Chapter Text
Erwin’s first year at Hogwarts had not been as eventful as he expected. Well, there were certain points that he never thought would happen, starting with the sorting ceremony. Erwin came from a line of very notable Ravenclaws, his father being a famous historian that followed the footsteps of the great Bathilda Bagshot. After the events of the return of Voldemort and the battle at Hogwarts, his father put the story into books, giving the truth to the entire magical world.
Since he was able, Erwin had read every book in sight, determined to be just like his father when he grew up. His father was the only thing he had left, he never knew his mother since she had died when he was only a baby. Her mother was a very beautiful woman and also a talented Ravenclaw, he could not remember much about her, but he had her journals, a series of diaries where she kept her thoughts, letters, and even songs she wrote during the time she was alive. Whenever he read them, he felt close to her.
Of course, he expected to be sorted into Ravenclaw as well, since he had dedicated his life into following his mother and father’s footsteps, so it came as a surprise when not even a second after the sorting hat was placed in his head it said:
“SLYTHERIN!”
And so his first year at Hogwarts started.
…
Potions class was his first class of the semester, Slytherins and Hufflepuffs were to spend an entire year sharing the classroom. Professor Slughorn thought it will be a good idea to start inter-house unity, so every student had to pair up with a student from the other house through the whole year. Erwin was assigned to seat next to a big Hufflepuff, not unlike himself, with blonde hair that covered his eyes, and who seemed to be taking a nap.
“Uhm, excuse me? My name is Erwin Smith, I’m supposed to be your partner?” The boy did not answer, instead he lifted his head a little, and to his surprise, he leaned over and… smelled him. He then smiled.
“Nice to meet you, Erwin, I’m Mike Zacharius.” He said still smirking.
“I’m confused, just, why did you smell me?” Erwin did not know if he should be offended or not.
“It’s a quirk of my, don’t worry much about it, I just know now we’ll get along just fine.”
And so they did. Their partnership didn’t just stay within the walls of the classroom. They had taken to spend their free time together, and study together in the library, since they couldn’t go to each other’s common rooms. They also developed skills at potions, which other students soon noticed, and Erwin came up with the idea of selling the assignments potions for a price.
“And then you wondered why you were sorted into Slytherin.” Mike said with a smirk. Erwin could now decipher Mike’s expressions even when he couldn’t see his eyes, and he knew he was teasing.
“I don’t see you complaining with all those extra sickles in your pocket. By the time we get to go to Hogsmeade, we’ll be able to buy Honeydukes all to ourselves.” Erwin had a serious glint on his eyes when he said this.
“Ah, now I know what your plan was all along.” And they laughed.
The year went like this, between practicing for quidditch to make the team, illegal potion brewing at the abandoned girls bathroom on the first floor, studying sessions in the library, and suddenly they were boarding the train to Platform 9 ¾ back home, both exchanging addresses and promising to buy owls so they could write during the summer.
…
By the time summer ended, Erwin was excited to get back to Hogwarts, so much he wasn’t paying much attention to where he has going while looking for Mike at platform 9 ¾ , and he collided with what seemingly appeared to be a small ball of rage.
“Watch where you are going, you big dumbass.” The boy, with a deeper voice than expected for such a small body said, and well, Erwin was instantly smitten. He had the darkest and softest looking hair he had ever seen, which contrasted nicely with his pale complexion, except for a little red in his cheeks. His entire face looked soft to the touch, from his adorable nose to his pouty lips that were forming a frown, and when Erwin got to his eyes, that’s when he knew he was lost for sure, because they were the most striking grey he had ever seen. He realized by now he was staring like a blushing idiot and tried to compose himself.
“Oi, are you deaf as well as blind or something?” By now Erwin thought the boy might not be capable of saying something that wasn’t rude.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t paying attention. My name is Erwin Smith. Are you a first year at Hogwarts?” Erwin asked, trying to get the boy to stay, he needed to get at least a name, no matter what.
“That isn’t any of your business, but yes, I was trying to find my friends until I bumped into a big idiot, that being you.” He said, still frowning, but Erwin thought he could see a bit of a mischievous spark on those silver eyes.
“Ha, I apologize again, would you like some help with your bags?” He offered, if only to stay more in his company.
“I don’t need any help, now move along, you big tree.” He could swear he saw a hint of a smirk, or it could be that he was just projecting.
“Well okay, it was nice to meet you, ehm, may I know your name?”
“You are awfully insistent did you know that? It’s Levi, now move along.”
…
Erwin found Mike waiting for him accompanied by a Gryffindor they met during their last year, a petite blonde named Nanaba, who, Erwin suspected, had a bit of a crush on the Hufflepuff who still remained oblivious.
“There you are, Erwin! I was looking for you everywhere at the station” Said Mike with a hint of curiosity, smelling the air around him like it would tell. “You smell weird.”
“I got delayed.” He said with a smile and went to hug both of his friends.
They proceeded to tell stories of what they did over the summer, and sooner than they expected they were back at Hogwarts. After Nana left to join the other Gryffindors and before Mike left, he asked Erwin.
“So spill, you are very perky today and you have a strange smell around you that I can’t quite figure out, it’s awfully sweet, like sugar, almost like-
“Love?” Erwin asked with a stupid smile on his face.
“Love?! Erwin, you do realize that we are twelve, right?” Mike looked really concerned, almost like he caught an illness.
“Ha, I’m sorry that was a strange thing to say. Let’s go, I don’t want to miss the sorting ceremony, there’s something I got my eye on.” He then ran leaving Mike to catch up.
“Erwin wait! That didn’t answer my question! Hey!! ERWIN WAIT FOR ME!
…
Levi was seated in the Gryffindor table, next to both of his childhood friends, Isabelle and Farlan. He was hoping they wouldn’t be separated by different houses, since they have been together all their lives, and they were his responsibility. He had no family except for his uncle (who didn’t exactly count) and these to who had given him the title of big brother.
“Big Bro! I’m so happy we got to stick together!” The over excited red-headed girl said, with a mouth full of turkey.
“Isabel, don’t talk with your mouth full, it’s disgusting.” Levi said.
“It’s true though, imagine if one of us was sorted into Slytherin.” The ash-blonde said. Farlan was the tallest of the trio, but somehow Levi earned the title of big brother.
To be honest, he was a little nervous about being sorted into Slytherin. The Ackerman family was one of the few Pure blooded lines that remained, said to come straight of the blood of Salazar Slytherin, and it had birthed many dark wizards, some who had allied themselves with Grindelwald during the first wizarding revolution. After the defeat of the first dark wizard, the Ackerman’s started attending Durmstrang instead of Hogwarts, where they had more allies and they would be more accepted.
Levi had learned all of this after he became an orphan. He lived in poverty during the first years of his life with his mother, who had decided to forsake the Ackerman line and use her magic for good, helping muggles in secret, in a village using her healing powers and her knowledge of potions. Still, Levi never knew he was a wizard until his mother was taken by a sickness she couldn’t cure, and then he was taken away by Kenny who said he was going to teach him the Ackerman way.
Needless to say, Levi only learned it half way, because although he learned to fight like an Ackerman, and was ready to start his magic training, he did not accept the dark arts, and he chose to go with Isabelle and Farlan, the children he met during his stay at the Ackerman State, to Hogwarts. Kenny wasn’t very keen on the idea at first, but Levi knew he wasn’t too close to the family’s traditions either, so in the end he gave him the freedom to follow his own way.
He expected this year to be a good one, that was of course, if a certain blonde idiot stayed out of his way.
…
Said blonde idiot was moping outside the great hall after the feast, with Mike and Nanaba.
“Come on, Erwin, can you tell us what’s the matter with you? First you are all happy, now you look like a hypogriff ate your kitty. What’s wrong?”
“Mike, could you be a little more oblivious?” Said Nana, exasperated.
“What?’
“Merlin, Mike! He was obviously expecting that cute little first year to be sorted into Slytherin, am I right Er?”
Erwin smiled bashfully and nodded. He didn’t know he was being that obvious in his staring. Levi had caught him a couple of times staring at him from the Slytherin table, and Nanaba seemed to have caught on. Levi on Gryffindor was sure to put a setback in his plan, but no matter, he was not going to give up that easily.
“What? I don’t get it? Why does it matter?”
“For Dumbledore’s sake, Mike, HE LIKES HIM!”
“Oh…” Mike looked surprised for maybe a second, then he smiled like everything made sense. “Well that’s alright I guess. How are you going to talk to him?”
“I already did. He has an interesting personality.” Erwin smiled fondly. Yes, he did have it bad.
“Ha! Don’t worry Erwin, I’ll keep an eye out for him, although I guess you already got a plan, am I right?”
“Well, I may have thought of something.” Erwin gave them the smile that meant he was up to something, and the two of them started prodding, as they both wanted in the blonde’s new scheme.
…