1 Chapter 1-The Train

"Finally got on this train," Salim said, glancing hurriedly at the small wizard outside the train with mixed feelings, "Compared to that deadly school, Hogwarts is more comfortable." Though he was aware that accidents happened every year at Hogwarts, he knew it was preferable to the Cruciatus and Imperius Curses he faced monthly at his previous residence.

Salim couldn't help but recall fragments of the past eleven years. According to his body's grandfather, he had been rescued from his mother's womb after she was struck by the killing curse, causing a significant stir within a certain circle at the time.

At that moment, Salim had still been alive. In fact, even if two adults held hands and one was struck by the killing curse, both would die, let alone a fetus within the mother's womb. Yet, Salim understood: the true Salim was deceased. He had inherited this body along with a multitude of troubles.

Salim Oglebashir Selwyn lacked the qualifications to bear the Selwyn surname. Rumor had it that Salim was an illegitimate child, which led to conflicts among the Selwyn family members and other witches. Up to this point, Salim had learned nothing more than the fact that his mother was also a witch. Nobody he knew held any memory of his mother. Salim's ability to carry the Selwyn surname stemmed from his grandfather, an old man who valued the continuation of the family lineage.

To be honest, Salim had no desire to avenge the biological mother of this body. He remained ignorant of the situation, yet he still felt gratitude. After all, he wouldn't exist without her. Lacking a desire for revenge didn't mean he lacked curiosity about the circumstances.

A pregnant woman in labor had been killed, carrying an illegitimate child of the patriarch of a prominent family within her womb. Salim believed even a chair could deduce this. Salim had never imagined such a gruesome fate would befall him.

Salim had two elder brothers and a younger sister, all offspring of the actual Lady Selwyn. The eldest, Dax, was a volatile young man; the second, Sabian, was apathetic; and the youngest, Sirna, had been confirmed as a squib. In a pure-blood family, a nine-year-old without a magical outburst was labeled as such.

The emphasis on blood purity by pure-blood wizards wasn't unfounded. Having been exposed to the wizarding world for eleven years, Salim was aware of the profound impact a magical outburst's timing could have on a wizard's future.

Consider Neville in the original books. He hadn't experienced a magical outburst at the age of eight, leading his uncle to believe he was a squib. Neville was even thrown off the stairs due to this misconception. Meanwhile, his younger sister demonstrated intelligence, kindness, charm, and insight. Among Mrs. Selwyn's children, Salim shared the closest bond with this youngest sister. His elder brothers, however, were quite different – one prone to violence at the slightest provocation and the other introverted to a fault.

Nonetheless, Salim understood they weren't to blame for their dispositions, considering the three brothers had all grown up within the same environment before Salim's arrival at Hogwarts. In families such as theirs, gifted children would transition to the Schuyler Academy a week after their magical outbursts.

As age progressed, the potency of the Cruciatus and Imperius Curses increased. Those who failed to break free from the Imperius Curse or recover from the effects of the Cruciatus Curse within the specified time faced additional penalties.

Schuler Academy students comprehended the reasons for their controlled torture and how it aided their career preparation. Salim was aware too, yet he had no desire or intention of pursuing such a path in the future. Moreover, his supposed "eligibility" had been bestowed upon him by his grandfather.

He wasn't a direct descendant of the Selwyn family, even though his surname was Selwyn. This allowed Salim the chance and potential to leave that environment. Despite acknowledging that departure meant sacrificing invaluable magical knowledge, the lively and sunny atmosphere of Hogwarts proved more enticing compared to Schuyler's somber surroundings. Furthermore, Salim's gaze drifted toward the trunks on the shelf. Without guidance, he couldn't possibly educate himself.

"Um, Salim, I... I..." A plump boy emerged at the trunk's doorway, grasping a weighty container in one hand and tightly holding onto a toad with the other.

"Come on, Neville, take a seat now, and stash your suitcase away," Salim advised, extending a finger toward the shelf. "Also, relax a bit. I won't devour you, and if you're not careful, you might end up squashing your toad." Salim rolled his eyes, expressing a sense of helplessness.

Salim's recognition of Neville was unsurprising, given their familial connection. Salim's grandmother and Neville's grandfather were siblings. Upon learning of the relationship, Salim pondered the potential abundance of relatives at Hogwarts.

As Neville managed to fit his suitcase into the trunk, Salim noticed the clump of hair – rather, seaweed – behind Neville. Messy brunette locks framed a face adorned with freckles.

"Hurry up, Neville, there's someone behind you," Salim instructed, observing Neville's awkward stance, trunk in hand, and toad in the other.

"Sa, Salim, could you..." Neville's face reddened as he began speaking, but his sentence was interrupted.

"No, I only handle such repulsive creatures when dealing with potion ingredients," Salim replied, casting a disgusted look at the toad. "However, I can assist with putting the trunk away."

"Wow, how did you do that?" The freckled girl at the door gaped at Salim's wandless right hand before glancing at the now-placed trunk. "The Levitation Curse! I've read about it, but I never expected someone could perform it wandlessly." She seemed flustered.

"Do you need help too, Miss 'Fuss'? Also, why are you just standing there like a log? Sit down and don't block the way for others," Salim suggested, appearing somewhat exasperated.

Appearing somewhat dazed, Neville's response resembled that of a troll struck on the head with a club. He turned and repeated the feat, aiding the girl with freckles in storing her trunk.

"Alright, let's all have a seat, Miss 'Fuss'. How about you introduce yourself?" He gestured and closed the trunk door. "Let me introduce myself first – I'm Salim Selwyn, and sitting next to you is Neville Longbottom." Salim nodded toward Neville, indicating it was his turn.

"I'm not Miss 'Fuss', my name is Hermione Granger," the young girl wrinkled her nose, clearly unhappy with Salim's nickname.

Hermione Granger, not too difficult to guess, right?

"Okay, my apologies," Salim said, not entirely sincere.

"How did you do that? The books say casting a spell without a wand is quite advanced," Hermione, well, Hermione, said with enthusiasm.

"Magic and practice over time," Salim replied, opening a book that had been placed on the table. He wanted to read for a while and have a good chat with Neville once the train had been underway for a bit.

"What?" Hermione seemed confused by Salim's response.

"Having enough magical power and practice time varies from person to person," Salim continued, flipping through the book. "By the way, Neville, I'll share something with you later."

"Huh? What?" Neville looked startled when Salim addressed him.

Seeing Neville's reaction, Salim rolled his eyes. Neville was a good boy, that much was certain. His apparent timidity stemmed from the trauma of his parents' fate and the immense pressure imposed by his grandmother. However, once he overcame these constraints, the courage buried deep within him would undoubtedly surface. Salim had decided to help him; he rather liked this endearing, slightly chubby fellow.

"Well..." Hermione hesitated for a moment, "Is there something you don't want me to hear? You mentioned talking to Neville later, so I thought it might be something private. Maybe I'll just go for a walk."

"You're overthinking it, Miss Granger." Salim lifted his head from his reading and glanced at Hermione. "My intention wasn't to exclude you when I mentioned Neville, but when I'm speaking, I prefer not to be interrupted." Salim paused, then closed the book and peered through the window into the corridor. "A pampered young master from a certain family is about to enter this compartment. I need to handle that first. We can chat later."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the compartment door swung open. Although only three people stood outside, it felt as though the entire corridor was blocked.

"Ah, Salim, let me in, and..." A pale face framed by light blond hair appeared at the doorway.

"Draco." Salim settled back into his seat and directed a warning look at the young boy.

Hermione observed the three individuals outside the door, nearly obstructing the entire corridor. It was evident that this was the "pampered young master" Salim had mentioned.

"Alright, alright," Draco responded to the warning in Salim's eyes. "I'm off to find Potter. Want to come along?"

"I'll pass, and there's no need for you to." Salim glanced at Draco once more before reopening the book he had just closed. "Potter and Weasley are sharing a compartment ahead. Based on your personalities, you'll likely end up arguing with them. So, it's best..."

"What?! Weasley? You mean Potter is with the redhead Weasley?" Draco's agitation surged instantly. "Ha, I'll make sure Harry Potter understands the mistake of befriending that kind of trash! Let's go."

With the departure of the three, the corridor's lighting returned to normal.

"Um, so that was..." Hermione began to rise to close the door.

"That was Draco Malfoy, a spoiled young master. As for the others... Well, you don't need to know," Salim stopped Hermione from shutting the door. "Keep it open. We'll need to head out again later."

"By the way, has he stopped bullying you, Neville?" Salim resumed reading, his chin resting on his hand.

"No, not anymore," Neville replied, holding onto his toad with one hand and clutching his clothes with the other, resembling a doormat.

"I wasn't referring to you; you still intend to be sorted into Gryffindor like this? Hufflepuff might suit you better."

"Gryffindor? I know that's the best house," Hermione's attention perked up at the mention of Gryffindor. She had heard Draco mentioning something about Harry Potter discussing it.

"The best? There's no such thing as the best, only the most suitable house," Salim decided to enlighten Neville, who seemed quite the pushover. "Apart from Headmaster Dumbledore, how much do you know about Hogwarts classes? Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts are identical across the four houses. Your learning experience and accomplishments depend on your individual effort and potential, not the house you're in."

Hermione hesitated to counter Salim's point, unable to find the words. After much thought, her myriad of thoughts condensed into a simple phrase: "I said my name is Hermione Granger, so please don't call me by other names."

At this moment, Draco's loud voice echoed from the corridor.

"Damn Potter and Weasley! My father will hear about this!"

Salim rolled his eyes and looked at Draco by the door. It seemed his decision not to close the door earlier was wise; otherwise, Draco's anger might have damaged it. Although repair was possible, it would be quite a hassle.

"Merlin, Salim, you won't believe what just happened, with Potter..."

"Alright, alright, I mentioned earlier, there's no need to elaborate," Salim quickly interrupted the young master's rambling. He still had things to do. "Return to your compartment and calm down. You'll have plenty of opportunities to retaliate against Weasley once school starts."

"Huh... huh, you're right. It's not worth getting upset over a Weasley. Huh... you two, follow me." With his two followers who had remained unassuming from start to finish, Draco staggered back to his compartment after entering Salim's for a few breaths.

Salim waved his hand to shut the door and used his wand to draw the curtain across the doorway. He added another locking spell and looked at Neville to confirm that the compartment was securely sealed.

"Neville, let's talk."

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