Although the UK is an island nation, summers can still be stiflingly hot. Even the magical Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry couldn't escape the oppressive heat.
The end-of-term exams fell in the hottest part of the year, and the young witches and wizards had to ditch their long robes, attending their practical exams in short-sleeved Muggle attire.
Professor Flitwick's Charms exam was relatively simple. He asked the students to tidy up a room full of scattered desks and chairs using the Levitation Charm. Nolan not only arranged the furniture but also used magic to boil water and brew a pot of tea for Flitwick. For a first-year student, this was no small feat. Impressed, Professor Flitwick generously awarded him full marks.
Professor Snape's Potions exam required students to brew a potion that could cure hair loss. True to form, Snape prowled the room, sneering and glaring icily, particularly at students who weren't in Slytherin. His presence unnerved many, causing a wave of errors that turned the hair-restoration potions into solutions for growing nose hair. Rumor had it that the day after the exam, the Weasley twins rigged Snape's toilet to explode while he was using it. Poor Snape supposedly ended up in the sewers.
As a bonus, the Weasley twins hung their spoils of war—a toilet seat—on the door to the Potions classroom and gleefully regaled anyone who would listen with tales of the "old bat" swimming in muck.
Snape hunted the Weasley twins for a week and gave them a merciless failing grade. As for Nolan… his potion caused drinkers to immediately sprout goat-like curly hair. While Snape was visibly displeased, he begrudgingly awarded Nolan full marks.
In Defense Against the Dark Arts, Grand Duchess Felicia had set up an obstacle course, complete with strange creatures popping out to attack the students. Nolan kicked three Siberian Fire Turkeys and punched a giant rabbit—which, aside from its ferocious roaring, was otherwise harmless—securing first place in the exam. Naturally, Felicia gleefully gave her younger brother full marks.
Transfiguration, of course, was Nolan's strongest subject. Professor McGonagall tasked the students with turning chairs into cradles for kittens. Nolan didn't just produce a decorative rattan cradle adorned with Persian chrysanthemums—he also included a comfortable cushion, a toy wand for kittens to play with, and a box of cat litter featuring a portrait of Miss Nancy on the packaging.
Professor McGonagall was utterly charmed by the furniture and awarded Nolan full marks without hesitation.
In fact, Nolan aced most of his subjects, including Astronomy and Herbology. However, he struggled with History of Magic, a subject he found entirely uninteresting. He couldn't remember the name of the first Minister of Magic who proposed the Pureblood Elf Ownership Prohibition Act, nor could he pinpoint the year of the first house-elf rebellion.
Why should he care about such things anyway?
When the results were announced, the Slytherins lamented that Nolan hadn't managed to score perfect marks in every subject. Still, despite this minor blemish, Nolan took first place overall in the first-year final exams.
It was then that everyone began to understand why the younger girls in the lower years referred to him as "the Little Prince of Slytherin."
Some even speculated that Nolan was destined to become a great wizard, as there were only a handful of first-year students in history who had ever achieved such high scores.
Perhaps Dumbledore was among the top students in his time as well—who could say?
With exams over and the holidays fast approaching, the students of Hogwarts began to relax. Freed from the shadow of endless revisions, they busied themselves with dates, games, and leisure. Even the Slytherins, with their composed airs, couldn't resist indulging in youthful merriment. After all, children are inherently drawn to joy.
Eve, however, didn't join in the festivities.
This year, she secured the eighth spot in the final rankings. It was an impressive achievement—after all, back in September, Eve had been an unremarkable Muggle. Yet now, she had outperformed many young witches and wizards from magical families.
Unfortunately, her academic success didn't earn her the respect of her Slytherin housemates. Eve's circle of friends still consisted of just Alicia and Nolan.
On this particular day, Eve was trudging through the courtyard, clutching a stack of thick notes and rubbing her tired, dark-ringed eyes. She was on her way to see Professor McGonagall, determined to resolve a few lingering questions before the holidays began.
As she passed by the lake, she glanced over absentmindedly—and froze in her tracks.
There was Nolan, standing near the water. Beside him was an older Slytherin girl, likely a second-year.
The older girl seemed to be trying hard to convey something to Nolan. She even handed him a small gift before fleeing, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Eve stared blankly at the scene, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
"She's pursuing Nolan," came a soft, girlish voice near her ear.
Startled, Eve turned to find Cho Chang standing beside her. Cho appeared to have been observing Nolan as well, and judging by her demeanor, she had been there longer than Eve.
Eve pursed her lips and lowered her head, mumbling, "How do you know that...?"
Cho gave her a sharp glance, clearly displeased by her reaction, and replied coolly, "It's obvious. Nolan took first place in the exams this year, and everyone admires him. Some even say he's destined to surpass Professor Dumbledore and become a truly great wizard. Among his peers, he's the best of the best—so of course everyone likes him. Girls want to date him."
"But isn't it too early for that?" Eve murmured, her voice tinged with discomfort.
Cho wrinkled her nose in irritation. "Too early, too early—if you wait too long to act, Nolan will have been snatched away before you know it. Love is a battlefield for girls. What sense is there in letting an enemy invade your territory without putting up a fight? Do you think your age is some kind of shield that will make the competition spare you?"
Cho's annoyance stemmed from her own perspective on the situation. To her, Nolan's aloof nature, combined with his brilliance, made him irresistibly cool to many girls. But she believed their blind adoration was shallow and lacked genuine affection. And she knew Nolan wasn't the type to engage with just any girl.
Even so, seeing anyone try to get close to Nolan made her uncomfortable—no matter who it was.
"Twelve this year... Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen... By fourth year, this war will be decided. Nolan is mine," Cho declared firmly, her voice low but unwavering.
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This happened on the day of the holiday departure.
At the morning feast, Dumbledore announced Slytherin as the winner of this year's House Cup. The Great Hall was adorned with silver snakes and green banners, and every Slytherin was basking in their glory. This year, they had truly excelled—not only did they gain the exceptional first-year student Nolan Von Draugr and secure the House Cup for the sixth consecutive year, but they also narrowly defeated Hufflepuff by ten points to claim the Quidditch Cup!
Snape was delighted—this was perhaps the happiest he had been all year. He displayed his twisted, shriveled smile to the professors of the other three houses, which naturally irritated them. Professor McGonagall's face was stiff with displeasure, and Professor Flitwick slumped onto the table in defeat.
The younger Slytherins were no less thrilled. They were eager, just like their unsporting Head of House, to flaunt their victory and unique talents to the other houses. Though, to be fair, sharing the joy of triumph with those who lost is every victor's prerogative. That said, this kind of behavior doesn't tend to win much favor, and unsurprisingly, Slytherin once again became the target of universal disdain.
Furthermore, the Quidditch Cup sparked a particularly heated conflict. Slytherin Quidditch Captain Marcus Flint and Gryffindor Captain Oliver Wood got into a fierce brawl. Wood accused the Slytherin team of biased refereeing and claimed their Beaters frequently used their bats to strike players rather than Bludgers. Marcus responded in his own way—by demonstrating that, like it or not, Gryffindor would just have to endure it. Naturally, their clash escalated into a full-on fight.
The duel was brutal, leaving both captains battered and bruised. According to Madam Pomfrey, the troublemakers might not even make it to the Hogwarts Express that afternoon. However, not a single student seemed inclined to pity them.
After the feast, Nolan finished packing his luggage and was gently stroking the white snake coiled around his wrist while chatting with Miles.
Each professor had assigned an overwhelming amount of homework, and Miles earnestly hoped Nolan would "collaborate" with him to tackle the assignments over the break.
"Actually," Nolan said quietly, "figuring out how to handle the homework is good for you, Miles. I don't care much for Hogwarts' rules—rules never constrain the truly clever. But I also don't want to see you blundering into second year like an idiot who knows absolutely nothing."
After being chastised by the top student, Miles wore a look of utter despair. He declared that he wouldn't speak to Nolan for the next month.
At that moment, Alicia appeared, glancing around nervously. She gave Miles a half-hearted greeting—likely because Miles had recently been pursuing her—before turning to Nolan.
"Have you seen Eve?" she asked.
"Eve's gone missing again?" Nolan raised an eyebrow in surprise. "We're supposed to head to the station soon. Why is she running off now?"
Alicia hesitated before answering. "Eve's upset. I don't think she really wants to go home."
"Is she okay?"
"She's not," Alicia said, her voice tinged with concern. After shooing the clingy Miles away, she confided, "I saw her crying over a letter last night. You should look after her more, Nolan. She's being ostracized by everyone—she's really lonely."
"Eve cries a lot. It's not that big a deal," Nolan replied, his tone indifferent.
Alicia frowned, displeased by his cold attitude. But what she didn't know was that, despite his words, Nolan spent the little time he had left before departure searching for Eve.
He eventually found her by the lake. The silver-haired girl was crouched down, her eyes red and puffy, looking listless and emotionally fragile.
Nolan stood quietly beside her for three or four minutes before finally deciding to dirty his robes and sit down. He handed her a handkerchief and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
"I don't know…" Eve whispered, her voice hoarse as she wiped her tears. "I don't know where to go. My parents are separated. I don't know if I should go back to my dad or my mom. What if neither of them wants me…?"
Nolan sighed. He had anticipated this but hadn't expected it to come so soon.
This was a family matter, something beyond his understanding or intervention. The truth of the situation was a mystery to him, and there was nothing he could do but let things unfold naturally.
What Eve was going through was something she would inevitably face sooner or later. Nolan couldn't save her from it.
"You can go to your mother," Nolan finally said.
"Then… we might not see each other again," Eve whispered, her tears falling again. She hurriedly wiped them away. Over the past year, Eve had grown from a girl who would cry at the slightest provocation into someone with a bit more strength. At the very least, she was no longer willing to let this boy see her tears so easily.
"Why not?"
"Attending Hogwarts… it costs a lot," she said softly. "My mom is a full-time housewife. She doesn't earn any money. This year might be my last year at Hogwarts. Today could be the very last day."
Nolan stayed silent, gently taking hold of her small hand. "I see."
"Nolan, I'm so grateful to you. Sometimes, I've regretted coming to Hogwarts. Here, I've been insulted, excluded, and bullied. But at the same time, I'm glad I came. I met Alicia, and I met you, Nolan. I've never once regretted knowing you."
Eve had never been a strong child, but her vulnerability today felt different. Nolan could already see the signs of her transformation. Only a child who had endured profound upheaval could grow up so quickly.
Using a tone of gentleness he hadn't shown in all his twelve years, Nolan said, "I feel the same, Eve. I recognize you as my friend."
Eve wiped away her tears, leaned in, and kissed Nolan on the cheek.
"Don't forget me," she said, as if this really was their last meeting.
"Eve!" Nolan called out, stopping her as she turned to leave. The little vampire's voice carried an unusual sincerity. "I said I recognize you as my friend. That means you can rely on me when you need to. If it's just money, you can't even begin to imagine the wealth I possess. Don't let pride get in your way. There are always things more important than pride—for both you and me."
Eve's eyes flickered.
In this world, Eve was the only wizard Nolan had ever acknowledged as a friend. This alone gave her a privilege that set her above the rest. Yet, she remained unaware of the extent of what this meant.
The holidays had begun. The students' luggage was automatically loaded onto the train, and each prefect sternly reminded them that magic was not allowed during the break. Soon, they were all aboard the Hogwarts Express, bound for London.
When Eve arrived at the station, it was indeed her mother who came to pick her up.
Her mother was a fragile-looking woman, one who seemed as though she could be blown away by a gust of wind. The two embraced tightly, crying in each other's arms.
As for Nolan, Miss Theresa arrived as usual in her beloved little car to fetch him.
"Your Highness, welcome back," she greeted.
Nolan accepted Miss Nancy, the black cat, from Theresa's arms and tickled her chin. "I'm back, Miss Theresa, Miss Nancy," he said softly.
Glancing out the window, his gaze followed the silver-haired mother and daughter. Their figures appeared desolate as they gradually disappeared into the distance. Without a car, it seemed they would have to rely on public transportation to get home.
Nolan sighed almost imperceptibly, then said in a quiet voice, "Let's go. This holiday… will be a busy one."
The first year had come to an end. The story of the Philosopher's Stone was about to begin.
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