Chapter 1
Foreword:
Hey there. I couldn't get the idea out of my head, so here we are.
A quick heads up about a few characters:
Dumbledore: He will be very close to cannon, so no evil mastermind or senile fool.
Snape: He will be his sniveling self, as cannon. (Though not so sure on redemption…)
In general I will try to avert bashing, my character will comment on dumb behaviour etc. but I hope to avoid outright bashing.
Lastly there will be parts that feel like they are from a different fanfiction. Well they probably are, the whole premise is of one that I can't find or I would quote it.
With that out of the way, let's go!
"Ugh, what the hell happened?" I grumbled while holding my head. "I'm certain I did not have had a drink last night…" Slowly I realised something, my voice was wrong. It sounded unbroken, not marred by years of smoking, to put it simple: way too young.
Opening my eyes, I grimaced at the renewed pain in my head, but soldiered on. Looking around I saw a worn room with sparse furniture. An old closet, probably filled with clothes, and a desk that had seen better days. I was lying on a bed with a worn mattress, narrowing my eyes I saw a letter lying beside my pillow. Grabbing it I slowly read it, not really believing my eyes. It read:
"Hello,
you are probably wondering what the hell happened to you, right? To put it simply you died and, before you spiral in some unnecessary gloom mood, the people left behind mourned your death and moved on. As you should, you know?
Now I happened upon you soul while floating around and, since I was bored, stuffed you into this body. The previous owner had a heard attack, caused by stress from reading that letter that lies on the desk.
I don't expect you to do anything really, as I said I was bored. So feel free to live your life to the fullest. I will peak at your situation from time to time to relief my boredom, but don't expect me to do anything. Death and Destiny really did not like my little stunt…
Cheers,
A bored entity"
'Huh, what does it mean with letter on the desk?' I wondered. Sitting up and managing to stand, my motor skills were fine it seems, I walked to the desk and saw a letter that almost every child would know. Sitting on the desk was a letter with a crest that depicted a badger, an eagle, a snake and a lion. With trembling hands I read the letter. I was named Hydrus Smith, the last name was a bit generic to be honest, and the letter had the expected contends. There was a note at the end of the letter that a teacher would pick me up to buy supplies on the 15th of June at 9 am. I looked around and saw a clock that told me it's 8:55 am and a calendar that said 15th of June.
'Great five minutes to come to grips with the situation.' I sighed. I looked for the other letter, but it was gone. 'Better that way I guess.' I mused, looking at my new body I saw that I wore worn clothes that somewhat fit the scrawny body. I should be 10 or 11 years old, since that was the first year letter.
A knock came from the door. "Come in." I called and sat on the bed. The door opened and a man with greasy hair and an outfit that looked like an oversized cloak walked into the room.
"I'm Professor Snape, you will address me as 'Sir' or 'Professor'. I will take you to buy your supplies and take you back. Questions?" he stated in an impatient voice. 'Wow, he really doesn't like kids, does he?' I thought. Out loud I answered.
"Well, that is fine Sir, but should I just believe everything that is written in the letter? A showing would be nice, if only to dispel any doubts."
Snape sighed at that and I head him grumble "Every time…" he cleared his throat, pulled out a stick from somewhere and my desk started floating for a few seconds before hitting the ground. "Would that suffice Mr Smith?" he said in a low voice. I nodded.
"Yes Sir, thank you for the demonstration."
"Good, now come here. We will arrive at our destination with apparation." he said. I just nodded and walked over. He grabbed my shoulder and I experienced a feeling I could do without. When my feet hit the ground I stumbled and took deep breaths. 'Harry was right, it feels like being pulled through a too thin tube.' I thought while taking deep breaths.
"Come now. We first need to go to the bank to see if you qualify for the orphan funds." Snape said impatiently.
I pulled myself up nodded and started to walk beside him, when he just walked off. We came out of a side alley into what could only be Diagon Alley. The books did a good job at describing this place, it was not that crowded though. I sadly had no time to look, less I loose Snape in the meantime.
I resigned myself to have a look later on my own. Remembering what Snape said, I spoke up. "Sir, you said if I qualify for the orphan funds. What happens when I don't?"
He spoke while walking on, not even sparing me a glance. "Simple, then you belong to an already established family and they will be contacted by the bank to take you off my hands. So let's hope you are not eligible."
'Yeah, so you can go back brewing.' I grumbled while dodging witches here and there. We finally arrived at the giant marble building that was Gringotts. Snape spoke up again.
"Be quiet, follow me and don't look around." and with that he went on. I could only nod and follow him. We entered through the famous doors with the poem, not that I had time to read it, and Snape walked straight to a lone counter at the side. Manning the counter was a goblin that looked a bit bored but was counting something, I was too small to see what. When we arrived Snape spoke up.
"One Orphan for funds testing." the goblin looked up at that, nodded and did something under his desk. A short while later another goblin came out of a side corridor and Snape spoke up. "Go with him, I will be informed if you qualify or not." I nodded and followed the goblin that turned around on his heels and marched back into the corridor.
We walked for a short while and arrived at a door, that the goblin knocked upon.
"Enter." came from inside. The goblin, that accompanied me spoke for the first time. "Go in." and walked off again. 'They really don't use many words.' I mused and entered the office.
Inside was a big desk, behind which sat a goblin in an expensive looking vest. "Come here. I need your blood for the ritual." was the greeting he gave me.
"Alright." I said and walked over. He gestured for my hand, which I held out for him, only to grab it once it was in reach. He slit my palm with a silvery knife and let a bit of blood into the stone bowl under my hand. The cut healed itself but I still felt the sting. 'Brutal…' I grumbled internally.
The goblin chanted something under his breath and smoke started to rise from the bowl. We both stared at the smoke, that was moving and forming something. A crest formed, I saw a black dog in a howling position and above it a star. The goblin blinked surprised and the smoke was gone. He coughed and spoke up.
"You do not qualify for the orphans fund. You will be let to the account manager of your family in a moment." I held in the obvious question, because I doubt he would answer. It was not his job after all. A new goblin arrived shortly afterwards and immediately spoke up. "Follow me."
I stood up and followed the goblin. I was marched to and form the whole day, I just hoped that it will end soon. We finally arrived at a door that looked distinctly high class in comparison the other one. My guide knocked and the "Enter" sounded. He just looked at me nodded and marched away.
I shook my head and entered the office, that also was very expensive looking. Behind a massive desk a goblin sat, he spoke up once my eyes fell on him.
"I'm Grudgefist, account manager of the Black family. You are recognised as a family member, so I must perform an advanced version of the previous Ritual. Come over."
I sighed and walked over and held out my hand. Grudgefist nodded and picked my index finger with a silver knife, letting a few drops dripping onto a piece of parchment and a red quill. After a few drops the wound closed itself and the quill started writing.
It stopped after a moment and Grudgefist inspected the writing. He nodded once and held it out to me. I took it and it read:
Father: Regulus Arcturus Black (deceased)
Mother: Elaine Faithsworth (deceased)
"So my father was Regulus Black. I take it the Black family is wealthy, since you look after the accounts?" I spoke up.
Grudgefist nodded. "Indeed the family is wealthy, though not many descendants are alive."
"What needs to be done right now in regards to my status? Because I think everything else should be discussed after I reserved a slot of your time. At least in the muggle world that's how banks operate." I asked.
"We need to do a few things. First thing is for you to take up and wear the heir ring. Yes you are the heir." He answered me and added the last part when it looked like I would speak up. So I opted to just nod.
He reached inside of his desk and pulled out a small, decorated chest. He turned the opening towards me and spoke up. "Open the lid and wear the ring inside on your index finger of your right hand."
I just nodded and did as told. Inside the chest lay a decorated ring with a small gemstone in the middle. A wave of something was emitted when I put the ring on, I looked around confused at that.
Grudgefist spoke up. "That was just the ring accepting you. The second thing is money, I can either give you the standard amount you would have received from the orphan fund or a moneybag that is linked to your trustfund and is limited to 100 Galleons."
"I will take the moneybag." I answered. Grudgefist just threw a small pouch at me, the supposed moneybag.
"The last thing is what to do with that teacher." Grudgefist said.
I thought for a second and then spoke up. "Just tell him that you contacted my family and they will take me shopping, he will leave no questions asked."
Grudgefist just nodded. "That is all I needed to do with you." tone clearly telling me to either say something important or sod off.
"Do you have any timeslots available tomorrow? I will stay at a motel or something tonight and would like to have a real meeting then." I asked the goblin.
He looked into a booklet to the side and nodded. "We can talk at 1 pm till 2 pm."
I just answered. "Then till tomorrow, though I probably will need a guide to find my way back to the lobby." I stated amused.
Grudgefist sighed and nodded. A few moments later my guide arrived and he led me back to the lobby and promptly abandoned me. True to my prediction Snape was no where in sight, so I left the bank.
Walking down the steps and into the alley I held myself to the left of the shop fronts, to not be swallowed by the crowd. The fourth shop I passed and I had to stop to gawk a bit. The reason was that the fifth shop one the left was Ollivanders. I shook myself and entered the shop, somewhere in the back a bell chimed. I was alone it seemed, so I walked to the counter and looked for a bell or something.
"And who you would be young man?" came a voice from behind me.
"WOAH!" I screamed and jumped a bit in the air. Looking behind be I saw a man, with white hair, a bit of a hunched back and round glasses, standing there.
"I'm Hydrus." I answered a bit out of breath.
He looked at me with a tilted head. "No last name?" I sighed and asked back at him.
"Only if you won't tell anybody for the moment. I need to clarify a few things first."
He just shrugged. "I only want to know it because with knowing your family and your parents I can narrow down the possible wand better."
"Well then. My name is Hydrus Black, son of Regulus Black and Elaine Faithsworth." I answered.
He drew in a shard breath. "That was the least likely name I had expected. Tough now your grey eyes make a lot more sense young man. Any other traits I should know about?" he continued.
I looked at him confused. "What do you mean other traits?"
"For example I had a young girl a few years back that is a Metamorphmagus, traits like that influence the wand choice." he explained.
I just thought for a moment if the kid had any such traits, only to receive a fierce pain and a memory of a young boy talking to a snake. 'Of course he would have that with such a name…' I thought resigned. Not because the trait is bad or anything, it just puts a marker on my person.
"Hm…" I show thought. "Is talking to snakes considered such a trait?" I asked him with a tilted head.
He blinked a few times and slowly nodded. "Yes it is called a parselmouth and it is such a trait. Do you mind if I summon a snake to test it quickly?"
"Go ahead." I shrugged, wanting to know as well.
He did a gesture with his wand and a black mamba shot out of thin air.
"What?! Where am I? Sssspeak up human! What have you done?!" Came the aggressive hissing from the snake in my direction.
"I did nothing Snake. The old man summoned you to prove that I can speak with you." I hissed back at the snake. The snake blinked a few times.
"Very well, sssspeaker. Tell him to send me back now!" the snake hissed at me. I looked up at Ollivander and stated. "The snake wants to be send back where it came from."
He nodded and again did a gesture with his wand. "Well, that confirms it. Let's see what wand will choose you shall we?" He said while walking into the rows of shelves behind the counter.
'He didn't even summoned the tape and all that wand hand stuff.' I mused while waiting. 'Maybe he just likes to annoy people?'
Ollivander came back with a small stack of boxes, opened one and held it out towards me. "Oak and Dragonheart string, 9 ½ inches, rigid. Go ahead and give it a wave." I just shrugged and took the wand, it felt like a piece of wood. Giving it a swing did exactly nothing.
Ollivander snatched the wand back and held out another box. "Not Dragonheart string then. Try this one Apple Wood, Unicorn hair, 10 ½ inches, springy." I took the wand and gave it a swing, with the same result.
And so the wands came and went, some gave a weak reaction one Phoenix Feather and Holly wood combination burned me when I touched it. 'Yeah I know who you are suppose to be going with…' I grumbled internally.
After what felt like an hour Ollivander looked at me and then back to the small mountain of boxes and sighed. "This hasn't happened for a very long time. But since you are a Black, you can afford it. I will have to custom craft a wand for you, give me a moment and I will take you into the backroom." I just nodded a bit baffled. I knew Harry had a hard time but damn, I sure hope some cores will react.
Ollivander swished and flicked his wand sending the boxes back into the shelves and the door let out a loud *click*. He gestured me to follow him into the shelves.
We soon arrived into what only can be described as a woodcarver workshop. A workbench, tools, jars and barrels everywhere. Ollivander led me to a small cabinet that he opened.
"Hold your arm before each jar and see if you feel any reactions." he explained to me. "Though better skip the one with the golden feather after the reaction earlier…" he added after a moment. I just nodded and did as told.
"This one gives out a cold but comforting feeling." I mumbled while continuing to test the jars. "And this one is also a bit cold, but also warm? It feels right I guess." I mumbled and looked back at Ollivander, who nodded at me. "You sure are full of surprises. The first one is Thestral hair, quite unheard of in a wand, and the other one is a horn of a horned Serpent, almost as rare. But the rarity does not determine the power of the wand or the wizards who wields it. Always remember that, now the same here, please." He pointed at a row of wooden blocks.
I only got a reaction of one. "This one, it feels like home. I don't know how to better describe it." I said somewhat awkwardly.
"Blackthorn, a common enough wood, rarely used in wands though. Anyway, now you will need to leave. The door will open for you, I will need at least an hour to craft your wand. So come back later." He said and shooed me out of his workshop.
I found myself back in the alley a short while later and my stomach grumbled. 'Yeah, gotta fix that.' I thought and set off to find the Leaky Cauldron.
End Note:
That seems like a fine point to pause. Now, for those that know me from my other fanfiction, that one is not on hold or anything. I just need time for the next chapter. This here is something that just floated my mind for a while and would not go away.
I will continue both, so that I don't burn out writing the same setting the whole time.