DISCLAIMER for the entire series: The magical world and characters of Harry Potter will forever be the property of the magical J.K Rowling. I am only using them to showcase my love for her creation and beloved characters. They will never be mine, no matter how much I wish it. Only the characters you've never heard of are mine.
PSA: This is a slight AU, OC-centric fic. It follows HP canon closely but due to the nature of it, some changes are bound to happen. This is also my first HP fic so feel free to review on how I handled everyone's personality. Feedback is much appreciated as well. Thank you and enjoy!
CHAPTER 1: It's always raining here
Rambunctious claps of thunder echoed from far away as a haze of gray-white clouds steadily moved through the harsh morning. Small street businesses and stalls quickly moved to close up shop once the wind kicked into high gear. A number of people hurriedly sought for shelter under the shades while some didn't bother at all. It was as if casual precipitation during this time of the month is normal for them and they remained about their day. The crowd that continued on the streets expertly pulled out similar looking umbrellas from their respective packs and kept moving.
Just another September morning in the busy suburban town of London it seems.
A deafening clap of thunder reverberates through the air again surprising a completely unsuspecting young man standing in the sidewalk. The young man stands about five feet tall in height. He sports locks of messy brown hair swept to the right so much so that almost covers his forehead. His brown colored eyes glanced on either side of the road before him whilst tapping impatiently on his arm.
Matthias Braun clicked his tongue irritably.
As his first act of autonomy without his father's or family's influence, Matthias dutifully hoped he didn't mess up by giving the wrong time and place to the cab company. He can't afford to miss the one-way train trip to his new school. Missing it would only result in tantamount scolding and-or, result in unnecessary complications no one wants to deal with.
The wind picked up around him and Matthias looked up at the ominous sky. He grimaced at the thought of being caught under the foreboding rain and thought it wise to seek for shelter early on. He reached inside his knapsack and pulled out a blue hooded jacket from inside. He wore it on top of a black colored tee, with the words 'Better now or never' printed on it, before hauling his luggage behind him towards a nearby café.
Just as he entered the small café veranda, the rain began to trickle. Matthias looked out into the street and scoffed at the slowly blurring image of the sidewalk as the downpour somehow turned into some monochromatic photograph.
Mathias Brain hated the rain.
Not just because he hated the sound it made on the roof, or the inconvenience it brings to someone like him that is overly unprepared for it; but because it reminded him of the night he was robbed off the most important person in his life.
Three years ago, Matthias lost his mother to some whack-job with a vendetta against his father. A father he's never even met nor known at that time, mind you. For someone as young as he was back then, he remembered that night like it was as clear as day. He remembered the rain very vividly, the dark corridor, the way his mother begged for her and his life, and a haunting flash of green. He curled his hands tightly as memories of that replayed in his mind's eye again.
He shook it off away and patiently waited for his cab to arrive. Five minutes later, a cab finally stopped by the pavement. A frantic looking man, sporting an impressive ginger beard and holding a black umbrella, came out from the drivers seat and scanned the area for his passenger. Matthias raised his hand from the veranda and called for the cabbie's attention.
The man jogged towards the café and asked, "Ar' yi' Matthias Braun?"
Matthias nodded despite being heavily distracted by the man's impressive beard.
"Belter!" the man clapped Matthias' arm. "Name's Jefferson, ser! At ya' servis! Ya' can call me Jeff if ya' want. A'm deeply sorry for be'en late, ser. Fackin trafik –" he stopped himself and noted Matthias age. "I shod'ant curse 'round wee ones, jaysus. Apologies again, ser."
"I don't mind," Matthias waved dismissively. "My brother curses a lot too."
"It's still wrong to curse 'round passengers, ser. But ya shod'a really seen the line o' re'd in Albert. It's enough ta' mek'a grown man cra'y," he kept on rambling in that heavy Scottish accent of his. Matthias found it rather amusing.
"I – oh! Hevens me, I'm stallin' agen. Here you are, ser," Jeff handed Matthias the umbrella and moved to carry the latter's luggage luggage. Jefferson struggled a little at Matthias' luggage, but showed no signs of being hindered by it. If anything, he looked like he respected Matthias for even carrying this heavy trunk around. Matthias would've used magic to aid him, but he wasn't legal yet. So instead of hanging idly behind Jefferson, he protected the cabbie from the downpour while the latter was shoving the trunk in the cab's boot by holding up the umbrella above them.
"Quarter to ten at King Cross, aye?" Jeff clarified as he took back the umbrella and escorted Matthias to the back seat.
"Preferably," Matthias nodded. "Although it's already past quarter and I should be there by 11 or I'll miss the train."
"Great Scott!" the cabbie gasped in alarm. He cursed rapidly in his native tongue and pushed Matthias towards the backseat. He abruptly shut the door on Matthias face, fumbled his way to the driver's seat, slammed the door, and floored it.
Despite having the rain slightly ruining his day, Matthias found an upside to it by having Jefferson as his driver.
Jefferson was an overly chatty bloke that, despite his sailor mouth, was a delight to talk to. He had a lot to say about the traffic and the weather. It didn't look like he'd stop talking about it anytime soon. Matthias didn't really complainin, he's still particularly entertained by his accent and it was a particularly good distraction from the sound of rain. As they crossed a busy intersection, Jefferson suddenly offered him a quick tour of the landmarks they'll pass by on the way to King Cross.
Matthias never told Jefferson he was a foreigner earlier, so it was a little jarring to hear it come from someone who hardly knew him. Jefferson didn't ask any questions about it earlier too, so to guess that in just minutes, without asking any questions, is an amazing feat. Matthias shrugged it off as a "foreigners can smell other foreigners" kind of deal and agreed to listen in on what he knows. Having Jefferson talk over the rain is a lot better than having none anyway.
Not long after however, Jefferson had to stop indulging him because of the growing traffic. The man's temper wasn't having it, most especially when some bloke ran them over during a red light and almost grazed the side of their cab. Jefferson hit the brakes almost immediately to avoid crashing into the other car and honked his horn like a madman, while screaming profanities in his native tongue, as the other car sped away the opposite direction.
Matthias sighed to himself as Jefferson apologized and merely shrugged it off. He understood driving and people's temper during a heavy rain so he let Jefferson drive in silence.
He decided to distract himself by watching the view outside instead. There isn't much to see other than the red tail lights of the cars around them and of course, the rain. Matthias' attention soon drifted to watching the rain trace indecipherable images unto the window, and remember the single most devastating moment in his past.
He wants to let go of any regrets he had from that night, but he finds it very hard to let go. Even with the closure he had upon seeing the man responsible behind bars, something felt wrong; and it has never stopped feeling such. That feeling lingered long enough to hinder him from experiencing the wizarding world in it's full blown glory when he was introduced to it.
Hell, learning about his wizard heritage didn't surprise him as much as it should have, because of all the wrong things that came along with it. His mother dead, his absentee father; the one he blamed for her death initially, suddenly decided to show up in his life just when he lost the only family he's ever known, and a not so loving half-brother and step-mother.
Matthias harbored no ill-intent toward Hendrik when he finally claimed him, but he can't help blaming him every now and then. If he had only been there for them right from the beginning, she wouldn't have died. If he had only been faster, she wouldn't have died. If he had never left them, she would still be alive. But deep inside, Matthias also knows that it was none of their faults. It was solely the murderer's own.
He missed his mother greatly. He really did. He wished she was here to witness him grow up like this; to watch him step out in a world of adventure on his own and experience it with friends he'll grow to cherish. But alas, that will never happen now. Not with her buried six feet underground.
Matthias sighed, slouching back on the backseat as he wondered for the millionth time if magic had a solution for emotional turmoil's like this. Or better yet, a solution to revive the dead. His mother did not deserve to meet death like that. The only peace Matthias ever had with her death, was knowing that that the curse used to steal the light from her eyes brought her a painless death. He learned about the said curse months after she died and he began attending a renowned wizarding school in the Scandinavian region. The spell had a similar effect as a sleeping spell. Only this time, you never wake up. Ever.
Matthias moved his attention to the blackened sky rhetorically asked, "Does it always rain in London?"
"YOU FACKEN' IDIO – Ah?" Jefferson caught himself mid curse and glanced over his shoulders, "Not always lad. Dat's in December, wettest month all year! I could barely ge'out of me' 'aus cose of it. Tis just a bad week for all of London is all. Don't like the rain much I gather?"
Matthias shook his head. "Not really, no."
"Dinnae worry 'bout it, sun's sure to come back soon," he assured the younger fella.
Matthias smiled. It wasn't much to lift his spirits back to its full form, but it did lighten his mood a bit. Leaning back comfortably unto the backseat, the brunette slowly drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the time his mother was still alive and well.
After an unsaid amount of time in the morning London rush, Jefferson finally pulled the cab near the station with enough minutes to spare. The Scott looked over his shoulder and sparked a large toothy grin at Matthias who was rubbing his eyes awake in a sleepy daze.
"'Er we are lad. King Cross Station! Busiest place in all o' London!" he gestured jovially with open arms. "Ya' get ready while I take care of your luggage, aye? Yir quite a skelf anyway."
Matthias blinked, confused. He inaudibly asked himself what a "skelf" is before shrugging it off almost immediately. He looked out the window and cursed at the heavy rainfall he'd have to fight through. He wrapped his jacket tightly around him and counted to three. Matthias kicked the door open, opened the umbrella, and bolted for dry land.
Jefferson came barreling after him completely wet to the bone because of the rain but kept on beaming with that infectious grin of his. Matthias smiled softly, secretly hoping to repay the Muggle by drying him off with magic. But he remained a stickler for Magical Law and instead apologized for having caused him the inconvenience.
Jefferson shook his head dismissively. "It's all part of the job!"
Jefferson then slumped back against the wall once they got Matthias' luggage on top of trolley the latter fetched for them. He wiped away beads of sweat falling down his forehead and laughed softly. "Dats sum heavy shtuff der son, ar' ye sure yer not running away from home?" the Scott quipped.
Matthias shook his head. "Wouldn't dream of it. Just a boarding school with a lot of requirements."
"An yir parent's don't come see you off?" Jefferson pressed, a hint of concern glossing his face. "Dat's a lil' sad, ain't it?"
"Not really," Matthias sighed truthfully. "They just… had other things to worry about. Plus, this is no big deal. A grown man's got to prove he can do things alone. Going here by myself is my first step on a long journey of independence."
The Scott guffawed and ruffled Matthias' already tousled hair. "Aye, lad! Us men must learn of the vast world fo' aw'selves! Well, bes' o luck to ya, lad," Jefferson said. "Dinnae hesitate to call if ya' want another tour of good ol' London, aye? Or ya know, just a cab in general?"
"Will do, Jeff," Matthias nodded and waved the Scottish man farewell after the latter shot him finger guns.
Matthias looked away with an amusing shake of his head and proceeded to push his trolley into the station. He'll miss that jovial Scott.
Crowding in with the wave of commuters into the station, Matthias kept an open eye out for a platform that read 9 and ¾. A very odd platform number for Muggles, but it probably made sense for most wizards.
Matthias however, isn't like most wizards. He's a half-blood that was raised in a non-magical environment for all his life. Three years of being immersed in the magical world isn't enough to make him understand all their laws and inner workings. A train platform found in a quarter of nine will always be weird in his book, magic or not.
His admission letter didn't mention how to get into the platform either, so he's at a complete loss here. The letter he received a month prior today merely informed him of the platform number and that the train, which leaves at 11 AM sharp on the first of September, will leave with or without you.
Looking back at the large clock behind him that read 10:20 A.M, Matthias felt his rekindled spirit slowly die out. If he doesn't find the platform on time, he'll have to inform his father of his mistake and disgracefully find another way to get into the prestigious wizarding school. Still, Matthias didn't have the luxury of pitying himself right now so he traversed the length of Platforms 9 and 10 respectively in hopes of suddenly stumbling upon this platform along the way.
Upon his second trip around the platform, a steward approached him with a helpful smile. "May be of any assistance to you today, sir?"
"Ah, no thanks," Matthias lied. He needed all the help he can get, but he doubts a Muggle would be aware of the existence of a magical platform. "I'm just waiting on someone. Thought I could use the extra walking while at it."
"I see," the steward mused. "Have a safe trip then, sir."
Matthias thanked the steward again for his concern, but also noted the curious look the latter sent towards him. The brunette groaned, remembering the times he had been known and called the "weird" kid. He didn't want to be known as that anymore. Not after being given this new chance to start anew for the second time.
Moving from Germany meant attending new school, a new school meant having another shot at life, a new life allows for a new identity, a new beginning - a new experience. This year is going to be different from the last and he's going to own it.
If only he doesn't mess it up by missing the train.
The clock now read a quarter to eleven, and the train docked in Platform 10 began to depart. During the same time, Matthias has made no progress at all in his search for the magical platform. He sat on the top of his luggage, shaking his leg irritably in thought, while the world continued to moved around him. "If I were a wizard, where would I hide a platform accessible only to us?"
"Underneath the stairs?" he mused while looking at the nearby staircase. He shook his head. "No… That'd be ridiculous. The railway track?" he shook his head again. "No, that's suicide… Maybe the columns?" He looked mesmerized at the column between Platforms 9 and 10 for a moment, before denying the idea. "That'd be too obvious. Muggles would see us pass through –"
Then as if fate wanted to prove him wrong, a family of red heads accompanied by a boy with raven black hair and exceptionally round glasses, a girl with outrageously bushy brown hair, and two men wearing matching pairs of emerald velvet suits moved past him in a hurry. Matthias' eyes followed them with intrigue, finding their number, and the caged owls sitting idly on their luggage, quite peculiar.
His mind immediately whirled to make a conclusion, and there's only one possible explanation for bringing and owning an owl in this modern age.
Matthias jumped off his luggage and quietly trailed after them, carefully watching their next move. The oldest red head, which Matthias assumed was the father of the group stepped beside the raven haired boy and whispered something to him. Both of them then ran dead straight into the column holding the markers of Platforms 9 and 10.
The young half-blood's jaw dropped, amazed at what he just witnessed. The rest of the group continued to pass through the brick column as though it was nothing, completely unnoticed by the general public.
It made Matthias' curious mind wonder about what kind of magic made such a feat possible, but he had to a race against time. This was a problem for another day. Once all the red heads have disappeared through it, and their well-dressed escorts have left, Matthias reluctantly imitated their stunt.
Anxiety filled his mind as he approached the wall at high speed. He closed his eyes and allowed his own thoughts to fuel him. What if the family of red heads were just a figment of his imagination and he was really just hallucinating out of desperation? What if the wall decided he's not worthy? What if the wall turns out to be a wall? And before he knows it, Matthias doesn't even feel the wall crashing into him. He just… somehow phased through solid wall. The sound of incoherent farewells and the whistling sound of steam blowing from a large scarlet steam engine filled his ears as he opened his eyes to the hidden world of wizarding London.
"Hogwart's Express…" he read the steamer's name shining in pure gold under the natural light, his jaw dropping even more than he knows it can in awe. Three years in this world of magic and it never fails to amaze him.
Feeling renewed by the anticipation of riding the infamous Hogwarts Express to its only destination, Matthias pushed his way through the crowd and caught glimpse of the ginger family he saw earlier in a frenzy of farewell. He supposed he should thank one of them later for the help but decided against it. They might think it's weird, and he just decided to not be that kid anymore, so he kept moving.
Walking all the way back to the less populated area in the platform, Matthias tried to haul his luggage inside the carriage with maximum effort but proved too weak against it. It was just too heavy to carry on his own. He glared begrudgingly at the chest and wondered how Jefferson managed to pull this off on his own.
He supposed it has something to do with Jefferson's very well chiseled arms. Matthias on the other hand only had lanky arms to show for it.
Basically, Matthias needed help. He needed the help of magic.
Looking at the wand that's securely strapped around his waist, Matthias considered using it for a moment before shaking the thought away. If he used magic now, he might be expelled from Hogwarts before he can even step in it. Grumbling at his options, Matthias came to a conclusion that British Magic Laws suck.
Trying his strength once again, Matthias took deep breaths through closed his eyes and heavily pulled one side of the chest unto the Express. Then all of the sudden, the trunk felt lighter than normal and he hauled it in. His luggage finally bent down to his superior strength! Matthias pulled the trunk inside and collapsed to his knees in triumph. "Take that you piece of wood! I beat you fair and square."
Two feminine voices giggled nearby and Matthias' shoulders stiffened. His brain immediately panicked about first impressions and how he's practically destroyed any chances of presenting himself any differently. He may have vowed to not be the weird kid anymore, but that doesn't stop Hogwarts from branding him with something far more degrading.
"That would be amusing if you actually beat it on your own," mocked the taller of the two as she waved her wand around. "You know the Express is considered school grounds right?"
Matthias would have defended his honor right away if only he wasn't too smitten by her beauty. In that very moment, everything around Matthias slowed to a halt and his skin became clear. The girls light ashen blonde hair swayed beneath the low light and flourished his crops. And the most attractive set of sea green eyes Matthias has ever seen in his entire life eradicated all past trauma. Matthias found himself lost in the depths of her eyes, already imagining a life with her, getting a house, and having children with her in a split second.
It was love at first sight.
The same girl he'd just fallen for broke him out of his daze by poking her wand at his chest and saying something Matthias didn't quite catch. She looked rather proud of herself for rendering him speechless, and flattered that he was smitten by her looks. Although she didn't seem particularly ecstatic, just... amused.
With how beautiful she is, Matthias wouldn't question it if she had men falling for her left and right. "Sorry you had to see that," he said bashfully. "But I uh… I appreciate the help."
"As you should," the girl nodded as she stepped inside the Express. Her smaller, somehow identical looking friend, followed her from close behind. "Don't you have servants to carry those for you?"
"My family isn't exactly that well-off to have elves follow me around," Matthias mumbled as he watched two elves carry the girl's numerous luggage into the Express and sorted them accordingly in the carriage to their left meant explicitly for belongings.
"Oh, really?" the girl mused. "What family did you say you were from?"
"I didn't," Matthias replied. "I'm from the Braun family. It's foreign."
"Isn't that a pure-blood line from Germany?" the smaller of the two, who had much shorter hair, asked.
"And yet you don't have elves serving you?" Daphne mumbled. "That is rather odd."
Matthias shrugged. He's been raised to be quite independent and even when he's been informed that house-elves are the equivalent to slaves, albeit willingly, to wizard kind, he never really asked anything excessive from them. "Not every pure-blood family has the honor of being treated like royalty you know."
The older of the two wrinkled her nose and huffed. "Each to their own. Still," she insisted, "it should be common knowledge that students are allowed to use magic in the Express. If we didn't help you, we'd have missed the train."
"Well you're here now so that's not a problem anymore, right?"
"Perhaps… But I don't like my men ignorant." She paused, her eyes narrowing as she studying Matthias from head to toe. "Unless you're a first year like Astoria?"
Astoria's eyes widened with promise and craned her head up at the older male. "Are you?"
Matthias held Astoria's stare for a while before breaking away from it. "Uhm…" he started slowly, "I'm actually transferring as a third year. Sorry, milady."
Astoria's heartened expression shattered and she offered him a meek smile. "Oh… That's alright, I think…" she mumbled. "I mean, at least I have someone I know from Hogwarts now. Even if you are going to be in the same year as Daphne."
Matthias arched a curious brow towards the older sibling, who was now bashfully punching her sister's arm for the unwanted comment. "So we're going to be classmates then?" he mused. "I hope you take good care of me."
Daphne stiffened. She turned her attention back at Matthias with the whip of her hair and said, "Only if you get sorted in Slytherin, new kid. Then perhaps I'll think about."
"Does that mean you'd wait for me?" Matthias asked flirtatiously.
Daphne took a step back, already denying his advances and clicked her tongue. "You can wish," she retaliated with a smug grin. "But I'm unavailable at the moment. And even if that doesn't end well, there's a long line of suitors waiting for my hand. You'd stand no chance against them," her eyes trailed all over Matthias as though rating him and chuckled, "no offense."
Matthias frowned, feeling exactly just that. He raised his hands in mock defeat and admitted to himself that he isn't going to compete for a lady wanted by all.
"Don't take the wrong impression princess. You are beautiful, but I'm not interested in toppling your high horse if you can't even give a guy like me a chance. And I don't steal girls that are occupied," he added with a grin, eyes momentarily glancing over to Astoria. "Maybe I'd ask your sister out instead?" he chided.
Astoria, who was silently watching them bicker from the side squeaked and blushed. "I–I–" she stammered, "I would like to get to know you more first as a friend really…"
While Astoria seemed delighted to have gained a friend, Daphne took it as a legitimate threat to her sister and protectively raised a hand over her little sister. stepped "You–" the older blonde hissed as she pointed her wand at Matthias "–stay away from my sister, pervert."
"Pervert?" Matthias echoed. "I am many things, milady, but a pervert is not one of them!"
"Well, too bad. You're not leaving that kind of impression on me," Daphne growled and walked ahead, dragging Astoria behind her. Astoria mumbled a soft apology towards him and waved farewell.
Matthias found himself unconsciously returning the wave until the sisters disappeared into the next carriage.
A few milliseconds later, Matthias fell back unto the wall behind him, with hands buried on his face. He blushed furiously upon recalling his actions and screamed helplessly on his jacket. What the hell was he thinking openly flirting like that?! This was insane! Everything was going well, somewhat, until he decided to act on his blossoming feelings and flirt!
He's never done that before. This is so embarrassing…
Daphne is, without question, a beauty to behold. Matthias wants to be her friend, and if fate would allow it, eventually date her. But whatever chance he had with her. if he ever had the chance to begin with, went flying out the window the moment he flirted with Astoria to hide his totally serious interest in Daphne. It was a legitimately stupid and misplaced joke on his part.
Reap what you sow - as they say. And reap it he will. He will reap no crops fro this farmland. He slapped himself for being too much of an idiot and almost cried.
He's so pathetic.
As though fate has come to laugh at him again, the Express alerted the entire student populace of Hogwarts to board and prepare for departure. Matthias willed himself to move and set his luggage unto the rack at the end of the carriage – mindfully using magic this time around.
After securing it in place in the luggage rack, Matthias set off to find a compartment he can lodge in, his mind still recovering from his encounter with the blonde haired sisters.
