STARTS IN HOGWARTS

[ Volume I: "HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY YR. 1" ]

[ Chapter IV (4): "FORMER HEADMASTER: PHINEAS NIGELLUS BLACK" ]

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[ JUNE 17, 1989 ] [ WIZARDRY WORLD, HOGWARTS GROUNDS ]

Standing on his tiptoes, Felix could be seen smiling, hands behind his back as he looks at the wall of paintings filled with numerous individuals — all having been Headmaster or Headmistress of Hogwarts of some point.

All having served the prestigious thousand plus year old school for magical britain, with most having the means and capability to have their own magical portrait created, infused with part of their memories.

Thus creating a product that can preserve consciousness even through death, with the paintings not being able to grow past their initial stages of concept. Only ever learning, but never improving.

Yet the overwhelming knowledge, prestige, and insight these old witches and wizards proved to countless of Headmasters have made their position, not a joke, but instead something to be respected.

And to Felix who's only 19, a year fresh out of Hogwarts, standing in front of the portraits with different varieties made him slightly nervous, but also excited in having the opportunity to talk once again, to so many alchemical products imbedded with memories.

[ "Oh, it's you." ]

[ "What do you want?" ]

The Headmaster Black, the Slytherin graduate who have just gone to a party, somewhere else, socializing to other such paintings could be seen impatiently groaning to himself.

His voice rough, anger-filled eyes staring at the red-eyed, dark haired man who's looking up at him — at the man who's eyes practically shines bright in wanting to dissect him like a common lab rat.

And that is exactly the main goal of Felix, to dissect this thing one day, or at the very least one of them. Doesn't matter who it is, he just wants to dissect one for dissecting sake.

But, he wouldn't mind dissecting the old Headmaster Black's portrait if given the chance.

[ "We'll, first I wanted to steal your portrait and dissect it, before ultimately throwing the portrait with you in it to some dumpster nearby." ]

[ "But that sounded boring, so I came here instead for a job interview. The Alchemy position seems to be open from what I've heard." ]

[ "How dare you-!" ]

Fuming in the insolence of Gryffindor student under him, and from the blatant disrespect made Black's blood boil in anger — thankfully he is merely a memory contained in a painting, if not then he would have leaped out of it and strangled the insolent boy.

His memories flash back to the past, when he first met the boy. He was roaming the Hogwarts Castle, back from a death day party of one of his previous students.

As he walked past the paintings of sleeping figures, he heard chanting of spells coming from inside one of the abandoned classrooms of the 5th floor.

To clench the old man's confusion, he peeked inside the room, occupying an empty portrait which stands lonely inside the room. Looking inside the room he noticed charms of different colors flying from left to right.

[ "Sectomsep-!" ]

[ "No, no-no. That was not the charm." ]

[ "Where the hell is it?!" ]

Hearing the voice of the young wizard who chanted those spells made him open his mouth in awe. A child! Looking to be 11 years of age, who's already practicing magic beyond his years.

Firing spells in rapid succession?! The old Headmaster felt proud inside, the anger in seeing a kid break the rules quickly being swept by his pride in seeing a child practicing diligently.

[ "That is not how you do that, why are you swinging your arm so extensively!" ]

But the pride inside his heart overwhelmed him, and before he could notice it, he was already scolding the kid in basic stances, wand movement, and incantations.

At first the boy was curious, but in seeing a mad-man talk smack to him for no apparent reason, other than to talk smack. He talked back, before ultimately it became a debate.

[ "That sounds stupid." ]

[ "It is the proper wand movement as proven by Friendrezh Swann in his book; The 50 Wand Movement Techniques, 1631." ]

[ "Sounds made up." ]

Conflict in beliefs, and in proper wand training. This student dared to lecture him, the prestigious Lord of House Black, Professor, and eventual Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

His pride wouldn't let that slide, so in annoyance, rather than teaching the boy proper stances, wand movement, and other such knowledge that would surely help him in his studies.

[ "Guards!" ]

The old memory remnant much rather see the boy fall, and be punished due to his ignorance. So he screamed on top of his lungs, running to the nearest patrolling Professor at that time, which was the House Head for Ravenclaw, the short Flitwick.

Watching the arrogant young Gryffindor made him proud, him being a Slytherin graduate after all. But, in seeing the boy only getting points deduction and a month of detention, made him slightly hollow inside. Nonetheless punishment is punishment.

[ "I'll get you back for this!" ]

[ "That's enough Student Harp, please do pack your bags and come to my office tomorrow for detention." ]

Unbeknownst to the Headmaster at that time, he just earned a life-long hatred from one of the future most renowned Alchemists out there — which will be hell for him, but even before that he'll first suffer pranks with him none the wiser.

Felix remembered that experience very well. One of the reasons why he devoted himself to learning about Alchemy after all, is to get revenge, and know the inner workings behind those portraits. To one day dissect one, and hopefully it's the least liked Headmaster of Hogwarts.

But both to Felix, and the old Headmaster Black's surprise. Flitwick, the short heightened Professor of Charms was more on proud instead of disappointed, fascinated rather than mad, and happy rather than unhappy — in seeing one of his students learn advance knowledge even though he was but a child in first-year.

Onto that day, Felix learned magic under Flitwick for a whole month, and even after that whenever he needed help, causing him to develop a bond to the Professor of his. One that even developed to be his uncle-like figure in his life, especially when the boy needed it the most.

Ultimately the feud between Phineas Nigellus Black and Felix Harp was still there. The plan of the former backfiring caused him to fume more in anger, one that Felix quickly realized and made fun of any time he had the opportunity too.

Just like today.

[ "What?" ]

[ "Are you gonna yell?" ]

[ "Call the guards on me, so that Gryffindor wouldn't win the House Cup. Yeah?" ]

[ "Go on then, see if I don't burn you for being a nuisance." ]

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[ WRITTEN: 01/10/2025 ]

[ POSTED: 01/12/2025 ]