Max stepped carefully through the dimly lit corridor, his breath steady as he pressed his back against the cold stone wall. Echo had changed his form into a cat which made people think that Max was also one of the students of Hogwarts. The distant hum of chatter and clinking silverware echoed through the grand halls of Hogwarts. The Sorting Ceremony was still underway, and Max had only one goal—to blend in.
"Alright, this is it. No mistakes," Max muttered under his breath.
Echo crossed his arms. "Sneaking into a fortress filled with some of the most powerful wizards and witches in the world? Sure, no room for mistakes."
Max ignored the sarcasm and pressed forward. He carefully ascended a flight of stairs, stepping over a trick step he had read about in Hogwarts: A History. As he reached the top, the grand double doors of the Great Hall stood before him. He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. It was now or never.
With ease, Max pulled his hood over his face and pushed through the door, stepping into the Great Hall.
4 rows of long tables stretched before him, filled with students dressed in black robes, their House colors displayed proudly. At the head of the hall, the professors sat at the high table, watching the Sorting Ceremony unfold. Floating candles filled the room in warm light, while the starry sky of the Hogwarts ceiling made it feel like a dream.
Max slipped into an empty space near the end of the Gryffindor table, keeping his head down. He felt a rush of triumph, he had made it in. Now, he just has to stay unnoticed.
As he carefully looked around, his eyes landed on a trio near the center of the Gryffindor table. Harry, Hermione, and Ron. The Golden Trio.
They laughed together, their faces alight with joy and amusement. Ron was busy stuffing his face with food, while Hermione chided him playfully. Harry, the Boy Who Lived, smiled as he listened to his friends.
Max clenched his fists under the table.
That warmth, that sense of belonging, this was something he had always wanted but never truly had. In his past life, he has always been an outsider. No real family, no friends who truly understood him. And here he was again, on the outside looking in. The laughter around him felt distant, like a cruel reminder that he could not leave his past behind and just start a new life even if this was a new world.
A lump formed in his throat. He had made it to Hogwarts, but what was the point if he was just going to be an observer? This feeling was suffocating.
"I . . . I don't belong here," he whispered.
Without another thought, he pushed himself up from the table and moved swiftly towards the exit. He didn't run - No, that would attract too much attention. But his movements were quick, precise, designed to slip past unnoticed.
As he reached the doors, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Stop."
Max froze. His heart pounded as he turned his head slightly.
Standing near the entrance, arms crossed, was none other than Professor Minerva McGonagall. Her piercing gaze bore into him, sharp and calculating.
"You" she said, stepping forward. "I do not recall seeing you among the first-years. Nor do I recall ever seeing you at Hogwarts at all."
Max's mind raced. He had hoped to escape quietly, but McGonagall was not someone easily fooled. He straightened his posture, trying to appear confident.
"I'm new," he said vaguely.
McGonagall's eyes narrowed. "New? That is quite odd, considering I personally oversee the acceptance of every student here."
Max swallowed hard. There was no way out of this. He could try lying, but McGonagall was sharp she would see through any deception.
With a resigned sigh, he pulled back his hood, revealing his face fully.
"I snuck in," he admitted. "I wasn't invited. No letter. No acceptance. But I had to be here. I needed to be here but I don't think that anymore I will leave. I am sorry, that I sneaked in here I won't do it again."
McGonagall's lips pressed into a thin line. For a moment, she said nothing, simply studying him with a look that made Max feel utterly exposed.
Then, with a heavy sigh, she shook her head. "Follow me."
Max hesitated. "Am I getting punished? I swear I wont do this again please spare me."
"That is not for me to decide," McGonagall replied. "The Headmaster will determine what is to be done with you."
Max's heart sank. There was no arguing. He cast a glance back at the Great Hall, where students laughed and ate without a care. He took one more look towards the Golden trio and saw them laughing, having fun. He thought he could insert himself into there lives but it was just a measly attempt to escape his past sad life. He turned and followed McGonagall out of the hall.
As he followed Prof. McGonagall to the headmaster, someone noticed him outside the Great Hall.
McGonagall led Max through the winding corridors of Hogwarts, past moving staircases and curious portraits. Echo remained silent, walking beside Max as they went towards the Headmaster's office.
Eventually, they reached a stone Phoenix in a column of a pillar.
"Sherbet Lemon," McGonagall said crisply.
The Phoenix sprang to life, and it moved in a circular motion above which revealed some stairs, the entrance to Dumbledore's office. McGonagall stepped aside, motioning for Max to enter.
Max hesitated before climbing the staircase as McGonagall followed him. It lead him upward until he reached a wooden door. He took a deep breath, then knocked.
"Enter," came a calm voice from within.
Max pushed the door open and stepped inside. The office was filled with books, magical artifacts, and strange devices that whirred softly. A large, majestic phoenix sat perched beside the desk, its golden-red feathers shimmering in the candlelight and behind the desk sat the man himself.
Albus Dumbledore.
The Headmaster peered at Max over his half-moon spectacles, his eyes twinkling with curiosity rather than anger. He steepled his fingers, resting his chin on them.
"I must admit," Dumbledore said, "it is not often that I receive a student who has entered Hogwarts by unconventional means."
Max shifted uneasily. "I didn't mean any harm, Headmaster. I will leave immediately I don't want to cause any problems to you."
Dumbledore smiled. "That remains to be seen."
McGonagall spoke up. "He claims he received no letter of acceptance. Yet, he managed to bypass our security, including the Dementors."
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "An impressive feat."
Silence filled the room for a moment before Dumbledore gestured toward a chair. "Please, sit."
Max hesitated before lowering himself into the seat.
"Tell me," Dumbledore said, "why did you come to Hogwarts?"
Max clenched his fists. "Because. . . I want to belong."
Dumbledore's eyes softened, but he said nothing, allowing Max to continue.
"I've spent my whole life on the outside. Watching others have what I never could. I thought . . . maybe if I could come here, if I could finally be part of something . . . maybe find place where I belong."
Dumbledore studied him for a long time before finally speaking.
"You seek a place where you could belong," he said gently. "A noble desire."
Max nodded, unable to trust his voice.
Dumbledore leaned back, his fingers tapping against his desk. "You have broken several rules, young man. Sneaking into Hogwarts, deceiving those around you. However . . ."
Max looked up, hope flickering in his chest.
". . . I believe everyone deserves a chance."
McGonagall's eyes widened. "Headmaster!!, surely - "
Dumbledore held up a hand. "Minerva, would you not agree that this boy has shown remarkable determination?"
McGonagall pursed her lips before sighing. "That, I cannot deny."
Dumbledore turned back to Max. "Very well. You may stay . . . for now."
Max's breath caught in his throat.
"But" Dumbledore continued, his expression serious, "you must prove that you truly belong here."
Max nodded, determination burning in his chest. He would prove himself. No matter what it took.
For the first time in his life, he had a chance to be part of something.
And he would not waste it.