"Harry Potter and the Shadows of Merlin"

Daina passed the common room. The Gryffindor first-years sitting inside glanced at him in unison, then quickly turned away. Perhaps they thought: he's from Azkaban—and he's already wandering the castle on his first day at Hogwarts. Still, Daina didn't feel concerned. He made his way through the corridor and finally reached his room. The house-elf had cleaned it thoroughly. A four-poster bed awaited him—likely an extra bed moved from Harry's dormitory—but the space was unusually neat, with a small table appearing untouched and new. Compared to other dormitories, this room was ideal for studying. A small stove stood in one corner, ready to banish the damp Scottish Highlands chill. Although it might be decorative—Daina's time in Azkaban had left him highly resistant to cold—it could still serve for late-night snacks or even barbecue, given the right ingredients. According to rumors, each Hufflepuff dormitory came with cooking utensils, though Hogwarts regulations forbade cooking in dorms—so much for rules, as long as you're not caught. The drawback: this room lacked a private bathroom. For personal business and washing up, Daina would have to visit the common room. Not a problem—he could always cast a Cleaning Charm on himself, just like in Azkaban. Wand in hand, he cleared dust from his body and climbed into bed. The mattress felt softer than anything at the Leaky Cauldron, and in comparison, Hogwarts already felt like an improvement. With that comforting thought, Daina drifted into sleep.

By morning, his internal clock awoke him. He cast Cleaning Charms on his mouth and face, then gathered the textbooks for his first Charms class and headed to the Great Hall. Few students had arrived, leaving many empty seats along the Gryffindor long table. Hermione Granger sat eating, though she stopped when Daina took a seat opposite.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

Hermione studied him. "They say you're a criminal. Is it true?"

Daina, twirling a sausage on his fork, replied coolly, "If being imprisoned—" he paused and took a bite, "makes me a criminal, then yes."

Hermione's eyes sharpened. "So you say you're innocent?"

"What crime could a seven-year-old, pre-magic child commit that warrants prison time?" Daina challenged.

Hermione nodded slowly. "I see. You were wronged."

Daina bit into the sausage head, chewing thoughtfully. "Why ask?"

Hermione hesitated. "I don't think someone who loves studying as much as I do could be a villain."

Daina sighed. "That's not certain. The Dark Lord was a top student in Hogwarts."

Across the hall, a group of Slytherin students entered, frowning and whispering: "Should we tell Snape?"

—"No, he'll just scold us."

—"But it's really too smelly."

Daina nodded inwardly. The Weasley twins' dungbombs had been potent; even Slytherin's ventilation couldn't dispel the odor. Before breakfast ended, Daina noticed no familiar Gryffindor faces—likely because Harry and the others had stayed up too late celebrating their first night.

Next came Charms. Daina skipped using the Marauder's Map to find the classroom, but deep inside, he held it close—"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Soon after the lesson began, Hermione caught up to him.

"What's that?"

He quickly folded away the map. "Just a Hogwarts map."

She narrowed her eyes. "How did you get it?"

He shrugged. "A senior from Azkaban gave it to me."

Hermione was skeptical—no surprise. Yet, Daina continued, "Miss Granger, better stay clear of me; others might shun you."

Her head lowered, eyes on her books. "I don't care."

Daina understood why. Hermione had probably already faced social rejection in her dormitory. He realized they were both forming a league of outcasts—but he no longer advised her away; perhaps she should stay.

In the empty Charms classroom, Hermione took a seat away from Daina—odd, yet Daina let it be. As the rest of the students filed in, Harry and the others arrived—thankfully close to the tower.

Today's lesson: the Lumos Charm.

"Everyone, wave your wands and say—lumos!" Professor Flitwick instructed, perched atop a stack of books for visibility.

"Lumos!" echoed the students, many producing just a faint spark. Ron Weasley looked enviously at Harry's candle-bright glow, then glanced at Daina, where the tip shimmered in constantly shifting colors. Ron's frustration turned visible, but before he could try again:

"Excellent Lumos Charm—amazing control! Mr. Emrys earns two points for Gryffindor!"

Flitwick's voice rang clear. He winked at Daina enthusiastically. Daina locked eyes with him, surprised. Could McGonagall's words be true? Were the professors here inclined to help him?

Chapter 22 ends.

For more chapters

patreon.com/Liamlivingstone