The morning air was crisp as the Hogwarts Express rumbled along the tracks, cutting through the countryside with a steady chug-chug that echoed through the hills. The train, as always, was filled with the excited chatter of students eager to return to Hogwarts for another year. Among the throngs of young witches and wizards, one student stood out.
Damian Prince—son of Severus and Lorelei—was barely thirteen, but already a striking figure. His black hair, gleaming as dark as a raven's wing, cascaded neatly around his face. His black eyes, piercing and intense, had a depth to them that seemed to capture everything he saw, a quiet, unspoken intelligence. Even at such a young age, he was impossibly handsome—chiseled features, an effortless confidence that he carried as though it were a second skin. He walked down the corridor of the train, the whispers of students falling away as they caught sight of him, their gazes lingering.
Damian had grown accustomed to the attention. As the son of Severus Prince, his surname alone made him a subject of both awe and envy. He knew people watched him, not because they were curious about who he was as an individual, but because of his family's reputation. But Damian wasn't here to impress anyone. He was here to get a fresh start at Hogwarts, just like any other student.
He found an empty compartment and slid the door open. But as soon as he stepped inside, he noticed two familiar faces: Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis, both seated across from each other.
Daphne, with her shimmering blonde hair and icy blue eyes, was one of the most beautiful girls at Hogwarts. She was poised, sharp-tongued, and had an air of effortless superiority that reminded many of her family's old pureblood pride. Next to her was Tracey, with her striking brown eyes and rich brown hair that framed her face in loose waves. While Tracey wasn't quite as well-known as Daphne, she was certainly no less stunning, and she held her own with a quiet confidence that made her both approachable and intriguing.
Damian had known both girls from his previous years at Hogwarts, but it wasn't until now that he felt he could actually talk to them without the usual airs of expectation. Both of them had, at one point or another, been the subjects of attention, much like Damian himself, but unlike the Gryffindor students who often treated him with awe and fear, Daphne and Tracey had always seemed indifferent. They didn't look at him as the son of a famous businessman—they looked at him as just another student, and that, Damian realized, was something of a relief.
"Is this seat taken?" Damian asked, his voice smooth but carrying a natural authority.
Daphne glanced up first, her lips curling into a slight but polite smile. "Not at all," she replied, with a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. "I didn't expect you to be on this train this year. You're a year younger than us."
Damian nodded as he sat down. "My father thought it best I start my education early," he said. "Being the son of Severus Prince means there's a lot of attention, so I thought it best to keep a low profile."
Tracey raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Well, you've certainly succeeded in that," she said with a sly grin. "The train car is practically silent now that you've entered. You always have that effect."
Damian chuckled lightly, clearly unfazed by the attention. He liked the fact that these girls weren't awed or intimidated by his family name. It allowed for something that felt genuine.
"I suppose that's true," he said, his eyes glinting with amusement. "But I'm sure there are more interesting things to talk about than my family name."
Daphne's blue eyes twinkled. "There are plenty of interesting things to talk about. The new Quidditch season, for instance. Everyone is talking about the Gryffindor team. They've been unbeatable for two years straight, but their captain graduated last year. We'll see if they can keep up the momentum."
"I'm betting Ravenclaw's going to give them a run for their money," Tracey added. "They've recruited some new talent, and I hear their new Chaser is nearly as good as the old Gryffindor captain."
Damian leaned back in his seat, considering their conversation. He didn't particularly care for Quidditch. He had always found it too chaotic, too loud. But he appreciated the excitement it brought to his peers.
"Who's the new Gryffindor captain anyway?" Damian asked, interested only because of the competitive nature it implied.
"Some boy named Theo Finnigan," Daphne answered, her voice dripping with slight disdain. "I hear he's a decent player, but he's not in the same league as James Potter or Harry Potter."
Tracey snorted. "No one's in the same league as them. But it'll be fun to watch the teams try."
The conversation continued to flow easily, with the three students chatting about Quidditch teams, House rivalries, and the recent international dueling competition. Damian was quietly impressed by how knowledgeable both girls were, especially Daphne. Her sharp mind and dry wit made for an engaging conversation, and even Tracey, with her more laid-back attitude, had a way of drawing out interesting insights.
"I heard the last International Dueling Tournament was a disaster," Tracey said with a smirk. "The French team was knocked out in the first round. Apparently, their champion was distracted by some potion that was slipped into his drink."
Daphne's lips curved into a small smile. "I wouldn't call it a disaster. The Austrian team was brilliant. But the French were certainly an embarrassment." She turned to Damian. "I suppose your father wouldn't have let something like that happen."
Damian shrugged, though his expression remained composed. "My father doesn't have time for international dueling tournaments," he said. "He's too busy building an empire. But I suppose there's a good chance I'll compete in one of those competitions when I'm older."
"Ah, you would be good at it," Daphne said, a touch of admiration in her voice. "The Prince family is known for their brilliance in potion-making and dark magic, after all. I can't imagine someone like you would have any trouble with the more advanced spells."
Damian's gaze flickered slightly, though he remained as calm and collected as always. "I've been trained in a variety of things," he said simply. "But dueling isn't a priority for me. My interests lie elsewhere."
"Such as?" Tracey leaned forward, clearly curious.
Damian thought for a moment, then smiled faintly. "I like to create things. Devices. Magic that improves the world."
Daphne raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like your father. I hear he's been developing some kind of enchanted technology for the Muggle world, right?"
Damian nodded. "That's right. It's not quite as glamorous as dark magic or potion-making, but it's more useful. People remember the things you create, the things that last. My father has built something that will be remembered for centuries."
Tracey was visibly impressed. "You've got your father's ambition, that's for sure."
"More than just ambition," Damian replied, his voice steady but filled with quiet conviction. "It's about vision. People can have all the ambition in the world, but without vision, it's meaningless."
Daphne's gaze sharpened. "And what's your vision, Damian?"
Damian didn't answer immediately. He thought for a moment, then looked out of the window, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the passing landscape.
"My vision," he said slowly, his voice almost a whisper, "is to change the world. To take magic and make it something more than it has ever been before. To bridge the gap between the wizarding world and the Muggle world. And to make sure that magic, real magic, is no longer confined to the old ways of thinking."
There was a brief silence in the compartment, the weight of Damian's words settling in the air. Daphne and Tracey exchanged glances, a look of awe crossing their faces.
"Well, that's ambitious," Tracey said, her voice tinged with admiration.
Daphne's smile was cool but approving. "You're not lacking in confidence, I'll give you that."
Damian met her gaze with a calm, almost enigmatic expression. "Confidence is only a small part of it. But yes... I'm confident that I can do what my father has started. I have the tools, the vision, and the will to make it happen."
The conversation shifted after that, moving to lighter topics, but for the rest of the train ride, the three girls couldn't help but keep glancing at Damian with a newfound sense of intrigue. They had always known he was the son of Severus Prince, but now, sitting across from him, they saw more than just the legacy of his family. They saw a young wizard who was already beginning to carve out his own future, one that would undoubtedly be as remarkable as his father's. And that, they knew, was something worth watching.