18. First day at Hogwarts
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Here is the thing, messing with a bunch of muggles is way easier than most people would think. Hell, I wouldn’t even need to act myself. All I would need to do is tell Gurry to play pranks on them on the daily. Of course that wasn’t what I went for, Gurry’s time is better spent doing other stuff I ask for. 

 

Instead, as I layed on my bed I began working on a rather interesting piece of enchantment inside my head. I won’t spoil the surprise but I am sure it will make things rather interesting. Aside from that I simply couldn’t sleep. I wasn’t feeling tired and the excitement of finally being in Hogwarts made it hard to fall asleep. 

 

In the end I think I only slept like an hour or two. Not like I felt tired now that I am awake once more. I am facing a small problem however. I woke up kind of early, so early in fact that by the rules I am not allowed yet to leave the common room. How early is that? Well, let's just say that the sun isn’t over the horizon just yet.  

 

“Tempus.” Yup, it's very early indeed. Five in the morning to be more specific. Students aren’t allowed out of the common rooms until seven. Classes start at eight and similar to university, depending on what classes you have that day can end as early as four or as late as twelve, I am looking at you astronomy class. 

 

Not having anything better to do I got ready for the day before reading in the common room. Today we didn’t have any classes. Instead, today was meant as a day for firsties to explore the castle. The other years also had the day off but instead it was for socializing purposes. 

 

As I read more and more students woke up before doing as I did. Most of them were from higher years. By the time the clock was about to hit seven a rather groggy Sophia came stumbling down the stairs. I will say she looked positively cute with that sleepy expression. 

 

“Good morning Sophia.” All I received from the sleepy girl was a small nod. Laughing internally I guided her to the couch I had been using until then before restarting my reading. It didn’t take long for the girl to fall asleep once again. This time with her head resting against my shoulder. 

 

I will admit that I might have had something to do with this as I might or might not have produced a small almost imperceptible amount of pheromones like I did the day prior. Fifteen minutes later and the clock finally hit seven o’clock meaning it was time for breakfast. 

 

“Sophia, wake up, we need to go eat breakfast.” I whispered softly as I gently shook her shoulder. Seeing her eyelashes flutter before she regained some sense of wakefulness was once again too much cuteness for my weathered heart.  

 

“Silver? How did I get here?” As the final bits of sleepiness left the girl she began to look around us confused. Looks like the girl sleep walked her way here. Smiling, I decided to tease her a little. 

 

“So you don’t remember coming down the stairs all sleepy demanding cuddles?” I said with a smile that turned into a shit eating grin as her cheeks turned a rather beautiful scarlet shade. I couldn’t contain my laughter for too long, after which she realized I was just teasing her.

 

“Silver, that was mean, what really happened?” Seeing her mock anger as she pouted made me want to coo at how adorable she looked. Instead I controlled myself and told her the actual story, omitting of course the use of my pheromones. 

 

“Anyway, we should get going to the main hall. I much rather not go hungry till lunch time.” Like that we left for said hall. Thankfully, our schedules had also come with a rough map of the castle. The damned thing liked to shift corridors and passages all over the place. Fortunately, there were a few that were unchanging throughout the year. Unfortunately, those tended to be winding routes that would take three times longer on average to traverse than others… Let's say, unpredictable routes. 

 

“Do you want to sit with your brother or should we sit on our house table?” There was nothing in the rules stating that students couldn’t sit at other houses' tables. That is on normal occasions. There were events like the start of year and end of year fests where students were required to be seated at their respective house’s tables.

 

“Let's sit with my brother, I want to know about his schedule.” With that decided we made our way to the gryffindor’s table. Was it a smart idea for me of all people to do so? Perhaps not, did I care? Hell no. I did get a few glares from both gryffindors and slytherins.

 

“Hey, can we sit with you?” Sophia asked with a small smile as she taped Harry on his shoulder. Hermione had seen us approaching but she remained quiet. Afterall, she wouldn’t be joining Harry and Ron until the troll incident. 

 

“Sophia? Sure, but shouldn’t you be with your housemates?” Harry’s confusion was palpable as well as Ron’s. Hermione looked about to pop with how hard she was trying to not lecture them about the rules and what not. 

 

“Not really, there aren’t any rules against students sitting with other houses.” I replied for Sophia as we sat in between Ron and Harry as they had moved to make space for us. Funnily enough I ended up seated next to Ron. Who looked slightly more amenable to the idea after my sorting into ravenclaw instead of slytherin.    

 

“I see, so how was your house Sophia?” Harry asked as he stuffed his mouth with a sausage. At least, unlike Ron, he wasn’t making a mess of himself, though his manners could use some work. 

 

“Great, I don’t think I have ever slept as well as I did yesterday. I felt so safe and the bed was so comfortable I don’t even remember when I fell asleep.” I smiled in response to Sophia’s beaming smile. She was positively shining and it was almost painful to look at. 

 

After that the two began chatting, making comparisons between the two houses. How ravenclaw is more organized versus griffindors disorder. How the lions are more boisterous versus the raven's calm demeanor.  While they chatted I once again knocked on the table before speaking. 

 

“Excuse me? Could you please get me a cup of coffee, dark, no sugar or cream. Thanks.” Like before all those seated around me gave me looks like I had gone crazy. Sophia for her part giggled once the cup of steaming dark coffee appeared in front of me. Once again seeing the astonished faces around me gave me a sort of satisfaction I could never get enough of. 

 

Taking a sip from my drink I couldn’t help the sigh of contentment that escaped me. Old habits die hard and drinking a cup of coffee in the mornings was one I could never let go of. As I drank my cup I ate light sweet foods. Eating meat or hard to digest foods so early in the day would make you feel tired. Instead, high calorie and easy to digest foods would make you feel energetic the rest of the day.

 

After explaining the same thing I did the day prior, breakfast finished without any trouble. Or so I would like to claim until my brother decided to make his appearance as we were finishing our meal. 

 

“Silver, what are you doing fraternizing with the enemy?” Unlike what I expected he didn’t come to cause trouble for Harry but instead came to do so to me. I sighed with exasperation as I shook my head. 

 

“What enemy, Draco? This is a school and we are children. Leave politics for father. Not to mention that the dispute between slytherin and gryffindor has nothing to do with me. I was sorted into ravenclaw afterall.” The more I spoke the more his face turned into a scowl. 

 

“Finally, let me give you a little tip, my less intelligent twin. There is a saying in the muggle world that you would do good taking to heart. It goes something like this: Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. Afterall, if you have your enemies' trust, if you have them at arm's reach, it becomes easier to put a blade to their backs.” My smile grew a bit predatory as I let some of my magical aura leak. 

 

Most magical juggernauts have a magical aura. This aura is what lets those weaker than them know to be respectful and fearful. Is a sort of natural suppression from the strong to the weak. This is also why dark lords like voldemort can gather people to their cause. They use their magical aura to suppress others and make them obedient. 

 

In my case however, my magical aura isn’t oppressive due to its sheer volume and density. No, mine is oppressive due to it being tainted by my life force. A life force mind you, that is by now mostly pilfered from other living beings. When I release my aura what those around me feel is the many lives I have stolen. 

 

What Draco and those nearby felt was like being in the presence of an apex predator ready to pounce and devour them. Of course, I only let a tiny bit leak and for a fraction of a second. Otherwise, my dear brother and those nearby would have pissed themselves out of instinctual fear. I very much don’t want dumbdumbdumb finding out about it or he could start having funny ideas about me being the next baldymort. 

 

“I-I… Father will hear about this.” With that Draco fled using his usual phrase. I almost burst into laughter after hearing that. If he were to tell on me, I could always spin a neat web of lies. 

 

Turning around I was met with the sight of the gryffindors warily looking at me. I really couldn't blame them. What I just said does sound very incriminating. But that was the funniest part of it all. Why would I ever say such things to their faces if I truly were to be their enemy. I told them as much. 

 

“What if that is also part of your plan for us to let our guards down.” Ron said as a counter argument. I could already see the signs of paranoia sprouting and I felt my sadistic side flare with desire. Oh how I could mess him up by toeing the line, making him ever more paranoid. 

 

“Maybe you are right, maybe you aren’t. That is the fun of the game we call social interaction. Who can you trust? Who can’t you trust? Who is your enemy? Who is your ally? Who is a spy and who is a traitor? A weave of interactions, a spider web to tread carefully. Are you a spider? Or are you a fly?” A smiled as I saw the ginger’s eyes begin to spin. 

 

“There is only one thing that you should know with absolute certainty. The only one you can ever fully trust is yourself. Well, almost always, afterall, there are magics that mess with the mind as well. Anyway, I will be taking my leave. I very much want to explore the castle. Do any of you want to accompany me?” Silence. I waited a few seconds and to my surprise, Sophia stood up as well. Not saying anything we left to explore the castle. 

 

A while later while walking one of the many corridors I broke the silence. To tell the truth, I hadn’t expected Sophia to follow me. I very much expected to have to work on her later at our common room to regain some of her trust. Instead here we were, so I told her as much. 

 

“I didn’t expect you to come with me after that little scene back there.” Silence fell again as with only our steps and the soft chatter of the portraits feeling the space. I could see Sophia working to pick her words. 

 

“Well, you said it yourself. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. If you are friends then there is no reason to stay away. If you truly are an enemy then it's better for me to keep watch over you up close.” 

 

The genuine smile she wore told me she didn’t truly mean that last part. She didn’t see me as an enemy despite my little display back there. Either she is naive or she is an observant, smart little girl. I was more inclined to believe the latter.   

 

“And that is why Sophia you are a ravenclaw.” I answered with a genuine smile of my own. It felt good knowing that she trusted me at least this much. Unknowingly my good mood had triggered my pheromones making me exude a sort of happy aura. It was like this that both of us spent the rest of the day exploring the castle. From the moving stairs and their banishing steps. To the shortcuts found behind furniture here and there. 

 

Soon enough the day came to an end. Lunch as well as dinner were spent seated at our house’s table as to let things cool down. Finally in our room, with our pijamas on, Sophia sent me a curved ball that left me frankly speechless.    

 

“Silver, I am glad that you are my first friend. I don’t think I have ever been this happy before.” Her blinding smile made me melt inside and frankly I wanted nothing more than to take this bundle of pure cuteness and cuddle her. Of course I contained myself opting instead for a warm smile. 

 

“Well, for what is worth, I am glad that you are also my first friend.” Like that we chatted for a bit longer before finally falling asleep. If I did so with a genuine smile for the first time in this life, well, what can I say?

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