Chapter Text
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Hogwarts was everyone’s dream! Same goes with our little boy, he's so young like he's freshly out of womb but really he is just freshly out of bed without even brushing his hair right at all.
Hogwarts express was full of people, kids, adults, parents, students, everyone was there. It was all exciting and a bit overwhelming for such a little boy. As he got on the train, all the carriages were full, there was barely a space to even breathe at all. Luckily he did find a carriage with only one person, perhaps a year older or more than him, sitting inside. He knocked before opening up and asked.
“Hey, is this seat taken?”
The young boy was so nervous, fiddling his bag and hands as staring uncomfortably at the other older person. It’s his first time, he doesn’t know much but is excited to go to school. His robes were like the young boy’s but there was more color to the robe, blue like a blueberry- but lighter. The crest has a magnificent raven on it, different to his colourless robe.
“Not really- No, No it’s not taken. It’s just me and my three friends, they’ll be here soon I think.” replied the person with a soft voice
“Would you mind if I sat with you and your pals?” Said the younger boy with that screaming “gimme that seat, boy!” kind of voice. He probably didn't mean to sound like that or perhaps that's just his voice.
Screaming or not, either of them. The other person didn’t seem to act much, just staying quiet, “Sure, my friends wouldn't mind”, answered back, hiding his scepticism but it wasn’t too good, his eyes were too narrowed and too judging.
The look on the much older guy was unmistakable and noticeable either judging so hard right now at wee fella or simply just taking a clear look at his face. The little guy sighs of relief at the other person’s words, “thanks so much, I don't wanna stand out there all my trip to Hogwarts and get to smell others’ breath.” said the little guy as he sat down right in front of the other person
“Breath? What an odd thing to say in your first year.”
“Don't worry, this is only getting started. Anyway, It must have been so rude of me to not introduce myself, Albiro Alder at your service!”
“Albiro? You sound so… in no accent about this, excited and- nevermind. I’m Bailey Martin, year 3 Ravenclaw or just a random face around the school if you don’t notice” an accidental bitter laugh accidentally escaped his mouth at the last sentence, a reminder of what he has been through.
Albiro looks at the guy with a little bit of pity in his eyes before he mutters out, “well Bailey Martin. You aren't a nobody to me no more which thanks to you for letting me sit with you and your pals that were supposed to be here.”
“Oh, thanks-”
A few knocks interrupted his words, the door slid open to reveal another three other people. One of them has the same robes as Bailey and the others have robes with yellow crests and a honey badger on the crest, they all look as old as Bailey and more mature than Albiro could be.
Albiro, as a good old boy, just smiled and said “Speaking of witch! There they are,” his smile is everything but lovely, a little bit creepy and maybe possibly looking like a monster from hell. Everything is going to be alright, well at the moment he didn't jump to eat them yet. So considering it a yes, it could have been worse
“Bails… who’s this…. kid?”
“Just a new kid who somehow ended up here, Rich.”
“Er… nevermind what I said.”
Albiro just stared at them with a little smile, the kind that would be called creepy “I don't bite, no worries.”
“Alright?” said Rich, the Hufflepuff who was never sure of anything in his own life.
“Im Albiro Alder, your kind friend Bailey let me sat with him,” said Albiro as he smiled a bit
Rich and the other friends stare at each other in a tense silence. The air was colder than usual but ended up with a small shrug and a small remark, “Well, we trust his decision. Anyways, My name’s Richard Paige, that’s all you need to know”
“Not all that noisy,” Albiro admits quietly as he looks back at them.
Bailey rolls his eyes and leans back, kicking his leg up in ease “Well, c’mon in. I think… he’s okay?”, the scepticism in his whole voice
“So… what year are you all in? Let me guess. Fourth year?” Albiro said out loud with a look pronounced on his face “Wait never mind, you look old. Perhaps seventh year?”
“Seventh? Bloody hell, I’m just a silly third year” retorted Richard with a small scoff as he sat down on the opposite of the new kid.
“My apologies, you look old to me” an embarrassed mutter can be heard from Albiro before he realizes his mistake, “oh wait, you already told me! You are third year, my mistake for poor memory”
The other third years creaked open the door and sat around them as the sound of small chuckles filled the space. Richard’s face flushed red as his friend, Lily and Kevin joined the banter. No one could get along this well on their first day-technically not the first day but could consider it.
Bailey subtly gaze at the new student, his eyebrows furrow slightly. Lily, the ever soft looking yet harsh person in the group, looked at Bailey in slight concern. She had heard it - his mother was treating him like how she treats his father, now it left him with a non seeing scar - to analyse anyone he met before it’s too late, even if they already got along until proven. A habit he picked up from his parents… or was this something else, something that strikes him that makes him rethink again a few moments later, maybe it’s a good thing to give everyone a chance, not everyone will be a bad person.
Everyone sat there and shared their experiences in school to Albiro, the new student. Shared their mistakes, flaws and success for a heads up. The conversation slowly drifted to how their school breaks have been, a time when they are home after months in school, to see their familiar sight and their beloved parents. The train continues through the carefully structured rails in the hills, forest and over the river glazed in highlights of the solar light from above the sky, above the earth and endless void of space. The peace was there, in the mind of the students, not the outside world.
Albiro would never know the pain everyone’s been through, but he surely knows that this conversation is strangulating him alive, Albiro gazes around unfamiliar places and people. Not that he is able to make conversation, he's mostly a mood killer so that way he chose to talk less and observe more. His eyes lay on the people, the texture of the table, the wonderful and dreamy view outside the window. He took every little thing in, the sorrow in Bailey’s eyes, almost unnoticeable but as they said “eyes never lie”. The way everyone keeps shifting uncomfortably with his constant watch on them.
Albiro offers them all a little candy from his home, not caring if they took it or not. He doesn't care, he just wants to make sure everyone is getting a little comfort and have some snacks to chew on while they all take a ride to Hogwarts.
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Upon arriving at the large castle-like school, the wind blows as the horn of the train wails in the air. Many students of many ages step down the train in excitement, joy and nervousness. The group slowly walks down the train and
looks at the school in awe. The massive structure towers them.
Albiro looked upon the towers in front of him with awe, his eyes widened in excitement, he could already feel his nerves jumping inside of him. It's the beauty he had never seen before in his whole eleven years, the big castle made him nervous as hell yet he was completely indifferent outside.
“First time, eh?” Bailey looked at the newcomer, the corner of his mouth formed into a small smile.
The older student walks forward with his three other friends and gestures to the new student to joy them with a warm smile that didn’t quite reach his eye that much. He’s not the kind of person who would talk to everyone but he gave it a chance, “I’ll tag around with you… you should stick with the other year 1 students.”, he leads Albiro to the main hall, where past celebrations were taken, joys were shared. The hall was filled with colorful flags hanging down from the ceiling like large vines. In the front are chairs that are specified for each important figure.
After leading the new student to be in line with the other fresh year 1s, Bailey heads to his house’s table as they wait for the ceremony to be started. He can’t help but think over and over, what if the new student he just met got sorted into another house, what if-... maybe it wouldn’t matter since they just first met.
“Promise me something.” Albiro said with clear weight on it “Whatever will happen. I'll be the one to annoy you.” The young boy smirks as he raises his eyebrows up and down, annoying you to the core is something he's basically born to do, he's naturally good at it too.
The young boy left, waving his hand at Bailey and his friends one last time before disappearing into the crowd of all first year students. He'll never know when he will meet you again, but he'll be waiting for that day to come. He didn't even realize he was actually enjoying Bailey’s company more than he would like to admit.
The professors stepped forward, demanding everyone’s attention in the morning that might change everyone’s life. The chatters died down slowly as they listened to the professor. No one wants to get in trouble on the first day. The head mistress, Professor McGonagall, began her speech, welcoming the new students and the returning one who came back for another year of learning.
“When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted. Kendrick Gaylord!” announce by headmaster McGonagall loud and clear. Her voice carry through the the Great Hall
The ceremony carried on, the longest wait for the young birds that would get their first flight. Albireo was sitting in the midst of the other students in the hall. He kept glancing at Bailey who’s just chatting with his friend, not caring about the younglings that much. Maybe he’s been through this for years. Maybe he’s not.
Until…
“Albiro Adler!”
The name was called.
The kid stepped forward to the stool, with a confident pace but whispers grew among the crowd of students of all years.
“Merlin.. this place is surprisingly large…” Soft sounds of footsteps echoed throughout the great hall, there stood the little blonde boy before he sat down ready for the house to be announced
Albiro’s head soon felt heavy as the sorting hat was placed on top of him
“hm… let's see Hufflepuff? No no no– you have got far too much snark for badgers.”
“Wha– what do you mean? Both my parents are Hufflepuff” said Albiro in his own head
“You heard me, Alder. Houses can change and you are very much fit in that case.”
“So… am I a Slytherin?”
“SLYTHERIN!!” The voices carry through the hall, loud and clear. Perhaps too loud even.
“Didn't even answer, just yell out… sure sure whatever.” Albiro slowly stood up, his eyes move around before he went and move his body towards the Slytherin table
Albiro moved along with the crowd, not noticing the gaze of someone he met on the train. The gaze, a sorrow yet deniable gaze, on the kid never left. Slytherin is known for many things, but seeing him among the crowd is something else that cannot be named.
The ceremony continued among the sound, not caring of the feelings left behind in time. In the midst of the sound, other feelings are forgotten in time.
“You good, Bailey?” Lily questioned her friend.
Bailey leaned back on the non-existent space behind him awkwardly, “Yeah… Yeah… I’m good”, he scoffed, “bloody hell, that kid’s a Slytherin.”
Things carried on. Albiro went along with his new people in Slytherin to the dorm. He completely departed from the people he met on the train like they were just wind. Who said people you met on the journey will stay with you until the end, maybe this is not the day that it’ll likely happen. Some stories are not meant to follow the script the original way it intended to be.
Each dorm is filled with the chatter and cozyness of each house. Each was designed to fit their house and their rich history in the past and the founders.
Albiro enjoys it, really. But he feels like something is missing, a piece missing from the puzzle inside his head.