Chapter Text
It was in their 6th year, almost halfway through the school year, when the news of a student flew around the whole school, being the center of gossip attention for about a whole day. Hogwarts was not the type of school to invite students after the first year passed, so the concept of transferred or completely new students was a whole new concept to the wizards and witches. It was only when one of the older 7th year students had overheard a private conversation between two Professors, that the whole school lost it.
The new student was from Durmstrang - not just any Wizarding school in the UK but possibly the darkest school to exist. The students were taught dark arts, brought up by parents who condone evil magic and most of the time, ended up turning into dark and evil wizards - like those in Voldemort's 'reign'.
So in a nutshell, being from Durmstrang meant that everyone automatically assumed that you were evil, all for good cause of course. As most of the time, they're not wrong anyway.
And to be quite frank with you, the outrage that bubbled and erupted within over half the entire school was something no one was surprised by. They had every right to be upset by it, and to complain as much as they could. A Durmstrang student meant bad news and that was something the Hogwarts students would prefer to steer clear of.
The most wondered question was why on earth they would be transferring to a different Wizarding school in the first place? With how dark Durmstrang was, the possibilities did not seem pleasant at all.
Izuku remembered the day clearly, when the mysterious student had appeared for the first time in Hogwarts - there had been no announcement, as the Professors were already aware of the attention the situation had received and hoped to not confront it openly. Or as Izuku assumed.
Todoroki Shouto.
Slytherin.
At this time, Hogwarts still faced prejudice against its Slytherin students who were all assumed to be corrupt and evil. Even though there was a lot more progress than before, the initial weariness still remained and didn't look to be going away any time soon. Shouto being put into Slytherin only fueled that prejudice, unfortunately.
He was welcomed into his House at first, with people only being nice to him out of fear and also because the Headmaster wouldn’t have appreciated any less. Shouto turned out to be much quieter than everyone had expected - although Izuku wasn’t sure what exactly people expected him to be like, it wasn’t needed to be said aloud that the red and white haired boy turned out to be something completely different from their first impressions.
Although comments were still made, in the Common Rooms, in the Great Hall, and every during their lessons. As much as Shouto seemed harmless and introverted, no one could trust him - Durmstrang students were evil.
Which leads us to the current time, now only a month after Shouto had joined Hogwarts.
“Izuku~ What are you staring at?”
Izuku snaps out of his trance immediately, his eyes wide and face flushed as his expression represents something alike to a deer being caught in headlights. He notices Ochako’s worried expression and his mind begins to race in a panic, hoping with his entire heart that they wouldn’t say what he thinks they would.
“Did you get enough sleep, bro?” Kirishima questions, bearing an expression similar to Ochako and Izuku almost deflates like a balloon - from relief, of course. “Being on Gryffindor’s Quidditch team is taking a toll on you isn’t it?”
Izuku is quick to deny the accusation, suddenly feeling regretful. “Of course not! It makes me happier than you think.”
“But sacrificing your sleep for extra hours of training isn’t healthy, Izuku,” Ochako reprimands him, and Izuku feels guilty for making his friends worry. Although he had to admit that sometimes he did forget about his own health when it came to Quidditch - Izuku was so focused on success, and living up to everyone’s expectations that other minor yet important things struggled to remain in his mind.
Kirishima suddenly holds up his fork to Izuku’s face, surprising the boy. He knew that his other fellow Gryffindor wouldn’t hurt him, yet he looked at his friend intently, the guilt still fresh in his stomach.
“Now listen here, bro,” Kirishima begins, “I don’t want you getting sick or anything even more horrible so if I catch you doing stuff like this again, I’m going to have no choice but to snitch on you to the Captain - which is so not manly at all.”
Kirishima puts his fork down, and softens at Izuku’s expression - like one of a little child being scolded. “I care about you so I’m not going to let you throw away your health like that - not when I can stop it, even a little.”
Ochako nods alongside him. “Same here for me, so don’t try it Izuku.” Then her serious expression molds into one of teasing. “Although you’ll never be able to beat our House, Hufflepuff has been stepping up their game recently.”
After many lighthearted threats of tickle attacks, and Izuku being edged into a corner he couldn’t escape, he agreed. “Okay, okay, I won’t do it anymore.”
He wondered how long that promise would last though - the last he wanted was to have his friends be worried for him again, and be disappointed by him but the dark little side of Izuku couldn’t help but worry about Quidditch. It was his only escape from everything, and if anything, it was the only that helped him feel alive. That’s the one and main reason he was so pent up on trying to improve his skills on flying on a broomstick every single chance he got.
Being a seeker was no easy task, and having the entire school watching over you, judging you for your abilities and an entire House counting on you to bring them to victory was a burden on Izuku sometimes. He wanted to be the best he could, and made a promise to himself long ago that he wouldn’t ever let anyone down if he could help it and he silently agreed that he wouldn’t.
Kirishima, Ochako and Izuku get up from the table they were seated at as the time for their first lesson begins, and they all depart and head for their separate lessons. Izuku, breathes a sigh in relief once he remembers what he had been almost caught doing before. Glancing one last time at the Slytherin table and the lone figure also packing up for his own lessons, Izuku heads out of the Great Hall and down into the dungeons.
Having Potions the first lesson on a Monday was possibly the worst start to the worst day of the week. Now don’t get him wrong, Potions was a cool lesson and the reason Izuku even took it was because he was interested in the subject . But what he wasn’t counting on was the Professor who would be teaching him. Professor Shouta, in Izuku’s humble opinion, was the strictest and stingiest teacher he had ever had.
He wasn’t sure if it was a trend or something for Potions Professors to be so miserable and cruel, but in Izuku’s defence he had only experienced the worst.
He would have gone insane if he was all alone in his Potions lessons but thankfully he had Tsuyu and even Bakugou. The former was the only Slytherin that Izuku had ever befriended, but it’s because of the fact that she’s the only Slytherin everyone deemed as un-Slytherin and friendly, including his own friends. Once again, House prejudice still existed and Izuku sometimes felt as if he was the only one who believed that no Slytherin was actually as evil as they all said.
Bakugou on the other hand, was a whole confusion of a disaster - whatever the hell that meant. From being childhood friends, to teenage enemies and now grudgingly respecting each other, Izuku felt proud enough to say that he was possibly the only one who had experienced each possible side of the great old Bakugou. The blonde haired Gryffindor definitely deserved to be in Gryffindor, that was something Izuku was sure of. He had bravery that could lead him to doing stupid shit he’d never regret and his temper was something that could honestly be given a gold medal.
Professor Shouta strolled into the dungeons just as the allocated time for their lesson began, his robes swishing behind him effortlessly and Izuku couldn’t help but feel intimidated by him. And he was pretty sure that he wasn’t the only one; students who would usually mess about in other lessons would noticeably cool down whenever - and only whenever - there was a Potions lesson.
“I’m sure you’re all aware of what needs to be done in this lesson,” Professor Shouta said, his steely black, cold eyes sweeping over the entire room expectantly. “Anyone lacking or falling behind will stay back in detention. Cleaning the entire trophy room without magic.”
If Izuku hadn’t known better, he wouldn’t have believed Professor Shouta to be human - was this amount of cruelty possible by a single human being? Okay, maybe he was being dramatic but cleaning the trophy room was not a new punishment, definitely one of the older ones in the book, but it didn’t change the fact that no one liked it.
It was the first new topic in February that they had started and it was the Draught of Living Death. This potion was purposely only taught to 6th year N.E.W.T (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test) students as the potion was one of the more fatal and dangerous ones to brew. It caused the affected person to be induced into a deep and dark slumber, almost coma-like.
For the Draught of Living Death to be approved by Professor Shota, its colour had to be a pale pink - any other colour would mean that the potion was either incomplete or completely, utterly wrong.
As Professor Shouta resumed his work on his desk right at the front of the desk, all the other students took it as their cue to begin preparing their work - some bringing out their textbooks, hurriedly flicking the pages and others retreating to the storage cupboards, where all the ingredients were held.
Brewing Potions was not an easy task, for a 6th year student at least, and it required full concentration and attention so most lessons were passed by in silence and the students would barely ever talk to each other unless it was to ask for help, and guidance. No one would want to end up in detention with Professor Shouta - of all people - and the thought of being the only person to fail a potion was quite destructive on someone’s ego.
Izuku rushed to the storage cupboard, now practically empty and his emerald eyes scoured the racks first for the Sopophorous beans, wormwood, and valerian roots that were the starting ingredients for the Draught of Living Death potion. Once his arms were secure and contained the necessary items he was seeking out, he turned around to almost crash straight into a taller figure, with very familiar red and white hair that brushed slightly with Izuku’s green hair.
“S-sorry!” Izuku stammered out, cursing himself internally and shying away from the mismatched blue and black eyes that bore into him. Once it seemed like he was going to receive nothing in response, Izuku quickly hurried out of the storage cupboard, breathing a sigh of relief.
Best first impression ever, huh?
As his fingers curled around a small knife, cutting a Sopophorous bean carefully, Izuku’s mind wandered past the Draught of Living Death potion and to the encounter he had just had less than 2 minutes ago. After having observed the Slytherin boy from afar for as long as he could remember, it felt like the universe was against Izuku in some shape or form. It didn’t help that Izuku was the type of person to never forget about an embarrassing moment until a much more embarrassing one occured.
Izuku shook his head, deciding to think about it later.
If he wasn’t careful, he might end up going on another muttering ramble and that was the last thing he needed.
“Shit!” Tsuyu said, a bit too loud; multiple people from other tables turned their heads slightly to indicate they had heard, and covered her mouth. She then showed Izuku the failed attempt to chop multiple Sopophorous beans and Izuku smiled at her, encouragingly. “I shouldn’t rush, they may run out supplies.”
“It’s alright, that’s why we’re here, right? To learn and practice, so it’s okay to make mistakes,” Izuku assured and Tsuyu sent a grateful smile. “Until you end up in detention with Professor Shota.”
“Don’t jinx it!” Tsuyu complained, suddenly straightening her back and heading for the storage cupboard.
It was quite a lot of time later, when Izuku had added in the Powdered Root of Asphodel and began stirring his potion with his left hand ten time counterclockwise that his gaze was free to wander around the room and landed directly ahead of him to where Shouto was, also working on his potion around other Slytherins.
Izuku was curious.
He wasn’t going to lie, as one of the students who had believed that Shouto would be evil as every other Durmstrang student had ever been, he didn’t expect the boy to be so normal. He felt slightly dumb for thinking of it but he was glad, in a way. But in a completely different sense, there was something about the red and white haired boy that radiated a completely different aura. Izuku couldn’t put his finger on it.
He snapped out of his thoughts as he realised that he needed to switch directions for stirring before it would be too late; he didn’t want to mess up right when he was so close to finishing. He began stirring 8 times clockwise, his right hand still gripping the side of the cauldron. Once that was complete, Izuku let the potion rest for 2 and a half minutes, as instructed by his textbook.
It seemed that he was many stages ahead of some other students and he had to stifle his giggle - in no way meant in a mean way - when he noticed a student’s ruffled and slightly crispy hair. How could someone burn their own hair whilst brewing a Draught of Living Death potion? He had no idea.
As Izuku picked up a single small piece of valerian root, his eyes lifted and - shit - met with Shouto’s very own. Was he already looking at him from before? For how long? Wait, why did he care?
Izuku dropped the valerian root into his cauldron, unable to look away from Shouto’s intense gaze, and almost jerked in surprise when Tsuyu whistled next to him.
“Well done, Izuku! It’s the perfect colour too!” she praised and Izuku beamed, his heart swelling with pride at the pale pink complexion of his potion. Even Professor Shota raised his head and nodded, small but the acknowledgement making Izuku smile wider.
Unaware of the same pair of eyes from before watching him in bemusement.
It was a little while after Izuku had dinner and was headed towards the Gryffindor Common Room to waste a little bit of time that he had left before being forced to go to sleep, that he was suddenly stopped in his tracks, and pulled into one of the empty classrooms on the 6th floor.
Izuku spun around to face his possible attacker, and stilled at the sight of his classmate, Tokoyami. The other Slytherin boy was someone who Izuku didn’t talk with on a regular basis but held some sort of gratitude and respect for. It was a surprise to Izuku to see him at such an unexpected time.
The locations of a House apart from their own was generally a secret kept by Hogwarts students to protect themselves and avoid people who weren’t from their House from entering and so Izuku couldn’t determine whether Tokoyami had run into him by coincidence or if he was originally headed into his own Common Room.
“Tokoyami?” Izuku says. “What did you bring me here for? Is there something you need to ask me?”
The boy in question was peering past the door of the empty classroom and into the corridor outside which was eerily empty - students would rarely ever pass through the 6th floor corridor unless they were Gryffindors looking to waste their time on the way to their Common Room, which - by the way - was located on the 7th floor.
“Midoriya,” Tokoyami begins, and Izuku sends him a funny glance. “Ah, sorry, Izuku. I know this seems very sudden but there’s something really important I need to talk to you about regarding the Forbidden Forest.”
The Forbidden Forest was located on the borders of Hogwarts, and was home to many creatures - both delicate and dangerous - that were not allowed to survive in the muggle (human) world. The Forbidden part comes from the fact that the students of Hogwarts were not allowed to go into the Forbidden Forest, under any condition. It was extremely dangerous and in the case that a student is incapable of defending themselves, there could be serious major issues and injuries caused. Because of how strict Professor Nedzu and all the teachers were regarding the Forbidden Forest, it was made clear since day 1 at Hogwarts that the punishment for disobeying the rules would result in expulsion.
Izuku was filled with dread, as his mind raced with many different and dangerous ideas and he hoped that Tokoyami hadn’t somehow gotten involved with the creatures of the Forbidden Forest, as a result of him possibly entering without permission.
Tokoyami’s voice falls into a hushed whisper. “I was doing detention with Professor Toshinori and he decided that he needed to look for Unicorn Blood for Professor Shouta in his Potions lessons and said that I would go with him. It doesn’t sound terrible, but I think we must have gone too far into the Forest because there was so much mist where we were, and even the harmless Thestrals,” he pauses at Izuku’s confused expression.
“You don’t know what Threstals are? They’re those large winged horses that only people, who have seen someone die with their own eyes, can see.” Izuku’s eyes widened, feeling awed yet terrible at the same time. Then, suddenly, a thought occurred to him.
“If you saw them, then does that mean…?” Izuku trailed off, and when Tokoyami didn’t answer, he already knew the answer.
The Slytherin boy begins where he left off. “The Thestrals ended up disappearing too, and at some point through the mist I saw shadows of humans, I’m pretty sure. And they were discussing some prophecy. I couldn’t hear the entire thing but the reason I’m telling you is the only thing I could understand was your name.”
Izuku’s blood runs cold. His name? What part did he have in some weird prophecy? Tokoyami and he stand in silence for a few seconds, both completely and utterly unsure of what was going on. “Are you sure?” Izuku asked, needing clarification.
Tokoyami nods. “Professor Toshinori heard it too, and I think the shadows, well humans, were people who weren’t supposed to be there. As soon as we both heard your name, he made us leave and ended the detention earlier than normal.”
Izuku chews on his lip, nauseous and anxious.
“I thought that you should know,” Tokoyami admits. “Professor Toshinori didn’t mention anything about not telling you and it would have felt wrong to keep it to myself. Just stay safe, Mi- I mean, Izuku.”
Izuku nods, replying with a small, “Thank you,” as the Slytherin exits the empty classroom, looking both ways once more and disappearing from the Gryffindor’s sight.
Now what?
There were restrictions being placed onto Hogwarts, midway February. It was small and unnoticeable things at first, like detentions outside not taking place anymore to the usual curfew of 10pm being changed to 9pm, and then the most obvious - Quidditch practices being limited.
Which caused an outrage amongst all the Quidditch teams. Instead of being able to practice at any time of the week and on their own, the students had to now allocate times during the weekends - which was when their precious Hogsmeade trips were - and with the supervision of any chosen Professor.
“Why are we being babysitted ?” Kendou, the Gryffindor team’s Captain and Beater complains during breakfast the very next morning, at their table with all the team gathered around in a circle. “Our next match was supposed to be against Slytherin, too. Those damn fuckers.”
Bakugou looked like he was about to roar with rage, “They’ll probably cancel our damn matches too!”
The loud commotion gained the attention of some of the members of the Slytherin Team as Monoma showed up, with a smug expression on his face.
“Looks like the Professors decided to spare you whiny little lions from our wrath,” he says, and Kendou was about to walk over to him with Bakugou in tow, when Kirishima - on looking the scene from the side - puts his glass of pumpkin juice on the table and speaks up.
“I’m pretty sure I saw you breathe a sigh of relief when the news was announced,” he reveals, leaving Monoma spluttering and Izuku grins at his friend.
“Of course you would defend a whole group of mudbloods ,” Monona snarls, his previous playful and annoying behaviour gone. “You red haired freak, you’re a disgrace to your kind-” He shuts up after an instant, when Bakugou stomps over to him, and punches him square in the face. He pulls his hair back, snarling straight into his face and Izuku winces, also feeling a burning wrath in his chest and looks to Kendou, her gaze cold.
“The fuck did you just say you-”
Professor Toshinori arrives and forces the two to split and move away from each other, using a spell that sends them flying back.
“Bakugou, Monoma,” he says, his voice hard. “Follow me. The rest of you, to your lessons now .”
As Izuku stands up, he looks to Kirishima. “Are you okay?”
His friend sends him a smile. “Of course. I should be asking you though. That, um, insult was directed to you, too.”
Izuku shrugs, feeling drained inside. “It’s something I’m used to.”
Kirishima’s face softens. “It shouldn’t be. If anyone says it to you, I’ll be there in an instant to beat the shit out of them, Professor Toshinori be damned.” Izuku laughs, his heart swelling at the care his friend was showing him.
“Non-verbal spells,” Professor Toshinori announces, scribbling the words on the chalkboard and dropping the chalk before facing the class dramatically. “A very difficult ability, one that takes much time and effort to do, and I will make it clear now that I am not expecting anyone to be able to do it in the first lesson.” He lets out a laugh. “I doubt that it would be possible, but since you all seem to have come across this topic during the first few months, you may be closer to overcoming it than I would expect.”
He raises his wand, clearing out the wide classroom by moving the desks to the side, where they were all now piled above each other, and each student’s belongings placed gently to the side of the classroom.
Professor Toshinori then looks at everyone with another grin - seriously, how does he smile so much? Izuku wonders to himself. “We’re going to do multiple group demonstrations!”
Izuku feels his stomach curl, and he notices a similar expression on almost every other student. Yet, it was exciting.
“First pair…” Professor Toshinori glances calmfully around at everyone. “Let’s have Iida and Kirishima, shall we?”
The red haired boy sends Izuku a smirk, “Count till 2 minutes, yeah?” and Izuku laughs, sending a thumbs up. He was amazed at his confidence. The Gryffindor and the Slytherin both get into position, as instructed by Toshinori, at the front of the classroom with their wands held tightly in their hands.
“First, I’m going to show all of you non-verbal spells. You see this piece of parchment in my hands?” The students follow Professor Toshinori with wide eyes, and the Professor continues, “I’m going to make it fly.”
It does. Without saying a single spell out loud, the Professor manages to direct the parchment to hover in the air above him, making it fly around the classroom - the students staring at it with awe and wide smiles - and smack! into Bakugou’s face (probably on purpose, by the small smile on his face) and causing the class to erupt into laughter much to Bakugou’s annoyance. He glared, his eyes turning into slits.
“Now, now, young Bakugou,” Professor Toshinori says, his grin still evident. “It’s nothing to get so worked up about. Now, you all have seen non-verbal spells in action so let’s have Kirishima and Iida try, shall we?”
Bakugou complains, but Kaminari nudges him and tells him to wait his turn - to which Bakugou scowls.
The Slytherin and the Gryffindor both discard their wands, and Professor Toshinori places a necklace around both of them, to their confusion.
“I’m going to turn this into a little game. It’s quite simple, really. I’m sure you have all done basic levitating spells, correct? The first person to lift the necklace from the other’s neck wins!”
Then he glances at the rest of the class. “Watch carefully, because this is really difficult and observing is key in understanding.” Then, to Kirishima and Iida. “You need to imagine speaking the spell in your mind, loudly and clearly - but not actually aloud. The spell needs to be clear in your mind in order for it to work. It requires lots of willpower.”
Kirishima nods, grinning before looking to Iida. “I’m going to obliterate you,” he announces, and the Slytherin rolls his eyes, looking just as determined however.
“Likewise.”
The previous lessons that they had on non-verbal spells, with the previous Professor, seemed to have worked because instead of completely using up his energy, Kirishima seemed to be making progress as the necklace started rattling against Iida’s neck.
Professor Toshinori almost choked on air in surprise but grinned, like he always did. “Well done, Kirishima!” Then, he notices the necklace on Kirishima’s neck start rising, slowly but still happening. “And Iida! Fabulous! This class is really talented, aren’t they?”
In the end, neither win and both end up on the ground with all their energy wasted but manage to send each other small nods of respect and Izuku almost faints right then and there.
Kirishima , the number one Slytherin Hater - with a capital H - showing respect to his own ‘enemy’?
Iida was one talented guy, though. Izuku had seen him in action multiple times in his 6 years and noticed that the boy had qualities from every House. Intellect from Ravenclaw, kindness from Hufflepuff, bravery from Gryffindor, but out weighing them all was his ambition that made the final decision for him to be placed in Slytherin. Izuku wondered what his goals and dreams were, for an earnest guy like him, he seemed sometimes impossible to predict.
The class cheers for the two students, including Izuku, and Kirishima walks back with a smile on his face.
“About 6 minutes,” Izuku says, cheekily and Kirishima bursts into laughter.
“Needs some improvement, but I’ll get there!”
Professor Toshinori, holding the two necklaces in his hands calls for the class to pick the next two students.
Bakugou stands up immediately, and points his finger to a corner. “You!” He relaxes his hands against his chest. “Go against me. “
Kaminari sighs. “Another Slytherin and Gryffindor?”
Izuku’s ears perk and his breath catches in his throat when he notices the person Bakugou had been pointing at was none other than Todoroki Shouto himself.
The class falls silent at the realisation, their eyes - a mixture of nervousness, suspicion and mistrust - following the red and white haired boy who stands up without hesitation, heading towards the class.
"What’s that idiot doing?” Izuku hears from somewhere behind, but doesn’t pay too much attention to let it bother him.
“Stupid Gryffindors, they’ll only realise how proud and shit that bravery of theirs is until they end up dying because of dark magic-”
“Shh!”
Did Izuku mention that Shouto wasn’t exactly on the good side of the students at the current moment? Ah.
Professor Toshinori beams at Shouto, a smile that the Slytherin doesn’t return - but the Professor doesn’t let it deter him as he hands over the necklace. Izuku can’t help the growing worry inside of him, he doesn’t understand where it’s coming from. After that specific Potions lesson from a few days ago, Izuku hadn’t seen the Slytherin around often and not even at the Great Hall.
Bakugou looks determined and Izuku can’t help but wonder if the two would make a good balance in a fight - he wouldn’t know though, having yet to know of Shouto’s power and capability.
“Not gonna lie,” Kirishima says, and Izuku flinches, startled. He almost forgot his friend was there too, caught up in his thoughts. The red haired boy doesn’t notice. “I have a feeling that Slytherin is gonna win. I think everyone knows too.”
Because he came from Durmstrang? Izuku wanted to voice his thoughts, but didn’t want to sound rude. He couldn’t tell if everyone was underestimating or overestimating Shouto - and quite frankly he didn’t understand why it bothered him so much.
Izuku hums instead, and watches in anticipation as Toshinori gives the signal for them to start. Bakugou fists his hands, Shouto’s expression unchanging...
Crash!
Not even a split second after it had begun, the necklace around Bakugou’s neck flew a metre above his head and crashed into a million pieces. But that wasn’t all.
Around the area where the two students were, a glass case crashed and broke too, and he was pretty sure that a small shadow appeared for a split second before disappearing. Izuku wasn’t sure if that was from the force of Shouto’s power or from the original spell.
The blonde haired Gryffindor froze, gaping and looking like a fish out of water, unable to react. The entire class falls silent, even Professor Toshinori out of words, until he begins laughing nervously.
“I guess I was wrong, after all! Well done, young Shouto. I need to talk to you after the lesson though.”
“Wasn’t that dark magic?”
What the fuck?