#hacker series

The morning sun bathed the Hogwarts courtyard in golden light, casting long shadows over the throng of students who milled about, their faces glued to their phones, waiting for the first bell of the semester. Y/N stood on a stone balcony that overlooked the busy courtyard, leaning on the cool, weathered railing. From her vantage point, she could see everything: groups of students huddled together, heads bent over tiny screens, others laughing at some shared meme or gossip, and the occasional solitary figure scrolling through social feeds, lost in their own world. The air was filled with the incessant clicking of cameras, the chime of incoming texts, and the murmur of excited conversations.

Selfies were taken with exaggerated poses, videos were filmed with enthusiastic gestures, and every corner of the courtyard seemed to be alive with the bright, distracting light of mobile devices.

The courtyard felt less like a place of learning and more like a digital carnival, with everyone seemingly more interested in capturing moments for social media than engaging in their surroundings.

As Y/N watched, a more serious tone was set when Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape walked past the scene. Dumbledore’s usually twinkling eyes had a glint of disapproval, and his normally serene expression was slightly strained.

Snape, on the other hand, looked outright disgusted, his lip curled in a sneer as he observed the students engrossed in their screens.

"It's appalling," Snape muttered, his voice low but edged with disdain. "No focus on their studies, only on their incessant need to document their every move."

Dumbledore sighed, adjusting his glasses as he surveyed the scene with a mixture of concern and resignation. "Indeed, Severus. It seems the allure of these devices has overshadowed the purpose of their education."

Professor McGonagall, who had been walking alongside them, added her own sharp comment. "We are educators, not entertainers. The way these students are fixated on their phones is utterly distracting. It’s as if they’ve forgotten there is a world beyond the screen."

The three professors continued walking, their conversation growing fainter as they moved toward the Great Hall.

They stopped near Cedric Diggory, who was standing apart from the crowd, engrossed in a book rather than his phone. His phone lay silent on the table next to him, clearly not in use.

Dumbledore approached Cedric with a thoughtful look. "Mr. Diggory, might I have a word?"

Cedric looked up, a bit startled but composed. "Of course, Professor."

Dumbledore gestured for Cedric to follow him, with Snape and McGonagall flanking him. As they approached a quieter area, Dumbledore smiled warmly at Cedric. "We’ve noticed that you’ve been rather... unengaged with the phone culture that has overtaken the school. It’s quite refreshing, actually."

Cedric nodded, a hint of a smile on his lips. "I just prefer focusing on other things. The constant notifications can be distracting."

Snape, ever the skeptic, raised an eyebrow. "You mean to say that you’ve managed to avoid the distractions that plague your peers?"

Cedric shrugged, his expression earnest. "I guess so. It’s just easier for me to stay focused without the constant buzz."

Professor McGonagall gave Cedric a nod of approval. "Very well. We’re about to discuss this very issue in the presentation, and your perspective might be valuable."

As Cedric prepared to follow the professors, Y/N watched from her vantage point, her thoughts a whirlwind of curiosity and concern. The courtyard continued its flurry of activity below, but now there was a sense of anticipation in the air as the professors and Cedric made their way to address the pressing issue of technology’s impact on the students.

As Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall continued toward the quieter area of the courtyard, Professor McGonagall’s sharp eyes caught sight of Ginny Weasley standing nearby.

Ginny was absorbed in her phone, but she quickly looked up as McGonagall approached.

“Miss Weasley,” McGonagall said, her tone both professional and curious. “How is the planning for the Yule Ball coming along? I trust everything is proceeding smoothly?”

Ginny's face brightened, and she gave a thumbs-up, clearly pleased with the question. “Yes, Professor McGonagall! Everything is going great. We’re finalizing the details, and it looks like it’s going to be great.”

McGonagall nodded in approval. “Good to hear. I look forward to seeing how it all comes together.”

As McGonagall moved on, Pansy Parkinson sauntered by, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous sparkle. She overheard the exchange and couldn’t resist making a snide remark.

“Oh, look at that,” Pansy drawled, loud enough for Ginny to hear. “The little suck-up, always trying to win favor with the professors.”

Ginny’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she tried to ignore Pansy’s comment. Hermione Granger, who had been nearby, walked over and joined Ginny, a thoughtful expression on her face.

“Ginny, I’ve heard great things about the Yule Ball plans,” Hermione said, trying to offer a comforting smile. “Your bag looks new too”

Ginny’s eyes sparkled with pride as she opened her bag to show Hermione.

It was a sleek, stylish accessory that she had clearly taken care to choose for the occasion. She glanced nervously at McGonagall, who was now engaged in conversation with Cedric.

Ginny quickly tried to close her bag, but not before Hermione caught a glimpse. Hermione raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, sensing Ginny’s discomfort.

Y/N remains on the look out watching each interaction when another classmate catches her eye, Astoria Greengrass, gliding through the courtyard like she owned the place.

Astoria was effortlessly beautiful, her blonde hair shimmering in the sunlight, and as usual, she drew admiring glances from almost everyone—especially the wide-eyed first years who stared after her with a mixture of awe and envy. Y/N could practically hear their whispers. “That’s Astoria… the prettiest girl in Hogwarts…”

Astoria’s path led her straight to Draco Malfoy, her boyfriend since first year, who leaned casually against one of the courtyard’s columns, his pale hair slicked back in his signature style. Without a word, Astoria walked up to him, cupped his face, and pulled him into a deep, unapologetic kiss. Y/N cringed, her face twisting in mild disgust. Do they always have to do that in public?

She tore her eyes away from the PDA and scanned the rest of the courtyard, searching for more familiar faces.

Y/N’s gaze landed on Mattheo Riddle, standing with a group of boys from their year. Even from a distance, Mattheo commanded attention.

The younger students stared at him, not with admiration for his looks like they did with Astoria, but with something closer to reverence.

His father, Tom Riddle, was infamous in the wizarding world—powerful, wealthy, and renowned. The wealth alone set Mattheo apart from the rest, but it was his casual arrogance that made him stand out even more. He leaned back, talking to someone, clearly enjoying the attention, his expensive watch gleaming in the sunlight.

No one flaunted their privilege quite like Mattheo.

Y/N watched as Ginny Weasley approached him, flashing a bright smile and making casual conversation.

It was no secret that Ginny, coming from a large, relatively poor family, was always looking for ways to get ahead. She was holding up a designer bag in front of Mattheo, likely trying to smooth-talk him into giving her something. Y/N shook her head, already knowing how this would play out.

Mattheo, without even glancing at the bag, shrugged her off with a disinterested wave, his eyes scanning the crowd for someone more interesting. Ginny, undeterred, lingered a moment longer before retreating, while Mattheo spotted Theo Nott a little ways off, caught up in some suspicious activity.

Theo stood by the edge of the courtyard, subtly handing off a small bag to a group of younger students. Y/N recognized the look immediately—a special handshake that clearly meant he was dealing something they shouldn’t have. She sighed but didn’t bother intervening. Theo was clever enough not to get caught.

As she continued to observe, Hermione Granger passed by Astoria and Draco, her bushy hair bouncing as she walked. Y/N noticed how Draco momentarily paused his make-out session with Astoria just to glance at Hermione.

It was subtle, but Y/N caught it, a faint frown pulling at her lips.

What’s that about? she wondered but quickly dismissed it. Not my business.

Something else caught her attention.

A boy, unfamiliar and awkward, stood near the courtyard's edge. He had dark hair and glasses, and he fidgeted nervously with his phone, clearly out of place. Y/N could feel his discomfort radiating off him in waves.

New kid,she thought, narrowing her eyes. Looks like he’s having a rough time already.

Glancing down at her phone, she saw the time. Classes were about to start.

With a deep breath, she pushed herself away from the railing and headed down towards the courtyard.

On her way to class, she spotted Pansy Parkinson, Enzo Berkinshire, and Blaise Zabini gathered around Daphne Greengrass, who looked more annoyed than usual.

Pansy was laughing, clearly teasing her, while Daphne tried to keep her composure.

Y/N could see Daphne's fists clenched at her sides as Pansy mocked her, flicking at her uniform.

Y/N sighed and walked over. Here we go again.

"Really, guys?" Y/N called out, inserting herself between Daphne and the trio. Pansy rolled her eyes dramatically, her lips curling into a smirk.

"Oh look, it’s Y/N, here to save the day," Pansy said sarcastically, folding her arms over her chest. "Can’t you let us have a bit of fun?"

Y/N ignored the comment, her sharp eyes flicking over the group. Blaise stood back slightly, leaning against the wall with his usual cool indifference, but Y/N noticed something off. There, on his lips, was a faint smudge of lipstick—barely noticeable, but enough to catch her attention. She recognized the color instantly.

It was the same shade Luna Lovegood often wore. Interesting, she thought, filing that information away for later. 

"You’ve got something on your lips, Zabini," Y/N said casually, raising an eyebrow. "Same shade as a certain Ravenclaw, I think."

Blaise’s face hardened, though he quickly wiped the lipstick away with the back of his hand, his expression unreadable. He shot her a warning glance, but Y/N just smiled knowingly. Blaise and Luna Lovegood had been secretly seeing each other for a while, but he was careful to keep it under wraps.

Luna’s eccentric reputation meant their relationship was vulnerable to the cruelty of Hogwarts gossip, and Blaise, protective as ever, didn’t want to put her through that. 

Pansy snickered, nudging Blaise with her elbow. "Oh, hiding something, are we?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," Blaise said smoothly, his voice cool, though his eyes flicked to Y/N as if to say drop it.

Y/N, sensing she’d hit a nerve but not wanting to push further, shifted her focus to Enzo, who was standing beside Blaise, trying to suppress a grin.

“And you,” Y/N said, turning to him with a teasing glint in her eyes. “I’m guessing that massive stain on your tie isn’t part of the uniform?”

Enzo glanced down at the inkblot smeared across his Slytherin tie and groaned. "Ugh, not again." He quickly pulled at the fabric, trying to hide the mess under his robes. “You’d think I’d learn by now.”

Y/N laughed softly, knowing Enzo was the least malicious of the group. He often went along with Pansy and Blaise’s teasing but never crossed the line himself.

Before anyone could say anything more, Pansy’s voice cut through, her tone more biting than before.

"Still," Pansy said, a malicious gleam in her eyes, "I wouldn’t get too comfortable, Y/N. We all remember your little tantrum last year. Don’t think we’ve forgotten about that."

Y/N’s heart skipped a beat, and she felt the heat rise to her cheeks.

For a moment, she faltered, her mind flashing back to last year—a memory that was still raw, still too painful to think about. She tried to keep her composure, but her flustered reaction was impossible to hide.

Enzo, sensing her discomfort, shot Pansy a look. "Pans, don’t," he muttered, his voice softer than usual, almost protective. "Not now."

Pansy shrugged, clearly enjoying the power shift, but Y/N quickly recovered, straightening up and glancing at Daphne. The girl still looked nervous, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot, and Y/N knew she couldn’t afford to let her guard down now.

Protecting Daphne was more important than letting Pansy get under her skin.

"Whatever, Pansy," Y/N said, forcing a smile as she turned to Daphne, gently guiding her away from the group.

"You should really work on your material—it’s getting stale." Her voice was steady, though a part of her still felt that lingering sting.

Pansy, undeterred, huffed and flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder.

"Oh, we’ll see about that," she muttered, though there was less bite to her tone now that Y/N had brushed off the comment.

Blaise and Enzo exchanged a glance, and Y/N could see Blaise quietly pulling Pansy back from pressing further.

Enzo, always the peacekeeper, gave Y/N a small, apologetic smile. "Catch you later, Y/N," he said before turning to follow Blaise and Pansy as they walked away, Pansy still throwing a final taunt over her shoulder.

Y/N let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Daphne, looking relieved, straightened her uniform, glancing at Y/N with gratitude.

"Thanks," Daphne said quietly. "You didn’t have to do that."

Y/N waved it off. "Don’t worry about it," she said, forcing herself to relax. "You’ve got enough on your plate without dealing with them."

Daphne nodded, and Y/N noticed how much the younger girl’s hands were still trembling slightly. She offered a reassuring smile, though her mind still lingered on Pansy’s comment from earlier.

Last year. It was something Y/N tried to forget, but some memories were harder to bury than others.

Suddenly, Y/N pointed ahead, eager to change the subject. "Looks like you’ve found the door to our first class."

Daphne blinked and realized she’d been leaning against the classroom door the whole time. Flustered, she quickly moved aside, and Y/N chuckled, feeling a little more in control now.

"Come on," Y/N said, motioning for Daphne to follow her into the room. "Let’s not give Pansy anything else to talk about."

The classroom buzzed with chatter as students took their seats, sunlight pouring in from the tall windows. Y/N settled into her usual spot near the back, pulling out her notebook and tapping her pen idly against the page. She glanced around, taking in the familiar faces. Draco, predictably, had his arm draped over Astoria’s shoulder as they sat near the middle of the room, looking every bit the couple who ran the place. Blaise and Theo sat not far from them, leaning in to whisper about something that no doubt involved trouble, while Pansy tossed paper balls at Daphne, who sat hunched in her seat.

Y/N raised an eyebrow, watching the small scrap of paper hit Daphne’s shoulder. Before she could say anything, Astoria’s sharp voice cut through the noise. "Pansy, enough," she snapped, her tone cold.

Astoria’s protective streak when it came to her sister was no secret, and everyone in their group knew not to push her when it came to Daphne.

Pansy huffed dramatically, rolling her eyes as she leaned back in her chair. "Just having a bit of fun, Astoria. No need to get all motherly."

Draco placed a calming hand on Astoria’s shoulder, his lips curling into a small smirk.

"Relax, love. She’s not worth it," he said, shooting a sideways glance at Pansy, who just shrugged, unbothered. Astoria, still fuming, crossed her arms and leaned back into Draco, letting out a frustrated sigh as she glared at Pansy.

At the front of the class, Professor Snape entered the room with his usual sweeping grace, his dark robes billowing behind him like a storm cloud.

The room instantly fell silent, the air thick with anticipation as everyone knew Snape didn’t tolerate disruptions, especially on the first day.

Snape’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the class, lingering on a new face at the back.

"It seems we have a new student today," he drawled, his voice cold and smooth. "Potter, would you care to introduce yourself?"

All eyes turned toward the boy sitting awkwardly in the corner. He had messy black hair, round glasses perched on his nose, and an air of nervousness that made him look out of place. Slowly, he stood up, looking around the room, his cheeks reddening as the attention settled on him.

"Hi, uh, I’m new," he said, his voice quiet but clear. "My name’s Harry… Harry Potter."

The name hung in the air for a second, and then, predictably, Draco was the first to react. He tilted his head with a lazy smirk, his arm still casually around Astoria.

"Potter, huh? You look familiar," Draco said, his voice dripping with amusement.

From across the room, Hermione Granger rolled her eyes, her exasperation evident. She sat up straight in her chair, glaring at Draco, who caught her gaze and, without missing a beat, poked his tongue out at her, grinning mischievously. Hermione huffed and crossed her arms, turning her attention back to the front.

But before Harry could say anything, Blaise spoke up, sitting forward in his seat. "Hang on. Potter?" he said, his dark eyes narrowing in curiosity. "Is your dad… James Potter?"

The room buzzed with excitement, but before Harry could respond, Mattheo Riddle, who had been lounging in his chair with a bored expression, suddenly perked up. "Oh, Salazar," Mattheo said, his voice louder than necessary. "You mean the famous Quidditch player?"

That set off a chain reaction.

Theo immediately leaned over his desk, his eyes wide. "No way! James Potter was a legend on the pitch!" he exclaimed, and soon enough, half the room was talking at once, throwing questions and comments in Harry’s direction.

"Did you play Quidditch at your last school?"

"Are you as good as your dad?"

"Can you fly?"

"What’s it like having a famous dad?"

Harry’s face turned bright red as he stood there, overwhelmed by the sudden attention. His gaze flicked nervously to Snape, who was now rubbing the bridge of his nose in clear frustration. "Enough," Snape said sharply, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Potter, sit down."

Harry quickly nodded and sat, clearly relieved. Y/N, who had been doodling absentmindedly in her notebook through the commotion, realized with a start that the only empty seat was next to her.

Her pen paused over the page, and she glanced to the side, noticing Harry shuffling into the chair beside her. 

As Harry sat down, Mattheo, who was seated just in front of them, turned around, his usual teasing smirk plastered on his face.

He gave Harry a once-over, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "So," he said in a low, mocking drawl, "you’re gonna join us for a little practice Quidditch later, yeah? Live up to the family name and all?"

Harry, still flustered, glanced between Mattheo and the rest of the group, clearly unsure how to respond. He nodded slowly, not wanting to stir up more attention.

"Good," Mattheo said, turning back around. "Griffindor need all the help they can get especially with a celebrity on the team."

Y/N smirked to herself at the exchange but didn’t say anything. Instead, she returned to her notebook, shading in the wings of the dragon she had been doodling earlier.

The class buzzed around her, but Y/N found herself zoning out, her focus on the intricate lines she was drawing.

A light tap on her desk startled her. She looked up and realized that Harry had been watching her. He looked nervous, fiddling with his quill, but there was a small, shy smile on his face.

"Uh… those are really good," Harry said quietly, nodding toward her doodles.

Y/N blinked, a little surprised. She wasn’t used to people commenting on her drawings, much less noticing them. "Thanks," she said softly, feeling a little flustered.

Y/N could hear them talking, but she stayed focused on her doodles, her hand moving quickly across the page. She barely noticed Harry glancing at her again, his lips parting like he wanted to say something, but the moment passed, and he stayed silent, clearly still too shy to push the conversation further.

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