Chapter Text
"Ravenclaw!"
Matt Foxer walked down the platform, his gaze flickering nervously. The applause and shouts around him did nothing to settle his disoriented mind. He was undoubtedly in Hogwarts' Great Hall, a vast chamber teeming with students, tables laden with delectable food, and warm, orange candlelight dancing in the air.
As a devoted Harry Potter fan, the scenery offered no confusion. He knew precisely where he was. Yet, it was the very reason why he was so baffled. He understood the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was mere fiction. He was certainly not meant to be here.
Only a few hours ago, he had been a typical, rather unexciting Korean man who had completed his final night-time guard duty in the military. After the duty, he'd shed his uniform, showered, and collapsed onto his abysmal mattress.
He was due to finish his twenty-one months of military service and return to civilian society tomorrow morning. He would have gone back to the university he despised, perhaps found a part-time job if time permitted, and simply lived out his normal, ordinary life.
However, the loud shout of the Sorting Hat had jolted him awake, and here he was, at Hogwarts. It was natural for him to think, What in the hell is going on right now?
Matt sank helplessly onto the Ravenclaw table. Students welcomed him with greetings and hearty back-pats. He couldn't recognise any of their faces. Despite confusion, his mind quickly sifted through any significant Ravenclaw characters he could recall.
Luna Lovegood? What year is it now? She entered Hogwarts a year after Harry. She wouldn't be here if it were before or after Harry's active period in school.
Cho Chang? All he could see were faces of white, brown, and black skin. If Cho were here, she must be sitting far away on the other side of the table, because Asians were unquestionably scarce at Hogwarts.
Padma Patil? He wasn't even sure if he was in the film adaptation of Hogwarts or the novel version. If it had been the former, she would have been in Gryffindor.
As a soldier, he had read a great deal of fantasy fiction during his free time and his lengthy, six-hour guard duties. It had been quite challenging to entertain oneself without phones and the internet in the barracks.
Am I just sucked into the book or something like that? Matt thought. Although he wasn't familiar with recent trends in the UK, a particular concept had been popular over the past few years in Korea: it mainly involved the main character being drawn into a fictional world, often by possessing one of the characters in the scenario.
He had never imagined such a situation would befall him. Not at all. After all, fictions were fictions for reasons. They were not supposed to be real. But even during doubts, he had already, unknowingly, dismissed the possibility of it being a dream. Even if his last memory was falling asleep. Everything felt far too real to question its reality.
"Weasley, Ronald!"
The familiar name startled Matt. His head instinctively turned towards the platform, his gaze fixed attentively on the boy with burning red hair now sitting on the stool. His brain busily recollected every scrap of information he remembered about Harry Potter.
In the movie, Professor McGonagall didn't sort students into houses alphabetically. He also noticed that Professor McGonagall, Ron Weasley, and the faculty seated behind them looked subtly different from the films. This meant he had probably landed in the novel.
But which novel? He questioned, a pang of frustration rising. There were simply too many stories in the Harry Potter franchise, and he had far too much free time to read in the military.
His stomach suddenly rumbled with hunger. Matt shoved whatever food was in front of him into his mouth, swallowing after only a few chews. He could barely register the taste as his mind was utterly preoccupied. Hazy and strange memories seeped into him.
Matt Foxer. He was evidently a new character, or one of those insignificant students in the background. A wizard father and a Muggle mother. Suddenly recalling the familiar yet distant figures of his 'parents ', made him feel deeply uneasy. Hazel wood with a Phoenix core, twelve-and-three-quarter inches, and unyielding flexibility. Not very helpful information, he pondered drily.
Matt glanced over at the Gryffindor table. Since he had heard Ron's name, it meant he was in the year 1991. It was the year when Harry Potter first enrolled on Hogwarts. He could easily spot the Gryffindor table, where students seemed more clustered than at other seats, but he couldn't see 'The Boy Who Lived'.
So… I am actually in Hogwarts now as a wizard. The very realisation turned Matt's stomach bubbly. While a part of him was intrigued by the prospect of meeting The Golden Trio and many other fascinating characters in the books, he wasn't sure it would be wise to do so.
He had never been a particularly adventurous man, and that hadn't changed even in his suddenly new eleven-year-old boy state. He knew all too well that the Wizarding World wasn't all about hope and laughter. Befriending Harry and possibly joining his quest didn't appeal to him even in the slightest.
Harry confronted Voldemort already in his first year to protect the Sorcerer's Stone. It wasn't something anyone would indulge in as a kid. Not to mention the Chamber of Secrets, the battle in the Department of Mysteries, and the perilous journey of searching for and destroying Horcruxes.
"Everyone, pick your favourite tune, and off we go!"
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald,
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling,
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot."
Matt speechlessly listened to the unexpectedly messy melodies. His eyebrows furrowed as he thought. Well, that was… enlighteningly discomforting.
He rolled his eyes at Albus Dumbledore with an empty gaze. He hadn't expected to witness Richard Harris's benevolent smile or Michael Gambon's charisma in the films. But the Dumbledore he saw now was… funny in a not-funny way.
"Alright, follow me, first years!"
After the feast, Matt and the other boys and girls followed the house prefect—whatever his name was—to the fifth floor. While he was still perplexed and anxious with the circumstances, he couldn't help but curiously look around the school as he walked through the corridors.
The hallways with their living frames, the moving stairs that shifted with a soft groan, and the tiny notions of magic shimmering everywhere looked far more fantastical than watching the films. Even the knowledge of the upcoming danger didn't suppress his excitement as a fan.
"What grows with sharing, yet shrinks when hoarded?"
As they reached the entrance of the Ravenclaw Tower, the eagle-shaped doorknob opened its beak. The house prefect turned to the first-years.
"As you can see, the Ravenclaw common room doesn't have passwords, unlike other houses," he explained. His voice slightly echoed in the stone corridor.
"You can only enter by answering the question. If you can't, you will have to wait until someone with the answer comes along. So I would advise you all to sharpen your minds. Better yet, always check your textbooks or class materials before leaving the place."
He turned to the eagle statue and answered, "The answer is knowledge."
"Obvious yet can't be more accurate," the eagle said, and the heavy door swung open.
The Ravenclaw common room had never been depicted in the films. The sight filled Matt with awe. The blue and bronze decor was grand, with an antique yet elegant touch. A vast, circular chamber, filled with comfortable armchairs and tables, bathed in the soft glow from tall, arched windows that offered a magnificent view of the grounds.
The dormitory itself looked spacious and cosy. Matt sighed as he looked at five beds placed at even gaps throughout the room. After sharing the living quarters with twenty-five smelly, sweaty blokes in the military, he had been looking forward to sleeping in his bed. Instead, now he was stuck with four roommates. I guess four is better than twenty-five, at least.
Matt found the luggage with his initials on it and began to unpack. His movements were slow as he tried to gain as much information as possible from his belongings. He recognised everything in the luggage: his favourite daily clothes, some leftover snacks he bought from the train trolley, and textbooks and materials he got in Diagon Alley.
The memories felt contradictorily familiar yet oddly distant. As he emptied the trunk, a sleek black cat hopped in and lay down inside it as if it were her own bed. He realised the cat's name was Nyx, his pet.
"Cool cat. I wanted one too, but my mother said cats are too messy, shedding their hair everywhere. I told her that I would learn the cleaning spell at Hogwarts, but apparently, she trusts her vacuum over my wand."
The boy beside Matt's trunk sat down and chatted while he tried to stroke Nyx. He had a freckled face with black hair. "I'm John, by the way. John Tyler."
What an unimpressive, extra-character-worthy name you have, Matt shoved his opinion into his mind. After all, Matt sounded like a pretty typical, unmemorable name as well.
"Your parents are Muggles, I guess? My mother is a Muggle too. She isn't open about using magic in our house as well, except when it is used for housework."
Matt was surprised by his answer. He could talk smoothly like a proper eleven-year-old boy, rather than a Korean sergeant in his mid-twenties.
Soon, he shared introductions with the rest of his roommates: Mark, Owen, and Tom—probably the most unsettlingly common name in the Harry Potter world. Hearing their excitement and anticipation, he worried about catching up with their childish boy conversation. Fortunately for him, the kids fell asleep quickly.
Matt wrapped himself in a blanket and pondered. Waking up in fiction as an utter stranger didn't feel too terrifying or shocking. He felt astonishingly composed, as if his mind were protected by some kind of protagonist's mental barrier. He missed Korea, his family, and friends, but the prospect of becoming an actual wizard felt too irresistibly enticing.
Matt pushed aside his persistent concerns creeping into his head, rationalising that Harry and his friends would resolve everything if this were an original novel. Even if he was in some depraved fanfic where everyone fuck each other or all of them die, he knew most of those stories were focused on later years in the story after the characters grow older. Or so he hoped.
Until then, he believed he would have enough time to figure out everything. He watched too many movies and series where seemingly insignificant butterfly effects ruined everything, so he was reluctant to interfere with the plot or abuse his future knowledge. But in inevitable moments, his knowledge could become handy.
Nyx climbed onto the bed and softly settled down on Matt's stomach. Feeling her warmth, he slowly closed his eyes. The bed was soft, and his body was too tired after the long trip. It was too cosy not to fall asleep.
***
The next morning, Matt and his roommates walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast before their first class schedule.
"Why are we having the Defence Against the Dark Arts today? My brother told me to sit as far back as possible, saying Professor Quirrell smells weird."
"I'm sure it isn't that bad. I heard he wears garlic after fighting vampires. I mean, that sounds pretty sick."
While his roommates eagerly discussed subjects and professors, Matt remained rather quiet, lost in his thoughts. The timetable they had received in the evening described their first day classes as a double History of Magic, followed by Defence Against the Dark Arts, then Potions.
It meant they would experience the dubious privilege of witnessing just how sleepy Professor Binns was. Then they would be in the same room with Professor Quirrell, who secretly had You-Know-Who attached to the back of his head. Lastly, everyone—even first years—knew that Professor Snape favoured Slytherin over other houses. Three of the worst professors in the school in one day… Greeeeatttt.
"Okay, I'm done. I'll see you all in class."
Feeling weary of pretending to be eleven years old, Matt quickly finished his breakfast and left the Great Hall. Even the school's astonishing food selection couldn't stimulate his appetite. The very fact that he was still in Hogwarts even after sleeping and waking up gave him too much to think about. He wondered if it would be even possible for him to return to his old self.
If he was going to be stuck in this boy's body, he needed to understand Matt better. While he could access Matt's memories—the original Matt's—it wasn't as smooth as recalling his own. It felt like he could barely remember things, only when he intentionally tried to provoke certain memories.
When Matt arrived at the common room entrance, the eagle doorknob stopped him.
"Who is the author of the children's story of 'Chasing Gnomes on a Rainy Day'?"
His jaw dropped. What on earth is 'Chasing Gnomes on a Rainy Day? The only children's story he knew from the Wizarding World was 'The Tale of the Three Brothers'.
He hurriedly searched through the childhood memories in his head, but the title was still unfamiliar. His mother used to read stories when he was younger, but she was a Muggle. Snow White, Cinderella, and Robin Hood. I already know them, this isn't helping!
"Wasn't it Amelia Hopsteder?"
Suddenly, a voice behind him answered instead. Matt turned and saw a cute Ravenclaw student with brown skin and a black ponytail walking toward him. She was playfully smirking, but not in a mocking way.
"You never read it? It's quite a popular story."
"My mother mostly read me Muggle stories," Matt answered appreciatively. She looked the same age as him, but he couldn't recognise the girl because none of the Ravenclaw characters of Harry's age had a significant role in the story.
They walked into the common room together. The lounge was empty. Perhaps everyone was still finishing their breakfast in the Great Hall since there was plenty of time left before the class started.
"I think you can find several copies in the library. You're new like me, aren't you? I'm Padma. Nice to meet you."
Matt had been planning to have some privacy in the dormitory, to figure out more of the situation he had fallen into. He wanted to check his belongings all over again, in case he could learn something important about himself.
However, the girl's name changed everything. He knew exactly who she was.
Padma Patil? You are Padma? Matt almost shouted instead of questioning within his head. She was Parvati's sister. Even though the Patil sisters were rather insignificant characters in the storyline, they were still considered among Harry's close friends. They even joined Dumbledore's Army later in the books.
"I'm Matt. Can you tell me anything else? I mean, my father is a wizard, but he barely told me anything about the Wizarding World. I could use any trivia in case the door stops me again."
Matt rambled, wondering if he sounded too rushed or needy. Although he was still unwilling to intervene with The Golden Trio, she could be his opportunity to connect with them in necessary moments. Besides, he genuinely needed help to understand the Wizarding World. He didn't want to sleep outside the corridor just because he failed to answer the eagle doorknob.
It felt weird and awkward to ask one of the named characters to hang out with him. But luckily, Padma didn't look too annoyed or bothered by Matt.
"Well, I was going to explore the school before class," she spoke cheerfully. "I heard you can get easily lost in your first year. Maybe you can join me."
Matt nodded eagerly. He quickly hopped up the boys' dormitory stairs to pick up his textbooks and materials. He tried to calm himself down as he walked down the stairs. He still couldn't believe the girl he assumed to be one of the unimportant background characters was Padma Patil, because she looked far too pretty even as a kid.
J.K. Rowling did mention once that she and her sister were considered the most attractive girls among Harry's peers in 'The Goblet of Fire.' However, Matt didn't believe it because it was the only moment she described their appearance in the book. He assumed she quickly improvised during her writing so they could be Harry and Ron's partner during the Yule Ball.
Matt returned to the lounge with several books in his arms. He wondered why backpacks weren't mandatory in the school requirements. It also made him curious whether it would be difficult to enchant the Extension Charm like how Hermione did with her beaded bag. It would be so handy if he could do it.
"Ready to go?"
Padma walked down to the common room several minutes later. They walked several floors and hallways together while she chatted about various topics: herself, Parvati, Hogwarts, and classes. Matt usually listened, responding only when he had to react or add opinions.
Padma was nothing like he imagined after reading the books or watching the films. She seemed social and carefree, with the flair of sophistication and maturity for her age. But to be fair, Rowling barely paid enough attention to Padma as a character. So realistically, whatever personality she had, it made sense.
"What does your dad do, by the way? I mean, my parents told me a lot about Hogwarts before I came here. Two of my roommates are Muggle-born, but they seem to know about Hogwarts more than you do."
Padma asked an innocent question, but Matt had to pry his mind to remember his father. It wasn't easy to concentrate on his memory while engaging in the conversation.
"My father owns a tree nursery. Nothing magical, though. Elm, yew, rowan, oaks…" he explained, trying not to frown or look too distracted with his thoughts.
He recalled that his father, Richard Foxer, wasn't a very conservative man. He was kind, but he talked to his trees more often than people.
"He supplies the materials to wand makers, broom makers, and other places. But he doesn't speak much about the Wizarding World because his business isn't exactly secluded from Muggles. He sells trees for landscaping purposes to them."
"It sounds far more interesting than my parents, at least. They are both historical researchers. They said Professor Binns taught them as well."
Padma's parents were never introduced in the novel. Matt listened to her attentively with intrigue. He wondered if Padma was revealing Rowling's unmentioned setup or perhaps the hidden lore developed by one of the fanfic writers.
"Then you won't have a problem with the door as long as it's a history-related question. I know nothing, and I mean literally nothing, about magical history."
Padma chuckled lightly, amused by Matt's pure ignorance. "Then I guess you are in luck that our first class is History of Magic."
Only if I don't fall asleep, Matt chuckled back. It seemed like Padma hadn't heard of the notorious reputation of Professor Binns's sleepy voice. Maybe her parents intentionally skipped that part, hoping their daughters would be interested in their career path.
They wandered around the school a bit longer and entered the classroom together. The old ghost instantly began his lecture, reading his book with a tedious, unemotional tone even without an introduction. He didn't even call attendance.
Despite being known for wisdom and knowledge, being a Ravenclaw student didn't mean they were necessarily bookworms or teacher's pets. Many students fell asleep even before the first hour had passed. Some even snored a little.
Matt and Padma's class attitude was better than most, because at least they didn't fall asleep. However, instead of listening to Professor Binns or reading the textbook, they continued chatting in low voices. Almost anything she said was new to him, so Matt absorbed everything carefully.
After long, agonising hours of ASMR, they were finally released from the lecture that was utterly impossible to concentrate on.
"Who knew the class would be this boring?"
"I knew it. But it was still horrendous."
While most students struggled to wake up, those who hadn't fallen asleep hurriedly escaped, complaining. Matt and Padma also stood up. But as they reached the door, they stumbled across two Slytherin students.
"Move!" Even though there was plenty of space to move aside, the girl pushed Padma abruptly. The tall black boy laughed behind her.
"Hey! What was that about?" Padma shouted. The Slytherin students both stopped walking and turned their heads. Both of them grinned sinisterly with a snort.
"You were in my way, are you some kind of moron?"
"Be easy with her, Pansy. Maybe she was sleepwalking."
Matt was almost about to shout at them, but hearing their names stunned him. Pansy Parkinson. She was one of the notable Slytherin characters. Then the boy must be Blaise Zabini. He was also included in Malfoy's small gang.
"There was enough room for…"
"Don't, Padma. They're not worth it."
Matt hurriedly grabbed Padma's hand and dragged her out into the hallway. While Padma fumed in rage, he got lost in his thoughts again. Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini. While they were rather unimportant roles in the story, both of them were popular as Slytherin side characters.
But neither of them looked like their film or novel counterparts.
According to the book, Pansy should have looked more like a pug than a person. It didn't depict Blaise as having a stunningly good appearance either. But they both looked astonishing, almost like children models from a magazine cover.
"I should have taught her a lesson. I didn't learn any proper curse yet, but—" Padma grumbled, but Matt was too distracted to listen to her.
Meeting Padma didn't surprise him too much before because her personality or look didn't technically contradict the lore. But Pansy and Blaise defied their very character. It also looks like they have befriended each other already. Doesn't Blaise suppose to be an outsider? I thought he was introverted or too arrogant to mingle with anyone.
It didn't seem right at all. Although Matt considered the possibility of being in the fanfic version of the Wizarding World instead of the original one, attractive Slytherins couldn't be a good sign. It usually meant the universe was favouring the dark side, which would likely lead the story to a more gloomy path.
"Matt, are you okay? You look… worried."
Padma's concerned question snapped Matt back to reality. Realising he was still holding her hand, he apologetically released it.
"What's wrong? Do you know them?"
Matt feigned a smile as he shook his head. "No, sorry. It's impossible to explain… but I just had to leave that place."
Gratefully, Padma no longer questioned him. They quietly walked down to the Great Hall to eat lunch before starting their afternoon classes. Mark and Tom weren't there—Matt saw them still sleeping in the classroom before leaving—but John and Owen waved their hands, inviting them to join.
"Matt! You already hooked a girl? Sick!"
Aren't you supposed to be a naive, innocent eleven-year-old kid, John? Matt ignored the promising horn dog and introduced Padma only to Owen.
"Padma, Owen. Owen, meet Padma."
Matt continued to ignore John's betrayed, hurtful face and sat with Padma. Since it was his third time dining at the Great Hall, he began to indulge in the liberty of picking up the food he liked. Unlike in films, which are often filled with oily proteins and unhealthy treats, Hogwarts' actual diet plan was more balanced with healthy selections.
"How was your first class? My mum warned me, but I didn't expect Professor Binns to be that boring."
"Do you have any idea what just happened with me and Matt? Those Slytherins…"
Padma and Owen quickly bonded with each other. Matt was more focused on the food than the conversation because he hadn't eaten well during his previous two meals. He often stopped chewing and listened to their conversation, thinking about how kids easily talk to one another and become close.
"You betrayers! You could have woken us up!"
Mark and Tom joined when they had almost finished eating. Owen smirked at them and politely asked Matt and Padma. "We'll go to the Quidditch Pitch during the break. Do you want to come?"
"Sorry. I promised to see my sister. She's in Gryffindor."
"What's your sister's name? Is she pretty?"
Everyone ignored John's giddy question. Padma turned her head to Matt instead.
"What about you? We can meet in the common room if you want to go to the Defence Against the Dark Arts class with me."
The suggestion briefly tempted Matt. Considering Padma's usual inseparable presence with her twin sister, there was a high probability that he might encounter Parvati as well, even though Padma had asked him to meet in the common room.
However, he calmly shook his head. "Sorry, I need to go to the library. But I will see you in class."
He might have accepted Padma's offer if they hadn't met Pansy and Blaise. But after seeing them, he wanted to verify if his ominous assumption was correct.
If this world were truly centring around Slytherin, it would certainly highlight Draco Malfoy. And if Draco was bound to be the main character, it was inevitable for Matt to check whether there were clues regarding the Dramione trope. Even though he didn't know where Draco usually wandered off, he couldn't think of any better place to find Hermione other than the library.
It was time to find Miss. Know-It-All.
***
Technically, Hermione wasn't part of the trio until the incident with a troll in the girls' bathroom. She and Ron didn't get along very well, and they had a mutual dislike against each other. Hermione was depicted more as an outsider before the incident on Halloween, and Matt was confident that he could easily find her in the library.
"What are you looking for?"
The skinny woman approached Matt with suspicious eyes. She looked like a vulture with a bag of bones. He soon remembered she was Madam Pince, the librarian who was never properly shown in the films.
"I was hoping to find some easy history books, Madam. I barely know anything about the Wizarding World. I tried to listen to Professor Binns' class, but it was just…"
Madam Pince's intense gaze slightly softened. She was aware of Professor Binns's reputation. She pointed out which section he needed to go to, although it didn't stop her from giving him a firm warning not to tear, fold, scribble, or cause any form of damage to the books.
Matt scanned the library as he walked in, but he couldn't find any girl with bushy brown hair. The library was bigger than he had seen in the film. With a deep sigh, he started searching the bookcases instead. After all, he did need some study to pass the eagle doorknob.
I wish I had gotten into Hufflepuff. Why do I need to study about a fictional world just to get into bed? Matt scoffed silently.
He enjoyed reading, but his interest was mostly focused on entertainment. Nonetheless, some books caught his attention. Lucky for him, not every book in the Hogwarts library was dictionary-sized. He picked several books that were thin enough to read and had large print.
There was one about the history of magical architecture, another on associations between Muggle Greek mythology and ancient magic, a wand management manual with easy spells recommended by an author, and a children's story collection written by famous wizards and witches. Matt sat at one of the cubicle desks and started reading. He occasionally looked up to find Hermione, but she was strangely nowhere.
Despite the distraction, he slowly focused on the books. They were quite intriguing. Each book contained new world information that was never revealed in the original story.
After reading the first two books, he couldn't help but sigh. He couldn't shake off the puzzlement.
"Huh."
Despite its popularity, the Harry Potter series had several plot holes and contradictions in its story. Before reading, Matt honestly expected to find some abnormality in the books, perhaps something that Rowling would have neglected in her imagination. However, two books richly described the glimpse of the Wizarding World without a single paradox or illogicality.
Matt had been deliberately reminding himself that he was in the fiction, no matter how real it felt. But the details in the books were too intricate to ignore. There was no way Rowling could have built up the world like this, setting random books unrelated to the main plot. Even the most enthusiastic fanfiction writer couldn't possibly have invented them all. The realism around him forced him to sigh again.
"Shhh!"
A sharp hush staggered him. Matt looked around only to find Madam Pince's back, returning to her desk. What is that woman? Did she cast some kind of sound-detecting sonar spell in the library? He only sighed twice, quietly. But the vulture was unbelievably attentive.
Losing the motivation to read further, Matt left the library. Instead of finding Hermione, he gained only more questions and doubts.
He didn't think too much about living as a wizard because he believed the Golden Trio would take care of everything. But what if there were more differences he hadn't figured out yet? What if his future knowledge turned out to be useless?
It had been only a day after he became Matt Foxer, but everything already started to feel suddenly uncertain. It made him greatly uneasy and uncomfortable.