February of 1996

86

Fred was working in the shop chasing around 4 year-old Leah. "Get back here. Wait, don't touch that," Fred followed her around the shop. "Mum look," Leah said, pointing at the owl. "It must be from Damian," said Fred.

He was anxious to read the letter and know where his second son was sorted into. Carrying Leah on his shoulder he tried to move as fast as he could. Once he got the letter from the owl, he put Leah down and opened the letter. Fred waved the letter around. "Damian is also in Gryffindor," Fred said proudly. Fred looking at the letter again, Leah use this time to start running again. "Fred, your child," said George.

A very tired 11-year-old Damian made his way to the Great Hall to have breakfast. He saw his older brother with his friend. They were talking, and Alek laughed at something his friend had said.  He poured pumpkin juice into his cup.

Alek was walking with his friend, he was going to his class, but before he left the Great Hall, he patted Damian on the back, making him drop his juice. "Ugh, Alek, watch it." "You better not sleep in class, and you forgot your robe," Alek said, making his way out of the Great Hall. Damian looked at himself, and around him, he didn't have his robe with him. He had to go back to his room, and it was already getting late. He finished his juice and made his way to his room.

Damian was entering his potion class entering he saw that there were already people sitting down. He shared that class with the Slytherin. He looked around at the people who were sitting with their friends. In the very front, there was an empty desk. "Not sitting there," he said, looking at the desk in the front of the class.

He started to walk, and he saw the back of Ezekiel's head. He smiled and continued walking to where he was sitting down. "If it isn't my friend Ezekiel," said Damian with joy.

Ezekiel looked up from his book and looked at Damian, who had an obnoxious smile on his face. Ezekiel closed his book and placed his hands on top of the book. "We are not friends, Weasley," he said, looking at the front of the class. "Of course we are," Damian said, sitting down next to him.

Ezekiel was going to make him move, but Professor Slughorn had entered the classroom. "Alright, first years welcome. Remember who you are sitting with because they will be your potions partner for the rest of the year," Slughorn said, placing his book on the desk and looking at the first years.

Ezekiel hated his luck, and he disliked Damian Weasley. After the potion class was over, Ezekiel got his books and left the class. Damian saw that Ezekiel was already out of the classroom; he got his stuff, shoving his parchment paper in his bag and going after him. "Ezekiel, wait up." He started to walk faster after Ezekiel as he bumped into a few people.

"I know you can hear me," said Damian, getting a bit close to him. "Leave me alone, Weasley," said Ezekiel, annoyed. "Are you always in a bad mood?" "What do you want?" said Ezekiel, not stopping. "What class do you have next?"

Maybe if he ignored him, Damian would leave him alone.

Damian was catching up to him. "Transfiguration," whispered Ezekiel. "Me too! I guess we are going to see each other a lot." "How exciting," said Ezekiel with a straight face. "I know, right; my aunt teaches that class." Ezekiel shook his head. "Unbelievable."

Damian was going to continue talking, but they were already at the door. Ezekiel made his way into the room and took a seat with someone else, not wanting to be next to Damian in another class for the rest of the year.

Besides wanting to befriend Ezekiel, who always seems to be in a bad mood, Damian did some mischief here and there over his first year attending Hogwarts. He tried to do a spell against a few fifth years that were bullying some Hufflepuffs, but the spell backfired, and his skin turned red from head to toe.

The next day he received a letter, his mother wasnt happy about what he did, but his father sent him a few products from the shop and told him that he should start small and work his way up.

He was sent to the hospital wing, but he had to spend the night there he didnt want to and made his way to his room in the middle of the night while madam Pomfrey was in her office.

Hoping that no one would find him and get him in detention again, he was walking quietly in the corridors when he bumped into someone. It was Ezekiel "what are you doing here Weasley," he said with his arms crossed. "I dont want to sleep in those uncomfortable beds; I'm going to my bed," he said, shrugging.

Ezekiel had heard what happened to Damian; he wasnt in his classes, and people started to talk. "Wait, what are you doing here?" "I- thats not important. You should go to your room before madam Pomfrey finds you and takes you back."

"True, well bye, Ezekiel, see you tomorrow in class." "You're going to class like that," pointed Ezekiel at Damian's whole skin that was still red. "Why not. It might go back tomorrow." Damian continued to walk and waved at Ezekiel. He only nodded in response.

The reason why Ezekiel bumped into Damian was because he was going to the hospital wing to see how he was. He didnt know why Damian had been annoying him since the first day, but there was a small voice in the back of his head telling him to go and see him. He would never admit this to Damian. That would make him believe that they are actually friends when they are not.

That's how Damian's first year in Hogwarts started. For some weird reason, he wanted to hang out with Ezekiel even though he knew Ezekiel wasn't a big fan of him. At that time, he didn't know why he wanted Ezekiel to like him. Damian was sure that he would warm up to him, and they would be great friends.