Chapter Text
August, 1989.
Theo’s hands held the cold steel handle of the trolley with a white knuckled grip. His father’s jacket hung loosely around his shoulders. At eleven years old, the muggle-born wizard found himself standing on a busy train platform holding a ticket that read Platform Nine and Three Quarters… something that simply didn’t exist.
Theo scratched his head in disbelief as he let out a deep breath.
Earlier this year, his whole world flipped on its head when he learned he was a wizard. It was triggered when he conjured fireworks on New Year’s Day after watching the night sky of London light up in vibrant colors.
Usually, when kids learned they had magic abilities, they would be ecstatic. Not Theo though, he was frightened to his core. He didn’t understand it, learning there was a realm much bigger than the “muggle” world left him feeling small.
That next morning an owl with a strange looking letter had confirmed that Theo had magical abilities. One brown parchment was all it took to change the course of his life forever.
His mother and father could not make it today. There were several issues at the ministry that didn’t allow Theo’s parents to join him in going to visit locations of the wizarding world. It was all too nuanced for Theo to fully understand, all he knew was that he was going at this alone. There he stood, on the cold tiled floors, searching for any semblance of platform Nine and Three Quarters…
A family of redheads bustled through the busy crowds of the station. The red-haired mother herded her children through the arches and colonnades until they finally stopped between platforms 9 & 10. Theo stayed a few paces back, watching them closely.
The oldest of the group was a teenager, maybe about 16 or 17 years old with a broad frame and wavy ginger hair. Theo saw a unique looking stick just poking out of his jacket pocket, one with dark wood grains and a carved handle. Theo immediately felt his own wand tucked in the inner breast pocket of his jacket.
He was a wizard too.
He stayed behind as the busied mother guided her children through the solid stone.
Theo rubbed his eyes, was he seeing things? Surely not, he was a wizard after all. Theo looked left and right, no other passerby's paid attention to what he had just witnessed.
Behind him, two identical boys scampered through the column, when the last of the red-headed kids phased through the bricks, the tall red headed teenager met eyes with Theo.
A gentle smile was sent Theo’s way, it’s as if he knew what Theo was. The teenager nodded his head once to signal to the eleven year-old that this was the way. The teenager turned around and ran through the solid bricks, disappearing like his siblings before him.
Theo followed the boy, holding on tight to his trolley as he pushed the wobbly wheels through the old bricks. He closed his eyes and braced for impact as he ran straight for the stone. In the blink of an eye, darkness turned to light, he was through the column, standing at platform nine and three quarters.
He let out a resounding sigh, he was right where he needed to be.
Theo had jet black hair and deep blue eyes, under low light his irises appeared almost black. He was average height for a boy his age and with a skinny frame.
He boarded the train with his heavy trunk in hand. He found an empty compartment after lugging through the carpeted floors. He slid the heavy door open and pushed his heavy trunk on the overhead shelf. He sat down and
His breath fogged up the glass as he saw one brown-haired boy hug his proud father goodbye. The father ruffled the hair of his smiling boy and kissed him on the cheek. A silent feeling of envy crept up his chest. He wished his family could have seen him off.
His eyes wandered again to the tall boy with red hair, he boarded the train with a younger brother, and his hands on either side of the identical mischievous looking boys around Theo’s age.
The door quietly slid open and two boys entered. One with brown wavy tousled locks, with grey eyes and fair skin, the same boy hugging his father a moment ago. And another stockier boy who had dark brown eyes and messy black hair.
“Is this seat taken?” The brown-eyed boy asked,
Theo shook his head
“I’m Cedric, this is Roger. What’s your name?” Cedric greeted eagerly as they sat down
“Theodore… but you can call me Theo,”
“Nice to meet you!” Cedric shook his hand and hopped on the opposite seat. The kind boy had a warm smile that put Theo at ease.
The two boys looked like they had known each other for quite awhile, but Theo knew they had probably just met each other today.
“I wonder when we will get to learn to ride brooms? I’m excited to try out for quidditch!” Roger spoke,
“Quidditch?” Theo crooked his head,
Cedric’s expression shifted, his head tilted until a light bulb popped over his head,
“Oh! it’s a sport where we get to ride on broomsticks and chase a golden snitch! You should try it out!”
Theo seemed horrified, eyebrows furrowing and lips tightening, not quite grasping the concept of flying on brooms or what on earth a snitch was.
Of the two, Cedric was more friendly and accommodating towards him, though Roger was polite.
Outside, Theo watched the beautiful landscape transform into lush forests and rolling hills. Roger and Cedric continued to chat away about their excitement for classes, while Theo’s ears had tuned them out, only to eventually tune back in at the mention of houses.
“What house do you think you'll be sorted into? I hope I’m Ravenclaw like my brother! …I heard they had the coolest common room,” Roger told Cedric
“My dad wants me to be in Gryffindor like him, but I’m good with anything.” Cedric replied
“What about you, Theo?” Cedric turned to Theo,
“I’m not exactly sure.”
“Well… What are your strengths?” Cedric asked, bright smile on his face,
Theo rummaged his brain, not quite sure what to say. He wasn’t good at anything, he only recently found out he could do magic,
“I… I’m not sure.”
Cedric quietly looked at the large trunk of Theo’s, beside it was Theo’s book bag, which looked heavier than the usual first year’s.
“Something tells me you will do well in Ravenclaw… like Roger!” Cedric guessed,
Theo’s eyes shifted over to the black haired boy, a brief look of doubt flickered on his face.
“Ravenclaw is the hardest to get into… everyone wants to be a Ravenclaw.” Roger defended,
“...but not everyone can.” he finished,
“..says who?” The words fell out of Theo’s mouth before he realized what he had said,
Roger merely squinted at him,
“He’s got a point… getting into one house is not more or less difficult than getting into any other house, the choice isn’t yours anyway.” Cedric shrugged
Roger laughed it off, “I guess you’re right” He agreed with Cedric.
Theo wondered what Cedric meant by the choice not being yours,
Wouldn’t it be better if you chose your own house? Or was it better that someone else chose for you? That way you wouldn’t have to live with a decision you yourself made if you come to regret it in the future.
Hours later the train finally came to a halt and the students started pouring out the train. Theo stuck with Cedric and Roger mostly until they boarded small boats that moved themselves.
Amidst the dark night sky a magnificent castle stood on the edge of a cliff with spires and towers just reaching the clouds. Magical. There was no other word more appropriate.
Theo’s jaw hung open. The interiors were floor to ceiling pale yellow-white stone. Every inch was decorated and carved in intricate details. Fully armored figures bowing their heads at you as you passed by. Stone walls that spoke of history, grandeur that was quiet yet so obviously eye-catching. Every direction demanded your attention, this castle was truly magnificent. Theo’s neck began to ache as he constantly stared at the vaulted ceilings.
A witch with a pointy hat ushered them in a single file line into a great hall. Large double doors taller than he had ever seen before in decorated cast iron metalwork opened with a flick of a wand.
The hall was full of older students, four long tables, intricate statues, ghosts? A night sky? floating candles? Things that he didn’t think were possible were happening right before his own eyes.
“Welcome to the Sorting Ceremony, a tradition as old as Hogwarts itself. One every student before you has undertaken. Within these halls, you will be placed into one of four houses. For the next seven years, your house will be your home.
Your housemates are your second family. You will sleep, eat, and study alongside them as you grow into the witches and wizards you are meant to be.”
“You will step forward to be judged by the Sorting Hat, which will place you according to where it deems you belong, based on your skills and values. ”
“Your house is where you will be given the best opportunity to flourish, as the Hat sees fit.”
It sounded like a terrifyingly binding decision to be made so early in life—a label affixed to an eleven-year-old child that they would be locked into for nearly a decade. Theo shifted in his stance, his mind already picking apart the logic. Sorting children by their perceived strengths before they had even begun to figure out who they were felt fundamentally flawed.
How could a hat know what was best for you when you hadn’t even discovered yourself yet?
Theo glanced to his left. Roger stood beside him, shoulders back, a confident grin tugging at his lips. He didn't look worried at all. He knew exactly who he was.
Some decisions were done after a minute or so
“Angelina Johnson!” “Gryffindor!”
Some were practically instant.
“Roger Davies!” “Ravenclaw!” Roger was overjoyed with his placement as his older brother saved him a seat at the Ravenclaw table
“Cassius Warrington!” “Slytherin!” The green coloured house cheered and welcomed the blonde haired boy.
Some took longer, 3, nearly 4 minutes.
“Cedric Diggory!” “You’re a tricky one… Hufflepuff!” His face lit up with a bright smile as he walked over to the Hufflepuff table.
Hufflepuff's are said to value Loyalty above all else. Something in Theo was drawn to get sorted in that House. Of the four, they looked the most welcoming, familial, and where he knew he would be able to find a good group of friends. Cedric was already shaking the hands of his upperclassmen as they welcomed him warmly.
“Theodore Greyfield!” Theo’s heart raised as he walked up to the large chair and professor McGonnagall placed the sorting hat on his head. All eyes were on him, as he fidgeted in his chair.
“Inquisitive and Loyal, yet a strong sense to succeed…” Theo heard
“Are you talking to me?” He spoke in his head
“Oh a muggle born… I think you would do well in Gryffindor”
“Hufflepuff” Theo chanted in his mind,
“Hufflepuff? Perhaps…” The hat pondered
Theo’s eyes landed right on the newly sorted Hufflepuff boy. He was watching Theo from his own table with a focused stare. Theo’s heart settled as he let the sorting hat debate its internal monologue.
“You'll go far in Slytherin, but it looks like a forced fit...” It continued
The hat was right about that, the Slytherin’s looked the least welcoming of the bunch. The gaze of the Slytherin seniors looked as if they were Snakes themselves- sharp and uninviting.
“You’re not cunning, but you are self-aware… a high level of self reflection at such a young age.”
Theo wondered how the hat could possibly deduce that.
“All you ever do is think. You should see the inside of your head. It’s like a hedge maze with three-hundred different directions.” The hat scoffed
“I know where to put you.” it finally said
“...Ravenclaw!” The sorting hat yelled,
There was a polite clap in the air as Theo walked towards the table, and took his seat beside Roger Davies who was already chatting up the seniors next to them.
The boy after Theo was olive-skinned and dark blonde with a stern expression on his face.
“Malcolm Preece, Hufflepuff!” The hat announced,
Malcolm didn’t look particularly kind, or rude for that matter, but compared to the other Hufflepuff first-years he stuck out like a sore thumb. Theo envied him already, longing to trade places with the other boy. Theo shook the thought away. Maybe he was wrong. Perhaps Ravenclaw is truly the best place for him, "I could only hope."
The rest of the sorting hat ceremony continued as normal, the pair of redhead twins got sorted into Gryffindor, sitting beside their two older brothers.
A few other boys were sorted in Slytherin, Pure-Bloods from the looks of it. They carried a quiet sense of belonging when they walked. Every step was a sure one, like it wasn't their first time walking the halls of Hogwarts, even if it was.
Theo looked around to his Ravenclaw housemates as they were already mid-conversation. The topics shifted so quickly– Potions? Hippogriffs? Boggarts?. Another reminder to Theo that he was an outsider trying to catch up to the starting line.
Theo stayed quiet, listening to Roger Davies befriending the rest of the first year crowd. His brother was a 7th year Ravenclaw and current captain of the Quidditch team, which made Roger a legacy, the default leader for their year.
They were led to the Ravenclaw common room by a blond 5th year prefect named Lisa. As they climbed the spiral steps to the highest tower in the castle, each step felt more tiring than the last. Lisa answered a riddle to open the doors to the common room, a practice observed everyday it seems. As soon as the metallic eagle spread its wings, and opened the door, Theo’s jaw dropped once more.
Blue Carpets lined the room, high ceilings with large glass windows. The height of the tower meant you could view the whole castle from up here, a sweeping 360 degree view. The moon shined brightly above the black lake, and untouched forests lined the horizon at every side.
“Here, you will see our study corner, please keep it tidy at all times, avoid food and beverages— and over there up the stairs will lead to a balcony with the best view in all of Hogwarts!” She explained,
On either side of the common room, there were staircases that led to boys and girls dorms respectively, each level had 3-4 rooms dedicated for a specific year, they would move up one every year.
“The top floor goes to the 7th years, every year you will move up a floor– so please, take care of your rooms for the next batch of students.” She explained,
Theo followed the boys to their dorms and each of the beds were already preselected for them by their things that somehow showed up beside their beds. Theo’s bed was a top bunk by the window. Roger claimed his bed across from Theo’s on the bottom bunk. There were two other dark haired boys in the room that seemed to orbit around Roger.
Theo climbed the bed and sank into the soft pillows, it was a tiring day. Theo had seen countless impossibilities within 12 hours. Would he ever get used to it?
After getting ready for bed, he tried his best to drift off to sleep hoping the next day would be kinder to him.
The night had long claimed the sky but the Ravenclaw dormitories were still buzzing with the noise of first-years who were spending their first night unsupervised by their parents.
Trunks lie half open, chocolate frog cards splayed across the floor. Theo wanted to sleep but the boisterous laughing from his three other roommates kept him up. He decided to lay on his side with back turned towards them, reading a book, hoping his tiredness would eventually win.
“...No way that charm actually works.” One boy told Roger,
“It does, Ben.” Roger held up his own wand as if about to test on the other boy,
Theo’s curiosity got the best of him and he turned to watch Roger spew foreign words. A quick flash of light illuminated the room for a second, landing right on the head of the other boy.
In an instant, the other boy's hair turned bright yellow, and the boys were laughing even louder than before.
The yellow haired boy playfully nudged Roger back, yet he remained unbothered by his new appearance.
Theo quietly rolled his eyes, though he had to admit that he was impressed by Roger.
“Theo, why don’t we try you next?” Roger opened,
The new found attention surprised Theo,
“No thanks,” Theo didn’t look up from his book, feigning a nonchalance, trying to avoid seeming like an easy target for Roger's antics.
The other boys turned towards him,
“You don’t laugh much do you?” Roger asked,
Theo shrugged, “I do, sometimes.”
“Maybe we can schedule it, once a week perhaps.”
The other boys laughed with him, but Theo didn’t quite understand if they were laughing with him or at him. He exhaled and closed his book, turning away from them once more.
A loud knock echoes from the door, a male prefect just sticks his head enough to get a view of the room.
“Davies, to bed. You’ll wake the whole castle.”
The boys had no fight against a senior, they all climbed into their respective bunks.
The lights dimmed, only leaving the pale moonlight to light the room. Theo saw Roger finally resting on his bed, a calm expression on his face. He looked carefree, unbothered, like he knew he belonged here.
Would I ever feel that way? A question echoed repeatedly in his mind as he fought himself to sleep.