No sooner had Alistair Thurkell disappeared down a hallway (no doubt to practice dramatic poses in front of a mirror) than I sensed a presence beside me. A green, elegant, and slightly intimidating presence.
Salazar Slytherin.
I swallowed. Very deeply.
I mean, it's not every day you hear a Hogwarts founder say something that sounds like it came straight out of an epic movie trailer.
"Arthur," he said calmly, as if measuring each word before speaking, "your comments were... unexpected."
Was that good? Bad? Should I pretend to faint so I wouldn't have to answer?
"I'm... I'm sorry if I was disrespectful," I said, switching on my 'polite and diplomatic' mode. "I just wanted to make it clear that I didn't come here to feel inferior to anyone."
Salazar looked at me for a couple of seconds that felt like five hours. His gaze wasn't one of disapproval... but it definitely wasn't one of approval either. He was evaluating me.
"Confidence can open doors, Arthur," he finally said. "But it can also close them if you can't back it up with actions. Your words must be backed up by your strength. I'll be happy to see which will be the case with you."
Translation in my head:
"All right, kid. You've declared war. Now I want to see if you know how to fight it."
Then, with an elegant twirl of his robe that should be patented, he added.
"Don't fear those who seek your approval. Fear disappointing yourself. That... is a much more persistent enemy."
And then he simply walked away.
I stood there processing, with a look on my face that said:
Did I just receive some motivational words or a passive-aggressive threat in the form of a snake?
Godric appeared at my side and slapped me on the back so hard that he rearranged an internal organ.
"HAHAHA! You threw him off balance, kid! I like you more and more."
Rowena just smiled with that "this is going to get interesting" look, and Helga, like the best aunt in the world, smoothed a stray strand of my hair.
"Don't worry, sweetie. Alistair barks more than he bites."
"Great," I thought, "So I only have to worry about the professor who can talk to snakes and a teenager obsessed with him. Nothing else. No pressure."
The students continued to stare at us, curious, whispering, speculating. They had already mentally labeled me. I felt it: the weird new kid with purple eyes who challenged the popular guy.
The only thing missing was someone starting to sell tickets for the fight of the year.
I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and thought:
"Okay. Hogwarts, if I'm going to live up to your standards... get ready to live up to mine."
After the "Salazar moment," the founders decided it would be a good idea to settle in before overwhelming us with more information (or more dramatic teenagers).
We climbed a wide staircase that magically adjusted itself under our feet... most of the time. At one point, the steps shifted to the left without warning, and Edwin ended up grabbing my arm to keep from kissing the wall.
"The stairs have a peculiar sense of humor," Helga announced matter-of-factly. "Don't take it personally. You'll get used to it."
We arrived at what would be our common room and dormitories. For now, there was only one large mixed common room for everyone (because separating students by houses was not even a rumor yet). It had a huge fireplace, cushions of different sizes scattered throughout the room (they always levitated a little before falling when you sat down, as if to make sure you were comfortable), and several wooden tables.
About twenty students were there, chatting, reading, or practicing magic under minimal supervision from zero adults. Normal for a school of magic.
When we entered, the conversations quieted down as if someone had cast a spell to silence the noise.
A girl of about fifteen with freckles and a friendly look was the first to approach us.
"Hello, how are you?" she said with a sincere smile. "I'm Maeve. Are you the new ones?"
"Yes, nice to meet you," I replied. "I'm Arthur and this is Edwin."
"Welcome," she said. "Don't worry about Alistair, he always acts like this when someone new arrives, when someone breathes, or when someone looks at him..."
A couple of the boys laughed.
They showed us the bedrooms: simple but cozy. Two bunk beds and a trunk to store our things, with a window overlooking the lake behind it. Yes, the lake. The one that seemed to hide secrets beneath the surface, even at this time of year.
As we left our new cloaks folded in the trunk, Rowena cleared her throat.
"Before you get too mixed up, it's important that you understand how your education is organized here."
An impromptu semicircle formed; the students already present also paid attention. Why? Who knows, but new information is always interesting.
Rowena continued.
"Hogwarts does not have dozens of teachers as we hope it will one day. For now, there are only the four of us."
Godric placed a hand on his sword and smiled proudly.
"That is why you will learn directly from us, and believe me, there are no better teachers you could learn from."
Salazar spoke like a serious academic director.
"Classes are divided into four main areas:"
-Magical and Theoretical Knowledge — taught by Professor Ravenclaw.
-Practical Magic and Spells — taught by Professor Gryffindor.
-Control and Nature of Magic (including responsible use) — taught by Professor Hufflepuff.
-Advanced Magical Arts and Mastery of Power — taught by me.
Translation in my head:
Rowena makes you smart, Godric makes you explosive, Helga prevents you from becoming a psychopath, and Salazar... trains you to be the final boss of some video game.
"As you can see, the ages are different," added Helga. "Because there aren't many students... or teachers, there are no separate courses. You will all learn together, albeit at different levels. The older ones help the younger ones, and the younger ones help the older ones remember where they started."
Maeve whispered behind me.
"It also helps that no one blows anything up without someone older being there to turn it off or fix it."
"It didn't work with the cookie tree," Edwin muttered.
"Shh," I said, as the four adults smiled in various ways.
Godric clapped his hands twice, the sound echoing throughout the hall.
"Rest, settle in, make friends, and tomorrow at dawn we'll begin a little practical exam to assess your... level."
"Exam?" Edwin blurted out, white as a ghost.
I took a deep breath, feeling a mixture of fear, excitement, and the kind of adrenaline rush you get when you sign a contract without reading the fine print.
First day at Hogwarts and already I have a rival, a test, and dangerous magic all around me. It could have been worse.
The good thing is that it's not Monday... I think.
That night, the common room gradually quieted down. The flames in the fireplace died down and the students retired to their dormitories until all that remained were soft murmurs, the occasional yawn, and a couple of magical sparks escaping from a poorly stored wand.
Edwin and I lay down in our bunk bed. Me on top and him on the bottom.
For the first time since I arrived in this world (the forest, the magic, the near medieval lynching), I had a second to breathe.
"Arthur..." Edwin whispered in the darkness, "Do you really... think we'll fit in here?"
I looked at the ceiling. Well, I tried to. Everything was too dark. My brain decided at that moment to parade thoughts, all with bright banners: about magic, exams, black eyes, a 17-year-old enemy with a fan club, founders, the Harry Potter universe, HELP.
"The truth is..." I replied, "I don't know. But if we've already survived being chased, almost burned, meeting four great wizards, arriving at a legendary school under construction, and a certain Thurkell... I think we can handle this too."
I heard Edwin take a nervous breath.
"Aren't you worried about the test? I still don't know how I did... this," he said, and a faint green flash lit up the bottom of the bunk bed. Edwin had made his hand sparkle.
"Oh, of course I'm worried," I admitted with a laugh. "I'm so scared that I think my stomach is trying to escape through my throat and into my mouth."
Edwin chuckled softly. It was a small, warm sound.
"But..." I added, "I'm also excited. Because if we really have that gift... we have magic... then maybe our lives will change. Change for the better."
Edwin took a while to respond. When he did, his voice sounded firm and with a touch of hope.
"I don't want to feel afraid anymore... I... I want to change my life."
"Me too, Edwin... me too," I whispered.
There was a comfortable silence, it became somewhat peaceful.
"Arthur..." Edwin spoke again in a thoughtful tone, "Why did you say that earlier? About Hogwarts having to live up to our expectations."
I covered my face with the pillow, blushing.
"Don't remind me. I don't know why I said it, I guess I had a mini moment of wanting to be the center of attention. I hope it doesn't happen again."
"I hope you do it again," Edwin replied with a smile that I could sense in his voice. "It was... inspiring. It made me feel like I could face my fears too."
I stared out the window, where a huge moon illuminated the lake in the distance.
Perhaps Edwin was right. Perhaps part of me wanted to be that protagonist. Clearly, I wouldn't be perfect... but I wanted to leave my mark on a world with so many possibilities like this one.
"Good night, Arthur."
"Good night, Edwin."
I closed my eyes and as sleep took me, I thought something that gave me a tingle in my chest:
"Tomorrow my life at Hogwarts begins. Not with nostalgia for the world I left behind... but with a desire to see what I could build in this new world."