one year later

Dan runs down the corridor, the sound of his footsteps bouncing around the hallway after him, almost chasing him to class. He's on the verge on running late - nothing remotely new.

After asking politely first (he learnt to the hard way), he pushes the heavy, wooden door open and pauses momentarily to catch his breath. The whole class turns to stare at him, including Professor Flitwick - looks like he is late after all. Charms class, where they learn theory and how to cast simple charms with their wands, is also one of Dan's favourite subjects as he's quite good at it. In fact, he seems to be quite good at a lot without particularly trying.

Dan frowns slightly as he sees it's all full of Gryffindors and Slytherins - no Phil then. Slytherins and Gryffindors are supposed to have this great rivalry between them - they're the two of the four houses known for it especially. While everyone was sorted into a house depending on their traits and values that seemed to suit them, Dan isn't exactly sure how he ended up in Slytherin house, he isn't exactly cunning or determined or... basically any of the house traits. He's clever, but that's where it ends. He feels like the sorting hat just threw him in that house because of his family - which is a pretty shitty thing of that stupid hat to do.

Dan shuffles forward and takes the last empty seat, beside a Gryffindor with brown, bushy hair and immaculate books - Hermione Granger. No surprises that seat is free with her seemingly only friends Harry and Ron seated together already. Dan feels slightly self conscious pulling out his own already slightly damaged books, crumpled even though it's only the second day of school. He grimaces as he sees Hermione shift slightly away from him, likely because he's a Slytherin. He sighs deeply and rests his head on the desk. And they say Slytherin have prejudice.

"Okay class! Today we are going to revise what we learnt last year to refresh memory!" Professor Flitwick says from on top of a pile of books - he's quite small so he uses the books for a height boost, "please start with wingardium leviosa, a small object has been placed on your desk!"

Dan sighs as Captain Keen beside him pulls out her wand and immediately begins to precisely flick her wand and recite the spell as she levitates the feather into the air. She glances at him with a smug satisfaction, daring him to outdo her.

Wingardium leviosa, Dan thinks half-heartedly as he stares at his own feather, not bothering to move his head up from his desk as he's way to tired at the present time. His brain just wants to shut itself down into a nice, peaceful sleep. He's used to home, where he could sleep til midday.

"Dan! Watch where you're floating your feather!" Professor Flitwick yells to him over all the commotion.

Dan sits up, frowning in confusion until he sees his own feather flying around in the air above him, knocking about the other floating feathers out of the air - Hermione Granger is staring in disbelief, much like Dan himself.

"Dan stop staring at it and get it down!" Professor Flitwick repeats.

"I'm not doing it professor!" Dan says, raising his hands in the air, "I don't have my wand in my hand!"

"Then who's doing it? Everyone put down your wands!" Professor Flitwick yells, but even after the wands are a down and the other feathers fallen, Dan's is still flying about, "I don't believe it."

Dan frowns, thinking back to when he thought the spell - but that's not possible is it? Magic is done through a wand, it's a fact, everyone knows that. It's one of the few set things in this world that actually make sense and is constant. It can be done without, but that is way beyond a second year like himself.

"This isn't me?" Dan says, confused, but as soon as he puts his hand out, the feather drops back down, floating gently through the air and barely brushing against his fingertips as it lands in his palm.

"It seems like it was Mr Howell," Professor Flitwick says thoughtfully, "quite a unique talent you seem to have."

"I think it was just the wind..." Dan protests, but he's even unsure - it wouldn't be the first time he's somehow done spells without a wand.

"I suppose you're right - spells without a wand are basically unheard of for someone of your age," Professor Flitwick says, still skeptical.

"Yeah, just the wind or something," Dan murmurs.

Professor Flitwick nods in response before going on to tell the class to carry on with practicing their spells. There's a different atmosphere in the classroom now though, Dan can feel eyes on him and Hermione turns to face him, her eyebrow raised in accusation.

"Do you really think it was the wind?" she asks matter-of-factly, "that's pretty daft, even for a Slytherin."

Dan's face turns to a scowl as he dislikes the way she exaggerates words to make the person she's talking to feel stupid. He gives her his best glare, although its effect is reduced as his fringe is falling in his eyes.

"You know, all Slytherins aren't the same, that's pretty daft," Dan says, matching her tone, "and does it even matter anyway? Also don't be so condescending, I'm sure you're not perfect."

"I suppose not, but if I were you I'd want to know," Hermione says with a huff, tossing her hair over her shoulder before she points her wand at her own quill, "and I'm not condescending. Wingardium leviosa."

Dan feels anger boil inside of him, his fingers withdrawing into fists as he feels resent grow inside him for the obnoxious girl beside him with her smart-ass attitude and judgemental looks. He hates when people treat others as below them, with a burning, burning passion.

He looks up to where her feather is floating in the air, all white and pure while she is smugly pointing her wand, looking around and seemingly proud of herself for perfectly executing the spell. He dislikes people who thrive off the stupidity or incompetence of others, or tries to make them known of their superiority, so he decides to try out his 'mind spells' again.

Incendio, Dan thinks, whilst staring intently at Hermione's floating feather. Immediately, the end catches fire and soon ashes are raining down from the sky, black snow coating her and her desk. She looks puzzled for a moment before turning to Dan with a sharp and intimidating glare.

"You set my quill on fire," she says accusingly.

"Your spell must've messed up, I don't even have a wand in my hand," Dan says innocently.

"I will find out what this is," Hermione challenges, "you should tell the teachers too - it could be an unfair advantage or something."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Dan says with a smirk.

***

"Dan!" Phil calls out, running down the hallway towards him with a large smile and his yellow and black striped scarf trailing behind him.

"Hey Phil," Dan says with a laugh, watching as he halts and bends over, seemingly out of breath already, "why are you wearing a scarf? It's not that cold."

"I love my scarf! Also, we have transfiguration together next!" Phil says happily, "the Ravenclaws are so annoying to have history with. They try to imply we're stupid and most of them pay attention. Ugh."

"Hermione Granger should go join them," Dan says, rolling his eyes and feeling annoyance build up inside him again.

"Did she knock you over while shooting her hand up to answer a question?" Phil asks with a giggle, "she does that sometimes."

"She was just a know-it-all and was all like, cause you're a Slytherin," Dan says, rolling his eyes yet again, "everyone thinks we're all evil."

"Well everyone thinks Hufflepuffs are all pushovers!" Phil says with a frown, "that we're too nice and all that."

"Well, that's not completely untrue for you," Dan says with a laugh, nudging Phil with his elbow.

"Shut up," Phil says, shoving Dan away with a laugh, "you evil Slytherin."

"Damn right I'm evil, I'll push you down the stairs on the way to transfiguration," Dan says as they begin to walk towards their next classroom.

"No you wouldn't, you're actually a massive marshmallow inside," Phil says, "you're the least Slytherin person in this school. You just pretend you're a tough."

"I am tough," Dan says with a smirk, "and I wouldn't have to push you - you'd just fall yourself anyway."

Phil remains silent for a second.

"Shut up," Phil says, narrowing his eyes at him, "you... butt."

"Well shit," Dan laughs, "I have sure been told."

***

hello welcome to another chapter. hope you enjoyed! if anything's not accurate pls let me know. also what do you think of Dan being able to do magic without a wand :o

thanks for reading so far!!