Chapter 22: A New Beginning at Ilvermorny

Severus woke early.

It was a habit, ingrained from years of solitude and survival. He dressed with precision, buttoning his blazer while scanning his schedule. Ilvermorny’s classes were structured differently from Hogwarts—more fluid, more experimental. Some classes were dedicated to collaborative spellwork, while others focused on research and theory.

A few minutes into his silent contemplation, he realized something was missing.

Peace.

A loud groan erupted from the other side of the room.

“Merlin’s saggy left—what time is it?”

Severus glanced over his shoulder.

Alessandro De Luca lay half-sprawled across his bed, his dark curls a mess, sheets tangled around his legs. He was shirtless, golden skin catching the soft morning light.

Severus sighed. “It’s six-thirty.”

“Too early to be awake.”

Severus smirked. “Then go back to sleep.”

Alessandro flopped back dramatically, rubbing his face. “Can’t. I have a reputation to uphold.”

Severus narrowed his eyes. “As what? An unbearable nuisance?”

Alessandro grinned sleepily. “A charming one.”

Severus resisted the urge to hex him.

By the time they made their way to the 6th-Year Common Room, Alessandro was fully awake and—unfortunately—in his element.

Unlike Hogwarts, where House common rooms kept students divided, Ilvermorny encouraged cross-House interactions.

Groups of students sat around tables, playing animated wizarding chess or discussing class theories. A few Thunderbirds argued over the merits of wandless spellcasting, while a Wampus student practiced levitating small objects—without a wand. The room itself was warm, inviting, enchanted to shift its appearance based on student preferences.

Severus studied it all with mild interest. The atmosphere here was more relaxed than Hogwarts, but there was a current of competition beneath it—an eagerness to prove oneself, to stand out.

“Hey! De Luca!”

A loud voice cut through the chatter.

A tall girl with deep brown skin, dark eyes, and a confident smirk sauntered over. She wore a Thunderbird crest on her robes, her long braids tied back with golden rings.

Alessandro grinned. “Kiera! Miss me?”

“Not even a little.” She crossed her arms. “Tell me you’re not corrupting the new guy already.”

“Corrupt? Moi?” Alessandro gasped in mock offense, placing a hand over his chest.

Severus snorted.

Kiera turned to him, her smirk softening into something genuinely curious. “You must be the exchange student.”

“Severus Shafiq.”

She nodded. “Kiera Thompson. Thunderbird. Specializing in Ancient Runes, Ritual Magic, and—” She winked. “Kicking De Luca’s arse whenever necessary.”

“Rude,” Alessandro muttered.

A petite girl with auburn hair and bright green eyes appeared beside Kiera, bouncing excitedly on her toes.

“Oh, are we doing introductions? I’m Evie Sterling! Wampus, Charms expert, best duelist in this school—”

Kiera scoffed. “Best duelist? Please.”

“Fine,” Evie amended. “Second best.”

Alessandro looked at Severus. “I told you, mate. Competitive school.”

A third girl approached—tall, elegant, with striking silver-blonde hair. Her uniform bore a Horned Serpent crest, the same house as Severus.

“Aurora Sinclair,” she introduced herself coolly. “Horned Serpent. Alchemy, Potions, and Political Theory.”

Severus inclined his head slightly. “Impressive combination.”

She gave him an appraising look. “We’ll see if you’re worth the hype.”

Before he could respond, two boys joined them—one with curly black hair and mischievous hazel eyes, the other stockier, with an easygoing smile.

“Jonas Carter.” The curly-haired boy grinned. “Pukwudgie. Healer-in-training, future potions master, occasional troublemaker.”

The stocky boy clapped Alessandro on the back. “Benedict ‘Ben’ Hale. Wampus. Master of Hexes.”

Alessandro threw an arm over Ben’s shoulder. “And also the only reason I survive Transfiguration.”

Ben shrugged. “Someone’s gotta keep you from failing.”

Severus took all this in, storing the names, faces, and personalities in his mind.

This group wasn’t just Alessandro’s friends.

They were influential students—top of their fields, competitive, and ambitious.

And they had accepted him without hesitation.

Interesting.

The Grand Hall was nothing like Hogwarts’ divided House tables.

Communal tables meant that students sat wherever they pleased, creating mixed groups. Food was conjured to order, an innovation Severus found mildly impressive. Students spoke freely across houses, discussing everything from spell research to school rumors.

Alessandro dragged Severus toward a lively table, where their new acquaintances were already seated.

Evie leaned over, grinning. “So, Shafiq—what’s your take? Is Ilvermorny better than Hogwarts?”

Severus considered. “Different.”

Aurora smirked. “Spoken like a true diplomat.”

Severus should have known something was off the moment Alessandro grinned like a Cheshire cat during breakfast.

“By the way, compagno,” Alessandro said between bites of toast, “you might want to prepare for some entertainment later.”

Severus, sipping his tea, barely glanced at him. “And why is that?”

“Because you’re the entertainment.”

Severus finally looked up. “What?”

Alessandro wiped his mouth with a napkin and smirked. “I may have—casually mentioned—that you’re one of the best duelists in Britain. And, naturally, people were curious.”

Severus set his cup down with deliberate slowness. “You did what?”

“Oh, don’t look at me like that,” Alessandro said, looking entirely unbothered. “You wanted to make an impression, didn’t you?”

Severus exhaled sharply, fingers twitching against the wooden table.

“Who said I wanted to make an impression? And what exactly did you promise?”

Alessandro’s smirk widened. “A demonstration. A duel.”

Severus stared at him, eyes narrowing. “With who?”

Before Alessandro could answer, a loud voice boomed across the hall.

“Oi, Shafiq!”

Severus turned.

A tall, broad-shouldered Wampus student stood near the dueling platform on the far end of the hall. His muscular frame and cocky stance reminded Severus of Gryffindor brutes he used to deal with at Hogwarts.

“Name’s Damian Connors,” the boy said, cracking his knuckles. “I hear you’re some big-shot British duelist. Let’s see if you can actually fight, or if you just run your mouth.”

Severus shot Alessandro a murderous glare.

Alessandro just winked. “Think of it as a cultural exchange.”

Unlike Hogwarts, where dueling was often discouraged unless under supervision, Ilvermorny took a different approach.

Dueling was a school-sanctioned activity, considered an important skill. The Dueling Club operated like a sport, with students settling disputes through magical combat rather than pointless brawls. Unless there was a clear risk of serious injury, teachers did not interfere.

It was an unspoken tradition—if you were challenged publicly, you had two choices:

Decline and be branded a coward.
OR
Accept and prove yourself.

Severus knew backing down would make his year at Ilvermorny far more difficult.

So, he stood. Calm. Controlled. Deadly.

The students around them cheered and whistled as they moved toward the dueling stage.

The makeshift dueling ring was a large circular space, its perimeter marked with glowing runes. The gathered students formed a loose boundary, eager to watch.

Damian rolled his shoulders, bouncing slightly on his feet like a fighter preparing for a physical match.

“Hope you can take a hit, exchange student.”

Severus didn’t react.

He simply raised his wand.

“I don’t intend to be hit.”

A hush fell over the crowd.

Then—

The duel began.

Damian moved fast.

The first spell came like a whipcrack—a Blasting Curse, aimed straight for Severus’s chest.

Severus sidestepped effortlessly, the curse shattering the floor where he had stood.

A second spell followed. Reducto.

Severus barely flicked his wand. “Protego.” The curse deflected, smashing into the barrier behind him.

Damian grinned, eyes flashing. He liked a challenge.

He started moving, shifting his strategy—sending a flurry of hexes and curses, trying to force Severus into a corner.

Severus?

Severus danced through the storm.

His defense was surgical—precise dodges, quick ccounters, and fluid movement. He didn’t waste energy.

Damian relied on brute force.

Severus relied on timing.

The Wampus duelist lunged forward, wand crackling with magic, intending to overwhelm him with another powerful offensive spell.

Severus saw his opening.

He flicked his wrist. “Expelliarmus.”

Damian’s wand flew out of his hand.

It clattered to the floor.

Silence.

Then, a slow ripple of applause.

Severus stood there, wand lowered.

Damian blinked at his empty hands, stunned.

The gathered students murmured among themselves, eyes flicking between Severus and the defeated duelist.

“Holy shit.”

“That was… terrifyingly efficient.”

“Who even fights like that?”

Severus exhaled, pushing his wand back into his sleeve. He had expected something more challenging.

Alessandro whistled from the sidelines. “Mio Dio. That was sexy.”

Severus shot him a warning glare.

Damian, to his credit, let out a low chuckle. “Well, damn,” he muttered. He picked up his wand, rubbing his wrist. “Gotta admit, Shafiq—you’re better than I thought.”

Severus gave a curt nod. “I know.”

Laughter rippled through the crowd.

Someone clapped him on the back. “Looks like you’re not just another foreigner, huh?”

Just like that, Severus was no longer just the exchange student.

Now, he was a serious contender.

And everyone at Ilvermorny knew it.