(A/N - Here's a longer chapter, I've also added an Auxiliary Chapter for MC info and a poll! Review and Vote! Cheers.)
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The Hogwarts Express was a marvel of magical engineering.
It looked almost identical to a standard, coal-powered train, but that was where the similarity ended. For one thing, there was no train conductor; the train seemed to move itself, propelled by some unseen magic.
Secondly, it ran on a hidden set of tracks that somehow overlapped the ordinary train lines of Britain.
Adrian settled into a compartment on this extraordinary train, his luggage shoved into the overhead rack. He gazed out the window, watching families saying goodbye to their children. Mothers fussed and kissed them, fathers offered encouraging pats on the back.
He found himself reflecting on his situation, which was, to say the least, unique. He'd been reborn, granted a new life, and had everything he could have wanted. Yet, he couldn't help but notice a familiar pattern: the absence of parents. It seemed to be a recurring theme in Adrian's life.
Turning his attention back to the compartment, Adrian pulled out his latest book on magic and resumed reading.
'God,' he thought, 'ever since I was... gifted with this mind, I have this insatiable thirst for knowledge. Maybe I'd be a good fit for Ravenclaw now?'
Lost in thought and the pages of his book, Adrian barely registered the train's whistle and the gentle lurch as it began to move.
"Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?" a soft, bell-like voice asked.
Startled, Adrian looked up to see who was speaking.
A girl with long, wispy blonde hair and silvery eyes that seemed perpetually lost stood in the doorway. Her face was serene, but her brow was furrowed, as if she were concentrating on something far away.
'Oh, shit. It's Luna Lovegood. What are the odds? I guess you don't really know where she sits in her first year, do you?' Adrian mused to himself.
"Hi, you're welcome to join me. Been alone here since before we left," he said, a hint of excitement in his voice. Finally, meeting someone from the movies made this whole experience feel even more real.
Luna slipped into the compartment, placing her bag at her feet, humming a little tune to herself. Her every movement seemed unburdened, as if she hadn't a care in the world.
Sitting down, she fixed her silvery gaze on Adrian, studying him intently, as if trying to decipher some hidden mystery.
"Oh, sorry! I'm Adrian Tepes, first year. It's a pleasure to meet you," Adrian offered.
"Tepes? Oh, my father has always wanted to meet someone from your family! Is it true that your father can command an army of Blibbering Humdingers to do his bidding?" Luna asked, her eyes shining with genuine excitement.
Adrian, surprised for perhaps the first time in his life, coughed awkwardly. "Uh, no, nothing like that. I'm not even sure what a Blibbering Humdinger is... Is it some kind of pet?"
At his response, Luna seemed to deflate slightly, a small frown creasing her forehead. "Silly, a Blibbering Humdinger is a Blibbering Humdinger. I'm sorry, I'm Luna, Luna Lovegood!" she chirped, her mood shifting with bewildering speed.
'Well... at least she'll be interesting to be around. She sounds like she's on a permanent acid trip!' Chuckling inwardly, Adrian smiled at the eccentric girl.
They quickly fell into conversation. Adrian found Luna surprisingly easy to talk to. She had no desire to be anyone but herself, and he found that incredibly refreshing.
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The time seemed to fly by, and before they knew it, the train's whistle blew, signaling their imminent arrival.
Adrian quickly changed into his school robes and then followed Luna off the train. Standing there, towering over all the first-year students, was the half-giant, Rubeus Hagrid.
"Firs' years! Over here! Firs' years!" he boomed, his voice even louder than the train behind them. "Quick now! Four to a boat! That's right, quick!"
Following his instructions, Adrian was the first to step into one of the small wooden boats. He offered his hand to Luna, who took it readily, sitting down beside him. Though the train ride hadn't been very long, they already felt quite comfortable in each other's company.
The last two to join them were people Adrian recognized after a moment's thought: Colin Creevey and Ginny Weasley. They both looked nervous, even a little frightened, as they settled into their seats. Luna and Adrian offered them small smiles, but otherwise kept to themselves.
Adrian glanced at Ginny and Luna, a question forming in his mind. 'I thought they were friends? Maybe Ginny's already started bullying Luna?' He couldn't suppress a feeling of dislike at the thought. Bullying someone for their unique way of seeing the world was, in his opinion, contemptible.
The boats lurched forward and then sped across the water.
Adrian's eyes drifted from person to person, noting their varying levels of excitement and nervousness.
About halfway across the lake, the boats glided under a low stone bridge. 'This is the grand entrance from the books,' he thought, a thrill of anticipation running through him. 'Hogwarts is just ahead.'
As they passed beneath the archway, Adrian felt a strange mental ping, a subtle magical alert. His eyes snapped open, and he frowned, trying to pinpoint the sensation.
Moments later, as the others exclaimed over the breathtaking sight of the castle, Adrian realized what he had narrowly avoided.
'Those absolute bastards!' he thought, his anger simmering.
'Not only are the students' wands traced when they're purchased, but they've also set up a system in the bridge's archway to reapply a tracker and trace to all the new first years! No wonder they make them go this way!'
Adrian had only detected the magic because of a quick, obscure spell he'd learned from his family's library. It allowed the caster to see any charms placed in their vicinity within the last 24 hours. As he stealthily cast it, everyone's wands glowed with a faint green hue, confirming his suspicions.
Fortunately, his rings negated any and all charms, traces, or compulsions placed on him or his belongings.
Calming himself, Adrian stepped off the boat as they reached the shore, directly in front of the imposing entrance. Once again, he helped Luna out, then followed Hagrid and the rest of the first years.
Standing on the steps was Professor Minerva McGonagall. With her pointed witch's hat, dark green robes, and perpetually stern expression, she looked every bit like Maggie Smith, Adrian thought with a touch of amusement.
"Thas' all the firs' years, Professor!" Hagrid bellowed.
Nodding, McGonagall turned to the students. Her voice was crisp and authoritative, just as he remembered from the films.
(Stolen from Philosopher's Stone script. Couldn't be bothered rewriting it!)
"Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, in a few moments, you will pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Now, while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule breaking, and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup."
Briskly, she turned and strode into the castle. The students quickly followed her, their eyes wide as they took in the ancient grandeur.
'Okay, yeah, Hogwarts is impressive. I'll give them that,' Adrian thought, eyeing the place with a critical eye. 'Beautiful castle and all, but if they ditched the whole doom-and-gloom aesthetic, it'd be even better.' He watched a couple of ghosts drift through a wall, the flickering torchlight casting long, eerie shadows.
Two massive doors swung open as McGonagall approached, revealing the Great Hall in all its glory. As they were led between the long tables, the seated students gawked at the first years with a mix of curiosity and amusement.
Adrian, not particularly bothered by the stares, stuck close to Luna as they waited for whatever came next.
The teachers, lined up and seated on the raised platform, surveyed the new arrivals. Some looked genuinely welcoming, others merely bored. In the center sat Albus Dumbledore, sporting his trademark comically large wizard's hat and a truly atrocious blue robe that looked like space had thrown up stars and moons.
Smiling benignly, the old man rose and walked to the podium.
(Made this up, you don't see the Welcome Speech in the second movie!)
"I have a few start-of-term notices I wish to announce. For the first years, please note that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Furthermore, Mr. Filch, our caretaker, wants to remind you that using magic in the hallways is prohibited. Thank you."
Sitting back down, Dumbledore gave McGonagall a nod.
Turning to face the students, she took a deep breath. "When I call your name, you will come forth. I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses." Her voice brooked no argument.
Adrian stood still as he watched the students, one by one, step forward to face their fate. Each one looked more terrified than the last. 'And who wouldn't be?' he thought. 'You're basically playing Russian roulette with a sentient magical artifact, which then decides where you'll be living for the next seven years. No pressure, right?'
He watched as Luna was placed in Ravenclaw almost instantaneously. He smiled, genuinely pleased at her unabashed happiness, as she skipped over to the table, humming to herself.
"Tepes, Adrian Tepes!" McGonagall's voice rang out, though Adrian thought he detected a strange hush to it.
He could hear the whispers that followed his name as he walked towards the front.
"That's him? Father said I should befriend him. His family holds more power in Europe than the Ministry of Magic itself," Draco Malfoy drawled, and Adrian couldn't miss the sneer in his voice.
'Oh! Interesting, very interesting!' a dry, ancient voice echoed in his head as the Sorting Hat was placed on Adrian's head.
'Do you think you could lower your mental shields, Mr. Tepes?' it asked, sounding vaguely annoyed.
Sighing inwardly, Adrian responded mentally. 'Sorry, it's not possible. The rings I wear pretty much block everything. You'd have to cut off my hand before I willingly took them off.'
The hat grunted in annoyance. 'Well, it's probably for the best here at Hogwarts. Now, tell me, where do you want to go? I can't even do my job properly with you!'
'Ravenclaw,' Adrian replied without hesitation.
'I don't want to spend the next few years dealing with the subtle power plays in Slytherin, Gryffindor seems to be the epicenter of chaos, especially with the Chosen One and his lot, and... well, I have nothing against Hufflepuff, but that yellow and black color scheme? It's an assault on the eyes.'
The Sorting Hat let out a mental chuckle. 'Well then, that was simple enough.'
"Better be... Ravenclaw!" it shouted aloud.
Adrian hopped off the stool and made his way to the Ravenclaw table. The cheers were loud, but pretty standard fare.
He found the seat next to Luna unoccupied and quickly sat down beside her.
Smiling, he looked at her. "Well, seems like we'll be in the same house for a couple of years. How about we spend some time looking for those Crumple-Horned Snorkacks?"
Luna let out a large cheer, which got even louder as the food appeared on the tables.
"Oh! They have pudding!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with delight.
Adrian dug into his roast chicken, listening with half an ear to the introductions and chatter around him.
Just as he was about to respond to Luna, another sharp ping of magic jolted him, alerting him to someone attempting Legilimency.
'Who the fuck?!' he thought, his mental shields snapping fully into place.