Chapter 2
Brian was busy scanning the dining hall for familiar faces when he finally spotted Professor Flitwick. Phew! He almost missed him; the dwarf-like professor was nearly camouflaged behind all the delicious food on the table.
Most of the teachers were recognizable to him, but a few of the minor characters from the original story were a bit fuzzy in his memory.
He couldn't quite recall their names; and anyway those background characters didn't matter much.
Shifting his focus, Brian began to take in his fellow Slytherins at the long table. It was clear that Slytherin was home to many young wizards from long-established pureblood families. They held tightly to their lineage's prestige and displayed the stiff manners one could expect from old nobility, which was evident in how they carried themselves.
Of course, it was a bit much to expect a bunch of eleven-year-olds to maintain those high standards all the time. Take Draco Malfoy, for instance. He was leaning awkwardly while chatting with two big guys who nodded along and chuckled at nothing in particular, looking a bit silly. Brian guessed they were Crabbe and Goyle, though telling them apart was a bit hussle in its own while they were stuffing their mouths with food.
Across from Malfoy sat a girl who wasn't exactly a beauty. She was tilting her head back, chatting excitedly with her friend and sneaking glances at Malfoy like a girl in love or brainwashed by her family to keep an eye on a certain someone. Brian caught her friend calling her Pansy.
He had always thought the original story was told from Harry's perspective, which might have exaggerated the characters he didn't like. But Pansy was indeed not the prettiest, though at her young age, she had a certain adorably awkward charm.
Then there was a blonde girl who caught Brian's eye. She had stunning blue eyes and a cute demeanor that reminded him of a certain movie of past. She was skillfully cutting her steak, nodding along with her friends, and there was a spark of pride in her eyes that was typical of Slytherins. She seemed a bit aloof but composed.
It looked like she noticed Brian looking her way. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and they exchanged smiles before turning away.
Before long, Brian stopped observing the hall. His head was pounding, and all he wanted was a good night's sleep.
Dinner dragged on, and Dumbledore stood up to share some important reminders, like the rules about the Forbidden Forest, not casting spells in the corridors during breaks, and, of course, the no-go zone on the right side of the fourth floor. Brian couldn't help but notice a mischievous twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes when he mentioned that last one.
After they sang the school song, the long sorting ceremony finally wrapped up. During the song, Brian just moved his lips; he felt like his head might explode at any moment if continued to hear the mixed up vocals.
When Dumbledore announced they could head back to the dorms, a little "ding" went off in Brian's head. He struggled to focus and noticed a line of text that seemed to pop into his mind:
[Witnessed the enrollment ceremony, witness points +1]
His tired brain didn't have the energy to figure it out right then. All he wanted was to rest; he felt like he could collapse any second.
The new Slytherin students followed their prefect, Emma Farley, out of the hall and down the marble staircase, eventually stopping in front of a blank stone wall in the dungeons.
Emma said the password: "Noble."
The hidden stone door slowly opened, revealing a cozy common room with green lights hanging from the ceiling. Outside the windows, the dark lake water shimmered with shadows, but the warm fireplace made the space feel inviting.
Brian didn't have the energy to take in his surroundings. He found his dormitory, flopped onto the four-poster bed labeled "Brian Walker," and quickly drifted off to sleep.
In his dreams, his head felt like it exploded, and a rush of chaotic memories flooded in, letting him experience eleven years of a boy's life from the inside.
The next morning, Brian woke up early, and his headache was gone. He looked in the mirror at a thin, pale boy with straight black hair that was a bit too long in the front, slightly covering his melancholic black eyes.
Pushing his hair aside, he saw a boy with a pale complexion, as if he'd never seen the sun, and beautiful black eyes that held a depth like a starry night, giving him an elegant yet wistful vibe, much like a medieval noble vampirical vibe.
He was quite the sight; while he wouldn't call himself handsome, he was definitely cute or pretty. Brian had inherited his father's black hair, black eyes, and pale skin, along with his mother's lovely features. His dad, Mr. Walker, often joked that Brian didn't inherit the family's signature hooked nose.
As one of the pure-blooded twenty-eight families, the Walkers lived in a grand estate in Hampshire, enjoying considerable wealth. Mr. Walker had a knack for business; like Mr. Malfoy, he was on the Hogwarts Board and used his connections to build relationships with many Ministry of Magic officials.
However, he wasn't interested in holding a position in the Ministry. Ever since a Walker family member was ousted during Grindelwald's reign, the family had been a bit hesitant about getting involved with the Ministry.
Humility and discretion were the family's mottos, passed down through generations. Mr. Walker often said no one understood self-preservation better than he did.
But not everything was perfect; like many pure-blood families, Mr. Walker was a blood purist, strongly advocating for pure-blood ideology. He had even been a Death Eater.
Brian had seen the Dark Mark on his father's arm, and the original Brian thought it was "cool." During the Dark Lord's reign, Mr. Walker quietly supported his cause, but he was careful to do so through wealth, connections, and magical items, keeping a low profile while maintaining good relations with others.
He even had a friendship with the Lestrange couple; whether for alliances or otherwise, he made Bellatrix Brian's godmother.
After the Dark Lord fell, Mr. Walker, like many Death Eaters, claimed he was under the Imperius Curse and denied any involvement with the Dark Lord. It was easier for him to escape scrutiny, especially since he was discreet and wealthy.
Mr. Walker never discussed his godmother, who was currently in Azkaban, with Brian. He only learned about it by overhearing conversations.
There was no doubt that investing in the Dark Lord's cause was a poor business decision for Mr. Walker. Thankfully, he was humble enough that the Walker family's reputation was slightly better than the Malfoys, though only just.
But Mr. Walker still seemed to support the Dark Lord; he often lamented the lost benefits of the Dark Lord's rule, when pure-blood nobles could exert their power over Muggles and capture those mudbloods who tarnished the wizarding world's purity.
Discovering that his father was a Death Eater was a tough pill to swallow for Brian. He sighed, feeling helpless; in his eyes, the wizarding world didn't need the Dark Lord.
If there had to be one, it could only be him. But Brian didn't really want that at moment; he thought it was the silliest idea to become the Dark Lord and stand against most people in the world.
As for his mother, Ms. Betty Walker, she was the youngest sister of the Pruitt family. Now, Mrs. Weasley, Molly Weasley, is her biological sister.
That made Ron Weasley his cousin, but it didn't mean much; honestly, all pure-blood wizard families had either distant or close family ties.
Mrs. Walker never socialized with Mrs. Weasley; she even forbade Brian from interacting with anyone from the Weasley family. When she mentioned Mrs. Weasley, her tone was laced with resentment.
Mrs. Walker was a meticulous woman, the complete opposite of Mrs. Weasley. She spoke softly and delicately, always maintaining her poise and grace. She loved attending and hosting banquets and balls, living a life of luxury like a noblewoman.
Influenced by his parents, Brian was a low-key and introverted boy who often hid his eyes behind his long hair, much to his mother's dismay. He spoke very little, often walking with his head down to avoid making eye contact. He was well-mannered, and elegant etiquette was ingrained in him.
Like most young wizards from pure-blood families, he believed firmly in pure-blood supremacy. He also inherited a bit of his mother's obsession with appearances.
At that moment, while still maintaining his original elegance and grace, Brian had also overcome some of the original's lack of confidence. He enjoyed lifting his hair from his eyes, revealing his black eyes that always seemed to carry a hint of melancholy yet remained calm and composed.