It was dark outside by the time they entered the Entrance Hall. The castle was warm and inviting, but it couldn’t lift the gloomy mood that the two travelers brought in. “Fig, nice of you to join us. The Sorting Ceremony is over.” A tall, interesting figure entered through the large doors in front of them. He was dressed in an expensive suit and his dark beard and moustache were carefully manicured. “There were… Complications,” Professor Fig answered. He cleared his throat, getting ready for another sentence, but he was rudely interrupted by the perfectly groomed man. “Complications?” the man scoffed. “The goblin problem has –“ “Enough!” The tall man groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Goblins. I’ve no time for rumours, Fig. And I’m rapidly losing whatever patience I had left.” He turns to the second traveler, a younger boy that hadn’t spoken yet. “If you’re lucky, we might still be able to get you sorted this evening.” With a dramatic gesture, the man turned around and stormed back through the doors. “Good luck with Headmaster Black. I’ll be in touch, lay low Tobias,” Fig whispered, as he backed away. “And best to keep what happened to ourselves for now, eh?”

As Professor Weasley and Tobias were making their way to the Slytherin common room, Tobias was walking from one surprise into another. His parents had always praised Hogwarts, but seeing it for himself was something different. It was truly magnificent. Every room, every hallway was even more impressive than the previous one. After some time, and a lot of mind-dazzling views, the two arrived at a crossing in the dungeons of the castle. The wall in front of them was empty, with two braziers lighting the room. “It is quite uncommon for a student to begin as a fifth year. It might be a bit of a challenge, but one I’m sure you’re up for.” “I can be quite resourceful, professor.” “I suspected as much. Now, this is the entrance to the Slytherin common room.” Professor Weasley gestured towards the empty wall. “To enter, one must simply speak the correct password: aspiration.”   Tobias raised an eyebrow. “Very well.” He walked up to the empty wall and confidently repeated the password. “Aspiration.” The floor started to tremble a bit as a large, stone snake statue started to move. It glided over the wall to form a frame, revealing a large, intricately decorated wooden door. “Well done. First hallway to the right, second entrance is where you can find your dorm. Now go on in and get some sleep, you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow.” Professor Weasley clapped together her hands and gave Tobias a nod. “Thank you, professor. Good night.”

The Slytherin common room was a dungeon-like room with greenish lamps and chairs. The dungeon extended partway under the lake, giving the light in the room a green tinge. It had lots of low backed black and dark green button-tufted, leather sofas, skulls, and dark wood cupboards. A cackling fireplace lit up the room and several Slytherins were still enjoying a cup of tea and soft-spoken conversations. It was dark and gloomy, but somehow it felt like home to Tobias. As much as he wanted to take a look around, perhaps it was best to leave that for the next day. The journey towards Hogwarts had been… Eventful, to say the least. Following professor Weasleys instructions, Tobias made his way to his dormitory. Inside, he found four beds encircling a dimly lit brazier. The walls were rounded and covered in dark green wallpaper with intricate baroque patterns. The stone floor was covered by luxurious, dark green rugs, one under each bed, and several dark wooden closets, chests and chairs were positioned throughout the room. Looking up, Tobias noticed the ceiling was partly made of glass, allowing him to look into the Great Lake surrounding Hogwarts. The bed are made with soft-looking duvets and bedspreads in the same dark green as the rugs. Each bed it surrounded by thick curtains that are held back by curtain hooks shape like snakes. “You must be the new fifth year.” The soothing voice came from the right side of the room. On the bed is a boy, about the same age as Tobias. His brown hair was tussled and his eyes dark. He was holding a leatherbound, thick book and seemed to be halfway through it. The corners of his mouth curled slightly upwards upon seeing Tobias. “Welcome to Slytherin.” “Thank you,” Tobias smiled back. He reached his hand out to the boy. “I’m Tobias.” “I’m Sebastian. Sallow.” The boy shook Tobias’ hand. “Not everyone has a Ministry escort to bring them to school.” He grinned. Apparently word travels fast, Tobias thought to himself. Sebastian wasn’t wrong though, he did have a Ministry escort with him. Before the poor man was swallowed by a dragon, that is. As mentioned before, the journey towards Hogwarts had been eventful. “He was a friend of Professor Fig, he merely joined us for the ride,” Tobias brushed the remark off. “Still, impressive. Dreadful way to go though, poor fellow.” Sebastian’s face softened. “Glad you and Professor Fig are alright.” “We were lucky to escape with our lives.” Tobias gave Sebastian a slight smile again. “You must be exhausted. We can talk some more tomorrow, if you’d like.” With a loud thump Sebastian closed his book and put it in the drawer of his nightstand. “For now, get settled and get some rest. The bed next to me is yours.” He gestured towards the bed in the far right corner, and to Tobias’ surprise, his suitcase is already sitting on the chest next to it. With a bit of effort – it was a large suitcase – Tobias pulled the dark grey, leather suitcase off the chest. With two small clicks, the small, golden locks opened and Tobias lifted the top. He was too tired to organise everything right now, perhaps tomorrow, so he just got out what he needed for the night and shoved the suitcase under the bed.

After changing into his nightwear, Tobias climbed into bed. His bed now. It was weird to be in a place he never thought he would get to see. It was even weirder he could now call it home. With only his head poking out of the duvet, he turned towards Sebastian. He had gotten ready for bed as well, and was lying in his own bed, facing Tobias. “Enjoy your first night in the best Hogwarts house there is. And with an amazing roommate at that,” Sebastian smirked. Tobias snickered. “I’m excited to meet that roommate, what bed is theirs?” “Touche. You’ll meet them in the morning.” “Seriously though, thanks. See you tomorrow.” Tobias could just make out Sebastian’s face in the dark, now that the brazier was only smoldering. He looked amused, a smile dancing around his mouth. “Goodnight, newbie.” With those words, Sebastian turned around. It didn’t take long before Tobias could hear him breathing slower, and deeper. I don’t think I’ll be that fast asleep, he thought to himself. But the journey had taken its toll and his body needed the rest, so not much later, he dozed off. He didn’t even hear his other roommates come in.

The other traveler, Tobias, shuffled on his feet for a bit but then nodded and followed the headmaster through the doors. When he stepped foot over the doorstep, his eyes widened. In front of him was a huge hall, with four long rows of tables that were occupied by students. There were thousands of candles floating in the air and the ceiling looked like a dark night sky. And it was moving! Tobias was greeted by the smell of delicious food and the sound of happy chatter. He gasped a little, but was quickly thrown back into reality when he noticed everyone staring at him. He straightened his back, put on a smile and made his way through the middle of the tables. In front of him was a stage, with in the middle, a wooden stool. A stern-looking, but friendly smiling, older woman stood next to it. In her hands she held a hat. Is that the famous Sorting Hat? Tobias wondered. He had heard the stories about it from his parents, the hat was supposed to sort you into a Hogwarts House. It didn’t look like much though. “Professor Weasley! We have one more to be sorted.” Headmaster Black took his position on the other side of the stool. The older woman, Professor Weasley, gave Tobias a small nod. “Welcome. Just in time.” She patted the stool. “Have a seat.” As Tobias sat down, Professor Weasley lifted the hat and graciously put it on his head. “Ah, yes. A bit older than the others, aren’t you?” a crooked voice said softly. “You come here with preferences and preconceptions. Certain expectations.” “I’m looking forward to exploring Hogwarts and the world beyond the castle and its grounds,” Tobias replied, in the same soft, hushed tone. It felt a bit weird talking to an old, worn hat. “Hmm, indeed. Much can be gleaned from having an adventurous spirit. But your professors have a great deal to teach you as well… I wonder. Hmm, I sense something in you. A certain sense of – what is it? Loyalty? Ambition?” The Sorting Hat pauses for a minute. “You’ve recently learned you have a rare ability. I detect a growing sense of ambition, an eagerness for power. Perhaps you belong in… Slytherin!” The hat raised its voice for the last word. The students at the Slytherin table applauded and yelled excitedly as Professor Weasley pointed her wand at Tobias. With a smooth flick his robes turn into the Slytherin house robes, a stunning emerald green. He grinned as he stepped of the stage, taking a seat at the Slytherin table. The excitement of the other student was contagious. “I’m sure you all have plenty to do before classes begin tomorrow.” Professor Black had moved front-center of the stage, waving dismissively. All over, students are starting to get up. “Mister Sweetleaf!” Professor Weasley made her way towards Tobias. “Quite the entrance. Nice to meet you. I’m Professor Weasley. As deputy-Headmistress it is my honour to show you to your common room. Right this way.” She beckoned Tobias to follow her. “Nice to meet you too, professor.”  

As Professor Weasley and Tobias were making their way to the Slytherin common room, Tobias was walking from one surprise into another. His parents had always praised Hogwarts, but seeing it for himself was something different. It was truly magnificent. Every room, every hallway was even more impressive than the previous one. After some time, and a lot of mind-dazzling views, the two arrived at a crossing in the dungeons of the castle. The wall in front of them was empty, with two braziers lighting the room. “It is quite uncommon for a student to begin as a fifth year. It might be a bit of a challenge, but one I’m sure you’re up for.” “I can be quite resourceful, professor.” “I suspected as much. Now, this is the entrance to the Slytherin common room.” Professor Weasley gestured towards the empty wall. “To enter, one must simply speak the correct password: aspiration.”   Tobias raised an eyebrow. “Very well.” He walked up to the empty wall and confidently repeated the password. “Aspiration.” The floor started to tremble a bit as a large, stone snake statue started to move. It glided over the wall to form a frame, revealing a large, intricately decorated wooden door. “Well done. First hallway to the right, second entrance is where you can find your dorm. Now go on in and get some sleep, you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow.” Professor Weasley clapped together her hands and gave Tobias a nod. “Thank you, professor. Good night.”

The Slytherin common room was a dungeon-like room with greenish lamps and chairs. The dungeon extended partway under the lake, giving the light in the room a green tinge. It had lots of low backed black and dark green button-tufted, leather sofas, skulls, and dark wood cupboards. A cackling fireplace lit up the room and several Slytherins were still enjoying a cup of tea and soft-spoken conversations. It was dark and gloomy, but somehow it felt like home to Tobias. As much as he wanted to take a look around, perhaps it was best to leave that for the next day. The journey towards Hogwarts had been… Eventful, to say the least. Following professor Weasleys instructions, Tobias made his way to his dormitory. Inside, he found four beds encircling a dimly lit brazier. The walls were rounded and covered in dark green wallpaper with intricate baroque patterns. The stone floor was covered by luxurious, dark green rugs, one under each bed, and several dark wooden closets, chests and chairs were positioned throughout the room. Looking up, Tobias noticed the ceiling was partly made of glass, allowing him to look into the Great Lake surrounding Hogwarts. The bed are made with soft-looking duvets and bedspreads in the same dark green as the rugs. Each bed it surrounded by thick curtains that are held back by curtain hooks shape like snakes. “You must be the new fifth year.” The soothing voice came from the right side of the room. On the bed is a boy, about the same age as Tobias. His brown hair was tussled and his eyes dark. He was holding a leatherbound, thick book and seemed to be halfway through it. The corners of his mouth curled slightly upwards upon seeing Tobias. “Welcome to Slytherin.” “Thank you,” Tobias smiled back. He reached his hand out to the boy. “I’m Tobias.” “I’m Sebastian. Sallow.” The boy shook Tobias’ hand. “Not everyone has a Ministry escort to bring them to school.” He grinned. Apparently word travels fast, Tobias thought to himself. Sebastian wasn’t wrong though, he did have a Ministry escort with him. Before the poor man was swallowed by a dragon, that is. As mentioned before, the journey towards Hogwarts had been eventful. “He was a friend of Professor Fig, he merely joined us for the ride,” Tobias brushed the remark off. “Still, impressive. Dreadful way to go though, poor fellow.” Sebastian’s face softened. “Glad you and Professor Fig are alright.” “We were lucky to escape with our lives.” Tobias gave Sebastian a slight smile again. “You must be exhausted. We can talk some more tomorrow, if you’d like.” With a loud thump Sebastian closed his book and put it in the drawer of his nightstand. “For now, get settled and get some rest. The bed next to me is yours.” He gestured towards the bed in the far right corner, and to Tobias’ surprise, his suitcase is already sitting on the chest next to it. With a bit of effort – it was a large suitcase – Tobias pulled the dark grey, leather suitcase off the chest. With two small clicks, the small, golden locks opened and Tobias lifted the top. He was too tired to organise everything right now, perhaps tomorrow, so he just got out what he needed for the night and shoved the suitcase under the bed.

It was a special experience to wake up in the Slytherin dormitory for the first time. The sun was shining onto the lake, creating gorgeous reflections of water dancing around the room. It was quiet and peaceful. Tobias slowly opened his eyes. It had been a long time since he had been able to sleep without nightmares, but last night he was sound asleep. If this was a harbinger of his experiences at Hogwarts, it was going to be good. Everyone else seemed to have left the dorm already, probably to hang out in the common room for a bit. With a soft groan Tobias got up, throwing his legs off the bed. Time to start the day. He threw on the house clothes he was given yesterday, and took a quick look in the mirror to check his auburn hair. Deciding it was fine, he grabbed his mother’s wand from his nightstand and made his way to the common room.

It looked a lot different from last night. It still had the green tinge and the leather sofas, but it was less gloomy. The walls were decorated with paintings of famous Slytherins and tapestries. To the back of the room were enormous windows that allowed the viewer to look directly into the lake. A few first years stood in front of them, peering into the lake. Tobias wondered what they were looking for. As he approached the windows, he noticed another fifth year leaning against the windowsill. “Judging by the chatter coming from the room, you must be the new fifth year.” The boy was looking in Tobias’ direction, but it was clear he couldn’t actually see him. “Guilty,” replied Tobias. “I guess the whispering won’t stop anytime soon, will it?” The boy let out a laugh. “I wouldn’t count on it. I’m Ominis, by the way. Ominis Gaunt.” “Nice to meet you, I’m Tobias Sweetleaf.” “So Tobias, you certainly had a memorable arrival…” “I do like to make an entrance,” Tobias answered, with a small grin. “Might as well make my mark right away.” “Well,” Ominis chuckled, “You are definitely in the right house. Let me know if I can be of any help as you navigate your first days here. Though I doubt you need it.” “Thanks Ominis, I appreciate that. And actually, I do have a question… What are those first years near the window looking for?” Tobias squinted, trying to find out what it was they were looking at. Ominis let out a laugh. “They are looking for mermaids,” he answered, lowering his voice a little. “No one has ever spotted any from here though, but don’t tell them. It’ll ruin the fun.” “I’ll be sure to tell them I saw one last night.” Tobias smirked. “I should get going, I need to eat before class, but it was nice meeting you, Ominis.” “Likewise. Don’t be a stranger.” Ominis gave Tobias a small smile and a nod, before making his way out of the common room.

After having breakfast in the Great Hall with some other Slytherins, Tobias made his way to the Charms classroom. The classroom had two rows of desks at each side, facing each other, with at the end of the room a desk. A blackboard flanked the left of the teacher’s desk and to the left of it was a small shelf with books and trinkets. A flamboyant man with a grey beard in purple robes beckoned the students into the classroom. “Come in, come in!” His eyes were twinkling with enthusiasm. “Find a seat please. First lesson of the year, are you excited?” The professor waited patiently for his students to sit down. Tobias entered the classroom last, looking around for familiar faces. Sebastian was seated to the far left already, Ominis next to him. Sebastian gave Tobias an apologetic look, no space was left anywhere near them. “You can sit here!” A warm voice grabbed Tobias’ attention. A Gyffindor girl with dark curls was waving at him. A bit relieved, he nodded and took the place next to her. “I’m Natsai Onai, but you can call me Natty.” Natty smiled warmly at him. “I know how hard it can be to attend Hogwarts so late.” “Thanks, I’m Tobias.” Tobias put his book on the table. “Oh, you won’t be needing them,” Natty remarked. “Professor Ronan does not like teaching by books.” “That’s right, Natty!” Professor Ronen exclaimed. “Books are great and all, but the best way to learn is by playing. So, my lovely students, today we are going to play a game. But first, a spell.” The professor took out his wand, pointing it at the books on Tobias’ table. “Accio!” Slowly, the book started to levitate, hovering through the air towards professor Ronen. “This, my students, is the summoning charm. Try to see the object clearly in your mind before summoning. You go ahead, choose something small.” Tobias turns to Natty. “Have you tried this before?” Natty chuckled. “Maybe I practiced a few times. Try getting your book back.” Tobias nodded. “No problem. Accio!” He flicked his wand and pictured his book clearly in his head. With an unexpected force, it hurled towards him, landing on his desk with a loud, but controlled thump. “Great! Great! Well done, mister Sweetleaf. You have quite the force, don’t you?” cheered Professor Ronen, with an excited clap of his hands. “Now, now. Time for a game. Follow me.”

The class followed Professor Ronen outside, onto the flying class lawn. There, a large platform appeared, with six large boulders: thee red and three blue. The platform was marked with different colours, that each represented an amount of points. “We are going to play… Summoners Court.” Professor Ronen made a grand gesture towards the setup. “Use Accio to summon the boulders, trying to get the most points. Remember! The closer the boulder, the more points. But watch out… Don’t drop the boulder off the platform.” He chuckled, eyes twinkling. “Miss Onai, would you do the honours? And, let’s see. Mister Sweetleaf!” Natty jumped onto the platform, turning towards Sebastian. “Ready to lose?” she winked. “You wish.” Tobias followed her, grinning. “Good luck.” Round 1 “Accio!” Natty’s boulder landed perfectly in the last stroke of the platform. “That’s 50 points for me.” Tobias raised an eyebrow, but then his face turns serious with concentration. “Accio!” “50 points for Tobias as well,” commented Professor Ronen. Round 2 Natty brushed up her sleeves a bit and casts their newly-learned spell again. The boulder lands in the 30 area. “Fuck.” “Accio!” Tobias’ boulder rolled up to him, landing on 20 points. “This is going to be a close call, isn’t it?” “That’s 80 for Natty, 70 for Tobias.” Professor Ronen’s eyes started glimmering even more. “Final round!” Round 3 Natty took a deep breath, steadying herself and pointing her wand. “Accio!” Her boulder started rolling, and for a minute it looked like it was going to stop at 50. “Yes, yes,” she mumbled. It balanced on the edge of the playing field, debating whether to fall or not. Natty held her breath for a second. Until the ball rolled over the edge, into the dewy grass. She groaned. “My turn.” Tobias stepped forward, concentrating on his boulder. “Accio!” It started moving rather slowly towards him. Then it steadied, landing on the 50 points. “Yes!” He punched the air in victory. Professor Ronen clapped. “Congratulations, mister Sweetleaf. You’ve won. 10 points to Slytherin!”

Natty shrugged. “Can’t be the best forever. Good game.” She offered Tobias her hand, who accepted it with a little bow. “Good game indeed. We’ll have a rematch soon.” Tobias jumped off the platform, followed by Natty, making their way towards the other students. Natty joined her Gryffindor friends, Tobias was pretty sure he had overheard the names Cressida and Garreth, but that was as much as he knew about them. Before getting the chance to speak to anyone, Professor Ronen cleared his throat. “Well, students, that’s it for today’s lesson. Feel welcome to try the game anytime.” Professor Ronen folded his hands. “And mister Sweetleaf? I have some extra assignments for you to catch up. I will sent you an owl with more information. And remember, make learning fun.” Tobias frowned. Extra assignments? Hopefully not too much…  But he nodded at Professor Ronen. “Of course, professor. Thanks for the lesson.”

The sound of bells filled the castle as a sign the second lessons were about to start. Tobias made his way to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom and was greeted by to students that seemed to be dueling each other. “Stupefy!” Sebastian shot a jet of red light towards his opponent. Tobias recognized the redhaired boy from his previous class: Leander Prewett. The two continued shooting spells at each other. “Is that all you’ve got?” Sebastian taunted. “Bombarda!” An electrifying explosion filled the classroom. The large dragon skeleton hanging from the ceiling started shaking, and with a loud crack, it started making its way down. Leander covered his head. “Levioso!” A stern voice filled the room, and the dragon skeleton hovered in the air, inches away from Leander’s head. On the opposite side of the room from Tobias, a small, old lady appeared. She looked worn and exceptionally done with the situation. “Perhaps you’d be good enough to blast each other to pieces in your own time. I get new students every year, but I only have one Hebridean Black skull.” With a flick of her wand, the skeleton floated back to its original place. With slow steps, the professor made her way down the stairs from her balcony. “Today we will review a spell that has saved me from death at the hands of Dark Wizards more times than I care to remember: Levioso.” Leander scoffed. “Levioso? A levitation charm?” “Levioso!” Before Leander could properly finish his sentence, he was already halfway through the air. “A surprised opponent is a weak opponent. Care to defend yourself, mister Prewett? No?” The professor squinted her eyes a bit, but then softly returned Leander to his feet. Sebastian snickered. “One thing I’ve learned as an Unspeakable is the value of simplicity. Especially in battle. Let’s practice what we’ve just learned.” In the half hour that followed, the professor – Professor Hecat, as Tobias learned – carefully explained the details of the levitation charm, allowing the students to practice on a feather. “Now, let’s try something bigger. The best way to learn is by dueling. Let’s start with you two.” She gestured at Tobias and Sebastian. “Duelists, take your marks.” Sebastian smirked, slowly brushing against Tobias’ arm as he walked past. “Time for a proper Hogwarts welcome.” “I want a fair duel. Only Stupefy, Levioso and Protego.” Professor Hecat drew her wand. The floor below Tobias started trembling. Slowly, he was lifted up, as beneath him a long dueling podium appeared. He steadied himself, bending slightly forward, his wand at the ready. Professor Hecat’s voice was loud and clear as she announced the start of the duel.

“Levioso!” Tobias shot forward, but Sebastian was too quick, managing to dodge. Sebastian steadied himself. “Stupefy!” “Protego!” Tobias grumbled as he blocked Sebastian’s spell. “Levioso! Stupefy!” The combination of spells was enough to hurl Sebastian in the air and flng him backwards. Sebastion was laying on the ground, but he wasn’t about to give up. “Levioso!” Tobias felt himself getting lifted in the air, Sebastian diving underneath him. “Stupefy!” A blunt force pushed Tobias forward, landing on the edge of the podium. He took a deep breath and took a sharp turn around. “Stupefy! Levioso!”He swung his wand as he was getting up. Another Stupefy going Sebastian’s way. Sebastian tried dodging, but he was too late. On the last hit, he landed on his back. His wand hit the floor, softly rolling away. Within a few steps Tobias was leaning over him. Quickly Sebastian got to his feet, but Tobias was too close and his wand was too far. The tip of Tobias’ wand was touching his throat and he could feel Tobias’ warm breath on his face. He felt his cheeks flush. “Beginner’s luck,” he uttered, composing himself. One corner of his mouth curled up. “If that’s what helps you sleep at night…” Tobias replied amused, lowering his wand. “If only all of my students were this adept.” Professor Hecat waved her wand, making the duel podium disappear. “Good job, points to Slytherin. Class dismissed.”