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There was never a dull moment as a student in Hogwarts. How could there be in a school full of students learning to use magic?
Learning to charm and transfigure your way out of a tricky situation.
Bonding with who’ll likely become your lifelong best friends.
Hearing the school rally together at a quidditch match.
Drinking butterbeer for the first time.
There was always something going on and never once in Toast’s six years at the school had it slowed down. He was always thrown into a new adventure or experience or class. He loved it.
Still, that didn’t mean he was immune to the urge of screaming into his pillow as N.E.W.T.S. began approaching.
He stared down miserably at his herbology book and the long length of scroll that was still hauntingly more blank than it was filled with his scraggly handwriting. “Ugghhh.”
“Toast!” An enthusiastic voice echoed through the quiet halls of the library. He perked at the familiar call just as two of his friends, Valkyrae and Sykkuno scrambled into view, Sykkunon whispering a hushed apology in the librarian’s direction as they hurried toward his table. “Toast, he’s here!”
“Who’s here Rae?” He smiled despite himself as the likely exaggerated anticipation rolled off the brunette in waves. Her eyes gleamed as she leaned across the table, book bag crashing to the ground as she leaned across the table, long hair brushing across his papers.
“Remember how Professor Eret said we’d get a unique experience in the second trimester for our muggle studies class!?” Her voice raised even higher and Sykkuno shot her a slightly amused if not tired look as the librarian shot them a harsh glare. Toast perked up at the reminder.
“Yeah!” He grinned, taking care to keep his voice low, though his chest was already swirling with his own excitement. “Why?”
“Professor Eret just introduced us! They brought a muggle here to study with us. A muggle Toast!”
“What!?” The dark haired teen jumped up from his chair, eyes wide as he slammed his hands against the top of the table to stay balanced.
“I know!” She squealed in a way that reminded him of Pokimane. Toast opened his mouth before the librarian huffed, having at some point materialized right beside them.
“If you can’t keep your voices down for those who are trying to study then I request you take your conversation elsewhere.” She scolded them.
“Sorry Ms. Nikki.” Sykkuno bowed his head respectfully before quickly ushering the other two out toward the doors with an exasperated but fond sigh. “Really guys?”
“Sorry Sykkuno.” Toast chuckled before another familiar, much rougher laugh echoed him down the hall. His eyes widened as he glanced at Sykkuno before mouthing, “Was that Corpse?”
The brunette shrugged, brows furrowed in confusion as he gazed in the direction of where his boyfriend’s laugh had come from. Moments later the tall ravenette came strolling into view, long Slytherin robes lapping at his ankles as younger students hurried out of his way. Besides him was a boy who looked to be their age, though Toast had never seen him around before. He side eyed Rae, tilting his head when she made eye contact and her lips twitched up before she gave a subtle nod.
A wide smile stretched across his face at the confirmation. No way. What are the chances Eret let Corpse guide the new kid around Hogwarts and we somehow happened to run into him!? It’s got to be fate!
The muggle was clearly relaxed despite the odd looks people were giving him for his unmarked robes, just a plain black instead of any colored trim like he should have had if he’d been sorted into one of the Houses. He had fluffy blonde hair that curled around to frame his face. His skin had a deeper tan than most people naturally had and his eyes were the most vivid shade of green Toast had ever seen.
It felt like he was hurtling back to the farm he’d visited over his summer, sunlight reflecting through the healthy vibrant leaves and reflecting the apples hidden in its branches, making the green and red coats of the fruit shine faintly. Woah.
“Sykkuno.” Corpse rumbled affectionately as they drew within hearing range and Toast tore his gaze away from the muggle’s thoughts. The Slytherin stopped in front of them with a faint smile etched into his face as his gaze lingered on his boyfriend before returning back to the blonde’s. “This is Sykkuno, my boyfriend. And that’s Toast and Valkyrae, two of my friends.”
“Hi.” The brunette waved.
“It’s so nice to meet you!” Rae was bouncing on her toes, practically vibrating before she offered her hand to shake. “You can call me Rae!”
The blonde’s eyes lit up even further than they already seemed to have under the natural lighting that flooded through the windows of the school as he took her hand with a similar energy. “Nice to meet you.” His gaze flicked over robes before darting to Sykkuno’s, Toast’s, and then back to Corpse’s. “Are you guys in different Houses?”
“Yep!” She chirped, releasing his hand. “I’m from Gryffindor, the House of the brave and the determined! Corpse, as I’m sure he’s already mentioned to you, is from Slytherin. That means he’s ambitious and cunning.”
She gestured toward Sykkuno, nearly hitting Toast in the process and he shot her a playful glare. “And these two are Ravenclaw. Known for their wisdom and their creativity.”
“They don’t have Houses like this in Ilvermorny.” He admitted.
“You were at a wizard and witch school before this?” Toast asked curiously, perking at any more information he could get about the muggle.
“Yeah.” He eyed him oddly. “I’ve been going to school ever since I was 12. Just because I can’t perform magic with a wand doesn’t mean I can’t use other subjects.”
He’s been learning magic even though he can’t use it? “Really?”
“I mean-”
“Dream!” Professor Eret appeared at the end of the corridor, looking a little rushed. They perked immediately when they spotted the blonde at Corpse’s side. “Oh thank goodness, you’re still here. Headmaster Phil would like to go over your class schedule with you.”
“Coming Eret!” The blonde offered a small wave before hurrying toward the dark haired teacher and vanishing around the corner with them.
— — — — —
Toast burst through the door with a gasp, hurrying across the room and slumping into the nearest empty seat, thanking the universe for whatever had spared him the wrath of Professor Puffy for risking being late to her Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Thank goodness.
A couple papers slid out of his halfway zipped bag and fluttered onto his deskmate’s table. “Sorry about that.” He laughed nervously as he tried to catch his breath. “Puffy is a beast when you’re late to class.”
“No worries.” His partner hummed, passing him over the assortment of assignments.
Toast did a double take. “Dream!?”
The muggle glanced at him, looking both bemused and slightly uncomfortable. “Yes?”
“I didn’t realize I had a class with you.” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Dream nodded, partially relaxing.
“Eret wanted me to have classes with others I sort of knew. When they saw me and Corpse with you guys yesterday they thought it would be a good idea. I hope that’s okay.”
“No, of course!” Toast sputtered, waving his hands frantically. “I don’t mind at all!”
“Really?” The blonde cocked his head, turning toward the brunette. “Even though I’m a muggle?”
“I think that makes it even cooler.” He admitted. “I’m planning on going into the Department of Muggle-Related Affairs in the Ministry. I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”
“There’s a department in that?” Dream repeated, intrigued.
“Yeah!” He perked, excited to have someone’s attention to talk about this subject. Most of his friends weren’t interested in muggles like he was. Both Rae and Pokimane were in his muggle studies class but that was mostly because it was supposed to be an easy class to pass and they were in their senior year. “I want to look into doing an exchange program with muggles who want to learn what we do anyway and we could see what it’s like to be in a normal school, even just for a bit. But to do that I’d need to know all the rules and secrets about the charms we use to hide the magical world from them. And even if my idea gets shut down I’d love to study how muggles react with magical interactions, even if they don’t remember it.”
“Why wouldn’t they remember it?” The blonde leaned closer, following the conversation thoughtfully. “Does it have something to do with why we aren’t allowed to use magic outside of school without permission or when we reach the lawful age? Is that why we never hear about incidents on the news? Isn’t charming somebody against their will against the entire point of learning spells like that anyway?”
“Exactly!” He flung his hands up in the air animatedly. “Memory charms were invented for exactly that purpose! But if there are people like you still learning about magic without being able to use it then maybe they shouldn’t have to forget!”
“I would hate forgetting how I first found out about this world.” The blonde added softly. “Magic or not, this place is everything to me.”
Fireworks were suddenly blooming, going off in his chest as butterflies tickled his throat and stomach. Everything was blurred beyond Dream. That was exactly why he’d been so excited to hear about Eret’s exchange student. Because if there were more people out there like Dream, then maybe he could really make a difference.
“Are you two done flirting?” Puffy’s voice snapped him out of his euphoria and he jerked away from her, nearly falling out of his chair as the Gryffindor headmaster raised an eyebrow at them.
“Yes ma’am.” He laughed nervously, glancing at Dream as he covered his mouth to hide a barely visible smile.
— — — — —
“Pokimane!”
“Pokimane, wait, don’t-”
“DON’T TOUCH THAT-”
The phrase struck something for the figure he still couldn’t see. “… Sapnap says that.”
“Huh?” The Slytherin student looked up, batting her eyes innocently at the trio she’d just given a heart attack too. “What’s wrong guys, I was just looking at the plant.”
“Just don’t poke it sweetheart.” Rae shook her head with a relieved sigh as her girlfriend stopped approaching the sinister looking cactus shaped plant.
Toast warily eyed the mimbulus mimbletonia as he took another scooting step away from the plant, closer to Dream, who had stayed a couple feet farther back. “What happens if she pokes it?”
He didn’t know how Pokimane was actually currently even in their class, considering the herbology class was supposed to be a combination of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor and based on the way Professor Hbomb had been eyeing them but not yet making the confrontation, Toast had a feeling his friend had caused more chaos than she was worth in the greenhouse before.
“Its defensive mechanism activates and we all get sprayed with stinksap.” Dream replied, eyes never moving from where Pokimane’s hand still hovered near the plant.
“Oh ew.” He wrinkled his nose.
“Hey guys, can I join your group? Professor said groups of four and since Poki isn’t technically supposed to be in here…” Jack fiddled with the hem of his Ravenclaw cloak before cracking a smile that betrayed his nerves.
“Sure Jack.” He snorted, rolling his eyes fondly.
“Cool.” The other student perked up before scurrying over to them and stopping beside Pokimane and Rae, who was slowly coaxing the taller girl away from the mimbulus mimbletonia. Toast felt like he was watching in slow motion as he jabbed a finger at the plant. “What’s this?”
“Wait-” Dream gasped, hand lurching forward in a pathetic attempt to stop what was clearly now inevitable.
“Jack-”
One of the odd boil shaped bulbs recoiled as he prodded it before exploding forward with a large amount of foul-smelling liquid that shouldn’t have been capable of fitting within the small pod. Oh heck no-
— — — — —
“Hogsmeade?” Dream echoed over the phone as Toast shifted his weight back and forth across his feet as he tried to think of the right words.
“Yep!” He blurted out, hoping he sounded more cheerful than what his voice came across as in his ears. “Our group does a little gift exchange every year and there are still a couple presents I need to buy. I don’t like heading down there alone and most everyone is busy studying for the upcoming exams. Would you want to come?”
“Can I do that?” The blonde asked skeptically. “I never had a form signed and I’m a muggle-”
“Eret would totally vouch for you, I’m sure we can just ask them.” He offered, heart pounding in his ears. Please say yes.
“We can try.” Dream agreed after a beat.
— — — — —
“Buuutttt Tooooaaaasssttt~” Dream whined as the brunette practically dragged him out the door of The Three Broomsticks, a laugh tinting his voice. “The butterbeer!”
“I should have never introduced you to that.” He laughed, arm looped around the crook of the blonde’s elbow to keep him from escaping as he firmly steered them away from the inn and toward the bookstore, Tomes and Scrolls. “I didn’t realize I’d be feeding an addiction. Prime, Dream, you’re as bad as Pokimane.”
“Hey!” He protested even as he allowed Toast to guide them toward the next shop. “Don’t relate me to that menace!”
“I don’t know, you might have just won that title.” He teased, laughing again as Dream gave an outraged squawk. However when he felt the blonde stop moving all together he paused and glanced over at him.
The muggle’s eyes were focused on a store a few buildings down with a well worn sign that read J. Pippin’s Potions.
Right. He remembered. Dream doesn’t have magic so he excels in other things. I think I remember Sykkuno saying his focus was potions with Professor Schlatt and charms with Professor Eret.
“I’ll meet you back at Honeydukes?” He offered. He didn’t really want to let the blonde leave, he was enjoying what was maybe their first date, but this was the perfect moment to buy Dream’s gift.
“Sounds good. By 2?” Dream smiled at him and his heart melted.
“By 2.”
— — — — —
The riddle to solve the hidden entrance into the Ravenclaw common rooms was not what Toast would call easy. Heck, he was a Ravenclaw and he’d still find himself stumped by the stupid gargoyle’s statue at times.
This current one was fairly easy, though he suspected that was because it was Christmas break and students mingled far more often in each other’s common rooms. “What belongs to you but everyone else uses it?”
“Umm…”
“Hey Dream!” Jack called, sitting closer to the hidden entrance and therefore being the one to yell through the wall. “The answer is ‘your name’!”
“It’s not any fun if people are spoiling the answer.” The gargoyle grumbled to itself as it spun open to bring Dream to the other side and then vanished back to its post just as quickly.
Toast’s heart sped up upon realizing what the blonde held in his arms. The white cat’s head poked over Dream’s arms, who was now dressed in an oversized emerald sweater and grey sweatpants instead of his normal school uniform. She jumped down gracefully and Rae’s eyes widened. “Oh my gosh, you actually got him a cat!?”
Dream’s head whipped toward Toast and he bashfully ran a hand through his hair, hoping his blush wasn’t as visible as it felt. “Well you said you missed Hope so I thought I’d get you a friend you could have here at school since animals are allowed at Hogwarts.”
He didn’t manage to say anything past that before Dream darted toward him and tackled him to the ground with a hug, eyes sparkling. “Thank you so much Toast!”
“Of course.” His grin felt like it was going to split across his face as he held the other student closer to him, embracing him deeply before eventually, reluctantly releasing his hold on him. Over Dream’s head Pokimane raised an amused eyebrow at him and he pouted at her.
To his surprise Dream only sat back, still remaining in contact with him as their arms brushed before he clicked his tongue a couple times. Immediately the kitten he’d picked out looked up from the pets Corpse had been administering before waltzing her way over to the blonde and settling with a purr in his lap.
“What did you decide to name her?” Rae asked curiously as she began braiding a strand of her own long brown hair.
Dream’s eyes met Toast’s and he felt himself melt at the warmth they held. Maybe he wasn’t dreaming about the affection he’d seen being returned from the blonde muggle. “Hope.”
— — — — —
“Professor Eret?” Dream squeezed Toast’s hand and he squeezed back, hoping it could offer some comfort for the blonde.
“Yes dear?” The dark haired charms teacher looked up from the book they were reading. Their voice was soft and patient like it always was unless they were speaking passionately about something. That was part of why they were Toast’s favorite teacher, along with them teaching his favorite two subjects, charms and muggle studies.
“I was wondering if…” The muggle hesitated before steeling himself. “I was wondering if I could be sorted into a House?”
— — — — —
“Toast! Dream!” Pokimane screamed, bursting into the cafeteria from where he’d been eating lunch with Dream. His eyes widened upon recognizing the letters she was holding in her hands. The N.E.W.T.S. results had arrived in the mail.
Moments later Sykkuno, Rae, Corpse, and Jack were all running through the doors as well, eyes all wide with hope and nerves, cheeks flushed faintly, suggesting they’d made the run all the way from the owlery.
“Sit.” Dream ordered, the seven letters splayed across the table in front of them. They all stared at the daunting white envelopes for a moment. This would determine their future. Please don’t fail me now destiny.
Corpse made the first move, slowly tearing the envelope open and pulling out the letter, eyes scanning over it at lighting speed. He slumped back in his chair with a long exhale. “I made it. I can start auror training.”
Sykkuno threw his arms around him but paused when Corpse gently handed him his. It wasn’t a secret that the two had planned to go into training together. His hand shook slightly as he slid the paper out but his entire face lit up halfway through. “We made it!”
Upon the good news for their two friends the others moved to take their letters, all moving at their own speed. Toast felt a thrill run up his spine upon seeing his scores. Not all of them were high but the classes he’d needed to do well in to get into the Department of Muggle-Related Affairs were exactly what they needed to be. He couldn’t hide the delight he had when he realized they already had an assignment in mind for him if the little note at the bottom meant anything.
He glanced over at Dream. “Well?”
The blonde let out a disbelieving laugh before scooting across the bench to hand him the paper, head leaning on his shoulder as he read through it. His eyes widened at the note added at the bottom.
Dear Mr. Wastaken,
We’ve been quite impressed with how far you’ve gotten as a muggle student. We’re requesting that you stay working as a teacher at Hogwarts as an official member of the Slytherin House to combine with the Department of Muggle-Related Affairs to work out an exchange program. You’ll be working with Professor Eret and Professor Schlatt to get things going and your main partner in our department will be Disguised Toast. Promptly let us know what your decision is.
He looked up at Dream. “No way.”
“I want to say yes.” The blonde admitted. “But I don’t want to be far from you.”
Toast thought back to the added on note at the bottom of his own scores. “I think I can come up with something.”