Chapter One: The Paths Ahead
…
From a young age, it was difficult to hide my talents.
There were only so many ways you could measure the magical abilities of an infant and I surpassed them all with flying colors. That is to say, I could change the colors of my bedsheets by blinking by the age of eight.
My parents noticed this, and took me to Diagon Alley.
It was a wondrous place, just as hustling and bustling and amazing as portrayed in the films. Bats were for sale as pets, or wards. There were dozens of children huddled near shop windows admiring the latest wizarding wares.
Technically it was too soon for me to buy a wand, but Ollivander didn't seem to mind.
At the age of nine after being run through the basics for a year by my parents, I started having private tutors, that my parents could well afford.
When I turned twelve, I continued to be tutored in the magical arts, learning about the History of Magic, Charms, Defense against the Dark Arts, and even a bit of Care of Magical Creatures.
By thirteen I had mastered all the basics the first few years at Hogwarts would require, I knew all the practical and theoretical work needed for schooling.
At fourteen, my parents gave me a choice.
With our wealth in connections, and my degree of talent with magic, they could have me sent to Beaubaxtons, Durmstrang, or even Mahoutokoro.
After the choices in France, Scandinavia, or as far as Japan, I decided to stay local and go to Hogwarts. Even though the other options had so much untapped potential, they would still be worth visiting potentially.
My parents were still happy, as my father Julius had a strong background in Slytherin, and my mother Marriane in Ravenclaw.
It was August 1974 when I first crossed the invisible barrier between the mundane world and that of Platform Nine and Three Quarters.
There, I walked through a bit of steam released by a bright red locomotive. The Hogwarts Express.
One thing I always noticed was that the train was in the color of Gryffindor house, the predominant house after Slytherin's departure when Salazar feuded with the other Founding Four.
The platform was absolutely packed to the brim with families saying goodbye to Hogwarts students. A few were in their Quidditch uniforms, some carrying wooden cages filled with newts and lizards and a few other interesting reptiles.
Marriane and Julius said their goodbyes, a Hogwarts Express workman punched my ticket and like that I was off.
The packed platform full of parents and other family members began to wave.
The train began to move, and I was off.
…
The main question was, where was I going to sit?
A few compartments were full already, I searched for a bit, and knocked on the compartment door of one I could tell had an open seat.
"Can I sit here?"
"Sure, what's your name?" the boy with dark hair said.
"Robert, Robert Pelham."
My last name appeared to have granted approval of the council of boys. The air was calmer when I was allowed to sit down with them.
"Right, you make brooms. Well, I'm Evan Rosier, this is Mulciber, Wilkes, and Avery."
Judging by how they looked and talked, that well, if I was reading what Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone described as 'the bad kids compartment' this would pretty much be it. I also remembered enough from the Harry Potter books to know who I was sitting with.
I mostly stayed quiet, wanting to answer the question I had as to how Voldemort could convince a group of rather mild mannered boys to want to become terrorists.
The answer was simple: they held supremacist views or rather those of magical Neo Nazis.
They viewed wizarding society as theirs, and that non magical folk being allowed in was the equivalent of allowing 'sub-humans.' Disgusting.
"Did you ever wonder to maybe take a different approach?" I asked.
All four Slytherins turned towards me.
"What're you talking about?" asked Mulciber in his low, deep voice.
"I mean, I want to become a Slytherin just the same the rest as all of you. But shouldn't we take a different approach to doing just what we're told all the time?"
"How're we doing what we're told? I just don't appreciate our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year being a mudblood." said Rosier.
"What I mean is, why not focus on magic for the sake of magic. To learn it to the best of your ability? We're not in Gryffindor, so Dumbledore doesn't care what we get up to. So why would we have to focus on what Volde- The Dark Lord has to say? Doing exactly what he asks."
They looked at each other for a moment.
"Because he's right." mumbled Avery.
They murmured in agreement.
"And have any of you actually met him? Or just done what your fathers have followed in his footsteps for him?"
Rosier was about to retort - But stopped himself.
They stayed silent.
"Start thinking for yourselves, to grow your own magical power for yourselves. There is real, actual history and power buried just behind the walls of Hogwarts. What's the point of learning anything here if you'll just join somebody else's cause in three years?"
I stood up, there was someone across the hall I wanted to talk to. I could already recognize him.
He was sitting alone, reading a book.
"Hello."
"Hello." he said.
"What do you got there?"
"Spellbook for this year." he murmured.
He turned a page, barely paying attention to me.
"My name's Robert Pelham. Yours?"
"Severus Snape. You're new here."
"First one today to notice. But yes."
"How'd that happen? We don't often have transfer students."
I shrugged. "I was tutored from home all my life, I chose Hogwarts over Mahoutokoro in the end."
"Interesting choice." he muttered. "Must be nice, having the wealth to make such a choice."
"I'm not like them Severus." I threw my head towards the other compartment across the hall.
"No I can tell you're not. Could've sworn it seemed like you were trying to talk to them about personal choices and freedom."
I looked at him funny. "You could hear us from here?"
"There's a group of people I tend to avoid here. I've been able to Charm my ears to make them better."
"That's quite impressive for a fourth year. Fourth year right?"
"Fourth year yes."
"What's the most impressive amount of magic you can do?" asked Severus.
"I have bits of odds and ends here and there but as of right now."
I looked at the compartment door and jerked my head aside to make it telekinetically slide open.
Severus almost dropped his book. "My! Wha- What. How'd you do that?"
"Physics."
"What?"
"I've read books on Physics, just had to manipulate it with my mind to make it work. Wandless magic takes a bit more than reading, you have to think pretty critically about it."
Snape closed his book shut. "You know what, I think it's safe to say we just became friends today. If that's alright."
"It's quite alright."
A girl with red hair appeared at the door, sitting down with us. "Hey Sev, who's this?"
"This is Robert Pelham, a new friend I've made. He's transferring here."
"Transferring here from?"
"Home apparently."
"Home?" Lily Evans asked. "Your magic is that good?"
"Quite." Severus admitted.
"Well my name's Lily, it's nice to meet you Robert."
"Nice to meet you too."
This was a much nicer compartment than the one I was just in, although I could tell the boys from the previous one wanted to talk to me again. Or were at least talking about me.
…
The castle appeared massive from afar, gorgeous to behold. All the lights and windows, towers and tall walls.
I was actually rather glad to have gone here.
Picking the carriages driven by thestrals, Evan walked past Lily like she wasn't even there and spoke directly to me.
"Sorry Severus, Robert will be sitting with us."
Lily and Severus more or less withdrew into the background as Evan spoke to me.
"We wanted to talk to you."
"That much I knew." I said, walking into the carriage along with them.
Wilkes had a shy and light voice. "We want you to teach us more. We saw how you moved that compartment door with your eyes."
"All I did was say go find your own path. Nothing more."
"No one's ever really talked to me like that before." admitted Rosier. "Not even the teachers here."
The other boys in the carriage more or less seemed to feel the same.
I nodded to them. "The first thing you have to learn is to not dismiss muggle culture, history, technology, or science."
There was an uproar.
"But Robert, they're savages! They've tried to exterminate wizards for generations!" said Mulciber.
"Yeah maybe a thousand years ago. Right now they've built a society so large and complex it might be able to colonize other planets in a few decades. They've conquered the seas and the skies, and given time, they'll conquer the stars."
"Why do you know so much about muggles Rob?"
Because I used to be one.
"I just read books my parents had in our house about muggles and just asked for them to buy more. It always helped with my magic."
They looked at each other, not sure what to think yet but still deeply intrigued.
…
"Special transfer, Robert Pelham."
McGonagall was deciding to read my name off first before any of the first years.
I sat down on the stool, I saw one of the sashes aligned with Gryffindor's cap twitch and -
"SLYTHERIN!"
Well what do you know.
I sat down next to a very happy Severus Snape, Evan Rosier was delighted as well.
Dumbledore gave a nice speech about the dark and troubled times, likely alluding to the war. And the feast began.
The food was actually delightful, I had no idea Hogwarts could cook chicken and steak so well. I had clearly made the right choice for a magical school at least when it came to food because -
Mm! This shit good.
There was a pair of Slytherins, the only ones remaining who I hadn't met, who were a pair of twins.
Both blonde, named the Greengrasses, Emma and Frederick.
They seemed to sit off together and not really talk with us, which was fine by my account.
…
That night I rested with the other Slytherin boys in our bedroom in the common room, which was… almost as lavish and gorgeous as the rest of the entire castle.
Sure it was in the cold dungeons, but it had the benefit of being around windows into the impressive Great Lake.
…
Classes started in earnest, most of which I liked.
Defense against the Dark Arts was in fact taught by a muggle born witch, Imelda Fraughtston, who despite having had a conversation with, no one else in Slytherin seemed to like.
Potions was taught by Horace Slughorn, a kind and benevolent man who seemed to have decades of potions experience.
Charms was taught by Filius Flitwick, part goblin, but an absolutely brilliant man, who far exceeded my admittedly high expectations for the subject.
Herbology was taught by Pomona Sprout, Ancient Runes by Victor Himelgus, and Arithmancy by David Vector, who I presumed was Septima Vector's father.
I was actually looking forward to Ancient Runes, because it would help me find secret passageways and ways through the walls of the castle. But unfortunately, by Professor, Himelgus, was very disinterested in teaching and often just left his lessons on the chalkboard for us to take notes on.
Two weeks into the term, I got a special surprise.
Out of the flurry of owls that appeared at breakfast, a barn owl appeared for me right in front of my bowl of cereal.
There was a letter attached to the owls leg, with my name written on it.
I removed the letter and the owl instantly took off.
"Who's it from?" wondered Severus.
"Don't know." I admitted truthfully.
I opened it and it revealed a neatly folded letter written in perfectly legible English.
Dear Robert Pelham,
I am sorry to hear you won't be joining myself and the rest of our class here at Mahoutokoro. We haven't had an English transfer in over 70 years, and I had been selected to be your roommate given the circumstances. I had heard of your talents, and highly envy Hogwarts if you chose them over us, as our entrance exams aren't for the faint of heart and you had scored well.
I was wondering if you wanted to stay in contact through owl post to compare studies and topics. My favorite food is udon, and my favorite class at school is Ancient Runes.
Hoping to hear from you soon, Takuji Utsunomiya
"So?" Severus asked.
I handed it to him. "A pen pal I've made from Japan apparently. I have so many questions about Ancient Runes, I'll write back to him soon I think."
Severus choked on his toast. "I knew your magic was good but passing the entrance exams at Mahoutokoro?"
"That's just regular Rob for you."
"No one asked you Rosier."
"Mm!" he swallowed his food. "It's too early to be so sour Severus. But I guess that's regular Severus isn't it?"
Evan left, and Severus sighed and turned towards me. "You wanna walk with me to class?"
"Sure."
…
…
…
A/N:
Thank you all for supporting this fanfic. All suggestions and feedback have been and will be greatly appreciated. Thank you all for reading.
I hope you all have a nice day and stay safe.