"So you're Harry Potter, then?" The outside question ground conversation to a halt, both around them and within the group. Jazz blinked slowly.

"No. I'm Jazz Rogers. You're a Hufflepuff then?" The boy who'd initially asked the question looked outraged at Jazz's sarcasm with the last statement.

"Well, yes, but-" he spluttered.

"What he means, in a very poorly put way, was whether or not Harry Potter is really your birth name. He's Ernie Macmillan, I'm Susan Bones, this is Hannah Abbott", the friendly redhead, Susan, gestured to her left at a blond girl before pointing at a boy to the right of Ernie, "and that's Justin Finch-Fletchley."

"Nice to meet you. This is Hermione, Theo, Neville, and Blaise, " Jazz gestured at each of them respectively, "And I'm Jazz. Yes, apparently Harry Potter was my birth name, however I literally just found that out last month when my letter came. I consider my name to be Jazz Rogers."

"Oh. How did you not know your own name?" Susan looked interested, as did literally everyone else around them. Jazz sighed.

"I was adopted when I was four. My previous was really abusive. I didn't have a birth certificate, and so we didn't know it." He got appalled looks from everyone else.

"Were you kidnapped as a baby?" Susan's gaze was calculating.

"No. We found part of a letter in a file of stuff that was about me when the police raided their house. It basically said that I was their nephew, my parents had been murdered, and I needed to have a family. It was half burned, so if it was signed then the signature was gone.

"My family kept it, and other things, as evidence. My brother, Liu, is a lawyer, he did it because he was bored, and he is the representative of our family. He doesn't use it often, but he stays registered just in case. We've been building a case for when we figured out who left me with them and never checked so we can take them down. Only, now we're theorizing that it was probably someone magical, and we don't know if that'll work now." Jazz took a large bite of his food after he was done eating.

"Can I give you my Aunt's owl address? She's the head of the DMLE and she'd gladly work with your brother to bring the full force of the law down on whoever it was. She has a particularly strong hatred of child abusers." Jazz stared at Susan for a moment before nodding.

"Sure, only what's the DMLE?" All the wizarding raised laughed a bit.

"The Department of Magical Law Enforcement. That explains you wanting to know how the wizarding government works." Jazz tilted his head at Blaise.

"There's several reasons, actually. That is one of the main ones, though." Jazz grinned and Susan threw her head back and laughed.

"I feel like you five are going to be the stars of this year." Hannah commented idly. Susan and Ernie both looked at her.

"She has a bit of Sight, for scandals or popularity. She gets it from her Mum." Ernie explained, "I trust it, I look forward to what you guys do." The five of them exchanged looks of bewilderment and Hermione looked at her watch.

"It's nearly one. Classes!" Neville and Blaise groaned, and Theo joined Hermione in her pure unadulterated joy. Jazz laughed at his friends and the five of them split, four headed to potions and the last to charms. Potions was set up with two to a desk and Theo claimed the seat next to Neville, saying that he'd run through the plant theory with Neville as they went. That left Blaise with Jazz, which neither minded. Professor Snape swept into the room, a billowing cloud of dark disapproval.

"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making.

However, for those, who possess, the predisposition... I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death." The class stared in rapt attention, or at least the Slytherins did. Several Gryffindors were looking bored.

"Rogers! What would I get if powdered root of asphodel was added to an Infusion of Wormwood?"

"The Draught of Living Death. Asphodel is associated with things beyond the grave, or bitter regrets, and the magical variants on their own can make a powerful sleeping tea, a deadly poison, or a laxative depending on which part of the plant was used." Jaz took a deep breath before continuing, "Wormwood on the other hand is representative of bitterness or grief. It's used as a herbal remedy for many things, as well as in absinthe and firewhiskey, and other alcohols. They counter each other slightly. A medically associated deadly poison, and a death associated medicine." Professor Snape watched him for a moment.

"Very good. Five points to Slytherin. Let's see if Gryffindor can do likewise, hmm? Weasley! What is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?" A redheaded Gryffindor, who clearly hadn't been paying attention began to stammer incoherently.

"I-I don't know, sir." Professor Snape sneered.

"Something easier then. What is a bezoar?" Weasley shook his head mutely, "No? Any other Gryffindors want to attempt to prove your worth?" Neville hesitantly raised his hand and Snape nodded at him.

"Monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plant, aconite, which is also called Devil's Helmet and is highly toxic. A bezoar is a mass of indigestible material that accumulates in the stomach. It is an antidote to most ingested poisons, and is most commonly taken from the stomach of a goat. It is the most common thing included in the tools of a potioneer or herbologist." Neville bit his lip and stared at Professor Snape nervously.

"Yes. Very good. Five points to Gryffindor. I see that my snakes have chosen well."

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The first year appointments were going, and the girls were going first. the boys were speculating what the meetings were about with each other. Neville said that Gryffindors didn't have them, and Hermione said that the Ravenclaws only had one at the end of the year. Slowly each was called in, then sent off to bed and Jazz was the only one left.

"Rogers!" Jazz entered Professor Snape's office slowly. It was oddly cozy. He had a desk in front of an armchair with an uncomfortable looking wooden chair on the other side of the desk. The desk was piled with quills, stacks of papers, small glass knick knacks, and what looked like an unopened beer. Shelves lined the wall around the desk filled to overflowing with corked glass phials and bottles filled with various potions, softly glowing in nearly all of the color spectrum, all neatly labeled with a cramped, loopy handwriting.

On the other side of the room was a roaring fireplace surrounded by couches and armchairs that looked so cozy that you could sleep in them easily. Professor Snape himself was sitting at his desk writing. Jazz hovered awkwardly, unsure what to do.

"Take a seat by the fire. I'm going to finish writing down my notes from Mr. Zabini and I'll be with you." Jazz nodded and moved uncertainly over to the fireplace and chose a squashy grey armchair to burrow into. Within a minute Professor Snape moved over to sit on a dark burgundy sofa across from Jazz, and he promptly tucked his feet underneath him. He had a clipboard, with parchment on it, and a ballpoint pen on his lap.

"Let me start with encouraging you to relax", Jazz grinned sheepishly at him, "This is an informal conversation. You may call me Severus if you wish. I have these meetings with each of my snakes regularly, I try for monthly."

"If I can call you Severus, could you call me Jazz? Mr. Rogers makes me feel like I'm in trouble. It's always been Jazz." The Professor nodded gravely.

"Jazz then. Whatever makes you most comfortable. You seem to catch on much quicker than your yearmates, the older years tend to call me Sev, since you've caught on so quick?"

Jazz nodded rapidly with a crooked grin.

"Alright. I have something similar back home", Professor Snape's eyes widened and Jazz hurriedly reassured him, "Not therapy sir. One of my brothers, Teer, knows psychology a bit, and since a lot of previously abused children who've been adopted have a lot of psychological problems he started something similar. We'd have sessions like this, and since we both liked them they've continued until now. They're essentially just private conversations that stay private and I can vent safely."

"This is a similar premise. We'll talk, and you can bring problems to me. I will reiterate that my door is open anytime. You do not necessarily need to wait for your scheduled meeting. Does your adoption have to do with your name change?" Professor Snape scratched down notes occasionally, and it reminded Jazz of when he was little and Toby had kept a notebook of everything Jazz.

"Yeah, it does. I was really abused as a kid, to the point that I didn't know my name. When I was four my family was murdered, and I escaped since the killer didn't think to look in the cupboard under the stairs where I slept. They couldn't find any documentation so my brother, Toby, helped me pick my own name. I've been Jazz Lyra Rogers since I was four." The Professor stared at him for a long moment.

"I… see. You've mentioned two brothers. A Toby and a Teer?" Jazz considered for a moment.

"Yeah. I have eleven siblings. Ten brothers, and one sister. We're all adopted." Professor Snape stared at him startled.

"Are you close with your family?" Jazz nodded rapidly. They talked easier at that, both clearly holding things back, but talking easily nonetheless.

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Articuno, the snowy owl that had become the mail carriers for the Creeps, winged her way. Into the kitchen. Toby, Ben, Sally, and Jeff all lunged for the letter tied to her ankle simultaneously. As all four collided, Helen casually reached over and plucked the letter up. He opened it, and then rapidly backpedaled as Teer and LJ lunged for him and the letter he held. The scuffle in the kitchen lasted about five minutes before, with a swirling sensation of permeating cold, Slenderman took the letter. The room fell silent as he unfolded and read the letter. Then the Slenderman folded it back up, and handed it to Helen. Helen slowly unfolded it and began to read aloud.

Dear family mine,

Hogwarts is very different from home. They have way too many rules, half of which aren't actually rules they're just supposed to be unspoken. Like walking barefoot, apparently that breaks the dress code and Is Not Allowed. Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher, is pretty awesome and I'm allowed to take off my shoes and socks in the greenhouses. She also told me that there's not technically any rules about wearing your shoes outside so I take them off anytime there's not a roof over my head.

I got sorted into Slytherin. Apparently you get sorted by a magical hat that can read your mind. Which is weird. (Yes, Helen, I sketched the hat…) I have two roommates, and there are eleven Slytherins in my year. Ben would hate it here in Slytherin dorms, though. They're in the dungeons, right under the lake. A lot of the roof and windows are to the lake, so almost all of the dorms glow kind of greenish since we're underwater. Ben would absolutely hate it.

On another note, I made an acquaintance/friend with a Hufflepuff whose aunt is the head of the DMLE. That's part of the British Ministry of Magic, and it stands for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Susan said I could send her owl address to Liu as a legal resource. It's Madame Amelia Bones, Head of DMLE at BMoM. That may be helpful someday.

I've already made four really good friends. Hermione, she's a Ravenclaw with really wild hair. She is a muggleborn, and she adores books. Like, so much. Her Professor voice gives EJ a run for his money. She and I are learning about the magical culture together.

Next is Neville. He's a Gryffindor, and he's painfully shy. He has a pet toad named Trevor, that Fia is absolutely in love with. She keeps hunting him down to cuddle him. She says he's her 'little Jeff', which does raise an interesting question. He's a light-sided pureblood. When I know the political connotation of that, I'll tell you.

Then there's Theo and Blaise. They're both Slytherins, and my roommates. Theo is quieter, British, very clever, and a dark-sided pureblood. Blaise is an extremely extroverted, Italian, neutral pureblood. Theo is quickly joining Hermione as the group study buddies. Blaise is becoming the group jokester.

Hogwarts also has an entire, huge, forest right beside it, and the entire thing is forbidden. The Forbidden Forest. I'm already planning to sneak in. Tomorrow I have Transfiguration and Charms, I'll let you know how that goes.

I miss you all, I'll see you at Christmas.

-Jazz.