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Chapter Text

0. The Assassin

The silent reaper.
The greatest and the finest weapon of the royal family.
The master assassin.
The legendary mercenary.

The man of many titles was born an orphan, adopted to the secret team of assassins of the royal family of the great empire of Articia. Subject number #127 was his given title and was called One Twenty-Seven his whole life; not really a name but it differentiated him from the others, so it did its job. By 18, he was regarded as the greatest assassin on his team. By 21, he was feared by those who knew him and the public, albeit only as a legend, and was called the master assassin. At age 23, he became a mercenary, throwing away his past identity. His pathetic and unimpressive life ended when he was 25 when he was killed.

He learned to use a knife and gun before learning how to write his own name. He remembered the smell of blood before getting his own bar of soap. He learned what sound a human makes as he dies before learning the characters. That man was a born assassin, just made to do this job sent by the goddess herself. He operated like a fine-tuned machine and executed nearly impossible missions with perfection. And so, he was regarded with fear by the public and was used by the royal family, before he was accused by his subordinate and got expelled from the empire. He was thrown down to the deepest place on the planet where the devils resided, and he managed to crawl out from there when he was just 23 years old. He had seen hell and survived on its very surface, and upon his return, the first thing he did was to repay the debts to the royal family. After the mysterious mass murder of the royal family, the throne was handed over to the youngest brother of the murdered emperor, thus the direct line of the emperors was severed. Only a handful of the top officials who knew about the existence of a deadly assassin were suspicious, but they quickly disregarded their suspicions. Nobody can dare to come back from the pit, known to be abandoned by the goddess. Soon after, the man realized his talents only existed to kill, and chose to become a mercenary. After 2 years of running a mercenary, one of the best ones in history as the others told him with fear, he died.

So he died, and he was reincarnated into a loving wizard family household.

Funny thing, the deadliest and the finest killing machine of the great empire of Articia was born into such a peaceful and loving family. He remembered every single detail of the new world that surrounded him as soon as he was just born. People talking in a foreign language he did not recognize (and he learned to speak 5 different languages fluently back when he was a master assassin of the royal family) and these useless, chubby arms of his. He bit back curses, which came out as a hopeless whimper. Oh, goddess forbids.

Sure, it wasn’t like he despised this brand-new life that just got thrown into his face. The family he ended up being reincarnated into actually took good care of him and another baby, the twin he was born with. His mother was a beautiful and gentle-looking lady who would always look down at him with loving eyes and kissed his forehead, murmuring things he couldn’t understand yet. His father was also a good-looking man wearing glasses and stuff. Whatever the goddess has in her mind for him, he couldn’t do shit for fuck’s sake. Other than eat, sleep, and try to move the damn sloppy limbs were just about what he could do. But as the days passed by and he got used to this new family and environment, he changed his mind. Maybe, maybe he can settle into this peace. Something he has never experienced before, but something he can welcome.

And then, soon after he just learned to stand up while holding a bed frame and learned that his name sounded like ‘Benedict’, an intruder came into his house and killed his parents. His mom, Lily, tried her best to stop the son of a bitch but helplessly fell down to the floor, dead cold. He desperately wanted to jump at the intruder and snap his neck, but all he could do was glare at the man with a burning passion to kill. And of course, that didn’t really mean anything, a killing intent coming off from a toddler. And the intruder shot ominous-green light at his twin brother, Harry, and somehow the light got reflected and hit the intruder instead. The intruder let out a screeching scream and broke into pieces, which Benedict enjoyed the moment very much. He put his clumsy hand on top of his baby brother’s head, who was crying, and mumbled a few blasphemous words to the goddess, Look, it’s true that he has killed a few (or dozens, or more; he didn’t really count) of people in his past life. But he didn’t commit any murders in his new life, yet. Such a short time of peace and love.

Benedict slumped in his crib, and that was when the door of his room busted open again, revealing yet another unfamiliar figure.

Chapter Text

1. The Wizarding World

Benedict Potter remembered what magic looked like in his past life clearly.

Benedict took a good glance at every scene of the wizarding world he could land his gaze on. This part of the world resembled more of the empire; people wearing robes and hats that would look like cosplay in the outer world, with weird objects casually floating around them by magic. The empire of Articia was a nation that thrived in the advancement of both magic and technology, where the warriors wielded various types of weapons ranging from swords to firearms. Benedict’s past life mastered all the types of weapons that existed in the empire, except for the magical artifacts. His past life was completely deprived of any magic or magical talents, but that did not matter one bit. The assassin was capable of killing the most skilled wizards with a pen. Benedict didn’t expect the current wizarding world to have any knowledge about firearms or any type of combat skills… maybe the people relied on magic, perhaps? It’s just too simple.

As Benedict slowly took the scenery and the information into his head, Harry got closer to Benedict and whispered into his brother’s ears.

“I can’t believe- can you believe it, Benny? That our parents were wizards?”

“Well… there is nothing not to believe, right? Unless Hagrid was lying to us.” Benedict replied to Harry, gently ruffling his brother’s hair. It was great seeing Harry so happy. And no, Benedict did not think Hagrid was lying at all. The man’s body language and voice didn’t contrary any lies. Benedict didn’t think Hagrid is even capable of lying. Since Benedict already knew his parents were wizards, remembering everything he has seen since birth, it was not a surprise for him.

“I am more surprised that someone actually came to pick us up. Guess someone didn’t forget about our existence.” Benedict said with ease, avoiding people without even paying attention to them. Harry was used to seeing his brother acting like he had another set of eyes, who can easily walk through the heavy crowd while talking.

“Someone?”

“You know, the one who sent us to Dursley’s house. It can’t be Petunia who willingly accepted us into her house. There must have been someone who brought us there, and made her take us in.”

“Come to think of… you may be right. There is just no way aunt Petunia would take us in herself.”

Benedict had never spoken to Harry about this mysterious someone, but he knew who that guy is. After seeing that old man, wearing a very wizard-like robe, Benedict never forgot about the man and the night when he took the twins away from his parent’s house. Unfortunately, Benedict did not understand what the old man was saying since he was still unfamiliar with English, but nevertheless, he didn’t want to feed his brother with false hope. As he walked through Diagon alley, Benedict carefully gazed at Hagrid who didn’t seem to notice Benedict, thinking if the man came to pick the twins up following ‘Dumbledore’s order'. In any case, they would find out sooner or later.

Following Hagrid, the twins stopped by the bank where their parents left a bunch of money (called Galleons) piled up like a mountain. So the wizarding world didn’t have any credit card system, huh. So inconvenient. The twins took a handful of galleons from the bank. Benedict mentally checked to learn the wizarding world’s currency system later. For the next few hours, the twins visited countless shops, buying school supplies and textbooks. The boys also bought their own owls; Harry's owl was as white as a fresh snow while Benedict's was pitch black. Harry named his owl 'Hedwig' and Benedict, after a long time of deep thinking, named his 'Baron'. Seemed fitting to an owl with an attitude of a noble. The three of them took a look around pretty much every single store at Diagon Alley. Since Harry was practically wavering, trying to carry all the stuff, Benedict willingly took half of his brother’s stuff. Harry protested, but he knew Benedict’s strength that easily surpassed a regular adult. Benedict didn’t show a bit of concern while carrying a bunch of books and supplies on his shoulders.

The last stop of the day was the wands shop, which made Harry excited and Benedict interested. Magic was something Benedict could never get a hold of in his past life, perhaps things are different in current life. After all, his parents were both wizards. The shop owner was an old wizard named Ollivander, who welcomed the twins with great enthusiasm. He shook hands with Harry, eyes glistening with so much respect and awe. Benedict had seen people showing the same reactions as soon as they heard about Harry Potter, so he took a glance around the shop instead. Piles of square boxes were reaching the ceiling. How can this old man possibly find the wand that fits Harry and Benedict?

“And you must be the other Potter.”

After shaking Harry’s hand vigorously, Ollivender turned towards Benedict, looking at the boy with great curiosity. Not much was known about the twin brother of Harry Potter, the boy who defeated the Dark Lord. Harry’s twin was a mirror image of Harry (of course, since they were identical twins), but the boy’s eyes looked a lot more mature and sharper than Harry’s. Despite being the same age as Harry, Benedict Potter possessed an atmosphere that made it somewhat difficult to approach. Weird, Ollivender thought. Due to such an impression, Benedict looked completely different from Harry at the same time.

When Benedict nodded without a reply, the old wizard simply nodded back and got back to his work. For the twins of Potter family to buy their wands at his store, it would be such an honor. Ollivander first worked with Harry. After making Harry swish a dozen of wands, Ollivender finally found the right one. As soon as Harry grabbed the wand, he felt a warm feeling surrounding his whole body. And the match did not surprise Ollivender at all. It was a twin wand of the Dark Lord’s- such coincidence, yet destiny. Ollivander was now sure he could find a wand for Benedict Potter easily, knowing the traits of his twin.

“How many more do I have to try?”

However, after trying to find the right wand for Benedict for hours, Ollivender was out of options. Weird enough, Benedict could not only find the right wand but couldn’t inflict any reactions from any wands he tried so far. Simply nothing happened, unlike when Harry non-purposefully destroyed the shelf.

“Could it be… Oh, I am afraid- but, no, how can this be…?”

An old wizard was deep in his thoughts. Lily and James Potter were both excellent wizards; is it possible for their child to be magicless? While his twin brother indeed has magical talent? Ollivander sighed. Maybe Dumbledore has an answer.

“I guess we have to call it for the day. As for you, young Benedict Potter… after you get to Hogwarts, I recommend you consult your principal, Professor Dumbledore, and come back. I reckon you need a very special, customized wand. No worries, I am sure you are a wizard like your brother and parents.”

“Don’t worry, Benny. They will find your wand for sure.” As they stepped out of the shop, Harry hurriedly whispered to Benedict. Benedict could easily sense that his brother was feeling uncomfortable and worried. This made his heart warm up. Benedict didn’t mind not finding the fitting wand at all. Maybe this Dumbledore guy can figure something out, or maybe not. Not having any magic didn’t bother his past life, and it won’t matter this time, too-

Wait. But isn’t Hogwarts the wizarding school? How was he going to enroll if he didn’t have any magic power? Benedict quickly buried the sudden surge of concern and fear inside him and put up a soft smile on his face.

“I am not too worried, Harry. Actually, I am happy that you found the wand. How does it feel, going to study magic and all?”

“I- I don’t know yet. It’s kind of exciting though, isn’t it? Like, our parents were wizards! It’s amazing.”

“You are right… well, I hope they won’t starve us or make us do house chores at Hogwarts.” Harry hummed, agreeing with Benedict. He was glad his twin’s mood was not too disturbed by what happened at the wand shop. Harry felt bad for having a wand only for himself but quickly changed the thought. Benedict will get his own soon, for sure. He had shared everything with Harry, whether small or big, and Harry hated feeling like he owned something his twin didn’t. They always shared everything, even back in their aunt's house. When they only had each other to protect and take care of.

***
**

“Benedict Potter!”

Upon hearing his name being called out with such hatred, Benedict Potter, age 10, muttered a curse in Artician language and humped. It was Petunia practically screaming his name, calling him for goddess knows, another chore or something. For nearly 10 years, Benedict and Harry lived in the household of the Dursleys at the Prevett. And for nearly 10 years, the twins were abused physically and psychologically by their relatives who treated the twins like the biggest problem on the planet. The family would treat the twins like slaves, pressing chores and curses whenever they had the chance.

Benedict was the only one at the house at the moment. His poor brother must be outside in the playground with Dudley. For some reason, Dudley was terrified by Benedict, avoiding his cousin at any chance makign Harry his playmate. Harry had to suffer the consequences, which Benedict was deeply sorry for, but Dudley was… smart in this sense. The chubby kid knew how dangerous Benedict could be. It was probably because last year, when Benedict harbored the true intenton to harm (or kill, either way) someone for the first time since his reincarnation. It was when he found out his brother was bullied, had been bullied for a while, because of Dudley and his friends. After a long search, Benedict finally found his brother drenched and slumped next to a toilet with 4 kids laughing at him, and that was when the fine line of sanity broke. Benedict didn’t have the physique of a master assassin he once was, but he could easily subdue them all. He still had all the knowledge that didn’t require many physical skills. And whenDudley’s met Benedict's eyes, his almost yelped with shock and terror. Benedict clearly saw Dudley shaking and lost at words as he slowly approached to now silent kids, and was about to lunge at Dudley’s neck when suddenly, Harry grabbed his shirt. Despite looking exhausted, Harry’s green eyes were bright with determination. He shook his head weakly without a word which practically broke Benedict’s remaining heart. That saved Dudley and his gang’s life that day.

Harry had his own temper, yes, but he had a kind spirit. He was considerate, royal, and brave enough to stop his brother from commiting something, whatever Benedict had in his mind. Ever since the incident, Dudley wisely kept his distance from Benedict. Dudley knew that Harry was not a submissive kind of person, but Benedict was a total different case. Although looking exactly like his twin, Benedict’s face was cold and distant, except towards Harry. Unlike Harry, Benedict did not wear glasses, and his bright green eyes were filled with coldness and malice that made people either nervous or uncomfortable. He rarely showed expression openly and had eyes that were unlike that of other kids.
Benedict bit back another curse at the calling of his name from Petunia again. It was not a problem for Benedict to wipe out entire Dursley family… If it wasn’t for the sake of security of Harry, Benedict would have set up the plan already. While thinking of a hundred assassination scenarios in mind, Benedict took a deep sigh. As a teenager, he couldn’t afford to become a criminal. He had a person to protect, unlike in his past life, and the Dursleys were his relatives, so to speak. Maybe they don’t deserve to ‘die’, maybe suffer a little, but not deaths.

Thinking of his parents, who were so young and loving, Benedict moved towards his aunt's voice. Whatever that green light that killed his mother was, it most definitely looked like magic. However, he had not heard or seen anyone use magic since coming to Dursley’s household. He vaguely remembered a motorbike or something that took him and Harry to the house, but did the magic truly exist in this world?

***
**

- Benedict has once thought like this, couple weeks ago, before meeting Hagrid. Hagrid proved all of Benedict's doubts to be true and escorted the twins out from Dursley's. Ever since that day, after finding out they belonged to a family of wizards, everything felt unreal. Even more so since they received invitation to Hogwarts. Benedict decided not to think too much about the wand, however. Surely, things will be different this time.

Chapter Text

2. The Train

Benedict Potter was skeptical about schools.

Sure, he had learned and got trained plenty of times in his past life, mastering the skills of assassination and murder. He had learned 5 foreign languages, ways of disguise, how to start communicating with strangers, and how to act and behave with manners- countless skills that made him into the deadliest killing machine of the empire. In his current life, Benedict attended schools, to abide by the law. And the whole experience was just miserable and disappointing.

Benedict regarded what he learned in his past life as practical, to say the least. He only learned the skills that made him into an assassin and the training sessions were brutal, but those skills were something he could actually use in the real world. What he learned in schools at the Dursley's, though? Benedict and Harry received pitiful and cold treatments from the so-called ‘teachers’ and got bullied constantly. The only reason behind these was that the twins were orphans, which made Benedict scoff. Everyone will become an orphan sooner or later; what was so weird about it? Despite consistent bullying and harsh treatment, Benedict tried to learn whatever they teach at the school as much as he can. To survive, knowledge was the power, especially when Benedict was a malnourished 10 years old boy. He tried to train himself secretly, but the effort was nothing compared to what he trained in his past life. To compensate for the lack of training, Benedict had to fill up his head with as much knowledge as he could, to make sure Harry would survive. To make sure his only family grows up, reaches adulthood, and- and maybe make his own family. Like how the fairytales end. And Benedict was determined to do the same at this brand-new school for wizards and witches, Hogwarts. But he didn’t expect to be holding a train ticket writing as [9 and 3/4 station] with a cart full of luggage.

“Surely Hagrid didn’t mean 9 and 3/4 platform.”

“I mean… we are going to the wizard school. They must have a separate, secret way of getting people to the train.” Benedict replied, wearing the same face of confusion as Harry.

That was when the twins spotted a group of people hustling around with carts, seemingly a family since they all shared the same shade of hair. The old woman, who obviously seemed like a mother, was urging her children to hurry. To Benedict’s curious eyes, an older boy wheeled his cart towards the brick wall and disappeared into the wall. Harry gasped with surprise.

“Benny, did you- did you see that?”

“Yes.”

“He just-“

“I guess that is our platform.” Benedict’s voice was a lot calmer than his twin’s, only because he was good at hiding his emotions. Harry’s eyes sparked with curiosity and excitement, and he started to pull Benedict’s arm towards the woman. Benedict followed his brother like a shopping bag.

“Excuse us, ma’am. Can you show us how-“

“Oh, of course, dears! You guys must be new students!” Harry and Benedict nodded. She was a kind lady. The lady’s eyes were kind as she regarded the twins with a smile.

“It is not difficult once you try it. You just have to push the cart into the wall as hard as you can, and you will be at the platform!”

It sure looked like an interesting entrance to Benedict, although he was curious how other pedestrians seemed oblivious of what was going on. No one seemed to give a glance at the kids slamming into a brick wall.

“You boys are twins, right?” At the lady’s kind voice, Benedict focused on her and firmly nodded.

“How great that you boys have each other to rely upon. I have twin boys myself in Hogwarts, and they simply cannot live without each other! Here, one of my boys is also a new student.” She pulled a small boy with red hair next to her, giving him a light nudge. The boy looked somewhat nervous as his mother told him to show an example. Next was the lady and her daughter who were looking at Harry with great curiosity.

“All right, just run straight to the wall. I can do this.”

“Don’t worry, brother. You have nothing to lose except embarrassing yourself if things go wrong.” Harry pouted at his brother who was grinning. Without a reply, Harry ran into the wall and disappeared. With a shrug, Benedict followed and after a short moment of darkness, he was standing in front of a magnificent train with a plate [HOGWARTS] at the front. The platform was full of people- families and students- and luggage.

“Benny! Isn’t this amazing?”

“It’s pretty cool, yeah.” Benedict frankly admitted, in awe of the sight. The lady who helped them looked at the boys with so much affection, as if they were her own. Benedict hasn’t encountered such open affection before. Feeling a bit awkward, he averted his eyes.

“Now, get into the train. Ron, you too. I wish you boys have a great first year at Hogwarts!” The lady gave a quick kiss to her son’s forehead and ran towards the other kids. The three of them managed to break through the crowd and stepped into the train. They grabbed an empty cabin and slumped on the seat. Across from the twins, the boy sighed.

“My mom can’t leave anyone who needs help alone.”

“We truly appreciate her help. Oh, we forgot to say our gratitude to her.” Harry spoke up, which made the boy grin.

“Nah, it’s all right. She was busy anyways.”

The train started to move forward, and the twins looked outside the window. Everything felt surreal for Benedict. A train to a magic school.

“My name is Ronald Weasley, by the way. Call me Ron.” The boy, Ron, spoke and exchanged shakes with Harry and Benedict.

“I am Harry Potter.”

“Benedict Potter.”

“What?” Ron’s eyes widened upon hearing the twins’ names. People of the wizarding world seemed to show similar reactions to the name of the twins, for sure. Harry grinned sheepishly and Benedict only crossed his legs.

“You are- you are Harry Potter? ‘That’ Harry Potter? With the-“ Ron stumbled on his own words as he pointed his forehead. Harry only nodded and showed his lightning scar, which impressed Ron greatly.

“I can’t believe I am talking to the famous Harry Potter! And we are going to be in the same grade!”

“It’s really not that- I mean, I am just a kid. Nothing special.” Harry responded. Benedict was always fond of his brother’s modesty. He just couldn’t stand being in the center of attention and Benedict well understood this. Benedict himself did not enjoy that either. Blending in was the key to being a master assassin after all. Ron was oblivious of Harry’s expression and jumped to a question.

“Do you, then, remember what happened that day? When you got your scar, I mean.”

“If you mean by the day our parents died, no, because we were only toddlers,” Benedict spoke with a solemn voice instead of Harry. A question that a child can ask but should not be answered so lightly. Harry had once told Benedict how he only remembers a bright green light (which killed their mother) and a scream of a woman. Benedict was glad that his brother remembered fragments of the day, not the whole scene as he did. Harry didn’t have to live his life with pictures of their mother dying, trying so hard to protect her children.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to- I am sorry. I didn’t mean to be so disrespectful. It must be something hard to tell to a person who just met, and I was too excited to meet-“ Ron’s face was bright red with embarrassment. Benedict didn’t have any hard feelings toward the boy. He was just a child. No need to put up a guard. Besides, Ron's mother has shown the twins her kindness.

“It’s okay. Just don’t share the story with the others.” Harry quickly answered and recounted his memory of the day. After listening to his story, Ron seemed to get more embarrassed for asking a such sensitive question. Lucky for him, the cart full of sweets and snacks soon pulled in, turning the boys’ attention immediately. Harry and Benedict paid a generous amount of galleons to buy everything in the cart and started to jump in. Ron jumped in too, helping the boys sort out wizardry snacks. Benedict has always been a sweet tooth, so his mood started to brighten up. He asked about each snack that had weird and fun properties like moving and making sounds to Ron, and Ron always had the answer.

Not only the sweets, but the boys’ cabin also greeted some new faces. There was a chubby boy who came in looking for his toad, and a girl with curly hair who was helping the boy look for the toad. Her cheeks were rosy as she poured words after words, and even demonstrated a magic spell. Their names were Neville and Hermione. The girl was very clever, no doubt, as she recounted what was written in the book about the famous Harry Potter. Benedict regarded the girl with fair interest, while Ron and Harry didn’t welcome her presence.

Then there was a Malfoy boy, with a cold and bragging face and manners of the nobility. Benedict did not know that the wizarding world had some sort of class system. Later he found out from Ron, that there are famous houses in this world that have a major influence. As Malfoy demanded friendship and defamed Ron’s family, Harry turned down the invitation, of course. Benedict knew his brother and how he would not kneel before the power. Malfoy grumbled and turned towards Benedict, the other Potter. Compared to his twin, not much was known about Benedict Potter. He did not defeat the Dark Lord as his brother did. He was just there at the scene, that was all. However, as soon as Malfoy met Benedict’s green eyes, he realized that something was fundamentally different with this Potter. His cold gaze was nothing like Harry Potter’s fervent eyes that were burning with emotion, but as still as ice. It matched his own father, Lucius Malfoy’s calculating eyes so much that fit him perfectly with the nobility.

“How about you, Benedict Potter? Turning down my generous hands as your foolish twin did?”

“I have no intention of befriending anyone that I barely know, Draco Malfoy. The same goes for you. We know nothing about each other, so how about we come back to this conversation a little later?”

Malfoy found himself somewhat pleased with Benedict’s answer. He liked how Benedict was cautious and calm, providing an acceptable answer for a person who barely knows anything about the wizarding world and the importance of the Malfoy family. Draco Malfoy approached the twins for their famous last name of ‘Potter’, and he wouldn’t have paid attention to them otherwise. Until he decides the worth of the person, at least.

“Hmm, you look like someone I can actually talk to. Unlike your brother.” Malfoy smirked as Benedict crooked his neck. He kept his poker face as he registered all of Malfoy’s and his subordinates’ facial expressions and body language.

“I should tell you that I fully trust my brother. I hope to find something different from you that we can continue to talk, Draco Malfoy.”

So prove yourself worthy to be acquainted. Malfoy almost heard Benedict’s unspoken words. This Potter would make a great Slytherin. Malfoy’s smile deepened and he left the cabin.

“You don’t intend to be the Slytherin, aren’t you, Benedict?” As soon as Malfoy and his gang left, Ron hurriedly asked Benedict. His new friend looked oblivious, so Ron quickly gave the twins a lecture on Hogwarts’s 4 houses and why-you-should-avoid-Slytherin.

“Woah, so Voldemort was Slytherin?” Now this was interesting information. Benedict opened his eyes wide in surprise as Ron paled at the name.

“No- you should never, EVER speak you-know-who’s name like that! Unless you want to give someone a heart attack!” Oh, right. Benedict almost forgot about the wizarding world’s strange fear against the son of bitch’s name. But Lord Voldemort was a funny name in his opinion, like a game character. He mumbled a quick apology to the boy.

“Then no thanks. I am not going to the same house as Vol- I mean, the dude went to. Hell no.”

“Me neither. Especially when that Malfoy said he was going to Slytherin.” Harry nodded next to his brother. He was still baffled how Benedict seemed to talk with Draco Malfoy normally. He was so furious at how Malfoy defamed Ron’s family and bragged about himself, treating Harry like a subordinate. Benedict didn’t show any emotion in that sense, but Harry knew how calm his brother is, like still water. And he knew how Benedict hides his feelings and intention so discreetly underneath the water, too. Benedict always had a particular side of his personality that made Harry hard to understand- but nonetheless, Harry had 100% trust in his brother. If he says so, then it is right. Maybe Benedict saw something different in Malfoy.

“Besides, I am going to wherever Harry goes to.” Benedict’s voice woke Harry up from his thoughts. Instantly, Harry’s chest warmed up with fondness. He also wasn’t going to a different house than his twin.

“Well, it’s good that you guys are not set to go to Slytherin. I hope to go to Gryffindor- that’s where all my brothers went to.” Ron sighed with relief, causing Benedict to take an interest in the boy again. Kids these ages were so easy to befriend each other.

The boys continued to chat about the houses, and rumors about Hogwarts and the principal, Dumbledore until they arrived at the destination. They landed down on the platform and met Hagrid who led the nervous new students to the boats. From far ahead, Benedict could see the grand castle lit up with lights, across the lake. It surely looked like one of the castles in the books of fairytales he read in this world. It also reminded him of the castles in the empire, although the royal castle was a lot bigger and higher. Overall, the castle was surrounded by a mysterious and ominous atmosphere. Just like a magic school.

As soon as the students arrived at the bottom of the castle, Hagrid pulled Benedict aside. Assuring Harry and Ron that Benedict will join them later, he led the boy to the principal’s office. It was Dumbledore’s special request, Hagrid said, causing Benedict to get fairly suspicious. There had to be a reason the principal, and the best wizard to exist currently asking to meet Benedict alone. Hagrid stared at the quiet boy who looked mildly concerned. Of course, the boy would be concerned; being called by the principal on the first day is not a fun business. Putting the worries behind, Hagrid said the password in front of the principal’s office and urged the boy to go inside. Quickly nodding to Hagrid to show gratitude, Benedict stepped into the rotating staircase.

Chapter Text

3. Albus Dumbledore

Benedict Potter had killed more wizards than he can count in his past life.

Those were nothing personal since he worked on the orders sent by the royal family only. Wizards were difficult to deal with but better than the battle seasoned warriors at least. The assassin was fully capable of moving faster than the wizards before they can cast any spell. He was even capable of disabling any protection spells the wizards cast beforehand. The assassin’s body was magically morphed to wield superhuman strength as well as senses, and so, he could easily destroy the spell with his own power. To the assassin who was also trained to endure most types of poison, wizards had very few upper hands against him.

When Benedict faced the legendary Dumbledore, instantly he knew not to underestimate the old wizard.

Despite his body looking fragile due to his age, Dumbledore had brilliant blue eyes that Benedict could not fathom what the man was thinking. The old wizard standing face to face after so many years since their first encounter, put up a warm smile on his lips as he greeted Benedict.

“Welcome, Mr. Potter.”

“Please, just call me Benedict.” Benedict replied shortly as he sat on the chair across the table.

Dumbledore wordlessly smiled and nodded. His blue eyes were still glistening, somehow. Benedict suspected it is maybe because he is the twin of Harry Potter, the boy who lived. The old wizard put his hands on top of the table, full of letters and scrolls.

“You must be wondering why I called you alone, don’t you?”

“To be honest, yes, sir.” Benedict’s eyes were indifferent, unlike those bright and lively eyes of Harry. Somehow the boy looked like a man who had lived a tough life, already seen and experienced plenty of hardships. It intrigued Dumbledore greatly. Benedict lived with Harry since birth, in the same nasty relative’s household. Yet the twins had a completely different set of eyes. However, it was not a reason why Dumbledore called to see Benedict.

“To answer your question, dear boy. I have been waiting to meet you and Harry in person. You would not remember, but I have seen the both of you when you were toddlers.” This part, Benedict still remembered clearly so he quietly nodded. Dumbledore was that man who sent Harry and Benedict to the Dursleys, a decade ago.

“And when I first saw you today, I wanted to talk to you in private to discuss a very important matter. So please allow me to ask you.” The old wizard smiled and continued.

“Who are you, exactly?”

Thanks to the past training, Benedict was able to not show his emotions openly. Instead, he took a hot, steaming cup of tea and took a sip. As Benedict put down his cup, he quickly took a glance at the letter knife. It was beautifully decorated and had a sharp edge. Well taken care of.

“I don’t understand what you mean, sir. Would you please elaborate? I would really appreciate some more context, too.” Benedict Potter’s voice was unwavering and calm, but his green eyes were now looking dangerously sharp. This only made Dumbledore grow more suspicious, but he decided that the boy deserved an explanation. His question was indeed too simple.

“I have to start by saying that I am an old wizard, Benedict, as you can see. Old, and quite experienced, too. Over the years, I have perfected my magic in both skills and knowledge, one of them being the master of Legilimens. This means I can read people’s minds and memories, without making them realize that they are being read.”

So that was why… the old wizard’s eyes were suspiciously bright, and that was not only because he was curious about Benedict. And when a skilled wizard like Dumbledore say things about Benedict, about his deepest secret, it was a completely different problem. Benedict thought for a second and decided on his action. He was confident that he can disarm the old wizard in a blink of an eye, but there was no need to be reckless. But then, Benedict couldn’t let Dumbledore figure out his secrets so easily, the ones that he didn’t even disclose to Harry.

“But we only just met today.”

“Oh, for you, yes. For me, today is not our first meeting like I said before.” The wizard must mean the day when he took the twin away. It still baffled Benedict, however. Noticing his curiosity, Dumbledore continued.

“See, I am the one who brought you and Harry to your muggle relative’s house, a long time ago. I am what the wizards call a legilimens, who can perform a very unique type of magic. Legilimency is an art of reading multiple layers of the human mind that allows me access to memories and thoughts. And sometimes Legilimens come in so naturally even for the performer. Usually, I wouldn’t be able to read the baby’s mind well as the baby does not fully comprehend the world yet nor possess any ability to do so. However, I have seen very clear and interesting memories from you when I sent you to your relative's house.”

Benedict wanted to roll his eyes. Seriously. Of course he was different from other babies since he had full memory of his past life. And that time, he was burning with grudge and anger at the death of his parents. That means Dumbledore must have caught glimpse of his thoughts of killing and- Oh, Goddess. Why must you hate me still, in this different world? What’s been done cannot be changed. Benedict quickly recollected his mind and made sure he does not look into Dumbledore’s eyes. Mind-reading was cheating, really. He was left with no choice but to elaborate on the situation, and so he carefully chose his words.

“To answer your question, I am Benedict Potter. Now, at least.” Benedict decided to play for a little bit and then decide on his next move of action. As Benedict slowly spoke his words, Dumbledore simply raised his eyebrows and urged the boy to continue.

“That sounds like you used to be someone else before.”

“You guessed it right. Well, isn’t that what you read in my mind?

“Hmm… let me just tell you that your mind is particularly difficult to read, young boy. Very rare for 10 years old to be able to conceal their minds so well. That and what your mind had when you were only a toddler were some very… gruesome scenes, to say. It definitely sparked my curiosity.” Dumbledore carefully picked his words which actually made Benedict roll his eyes. Judging from the wizard’s body language, he seemed to be honest in what he was saying. Dumbledore could be only revealing a part of what he saw, but Benedict wouldn’t know until he interrogates him. Oh, yes. Benedict knew a dozen of useful interrogation skills, too. But first things first. He had to be more careful around the skilled wizards.

“Let’s just say I remember my past life. What you saw was the glimpse of that life.”

Dumbledore's eyes widened with surprise. It certainly wasn't the answer he expected. Taking a little joy in watching the old wizard's face, Benedict crooked his head.

“Merlin’s beard, how interesting. What did you do in your past life?”

“I won’t give you the details that even Harry doesn’t know. What I can assure you is, that I have lived my life which was dangerous and bloody. And then I died and was reincarnated.”

“I understand your devotion to your brother, Benedict. I will honor your wish. However, I need for you to confirm one thing- were you a criminal in your past life?” Dumbledore’s voice got a bit softer.

“Well, I was an assassin. A very skilled one. I guess that is considered criminal now? But I wasn’t treated like one.”

“An assassin…” Dumbledore stroked his beard. That explains the unsettling feelings he was getting from the young boy. The boy must also remember the times he killed people, and the bloody battles he went through. A long time ago, after catching some concerning emotion and image from a toddler, Dumbledore had debated on keeping the twin together. However, he couldn’t let the twin get separated after losing their parents. He also thought what he saw was probably due to what the boy witnessed, a trauma. Turns out, Dumbledore totally misjudged. He was just glad Benedict had grown to love his twin brother.

“And remembering the past- would that mean, you still remember what you have been taught to become an assassin?”

As soon as Dumbledore finished his words, Benedict’s body moved faster than Dumbledore could comprehend. In a blink of an eye, Dumbledore found himself staring at Benedict’s indifferent eyes, which were right in front of him. And Dumbledore noticed a cool surface of a letter knife pressing down on the side of his neck, right above the artery. It all happened so fast, and Benedict moved with so much speed and accuracy that made Dumbledore gulp down his nervousness.

“I thought demonstrating is better than talking.” Benedict’s voice was nonchalant. He took the knife away, twirling it between the fingers skillfully. He put down the letter knife and sat back in his chair. Dumbledore coughed his dry throat and smiled. There was no way any wizard or witch can cast a spell before Benedict cut his or her throat if they have no idea of Benedict’s capabilities. His aim was deadly accurate, Dumbledore was sure. For the boy to not only remember the past but also maintain the skills from the past, too. This could be a great asset as well as a threat. Depending on which side Benedict decides to take. And Dumbledore was certain which side Benedict is on. Even the reincarnation of an assassin allowed a part of his heart to a family.

“I think the demonstration is enough, my dear boy. But I want you to promise that you won’t display your ‘skills’ to the students or the professors.” At Dumbledore’s request, Benedict muttered a comply with a shrug. He had restrained himself from making a move to the Dursley's; he was fairly sure he can do the same at Hogwarts. As long as people leave him and Harry alone.

“I will trust your word on this matter, then. Now, moving on to the next discussion- I got a letter from Mr. Ollivender about your wand.” Oh, right. The wand. Benedict nodded.

“I would like to first test if you have any magical talent or not, just to be sure. Here, place your hand on top of the crystal. It will react if you have magical talent.”

Well, it looked a lot simpler than trying out the wands for hours. When Benedict placed his hand on top of the cold crystal, he didn’t feel a thing. No warm sensations or lights. Nothing. Dumbledore’s face darkened with concern.

“How rare it is, for you to be born in the Potter house, with both parents being talented wizards and a twin brother with a magical talent, to not have a magic…” Dumbledore murmured and tapped his finger on the table. The fact that Benedict Potter is a squib just added another complication to the whole situation. Dumbledore had to protect Harry, who is most definitely the key to defeating Voldemort for good, and Benedict had to be part of the whole scheme. But how can a boy with no magical talent contribute to this?

“You don’t need to look so serious, professor. I am used to not having any magic.” Benedict’s calm voice brought Dumbledore back to reality. Much to his relief, the boy didn’t show any remorse or disappointment. There was just a silent determination in his green eyes.

“Not having a magical talent never hindered me. It won’t bother me in this life either. But we need to figure something out so that I can be a student here since I have no intention to leave my brother alone.”

Now, with Dumbledore being one of the greatest wizards in history, he had a few tricks that most of the wizarding world didn’t even know. Dumbledore’s eyes started to sparkle as he searched through his brain, forming ideas and strategies. He started to hum, deep in his thought, and Benedict decided to just let him think through. Dumbledore was the only person that could help Benedict out for now.

“I will have to explain to the professors about your situation. They won’t be informed that you are a squib, but rather as someone who has difficulty with controlling magical power.” After a couple of minutes, Dumbledore started to speak slowly. Benedict’s eyes darkened, but he nodded solemnly. After all, he was in a school where he will constantly be asked to demonstrate magical skills.

“Don’t worry, I can ask the professors to refrain from asking you to demonstrate the spells in class and exams. For the magic, that’s trickier. However, I can get you a wand, specially designed to store the spells. Even a muggle can wield the wand and cast magic with this item.”

“A wand can do that?” Benedict asked with his eyes wide with surprise, and Dumbledore nodded.

“It can store only up to 5 spells a day. Every midnight, you need to renew the spells. It’s quite simple to do so; since you only need to touch the tip of the wand on top of the spell that is written out on the paper. And before you ask, this wand is one of my… experiments. You can’t buy this anywhere, so you will need to keep it away from breaking.”

Interesting, Benedict thought. He didn’t know how many spells an average magic school student uses a day or what kind of spells are used, but it could definitely come in as handy.

“You will need to be extremely careful as you use the wand, though, since you can only use up to 5. In the classes, I will ask the professors to not ask you to display the spell as much as they can. With this wand, I am confident you can pull off as a real wizard, not a squib.” Dumbledore concluded, feeling better than before. He had created the wand a very, very long time ago that he practically forgot about his project- who knew this would be used like this. Benedict found himself relaxing more, too, but he knew the wand was not enough. Not enough to protect his brother if anything were to happen. And unfortunately, he was sure something is going to happen for sure- Harry defeated the Dark Lord and his followers are still alive. Benedict wanted to be prepared for any kind of situation and he was determined not to take any risks.

“That would be great, professor. But I want to ask for one more thing.” As Benedict spoke, Dumbledore nodded, urging the boy to continue.

“The wand is great news, but I am not talented or experienced in magic. I need something that I am confident about.”

“You mean-“

“I need to be equipped. I am not bad with hand-to-hand combat, but weapons are far more effective. Knives, swords, guns, anything.”

Dumbledore thought for a while at Benedict’s request. The boy had a point; it would be dangerous for him to live among the wizards with a wand that can only be used 5 times a day. Even the skilled assassin he is, Benedict was still a 10 years old boy. However, Dumbledore couldn’t let Benedict walk around possessing weapons of the Muggles in the school either. If so, all he had to do was to conceal the items until Benedict needs them. Dumbledore stood up and opened one of the wooden boxes on the bookshelf. He rummaged through the box and found what he was looking for. He came back to his seat, showing a black bracelet with silver lines decorating its surface. The intricate lines on the bracelet formed ancient rune letters that Benedict didn’t recognize.

“This is an old artifact that serves only one purpose- storage.” Benedict took the bracelet and took a look at it.

“You can keep the items you need in this bracelet and summon them as you need. You can store anything, as the capacity is limitless.” As Dumbledore explained, Benedict’s eyes picked up with excitement. It was a slight change, but Dumbledore didn’t miss it. Benedict was still 10 years old boy, no matter what life he lived in his past… Looking at Benedict, Dumbledore's heart softened a little.

“Now that’s pretty cool. How does it work?”

“You just have to put your hand, wearing the bracelet, on the item you want to store and will it to be stored. The same goes for when you wish to summon it back. When I was a young wizard, I used this artifact for a long time. Very handy, it is. I think you will need this more than I do.” Benedict could remember a magical artifact he used back in Articia that resembled the bracelet, although it was a backpack at that time. He knew how useful this item could be.

“Thank you, professor.” Benedict took the bracelet and put it around his right wrist. Now all he needed to do was find the weaponry and choose. His heart started to beat faster with the thoughts of wielding the weapons, his greatest talent. As if reading his mind again, Dumbledore smiled and started to speak.

“On the 7th floor, Benedict, there is a portrait of Barnabas Barmy who is trying to teach a troll how to dance. Across the portrait is the wall, which is actually hiding a very unique place that only a very few people know about its existence. What you would do is focus your mind on ‘what you need at the moment’ and walk past the wall three times. And you will see what I mean. However, make sure to keep this information just to yourself for now. Not even to Harry, agreed?”

“You mean… Hogwarts has a secret arsenal?” When Benedict raised his eyebrows, Dumbledore giggled at the boy.

“Well, we call it “The room of requirement”. It is not exactly an arsenal, but you will find what you need there.”

If Dumbledore says so, all Benedict needed to do was go and figure it out. It was quite exciting, besides the fact that he can possess weapons, to know a secret of the school. Hogwarts had a long history, and it was a wizarding school after all. Who knows how many secrets this place holds. And this was where his parents graduated. Benedict might actually feel some kind of affection for this place if he could blend in.

“Thanks for today, professor. In the end, we both have secrets about each other to keep.”

“And the secrets are quite serious ones too. As important as it is to protect them, you must not forget an important thing, Benedict. This is your first year at Hogwarts- enjoy the school with Harry. Although what I have heard from you today was out of my expectation, I have been waiting for you and Harry to come to the school for a long time.”

“Will do so.” Benedict stood up and turned around, about the leave the office.

“Oh, and Benedict?” Dumbledore's voice caught his steps. He smiled gently and nodded, adding a last request to Benedict.

“Please refrain from killing anyone in my school, would you?” Dumbledore’s voice was mischievous like a typical teenager's. Benedict shrugged and smirked as he turned around.

“Eh, why not. I will do my best.”

Chapter Text

4. The sorting

As Benedict re-joined the first years in the hallway, led by Hagrid, Harry quickly pulled Benedict to the side into the corner, away from the other kids who were looking at Benedict with an interest. Harry lowered his voice and whispered to Benedict.

“How did it go? With Dumbledore?”

They had to make it quick before it was time for them to go into the Great Hall. Smiling wordlessly, Benedict picked out his wand and showed it to his brother. Harry immediately beamed up with joy.

“I knew it! I am so happy for you, Benny!”

“Thanks, brother. Actually, this isn’t just any wand, though. I need to talk to you later about this. Right now- it’s too crowded here.”

“Hm? Sure.” Soon enough, McGonagall came to collect the first years and instructed them on how the sorting ceremony would go. It looked pretty simple, but the kids looked so nervous that it almost made Benedict roll his eyes. And then it was the time.

Benedict marched into the great hall, full of children wearing pointy hats and the school uniform. The hall of magnificent, with floating candles on the ceiling, and banners of each house decorated above a long table. At the top of the hall was the table for the professors. Benedict immediately noticed a chair with a grey hat and Dumbledore sitting in the middle of the table. As soon as he noticed Benedict, he simply smiled and nodded. Benedict soon redirected his attention to McGonagall, who was reading a long list of new students. Benedict waited and saw students being sorted into each house. Dumbledore assured Benedict that he will go to the same house as Harry’s, regardless of him being a squib.

“Potter, Harry!”

Benedict should have gone first in alphabetical order. It must have been Dumbledore’s work, then. Harry widened his eyes with surprise but hurried to the chair anyways. The entire hall fell silent as the ‘boy who lived’ sat on a chair. After a while, which seemed to have taken more time than other kids, the hat shouted “Gryffindor!” and the table erupted in cheer and claps. Ron and that girl they met on the train, Hermione, were both at the same house, then. Seeing his brother’s face, red and smiling with embarrassment, warmed Benedict’s heart. It was the house for those who are brave. It certainly suited Harry.

“Potter, Benedict!”

Benedict walked up to the chair and sat, and McGonagall gently set the hat on the boy’s head. The hall was watching the other Potter boy with great curiosity. Not much was known about Benedict Potter, except he was with Harry Potter on a fateful day. Harry was the one who was struck by the death spell and survived and defeated the Dark Lord, not Benedict. The same image of Harry, except for the glasses, had an oddly calm poker face as if he wasn’t interested in this situation.

[Another Potter, as Dumbledore mentioned. A squib born to the Potter family is a cruel fate, indeed…] A strange voice echoed inside Benedict’s head, which he assumed was the hat’s.

‘Place me in Gryffindor and be done with.’

[Oh, quite a temper, you got, eh? Both of your parents were brilliant wizard and witch, and your brother has an exceptional talent as well. That makes you a special one of the family. Can’t help myself paying a little bit of time to you, boy…]

The hat was talkative, a little bit too much. Benedict almost rolled his eyes.

[And you remember your past life! How, very, interesting. Your past life certainly poses great concern and attention, Benedict Potter. Dumbledore mentioned nothing of-]

‘And you better not mention it to anyone either. Or else, I will gladly destroy you with all the skills I’ve got.’ This made the hat burst into laughter. Everyone in the hall was startled at the sudden booming sound of hat laughing his head off. Benedict smirked.

[You think you can destroy me? I am one of the most powerful magical artifacts to ever exist! The four founders created me themselves and I was in charge of sorting countless wizards and witches! A squib doesn’t possess the power to destroy me, for sure!]

‘You will see about that if you were to spill my past life to anyone. And mind you, I have never failed a mission in my past life, all without magic. It hurts my feeling to have a hat underestimate my skills.’ As Benedict faked his voice and pouted, the hat huffed.

[Oh, well. I do not know about your capabilities, but I do know your confidence. Prove your abilities then, Benedict Potter. Let’s see how much you can adjust in Hogwarts as a squib.]

“Gryffindor!”

Finally, the hat shouted, and the Gryffindor table erupted in cheers again. They had not one, but TWO Potters in their house. As soon as Benedict sat down in his seat next to Harry, Harry wrapped his arms around his brother, beaming with joy. Benedict gently smiled and patted his brother’s hair.

And finally, the last student was sorted, and Dumbledore took the stand. He gave a short and weird speech of welcome along with a few announcements and an introduction of the professors. Benedict had seen many wizards in his past life who acted in their own weird ways, too; it’s no surprise for a genius to turn a bit crazy. It was beyond a normal person’s comprehension. Soon the feast began, and hungry kids started to attach the food vigorously. The twin had a chance to introduce each other to the new Gryffindors, and Benedict quickly remembered their faces and names. The Gryffindor house was interesting, too. Just like a magic school.

The first years were soon led to the Gryffindor house which was secured by a huge portrait of a fat lady. They changed the password every week, but the whole security was still skeptical to Benedict. He didn't expect the students to keep the password amongst themselves; it would be easy for an intruder to sneak in at any time. Nonetheless, the common room was cozy and comfy, lit bright with candles and a fireplace. Benedict could finally understand what 'cozy' feels like, looking around the common room and bustling students. There were plenty of Gryffindors who were eager to befriend the famous Harry Potter, but his brother quickly took Benedict's arm and climbed up to their room. Harry was never a center-of-attention type of person, so Benedict could understand why Harry looked shy, almost awkward, as he grabbed onto Benedict's arm.

All the first-year boys were still in the common room, so the room was empty. The twins sat on Harry’s bed. Benedict explained everything he talked about with Dumbledore, except for the room of Requirement and his past life. He will tell Harry eventually but now was not the time. Harry didn’t have to know about Benedict’s past, full of death and blood. Out of everything in the world, this was the scariest thing for Benedict - not his death, not the hunger. But the possibility of Harry getting scared and hating Benedict was the last thing he wanted.

For Harry, however, his biggest concern right now was Benedict’s lack of magical power. Upon listening to what a ‘squib’ is, Harry almost wanted to cry. It was unfair his brother didn’t get to use magic when Harry could.

“Do you think- it will work out? With the wand?” Harry’s voice conveyed all of his feelings, dark and quiet.

“This is the best thing we can do for now. Don’t worry, Harry. I can pull it through.” Benedict smiled at Harry, but his brother was still very agitated. Benedict couldn’t blame Harry. Benedict had to be meticulous and clever to look like a wizard among the real wizards. He will need to rely on every skill he learned in his past life.

“I wonder…I wonder if I am putting you in this situation, Benny. You don’t have to attend this school, pretending to be a wizard for, what, 7 years just for me.”

“No, you are most definitely not putting me in any kind of danger. Nor I am sacrificing myself for you. Don’t ever think like that, okay? With Dumbledore’s help, I will be just fine. And trust my acting skill, Harry. You know me the most, don’t you?”

“Well, that I know. I am your twin.” Harry murmured, and Benedict smiled brightly. He ruffled Harry’s messy black hair, with his heart content with affection.

“Just trust me on this. And we will be just fine! I am actually interested what we will be learning from now on.”

“Me, too. More than that, I am just happy to be in school with you, Benny.” Finally, Harry broke out into a smile. They will pull through. Together. It was then when the door bursted open and the other boys walked in. They looked at the twins and smiled sheepishly.

The first-year boys quickly got ready to sleep as they were all feeling tired. Feeling relieved (for Benedict), excited, and scared of their first day of school, Harry changed into his old pajama and looked over to Benedict's bed. His brother didn't show any emotion on his face as usual, and Harry felt more reassured than ever. Harry was just glad that he wasn't alone, and he had someone to lean onto. He still didn't understand why he was such a big deal in this world, and he didn't really welcome the attention that much. Still, Harry was somehow confident that the twins would find Hogwarts as home- he didn't know why, however.

"Go to sleep, Harry. Tomorrow will be busy."

Benedict spoke in a quiet and soft voice, and Harry nodded. As he slipped into his bed, which was very comfortable, he suddenly realized something.

"Do you know this is our first time using a separate bed, Benny? It kinda feels weird."

Come to think of it, Harry was right. The twins had to share a small mattress at the Dursley's ever since they got to their home. Benedict hummed and sat on the side of his bed.

"You are right. Not that I am complaining, but if you ever miss my presence, you are always welcomed to come."

Benedict was clearly joking and Harry giggled softly. He didn't mind using a separate bed as long as Benedict was next to his. Feeling slightly better, Harry closed his eyes and murmured.

"Good night, Benny."

Watching his brother's breaths evening out, Benedict finally went to bed. He didn't feel nervous about this first day of school whatsoever; he just had to play out cleverly and blend in. Benedict was pretty confident he could accomplish his mission successfully as he always did.

Chapter Text

5. And so the school starts

Benedict Potter stared at his figure reflected in the mirror.

He had already worn the school uniform yesterday, but it was still fascinating to look at his reflection in the mirror. Messy black hair and green eyes, just like Harry except for the glasses and a scar on the forehead. Black robe and red/gold tie that represents the house of Gryffindor. On his right wrist was the magic bracelet Dumbledore gave him. And on his right pocket was the wand. He did attend elementary school before coming to Hogwarts, but this was his first time wearing a school uniform.

In his past life, Benedict used to wear an outfit suited for the job, which he simply called the uniform as well. He usually dressed black from top to bottom, except for the occasions he had to blend into the crowd. He remembered his favorite set of bandanas and face covering, gauntlets, and breastplate. And black, sleeveless top and pants- he knew exactly where to store and hide the tools and utilize them. Staring himself in the mirror, Benedict made a mental note about his current situation.

One. Dumbledore and Harry were the only ones who knew about Benedict being a squib.
Two. The professors and students would think Benedict has a major problem with controlling the magic, thus, cannot demonstrate the spells accordingly.
Three. His strength and speed will be explained as ‘uncontrolled magic’. Such a convenient excuse.

Benedict was the first one to wake up among the first-year boys. This habit hadn’t died with him from the past life. Benedict was used to waking up at early hours. The robe still felt awkward, but he will get used to it soon. What an excellent outfit to hide weapons- the bracelet is a lot safer, but still.

The sun was just starting to show up from the horizon, out the window. Benedict still had time before breakfast to visit the 7th floor. He silently slipped out from the door, muttering thanks to the Lady who was half asleep. Getting to the 7th floor was a bit tricky, with the stairs constantly moving around. Benedict had no idea why the school stairs had to move; maybe wizards have weird tastes in building structure.

After getting to the 7th floor, which had no one in the hallway, it was easy finding the portrait of Barnabas. As Dumbledore described, the portrait was just a bit crazy and very easy to spot. Across from it was just a bare, stone wall. This must be it.

“All right… here it goes.”

Benedict murmured to himself and started to concentrate. What he needed was a room of weapons, that of wizards' and the muggles’. Daggers, knives, guns, wires. Things he used to wield all the time in his past life. As soon as Benedict made the third round, the wall started to change, making a loud noise. Soon, Benedict was standing in front of the door to the room of Requirement. Fascinated, Benedict opened the door and entered the room.

“Goddess in high heavens.”

It was a huge room, full of displays of various weapons. Benedict could not see the end of the room. Everywhere he went, he could see weapons of all kinds, some were even unfamiliar to Benedict. Benedict marbled at the fine weapons, glistening and brand new. As he walked around the room, Benedict realized that the room had prepared him not only with the weapons but with all sorts of colors, too. Benedict unknowingly smirked.

It took some time for Benedict to explore the room. He was keeping the time which was running out quickly. Benedict guessed he wouldn’t be coming back to the room for a while, so he picked up the pace. First of all, Benedict picked up daggers from the shelf and willed the bracelet to store them. He gathered as many daggers as he could; against the wizards, daggers were an excellent weapon choice that allowed Benedict to attack from the distance. Benedict also picked up a folding knife- not his favorite but can come in handy in close combats. He also picked up a long sword which was surprisingly light. He felt faint nostalgia as he stroked down the sheath. Next were the firearms, which were Benedict’s most favorite and skilled weapon of choice in his past life. Benedict decided not to take any firearms for now. He will come back if he needs them, but he had to stay low until he needs them. Benedict took a last glance around the room.

Benedict hurried back to the common room. Much to his relief, there was still no one in the common room yet. He sat down on the chair closest to the window, looking out at the peaceful scenery. Benedict had seen dawns and daybreaks of many places of Articia which were equally beautiful, but he had never felt relaxed watching them. Right now it was different, with Harry staying with him. Who would have thought having a family could give so much mental support, the feeling that you are not alone in the world. Harry’s existence was what was more precious to Benedict’s life, and he will protect it, no matter the cost.

“Who is-Oh, you are Benedict Potter! You are up early.” The first one to enter the common room was Percy Weasley, who looked pleasantly surprised. Benedict politely nodded his head in greeting. Percy didn’t seem to be bothered by Benedict who didn’t say hello; he simply sat next to Benedict and started to talk with great enthusiasm.

“How was your first night at Hogwarts? Any class you are interested in?”

“It was beyond all right. I haven’t slept on my own bed since I shared it with Harry. As for the classes… I am not sure. Maybe potions? It sounds like something I can do.” Benedict chose Potions since it looked like something he could do without magic. However, Percy’s face turned weird, with some kind of sympathy.

“Well, the potions… is a great field of study. The problem is the professor who teaches it though, Professor Snape. He is not exactly a friendly type of person.” Snape? Benedict remembered yesterday when Dumbledore introduced the professors. Sure, Snape had the most serious and mean face out of the professors. Now it looked like it was going to be a really interesting class. As long as Snape didn’t mess around with Harry, Benedict was fine with anything. Percy thought Benedict’s smile was a bit weird- he didn’t know what made Benedict smile. This poor kid had no idea about Snape. Oh well, he will figure it out soon.

“I hope you enjoy your first day, Benedict. Hogwarts is a very special place. You are going like it for sure.”

Benedict didn’t understand why Percy Weasley was being so friendly with him. Maybe because he is perfect? Whatever the reason, Benedict decided to not judge Percy’s hospitality. The boy was Ron’s older brother and looked like a good kid. He had to get used to people’s kindness in this world- sometimes nice people tend to do that.

“Thank you, Percy. I hope you have a great day, too.”

On the other hand, Percy Weasley, who was oblivious of what Benedict was thinking, was impressed by how mature Benedict Potter’s composure was. This boy looked a lot older than his appearance, especially when compared to his twin. Percy knew that the twins were raised at the Muggles’ house. He felt a surge of protectiveness towards them; they lost their parents at such a young age and had to live with their relatives. And Benedict being the older one, must have worked hard to protect this brother. So Percy patted Benedict’s shoulder and got ready for school. He looked forward to what Benedict and Harry Potter would bring to Gryffindor.

After a few minutes, more students started to scramble into the common room. Harry showed up with messy hair, looking still half asleep, who immediately beamed up at this brother.

“Good morning, Benny! Up early as usual?”

“Yeah. You had a good sleep last night?”

“The bed was too comfortable, and I was too excited so I slept late,” Harry said, nodding his head enthusiastically.

Right behind him were Ron and Neville, who also said hello to Benedict. Together, they walked down to the dining hall. Just like last night, the hall was full of all kinds of breakfast dishes- some Benedict didn’t even recognize. Benedict was never fed with this variety of food, let alone breakfast was a rare occasion for Benedict and Harry (The Dursley’s had breakfast every day, of course). Benedict filled the plate, full of chocolate scones and cereal, with eggs. Harry picked at his brother’s plate and shrugged; Benedict was an incredible sweet tooth. They sat with the other first years and ate up their breakfast- Benedict, despite his usual quietness, also talked with the other kids. It was important to know his classmates, whom he will be studying at Hogwarts for 7 years. Tactical strategy. Benedict was kind of glad too, since Harry and Benedict barely had any friends at school before. Bonding with other kids would do good for Harry.

Benedict, however, had already started to make a profile for everyone he had encountered at Hogwarts. It would serve as a great tool in the future- and it was sort of a hobby to Benedict. His natural instinct and skill. It would be a list of interesting profiles, Benedict thought, as he looked at jostling little kids.

Will they prove to be his foes or allies later? Whatever it turns out to be, Benedict wanted to be prepared. Especially when Harry was getting attached to each one of them. Benedict knew his hands would not falter once he determines foes and friends, even if it was one of his classmates. Being a vigilante was part of his training and nature. A small part of his mind wanted nothing to do with his nature, but reality often proves to be merciless. Benedict could only prepare. For a brief second, he thought his way of thinking is rather sad; as he can not place trust easily in people, but he easily brushed the thought away. Benedict was going to make sure he survive this time along with Harry. However dangerous Hogwarts turns out to be, Benedict wasn't going to let any harm happen to Harry, for sure.

Chapter Text

6. The Classes

Benedict Potter was used to a routine.

Ever since he could remember, One Twenty-Seven was part of a secret team owned by the royal family of the Great Empire of Articia, raised into the finest killers in his past life. The children were kept in the dungeon of the hidden chamber at the royal palace. The only light allowed to them was the small window on the top of the ceiling and the lights reflected on the blades. The children were always on the watch, trained with skills and knowledge necessary for the assassins. Although kept inside, the children were educated about the world's geography, foreign languages, etiquette, communication skills, combat tactics, and cultures- everything necessary for them to act like normal people. The training routine was strict, and there were times when the children had to face sudden attacks to test their abilities. There were multiple times when One Twenty-Seven was awoken at night, crossing blades with the trainers on his bed.

The new routine at Hogwarts was somewhat more reasonable than that since Benedict didn’t have to worry about being attacked in the middle of the night. The daily schedule was filled with classes, all looking interesting. Benedict didn’t worry too much about his wand, empty of any spells for now. Benedict just had to act normal and blend in, which he trained so much in his past life. Benedict was confident, but on the other hand, Harry was trying hard to conceal his concerns. As much as Harry was fascinated by Hogwarts, he didn’t want to leave his twin behind. If Benedict were to get expelled, Harry will be alone, which he will never allow happening in his life. Even if that means Harry needs to give up on school. He was going to protect his only brother at all costs. Harry stepped into the classroom, both scared and nervous. Benedict’s calm face was the only assurance.

Their first period was transfiguration led by McGonagall. She turned into a cat, calling herself an Animagus. A very rare type of magic. As stoic as she looked, McGonagall was a very skilled witch. She threw glances at Benedict with a mixture of pity and calculation; Benedict could easily ignore these and play along. Sure he sucked at performing the spells except for some days he succeeded thanks to the stored spells, but soon he mastered the logic and techniques behind each spell.

Other classes like the history of magic, herbology, and charms were equally intriguing. All professors were clearly outstanding witches and wizards. The defense against dark arts (students called this class simply ‘defense’ due to its long title) was a bit sketchy due to an overly nervous professor who lacked self-confidence seriously. And the flying class, a requirement for new students, was a huge disappointment for Benedict. No matter how many times he called, his broom would not respond to him. Benedict did expect this would happen, but he also held a small hope to be able to fly. Oh, well. It was good to see Harry flying like he has been doing for years instead of Benedict. Harry looked exhilarated, and it was clear that he had a talent for flying. His brother chatted about the Quidditch game with Ron and other Gryffindors- until one day, he was called upon McGonagall to be part of the team officially. This was a story for another day.

The highlight of the classes was, of course, the potions. Benedict already told Percy how he was interested in learning potions, and the class turned out to be interesting indeed, in a different way than Benedict expected.

You see, Benedict Potter was good at reading someone’s emotions. Not just because he lived in a household that absolutely despised the twins, but also because Benedict was trained by professionals in his past life. Reading body language, tones, and voices, movement of facial muscles, expressions, words- everything piled up for Benedict to clearly judge the other’s emotions and intentions. The first thing Benedict felt when he walked in through the door to the Potions classroom, was pure hostility.

After noticing the man’s cold and hostile face, then a realization struck Benedict. This was the man who visited his room after the intruder, Voldemort, shattered into pieces. A flashback crossed Benedict’s mind, a series of clear images of the day his and Harry’s parents died. The door busted open soon after Voldemort disappeared with a scream, and the man hurried into the room and noticed his fallen mother on the floor. Without throwing a glance at a crying toddler in the crib, the man fell to his knees, wailing and sobbing, calling his mother’s name. The man had held Lily Potter’s dead body into his arms, and cried, his trembling hands stroking the back of her head.

The man was his potions professor at Hogwarts, starting at the twin with such animosity.

Interesting turnout, certainly. Benedict silently hummed inside, taking a good look at the man.

Seemingly to prove his hostility, Snape immediately set the tone of the class. That meant favoring his house, Slytherin, and hating Gryffindor, particularly Benedict and Harry. Every word was painted with so much hate and disdain that made Benedict more curious than upset. Clearly, they met when Benedict was a toddler, but that was it. How did that brief meeting with no interaction at all cause Snape to hate the twins so much? Especially when he held Lily’s body so dearly and cried over her death? Benedict decided to watch Snape snapping at Harry quietly for now. This was his first potions class and Snape sparked his interest. Something worthy to investigate. And he could very well use this as an opportunity, too, if he played very carefully.

Unknown to Benedict, Snape frowned as he regarded the other twin of the Potter family. Benedict Potter was a spitting image of his father, but Harry Potter certainly resembled James Potter more because of the glasses. None of them had that haughty and mischievous smile of James Potter, but Benedict Potter’s poker face and quietness didn’t appeal to Snape at all. At least his twin had a temper, certainly from his father, but Benedict Potter hadn’t spoken back at Snape’s insults. The boy merely threw him unimpressed eyes, as if he was not the target of the insult. What made Snape even more uncomfortable, was the fact that Benedict Potter had terrible control of the magic, according to Dumbledore.

He almost didn’t believe Dumbledore, as much as the other professors who were confused. A boy who could barely perform any spells correctly. Could it be an influence of the Evans’ blood? Snape remembered Lily Evans’ ugly sister who was a muggle. Probably that inferior blood emerged via Benedict Potter’s body. Whatever the reason was, it only added one more thing to hate about the boy. Snape continued with his lecture, looking over the fearful eyes of first graders. Pathetic.

And as Snape dismissed the class, Benedict approached him, much to his surprise. Snape didn’t expect the boy to even want to talk to him- and honestly, Snaped hadn’t noticed Benedict until the boy opened his mouth. He moves like a ghost, Snaped thought.

“You better have a good reason for interrupting my time, Potter.” Snape spat. The boy didn’t show any sign of being intimidated, again.

“I have a request, Professor Snape. I hope to talk with you after classes. In private.”

“Nonsense. There is no reason for me to waste yet more time on you. Now get out.” Snape snarled. His classroom was empty of students who scrambled out already a few minutes ago. But Benedict insisted.

“It is rather an important matter. Something you would be also interested in.”

“And why would I be interested in your matter, Potter?” Snape scoffed, throwing cold gaze at a short boy. At least the boy had guts to keep talking in front of him, despite the clear refusal. And what came from Benedict Potter's mouth almost struck him in the head.

“Because it concerns my mother, professor. Surely you know Lily Potter? After all-“Benedict hushed his voice despite the classroom was empty, except for him and Snape.

“You visited our house the day she died.”

Snape’s heart almost froze, and his face betrayed his intention to hide his shock. Benedict simply smiled. It was the smile of James Potter.