archery with the small practice bow he had made, earlier this summer a few weeks after his failed familiar search. The sport was a hobby he had been fascinated with since the beginning of his youth and he had taken it upon himself to practice, regardless if he had a proper teacher or not.
He had been trying to hunt some field mice when he had been startled by the loud flap of rustling wind to the side of him. He had turned to find the owl’s dark wings spread wide and threatening, her talons extended towards him and Dean could only lift his forearm and brace for the expected pain to come. Thought her talons were sharp and did bruise his skin, she was as gentle as possible as she perched herself on his right arm and hooted at him in greeting. He had been scared of her for a bit after that but after she refrained from clawing his eyes out, even going so far as to rube her beak into his head almost affectionately, Dean finally relaxed and brought her home.
He still to this day has not idea as to where she came from or what made her stay, but Zeppelin was his and they had no plans to change that.
He opened the window and let her fly out into the night to hunt for her breakfast, keeping it open for when she would wish to return. The other boys did not protest, playing exploding snap with each other instead. They did not offer Dean to join and he did not ask, instead preparing himself for bed. He pulled the curtains surrounding his bed closed after climbing in and settled down to sleep, hoping that tomorrow would be a better day; that he would finally make a friend.
Hogwarts fell asleep full of children for the first time in three months and all was quiet.