"Good evening, Professor Snape."
A voice interrupted Devillo from behind. It was Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts, holding an oil lamp, likely on his nightly patrol to catch students out past curfew. He eyed Devillo suspiciously.
"Professor, is this student causing trouble, wandering around instead of sleeping?"
Filch assumed Devillo had been caught by Snape for being out late. Snape looked up and shook his head slightly.
"He's here to help me."
Filch, trusting Snape, prepared to leave but was stopped.
"Wait a moment," Snape called.
Filch turned, surprised. "What is it, Professor?"
"This student, Devillo Alexander, will be assisting me frequently. If you see him out at night, don't trouble him."
Filch hesitated, this being out of character for Snape. Under Snape's stern gaze, Filch swallowed nervously.
"Well, alright, but try not to stay out past eleven o'clock."
"Eleven thirty," Snape corrected in a low voice.
"Alright, Professor. I'll continue my patrol," Filch agreed hastily and departed.
Devillo smirked. A late-night pass? This was advantageous. In the original story, Harry was often punished for being out late. As someone determined to explore every corner of Hogwarts, this privilege was timely. Working for Snape had its perks.
As Filch disappeared, Snape glanced at Devillo, as if contemplating something, but said nothing. He led Devillo to the entrance of the common room, provided the password, and left.
Devillo sighed in relief. Today had been eventful but safe. He had acquired numerous valuable spells and loaded a red entry from Harry, though its effects were yet unknown. He planned to study it later in bed.
Entering the Slytherin common room, Devillo was struck by its appearance. It was a long, narrow, low-ceilinged dungeon with green-glowing lamps hanging from chains. Carved chairs were scattered about, and skulls adorned the room. Part of the dungeon extended beneath the lake, casting a green hue throughout. The walls and ceiling were rough stone, and a fire burned under an ornate mantelpiece. Despite this, the room felt dark and gloomy.
Compared to this, living in Snape's house didn't seem so bad—at least there, he could see the sun. This place felt like a sunken ship. Devillo doubted anyone truly enjoyed such an environment. He joked to himself that his gout might flare up.
There was no point in complaining now. He reminded himself of Dumbledore's words: to be a natural Slytherin.
As he walked through the common room, he noticed giant squids swimming outside the windows and other indistinct creatures. Though he disliked the underwater feeling, the occasional sound of waves was somewhat soothing.
Dragging his tired body, Devillo climbed the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Today had been overwhelming. He had taken Polyjuice Potion to Knockturn Alley early in the morning, nearly fought dark wizards, upgraded the Potion Genius entry, and battled Snape at the Leaky Cauldron—his first duel with an adult wizard, which nearly drained his magic power. This emphasized the importance of magical reserves.
After being outmaneuvered by Snape, he impressed the professor with a self-made potion recipe. Then, he packed his luggage and rushed to the station, where he met the famous savior, loaded the third gold entry and the first red entry, and mistakenly became the savior himself. He also befriended several Weasley children by confronting Malfoy, potentially opening opportunities to follow the main plot.
Upon arriving at Hogwarts, he experienced a less-than-ideal sorting, enjoyed a feast, and was summoned by Snape. Demonstrating his potion skills, he astonished Snape, Dumbledore, and Flitwick, earning privileges like attending advanced courses and staying out late. It had been a fruitful day.
Devillo struggled to open the dormitory door, found his bed, and, too exhausted to use Lumos, collapsed onto the neatly made bed. He even skipped his usual Zen Meditation practice, eager to embrace the adventures of his magical school life and drift into sleep.
*