Chapter 3: Hogwarts Express
Hadrian and Antoninus had easily found the portal between platforms 9 and 10. Antoninus' Eye of Kilrog made it way too easy. When they got onto platform 9 ¾ it was quite a crowd. Various children made their way onto the train after hugging and getting a goodbye kiss on the forehead from their parents. Hadrian and Antoninus stared at them with envy and longing. At least Antoninus can dream of such a thing… knowing that my parents purposefully sent me away and denied this from me… fuck them… The two boys boarded the Hogwarts train and found a compartment near the end.
"Expelliarmus!"
Antoninus ducked his head in time as the spell seared over his head and hit someone behind him. It sent the guy flying backward and away.
"Ah sorry! That was Fred!"
"No I'm Fred! That was George!"
Antoninus and Hadrian then walked passed, completely unfazed by the chaos in the corridor. They levitated their trunks onto the slot above their heads before locking the compartment door wandlessly. After all, there was no need to use their wands to perform something that they could without one, not that they would let anyone else know that.
Both boys then got changed into their elegant robes and clothes before sitting down and tearing into their school books. They had spent every waking moment since they got back from Diagon Alley on practcing magic. McGonagall had given them a warning about the Ministry rules on underage magic and the trace placed on wands. However… their wands were newly made by Ollivander and may not have had the trace applied. Antoninus had tested this and cast the unlocking charm, Alohamora with his wand. No letter came of their use of magic. This also then proved to them that if they did magic without a wand, it wouldn't be picked up by the Ministry either.
The boys had almost finished the entire first-year syllabus by the time they boarded the Hogwarts Express. Hadrian had taken in more of an interest in Potions and Transfiguration whereas Antoninus seemed only more interested in Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts.
Antoninus was a more logical person. On the few books they had stolen, then later returned from Sister Helena's office, Antoninus always was interested in the logic puzzles or math books, whereas Hadrian loved the creative and art books. From what they have read, Transfiguration and Potions required a person to think outside the normal, to visualize a different outcome. It was very much in line with Hadrian's interests and passions.
A loud ruckus then stirred up outside.
"It's the Potters!"
"Look it's him!"
"Julian Potter!"
"The boy-who-lived!"
The two of them tilted their heads up to look out the window. Hadrian then saw, what must be, his family calmly walk by with flashes from cameras going off around them and journalists calling at them. So the Potters are this famous? Another thing nobody told me about… He read from the book that Sharptooth game him that the Potters come from a line of battle mages. They were experts in transfiguration. It also mentioned that the Potters were a relatively private Pureblood family in the past, often avoiding to get involved in heated debates in the Wizengamot. Whatever this is about… it must be recent… The boys then returned to their books, not giving the spectacle outside much more thought.
"Well… I guess that is it for first-year magic material… it was… disappointing."
Hadrian had also just finished and looked up to reply to Antoninus.
"I agree, the average student must have not practiced or known how to cast magic prior to coming to Hogwarts."
"At least this will give us an edge over the other first-years. We could always go to the Hogwarts library for more material. Who knows? We might even find information on that magical art that your glasses seller told us about"
Yes… the man who sold me my current glasses that I am wearing… He had told Hadrian of the various self-cleaning charms and sticking charm to keep his glasses on his head unless removed by his hands. It also had an anti-summon charm so that other witches or wizards couldn't use this spell called Accio to get them.
However, the reason his glasses costed every last galleon he had was that it had also been charmed to help stave off Passive Legillmency glances. Thankfully when Hadrian and Antoninus learned they were both Occlumens that day, McGonagall hadn't listened in. The shop keeper had recognized them as Occlumens after rudely attempting to do a Passive Legillmency scan of their minds themselves. However, he told the two boys of mind magic and how great wizards like Dumbledore knew of them. It was enough to push Hadrian to buy the glasses for that expensive price and wanting to learn more about the mind arts. It was reassuring to know that both Antoninus and I were Occlumens… maybe practicing it had something to do with our meditation… when we cleared our mind? Hmmm…
"True… but since we are ahead, I would like to explore the castle first before diving into that… and second-year material. After reading Hogwarts A History, there could be many secrets and other knowledge the castle has to offer."
"You got a point there, we should get to know the place where we will be staying for the next seven years before we start to grind through magical knowledge again… say… what house do you think we will be sorted in."
Hadrian was pondered a bit at Antoninus' question when they heard someone banging on their compartment door. Both boys looked up and saw an older boy in tacky black robes with red trimmings, he had a red and golden badge attached to his robes. Hadrian and Antoninus were going to ignore him, but then the older boy took out his wand and unlocked the compartment.
"You are not allowed to lock doors on the train compartment."
He said those words in such a pompous manner that Hadrian almost burst out laughing.
"I am sorry Mr.?"
Antoninus let his sentence trail off.
"Weasley, Percy Weasley. Prefect of Gryffindor House."
He annunciated each word out with pride whilst pointing at his badge. Hadrian just showed an emotionless face, doing everything he could to stop the snort coming out of his mouth. Definitely, do not want to be in that house…
"Right then, sorry Mr. Weasley. It won't happen again."
Antoninus kept his tone of voice relatively calm whilst borderlining on sarcasm and contempt. The Gryffindor prefect narrowed his eyes and then left, shutting their compartment door. Right after he left, both boys waved their hands to lock the door. However, since they cast it at the same time, they locked then unlocked it straight away. Both laughed at their synergy.
"Well, continuing off of where we left off. I'd say after that… definitely not Gryffindor."
"Yeah… although I must admit, the book made Gryffindor's sound a lot better. Brave, honest, chivalrous. One could easily say that they are too prideful and don't think things through properly…"
"Well, the old goat is an exception. He definitely lied straight to our faces without batting an eye."
That was true… Dumbledore was a Gryffindor… yet the man seemed more Slytherin and had a good amount of knowledge like a Ravenclaw.
"Maybe we are sorted by character traits we deem more important? The old goat seemed to have the traits listed for Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw. Maybe it is on what your core values are…"
"True…"
A silence then appeared between the two boys. Hadrian then spoke up.
"I'd personally want to be in Slytherin."
"WHATTT!"
A yell came from outside the compartment. Three boys stood outside the compartment and stared at them through the window. The boy that shouted out loud then tried opening the door, only to find it locked. He then banged on the window and yelled at them.
"You can't lock the doors on the train! Open up brother or you will be in trouble!"
That caught Hadrian's attention. He then took out his wand and unlocked the door, not willing to show his wandless capabilities. His brother then barged into the compartment with his two pals like he owned the place. Hadrian eyed him up and down. He had most of his facial features, messy black hair and a firm jaw. They differed in their eyes and body size. Julian had hazel brown eyes and seemed to be slightly taller with a wider frame. Hadrian had emerald green eyes and was slightly shorter and thinner than him. Oh and he wore glasses while Julian didn't. Julian was about to talk to his brother when he noticed the other boy sitting across Hadrian.
"Who are you?"
"Antoninus Black."
The room then became silent. Julian then turned to his brother.
"Come on brother, you don't want to associate with this sort. That is probably why you even said you want to be in Slytherin just now right? Come on let's-"
Julian had been halfway out the door when he realized that his brother wasn't following him.
"What are you still sitting there for? Come on?"
"No thanks."
Julian then looked at his brother before glaring at Antoninus.
"You brainwashed him, haven't you? You-"
"No, he hasn't Julian. He is my friend, so lay off of him."
Julian then accusingly looked at Hadrian.
"Harry… he is a Black!"
The redhead boy standing on the left of the doorway nodded his head.
"Death Eaters that lot."
Hadrian looked disgusted at his brother. This was what the Potters were like? Raising a bigoted and biased child? Thank god I didn't grow up with them…
"If you cannot be civilized around Antoninus then leave. I have nothing to say to anyone who is this crass and this rude."
Julian then roared at Hadrian.
"MERLIN'S BEARD HARRY! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEIR FAMILY HAS DONE? SIRIUS BLACK BETRAYED OUR FAMILIES TO YOU-KNOW-WHO! YOU SHOULDN'T-"
Hadrian's eyes had gone ablaze. He took out his wand and pressed it just under Julian's chin.
"Hadrian… not Harry. Hadrian is my name. Get out."
Hadrian had stated in a very quiet but deadly voice. His friends then struggled to get their wands out of the trousers. However, two quick tickling charms sent out by Antoninus stopped them immediately.
"You… you cast that without saying anything… how-"
"Get out brother. Before I make you."
Julian looked at Hadrian with disgust and betrayal. He then left the compartment, slamming the door shut, dragging his two pals who were still laughing from the tickling charm. Before he had a chance to lock the door. A bushy haired girl then stopped by their compartment.
"Excuse me, has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville has-"
The girl then started at the wand out in Hadrian and Antoninus' hands.
"Oh… are you doing magic? Let's see then."
The question caught Hadrian off-guard and he honestly didn't know how to respond in his current emotional state. He had just finished dealing with his arrogant brother and now had to deal with some other first-year inquiring about magic.
"I am sorry Ms.?"
"Granger."
"I am sorry Ms. Granger, but Hadrian and I are in the middle of a private matter. Could you please leave?"
The Granger girl looked slightly embarrassed. She then took off away from them.
"Thanks for the save Antoninus, I might have let my frustration out at her."
Just as Hadrian and Antoninus put their wands away another two girls came in front of their compartment. Great… what now? Cut me some slack for Merlin's sake. The girl with blonde hair and dark grey eyes eyed Hadrian and Antoninus carefully. The brunette girl next to her with dark brown eyes seemed oblivious to the tension in the room. Then out of the blue, another boy came into view, he had two troll like kids standing next to him.
"Come on Greengrass, why are you-"
The blond haired boy, with so much gel in his hair to keep it slicked back like that, then paused to look at both Hadrian and Antoninus. He looked at Hadrian and Antoninus' clothes before standing up straighter.
"Excuse me, I am Draco Malfoy, Heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Malfoy. This here is Crabbe and Goyle… And this is Da-"
"I can introduce myself Malfoy."
The tone from the blonde girl was very cold and harsh. Hadrian and Antoninus looked at each other and quickly communicate through their eyes.
"I am Daphne Greengrass, Heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass."
"I am Tracey Davis of House Davis."
Hadrian watched as the kid named Malfoy and his two goons looked disgusted by what the girl Tracey just said. Antoninus then spoke first. Daphne had her extended out and both boys knew what to do as they had memorized everything in the books the goblins gave to them. Antoninus first took her hand and gently kissed it, before Hadrian followed after. Both boys then turned to Tracey, who just stared back. Daphne then elbowed Tracey in the stomach. She then realized what she did, or what she didn't do. Tracey then stuck her arm out and both boys kissed her hand.
"I am Antoninus Black, Heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black."
Antoninus didn't miss the opportunity to flash his ring at them. This garnered a lot of respective looks from around the room.
"I am Hadrian Potter, Heir to the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter."
Hadrian then also flashed his ring at them.
"What? The boy-who-lived has an older twin brother?"
Tracey unintentionally blurted this out. Daphne then immediately reprimanded her.
"Tracey!"
She hissed out Tracey's name. Daphne had already been in a bad mood from Malfoy constantly bugging her and going on about marriage contracts. She had tried to get away from him, but that was proving to be difficult as well.
Draco had the same thought as Tracey, but the ring around Hadrian's finger proved otherwise. Draco knew that only the Heir of that House could wear the ring, as magic had recognized it. He also saw this as a chance to get at Tracey.
"Yes… quiet you half-blood filth. You better listen to your superiors."
Daphne now was tempted to fire hexes at Malfoy now and screw the political ramifications that it could have on her family. However, before she could, Potter and Black beat her to it. In an instant, both wands were drawn and fired red spells with such force it sent Malfoy flying into his goons. The like a bowling ball knocking over the pins, they crashed into a heap outside in the corridor.
"Do avoid such distasteful terms… Mr. Malfoy."
"It is unbecoming of an Heir from such a Noble House."
Malfoy barely managed to get up. Shock now was written all over his face.
"Wait till my father hears about this!"
Draco and his two trolls then left down the hallway. Hadrian then waved his wand and the door shut and locked itself. Daphne looked back and forward between the door and them.
"You… you cast that non-verbally… and the two chams... those were disarming charms!"
The two boys merely smiled before sheathing their wands away. Daphne's eyes widened even further when she saw that they didn't have wrist holsters for their wand underneath their sleeves. Impossible… they couldn't have gotten their wands out that fast… unless… Antoninus' question then cut her out of her thoughts.
"Now Ms. Greengrass, would you care to enlighten us what that debacle was about?"
For the rest of the train ride, Hadrian and Antoninus got to know Greengrass and Davis quite well. Well, they knew Greengrass mainly through discerning the things said by Tracey. Greengrass was reserved and quiet. Only responding to the conversation when specifically asked. All four, however, had agreed upon the house they wished to be sorted into. The house of Salazar Slytherin.