The night before our departure, I brewed in silence. I stood alone in the underground greenhouse, wrapped in the humid air rich with pollen, moon-filtered herbs, and the low hum of wards controlling the weather and temperature the environment . The glass jars glowed softly under enchanted lanterns while faintly glowing plants danced as I moved past them.
Using basic Distillation Circles, my enchanted flame, and the ingredients gifted by Mom and Aster, I began. I failed a lot but manage to make at least two semi decent brews. The first: a Sleep Elixir—designed to not only sedate but guarantee eight uninterrupted hours of peaceful rest. Useful for sneaking away unnoticed or helping with insomnia.
The second: a Rejuvenation Brew, a glowing pale-gold liquid that shimmered like sunlight in a bottle. It gave the drinker four hours of peak energy and youthful clarity. Joints loosened, eyes sharpened, fatigue vanished. My goal with this on was to refine it into a mythical Potion of Youth. Temporary and permanent variants. Sell the former to the public for money for future research funding, master the latter.
There was gold in aging fears and power in those who overcame them. I would need to create a tolerance distiller potion for those who will take the temporary version to much.
I corked the in vials two vials and placed into my inventory.
> [Inventory Updated:
Sleep Elixir (x1)
Rejuvenation Brew (x1)
Potency: Semi-Stable]
With that done, I checked my watch and it was 2:35 am so sat down and crossed my legs, lit my mana flame, and drifted into Mana Meditation. Nyx would sit between my crossed legs and fall asleep. And like that four hours passed like a breeze. When I rose, my core was full, my eyes were clear, and my intent was focused.
King's Cross Station – 10:35 A.M. Platform 9 ¾ buzzed with life.
Harry and I stood beside the Grangers, who looked simultaneously overwhelmed and fascinated. Hermione, of course, already had her wand tucked neatly in her inner robe pocket, school books labeled and alphabetized in her bag.
"Wow," she said softly as the train steamed beside us. "It's really another world." I smiled, then caught a flash of red hair. The Weasleys It happened just like in the books. Harry ran into Mrs. Weasley and Ron. Polite introductions. Questions about Platform 9¾. But this time—we were with him.
Ron's eyes widened when he realized who Harry was. "You're him! Blimey—really Harry Potter?" Harry gave a small smile and showed his scar without hesitation. "Yeah. That's me." Ron turned to me. "Wait—you're Callum Dawn, aren't you?! The one from the paper?! The Ministry said they were gonna award you for proving Sirius Black was innocent!"
Hermione blinked in shock. "Wait, what?" I gave her a side-eye smirk. "We'll talk." Mrs. Weasley waved at us warmly as we headed to board the train. Goodbyes were never easy for me in any life and this time was no different. Mom squeezed me and Harry so hard our ribs creaked. "I love you both so much. Write. Use the mirror spell we've taught you. Hedwig are charming, but we have better options and I'm still not lowering the wards for her."
Dad ruffled our hair, pressed his forehead to mine. "Show them what your made of son and he looked to Harry I know you will make your parents proud." Thank you sir" Harry grinned.
Serius gave Harry a strong hug, then turned to me and nodded with silent pride. " Turn that place upside down and make sure you have fun while doing."
"Will do." We said in unison.
Then we stepped on board the Hogwarts Express. The corridors were packed kids shouted, trunks banged against doors, and familiar candy smells already filled the air. We found an empty cabin quickly. Me, Harry, Hermione, and Neville—who ran over and gave me a hug so sudden I nearly tripped.
"Callum!" he said. "Gran's been trying to reach you for weeks! She said nothing worked—not owls, not spells!" I scratched the back of my head. "Yeah… our home is heavily warded. She'll have to write to Hogwarts." Neville nodded eagerly. "She said if she can't get through, she'll start sending gifts to our school hoping I see you."
"…I look forward to it," I said, half-smiling, half-dreading then the door opened again. Ron, face still pink from excitement, poked his head in. "Can I sit here?" Harry grinned. "Sure."
That's when I noticed the small animal in Ron's arms a weasel—sleek, fur striped with dark brown across its orange back. "That's not a rat," I said. "Nope!" Ron beamed. "This is Streak. Dad bought him after… well, you know. The rat thing the ministry gave him money like a lot." I gave him a respectful nod. "Good choice. Weasels are natural hunters."
Hermione pulled her head up from the news article about me and the Sirius black incident and finally asked, "Wait—you're the Callum from the paper? The one who—?" I raised a hand and offered her a piece of gum" Its old news." She took it with narrowed eyes. "Fine. But I will ask questions. Around midday, the candy trolley rolled past. I stepped out first and bought everything I could carry. Enough for the whole cabin. Neville's eyes widened. Ron looked overwhelmed "Bloody hell…"
"I'm used to having resources," I said, handing out sweets. "Doesn't mean I hoard them." We laughed and shared the spread: Chocolate Frogs (Harry caught a Dumbledore card)
Fizzing Whizzbees (Ron accidentally floated an inch off his seat)
Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans (Neville got onion garlic and nearly died)
Cauldron Cakes
Liquorice Wands
It felt… normal. Warm almost like the calm before the storm. We sat back, full and content. The train rhythm hummed beneath our feet.
I peeled open a chocolate frog. The enchanted candy sprang from the wrapper and made a mad dash across the compartment before Nyx, from my lap, opened one eye. The frog froze then gave up. Hermione gasped softly as Nyx flicked her tail in victory. "Smart cat," she muttered.
I flipped the collectible card in my hand Nicholas Flamel I found that fitting. A spark of something passed through me—like a whisper trailing along my memory from the letter I sent him. Was it a coincidence? Or something else? Magic moves strangely when intentions are strong…
Hermione, chewing her second Cauldron Cake, leaned forward. "So… what do you all think about the Hogwarts Houses?" Ron perked up immediately. "Oh, that's easy. Gryffindor's the best, obviously. Dumbledore was in it, Harry's parents were, I mean—it's all about bravery and doing the right thing."
He counted off with his fingers. "Ravenclaws are the clever ones—but they're also weird or smug sometimes. Hufflepuffs—well—they're nice, but no one really talks about them. And Slytherins?" His face darkened slightly. "Slytherin's where all the Dark Wizards come from. You-Know-Who was in Slytherin, wasn't he?"
Neville nodded, frowning. "Gran says the same. That Slytherins are proud and secretive. Not to be trusted much." Hermione's brows furrowed. She looked between the boys, unsure, trying to piece together what she should feel.
I leaned forward, brushing a thumb along the Flamel card thoughtfully. "That's not entirely accurate." Everyone turned to me. "Those are rumors and oversimplifications the Houses were never about 'good' or 'bad.' They were philosophies and different lenses through which people saw the world. But over the centuries and millennia, they were reduced to stereotypes."
Hermione looked intrigued. "Explain." "Sure," I said, sitting up petting Nyx. "Gryffindor was built on courage, yes—but also boldness of thought and action. Being willing to challenge the status quo, whether standing alone or together. But not charging in stupidly like some people think."
Ron opened his mouth to object, but I kept going. "Ravenclaw was curiosity, not just intellect. The hunger to ask 'why'—even if the answer shook your beliefs and seek the answers themselves." Hermione's eyes glowed. She nodded slowly. "Hufflepuff represented loyalty, sure—but also integrity and justice. They were supposed to be the heart of the school. The ones who reminded the others of their humanity when things went too far."
Neville looked surprised by that one. "And Slytherin?" I let the word hang. "It wasn't about putting others down to make yourself better. It was about ambition and vision. The willingness to do what others wouldn't to achieve something greater. It was never meant to be corrupted into what it is now."
Hermione frowned. "Then what happened?" "People forgot the meaning," I said. "The world changed. The founders died. And the students began clinging to symbols instead of purpose." Ron squinted at me. "Your mum's from Slytherin, right? The my mom and dad mentioned something like that, I think."
I nodded. "Wait—your mum?" Hermione blinked. "But she's amazing. Smart, kind, strong and very supportive and strict in a good way, but—Slytherin?" "Exactly," I said. "She is a Slytherin and in my opinion a ideal one."
Ron looked confused but I pressed on. "Peter Pettigrew was a Gryffindor. How he was brave in anyway I don't know from what my mom said about him from how she saw Harry's dads friend group."
That shut Ron up fast. "Sorting isn't about good and evil," I continued. "It's about who you are willing to become. That's the part they don't teach." I turned to Hermione. "You'd thrive in Ravenclaw. You think beyond most people your age. You're methodical and curious. You want to understand almost everything just memorize." She blushed slightly but smiled. "That's… actually flattering."
I turned to Neville. "You? You're kind. Protective. I believe you'll always stand up for your friends, even if your knees are shaking. You're either a Hufflepuff or a Gryffindor." He straightened, shoulders just a bit taller.
"Ron," I said. "I don't know you yet. But you've got loyalty written all over you. You'd do great in either." Then Harry. "And you, Harry? Any House would be lucky to have you. You carry pain, strength, and a quiet will I've never seen in someone our age. Don't let anyone tell you where you should go. Just listen to your heart."
Everyone stared. "…And what about you?" Ron finally asked. "You'd be a Ravenclaw, right? You sound like one." I smiled.
"No," I said calmly. "I want to be in Slytherin." Four jaws dropped.
"What?" Hermione blinked. "You can't be serious," Ron muttered.
I leaned back in the booth as the silence thickened. "Why Slytherin?" Hermione asked again, crossing her arms. "You don't exactly act like Malfoy." I inhaled slowly and looked them each in the eye. "Because someone has to fix it."
Ron blinked. "What?" "I'm serious. Slytherin has rotted. The ideals of ambition, resourcefulness, and cunning have been twisted into bloodlines, bigotry, and bullying. But the ideals themselves? They're still powerful. They just need a leader who remembers the core, not the poison that came after."
"Mate," Ron said, skeptically, "you're, like… eleven." "Almost twelve," I replied with a smirk. "That's not gonna matter. They won't listen. Not the prefects. Not the upper years. Not Snape. You'll get hexed in your sleep, probably."
I raised a eyebrow and with just a breath of focus, I lifted every piece of candy in the cabin—floating boxes of Cauldron Cakes, spinning Chocolate Frogs, even Ron's Fizzing Whizzbee, still half-bitten, hovered in midair.
Ron's jaw dropped. "What's going on?!" "Me," I said, lowering everything gently. Then, I lifted my wand, traced a rune in the air, and made the wall ripple with golden flame. Then made everyone's wand appear Infront of them pointing at them before I put them back before they could realize what just happened
"I'm not your average first year," I said calmly. "And if they don't want to listen, I'll make them." Hermione gawked. "You know wandless and wand magic that well already? That's—" "Unusual in Britain," I cut in, "but not everywhere. In some magical cultures, wandless casting is a requirement—like learning to fly a broomstick. Africa, Kyoto, and some Indigenous tribes of the Americas… they never forgot that magic comes from within. The wand is just an amplifier. A tool. But not a requirement."
Hermione nodded slowly, processing. "Besides," I added, "you don't fix a broken society by starting with the top. You change it from the bottom. The youth. Make kids think differently, feel differently. They'll challenge the dogma their parents and corrupt government try to feed them."
Ron was stunned. "You're mental." Harry grinned. "Maybe. But he's our kind of mental." He turned to me. "You sure you don't want me in Slytherin with you? You know—to watch your back?" I shook my head. "You've always wanted Gryffindor. Go for it. We'll can compete—like always like seeing whose house will win the house cup or the quidditch cup."
He smirked. "Then you're on." Ron and Neville just stared at us like we were speaking Gobbledygook.
That's when it happened.
> [New Quest Activated: "Zero to Hero"]
Objective: Lead Slytherin to glory by improving their public image and inner culture.
Progress: 0%
Reward: Rare Snakewood seeds – crossbreed varieties from lost ancient magical forests.
> [New Quest Activated: "Leader of the Pack"]
Objective: Win the House Cup for Slytherin through academic, athletic, and social excellence.
Progress: 0%
Reward: Unlock one unique spell from the Enchanted Journal.
Time Limit: End of First Semester
I blinked and grinned finally… fresh quests.
Snakewood could be grown. Crafted. Used for runes and enchantments, into wands, maybe even magical constructs. I'd have to research that more—carefully. Especially from my memories. But for now—back to the moment.
I looked at Hermione and suddenly snapped my fingers pulling the book she was reading from her face. "You should head to another compartment." She frowned. "What? Why?"
I tilted my head. "Because you're the only girl in here, and we'll be changing into our uniforms soon." Hermione's eyes went wide with embarrassment. "Oh. Oh—right. That makes sense…" I smirked as she blushed. "Try two doors down. I think I saw a few first-years. All girls."
"Thanks," she mumbled, grabbing her trunk and her cat. "Boys," she nodded and left. We all changed in peace after that. Ron grumbled about ties. Harry's robe sleeves were too long. Neville somehow tangled himself in a vest. I was the first to finish, neat and sharp.
The train slowed not long after—the brakes screeched, the windows fogged. And just like that… Hogwarts awaited.
Prologue Finished